A Current Life in Song

It's already turning out to be an interesting year. At present, I'm not really sure how much is appropriate to say. However, I can say my iPod started talking to me. And you thought I was exagerating when I mentioned Don Quixote. Seriously, though, certain songs have expressed a lot of how this year feels so far.

The good, bad, and ugly are all here, in music form.

1. "Lovers in a Dangerous Time", BNL. "You gotta kick it to darkness 'til it bleeds daylight." That feels about right. http://www.lyrics.com/lyrics/barenaked-ladies/lovers-in-a-dangerous-time.html

2. "Heroes", David Bowie. This is cheating, because it's not on my iPod. However, there's something to a song about a couple being heroic simply by refusing to break up "just for one day", and it won't leave me alone. As it shouldn't. http://www.lyrics.com/lyrics/david-bowie/heroes.html

3. "Hang", Matchbox 20. I have no further comment at this time. Let's just say it hasn't changed anything at present decision-wise. Okay, now there's no comment. http://www.lyrics.com/lyrics/matchbox-twenty/hang.html

4. "What a Good Boy", BNL. The theme of this song, unrealistic human expectations put on people before they're even born, helps me emphatically (as a teacher) and personally in those weak moments when I forget it's not about what we as people want or expect. We dupe ourselves when we let people convince us to bear the wrong cross.(lyrics unavailable)

5. "Help Me", Johnny Cash. "God's Gonna Cut You Down" may be one of my all-time favorite Cash covers, especially when I'm in an imprecatory mood. This one, however turns out to be the right salve at the right time. http://www.lyrics.com/lyrics/johnny-cash/help-me-live.html

6. "Rusty Cage", Johnny Cash. Cash had the best covers, and this song also speaks to me at the right times. http://www.lyrics.com/lyrics/johnny-cash/rusty-cage.html

7."Welcome to the Black Parade," My Chemical Romance. These lyrics cover the spectrum of aformentioned human expecation-induced pressure. For the process back toward "only One expectation matters", this suffices. http://www.lyrics.com/lyrics/my-chemical-romance/welcome-to-the-black-parade.html

8. "Look for Me Baby", Fiction Family. This is too fun and cheeky not to produce a needed smile.

9.And sometimes you just need an unapolagetically fun love song to remind you what's what. http://www.lyrics.com/lyrics/barry-louis-polisar/all-i-want-is-you.html

10.Try two. http://www.lyrics.com/lyrics/the-moldy-peaches/anyone-else-but-you.html