Annnnnd, weāre back! Sorry about that, had to rest my hands for a spell.
@LDFM - Your dad sounds a lot like mine - widely varying interests, and generally open to, yes, whatever comes next on the radio. Have you come across any songs that he likes which surprise you? Iāve been surprised mine has a thing for emo-rock. As for your songs, I love the way you covered two completely different feelings and time periods with your song choices. Steely Danās a fun way to get the party started, and U2ās perfect for the eventual cool down!
@LuciferComplex140.80394 - My goodness, you have such a peaceful set of songs this week! Both powerful and emotionally enriching, theyāre a perfect way to set the tone and give a lot of insight into how it sounds like you feel about the theme. There is longing there, and the sadness of inevitable separation, but also clear admiration expressed. Were they put there to represent your feelings toward your own Dad, or were they just a general homage to all things Dad-related?
@patterson65.37405 - Reaching back into time is always appreciated! Songs like that, especially, make for a nice visit to the past, since they do a great job telling you a story while making you want to get up and dance, lol. I canāt help but laugh at all the requests Daisy Mae makes of, well, what seems to an interestingly named significant other as opposed to her actual dad The singers describe her as lazy, but sheās certainly expending a good deal of energy listing her wants - from diamond rings to a brand new car and caviar, she wants the best of everything!
@Lincolnfan78 - Corny is good, though, so if you think Iād turn that down, youāre plum out of luck. Hank Williams adds a special touch to the list, especially when it comes to that duet (my goodness, you guys want to make me a weepy mess with these dad/child duets this week, donāt you? lol), Loved the way they interspersed his dadās portion into it, making it a part of the video like they did! Totally wasnāt expecting that!
It was quite the ride going from George Straitās song to Ashley Gearingās and the other songs - in those first two, for instance, you can hear their respective emotions with crystal clear clarity, and you canāt help but feel what they feel. Iāll even give Buddyās voice points for being similar, thoughā¦ those breathy āI love youāsā killed me! Speaking of which, Iām glad you were able to add more songs, weaving together songs from popular movies in, too! El Dorado stood out as my fav (had to keep it away from my dad before Dadās Day ended up being āThe Day of Binged Westerns,ā however. It doesnāt take much to cause that to happen, lol).
@arkhamassassin - While the lyrics make that one an issue, thatās an absolutely beautiful song - youāre right, it does hit at the emotions strongly. Iāve listened to some of Keshaās music but completely missed this one. Sheās a bit like Lady Gaga in that her quieter songs end up being the most surprising for me; due to how in your face (thinking of āBlah, Blah, Blahā) or party-focused (thinking āTik Tokā) some of their other music tends to be, itās interesting to see the tender places and topics they go to when venturing into songs that are more self-reflecting in nature. Itās fantastic!
@RedShadow - Ohh, I love how you went through so many character relationships, and covered the spectrum when it comes to emotion! I must say, you represented them so well that explanations arenāt needed - just the song/its lyrics, and the names shared are enough to visualize and understand the choice. That in mind, I ended up loving them equally and had such a tough time choosing a favorite, but eventually settling a tiny bit more toward āUnsteadyā because of the video. It, and singerās voice convey so much emotion that by the end, you too, feel as unsteady as its title describes, and I love when that happens. Bad Wolves has been stuck in my head all week for a similar reason, too, though, and itās also worth noting that the FFDP song is a serious adrenaline rush! It is so glorious in how it embraces the state of being aggressively awesome. An unexpected list of songs (including your followup posts), but a good one!
@DeSade-acolyte - I get what you mean, 100%. Despite the best intentions, sometimes our parent/child relationships, as with things in general, donāt end up as rosy as, say, what weāre shown on tv, so interestingās a good way to describe it. I like how Ian lists his dadās assortment of traitsā¦ the good and the bad. It shows how much we, as children, not only remember, but paid attention to in real time growing up. How even the small things shape us. This feels particularly emphasized in your later songs, touching on accidental parenthood (or maybe regret that mounts over time?), the abuse and negligence some children endure, and the traits one, at times, must ignore in order to be able to continue loving the ones one already loves, and want to continue loving, despite how hard said relatives make it to.
Youāre kind to share music for the children of villains who were caught, too! Thinking of said group, which, I imagine most donāt usually consider, is like watching a show/movie and focusing on the extras behind the āstars.ā Sometimes itās surprising to notice how much we miss going on in the background. What made you decide to share the more disturbing songs, by the way? In the end, I canāt stop laughing at āValley Girlā (which, weird connection, reminds me of some fantastic skits from an old show named *Little Britain," lol), so Iām glad Iām glad you were able to end on a happy note, and am happy it was with another Tom Lehrer pick!
@ajm08g - Aww, completely understand! I didnāt start out with an ear for Country, either, but it refused to be ignored and made a warm home for itself in my playlists (darn you, Rascal Flatts, Florida Georgia Line, et al! lol). Your explanations are fantastic, by the way! They take me through every episode of Smallville all over again, thinking of the coziness with which Clark and his family interacted with each other. Couldnāt have done a better job representing each aspect of their relationship you mentioned if I tried, and clearly, Iām going to have to set up a place for Alan Jackson next to the previously mentioned artists - makes my own fuss and holler calling out to playlist songs āLook alive, and make some room, guys! Looks like we have another artist whoās here to stay!ā
@Zomaster - While I can definitely appreciate the gem that is Metallica, that songās another unexpected one to add to the list. Iāve sometimes listened to this song for other reasons, but wouldāve never considered it for this weekās theme, so Iām intrigued! May I ask what it was that made you choose it, and if you mightāve had a character in mind?
@TheCosmicMoth - You know, the mentions of Animal Man this week really has me wanting to read up on him (Brainwave, too!). Considering what you shared about him, if you have any recommendations for where to start, please let me know. āMy Girlsā is a delight to both listen to AND watch - so many stars, so many colors, so much going on, and such a good song to match! Kudos to all of you for finding songs that do such a great job epitomizing the Kents this week, also. I love āForever Young,ā and āServe the Servantsā gets you right in the feels when matched with your explanation. I can understand why you and your dadās tastes intersect on the likes of āGraceland,ā in the end - it shows that you two know good music when you hear it, even if you often differ on what said music each considers good should be called.
@D4RK5TARZ - Oh, wow, I canāt blame you if you get a little choked up when he sings that first lineā¦ that performance really makes the experience, doesnāt it? If the song wasnāt enough to make the eyes misty, the video accomplishes the task flawlessly! Interestingly, after watching that, I just realized how much the harmonica in it gets to me. Didnāt expect that, but the way it adds to the song makes it feel timeless and all the more heavy and emotional. Adding another good dose of āForever Young,ā and āBox of Rain,ā put me in need of a box of tissues, so I hope you managed to compile these without needing one, too!
@McEddard - Aw, I think we were too busy weeping to remember to add āCats in the Cradle,ā to be honest. Thatās why Iām grateful to have people like you in the community, though - you make sure the i gets its dot and the t gets crossed! Iām glad you added the song, as well, and that we had the chance to go through the touching story it shares. From childhood to college to retirementā¦ the years pass so quickly. We end up busy, unable to chat with our parents, unable to visit with family for this reason or another, but in the end, the feelings remain, as does the plan to have a good time when the day we can talk and get back together. Love that song, thank you!
@Razzzcat - Cue the tears and the sniffles and the second Kleenex box! Sammy AND a cover I already adore 10 seconds in (of a song my parents love, too)? Forget a one-two punchā¦ weāll just go straight to calling it a knock out! Though I must say, itās an honor to be able to travel upon the clouds of music with you, going through your memories, since you mentioned how each song is so specific in being representative of particular ones. I love how wide-ranging the songs are in sound and genre, going from Madonna to Elvis, to Sam and Amy (both Sam and Amyās voices make me want to tear up on their ownā¦ such a heart-wrenching pair of nostalgic gems). And to round it out, āCome On, Letās Goā is such a fun one to pair with āGreen River.ā Despite how bittersweet many of the songs translate into being, your list soothes the soul in a special set of ways, for so many reasons. It takes you deep into the chest-aching feels, and pulls you like a hooked fish, right on up out of the river with the more upbeat songs. It made for a lovely trip!
@Pretty.Poison.Bombshell - Oh, my, these are as lovely as the ones shared for Motherās Day, for sure! Your transition from first person perspective of daughter to dad, before switching, is seamless - both are stunning in how they isolate the feelings fathers and daughters have for each other, from birth through those childhood years, and especially the adult and elderly years that give us the time and distance to look back on the earlier moments, realizing how reciprocal our feelings often are, from pride to awe. You already know how much I like Owl City, so I canāt be happier having that song added. And Sarah always bowls me over with how ethereal her voice is. No matter the song or the topic, she has that gift of making it feel otherworldly; listening always ends up being a multi-dimensional experience. Iāve never heard āLiving Yearsā before, but it is amazing! That choir really stands outā¦ I love it!
@rebecca221b.31882 - Agreed, we do, donāt we? And it always happens when we least expect it, too! Then one day, we look up, realize weāve been using the same favorite phrases our parents have, or have the same perspective on certain topics that they do, and the transformationās complete. Welcome to the community, and thank you for sharing your song choice! It really is true that with DC Family members like you and @McEddard around, we donāt have to worry about there being any holes in our playlists - as they say, teamwork makes the dream work!
Thank you! I suppose I can say: as much as he can, considering he had to endure me bugging him all day.
I concur! All of you blow me away with your thoughts, perspectives, musical expertise, and obvious careful consideration of each weekās theme, so Iām thankful for how you spoil us each week. You make the ears and the heart happy!