I’m teaching English 112: College Writing this semester and I asked my students to come up with a playlist and a personal anthem. We are going to post links to our songs and share our thoughts about the influence of music and creativity in our lives.
I am a child of the eighties and the earliest memories of music and dancing that I have are of the disco era. In my parents’ home, there is a large stereo and record player with speakers wired throughout the main floor. My mother loved listening to music and throwing parties. She always had the latest records and dance music. She welcomed everyone into our home for all sorts of occasions: birthday parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and the Super Bowl. Aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbors and friends gathered for whatever occasion we could find. We ate too much, the grown-ups drank too much, and we all laughed and danced and had a good time.
When I think back to these parties, I remember the best part always came when the cousins would start to ask the adults about their childhood. We wanted to hear stories from our parents about how they would run races to the corner store, skinning their knees along the way, trying to get back home as fast as possible. We also wanted to hear about Pappy, our grandfather, their father, who none of us cousins knew because he had passed away before any of us were born. Our parents told us all of the stories about him and about their lives in various apartments and homes in Oakland, California. At the time, the stories were funny and we all had a good time listening to them. I always thought that my mother’s life sounded adventurous and fun as a child. I’m sure that Donna Summer’s disco anthems like “Hot Stuff” and “On the Radio” underscoring these stories, as well as the beer and wine that flowed freely, helped to create such powerful memories for me.
I recently started listening to Donna Summer again and watched her music video for “She Works Hard for the Money” (1983). It’s most definitely dance music and it’s one of the songs I remember vividly from the parties of my childhood. But, it is also powerful commentary on the sacrifices of working-class women. I see that video with fresh eyes today. My perspective has shifted in three decades since first hearing that song.
I became a single mother in 1992 and was promptly told by my mother and her sisters that my life “was over.” I walked away from that table silently sure that they were wrong. And, I worked very hard to prove them all wrong and to distance myself from their judgment and their premonitions of my life. That distance stretched 3,000 miles when I sold almost everything I owned and moved across the country to Amherst, MA.
“She Works Hard for the Money” is my anthem because it reminds me of the women who had resigned some part of themselves once they became wives and mothers at too young an age. When they sat me down, they were telling me the same thing that someone had told them. I was angry at them for a long time and I thought (in my prideful naiveté) that they had no idea what kind of life I could make for myself and my daughter. When I listen to that song, it is a song that celebrates their sacrifices and makes visible their lives and their struggles. Which really are the same as mine.
Never Growing Up
For as long as I can remember, the 7 words I said almost every year were “I wish I was all grown up!†I wished so desperately to be an adult, to have the responsibility of living on my own, going off to college. I played house a lot when I was little and pretended to be a mother with my bitty baby and American girl doll. I had a play kitchen in my room, I liked to set up my beanie babies in rows and pretend to be teacher. Everything about being a grown up intrigued me. Then, in early April late March I had just went to Target and bought a Taylor Swift CD. I listened to all the songs, but one song in particular stuck out to me and got me to thinking. I am so close to becoming an adult (one month away), I will be going away to school, being independent and on my own, all the things I wanted when I was younger. Now that I’m finally there, finally considered to be an adult, I begin to wish I was still a little kid again! “Never Grow Up†by Taylor Swift made me realize that I had taken my childhood for granted.
When I first listened to this song, it phased me in a way I never thought a song could phase me. It was just a regular day. I was driving home from target with my 15 year old sister Kristina, when the song changed from track six to track seven. I turned the volume up and my sister and I listened to it. We listened to every verse, every chorus line. When the song was over I looked over at Kristina and said “I’m going to be leaving in a couple of months, and I’m turning 18 in just a few short weeks, where did the time go?†We then started to reminisce on all of the good times we had with our family when we were young. All the Christmases where we would wait up for Santa, all the birthday’s where we were so excited to blow out the small amount of candles on the cake, each year the number of candles growing in size. One memory specifically came to mind. My sister and I were at my grandparents out on a cold winters day. My aunt’s Barbies from her childhood were spread out across their living room floor. When we were little she would bring them out and let us play with them. We were reenacting a date between Barbie and Ken, when I looked at my sister and said “I cant wait till we are as old as Barbie.†She looked at me and said “Yeah when we are all grown up, that will be the best!†We talked about all the things we were going to do when we got to be adults and when on and on about it forgetting that Barbie and Ken still had to finish their date. When I listened to that song I finally had the chance to think about moving away to school. I never really had a chance to think about actually going away, what with all the applications, deadlines, and grades I had to pass in. Everything had been so stressful, but in that moment, I got scared about moving away and being on my own.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6qutPepOdc
Everyone has that one teacher who he wants to brag about to all of his friends. No, I am not talking about the teacher who assigns no homework or tests and is an easy A. I speak of the teacher that makes class interesting and constantly demonstrate his or her passion of education by going the extra mile for the students. Essentially, this is a teacher who makes a tremendous difference in the community by educating and inspiring students to contribute to society in a positive way. The teacher I would like to discuss is my fifth grade teacher Chris Affleck: the hardest working, charitable, and magnanimous person on this earth. In discussing her, I will talk about how she reminds me of the song “Where Is The Love,†by The Black Eyed Peas.
In this song, there is a message of spreading peace instead of starting war. The song, created in 2003, speaks of the war in Iraq. Will.I.Am, a member of this group, says, “Yeah, we tryna stop terrorism but we still got terrorist livin’ in the USA, the big CIA. The Bloods, and the Crips and the KKK.†We still have numerous problems within the United States such as gang violence, yet we choose to fight the war on terrorism in Iraq. This song focuses on the areas in the United States with families in poverty or struggling to put food on the table. These families are the parents who have a hard time raising their children, which leads to these children getting involved with gang violence. In the music video, members of the band walk around the streets and place signs that contain only a huge question mark while the chorus plays, “Where is the love?†The question mark that they place around the streets asks the question. This song has a pessimistic tone for our world because there are no lyrics speaking of the compassion shown to each other. This is the sole reason that this song reminds me of Chris Affleck. She embodies the song’s message of spreading love instead of war by displaying it through her personality and magnanimous deeds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpYeekQkAdc
When I hear the song I am brought back to that moment. No matter what I am doing or where I am when I hear it, I am always brought back to that one moment. I was sitting on the couch next to my father in early February 2011, watching the Grammys. Who doesn’t love to sit there and listen to all the music, and see what awards your favorite musicians received? We were watching in silence, enjoying the moment, the way that my father always insists we watch, when we heard them announce that a band called Mumford and Sons were to come on after the commercial to sing one of their new songs. We turned to each other, as if to ask one another “who are these people?†I knew that the name was familiar, and I was sure that I must have heard a song of theirs at some point, but I had no idea what to expect. We suffered through the ads, sitting in anticipation waiting to hear this band for the first time. What came next was a moment that I would remember forever.
The commercials ended, the band came on, and our minds were blown. They sang a song called “The Cave,†and from the very beginning I couldn’t look away. The band consisted of four young men, some wearing khaki pants, come corduroys. Some made the effort to put on a shirt and tie, and one was simply wearing a flannel shirt. They were a new band playing at a huge event, but they were not going to change who they were. Among all the fancy dresses and expensive suits it was nice to see a group wearing clothes that an average person would wear. They did not look like the normal bands that you see on one of these awards shows. They looked like four people that you might know, standing on stage doing what they love. It was so inspiring to see a band that cared only about their music. (I must add, it’s not everyday that you fall in love with a band made up of a guitar player, an accordion player, a banjo player, and a bass player). They didn’t put on any fancy show; no special effects, no dance moves. Just four guys playing their instruments, while one sang his heart out until the veins in his forehead throbbed and the sweat dripped down his face.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKe33jxDMkQ
Music is a wonderful thing to listen to. I mean who does not listen to music nowadays. It brings back good memories and relieves our mind. Everyone has a preference for what kind of music they like. Hip-hop and rap bring positivity to my life. I honestly think this type of music is the best because it brings out a party mood and makes people stress free so that they can enjoy life. My playlist is pretty much filled with party songs or songs that get me amped and ready for a wonderful night. My favorite artists as of now are 2 Chainz, Future and Big Sean. When I think of a theme song, I portray it as a song that I can connect my daily life to and even my personality as an individual. Most of my songs in my playlist are under the same genre which makes me relate to them very easily. However, the song Turn on the Lights by Future is one of my favorite songs. I can listen to it over and over again and it will never get old. The first time I heard this song, I was at a party. At first, I did not really like it but when I carefully listened to it, I immediately started to grow towards it. I began to feel like I was sunk in by the lyrics and the tune and from that moment on I knew I would love the song. The way the artist depicts and explains his life is just remarkable. He is pretty saying how he wants to live a good life but in order for him to fulfill this dream, he must plan things out the right way. He is looking for a spouse in order to be successful in life. He knows that if he wants to keep his family, he must be able to provide them with enough money. Since he recognizes this, he will do whatever he has to do to keep his family running strong. I find this song to be special because of that. Future believes that having a wife and kids is significant to his life because without a family, he thinks he is missing out on living an effective life. I can easily relate to music like this because I look for the same thing in life. When I listen to inspirational music, I get attached and want my life to be somewhat like theirs but in my own way.
“Don’t Blink” is a country song by Kenny Chesney who is probably the biggest name in country music. “Make the most of your life” is the message Chesney tries to send through his lyrics. My mom was the one who originally introduced me to the song, and I always think of her when I hear it. She is a big Kenny Chesney fan, and this is one of her favorite songs. This is a powerful song to me because it always makes me think. It makes me wonder if I’m doing everything right, the way I should be. When he says, “Don’t Blink” he means, don’t miss your time, and make the most of the opportunities given to you. This song especially fits for the stage of life I am in now. Finishing up high school, leaving my small home town and moving onto a big college is a major transition in life. Looking back I have done so many things and been through eighteen years of life but it feels as if it all went by so fast. I think that is why this song is so appealing to me. I feel like so much has already happened in my life but I can remember it all like it was yesterday. Also, I’m told college is supposed to be a great time, four of the best years of my life. So while I’m here I’m trying to make the most of it and get as much as I can out of my experience at Umass. The message Kenny Chesney delivers is the best way to live. If you make the most out of every opportunity you are given than you have lived a very successful life.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f0p5KqdU9U
The pop sound of breakout indie group Fun. is hard to ignore. Lead singer Nate Ruess has a captivating voice, displayed in their 2012 top-charting single “Some Nights.†Starting off with a strong a capella chorus, the lyrics accompanied with the steady beat of drums and background vocals create an oddly captivating song. Not only does the alternative musical aspect of the song appeal greatly to the ear, but the lyrics are sincere and surprisingly easy to compare to my own life and my struggles. And this single happened to be released during my senior year of high school, coincidentally a very struggle-filled period of my life. “Some Nights†tells a story of someone’s internal push and pull, stating:
“Some nights, I stay up cashing in my bad luck
Some nights, I call it a draw
Some nights, I wish that my lips could build a castle
Some nights, I wish they’d just fall off†(“Some Nights,†Fun.)
As the chorus and opening lines to this song, they proved to be very influential lyrics to me. During my senior year of high school, I finally turned the big eighteen, the realization of adulthood sweeping over me faster than I could handle it. Even though I could feel myself maturing and my values beginning to change, my father would always say (though with an old-timer smile on his face): “You may be eighteen, but you’re still stupid.†Even though I weirdly knew he completely meant it, I also knew that he said it only so that I wouldn’t get a big head from simply the thought of being a legal adult. Inevitably, I had to thoughts conflicting thoughts in my head: I wasn’t an adult just because I was eighteen but I was strongly feeling more and more mature like an adult, and it happened to be when I was eighteen. I got my license and I even registered to vote. Independence was at my fingertips. My parents became very lenient about where I went or what time I came home on the weekends, but when it came down to my decisions on choices like college majors and what I wanted to pursue in my life, I still felt like I was being treated like a kid.
This realization was prompted by a question from a friend. That question was, “What is your favorite band?†A question with a fairly easy answer, because of course I had to say U2. However, the conversation then became about what my favorite song by U2 was, and I began drawing a blank. This one I had to stop and think about. Could I even pick a favorite? Isn’t every song U2 makes a great one? I considered my options carefully. The first song I ever heard by U2 was “Beautiful Day,†which gave it an immediate leg up on the competition. Then there was always “One,†or “Where the Streets of Have No Name,†two songs that have undeniably powerful lyrics. Or should I choose a beautiful ballad like, “With or Without You?†Or there was always the option of something with more of a rock edge like, “Sunday Bloody Sunday.†And despite its’ title, “Bad,†is a damn good U2 song, and could have served as a valid choice. I clearly had options, perhaps too many of them.
I pondered the possibilities for awhile until I came up with what I now see as the obvious answer. Finally, I landed on “Pride (In the Name of Love),†and when I did I was overcome by the idea that this was far more than just a song to me. It was an anthem with a special kind of beauty and power to it. The lyrics serve as an inspirational reminder for people to have the strength stand up for the things they believe in, things like pride and love that cannot be taken away as long as people are willing to fight for them. The mixture of these meaningful messages with the arrangement of music that surrounds them, and references to religious and historical figures like, Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesus, cements the song’s thematic significance and enforces its’ powerful ideas. This song was not one that I felt an immediate connection with, but the connection I feel to it now is undeniable. There are other songs that I have felt more immediate or specific connections too. These are songs that I associate with memories or certain people, and so they specifically take on special meaning for me, in a different way than “Pride(In the Name of Love)†does. However, I do not think that the special bonds I feel to these specific songs undermines the power of this particular song. On the contrary, I think these bonds only reinforce that songs messages about the power and importance of love.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHcP4MWABGY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gocmWBIEGUk
There’s not one day I start without listening to “Black Maybe†by Common. Songs like these where I can be educated, influenced and advised are my ‘type’ of songs. Common raps about issues he has seen with society and also the tension between the whites and blacks. “Black Maybe†is motivation for me. The advises he gives about one having to learn to avoid those who think they’re better than you and those who will try to bring you down. I feel like this song pertains to all colored people living in the United States where the superior race is white. When I first arrived to college I was a bit overwhelmed I should say by all the white people I encountered. Coming from a city where more than 90% of the population is Hispanic, college was a much of a surprise for me. There were times where I felt intimidated, and constantly stressed the fact that English wasn’t my first language but I overcame it. All I did was listen to the words from the wise. Overall my college experience has been great, and no longer do I worry about my English.
“Dare You To Move”, Switchfoot
Music touches the hearts of everyone and affects each individual in a unique way. Looking back at my life and realizing all the things I have experienced, it is easy to find comfort and solace in such an inspirational song. Whenever I was frustrated or flustered, deep in thought, or just in need of some guidance, I knew I could always turn to this song. Being able to relate to it through its lyrics about mistakes and redemption has helped me through some very rough times. The justifying melody and powerful lyrics had an amazing influence and impact on any mood I was trying to remedy. If people were watching a movie of my life right now at this very moment, this song would surely be playing in the background for all the audience to hear. We all have our own anthem. Some dare us to find the strength to do things we never thought we could, and others test our courage to let go of our pride and embrace surrender. Whatever message this anthem may portray, we must remember to always see with a new perspective and find inspiration without boundaries.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOTcr9wKC-o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQkBeOisNM0
Everybody knows that in order to achieve something you need to work hard. It’s easy to say that, but it’s not easy to actually do it. Everyone has their moments when they want to slack off and not do something that they are supposed to do. It’s hard to always work as hard as you can for something you really want. Many people lose motivation throughout that process. That happens to me, too. That’s why I use music to motivate myself to do something I really want to put off. I use music to remind myself of the bigger goal that I have set in mind and that gets me through the day. Almost everyday I wake up and I put on the playlist that I created to get myself ready for the day. It consists of songs that both motivate me and help me get out of bed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEYxOPtQqWw
From Katie McCarthy:
“She was the kind of girl that never quite fit in, holes in her shoes and freckles on her skinâ€
I never quite fit in in high school. I tried and tried, but I began to feel trapped. I did not like the person I was becoming. My best friend constantly spread rumors and talked about people she barely knew. I began developing these habits as well, and I was unhappy with this. I was changing into a horrible person, the person I swore I would never become. It needed to stop.
I walked away from that best friend and doing that led to more personal confusion. I began depending on music to get me through my days. Songs like “Skyscraper†by Demi Lovato and “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)†by Kelly Clarkson became the soundtrack to my life. Their lyrics got me through my days; “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger†and “I will be rising from the ground like a skyscraper†were the words that encouraged me to keep going and that giving up on myself was not an option. Their lyrics were powerful enough to help me continue through my daily struggle, and I still love them enough to put them on my playlist. The lyrics of Lauren Alaina are just as powerful as those of Kelly Clarkson or Demi Lovato. When I first heard the “She’s a Wildflower,†I was automatically hooked by the upbeat rhythm and beat. By my fifth listen, I knew almost all the lyrics and was truly inspired.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpZrNdNYZB0
I was eight years old when I went to my first concert. Walking hand in hand with my mother when we were leaving the house, I remember the overwhelming excitement I felt. Everyone was already in the limo when my mother and I entered. Theresa, my cousin, was there with the “we love you Britney†sign that we had spent hours making the day before. We were ready for the concert. Britney Spears’ music filled the car the entire way to the concert. “Oops! I did it again. I played with your heart, got lost in the game,†seemed to be everyone’s favorite line. The actual concert was incredible. I sang and danced with my mother and cousins, soaking in every second of Britney’s performance. Despite our age differences, music formed a bond between each of us. That night began a tradition that lasted ten years. My cousins and I attended at least one concert every year from then on out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB9RjE5H_Bs
Growing up I lived in New Hyde Park, Queens, New York. I learned so much growing up in the city, more than if I had grown up in an suburban environment. New York City is “a concrete jungle where dreams are made fromâ€. Everyone aspires to work in NYC as it’s the big leagues, and its the land of endless possibilities. When I moved out of the city I was devastated; nothing was the same. I couldn’t walk two minutes in any direction to get whatever I needed; there was no bustle in the streets or floods of yellow cabs. Instead I traded them all in for a better view of stars, and a peaceful lifestyle. I used to take a five dollar cab to Shea Stadium, and buy and eight dollar ticket to a game. There was no lifestyle better than the city life, and I will always keep the ‘swagger’ with me wherever I go. My mom has changed too because of the change. My mother loves to multi-task, and be on the move, meeting and greeting. Now she can only throw holiday parties.
When this song came out I heard it for the first time in my girlfriend’s car, going to Rockies diner. I remember hearing it and my friends and I going crazy about how much we loved it. Immediately we looked the song up on youtube, and began playing it on repeat for hours. Jay Z, one of the biggest rappers to ever live was giving New York love, a lot of love. We loved the picture that was painted for us, it made New York truly beautiful. Whenever, wherever we heard that song everybody would sing along and everyone knew the words. I heard this song at every important event in my life. I heard it during our junior dinner, prom, hockey games, birthdays, and even holidays. There are thousands of memories I can relate to this song. One memory that stands out the most would be the time I heard it at the playoff game when the Devils beat the Rangers. My father and I didn’t have a great relationship growing up; he had to travel for work a lot. On the day he came home from a two month trip to Saudi Arabia he bought me the Rangers, and Devils game. I remember being the happiest kid in the world, and after that game he didn’t leave for work again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UjsXo9l6I8
If I look back on the song and its lyrics now, I realize that its meaning has not changed that much for me. It used to remind me of the summer my friend and I spent playing this song and all the good times we had together and it still does to this day. I can still picture my friend to this day. His name was Cody Ralston and he was my next door neighbor. We became friends mainly because of that fact. He was my height and had dirty blond hair. His mother only let us play video games for an hour and a half and then we had to go outside. We didn’t mind that at all. We loved running around outside almost as much as playing “Dani California.†We had an old radio that we found. We really wanted to get it to work so we spent a lot of time looking up how to fix old radios. As soon as we fixed it we started playing our favorite song. So every day after we finished playing video games inside, we would go outside and listen to the radio and run around. That is how I was introduced to most of the music on my playlist with the exceptions of a
few songs. Although I will like many different kinds of songs, and some come close to replacing it, nothing will ever replace “Dani California†in my heart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpR0SAbNXmQ