Pandemic Playlists

I may be late to the game, but recently I have discovered the concept of “playlists.”  I know what you are thinking…what rock has she been living under? And you are right!  I had been living under the “8 minute commute rock” that when timed correctly would allow me to participate in the daily trivia contest on a local radio station. Yes, I listen to the radio!  What else was I supposed to listen to in my car?

I have adult children so a playlist was not foreign term, just something that I never thought to take the time to actually think about.  That is unless you count the times that I say to my daughter to add a song that “makes me smile” to her playlist titled “Mom’s Funeral.” I have already decided that when I go, I do not want people to be listening to depressing organ music in a stuffy room that reeks of day lilies. No, not this girl!  I want people to be gathered in a hall, socializing (pray I go after this pandemic!) and listening to music that makes them smile.  For those of you who know me best, yes, “The Chicken Dance” is on that list!

Then came Key West in February and my husband created the ultimate “have a few adult beverages and sing along” playlist that includes titles with words like margarita, pina colada, sand, beach, cold beer and did I mention tequila? Who knew there were so many  songs with tequila in the title? Personally, I wish he would add Pee Wee Herman’s Tequila song and then it would be complete. Who can forget Pee Wee’s unique dance moves in the biker bar?

Fast forward to DQ (during quarantine) and I find myself with time to take walks and work on those long ignored home improvement projects. What better thing to do than listen to music to help pass the time?  The radio didn’t seem like an option, so I searched Amazon Music Top Playlists and viola…a playlist listener is born!

There is everything from “Top 50 Most Played” to “Cardio Workout”, but my favorite lately is “Mellow 70s Gold.” It brings me back to my youth when songs actually had more than 10 words, used real instruments and told a story. It is perfect for singing along while painting, including artists such as Earth Wind and Fire, Rupert Holmes and John Denver.  Who doesn’t love “September” (on the funeral playlist!), “Escape -The Pina Colada Song” (also on the funeral playlist!) and “Take Me Home, Country Roads” (not yet on the list- jury is out on how much this song makes people smile, although it is a great sing along!)

Now, here is a shocker.  If I want to know what the current hits are, I just go to my mother.  She knows all of the words to Justin Bieber’s latest song and is a proud Post Malone fan, partial to “Circles”! But don’t let her fool you, she is a diverse music listener too.  Just put on some Michael Jackson or Bon Jovi and she will be out there on the dance floor ripping it up!

What have you been listening to lately?  Do you have a favorite go-to playlist?  What is your preferred streaming service? Amazon? Spotify? Do you buy your music from iTunes? Are you a radio listener? Do you wish you had a mother like mine? Do you even like music?

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