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Soundtrack of My Life:

O…Saya (A.R. Rahman/M.I.A.)

-          I love the drum beats!!! I decided not to include any real Indian songs on this list because it would be way long if I did.  However, this song was composed by my favorite Indian composer, A.R. Rahman.  I love his music because I feel like it represents me – modern but based in Indian tunes/rhythms.  Also, one of my favorite artists, M.I.A., adds a special touch to the song (more on her later).  This song makes me feel like I’m running through a thick jungle.  

Loser (Beck)

-          Low self-esteem, anyone? I think the song reflects my self-deprecating humor.  The lyrics are so nonsensical and quirky (sounds like someone I know), and I feel like this song actually made it cool to be a loser.

Raspberry Beret (Prince)

-          This is definitely one of my favorite Prince songs.  It not only has a great, danceable (ask me if I care if that's a real word) sound, but it also reminds me of the fun I had student-teaching with Mrs. Timmons, who got me hooked on Prince.  I have great memories of us dancing around to this song, singing and laughing.  Plus, I love that Prince writes about such random things and makes them special: purple rain, a little red corvette, a raspberry beret, and black sweat.

Crazy in Love (Beyonce)

-          I chose this song for many, many reasons.  First, I love Beyonce’s sassy FIERCE attitude.  Second, I love to dance around to this song because when I imitate Beyonce’s sass, I feel FIERCE.  Third, I love the idea of being “crazy” in love… like, she can’t help herself from looking a little foolish because she’s just that passionate.  I’m a little like that myself.  

Space Oddity (David Bowie)

- Bowiiiiieeeee.  It’s a little depressing and a little trippy, but it is about someone who is wandering (or at least feels like wandering) away from those he loves… “loves.”  Sometimes, I feel like I’m in outer space watching myself, too, and feeling out of place even when I’m around people who love me.  It’s a strange thing, and it’s hard to explain, but if I had to try to put it into words, I’d use Bowie’s.

BirdFlu (M.I.A.)

-          M.I.A. is one of those artists who made me feel like I’m not the ONLY Indian person who is a little different, haha.  Traditional South Indian beat? Check. Cryptic lyrics? Check.  Also, it makes me think of my dad’s village in India.  I’ve only been there once, but I think it’s cool to know that I’m not so far removed from that world.  .

You Can’t Always Get What You Want (The Rolling Stones)

-          It takes me a while to embrace this truth in certain situations, but in the end, I do believe that every event in your life happens for a reason or is supposed to teach you something.  You might not always get what you want, but the powers above give you what you need at the time whether it’s a hug or a kick in the ass.

Like a Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan)

-          This song was my LIFE for almost an entire semester.  What can I say about Bob Dylan that hasn’t already been said? Most people think this song is really bitter and vengeful, asking the girl how she feels now that she is in the same plight as the people she used to mock/ignore.  However, I came across an article that posited a positive interpretation: maybe the girl felt trapped by everyone around her, and now that she’s finally out on her own without anything holding her back or holding her to any standard, she’s free like a rolling stone.  Sometimes, you just wish you didn’t  have to think about what anyone else wants/needs from you, without a “home” (no obligations), like a “complete unknown” (no preconceived notions about you), like a “rolling stone.”

Atrevete (Calle 13)

-          I had to pick at least one Spanish song for my soundtrack since the language has played such a huge part in my life.  If I can share my Shirley MacLaine moment with you, I truly believe that in a previous life I was an African-American Muslim poet who lived in Spain after it was invaded by the Muslims.  I have a strange spiritual connection to each of those cultures, and that’s the only explanation I have come up with.  Anyway, technically, this is a reggaeton group, but they play around with the reggaeton beats and use quirky, political lyrics, making the songs a bit more meaningful.  Sidenote: “Atrevete” means “do something bold!" or to dare to do something.

Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (Michael Jackson)

-          I’ve been listening to Michael Jackson since I was 3 or 4 years old.  My mom used to play his music while she was cooking, and we’d dance around to it while she was waiting for something to boil.  Though he has questionable ethics, his music definitely has a distinct sound and has influenced so many artists.  He seemed like a really positive person.  Also, the “mama se mama sa ma ma ko so” part – my absolute favorite.  I could listen to that part all day. 

Faith (George Michael)

-         I’ve lost my faith in many things (family, society, love), and I’ve lost it many times, but it comes crawling back to me even when I don’t want it to.  I feel that that faith sometimes makes it hard for me to be happy or satisfied with anything because I’m always looking for something more, but maybe that’s not a bad thing. 

Steady As She Goes (The Raconteurs)

-          This song should play in the background every time my mom talks to me about my life.  Find someone and settle down – that’ll make everything better!  I think that she wishes I could just follow a steady, financially/emotionally-secure path, but that’s not me.  “Secure” means different things to different people, and I’m not sure that the “security” defined by mom or this song is synonymous with my personal definition.  But, anyway, this song mirrors that mindset of finding the surefire, logical way to “success” and “happiness.”

Bag Lady (Erykah Badu)

-          I am the Bag Lady.  Badu’s Bag Lady is carrying emotional baggage, and her advice is to leave those bags behind.  I hear that all the time, but what I like about this song is that she doesn’t tell you it’s dumb to carry them around.  She doesn’t make it seem like it’s easy to just leave it all behind, which I feel other songs/artists do.  “Oh,  just leave your troubles behind.”  If it were that easy, why WOULDN’T everyone do that?  But Badu acknowledges the pain: “Girl, I know sometimes it’s hard/And we can’t let go/ Oh when someone hurts you oh-so-bad inside/ You can’t deny it/ you can’t stop crying/ So if you start breathin'/ Then you won’t believe it/ You’ll feel so much better.” 

Spam (Weird Al Yankovic)

-          You  might be wondering what the hell Weird Al Yankovic is doing here.  When I was younger, I wasn’t allowed to listen to lots of “Western” music because of suggestive lyrics and profanity, but I was allowed to listen to Weird Al.  I think he’s the reason I’m relatively good with parodies today.  Besides my dad, he was the first person who really taught me about humor.  It is my dream to work with him someday on Schoolhouse Rock for High-Schoolers.

The Joker (Steve Miller Band)

-          This is my driving-down-the-road-with-the-windows-open song.  Even in the dead of winter, when I hear this song, I feel like I’m outside in the sun.  It’s just so laidback, simple, and sunny.  This person has left behind all of the emotional baggage Erykah Badu was talking about -- this is the kind of person I’d like to eventually be.  Not lots of toking, necessarily, but just someone who lets things roll off his/her back and moves on without too many attachments... just leads a simple life playing music in the sun.

Lover, You Should’ve Come Over (Jeff Buckley)

-          Jeff Buckley’s songs are my ideas of romance.  They’re not of mushy-gushy teenybopper fluff: they’re full of raw emotion.  He was influenced by one of my favorite Indo-Pakistani artists, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who sang qawwalis (devotional songs written in a poetic style and designed to put the listener in a trance-like state).  Buckley’s voice is simple, believable, and beautiful.  My favorite part:  

     It's never over, my kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder
It's never over, all my riches for her smiles when i slept so soft against her
It's never over, all my blood for the sweetness of her laughter
It's never over, she's the tear that hangs inside my soul forever

All Apologies (Nirvana) 

 I wish that I could just settle for certain things sometimes – there’d be much less emotional turmoil.  Maybe I do have a romanticized view of the world, and if I just calmed those down a bit, I could lead a more satisfied life.  When Kurt Cobain says “I wish I was like you… easily amused,” I can identify.  I used to think he said it with a bitter/sarcastic tone, but the more I listened, the more I believe he might actually wish he could be easily amused/satisfied.  There are some people who I think have settled instead of waiting for something right, and I used to view them in a negative light, but, you know, maybe they’re onto something.

By Your Side (Sade)

          -  This song always makes me cry.  No big words, but she says everything she needs to say.  The line “when you're on the outside baby and you can't get in/I will show you you're so much better than you know” defines my idea of what happens in a good relationship.  This song also represents my idea of the perfect friend.  I do my best to stay by my friends’ sides.  I might not always be successful, but I do try.