A lovely night spent with my love being quite nice to me. I came home in a wretched mood due to medical stresses and my own fears. I’m not fond of coming home in a bad mood as it tends to set the tone for the rest of the night. Also, its hard to snap out of. I’m much better at pulling others out of rough moods then I am pulling myself out. But, I tried as I didn’t want to ruin our night. We’ve had a really good week, so far, with only tiny blips of rough patches. I wanted that to continue.
I’m lucky to have someone who is patient with me and makes me feel loved, understood, and safe. I’m grateful that most days/nights we don’t let a bad mood or rough past, take us over. Most of the time we work our way through it. Together. Last night was one of those most of the times. That said, I didn’t sleep well, and am feeling the insomnia hangover this morning. Thank you, music and coffee, for keeping me going.
Today’s Top 5 Music Obsessions are all tracks I listened to on my commute into work. As I play them again, right now, my stresses are soothed a bit, and I’m able to reflect on last night, and how wonderful this love we have is. It’s good to remember, to think on it, to hold it close and appreciate. I appreciate us so much.
Top 5 Music Obsessions – Thursday, August 30, 2018
Listen via Spotify and YouTube
1. “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today” by Dusty Springfield
from the album, Dusty… Definitely (1968)
“Scarecrows dressed in the latest styles,
the frozen smiles to chase love away.
Human kindness is overflowing,
and I think it’s gonna rain today.”
The lyrics seem like a juxtaposition of feeling to me. Frozen smiles chasing love away, yet human kindness is overflowing? I wonder if its meant to be a societal commentary on human nature? It feels like a song about city life. I think of Los Angeles, still hot in these last late Summer weeks, and how people rush around hardly noticing each other. There’s kindness there though, among all the hustle and flow. It just seems to be so often hidden away, and hard to see.
I love Dusty’s voice, especially in her cover of this song, originally written and recorded by Randy Newman.
2. “Crystal Village” by Pete Yorn
from the album, Day I Forgot (2003)
“Take my hand,
it was good in the beginning.”
One of my Top Ten favorite Pete Yorn songs.
I’m not a fan of the notion that relationships are better in the beginning, and never quite live up to the start as they unfold, evolve, and grow. No, I prefer the idea that a good relationship just gets better, stronger, and more intimate.
I think that is true for us, for sure.
3. “Summer Teeth” by Wilco
from the album, Summerteeth (1999)
“It’s just a dream he keeps having,
and it doesn’t seem to mean anything.”
I think Summerteeth, the album, is my favorite Wilco album of all-time. I’ve been listening to it quite a bit this Summer, fixating on different songs with each listen. Today it’s the almost-title track (minus the spelling differences), “Summer Teeth”.
After meeting Chris, and discussing and sharing so much music, I have dived in deeper to Wilco’s music and albums. I’ve always been a fan, but I’m hearing the songs differently now, in a way that rediscovery provides, and falling in love with a fellow music obsessive who shares a love of a certain band, or artist, provides, too.
4. “One Hundred Days” by Mark Lanegan
from the album, Bubblegum (2004)
“Like one long season of rain,
I will remain –
thinking of you.”
How great is Mark Lanegan’s vocal tone? Sometimes I forget. This song came on this week’s Spotify Discover Weekly playlist, and I was glad to have a reason to dig back into Lanegan’s music. Today its the album that this track comes from, Bubblegum.
5. “Slow and Steady” by Of Monsters And Men
from the album, My Head is an Animal (2012)
“The lights go out,
I am all alone.
All the trees outside are buried in the snow.
I spend my night dancing with my own shadow,
and it holds me,
and it never lets me go.”
Spending the night dancing with my own shadow seems like the perfect description of sleepless, insomnia-fueled nights. That said, it is much more poetic than the experience actually feels like. I’m so envious of people who can sleep easily, and of those who can sleep when they are worried and stressed. I wish that I could.
