Life Soundtrack

Few years back, one of the members of the writing crew suggested that as a creative exercise, we should all create our life soundtracks: Meaning, we'd compile all the music that had influenced us from childhood to present, and create a personal catalog. Additionally, we would each swap our music catalogs, so that each member would have the other's life soundtrack. Kind of like a musical yearbook between us, of sorts..

Cool ass idea. Though at first, I resisted. The suggestion came at a time where "my life" seemed broken & beyond repair, and I was in a very dark place: I'd just lost my mother after a 10 year struggle with breast cancer, I was feeling overwhelmed in my roles of motherhood and womanhood, as a human being, and a citizen on this planet in general - I'd been unable to write, and my anxiety and depression had peaked to a level to where I'd taken some time off work, in the basic need to collapse and grieve and try to regroup and see if even felt like pushing on.

(Who'd want to listen to that music, the soundtrack of a breakdown in process?)

After some gentle prodding (eternal thanks, D & A), I sat down with the project. And yes it was painful, but it was also...healing. Fun. Restorative. Inspiring. A testament; a personal badge of honor.

Creating and listening to my life soundtrack gave me a personal, vibrating landscape of all the memories, the highs & lows, and defining moments that created me. I still bump them on the regular. Initially, I started out with four volumes (4 CD's, approx. 16 tracks each), and now I'm feeling the need to create the next volume or two.

Some excerpts from mine are:

Volume I: (the early years)

Bad Girls - Donna Summer (think I had to be around 7 or 8 when I first heard this song - didn't know exactly what a "bad girl" was, but I had the sneaky suspicion I was one..)
I'm Coming Out - Diana Ross
Atlantis - Isleys (memories of those old school house parties momma and auntie and uncles usta throw)
Don't Stop the Music - Yarbrough and Peoples (see above)
Planet Rock - Afrika Babattaa (Say WHAT? I think I still remember the dance routine me and my girls made up to this!)
Benny & The Jets - Elton John (I'd listen repeatedly)
Rapture - Blondie (down ass white girl)
Pass the Dutchie - Musical Youth (what happened to those kids?)
Sucker MC - Run DMC
Do For Love - Bobby Caldwell

Volume II: (Gettin' Grown)

You're the One for Me - D Train (this.was.my.shit.)
Heartbreaker - Zapp (Ohio in the house)
Slow Down - Brand Nubian (mad crush on Lord Jamar)
In A Sentimental Mood - John Coltrane
Hearbreak Hotel - Black Michael Jackson
Momma Use to Say - Junior (straight up old school jam)
It's A Man's World - James Brown
Funkin' for Jamaica - Tom Browne (still hot, to this day!)
Tumble 4 Ya - Culture Club
Wake Me Up (befor you go) - WHAM

Volume III: (Gettin Growner)

Runnin' Away - Pharcyde (loved these cats)
Fly Girl - Boogie Boys
My Stick - The Time ("I been driving baby, since the age 13....")
Walkin' In LA - Missing Persons (this some LA shyt)
Rio - Duran Duran
Pop Life - Prince
Tender Love - Force MD's
Microphone Fiend - Erik B & Rakim

Volume IV: (last installment, kind of a hodgepodge mix)

Nothing Can Come Between Us - Sade (always my girl)
No Half Steppin - Big Daddy Kane
Can't Trust It - Pubic Enemy
Umi Says - Mos Def
Spirits in the Material World - The Police
Iris - Goo Goo Dolls (beautiful song)
Feelin' Good - Nina Simone
Dynamite - Ms. Dynamite (cause I'm Ms. Dy-na-mi-tee-hee)
All About the Benji's - Puffy/BIG
So Many Tearz - Pac (oh, Pac...)
T.R.O.Y. - Pete Rock (missing loved ones)
Ex-Factor - Lauryn (no explanation needed)
Every Day I Write The Book - Elvis Costello
Cupid - 112 (my lil' sis loved this song)
Heaven - Nas (song Nas wrote when lost his mom, dope dope lyrics)
Love of My Life - E. Badu (ode to hip-hop)


So - what are some of the songs that would appear on your life soundtrack, and why?