Music is the shorthand of emotion, Leo Tolstoy
I was driving the other day when Michael Buble’s version of Feeling Good came on the radio. It only took a few notes for me to flashback to my first out-of-the-divorce-box relationship.
I would guess that most of you have collected a playbook of songs that are associated with a particular romance in your life. A song may have been playing on the radio at the time you were involved, or the lyrics captured the essence of your relationship, or perhaps you were stuck on that song during your love fest and it became forever associated with that time in your life.
Whatever the reason for the association, when that song is played, you time- travel back to that relationship and to your love interest. The length of time you need to travel and the quality of both the romance and the break-up will determine whether the song triggers feelings of melancholy, sadness, anger, or fondness.
Sit with me, have some grilled flatbread with mushrooms, ricotta, and herbs, and let’s run through my playbook.
Feeling Good is a classic starting over song. Just sample the lyrics:
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
For me
And I’m feeling good.
No wonder this song was a perfect fit for my first post-divorce relationship with Mr. K, a widower. I even sent him a link to the YouTube video. Unfortunately, Mr. K wasn’t quite ready for a new day so the song reminds me of the dangers of getting involved with someone who has not moved on.
Love, starting over, marriage, eternity….all the classic themes for a relationship with Mr. M – or so I thought:
Come to me my sweetest friend
Can you feel my heart again
I’ll take you back where you belong
And this will be our favorite song
Come to me with secrets bare
I’ll love you more so don’t be scared
And when we’re old and near the end
We’ll go home and start again
Unfortunately, Mr. M and I weren’t compatible on an emotional or physical level. We both wanted a sweetest friend but not with each other.
Ghostbusters theme, Ray Parker Jr.
This one is a cheat because my relationship with Mr. D didn’t have a song. But since he ghosted me and was possibly a cheat, I’m adding it to my playbook.
If there’s something weird
and it don’t look good
Who ya gonna call?
GHOSTBUSTERS
The Man Who Can’t be Moved, The Script
I discovered this song when I first met Mr. L and sent it to him soon after we met…just because I loved the melody and, as a hopeful romantic, I’m a sucker for stories of yearning and lost love.
Going back to the corner where I first saw you,
Gonna camp in my sleeping bag I’m not gonna move,
Got some words on cardboard got your picture in my hand,
Saying if you see this girl can you tell her where I am,
Some try to hand me money they don’t understand,
I’m not broke I’m just a broken hearted man,
I know it makes no sense, but what else can I do,
How can I move on when I’m still in love with you
Mr. L was not ready for undying love – still separated; he had more wild oats to sow before he gave his heart to someone.
Our House, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
This song goes way back to my marriage. It was a song of the times – post Woodstock, still hippie, still sometimes high, organic, long hair, vegetarian, young and relatively free.
I’ll light the fire, you place the flowers in the vase that you bought today.
Staring at the fire for hours an hours while I listen to you
Play your love songs all night long for me, only for me.
This classic song endures but, as you know, the marriage did not.
Now, for something sarcastic and fun, here are some songs for a few of the one-date wonders in my life over the past few years.
For the seldom available narcissist:
For the guy who can’t stop talking about money
For the liar (profile, photo, etc.):
For the handsome one you know is trouble:
Four songs for all the single ladies:
What songs are in your playbook?
Until next week, happy dating or not dating.
XXXOOO
Nadia