Soundtrack of my life

I can do hard things, but this was difficult; sifting through the rolodex of songs I love, artists I cherish, and melodies that speak to me. At first I started with a cap of 10 songs, then I cut myself a break and allowed for 12. Suddenly it was a baker’s dozen. I finally made the call to cap it at 15. A playlist of 15 songs to play the “soundtrack of my life”. Unearthing memories these songs bring and writing why they belong on this list filled my cup — I implore you to try this, travel through time at the speed of sound, the speed of song. Without further ado… the soundtrack of my life:

Heroes, David Bowie 
Thinking of You, Hanson
She, Green Day
Tonight, Tonight, Tonight, Genesis
Shadow Captain, CSN
Uncle John’s Band, Grateful Dead
Edge of Desire, John Mayer
You Get What You Give, New Radicals
Glad Tidings, Van Morrison
Harmonia’s Dream, War on Drugs
September, Earth, Wind & Fire
Drops of Jupiter, Train
Blue Coupe, Twin Peaks
To the Sea, Ray LaMontagne
My Sweet Lord, George Harrison 

Heroes, David Bowie 

Right out the gates, this song is a staple. Featured in some of my favorite movies/shows; Perks of Being a Wallflower when Emma Watson impossibly stands in the back of a pickup truck while driving through a frogs tongue tunnel, her arms spread out; flying free. In JoJo Rabbit when the war is over; love wins and the dance begins. Or in Stranger Things, a story of friendship and perseverance; friends don’t lie.
It’s a song of freedom; of living and learning and loving.

Thinking of You, Hanson

This might sound cheesy, but I love this song and the memories it provokes, specifically my sister and I lip-syncing in front of our mirror (we thought they were girls at first). Middle of Nowhere was my first CD, my aunt gifted it to Alyssa and I in 1997 - I was 5 so I had to stand on a chair to see myself in the mirror. I then flipped that chair forward and knocked my two front teeth out. We were no longer allowed to dance in front of the mirror, but that was around the same time we found out that Hanson was, in fact, NOT girls, but rather a group of high-pitched brothers. Nevertheless, my siblings took a liking to the Hanson brothers, to this day we still rock out to this album. Marco gifted me Middle of Nowhere on vinyl for my birthday this year; one of the best gifts I’ve ever received.

She, Green Day

Green Day were the first stoners I ever knew (of.) Let’s go Dookie! This is another song that fills my head with an entire album of songs, and the strongest memory that comes through is sitting on the floor of my older brother’s room playing Super Mario. We listened to this album nonstop, even the secret song that comes on at the end. We’d make Mario jump, fly, and throw the penguin over the ice ledge to the beat of the music. I always liked She because it’s the ultimate “dotch” song. Dotching is a Roselli thing, if you know you know. Green Day is also great mosh music, and not many people know that I love a good mosh pit!

Tonight, Tonight, Tonight, Genesis

THIS WAS SO DIFFICULT. Including just one Genesis song on this playlist… Genesis to me is songs of summer on the sailboat, a cool breeze, and my mom. She is such a sucker for Genesis. My siblings and I took her to see them in 2021, and despite not having actively listened to their music in quite a while, we knew every single word - whereas Phil Collins evidently forgot them all.
As a child, some of their songs scared the shit out of me, like Phil Collins’ creepy laugh in Mama and the trumpeting guitar in No Son of Mine. I vividly remember being frightened by these sounds as a child and hiding behind a buoy while they blasted through the speaker system of our sailboat.
I could put Ripple because that’s mom’s favorite song, or even Invisible Touch because it’s such a banger, but Tonight, Tonight, Tonight is currently on my running playlist and aided in my pursuit to catch a connecting flight in December 2022; sprinting from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 at O’Hare in 10 minutes - no easy feat. This song showcases Phil’s stellar drum skills and the iconic jingles of the 80s.
Fun fact: the working title was originally Monkey, Zulu. Why? I do not know, but I’d like to!

Shadow Captain, CSN

If you know me you know I love CSN/CSNY; a hodgepodge of artists brought together simply because the noise sounded good. This song reminds me of my time as a young sailor girlie; back when we had a sailboat, when things were safe and sound, and everyone was still around. Shadow Captain is my dad. When I hear this song, I see my dad swaying at the helm of Aliante (our 34’ Sabre sailboat) slightly bopping his head and singing “Oh, Captain.” My dad is not much of a music guy, he does admire many of the classics like Patsy Cline and Louis Armstrong, and he actually has a fairly decent voice; a strong baritone. This song was usually blasting through the speakers once we cleared the harbor and shut down the engine, leaning as wind caught the sails.

Uncle John’s Band, Grateful Dead

Okay, story time: I first heard Grateful Dead in Mr. McCluskey’s geometry class my freshman year of high school. Pat McCluskey is quite the hippie, and I may have been a little too smart to be in his class, but alas he was my favorite teacher at GBW. He actually grew up in the house catty corner from our backyard; my dad caught him smoking pot several times behind the shed when he was a kid - not like dad actually cared, he probably asked for a toke. Anyway, I had McCluskey twice in high school, freshman year geometry and then again for junior year stats class. He titled his class “Life lessons, Grateful Dead, and a little bit of math” and most days he’d sit on his desk telling us stories of his time in the Peace Corps. in Africa and had us go around the room to share our road trip names. Mine is Birdie. He told us if you marry your best friend, find a new best friend, and shared where to find the best breakfast burritos in of the middle of nowhere Montana. Super important stuff; definitely more valuable than obtuse triangles.
Anyway, pretty much every day he’d play Dead.
Actively listening to Grateful Dead fell by the wayside, I enjoyed other jam artists like Dave Matthews in my college days. But then, like a blessing from Jerry Garcia up above, Dead & Company was born in 2016; fusing together the magical muse of the Grateful Dead and my favorite musician, John motha fuckin’ Mayer.
In the last 8 or so years since Dead & Company began their annual tours, I spiraled into the psychedelic abyss that is the Grateful Dead; falling more and more in love with their catalog of instrumentally profound, head-spinning hippie jams. Of their repertoire of mixed medleys, I always favored Uncle John’s Band because McCluskey played it all the time. “Don’t worry, it’s not a tsunami” he’d say while handing out exams that he very much did not prepare us for, UJB whispering through the boombox on his desk.
Also, I called it. First song they played when I saw Dead & Co. at the Sphere in Vegas because it is usually the first song that pops into my head.
Dead Forever.

Edge of Desire, John Mayer

So, yeah, I love John Mayer. His voice is like velvet and I think we can agree his guitar skills are out of this world. I really should write a “top 10 favorite John Mayer songs”. But this song. This is my favorite song. It sits pretty at the top (despite being #7 on this list.. I like to hide easter eggs in my writing). Without going into too much detail as to why, this song cuts deep for me. The chord progression is beautiful, but intense; I attempted to learn it on the piano - took me forever and I had to make my own sheet music, which turned into quite the cypher. Edge of Desire can be interpreted in many different ways, but I truly don’t think it’s meant to be a break up song. I think it represents the fears that occupy our mind when it’s quiet; when you long for someone to understand you, and never forget you.
Listen to the words closely. Are you young and full of running, too?

You Get What You Give, New Radicals

One, two, one, two, three, Owww! Not much to say, this is a feel good song. And I love it. It‘s my UJ’s favorite song and we are one in the same.. we even have a secret handshake.

Glad Tidings, Van Morrison

This song is my Christmas jam. Well, this, and Elton John’s Step Into Christmas. I overplay this song come December, and that all started in 2015. I’ve always really liked Van Morrison’s voice and how he sneaks “water” into all of his songs. But this song takes me back to my Cortland Street house in Bucktown, Chicago. The one with the exposed brick, the spiral staircase, and my artsy attic bedroom. 

Harmonia’s Dream, War on Drugs

Do you have a song that you know will one day carry significant meaning for you? I cannot explain to you, but this song gives me that feeling - that something great is going to happen. I really like War on Drugs, their music is moody and melodramatic, but filled with instrumental muse.

September, Earth, Wind & Fire

Where are my gal pals? We put this song on whenever we’re together. It reminds me of my bff Grace and her wedding. I like to sing it in Spanish and do so whenever I’m around my cousin Emily. This is a song that brings people together, and I love songs that bring people together.
¿Recuerdas la noche del 21 de Septiembre?

Drops of Jupiter, Train

My go to karaoke song. This song is quaint and cute. It’s about letting someone go, but reminding them they have a safe place to come back. I need that reminder from time to time.

Blue Coupe, Twin Peaks 

Have you ever heard a song that made you want to dust off your 88-key piano from under your bed and write a song? Blue Coupe did that for me. I really like(d?) Twin Peaks. Not 100 percent sure what they’re up to now, but this song sits pretty as a top played song on their Spotify, and from their Sweet ‘17 Singles album - a banger of an album! Things I love: Chicago grunge bands and a good stage menace; you know the kind that runs amuck on stage, sometimes in the back where you’re not really paying attention. This song is sweet, and sensitive, and about losing a friend. Even punk rock boys can get sad, too. 

Let me know if you’d like to hear my Blue Coupe inspired, twinkling rendition piano chord progression.

To the Sea, Ray LaMontagne

This song is about a good day; memories of a day spent at the sea. I probably listened to To the Sea 100x while driving through Glacier National Park because it made me so happy. To me this song is the beauty of spontaneity and being with someone you love. I’m quite keen for Ray’s soft whispers, you all know I love a little whisper :) 

My Sweet Lord, George Harrison 

Play this at my funeral. I’ll make sure it’s on my funeral playlist, whenever I get around to making that.

I implore you to make this list and tell me what comes of it; which bands make the cut and which songs fill your cup with memories. The songs that bring you to a time and place, and make you feel like you are exactly where you are meant to be. It’s difficult, therapeutic, and really quite profound.