Jan 5, 2014 |
For the last several years, certain songs will find their place on my Favorites playlist. Some are inspirational, some are aerobic, and some are just plain great to listen to.
Usually by February, a playlist for the year has built itself. I don’t often give much thought to what songs are added. I just suddenly realize this or that tune means much to me and so it’s natural to add it to the current listening selection.
I’m already building this year’s soundtrack. It’s positively incomplete which means it has much potential. But so far, here’s what I’ve got:
2014: The Year of the Mojo
- On Top of the World (Imagine Dragons). This great, catchy tune was also the theme for the very short-lived CBS show, Partners. It starred David Krumholtz of NUM3ERS fame. It’s one of Dot’s favorite bands, and the song exudes positivity. Why wouldn’t it be on my list?
- Every Man Should Know (Harry Connick, Jr.). No list is complete without at least one HCJ tune. My dear friend Darcy sent me this album for my iTunes library last summer. I’m crazyinlove with the music video.
- Always Been About You (Fellowship Creative). This will be the theme to my Five Minute Faith podcast when I finally have enough pre-recorded episodes to start broadcasting. A great, uplifting melody and message.
- Changed (Rascal Flatts). Because I love country music. And this song is powerful.
- Love Is All Around – The Mary Tyler Moore Theme (Sonny Curtis). You didn’t think I could leave this one out, did you? Mary Tyler Moore. Minneapolis. A single, fairly confident, adult woman making it on her own. It’s like being home every time I hear it.
- Medley from Mary Poppins (Erich Kunzel & Cincinnati Pops Orchestra). I’ve always enjoyed Mary Poppins. We recently saw “Saving Mr. Banks” at the theater, and it renewed that magic. And our thirst for Disneyland. Until I can get the soundtrack for “Saving Mr. Banks”, this medley will do.
That’s all I have on the playlist right now. Of course I’ll be adding to it on a regular basis. I’m sure there will be some Sinatra, maybe a Bocelli, and a few showtunes or another TV theme song. Definitely some Strumbellas and Pentatonix.
My collection of tunes is eclectic and my playlist should be, too. I like a playlist that offers variety. If I’m in a certain mood, I can shuffle the songs until I find what I need. Energetic, soothing, inspirational, comforting, a hard beat or a soft song.
What are some of your favorite tunes?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
My Soundtrack
Building a Better Me: Making (Better) Memories
FIVE THINGS FRIDAY: THE BIG EASY
Five Minute Faith
You’re Gonna Make It After All.
Mojo Movie Review of the Week: “Mary Poppins”
Jan 29, 2013 |
I love driving at Twilight. I’d forgotten that until I started working again. Driving home in the near-dark with Sinatra playing through the speakers is a nightly experience I consistently relish.
In the Winter rains, the fresh air and delicate winds bring a certain feel with them.
There’s something quite magical about the mix of neon and starlight, of headlights and stoplights reflecting off the hard pavement and sidewalks.
When I was otherwise unemployed, my driving was nearly confined to only the sandy desert roads less maintained by the City. Now I traverse Main Street each day. With Winter on its way out and Spring starting to show (at least trying to nudge an appearance now and then), the sky isn’t as dark as early.
Winter Sunset
Just a few minutes can make all the difference in the world. Soon I’ll be staying at work just a few moments longer to avoid blindly driving into the Western Sun. In a matter of weeks my Twilight excursions will be a memory for nearly another year.
It’s a bit ironic that my favorite music is “New York, New York” which I blast while driving between single story buildings surrounded by Joshua Trees and the occasional Coyote.
Someday I’ll get to New York. Until then, in the Twilight and even in the summer, Sinatra sings me home.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
When I Get To New York
Writing Prompt: Songs
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Jan 12, 2012
I like to make CD’s of my favorite songs. Some are themed for inspiration, or upbeat for those roadtrips I keep getting lost on. There’s always at least one each year that seems to become my Soundtrack for the year: that CD that holds songs that inspire and move me.
Some of the songs are repeats each year. Sometimes, it’s the singer that remains the same. There are songs that remind me of friends. Songs that help me dream big. Songs that bring back memories. And songs that are just great to boogie-oogie-oogie to.
So far this year, I’ve made one CD. (I know, we’re less than two weeks into the New Year, but still…)
The music that so far inspires me is (as always) an eclectic collection. And because I like order, the songs are recorded in alphabetical order by title.
On this year’s first soundtrack, I have the following tunes:
1. “You’re Never Fully Dressed (Without a Smile)” from the Broadway Cast of Annie. This reminds me of my friend Lisa who is always playing the movie, and music, for her kids. Also because it takes place in NYC which is where I’ve got a girl date set up in 4 years with her and Lara. Finally, it makes me smile, just like it implores.
2. “All I Need is the Girl” by Frank Sinatra. I renewed my love for this song when it featured last year on So You Think You Can Dance. Frank is always on my soundtrack in one form or another, especially now that I’m being an Orange.
3. “Beautiful Music” by Barry Manilow. Usually I pick “Copacabana” but this year, I picked something more inspirational. Because that’s just how I feel. Like I was just going through the motions of living until I really began to focus on my writing. And now the World is my inspiration and I can’t get enough of it.
4. “Beyond the Sea” by Bobby Darin. I like the movie with Kevin Spacey. I like Bobby Darin’s music and drive. Mostly, I just really like this song.
5. “Brand New Day” by Ryan Star. This was the theme song for the now-cancelled TV show, Lie to Me. What a great show! What a great song. It’s about someone who won’t settle for being what others think. He goes for what he wants, and he makes it. Love it!
6. “Don’t Mean Nothing” by Richard Marx. When I was in high school, I was the first of my friends to even know about this song and singer. I loved it. It’s so true: people will chat about useless stuff, they’ll use you to get what they want/need, and forget any promise they made to you. But that didn’t keep him down. He fought through the ranks to become a great singer/songwriter. Keep your head up!
7. “Extreme Ways” by Moby. This song features at the end of The Bourne Identity. I just really love the music.
8. “Forever in Blue Jeans” by Neil Diamond. My dad loved this song! And I’ve always loved Neil Diamond. He is a fantastic performer. He never compromised himself, never settled for celebrity status. He’s just a wonderful performer. I also love this song because it puts things in perspective: money isn’t everything. Love is.
9. “Get It While The Gettin’s Good” by Eddy Arnold. Eddy Arnold is my mom’s favorite singer. I can remember sitting out on the porch on warm summer Saturday mornings listening to the record playing on the Hi-Fi. This song reminds me of those days. And my daughter loves it, too. That alone makes this song worthy of being on the soundtrack.
10. “The Girl I Knew Somewhere” by The Monkees. I grew up on the Monkees. In the past, my soundtrack song was “Daydream Believer”. This year I opted for something a bit different. A friend and I went to their reunion concert in 1988 and by sheer luck literally ran into two of them backstage (we snuck in before the concert). Sitting behind us at the concert was Maureen McCormick (Marcia of The Brady Bunch), Robert Pierce (Bingo of Joanie Loves Chachi), and several other actors. We were invited backstage after the concert but then they reneged as it was a “private party”. We were almost in the right place at the right time.
11. “Haven’t Met You Yet” by Michael Buble’. Great song of faith and hope in love and life. Great singer. ‘Nuff said.
12. “I Think I Love You” by the Partridge Family. Another group that I grew up with. And who doesn’t love this song? I can’t separate my love of coffee from this song. It doesn’t hurt that David sang it directly to me in Vegas (See above coffee link for that story!).
13. “I’ll Be There for You” by the Rembrandts. Who doesn’t know this as the theme song for the long-running show, Friends? My daughter is addicted to the reruns on TV, and we watch them every day. Every. Day. It’s a great catchy upbeat tune, and the lyrics say it all. It really is all about Friends.
14. “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley. Just a quirkly little song that nobody expected to go anywhere. But really. If you know the 80’s, you know this song. And you’re already singing it in your head, aren’t you? Yeah… my job here is done.
15. “New York Minute” by the Eagles. First, it’s got NY in the title. So there’s that. And it features at the beginning of The West Wing Season 2, Episode 16, aptly titled “Somebody’s Going to Emergency, Somebody’s Going to Jail”. I don’t have very many Eagles songs on my iTunes, and it’s not like I want “Hotel California” to be prominent on my soundtrack. But this song I love. The connection to Rob Lowe’s character, Sam Seaborn, I love. So it’s on the List.
16. “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra. Someday this will be my theme song; even if just for a day. From the man who loves orange like I do. From the ultimate singer. How could this not be on my soundtrack?! Seriously?!
17. “One/Finale” from the Broadway cast of “A Chorus Line”. Now who doesn’t want to be that girl. Am I right?!
18. “The Rockford Files Theme” by Mike Post. From the TV show. My dad loved loved loved this show. And it was created by Stephen J. Cannell. He was an awesome writer who encouraged and inspired me to write every day. I had to include him on my soundtrack.
19. “That Thing You Do!” by the Wonders. From the movie of the same name. I’m pretty sure I drove my family crazy when I first got the movie on VHS. I played it over and over and over, day after day after day. There’s some great lines in that movie. My favorite is, “Hey. Hey guys… Chad fell down.” Hilarious scenes, great music. What’s not to love?!
20. “Together Forever” by Rick Astley. To be honest, I couldn’t remember which Rick Astley song was more popular, and since they sound similar, I decided to add them both to the soundtrack.
And there you have it. My soundtrack for 2012. Or, at least, the first part of it.
What does your music sound like?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Sep 16, 2011 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
My mom and I and Dot are all pretty close. Three generations of women living in close proximity (don’t forget the five female felines!). Mom lives alone, just down the street, but we’re at each other’s house often enough. We talk every day, often. Our houses even have the same floor plan, but reversed. (That explains why we zig when we think we should zag.)
It’s pretty hilarious when I call my mom and we both have the same topics in our heads. We both want to make mac-n-cheese on Saturday. We both watch the same news, listen to the same music (Charlie Rich, Jimmy Dean, and Sinatra… now that’s music!). We both order the same QVC kitchen product, at the same time. We both have the same ideas about home decor, although her theme is Country Spring and mine is Coffee House Autumn colors. Even some of our furniture is the same (she likes white, I prefer dark mocha colors). Not all of this is planned. We just like the same things. We just have the same views on life. We are distinctly different, and wonderfully in sync.
Now, I’m not saying we’re identical. She won’t go to Disneyland with us. I don’t read the papers like her. She doesn’t rock out to the Backstreet Boys and I’m not too successful at gardening. We don’t spend every single moment together. She kicks me and Dot out of her house when she’s tired, and I send her packing when it’s time to watch “Friends” with my daughter. We do separate and have our own lives. We just share them with each other. A lot.
My mom’s turned into my best friend. I wouldn’t be who I am without my Mom. She instilled my love of words. I can’t remember her not reading to us as children, or giving books as toys.
I remember once when I was about seven, she came home from the store and gave my brothers toys. Things they could play with, interact with. And I got a Golden Book, something about a puppy. I was so upset. You can’t play with a book. You can’t make it climb things like a stuffed animal. You can’t build with it like Legos. And so I cried.
Until Mom came over and opened the cover, and asked me to read the first page. Aloud. Without realizing it, I had been swept into a world of saving the puppy, or the puppy saving something else, I forget. What I do remember is the feeling of freedom. While my brothers were confined to the physical attributes of their toys, I had the whole world in my hand. I had an adorably soft little critter who looked at me with his tiny eyes. I had the power to help him on his page-turning journey. I had imagination. I went to sleep that night holding my book. I dreamt of the puppy and our adventures together. The next day, I took out my stuffed animals and reenacted the story.
Indeed, my Mom gave me much more than words on paper that day. She gave me life.
There is no greater thrill I have then my mom’s daily phone calls after she’s read my blog or whatever other writings I’ve sent her way, and to hear her say, “You did good today.” It’s those little backpats that make it worthwhile. Because while I write because I can’t not write; and I write because I was born to write; it’s not her approval I’m after. It’s because I love her and the way she raised me that I write, and try to write well. I’m proud of my mom. I love my mom.
And this is my way of returning the world to her. This is my way of saying, “Yes, I can be the person you raised me to be.” This is my way of letting her know she did good, too.
Thanks, Mom. I heart you.
