Oh, hey! Ça va? Welcome to Part III of The Stories Behind The Playlist! If you’re new here and are reading this for the first time, thanks for stopping by! In this series, I share the stories behind the songs I curated for The Playlist, the events or situations I remember when I listen to these songs. Check out the intro here. There’s also Part I and Part II. Happy reading or listening!🤗
Disclaimer
In some stories, I’ll reference The Book for context. In doing so, I am by no means trying to make you buy it; the buying decision remains in your hands. 😊
The content of these stories may also be triggering, so your discretion is advised.
Contents
Prefer to listen?
Song 11: I Believe in You by Il Divo, Celine Dion
Release Year: 2005
Year of first listen: Can’t remember, but I think it was a long time ago. And if not, 2021.
Year of the story: 2022
The story
I’d been listening to this song for several weeks already, but it’s the one I played when I got my offer from Accenture in January 2022. It is the only one I listened to for the two weeks that followed. I was happy and grateful. Most importantly, I was proud of myself. Not only for getting the job, but also for how far I’d come, for holding on despite my many challenges. It wasn’t so much about the job as much as it was the (rocky) journey. Getting that offer was one of the few times (maybe the only time?) when I felt like my hard work had paid off, and again not even regarding the interview process but mainly my journey getting there.
At that point, my perspective on dreams and goals and happiness had already shifted; however, I was glad to be another step closer to what was still my dream at the time. I was excited to finally start a job that I was actually going to like instead of another one that would simply help pay the bills. Well… that’s unfortunately what it turned into, but I didn’t know it at the time.
Key lyrics
Lonely, the path you have chosen
A restless road, no turning back
One day you will find your light again
Don't let go, be strong
Follow your dreams
Be yourself an angel of kindness
There's nothing that you cannot do
Suis ton étoile
Follow your star
Va jusqu'où ton rêve t'emporte
Go where your dream takes you
Un jour tu le toucheras
One day you’ll touch it
Si tu crois en toi
If you believe in yourself
Suis ta lumière, n'éteins pas la flamme que tu portes
Follow your light, don’t put out the flame you carry
Keywords: dreams, happiness, excitement, achievement, pride.
Song 12: Hills and Valleys by Tauren Wells
Release Year: 2017
Year of first listen: 2019 (I think?)
Year of the story: 2021
The story
Oh, this song…
September 16th, 2021, at 1 p.m. Curled under my blanket, hands on my broken heart, I am crying my eyes out. It’s been a difficult year. It’s been a difficult week. It’s been a difficult day. I just got rejected by my dream company. For the seventh time this year. I thought I was past crying over job rejection emails. I thought I was “stronger.” But it’s been a difficult last little while, and for the nth time, I’m exhausted.
How can pursuing a dream be so painful?
How can pursuing a dream be so difficult?
I don’t want to repeat my mistakes.
I don’t want another October 2019.
I don’t want to be mad at God.
So, I put this song before lying in bed and I cry myself to sleep.
Key lyrics
I've felt the pain of heartbreak
In the valley, I will lift my eyes
To the One who sees me there
I've watched my dreams get broken
In You, I hope again
Father, You give and take away
Every joy and every pain
You're God of the hills and valleys
And I am not alone
Keywords: broken dreams, holding on, pain.
Song 13: Ven a Mi by Andrea Bocelli, Matteo Bocelli
Release year: 2018
Year of first listen: 2018
Years of the story: 2017 to 2019
The story
Okay first, I love this song! There’s also an English + Italian version that is absolutely marvelous, which you can listen to here. If you’ve seen this page, you already know how I feel about Andrea Bocelli. And Spanish. And Italian. Okay sorry, that’s not The story.
The story: I like this song because of the chorus and the other reasons that shall not be repeated, but mostly the chorus. Before 2017, I don’t think I fully understood the meaning of phrases that included something about light. “Follow your light,” “Soon you will see the light at the end of the tunnel.” These are phrases I had heard or read before, but they did not resonate with me. After going through a challenging 2017 and feeling like it was the hardest year of my life, I expected 2018 to be better.
It was worse.
That year is when I used one of those phrases for the first time, except I thought there was no light at the end of my tunnel. It may sound dramatic, but I truly thought my tunnel had no end. I felt stuck.
You’ll notice in The Book that I mentioned a light several times. You’ll also notice that even when I saw it, it was constantly being pushed or snatched away.
Below are two pictures of what I had on my wall of motivational quotes and verses. I would look at the first one on and wonder how much longer I would have to keep pushing, to keep digging. I would wish there were at least tiny crystals along the way as cues that I was on the right path. But Nothing. Complete darkness and confusion, and yet I had to keep moving. To keep going. To keep digging.
Running a race with no finish line, “Going around in circles,” “One step forward, two steps back,” “Feeling stuck.” These are the phrases that I resonated with.
On the second picture is what I wrote to remind myself that life truly is a journey, even when I felt stuck and didn’t want to believe it.
So this song, especially the chorus, reminds me of those times of complete darkness and confusion, looking and hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel.
Key lyrics
Una luz bella te iluminará
A beautiful light will enlighten you
Síguela siempre y te guiará
Always follow it and it will guide you
Nunca te rindas, no
Never give up, no
Nunca te pierdas, no
Never get lost, no
Todo tendrá su sentido después
Everything will make sense later
Quiero que sólo tu creas en ti
I just want you to believe in yourself
En cada paso que des cree en ti
In every step you take believe in yourself
Es un viaje eterno
It's an everlasting journey
Keywords: light, confusion, dream, hope
Song 14: Hero by Mariah Carey
Release year: 1993
Year of first listen: Can’t remember, but it was certainly a very long time ago.
Year of the story: 2018
The story
For my mom’s birthday in 2018, we (her children and grandchildren) decided to surprise her. Because we weren’t all home, part of the surprise was to make a video montage of us wishing her a happy birthday. I was responsible for putting that video together. I knew the kinds of songs she liked, but for the background music, I wanted something that she really, really liked. So, I asked my little sister Emma (not here real name) to get our mom to tell her what her absolute favorite song of all time was, without making her suspicious (this was already around her birthday, so had to be super careful). And it turned out her favorite song is this one.
It worked out perfectly for the video, which I titled To Our Hero.
The days that followed her birthday, I couldn’t stop listening to this song. It reminded me of my mom, but also of the times when I was (unknowingly) my own hero. The times when I had to comfort myself, pick myself up and carry on despite the challenges that were weighing me down, especially in the summer of 2018.
In case you’re wondering, our mom loved her surprise and the video. She even shed a few (or more) tears. Mission accomplished!
Key lyrics
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you
Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away
Keywords: Ming Mang Moung, hope, dreams, hero
Song 15: God Only Knows by King & Country
Release year: 2018
Year of first listen: Probably 2019
Year of the story: 2021
The story
Fall 2021. I’m in Canada and have been looking for a job since the beginning of the year but by October, I still haven’t found anything despite looking outside of consulting. Speaking of consulting, I’ve been rejected by all the consulting firms I applied to. By some, more than once. I was hoping on-campus recruiting–which happens between August and October–would be my opportunity to finally get my foot in the door somewhere, but it didn’t get me anywhere. I was either rejected or ghosted, but mostly ghosted.
I had my resume and cover letter professionally reviewed. I networked more than I felt comfortable doing. I attended info sessions and recruiting events. I prepared for interviews. I requested feedback whenever I was unsuccessful. I looked outside of my dream career. Still, nothing.
One thing I heard multiple times during networking events or coffee chats is that I don’t have enough experience. Very true, which is why I am willing to start at the entry level, regardless of my degrees.
It feels like I’m being punished for having a three-year employment gap on my resume. I wanted to work. I tried to work. But immigration laws did not always work in my favor. And even when I did get a job, something always happened that cut that experience short.
I know my resume doesn’t exactly portray the employment stability recruiters want to see, but they won’t even allow me to give my side of the story. So, listening to this song reminds me that truly only God knows everything that I’ve been through.
Key lyrics
Nobody sees you
Nobody would believe you
God only knows what you've been through
God only knows what they say about you
God only knows how it's killing you
God only knows the real you
There's a kind of love that God only knows
Keywords: shame, pain, discouragement, loneliness
We are done for today! As always, feel free to leave your thoughts below. Until Part IV, stay well, physically and mentally. 😊
Câlins,
Danielle
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