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Jul 2009

Our Soundtracks.

July 28, 2009 By 20 Comments
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I‘m a sucker for music. In fact, ever since I can remember I’ve been known to get lost in a good song. Music takes me back, from the first few notes to the last word… there is at least one song for each big event in my life. The beautiful thing is that even those not-so-big events, there’s a song too. It can be inspiring, uplifting, and fun – at the same time when things aren’t going so well and life feels far too difficult, I’m certain that music finds it’s way in.

Music feeds the soul.

As there are different seasons in my own life, I find myself drawn to various genres of music. Summertime calls for country and old-school rock. In the winter I enjoy the mellow sound of Sarah McLachlan and when I’m needing a creative boost it’s all about India Arie. Both Celin Dion and the Dixie Chicks have songs that bring tears to my eyes remembering my boys as babies.

Instilling this love in my children has been an important goal for me. Often throughout the day I’ll turn Pandora on and before you know it we’re all dancing around the house. Whether it’s Alvin & The Chipmunks, or Frank Sinatra – the boys enjoy the music and we find ourselves enjoying each other.

Although I wasn’t blessed with an angel’s singing voice, I don’t allow it to stop me from enjoying the moment. Roll your windows down on one of these warm summer evenings, show the kids a different side of you, and belt out that AC/DC song. It’s fun, liberating, and a great stress-reducer guaranteed to lift the spirits.

We each have a soundtrack, unique and fabulous. What are some of the songs in yours? I’d love to hear!

About Angie


Angie is the founder and editor of The Creative Mama, who lives in the beautiful Bay Area, CA. She also blogs her own personal journey at angiewarren.com. When she isn't writing or taking photos, Angie can be found having tickle fights with her boys and frequenting the local Starbucks.

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  • http://www.steadymom.com steadymom

    My youngest is totally into Hootie and the Blowfish right now – and boy, can that kid groove!

    Jamie

  • http://christinesnellphotography.blogspot.com chrisitne.s

    my 3 year old has recently discovered michael jackson, our favorite right now is bille jean. i too have many songs, that when i hear them trigger a memory sweet or sad it remids me.

    on a side note, can i tell you i discovered you blog during your photography session and i have fallen in love- i check your blog everyday
    and am a true believer

  • Rebecca

    We’re BIG music lovers in our household, so this post spoke to me :) My 2.5 year old son and I have an iTunes playlist that we constantly are updating with new songs to groove to. We always have music playing!

    Firhouse’s “Love of a Lifetime” was the song my husband and I danced to as our first dance at our wedding. Justin Timberlake’s music reminds me of my first pregnancy. I had my iPod full of meaningful music to listen to while in labor with my second son. Music is definitely integral in my life!

  • http://zollarsfamily.blogspot.com Jenny

    Love your site Angie, it’s beautifully done.
    Dixie Chicks song, Godspeed, has been a big part of my “life soundtrack” since my son was born, now a 3 1/2 year old little man.
    Mariah Carey’s song, Always Be My Baby, reminds me of high school, driving around in the car with the windows down singing this song as loud as we could.
    My college soundtrack was full of everything and anything and it’s amazing how hearing just a few notes of a song can take you back to a time in the dorm with friends, a party, a bar, a special moment with my (now) husband, from our dating years.
    Music is a powerful, wonderful thing

  • http://proverbs31homekeeper.blogspot.com/ Chele

    Awesome Ang!! The kids and I have been known to dance around to all sorts of music! My list would go on and on. I love all the music you have a mentioned. I also like some R&B, which the kids enjoy too. We have been known to sing Yellow Submarine too! Haha! I have to say though when I need some inspiration, it’s Christian music. Like TobyMac and Mercy Me. I don’t have much of a singing voice either but I honestly don’t give a hoot what people think ;) It heals my soul too. As a matter of fact, I’m turning some on now and we are going to dance around this house and sing at the top of our lungs!! :)

  • angie

    Christine, thank you! I’m so glad you are enjoying it around these parts ;)

    Jenny, Godspeed is my song for my 4 yr old. Tears me up every time!

  • Heather O

    Right now, we love The Avett Brothers, The Randy Rogers Band, Reckless Kelly, The Zac Brown Band, Hayes Carll, and Eric Church (if you haven’t, find and listen to “These Boots” by Eric Church—awesome). My girls and I rock out to songs by all of these artists, especially “Will You Return” by The Avett Brothers, “I Still Do” by Reckless Kelly, “Chicken Fried” by The Zac Brown Band, and “Little Rock” by Hayes Carll. Personally, the Indigo Girls soothe my soul.

  • http://pixelfairyprincessphotography.com Launa

    I’ve always been amazed at how much music can conjure up memories. I grew up on a large ranch in the California foothills, so being a ranchers daughter of course I was fed on the country classics…Charlie Pride, Hank Williams, Chet Atkins, Kitty Wells….etc. I love that we have sites like Pandora now where I can listen to these oldies every time I get a “hankerin’” before I would have to wait till we were traveling through maybe Texas or Oklahoma or back in the Foothills of California to find an oldies station to get my fix. (btw my girls think I’m crazy!)

    The other memories that always get me are the memories of dating my husband, we were both huge George Strait fans…..so anything George Strait brings all those precious memories flooding back.

    I don’t know anything besides smells and sounds of music that bring memories back so strong for me.

  • http://www.shalinalives.com Shalina

    I can’t agree more with the concept of “our soundtracks”. Whether we’re happy, sad, angry, etc… there’s always a song we can relate to. I posted recently on my blog about an Indigo Girls song that very much hit home for me: Love of Our Lives. Especially these lyrics: Is there no mastermind of modern day, who can blueprint a plan to make love stay, sturdy and weatherproof, ushering in a new revolution? It’s just so rare now days that you find a love that is unconditionally constant. Is it possible? I believe so :)

    On a lighter note, I’ve loved watching Katie (my daughter) develop a love for the same music I listen to. There’s something so rewarding about hearing her say “Turn it up momma!” when we’re in the car.

    Music is magical.

  • http://www.dipityroad.com Claudia@DipityRoad

    Like you said, events are often tied to the sound tracks of our lives.

    Music stirs our soul– When my kids were young i used to turn up the Doobie Brothers as loud as could be and if they could get their beds made and room tiddied up for the day we were off to the park — as they grew up I am sure when they hear those song they have to have a smile on their face.

    I encourage us “older” people to give a listen to our kids music– first of all it shows them we respect their opinion and I have found some new young musicains that I cant stop listening to. John Mayer for sure!! …or Micheal Buble` … or Colbie Callet.. (sp??) :) I am happy that the list could go on and on.

    TTFN~~Claudia ♥

  • http://www.beansblessings.blogspot.com Mindy

    As I read this I overheard my son in the other room singing, “Awesome God” which just shows how much music is a part of our lives as well!

    “Counting Crows” instantly transports my husband and I back to high school when we started dating and Eric Clapton’s “Beautiful Tonight” takes me back into his arms as we danced to our first song at our wedding (he chose the song). Worship song “Light of the World” signifies the birth of our son and crazily enough, “Apples & Bananas” (Sesame Street song I think) kept going through my head as I was pushing our daughter out 30 minutes after arriving at the hospital and without any pain meds (except repetitive Sesame Street songs in my head I guess). :) Thanks for giving me the opportunity to think about these things and the moments they bring to mind!

  • http://theakohlhepp.wordpress.com Theadora

    Oh girl! I was travelng yesterday, so I did not get a chance to see you post for MUSIC until this morning! …(plus I still need to read WIFW)!! Whew! I will be busy for the next hour..LOL!

    Ok- right now my kids are loving Journey’s – “Small Town Girl” and Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl”- Whoa!

    Personally these days I am loving my Nora Jones CD and Corine Bailey Ray….*sigh* with a nice warm cup of green tea!! Sing baby sing…

  • http://www.overcomingbusy.com Marci@OvercomingBusy

    My husband says my ipod proves I’m schizophrenic! It is full of songs from different parts of my life. I have Bruce Springsteen, Allison Krauss, Hank Williams, Toby Keith, Mary J Blige…. I turn on my ipod while we are cooking and sing and dance. My music puts me in a great mood!

  • angie

    I just loved reading through your words last night, thank you to each of you for sharing – seems we have much in common!

  • http://farmfresh.typepad.com Kelly W.

    Love this post! Ah, music. Love most everything, except extreme headbanging metal, screeching, and rap (love Beastie Boys at times though – crazy!)

    I make a new playlist every month or so of songs I just can’t get enough of at the moment. Right now: The Killer’s “A Dustland Fairytale,” Diane Birch’s “Ariel” and “Nothing But A Miracle,” Jason Aldean’s “Big Green Tractor,” Kaiser Chief’s “Never Miss A Beat,” Meg Hutchinson’s “Seeing Stars,” a ton of Reckless Kelly, Jimmy Buffet’s “Piece of Work,” plus a little 80′s my boys want in the form of Journey.

    Nanci Griffith’s “Trouble in the Fields” is always for my husband – we farm and this year is a very tough year and the song continually speaks to me. “Sweet Baby James” is for my boys. I still sing it to them. I could go on and on and on. Our lives, set to song….

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  • http://www.helenparker.blogspot.com Helen P

    I share your love of music, too. My favorite is either with the windows rolled down & driving with the tunes cranked or when I am cleaning house. I am mostly a contemporary christian listener but I love a variety within that genre….a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace by Chris Tomlin can stop me in my tracks just to close my eyes and lift my hands when I need peace in my soul. Nicole Nordeman’s silky, soothing voice and incredible lyrics make me want to be better and then there is Jeremy Camp when I need to do some rockin!

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  • http://www.staceywoodsphoto.com stacey woods

    From the time Parker was in the womb, I started singing to him. Not that I have a fantastic singing voice, but he never cared! I sang “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra, “The Very Thought of You” by Billie Holiday, and “You and Me” by Lifehouse. Starting when he was about three months old, each time I put him on my shoulder and sang the first three notes, his eyes would close and he would sigh a deep, sleepy sigh that made my heart swell. My songs comforted him! Now I still sing those songs to Lila (along with some others) and she does the same thing. “You Are My Sunshine” never fails to calm her.

    Music is a part of our daily routine. Kitchen dancing (ahem, as you know!), is the absolute BEST for getting out the grumpies while dinner’s in the oven. And it’s fun! Usually it’s country music or 80s pop, always with a beat or something I can slowdance to with them in my arms.

    I remember my parents ALWAYS having music on when I was little, and I want to set my kids’ childhood memories to a sweet, lasting soundtrack too. :)

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