Mixed Tapes, Playlists and A Request for Music

A few days ago my oldest daughter Vivian and I went for a ride around our neighborhood. She was on her push scooter and I rode my bike. It was required physical education for her and just enjoyment for me. She brought up the subject of playlists.

She was in the middle of reading a book called Since You’ve Been Gone (no, it’s not a book about Kelly Clarkson; although we do love her). In the story there are two friends who go jogging together and exchange playlists. They listen to each other’s music while they jog.

What a great idea I thought! And what a great conversation-starter too!

I reminded Vivian of one of our favorite films, Guardians of the Galaxy, where main character Peter Quill treasures the mixed tape that his mom made him. I explained to her how mixed tapes were the trend when I was her age. Boys or girls would create mixed tapes and give them to each other. If they really liked one another, they often filled them with love songs. I remember receiving one or two mixed tapes from old boyfriends of mine.

But musical exchanges didn’t have to be all love or crush-related. Like in her book she’s reading, friends could just exchange recommend songs to each other. My husband made me a mixed playlist CD when we were just friends, before anything became romantic (although he later said his goal was to be romantic all along).

Family members can make a playlist for each other too. I made my father a CD playlist a few years ago for Father’s Day. I chose songs that reminded me of him and tunes that we listened to when we took a road-trip together from Louisiana to Ohio around 15 years ago. That was a really good bonding father-daughter trip for us that holds a special place in my heart.

The musical choices on a playlist can reflect certain memories or songs you’ve sang together, enjoyed listening to with pals, dancing to or that reminds you of the other person. Perhaps you choose songs that have lyrics that you deem special.

So that gave me an idea… I want to create a special playlist for Vivian and give it to her on her birthday (late October). She’s going to be 13, an official teenager, and I have certain songs in mind that are special to me–some that remind me of her and some that have messages that I want her to keep in mind as she continues to grow into a wonderful person.

I started my playlist yesterday, and I’ve already come up with about 10 songs. My plan is to include 13. There’s one song in particular that is very special, one I remember singing to her while crying during particularly challenging mother-daughter moments during her toddler years. Some songs reflect movies we’ve enjoyed watching together. Other songs are messages that I want her to always remember – encouraging words about being confident, and that I’ll always stand by her, no matter what.

But today I had another thought…why limit this playlist idea to just me? What if I could get 13 friends and/or loved ones of hers to send me their playlists for Vivian too?  So as she celebrates year number 13, she’ll have 13 varied “albums” or playlists that she can listen to this fall–whether she is walking or biking around our neighborhood or just being alone with her thoughts in her room.

That would be really special. This project would be something she would not expect, but I feel she’d really appreciate and enjoy. It’s also something anyone can easily do right now during this still restricted, quarantine, pandemic time in our history. (So, no excuses!)

Music has been such an enriching, uplifting part of my life. I’ve made it a point to include it in our family’s life. I love walking into my daughter’s room and nearly always hearing her play music, often singing to it as well.

I think to all the times that music has helped me be in a better mood, helped me work out my feelings and uplifted me from when I’ve been down in the dumps, lost, heartbroken, sad and every other emotion out there.  I think to how often we play music in our home. I’m reminded of how I always heard music growing up in my home – such a varied group of musicians too, thanks to my dad.

I want my daughter to know that she’ll always have music in her life and that music can always make you feel better. We just need to listen long enough, sing along, dance to it or enjoy it with a friend or family member.

So please, if you’re reading this – if you made it all the way through to the end of this blog post, then play along with me. Send me songs that are special to you, important to your life or just damn good music, in your opinion. What are they? Send them to me by October 17. That way I can look for them and create a playlist for her and sneak them into her streaming music platform before her birthday.

You can comment on this post or email me the artist’s name and/or song title. I’ll take care of putting them together. I’ll compile the different lists.

I would greatly appreciate it. And I’d love to expand my own playlist too. Thank you in advance for your help!

Now, go put on some music. Sing. Dance and Cherish the moment. That’s what I’m going to do.