Last month’s playlist, Romeo and Juliet, was for the month of February and those that celebrated Valentines Day. Ironically I created this month’s playlist over a year ago and titled it Life. The last couple of weeks have been a bit crazy in my life and as some of you may have noticed I’ve not had an article in three weeks. But I am back again today and hopefully fully back in the saddle. It doesn’t take much imagination to picture what kind of songs are in a playlist with the name Life.
I looked for songs that made me think of the subject of life. As you will see, the playlist spans artists from multiple decades from 60 years ago to the present. Some of the artists like Harry Chapin and Louis Armstrong are no longer with us, but they continue to live on through songs like “Cats in the Cradle” and “What a Wonderful World”. And there a couple artists who are popular now like Lukas Graham and Miley Cyrus. The songs that resonate with me most in this playlist are those that look at the passage of time.
The older we get the more songs like “7 Years”, “My Way” and “Cat’s in the Cradle” are relatable. My kids are adults and Harry Chapin’s, “When you coming home son, I don’t know when…”, shows how things are still the same way almost half a century later. Sometimes we tend to get so busy in life we miss out on those things that are more important in life. Fortunately though, some people don’t let life get in the way of living. There are more words of wisdom in some of the other songs in the playlist.
Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry Be Happy” is a good word of advice for those who choose to listen. And speaking of happy, Pharrell Williams’s song of the same name is a song that can get you up on your feet dancing. It’s not the only song with a beat that will have you tapping your toes. “Walking on Sunshine” is another song I’m sure was played in dance clubs when it reached it’s peak in the early 80’s. There was one song I forgot about that surprised me when creating this playlist.
Michael Jackson’s, “Heal the World”, is a song that is not a typical Jackson pop song. It is a bit slower and the lyrics have a message that would make the world better if everyone would follow it. “There are people dying, If you care for the living, Make a better place for you and me”. Events like what’s happening in Ukraine make you realize just how much pain and sorrow people are experiencing because of other people’s decisions. That is a large-scale example, but the same thing happens on a much smaller scale in some schools, workplaces and homes. Unfortunately in this world these types of things will always be there. We can hope though that there are some people who continue to try to make it better for others.
Mercy Me’s “I Can Only Imagine” takes a look at life after this one. He tries to picture what life will be like when he goes to heaven. I don’t think that any of us can picture what’s to come, but I believe I will be in a better place. But for now I have to live this life with whatever it throws at me. I try to make the best of it and hope that in some ways I help others to do the same.
I hope you enjoy this month’s playlist, Life, and you find a song that either inspires you or makes you smile. Unlike all other months, I don’t have my theme for next month’s playlist picked out yet. You will have to look for it on the first Saturday of April. Until then if you want a music fix, you can hear, see or learn about something new every day on my Facebook group, Spotify playlist or YouTube playlist. And as always, feel free to reach out and let me know about your favorite new musical discovery.