Joyce commented on my last post Serenity that it was the most personal post she had seen from me. I was touched by her comment. so maybe I will post one or two more like that as time goes by.
This morning as I lay in bed listening to the radio they were playing a couple of songs that were featured in a listener’s favourite 5 songs. This is a feature that this radio station have been running for many years. A listener tells them their top 5 songs and the station then play 2 of those 5 songs. I have never sent mine in because how do you chose just 5 out of all the many many songs I have adored over the years of my life.
If pushed to name my 5 songs I would start with this song by 10cc it was one of my favourites when I was at school. Some songs just send a thrill down my spine and this was one of them.
Next would always be this Moody Blues Classic again it sent shivers down my spine and still does every time I hear it. Both these songs were always played at parties and disco’s during my teens and early 20s.
A third song that struck me in a similar way as a young adult shortly after I had left school and begun working was this 1977 release by Rose Royce.
So now I have 3 out of my 5 songs but what else has struck me in the same way? There were many many songs that had a lot of meaning to me. Many also that I just loved to sing along to. The ones I danced to and ones I later loved to. I have countless songs in my head that I loved as soon as I heard them. Others that grew on me.
But how do I choose just 2 more out of the thousands?
There is one more song that I have long thought of as my personal anthem. I am sure you are all familiar with this classic song by Gloria Gaynor I will Survive. Being a child of the 60s I loved the disco era, Stylistics, Diana Ross, Hot Chocolate, Amy Stewart, Tavares to name but a few. I couldn’t not love this song.
In 2001 I was diagnosed with stage III Cervical Cancer, my then husband told our children that I was going to die. My children at the time were aged 5 through to 13. Obviously this was devastating news for them. However I had other ideas. With four sons to watch growing up I wasn’t about to give in to something like cancer. I had too much to live for. So I will Survive became my anthem. As you can see I did survive and have been in remission since September 2001. I do not however take my continuing life for granted.
In 2005 I reached a stage where my marriage was no longer bearable. Again I will Survive became my anthem as I struggled to get through the awfulness of a messy divorce where we both continued to live in the same house. I turned I will Survive into the tune played by my alarm on my phone so that each morning I would awake to the sound of these powerful words.
A couple of years ago I was thinking about this song and came up with my own version.
You made me feel so small | |||||
You bullied me without me realising it | |||||
You told me nobody would want me | |||||
How could I manage on my own with four children | |||||
It was a long time before I could relax | |||||
Afraid you would return | |||||
I grew strong | |||||
I learned how to carry on | |||||
But you won’t disappear | |||||
into outer space | |||||
You keep calling | |||||
Wanting to try again | |||||
I changed the locks immediately | |||||
Your key wouldn’t help you | |||||
I hoped and prayed that | |||||
you would stop bothering me | |||||
Go on Now leave me alone | |||||
Delete my number don’t ever call | |||||
Cause your voice is not welcome in my ear | |||||
weren’t you the one who tried to hurt me with threats | |||||
You thought I would crumble | |||||
You thought you could make me lose my mind | |||||
Oh no, not I | |||||
I have survived | |||||
As long as I know how to love | |||||
I know I will stay alive | |||||
I’ve got all my life to live | |||||
I’ve got all my love to give | |||||
and I’ll survive | |||||
I will survive | |||||
It took all the strength I had | |||||
not to fall apart | |||||
kept trying hard to mend | |||||
the pieces of my damaged confidence | |||||
and I spent oh so many nights | |||||
glad you were gone | |||||
I used to cringe | |||||
Now I hold my head up high | |||||
and you see me | |||||
somebody new | |||||
I’m not that chained up little person | |||||
still afraid of you | |||||
and so you felt like calling up | |||||
and just expect me to be free | |||||
Now I’m saving all my loving | |||||
for someone who will cherish me | |||||
So I guess this would be my fourth song but number 5 is still elusive as there are just too many to choose from.
What would be your top 5 songs and why?