Mix Tape Monday

Did you ever sit on the phone and play music to a friend, or, better yet, read the lyrics to them? It's been a very, very long time since I did either of those things. I still love music, old and new, and find meaning in the lyrics, but now I put a playlist together and burn it to CD and send it out. (I still hear from people about a Giftmas mix I sent out a few years ago. People actually kept it and pull it out every season!)

Last year, I lost most of my playlists. I still have all of the music, but it's not as well-organized as it used to be without those thematic groupings. I've been skipping through my collection, trying to find songs for a new mix (CD), and I had this idea about sharing a song or two here, the reason I like it, and maybe even going old school and including some key lyrics*. I'm always looking for new music, so I'm inviting other bloggers to participate.

If you want to play, it's pretty easy. Post your first entry to your blog, making sure to use a label or tag specific to this topic (I'm using "mix tape"). Email me (see profile) your URL with that tag included (mine is http://melwritesletters.blogspot.com/search/label/mix%20tape). I'll check it out to make sure it's not spam and then add you to a page I'll create once I have my first joiner. No rules beyond that. If there is interest, I can put together a list of suggested themes, but there's no schedule other than being on Monday (ish). You can do as many songs as you want. That's it! (There are no original ideas & alliteration is easy - I just looked on Instagram and it's already a thing. But I already made the graphic, so... I'm rolling with it.)

My first picks

Disturbed: The Light
Starting out with something newer. I'm linking to the lyrics video, but if you go to it, there's a link to the official video (hard for me to watch because it's about an injured fire fighter & my father was on the local fire department pretty much my whole life until he retired)..

I bought the album after hearing their cover of Sound of Silence (next). The first time I heard this song, I was afraid (because I'm not religious), as unlikely as it was with an E (explicit) label, that it was another one of those rock numbers that alludes to religious themes to appeal to as wide an audience as possible**. Then I watched the lyrics video and relaxed. This song absolutely gives me shivers every.damn.time. I never listen to it once without hitting replay and if I'm in the car, watch out! I belt out the lyrics (off-key) at full volume. I've been through some dark places. Other people helped, but I was never going to come out the other side without digging deep and finding something in me.

Partial lyrics
An unforgivable tragedy
The answer isn't where you think you'd find it
Prepare yourself for the reckoning
For when your world seems to crumble again
Don't be afraid to turn away
You’re the one who can redefine it
Don't let hope become a memory
Let the shadow permeate your mind and
Reveal the thoughts that were tucked away
So that the door can be opened again
Within your darkest memories
Lies the answer if you dare to find it
Don't let hope become a memory

When you think all is forsaken,
Listen to me now
You need never feel broken again
Sometimes darkness can show you the light

Sickening weakening
Don't let another somber pariah consume your soul
You need strengthening, toughening
It takes an inner dark to rekindle the fire burning in you
ignite the fire within you

Disturbed: The Sound of Silence (cover)

My music collection contains both this version and the original. I listened to the Simon & Garfunkle version the other day, after listening to Disturbed's amazing cover over the last few weeks, and it (the original) seemed so fast. I'm not going to post lyrics for this one, because the song's been around longer than me (and that's saying something) and this version changed only the pace/arrangement. I love it because it's a haunting retelling of a song I grew up listening to and actually (in my opinion) surpasses the genius of the original.


*If you do this, be careful clicking on lyrics sites. A lot of them are virus-ridden. Check official sites first, and then have some kind of script-blocker going to protect your system. Or transcribe them yourself, old-school.
**Creed