Since this was sort of started by Joelo in another thread I wanted to ask...I've been kicking around this topic for a thread here so here goes. I noticed that I started listening to lyrics in music more at about 2 months sobriety when I started figuring out the first 3 steps some and I was able to think about stuff other than just going to meetings, work, and avoiding drinking. Singers/songs I found inspirational in terms of what the lyrics meant to my sobriety:
Carrie Underwood: 2 songs, with one of them being Jesus take the wheel. I am not a Jesus person, so if I could I would change it to Higher Power take the wheel, but that would be cheesy and harmonically awful. Anyhow, the song starts with her having a car crash and realizing her whole life was out of control. This is exactly what occured to me and got me into AA (I know not so unique there). The main lyrics that strike a chord are "Jesus take the wheel, cuz I can't do this on my own. I'm letting go." and "save me from this road I'm on." It just sort of seems to hit steps 1, 2, and 3 throughout the whole song.
The other one would be her song "Wasted" and that one is more simple in that the lyric that have the meaning are "I don't want to spend my life jaded, waiting, to wake up one day and find...that I let all the years go by...wasted." Also a part that more directly applies "Poured another glass of whiskey but it still don't kill the pain. So he stumbles to the sink and pours it down the drain. Time to be a man and stop living for yesterday..."
Mamas and the papas: This has always been inspirational to me..it was when I was coming out, but takes new meaning in this journey. Make your own kind of music. "Make your own kind of music, sing your own special song. Make your own kind of music, even if nobody else sings along" This is only inspirational in that I committed to a fairly drastic change and had to leave some people behind (even though I joined a wonderful community which is AA). The message for me is to be okay with being myself also and I'm on route to discovering who that is and it's okay no matter what and no matter what anyone else thinks.
Stevie Nicks/Dixie Chicks: Landslide. This one because it centers around the f--ked up alcoholic codependent relationship I was in and afraid to leave so I could get sober. "I've been afraid of changing cuz I build my life around you. But time makes you bolder, children get older, and I'm getting older too." I think I might have a word or two wrong in there, but the gist is, I was afraid of changing because I built my whole life around another person and I certainly wasn't getting younger sitting on my ass drinking myself to death.
Allanis Morrisette - You learn - "You live you learn, you cry you learn, you love you learn, you lose you learn." This one is because I need to learn how to live now (sober) because coming into the rooms, I forgot how to. Also, I need to remain teachable always and if I stay sober and just get through things, I pretty much am going to learn and grow from any experience.
Depeche Mode - Clean - "Now I'm clean. The cleanest I've been. An end to the tears and in between years and all the troubles I've seen." While the song sounds like a funeral dirge, it's inspirational to me because, while I know life won't always be easy and there will be some troubles ahead, at least I can say I'm done with crying and having the same exact troubles that I had for so many years being drunk.
There are others, but I wanted to hear more from you guys so I can listen to the songs and also ponder the positive and inspirational thoughts you might have about them. Also, I know that we take our real suggestions from the Big Book and the steps so I wouldn't advise anyone to look at song lyrics as being = to or anything like our real and existing literature. This will have to suffice until they come out with "Big Book - The musical."
edit-fixed some of the lyrics. twice
-- Edited by pinkchip on Saturday 13th of June 2009 09:12:59 AM
-- Edited by pinkchip on Saturday 13th of June 2009 09:20:50 AM
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Cool! I relate Music to EVERYTHING, have my whole life;
A couple that I like ~ And have "AA meaning" to me
Dave Gahan
"Bottle Living"
He's like a King without a crown He wears it like a clown Watch him disappear I wish he would come down So call before you drown I won't always be around
He's a ship without a sail He's not listening when you speak Living for the bottle He'll be sitting there all week So call before you drown I won't always be around
Living for the bottle Living for the bottle There's no light on in his eyes How heavy are the lies Just jumped right out his skin He'll take you for a ride Living for the bottle Living for the bottle So call before you drown I won't always be around
He's a dog without a bite Still looking for a fight All in black He won't be home tonight
Rascal Flatts "Bless The Broken Road"
I set out on a narrow way, many years ago Hoping I would find true love along the broken road But I got lost a time or two Wiped my brow and kept pushing through I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you
Every long lost dream led me to where you are Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars Pointing me on my way into your loving arms This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road That led me straight to you Yes He did
I think about the years I spent, just passing through I'd like to have the time I lost, and give it back to you But you just smile and take my hand You've been there, you understand It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true
Every long lost dream led me to where you are Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars Pointing me on my way into your loving arms This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road That led me straight to you
But now I'm just rolling home into my lover's arms This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road That led me straight to you
That God blessed the broken road That led me straight to you
Grateful Dead ~ "My Sisters and Brothers"
I wanna say to my sisters and my brothers Keep the faith, When the storm flies and the wind blows Go on at a steady pace, When the battle is fought and the victory is won We call all shout together, "We have overcome!" We'll talk to the Father and the Son When we make it to the Promised Land. Chorus: Walk together little children, You don't ever have to worry, Through this world of trouble We gotta love one another, Let's take our fellow man by the hand Try to help him to understand We will all be together for ever and ever When we make it to the promised land. Our Bible reads, "Thou shall not be afraid Of the terror by night Nor the arrow that flies by day, Nor for the pestilence That walketh in the darkness, Nor for the destruction That waiteth in the noonday hour." Chorus This world is not our own, We're only passing through, Our treasure's all laid up Way beyond the blue, Let's do the very best that we can While we're traveling through this land We can all be together, Shakin' our hair, When we make it the Promised Land.
-- Edited by Doll on Saturday 13th of June 2009 03:09:16 PM
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Cool Jen, I love that Rascal Flatts song. Having read it and thinking about it in terms of this journey, it makes sense to me too (In my own way). God bless the broken road that brought me straight to you. The broken road would be the busted ass life I led drinking, but god bless it because it brought me to AA and the rooms. Thanks for sharing that one. I'm going to listen to it now with new meaning.
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Oh yeah - after around 4 months I found myself listening more closely to the lyrics in music. I do have a habit of (mis) quoting lyrics in my shares and discussions etc.
A few that jump out at me:
Have i told you lately that I love you - Willie Nelson - i always thought it was a love song to a woman, now i think it's my song to my higher power.
Johnny Cash - hey, you could pick anything, but when I first heard Cut you down I was a few months in, it got me thinking about God and Higher Powers.
I sometimes go to church and I've been exposed to the jumping, shouting, singing style of praise, which got me listening to Fat Boy Slim - Praise You.
Finally Cat Stevens / Yousuf Islam Father and Son describes my relationship with my dad and my son, Mike and the Mechanics living Years also hits home and Jools holland and friends - message to my sons - says everything I want to say to my Son.
I'm a big fan of blues, although most of it seems to revolve around being hard done by, arrogance and getting drunk. Do i feel guilty about loving this stuff, like Key to the highway, Paying the cost, Serves me right to suffer, one bourbon, Killing Floor - only sometimes.
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