A January Playlist

Andrew Keenan Bolger (Newsies, Tuck Everlasting) puts out monthly playlists on Spotify, and I really liked that idea. I decided to try my hand at it, and then write little blog posts explaining my picks on here. So that's what I'm doing. See under the cut for the full list/explanations.

This is how cool I feel rn

TRACK LIST: 

1. "I'm A Rebel Just for Kicks"/Dunez
2. "Watch What Happens"/Newsies OBCR
3. "Sorry Not Sorry"/Demi Lovato
4. "Buddy Holly"/Weezer
5. "(Just a) Simple Sponge"/Spongebob Squarepants OBCR
6. "Raise A Little Hell"/Trooper
7. "We All Float Down Here"/Four Year Strong
8. "Dead Girl Walking"/Heathers WPCR
9. "Heroes"/Peter Gabriel (cover of David Bowie track)
10. "For the Record"/36 Questions Act 1
11. "Best Day Ever"/Spongebob Squarepants OBCR
12.  "Time After Time"/ Cyndi Lauper

I’m a Rebel Just For Kicks: This was on Riverdale one night before I left and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. It was a really dumb and unnecessary montage of Archie and Veronica boinking all over the place and it made me laugh. But also it’s a JAM and gets me excited to get to work. That’s how this became the first track on the list--it pumps me up when I'm not really feelin' it.

Watch What Happens: I mean. This song. It’s pointless, right? A really expository song from Newsies that doesn’t do much to your heart strings. That USED to be the case for me, but Newsies was in theatres right before one of my first writer's retreats last winter and I was so nervous about whether or not I’d actually get any work done. I was worried I’d sit down and my brain would go blank. And then, possibly worse, I was nervous I’d get to work and find out that I’m actually kind of shit at writing. But then Katherine, bless her heart, took all my feelings and sang about them and now I listen to this pretty regularly to pick up my spirits while I’m writing, or nervous to write, or editing my previous writing. It's become a staple.

Sorry Not Sorry: As soon as this song released I knew it’d be one of my faves. It reminds me to be unapologetically me, and write whatever I feel like. Otherwise I’m just apologizing for…who I am? That’s stupid. And we’re not stupid. Also I like revenge songs.

Buddy Holly: SPEAKING OF STUPID. So Mike Wheeler came with me to Iceland. I’m in a Stranger Things…thing. And Funko pop Mike in his Ghostbusters costume came with me as my writing totem. Where are you going with this? Calm down. I'm getting to the point.
Finn Wolfhard was on Lip Sync Battle (Well. All the boys were.) and Sam sent me the video. First of all, Finn in a Buddy Holly outfit is adorable and makes me want to pinch his cheeks. Second, you could SEE his hesitation to really rock out. I’m hoping he’s grown out of that now that he is performing more regularly. So anyway I started watching this video when I needed a little giggle. And then, as it always does, "Buddy Holly" got stuck in my head.

He moves too fast through the whole video.
I couldn't get a non-blurry pic

Two short stories regarding this song and my ex-boyfriend: 

1. I used to listen to a lot of Weird Al, and "Beverly Hills" is in one of his Polka medleys. And also his polka medleys are how I knew a bunch of different songs before I actually heard them, because let’s face it I’m the coolest person on this planet. And so I’d sing the the polka versions instead. 
2. My Ex. Hated. This. He sat me down and made me watch the actual music videos for the actual songs, starting I THINK with "Beverly Hills". Then I was "listening" to Weezer a bunch by rewatching their music videos over and over while he went to class and hung with his friends and forgot I was visiting. Back when YouTube was still something you sat and watched music videos on. And I got really obsessed with "Buddy Holly" and now you've reached the end of this rabbit hole story.

After we broke up, there was a hot minute where I couldn’t listen to "Buddy Holly", or any Weezer. Or Barenaked Ladies. It was a sad time. It was also a time when I was listening to Weird Al out of sheer defiance towards a human who probably hasn't thought about me in years.

Anyway I'm looping "Buddy Holly" again because it's back in my brain and won't get out.

(Just a) Simple Sponge: Oh god listen to Spongebob Squarepants the Musical. I’ve already talked about the show in a Fixation Friday post, but here’s one of the songs from the show that I particularly love. It’s motivational. Also you’re more than your circumstances.

Raise a Little Hell: This is on the Stranger Things soundtrack. It’s Steve’s party song. But the lyrics are actually great for my work process--especially the editing phase, in which I've been for most of this month. If you think this song is about something other than editing a manuscript, you can fight me. But after the song.

We All Float Down Here: This song was on a “Pop Punk’s Not Dead” playlist on Spotify, which is one of my favorites. And I’ll be honest, I picked it because of the title. I read It this month and the book has changed my life. Go read It. I'll post a full review later this month.

One of these people bought Skateboards from my parents in the 80s.
It's Christian Slater.

Dead Girl Walking: Another power song about someone with nothing to lose. I’ve also been listening to/watching/thinking about Heathers a LOT this month. It’s one of the few movies I’ve got on my kindle and made sure was downloaded before I left. There’s a new Heathers coming out? And it looks…like it missed the mark. More on that later, but for now ignore it and listen to the Heathers OCR. I like to belt along.

Heroes: Another Stranger Things addition to the list. This one plays at the end of episode three and it WRENCHES MY HEART. Sometimes I just sit staring out the window thinking about it. Not recommended for productivity, unless you need a shortcut to get yourself really sad. This is also where the general good times/ rebellion vibe of the playlist abruptly drops off.

If you're not at least holding your breath at this point in the show
I don't know what to tell you. You might be heartless.

For the Record: I finished It in a puddle of my own tears, which I REALLY didn’t expect. And then I wanted to keep riding the sadness wave, like the true punk-ass kid that I am, and so I dug up the "36 Questions" podcast. It’s actually a short musical released in podcast format and it’s…a lot to process. Jonathan Groff and Jesse Shelton are phenomenal. The story is unexpected and original, but also in some eerie ways familiar? I don’t know just go listen to it.

Best Day Ever: My last Spongebob song, I promise. A reminder that you can find the good in anything if you try hard enough. Especially when circumstances are out of your hands. Here, Maya Angelou says it better than both me, and Spongebob (obviously): “What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain.”

Time After Time: The playlist rounds out with a Cydi Lauper song, also off the Stranger Things soundtrack. I’ve got a soft spot for Cyndi, and this particular song is used in the last episode of season two and uh it tugs my heart in a different direction than all the sad stuff that came before it.

You can follow my playlist party on Spotify. If you want an up-to-date list of all the songs I keep hitting “repeat” on, check out my LOOPIT TIL YOU DIE playlist. I move songs off it and add new stuff all the time.

What were your favorite tracks this month?