A few months ago I was reading my beloved Real Simple magazine and came across this article on finding one’s “theme song.”
The article really resonated with me for several reasons. If you know me at all, you’ll know that I’m a self-confessed lyrics junkie. Music is the poetry of our time, and I can’t get enough of it. I was also going through a pretty rough patch at the time: a shitty relationship, a blossoming one, indecision about what to do with myself and grasping with just being okay with being indecisive. I knew I had to change something, maybe EVERYTHING, and I just needed that little pep in my step, so to speak.
They say you got to stay hungry… hey baby, I’m just about starving tonight.
At the same time, I’d listen to a lot of music and finally found my song. I listened to the desire and strength of those words that set me in the right direction.
Message keeps getting clearer, radio’s on and I’m moving round the place
I check myself out in the mirror I wanna change my clothes my hair my face
Man, I ain’t getting nowhere just sitting in a dump like this
There’s something happening somewhere, baby I just know there is…
How was I supposed to grow as a person stuck in a dead-end relationship, living with an emotionally crippled and self-absorbed man with ADD, repeating the same steps over and over again? It was such a long period of time where I was made to look like I created the problems by worrying… but if I didn’t worry, where was the impetus to grow, to change?
With my song in my mind, I had a spring in my step. I smiled knowing that these changes were going to bring the great unknown into my life, and with that I was singing the song at the top of my lungs every chance that I got.
You can’t start a fire without a spark…
Not knowing what was ahead may just be the best thing that ever happened to me, so here’s my song: Ted Leo’s fantastic acoustic cover of Dancing in the Dark.
What’s yours?
i don’t think i currently have a theme song.
i used to say that ‘By Demon’s Be Driven’ by Pantera was my theme song. but, i’m not sure i ever really had a reason for it. it’s just a badass song to have as a theme song.
and then, more recently - when i was all angry at things - i would have gone with ‘My Own Summer (Shove It)’ by the Deftones. in my mind it’s about the whole world just going away and me being able to do what i want, when i want and not having to deal with people. it’s still my favorite Deftones song, and they better play it tonight! but, i don’t really feel like it’s me anymore.
I’m a lyrics junkie, too. It all started with Bob Dylan. I’d have to say my song is ‘Do You Realize?’ by the Flaming Lips. It changes though a lot. Just last week it was ‘Would You Please’ by Rachael Yamagata.
And….YOU GO GIRL!!! It’s nice to hear you are so happy:)
Lyrics junkie definately, and like the previous poster, it all stared with
They don’t write ‘em like that no mo…
Anyhoo, my song is Thunder Road by Bruce
I think whatever is going on in my life, there are lyrics that can sum it up. I don’t have a theme song per se, but some bands that write great lyrics: Cowboy Junkies, Peter Murphy, Tori Amos, and Portishead. It’s just a start…
“License, registration,
I ain’t got none.
But I gotta clear conscious
About the things that I’ve done.”
-State Trooper, Bruce Springsteen
(keeping with The Boss theme for Mingaling and Greg)
It is funny though but when I describe a song to someone I usually do it in story form (because thats the way I understand it) which shows that for 1.) I love lyrics and they ARE the most important part of the song for me, but 2.) since I paraphrase a lot of it in describing the story I don’t know if I am as attuned to the exact lyrics as you and some of the other commenters are.
The other day Australia by the Shins came on xm and my wife asked me towards the end “do they ever use the word and Australia in the song?” and I said “I don’t know but they are about to jump out the window.” (which I remember you talking about on a blog post once) and I realized that I don’t know if the exact lyrics are really that important in a song as long as the general idea that A SPECIFIC PERSON feels the song’s story is about is presented in a manner they can formalize about their life or a generalization about other people’s lives.
aka it means something different to everybody, and in the end I don’t think the exact lyrics matters as long as each person makes the effort to take what they can from the story. The people who just listen for the beat and groove are missing out. big time.
I think I will have to have a theme soundtrack. There are many songs that I would see playing at different points of my life, and during my day.