December 1998 was the first time I wrote out a soundtrack for my year in review. It evolved from a conversation I had with my friend Katie about movie soundtracks that led to the question among our friends: If your life to that point were turned into a movie, what would be the hit theme song?
Fifteen years on, I don’t remember the complete list from 1998 (I checked my old journals and know we chose Green Day’s “Basketcase” and the Wallflowers “One Headlight” to be on the list, but the full list wasn’t in there), but each year since then I’ve done the year in review via my soundtrack for if I were to make the year into a movie. 1999’s song was Smashmouth’s “Allstar.” 2001’s was Dave Matthews Band’s “The Space Between.” Jackson Browne’s “Sky Blue and Black” made it to the list on several different years. 2006’s soundtrack would have been a 40-track triple CD compilation. If I’d have known when I started the first list all those years ago that this would be one of the few consistent traditions I’d keep with, I’d have made a better effort to keep track.
——————————————
Jen’s Soundtrack for 2013
1. Tara’s Theme (from Gone With The Wind) – Angel’s Music Box
There’s something hauntingly beautiful about a music box. For me, Tara’s Theme is haunting as well, so when the two combine… For those familiar with the book, the theme was really fitting for this year.
2. Carry On – FUN*
This song is pretty amazing and was front runner for song of the year for pretty much all of 2013. My favorite part:
But I like to think I can cheat it all
To make up for the times I’ve been cheated on.
And it’s nice to know when I was left for dead
I was found and now I don’t roam these streets,
I am not the ghost you are to me.
3. It’s a Good Day – Peggy Lee
If you know anything about what I do for a living it makes sense, even if it was an ironic choice of music for what was happening at the time.
4. Whatever – Oasis
This was more my reaction to events relating the song above. One silver lining to the whole situation is that it got me seriously thinking of what I want to do with my life. There’s more cohesiveness to those ideas now.
Fun trivia fact: Oasis was the band we were listening to when Katie and I had the soundtrack conversation.
Wake Me Up – Avicii
All this time I was finding myself, and I didn’t know I was lost. I tried carrying the weight of the world, but I only have two hands.
What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction
This one deserves a little more explanation. During the Dark Time of 2013, every time I started to succumb to the despair of trying to cope with everything going on around me, this song would come on. It’s hard to be down when listening to a song designed to pick someone up.
The Book of Love – Peter Gabriel
Scott and I celebrated our first marriage anniversary this summer. This reminds me of us so much.
Hello, My Ragtime ’80s – Scott Bradlee
Scott Bradlee is an absolutely amazing pianist who likes mashing different songs in different musical genres from their original. He has a lot of good tracks, but this one was one of my favorites.
Birdhouse in Your Soul – They Might Be Giants
Singing rounds in the car. ‘Nuff said.
More Than a Feeling – Boston
I looked out this morning and the sun was gone
Turned on some music to start my day
I lost myself in a familiar song
I closed my eyes and I slipped away
For years I’ve kept journals – not diaries, but journals of things I’ve come across that spoke to me. There are quotes, lyrics, photos, book excerpts, you name it. “More Than A Feeling” is like a rock song about my relationship with those journals.
When I Held Your Brain In My Arms – MST3K
This is the ultimate nerd love song, and we sing it to each other all the time. Scott even got me a brain necklace for Christmas!
Road to Nowhere – Talking Heads
I’ve always thought this would make the perfect end song for a movie, but it also does a great job of summing not 2013 per se, but our feeling for the future:
There’s a city in my mind
Come along and take that ride
and it’s all right, baby, it’s all right
And it’s very far away
But it’s growing day by day
And it’s all right, baby, it’s all right
*2013 Song of the Year
thefourthcastle.com 