Remember when you would make a mix tape of your favourite music? I can see myself now, circa 1986, sitting crossed legged on my bedroom floor, pink cassette player in my lap, the radio turned into Radio 10’s top 40 and my fingers on the PLAY RECORD buttons ready to press the moment when one of my songs came on the radio. I’m remembering mostly Duran Duran *sigh*, David Bowie and a bit of Culture Club and just to ensure I was keeping up with the cool kids there was a bit of New Order in there as well.
MM and I recently celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary. I love a tradition, my family didn’t really have many growing up so I was keen for us to inject some tradition within our own little unit. I love the idea of Charlie being able to talk in years to come about his childhood memories and family traditions. Anyway, on our first anniversary I insisted we follow the custom of giving traditional anniversary gifts and so seven years on the theme for this year was Copper. MM’s thought process was that a CD can be copper in colour so it made sense for him to give me a CD. The specialness of this was that it was a CD mix of “our songs”. Funny because I didn’t think we were the kind of couple that have our own songs but seems we do.
I’ve already listened to it a bunch of times and I love it. There are a few memories from our wedding – Everlong (Foo Fighters), Just like Heaven (The Cure), Mandolin Wind (Rod Stewart) and of course MM couldn’t help but throw in a bit of KISS for good measure. The only surprise exclusion was Somewhere over the Rainbow, the version by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. There’s something truly lovely about this song and in particular this version and it is a flashback to many an island holiday. Whenever I had a failed IVF cycle it was one of those songs that I could listen to and it would make me smile. Strange just how happiness and sadness can be so closely linked.
Take a listen.
In the madness that is life with a young toddler and all the other things that we juggle it’s so easy to let the simple things slide and yet it is often the simplest things that feed and sooth our souls. Music is just one of those things for me and yet something I’ve easily neglected. Ridiculous of course because it takes absolutely no effort to listen to music. Lately, ABC Kids is on the background far more often than Fleetwood Mac and as much as I think the theme song to Charlie and Lola is sweet I’m not yet ready for it o be on my personal play list.
Put together your own soundtrack and enjoy the simplicity it brings.
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