Songs

So you might say I have a wee obsession with music.  Of all kinds.  I do have favorites, and particular sounds that I enjoy most: classic rock, folk, bluegrass, singer songwriters.  But on any given day you might find me listening to the Clash just as much as I'll have on Iron and Wine, or Kenny Chesney, or Def Leppard....it just depends on how I feel. 

When I became pregnant with Tiny man, I had to make him a playlist.  In the old days, it would have been a mix tape, with each side carefully calculated for running time, mix of genres, tempos and message.  The type of music would be carefully analyzed so that there wasn't too much of each generation on there.  I think that playlists are easier.  We can now listen to a playlist in order, on shuffle, or easily move things around.  It gets easier to change your mind.  Toast has his own playlist, as well.  I really tried to not have too much  crossover between the two, and believe me when I tell you that was really hard. 

So now I'm pregnant with number three, and it's high time I started working on the playlist.  Here's what the other two have for theirs:

Tiny Man's playlist:
Baby Mine (Allison Krauss)
  Let it Be (The Beatles)
  You're the Love of My Life (Carly Simon)
  Close to you (the Carpenters)
  You're The Inspiration (Chicago)
Spend My Time (Clint Black)
  Longer (Dan Fogelburg)
The One Who Knows (Dar Willams)
Godspeed (Sweet Dreams) (Dixie Chicks)
I'll Take Care Of You (Dixie Chicks)
Vincent (Don McLean)
Till The Rivers All Run Dry (Don Williams)
This Love Will Carry (Dougie MacLean)
Your Song (Elton John)
How Can I Keep From Singing? (Trad. this version by Enya)
Tears In Heaven (Eric Clapton)
Everlong (Acoustic) (Foo Fighters)
Wrapped Up in You (Garth Brooks)
Cats in the Cradle (Harry Chapin)
Fare Thee Well (Indigo Girls)
You're Beautiful (James Blunt)
Sweet baby James (James Taylor)
Time in a Bottle (Jim Croce)
For Baby, For Bobby (John Denver)
For You (John Denver)
Beautiful Boy (John Lennon)
You raise me up (Josh Groban)
Making Memories of Us (Keith Urban)
Roots And Wings (an obscure Jewish women's vocal group called Vocolot)
Ben (Michael Jackson)
Rainbow Connection (Kermit)
Wonder (Natalie Merchant)
I've Just Seen A Face ( Orig. by the Beatles, this version by The Paperboys)
Mother and Child Reunion (Paul Simon)
In your Eyes (Peter Gabriel)
You'll Be In My Heart (Phil Collins)
Nightswimming (REM)
Forever Young (Rod Stewart)
I Will Remember You (Sarah McLachlan)
Angel (Sarah McLachlan)
I Knew I Loved You (Savage Garden)
I Don't Know Why (Shawn Colvin)
By My Side (Godspell soundtrack)
On Children (Sweet Honey in the Rock)
Wait for Me (Tracy Chapman)
Beautiful Day (U2)
On Eagles Wings  (Trad.)

And here's Toast's: 
Sunrise (Norah Jones)
On Children
Lullaby For A Stormy Night (Vienna Teng)
More Time (Need to Breathe)
For You  (John Denver)
Godspeed (Sweet Dreams) (Dixie Chicks)
Everlong (Acoustic) (Foo Fighters)
Roots And Wings
The One Who Knows  Dar Willams
Pass On The Love  (the Persuasions)
Love will Come to you (Indigo Girls)
Love (The Story)
The Storms Are On The Ocean (Ollabelle)
Gypsy (Suzanne Vega)
Ordinary Miracle (Sarah McLachlan)
I Don't Know Why (Shawn colvin)
On a high (Duncan Sheik)
Breathe (Faith Hill)
The Water is Wide (Trad, this ver. from the Lilith Fair Album)
When You Say Nothing At All (Allison Krauss)
You Got Growin' Up To Do (Joshua Radin)
Beautiful Boy (John Lennon)

So here's the deal: I have some songs in common between the two, and there are certain songs that will also be on this next playlist.  For You, by John Denver, for example, was also our wedding song, and it is one of the lovliest love songs I know.  That will be on there.  "I Don't Know Why" by Shawn Colvin seems like everything I want to say as a parent to my child, so that will also be on there.  There are also songs that are so specific to one or the other I cannot ever think of them in any other way.  "Let it Be" and "Wait for me" were played at Tiny Man's funeral.  I can't even listen to them all the way through.  And the line "For one so small you seem so strong" from "You'll be in my heart" is SO Tiny Man I'll never think of anyone else but him when I hear it.  Likewise "The One Who Knows" by Dar Willams is very uniquely a song about the relationship I have with my Toast, as is "The Water is Wide".  But I am in need of some new material. 

I don't know if all songs suggested will help me....the meaning behind why I chose each of these is deeply personal, especially Tiny Man's, which contains a healthy number of songs that I added after his death.  As Toast ages, more will be added, that I am sure of.  The only requirement I have is that I don't want "kid songs" on there.  No Elmo, no Wiggles.  I"m sure they have some remarkable songs, but that's not what I"m going for.  I'm thinking lullabyes and love songs. 

So what do you think?  I need some new music, folks.