Sound: the soundtracks of our past
Listen to a song that had special meaning for you at an earlier time in your life (just make sure you have some real temporal distance from when you first heard it). Listen to it a second and maybe even a third time before writing anything. When you feel saturated with your own feelings and ideas relating to this song, write a piece considering this song, who you were when it first became a part of your sonic/cultural environment, what it meant to you at that time, and what it’s like to listen to it now. Be as specific and detailed as possible in describing the song (its beat, rhythm, instrumentation, lyrics, vocal coloration, general vibe, etc.) and use this as an occasion to take the measure of changes (of any kind) in your life. Keep in mind that while music is the connective tissue in this essay, the piece should ultimately be about how you have changed over time. (350-500 words)
Song: Malibu 1992 by COIN
I was introduced to this song in 2021 by a boy who moved into my neighborhood and my life. I had known him a bit previously because we were in a class together that year but he was in the grade above me. One day he said we should hang out. I was excited because I found him intriguing and now he lived near me. We started to talk more and share interests, including music. I loved everything he showed me. He showed me multiple different bands and singles that to this day I think are some of the best songs ever written, including Malibu 1992. I would sit in my room on a mattress I had left out from a sleepover on the floor and listen to the songs he sent me for hours after school. I would close my eyes and listen with no distractions. I believe to truly appreciate this song you have to do nothing but listen. The way it starts reminds me of being in a tropical place and seeing rays of sunshine through tall trees. The guitar riffs sound like waves washing up on shore and birds soaring overhead. Looking back on the lyrics, they describe how our situation ended all too well. “Sweethearts that high school soured now”, and “You moved when you ran out of money to stay”. The boy’s family had moved into the neighborhood after winning the lottery. They built their house from scratch but left after less than two years. The song’s tempo picks up after this with the harp-like chorus. After the chorus ends and before the next stanza begins there is a moment of instrumentals that makes me feel my heart is trying to escape my chest. At the end of the song, the music has a feeling of reminiscing and bittersweet memories. The last full minute of the song has no lyrics but makes me feel the most. The instrumentals make my heart sink and soar altogether. In 2021 this song was my favorite, in 2024 I can’t listen to it without feeling immense confusion and loss. The boy ended up confessing his feelings for me right before moving to Florida. We tried to make it work for a bit but eventually, we stopped talking. I spent years getting over him and when I listen to any of the music he showed me I’m not sure that I’m healed from the whole experience. I would like to tell you about how I’ve changed and grown as a person since then but I don’t know that I can. The closure I never got left me with so many questions and awful feelings that to this day I can’t think about this time in my life without all those feelings coming back.
Song: Strawberry Swing by Frank Ocean
Strawberry Swing by Frank Ocean was a song that, at first, I wouldn’t say I liked because I was more into hip-hop then. When I explored more for my taste in music, I kept playing this song because of the vocals, the structure, the words, the meaning behind those words, and the Coldplay sample. This song is created for any situation where you are leaving something behind. For Frank, it was the song where he had nostalgia for when he was in New Orleans. He uses memories of when Frank and his friend would hand-paint strawberries on a swing then he goes to the time when Hurricane Katrina happened. He references that before the atomic bomb, Hurricane Katrina fell on his lawn. He describes his moment when he had to say goodbye to his friend inside “a dying world” as the “spaceships” or rescue helicopters were lifting off. Then the end of the song, an alarm starts going off as a representation of facing reality and realizing those moments are nostalgia and something we can’t relive again. The moment I learned the deeper meaning of the song, I played this song again and thought about the memories of me with my family whenever I got picked up from school. I can feel the warmth from outside blowing into the kitchen while I’m watching Tom and Jerry on the TV. When Frank says, “Say hello, then say farewell to the places you know”, my thoughts shift when I am on the road and I check to see my rearview mirror and the Boston skyline is there on the reflection as I am going to college. The memories are rushing through my head. The friends I have ever since I moved into Mattapan, the harsh times, the good times, the Pit Stop Barbecue that I would stop by at to get some food, the time when my friends and I were at the bridge that was on top of the train station and, we would race down to see to who is the fastest. As Frank Ocean sings “There wasn’t for you and I, only you goodbye” I remember the hug that all of my friends and I shared after walking out of the church as we graduated. As Chris Martin sings the outro, “Could be blue, I don’t mind, without you, it’s a waste of time”, and the alarm going off, I have a flashback to when it was almost the end of summer and my friends and I say our goodbyes, and I came back to reality knowing that it is just memories just now but hopefully not permanent. This song has changed me tremendously. It taught me to appreciate the gift that God gave me life as a whole because at any moment my life can be gone. It also makes me appreciate the friends that I made to make those memories which comforts the heart as Frank does to remember the friend he lost during Hurricane Katrina.
When I was eight years old, my Dad introduced me to Green Day. It wasn’t through any of their most popular albums or songs- Dookie, American Idiot, instead, it was 21 Guns. It came from 21st Century Breakdown, their follow up album to American Idiot, which still is one of the greatest rock albums every released. When their next album was announced, I’m sure reviewers wondered how they were going to top American Idiot. They didn’t. It felt more like a collection of songs they wrote, but cut, from their previous album. Of course, I didn’t know that at the time. I was eight. At the time, my Dad was listening to the album for the first time himself. He didn’t have a lot of time to listen to it when it came out, taking care of my sister and me. I was in the other room, watching something on the TV. I don’t remember what. But what I do remember is hearing the opening chords for the first time.
The song starts very slow. The opening chords, played on a synth, are the first thing heard. Then, an acoustic guitar, then the vocals. Finally, the drums and the electric guitar come in. Now that I’m older, I can see, or hear, the deeper meaning within each lyric, each chord, but I don’t see the point. That’s not what made me like the song in the first place, it is what makes me come back to the song now that I’m an adult. When I was a kid, I just liked the harmonies and progression. I told my Dad that I liked the song, and since he controlled what was put on my iPod, he put the song in that playlist. The next time I synced it with the computer, there it was. I listened to that song for hours and never got sick of it. I was obsessive about that, I suppose.
The first lines of the song are “Do you know what’s worth fighting for / when it’s not worth dying for?” The thing is, you can spend so much time analyzing something, looking for what something means, and never come up with an answer that is satisfying. That’s what I did here. I have been listening to this song for over a decade at this point, and I still don’t know. How can you determine something that fits in such a niche- something that someone is passionate about, but not so passionate that they are willing to die for it. However, at the same time, nobody should have to die for a cause to be just. Sacrifice is always necessary to get what someone wants, but it should never require the ultimate sacrifice to get there. I suppose the opening lines, to me, signify any cause that I am passionate about, but so someone else, it could be about war, protest, friendships, or anything in-between. Who’s to say my interpretation is any more valid than theirs?
Now that I’m old enough to reminisce on my childhood, I have to wonder if my music taste was my own. My Dad made the first playlist that was put on my iPod, constantly changing it to introduce me to so many different artists and genres. He grew up in North Dakota, a place he loved to complain about. All he ever did was listen to music. He has over a month’s worth of music downloaded to his computer these days. But it wasn’t just him. When I was in high school, a good friend introduced me to a different band. Their drones perplexed me, their chord progressions made me wonder, “What makes music ‘music?’” That band was Radiohead. I listened to them, day in and day out, for the better part of two years. I bring this up because there has never been a band that I “discovered” for myself. Every single song, band, genre, was introduced to me by someone else.
My girlfriend a couple months back got 21st Century Breakdown on CD. I told her about my favorite song on the album (at the time I hadn’t listened to it in full) and she didn’t like it. I didn’t understand, couldn’t understand, why. Now, I question- “Is my love of the song because it is good, or because it reminds me of my past?” I don’t think I’ll ever be able to answer that question, and I don’t think I even want to.
Song: Starting Over by Chris Stapleton
The first time I listened to this song was at the end of my senior year and the start of summer before my freshman year. The summer was full of many emotions: happiness, sadness, overwhelm, stress, fear, and everything in between. The end of my senior year was not your typical ending; I tore my ACL in my championship lacrosse game with less than two minutes left; we also lost by one goal. I was devastated that we lost and that I graduated in less than a week. I felt hopeless because this was supposed to be the best part of senior year. My best friend and I waited for years to be in powderpuff and now I couldn’t participate. I couldn’t even walk to get my diploma, I had to crutch up and down the stairs while someone held it. All that filled my head was the negative, I felt trapped. It was until this song that gave me happiness and made me think off all the good times and memories. One of my close friends shown me the song “Starting Over” by Chris Stapleton and I felt this overwhelming sense of nostalgia. My friends and I had the window rolled down blasting this song driving with no destination. For the first time in a while I felt happy, glad to be with my friends, thankful, and proud of who I am. When I talked about nostalgia; it made me feel like I was in a movie in a sense that, I thought of all the happy memories that I had with my family and friends. How fortunate I am, thankful and grateful to live this life. Once the summer arrived it was great in the beginning, the most physical activity I could do was lift and walk, but I made it work. In the summer your suppose to do the most, but I couldn’t. Then I had surgery in the middle of July, which made me bed written for over 6 weeks; unable to walk, go up and down stairs, and a struggle to shower or even use the bathroom. I started to get in a funk again; but then I remembered that song; that amazing song with amazing lyrics. I listened to it and it brought me back to the first time I heard it. Instantly it helped me immensely, never in my mind would a song have that much of an impact on my mental estate. Now when times get hard for me I put on “Starting Over” because it is okay to feel the bad, but there’s always good waiting on the other side.
Upside Down by Jack Johnson
It’s October of 2016, and after running for what felt like forever I was ready to go home and not worry about absolutely anything. I remember thinking to myself, “I wonder if Dad is home?”. I walked in the door and heard the beat of the bongos playing and the smack of the tambourine and I knew he was home. There is something so comforting about an emotionally closed-off man watching Curious George to help reduce stress. I would always “pull his leg” about watching Curious George at the age of 50 and his response would always be, “It reminds me of my childhood”. I didn’t think much of it at the time, probably because I was 16, but as I get older I can understand the desire of reverting back to something that is attached to a comforting childhood memory.
The song Upside Down by Jack Johnson is not only beautiful because of its nostalgia but also the way the beat varies throughout the song. The beginning starts out with a beat that is extremely unique with a wide variety of instruments. Then it speeds up and kind of becomes a happy sing-along. The lyric that sticks out to me is “I don’t want this feeling to go away”. The song starts to slowly fade out towards the end and the lyrics slow down which provides a sense of comfort within life’s unknowns. Jack Johnsons’ ability to illustrate the ups and downs we experience in life through music allows a sense of connection and relief for listeners.
This song represents a sense of growth between me and my father because, at that point in time, he was oriented to wake up, go to work, and go to bed. I’ve grown to learn that when I was born my dad had the mindset to be a provider, while also considering he was raised by parents who were emotionally closed off, this wasn’t exactly the recipe for the world’s most compassionate father. We didn’t have a very connected relationship. Now, he has become the type of dad to say “I love you” when he ends a phone call, he gets coffee with me when I’m home, and gets excited to see me anytime I walk in the door. We have become much closer and I am grateful for that every day, this song is a representation of growth.
I hate the word “smile”. Even though I am the happiest person. I never thought I would say that. Growing up under the spotlights, with cameras flashing and people constantly telling me to put a smile on my face, I learned early on how to fake it. As a kid, I didn’t question it—I just listened and drew a smile on my face, even when I did not feel like it. At the time, I didn’t realize how much of myself I was giving up. It wasn’t until I got older that I started to feel like I was losing touch with who I really was. My heart felt like stone, and I began to walk through life wearing a mask—a smile that hid everything I was going through.
As the oldest daughter, I was always under so much pressure. Everyone expected me to succeed, and I put even more pressure on myself to meet those expectations. The more I pushed myself to be perfect, the more I felt disconnected from who I really was. The weight of constantly being “on” was overwhelming. I felt like I couldn’t let anyone down, even if it meant hiding my real feelings behind a forced smile.
When I first heard “Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself”, it was like a breath of fresh air. The beat is light but steady, with a rhythm that feels comforting, like someone is telling you to take a deep breath. The melody builds slowly, but the chorus hits with this burst of energy that feels like a release. The lyrics—”Don’t be so hard on yourself, no, learn to forgive, learn to let go”—spoke directly to the pressure I was putting on myself. The singer’s voice has this warmth and reassurance, almost as if she’s reminding me that it’s okay to not have everything together all the time.
This song became my go-to whenever I felt overwhelmed, like the world was demanding too much from me. It was a reminder that I didn’t have to be perfect, that I could let myself off the hook for not always meeting every expectation, including my own. Every time I felt myself slipping back into stress and pressure, I’d play it, and for those few minutes, I could breathe again.
Now, when I listen to it, I realize how much I’ve changed. I still feel the pressure sometimes, but I’m learning how to handle it. The song helped me understand that it’s okay to be kind to myself, that I don’t have to wear a mask or hide behind a smile anymore. The song made me love the word “smile” again.
“Let It Be” by The Beatles is a song that my family and I have loved for many years. When it
pops up on the radio or plays on my sister’s Spotify playlist, it is a song we are never
skipping. It is a song I always have harmonized to for at least 15 years. I am a huge Beatles
fan and I have listened to many of their biggest hits, but “Let It Be” is a song that really
stands out to me because of its beat and some of its lyrics. I love how the beat changes
throughout the song and that it goes from a slow song to a more upbeat and rock ‘n’ roll
tone towards the end. The slow piano beat at the beginning of the song always makes me
want to just close my eyes and just listen to the song. This allows me to just relax and not
think about the problems or the stressful things I have going on in my life. The start of the
song really helps me to just make it like the stressful things in my life just don’t exist. I love
the rock ‘n’ roll instrumental towards the end of the song too because rock is my favorite
music genre and I love the combination of guitar and piano at that point in the song. The
first 2 lines of the song really stand out to me. When they sing “When I find myself in times
of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. And in my hour
of darkness, she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be,” it
really makes me realize that both of my parents will be there to guide me through tough
times and support me in everything I do. That is one of the main lessons I get from listening
to this song. Also, throughout the song, they sing “There will be an answer, let it be.” I really
like this line as well because I think The Beatles are trying to say to us that there is always a
solution to all our problems and there are ways in which we can get through our hard
times. “Let It Be” is one of very few songs that pretty much every member in my family,
including my grandparents, aunts, and uncles, will frequently listen to. I love harmonizing
to it with them and it has really been a memorable song I have listened to throughout my
life and to this day.
Song: AEAO By: Dynamic Duo
Its’s 2016, and the new 2k basketball game had just released. You and your friends are eager to play. The talk in school is about the new game, the ratings, and most importantly the new game mode; MyPark. You get home, don’t bother saying hi to your parents, and rush to your Xbox. You download the game and throw on the headphones. Instantly everything is gone, no stress, no anxiety, no worries, nothing. Just you, the game, and your Xbox.
This was a time in my life where everything was what it seemed as, perfect. I just met new friends with similar interests and school was a breeze. Flash forward to today, I am freshly enrolled in my freshman year of college, still figuring out stability. I am stressed out about deadlines, schoolwork, and social norms. I no longer have the sense of security I once had back in 2016. Living in a small town, with the same friends. Life back then felt so simple. Wake up, school, 2k, sleep. Coin the term ‘The good old days’.
The song AEAO is on the 2k16 soundtrack, where I was first introduced to it. The song has a slow angelic beat with a chorus present in the background. The lyric is bilingual, and while I wasn’t sure what the words meant back in 2016, the smooth rhythm had me hooked. The vibe almost felt like how I felt in 2016; simple, calm, and relaxed. At the end of each verse, Gaeko, the artist, finishes with “Eyaho eyaho eyaho eyaho, Eyaho eyaho eyaho eyaho”. These lines feel like the center of the song, bringing the listener back together after each verse, singing along unconsciously. Back in 2016, the song didn’t hold as much value as it does to me today. Nowadays, I appreciate every time the song comes on. It gives me nostalgia, times where I had my old friend group, playing 2k all night long. Sleepovers, prank wars, fantasy basketball, and 2k. AEAO holds so much value to me. It is a song that could have me up all night talking about all the things that me and my friends did back then.
Song: 38 Heights By: NBA Youngboy
I grew up in a household where Christianity was a big part of my parents. Every Sunday we would go to church and I dreaded it. As a kid I wanted to go play outside and just run around. Now am I a bad kid because I didn’t want to look up to the lord like my parents? No, those Sunday’s taught me how to be a respectful young kid at that time. Kids just want to be kids, they don’t want to sit around listening to some priest, talking about some guy they don’t even know, talk about how he had the power to open the ocean and spawn bread in thin air from a river. Because of this, music was a big thing in the household, as sometimes I can still hear mama yelling “Jesus take the wheel!” from the downstairs shower. It was a part of my life, like I was accustomed to listening to holy music. Hip/hop or any rap music was despised in the family, my mom always talked about how listening to that kind of music can fry your brain and make you hate the world, making you an overall bad person. Yet, I don’t hate the world? Yet I started finding a sense of myself when I started to listen to him. When I first heard of him was when he came on in a car full of friends, I was just listening in bitter ignorance. I listened that way because of the nature I was accustomed to, but he grew on me. Every word that was said, every lyric, it wasn’t hate, or gang affiliated sayings, as many would think. It was just him expressing himself, and what he has gone through in the world. The song 38 heights was adapted to represent that no matter what happens in this world you should always live it up. Live it to the fullest because you didn’t choose to be in this world, and yet you are here. So was my mama wrong? In the car I didn’t want to admit it but I think she was. “Kentrell DeSean Gaulden” also known in the rap industry as NBA Youngboy changed my perspective of hip hop/rap. I listened to 38 Heights thinking it was some street music or bad for your brain, but then I realized the genre rap is just music to people from a different custom. It’s their way of expressing their feelings and thoughts, just like the holy music my mom listened to. So thinking back, that person that was bopping their head down the street listening to rap wasn’t a bad person. It was just someone who expresses emotion in music in a different way. I really changed from just this one song. I don’t think I would be who I am today without that song. It built that understanding of every human and what they could be going through, and I feel like I couldn’t say that with any other song.
Tate Fiedler
Song: All of the Lights, By; Kanye West
Honestly, I did not think I would choose this song. I was scrolling through a playlist and came across the song and I just got thrown back into my early childhood. I used to hear this song almost everyday when I was a kid, because of my older brothers. My brothers used to play this song in the car on the way to school or when we would be playing basketball outside. Back then I never really listened to the lyrics and understood what was being said. After hearing it again I can really start to understand what is being said in the song. There are many voices and beats in the background continuing saying “all of the lights.” The generic theme of the song is being blinded and not seen under the lights but then eventually being seen. I never understood this back then but now hearing it, it makes sense.
This song did not really mean much to me at first hearing it, but now listening it means a lot more to me because it really brings me back to my childhood and being with my brothers. Now that I’ve gone on to college and my brothers have graduated, I don’t spend as much time with them anymore. So hearing the song really brought me back to my childhood with my brothers and bonding with them. The general vibe of the song is a calm and not too high bass tone. The vibe moves up and up as the song begins and then it shifts more and more to a higher pitch and faster sound. The song throws me back to when I would be playing basketball outside with my brother and he would play the song on the speaker on repeat. I mean repeat. Then the next day he would drive me to school and play this song again. He was obsessed with it and never got sick of it. I think I got sick of it at some point, but after not hearing it for six or seven years, the song really throws me back to my childhood.
Dear Jamie & Jampa,
It’s been a long day, without you my friends, and I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again. It has been seven years since your passing. I am now in college at Stonehill, majoring in Psychology. This year is going great for me! I love my roommates, my classes, my teachers, and I have so much more freedom here than I did in highschool. My life at home has changed drastically since you guys have been gone. I have lost and made many new friends, some of which I have created the strongest bond with. I have two families now. A step dad, step mom, step brothers and sister. Even though they are not my real family, they care for me as if I am one of their own. I have gotten so much guidance throughout the years from everyone that I look up to and I love where life has taken me. I am very happy these days, and even though I am happy, the only thing missing in my life is you guys.
When you guys passed, I was still too young to understand the reality of me never being able to see you again. I thought both of you would always be here with me, to guide me, and to help me, to create great memories together. Although many of those can not happen anymore, you will always have a place in my heart and up above. I know that I can always count on you as people to go to when I’m feeling lost or need guidance. Going back to 2015, when this heartfelt song played on the radio for the first time, I still managed to produce a tear in my eye, and you guys weren’t even gone yet. I was able to understand the meaning of the song, but the reality of the song didn’t soak in for me until it was too late. Nowadays, when I listen to my much wider variety of music, there are other songs that make me think of you guys too. Songs like “She’d say” or “Remember him that way,” which both reminisce about the past.
“See you again” also goes back to the past, but also talks about the future. It came out originally as a part of the Fast & Furious soundtrack, made as a tribute for Paul Walker, an impactful person of the series. To the cast of Fast & Furious, Paul Walker was family, not by blood, but still family. Just like you guys are family to me.
This song quickly moved up the ranks, and eventually became an “all-purpose artifact of mourning, a song for anyone who has ever died.” Which is a very true statement, at least for me.
I still have some memories of you guys, but they were so long ago that many of them are starting to disappear. I can remember those days in the house uncontrollably laughing, playing board games, watching movies, riding around in a golf cart.
I miss you, Love Ty Jamerson
Song choice: Every little thing is gonna be alright (Bob Marley)
The song “Every little thing is gonna be alright” is a song I have known for a while now. Whenever my whole family would go on trips or just to a family party with all five of us, my dad would play music like this. This one specific song stuck to me and always has, it was one of my dad’s favorite songs and he always sang it with us kids in the background trying to get all the words right to sing with him. No matter what the mood in the car was, whenever this song started playing everyone joined in on singing and everyone’s bad moods went away. It was a trick for my dad, because if one of the kids were mad or upset, he would just turn this song on, and that bad mood would go away instantly. This song has a special meaning to me, it is one of the first songs where I could memorize the whole thing. This song became a part of my sonic culture environment because of all the times it was played in the car and sang out loud. Even though this sad isn’t the biggest upbeat song, it still has a lot of meaning behind it and that everything will be okay no matter what. This song says the same lines again and again. Bob Marley is trying to make a point that whatever you are going through it will be alright and there is more to life then that problem. The song is very calm and mellow as Marley is singing it, and the tone has the listener really understanding the lyrics and taking time to feel whatever they need to feel while the song is being played. This tone can come off sad to some readers, but for others it can make them happy. For my instance this song will always put me in a better mood, it is the song that gets me out of my bad moods and puts me in a good one. This song to me shows how even though your life may be bad, or you are struggling right now, everything will be alright and you just have to look on the bright side of whatever you are going through. This song shows how I have changed overtime because when I was little it taught me to just put on a song and sing it out with my dad in the front seat. It taught me that not everything is as serious as I thought it was and now growing up, I don’t sweat the little things that a bad in my life anymore because I know it will get better.
Will Newton-Adam’s Song
An American rock band named Blink-182, is infamous for their lively pop punk music grasping the ears of so many fans. Their lyrics are centered around maturity, relationships, and issues many adolescents face. One of their best hits is Adam’s song, released in 1999. I was introduced to this but for a 12-year-old, it was nothing more than a catchy beat, with an upbeat tone that kept it on repeat on my iPod shuffle. I always thought hanging around my older cousins was super cool, luckily for me they invited me under their wing, and were influential on my young self. Blasting this song in the basement of the family beach house, building Lego’s, and stuffing our faces with Cheetos, covering our fingers in orange pixie dust. With the upbeat feel of the song, the repetitive lyrics, the emotion felt through his voice, something in my head clicked that night with my two older cousins. The song made me feel like I mattered, that I was lucky enough to fit in. I had something in common with people who I looked up to and found myself in a comfortable place with Adams song.
In this song, it tells a story of a young teenager who is struggling through depression and hardships in his own life. He is feeling so low that he is contemplating suicide. You can basically call it a suicide note from the kid who is based in this song. But then, the song continues to develop our character to find the strength and hope in his own life to turn the page into something positive. Now, 12-year-old me I had little to no patience to process the deeper meaning behind these lyrics. Once again, just a song that caught my attention because of the upbeat tone, and catchy rhetoric. But as I grew up, I understood this piece on a more intellectual level.
Everyone has heard of the tragedy of the Columbine High School shooting, and what came along side it. 15 total deaths that day. But one was unaccounted for, Greg Barnes. After the death of his teammate, classmate, and more importantly his best friend, Matt Kechter in the shooting. 16 days later, Barnes took his own life in his family’s garage by hanging himself, after setting a CD player to continuously play “Adam’s Song.” I learned of this heart wrenching news as a freshman in high school, during the glory days of online school and the covid pandemic. I thought I was having a hard time being quarantined from the norm of my days, but Greg Barnes had experienced something nobody on this planet should go through. I then revisited the song, but it totally changed. Still the same lyrics, beat, tone, rhetoric, and artist, but now I adopted a new thesis of Adam’s song. I began to fully understand and process the meaning behind these lyrics and what the song was trying to portray. It has had an emotional impact on me in every sense. Most would say Greg Barnes was dealt a bad hand, and something like that could never happen to any of us. But every time I listen to this song now, I remind myself for how fortunate I am, for my family, friends, and peers every day, and how much they mean to me and my life.
Snow gently falling outside, the crackling warmth of the fireplace, hot cocoa in my right hand, and a cookie in my left—these simple moments defined my childhood winters. Christmas has always held a special place in my heart, and each year, the season brings a deep sense of nostalgia and joy.
One of our family’s treasured traditions is an annual evening in Chicago. This outing is a highlight of our holiday season. We start with ice skating at Maggie Daley Park, where we skate across the rink and enjoy the city’s festive atmosphere. Next, we stroll by Macy’s windows, marveling at the unique holiday displays that capture the spirit of the season. We then make our way to the Christkindlmarket, savoring the smells and tastes of seasonal treats. The evening always ends with a hearty family dinner, a perfect way to end our festive adventure. Throughout the night, Andy Williams’ “Happy Holidays” seems to play at least once, and its cheerful melody becomes the soundtrack of our celebration.
Another tradition is our visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden to see the holiday lights. Although this tradition is new, it has quickly become a favorite. The garden’s two-mile walk is transformed into a winter wonderland with light displays that celebrate the season. As we stroll through the garden, “Happy Holidays” often plays through the speakers, adding a special touch to the experience. The combination of beautiful lights and familiar music creates a sense of wonder and joy that resonates with me each year.
Reflecting on these traditions brings a flood of memories. I recall childhood visits to the holiday trains at the Botanic Garden, which were a highlight of the season for me. The excitement of seeing the miniature trains winding through festive scenes is something I remember fondly. Alongside these memories are images of decorating the Christmas tree, engaging in playful snowball fights, and sharing laughter with loved ones.
Even though I may not embrace the holiday spirit as fully as I did as a child, these traditions remain a part of who I am. Whenever I hear “Happy Holidays,” it instantly reminds me of those cherished childhood moments. Christmas, and Happy Holdiay’s, continues to evoke my inner child, reminding me of the joy and warmth that the season brings.
I remember “Nick let’s go!”. I remember my first concert. I remember the excitement bubbling in my chest, the energy was electric. I remember never seeing so many people in one place like the world had gathered. I remember being immersed in Brazilian culture for the first time, feeling the rhythms and passion in every note. I remember feeling the thuds and thumps of the speakers. I remember hearing the booms and buzz. I remember the air thick with anticipation, our voices blending into one. I remember the lights flashing, blinding us for a moment. I remember us swarming around Gustavo Lima like bees around their queen. I remember the roar of the crowd, growing louder with every song. I remember us dancing like we didn’t have a care in the world. I remember the sweat, the laughter, the feeling of being alive. I remember how time seemed to stand still, yet the night flew by in a blur. I remember how Mom kept texting me, checking in like the helicopter mom she was, even though I was lost in the moment.
I was so proud to be his daughter. I thought I was famous, especially when he would wink and smile at me right before he sang my song to a bar crowd. “That is my little princess right there.” strangers would lean down close, their words slurred, the thick scent of alcohol and cigarettes clinging to their clothes, telling me over and over to keep my dad close because no one has a better dad than me. I would blush and continue on, not realizing that those words would one day haunt me. I don’t feel the same way listening to my song now, but I remember dancing to it. I’m not sure if I danced or if I just jumped around in circles, but I remember being carried out sweaty, dirty, and asleep into the car.
My dad would stay up late singing these songs, his voice floating through the house’s walls, guitar strings vibrating softly. I used to think he was practicing for the next gig, but now I understand it was more than that- it was his passion, his soul pouring out into every note.
I remember slipping out of bed and joining him in singing, mixing with laughter. I felt so special then, like I was a part of something magical to him, just between me and him. But as I grew older, the magic started to slip away. His late-night playing was not comforting anymore. I stood at the top of the stairs, arms crossed, yelling, begging him to stop so that I could sleep. His response was always the same, offering to sing me my song, but it no longer felt like a gift. The once warm feeling was replaced with frustration and embarrassment; it made me feel so small; when all I wanted to feel was big. And then, there were the gigs—the times I dreaded hearing my song. I slipped away to the bathroom, no longer wanting the spotlight, no longer wanting to be told how “lucky” I was or how special it was to have a song written just for me. And then, just like that, I no longer heard my father sing our song. I wondered if it was because he saw a different lilah. I wasn’t the same carefree lilah dancing with reckless joy, cheering on my rockstar, I was cold.
Listening to the song now feels like a weight pressing down my chest. The melody that used to lift me now pulls me under. It’s strange how the same chords and the same lyrics can twist into something so different over time, like the song itself changing when I just did. “Don’t cry, little lilah” echoes around me, and every word is a reminder of what I’ve lost, even though he is still here.
I picture those nights at the top of the stairs, and I want to so badly reach back through time and tell myself to stop being angry, to walk down those stairs, and to sing with him. I want to hear him call me his little princess without feeling embarrassed, to be that little girl dancing without caring who is watching. But now all I do is sit and listen to the song, feeling the weight of everything I didn’t understand then. The song feels like a photograph from the life I can’t quite touch anymore, a memory frozen in sound. I wonder if I’ll ever hear it like I used to or if the magic is gone for good.
It’s 2 am on a summer night,90 mph on the highway, the sound of wind killing my ears as we zoom down the LIE (highway in queens) and the song 505 by arctic monkeys plays.Nothing in life could be going better right now or at least I thought.We make it back home but as per usual me and my friends were gonna stumble upon one of our great ideas again.We start brainstorming in my friends basement when we stumbled upon the idea of going to th casino.We hop right back into the car blast our new favorite song 505 and back on the highway we go.We make it to our destination kiss our $100 for good luck and head inside.I tested my luck putting $40 on red and just like that I was $40 richer.3 hours go by we have no luck we were back at $100 so we decide to go play blackjack.Gaining a rhythm I was stunned by what I was seeing.Win after win before I knew it was time to go big or go home.I put 4 $100 blackjack hands and somehow I was up $400 and I knew it was time to call it a night.We get back to the car and as you already may know we put on 505,wen to go get some food, and ended what was a picture perfect night.
The song “Every little thing is gonna be alright” is a song I have known for a while now. Whenever my whole family would go on trips or just to a family party with all five of us, my dad would play music like this. This one specific song stuck to me and always has, it is one of my dad’s favorite songs and he always sang it with us as my siblings and I tried to get all the words right to sing with him. No matter what the mood in the car was, whenever this song started playing everyone joined in on singing and the bad moods went away. It was a trick for my dad, because if me or one of my siblings were mad or upset, he would just turn this song on, and that bad mood would go away instantly. This song has a special meaning to me, it is one of the first songs where I could memorize the whole thing. Every time I hear this song I think of my dad. This song became a part of my sonic culture environment because of all the times it was played in the car and sang out loud. Even though this sad isn’t the biggest upbeat song, it still has a lot of meaning behind it and that everything will be okay no matter what. This song says the same lines again and again.
Bob Marley is trying to make a point that whatever you are going through it will be alright and there is more to life then that problem. The song is very calm and mellow as Marley is singing it, and the tone has the listener really understanding the lyrics and taking time to feel whatever they need to feel while the song is being played. This tone can come off as sad to some readers, but for others it can make them happy. For my instance this song will always put me in a better mood, it is the song that gets me out of my bad moods and puts me in a good one. This song to me shows how even though your life may be bad, or you are struggling right now, everything will be alright, and to look on the bright side of whatever you are going through. These lyrics show how I have changed overtime because when I was little it taught me to just put on a song and sing it out with my dad in the front seat. It taught me that not everything is as serious as I thought it was and now growing up, I don’t sweat the little things that a bad in my life anymore because I know it will get better