Your Theme Song for 2011 Was...?
Mrs. Robinson from The Graduate
Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz
Streets of Philadelphia from Philadelphia
Hallelujah from Shrek
Eye of the Tiger from Rocky II
What do all of these movie theme songs have in common, other than making their composers supernaturally wealthy?
Each of these songs expressed the mood and the message of a film in a way that elevated our experience of watching it from great to transcendent. They captured the hearts of a nation and ensured that these films would live in our collective unconscious forever.
If the last 12 months of your life were made into a major motion picture, what song would you pick to be played as the final credits were rolling? What song captures the mood and themes of your life in 2011 like no other?
Your answer can be serious or tongue in cheek; the only thing that matters is that you are completely honest.
Here’s mine.
58 Responses to “Your Theme Song for 2011 Was…?”
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Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me
“When I first discovered the grainy picture in my mother’s desk—me as a towheaded two year old sitting in what I remember was a salmon-orange-stained lifeboat—I was overwhelmed by the feeling that the boy in the boat was not waving and laughing at the
song captures the mood and themes of your life in 2011 like no other
paul simon ~ rewrite
http://youtu.be/vY0lobGFhrU
in the score
abigail washburn-burn thru
wye oak – holy holy
tv on the radio – 2nd song
radiohead-lotus flower
james blake-wilhem scream
over the rhine-days like these
bon iver – Come Talk To Me
instrumental interlude
sarah jarosz-peace
clever montage
beyonce-countdown
Wow Bob, you have the score for your movie? whoa.
Wrong – Depeche Mode
Ah, Depeche Mode! (Hope the year wasn’t completely “Wrong”)
Oh, fun! Um, I guess Ross Copperman’s “Holding On and Letting Go would be my “theme song” for the year, though it would probably fit better as rising-actions-montage music than final credits…
Maybe Over the Rhine’s All My Favorite People as theme-song runner-up and end-credits winner.
Hi Alissa, I love episcotheque (even though my body is older than 20 something). I almost picked All My Favorite People as well! Cheers!
Thanks, Ian––that’s great to hear. I have friends with older-than-20-something bodies who are more “Millennial” than I am; I’m just glad we can all listen to each other.
I was going to say Anything At All by David Crosby, because 2011 was truly a year of confusion and disappointment. “You see, just beneath the surface of the mud there’s more mud here. Surprise!”
But then I remembered Ricky Skaggs album, Mosaic, that I received as a gift toward the end of 2010 and I listened to repeatedly in 2011. Return to Sender is a much better theme song, as there were many times that I desperately wanted to return to the Lord these past 12 months… even to the point of considering how I might make that happen. But clearly He is not done with me here on this side of eternity, and even more than I desire relief from suffering, I desire His affirmation & pleasure upon meeting Him face to face.
And I want to hear “A job well done.”
I want to hear it from the Son.
Write with chisel when I’m gone,
“Return to Sender” on my stone.
http://www.skaggsfamilyrecords.com/index.htm?inc=80&prod_id=4677&sid=11702
Love the question. Honest response: Pajamas by Livingston Taylor. I’ve probably sung this song to my boys about 200 times this year. Great bedtime theme song for those with little ones.
Mine was John Mark McMillan’s ‘Love You Swore.” Tough year for me and this one summed it up pretty well.
“Harbor me in the eye of the storm/I’m holding on to the love you swore.”
Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGWyRegxMWU
Hi John–sorry for the tough year but glad you had a song that gave it a voice.
Tough assignment, Ian! If I had to pick one song I’d go with Incomplete and Insecure by the Avett Brothers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6jzU0r-itA
Here’s to finishing some things in 2012!
Terrific Rob! I’m going to download a bunch of these songs that are coming in.
Mine would be “Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise” by The Avett Brothers
Hi Holly, Avett Brothers are becoming a pattern! Thanks for posting.
I love The Avett Brothers, Holly! I thought about picking “Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise,” too.
A charming little song by The Weepies called “Empty Your Hands” keeps reminding me to let trivial things go, like a bunch of red balloons.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wz1QophejU
By the way….looking forward to reading your book–it’s next after the new Jeffrey Eugenides novel.
Happy New Year!
Staci
Thanks Staci. Can’t wait to hear it.
Maybe it’s cliche, but mine is Tubthumping by Chumbawamba.
It’s been a rough year, but I keep bouncing back!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS-zK1S5Dws
Cliche? I don’t think so. Its beautiful.
Honest answer: Holy Is the Lord by Andrew Peterson. I don’t know why I resisted it – I actually spent some time trying to find another song to use instead. The line that keeps coming back is, “Even though you take him, still I ever will obey – but Maker of this mountain, please make another way.”
2011 was hard. Do you ever seek God more than when things are hard?
What I’ve Overcome by Fireflight is literally my theme song word for word.
Thanks, Julia! I’ll download and listen.
I love that song! Such an inspiration!
Mine is Kate Bush’s This Woman’s Work. A little over-used, but still appropriate. Great piece, by the way.
Kate Bush is brilliant! Thanks for reminding me of an artist I haven’t listened to forever.
Tough choice!!
I’d either go with:
“Slumber” from NeedtoBreathe http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QN_ze7QVYKg
or
“Best Day of Your Life” from Katie Herzig http://www.songlyrics.com/katie-herzig/best-day-of-your-life-lyrics/.
2011 was about surrendering…throwing up my hands, being okay with life coming as it will, & choosing to embrace all of it. And I discovered that on the side of surrender is life.
Thanks, Katie! Wonderful!
Hi Jacqui–Thanks for being so honest. Its true, we never seek God more than when things are hard. Andrew is a friend and I’m glad his work buoyed you. I’ll tell him so.
Spiritually it would be “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for” by U2
Personal life it would be “in repair” by John Mayer – “I’m not together but I’m getting there…”
Like you have two. Thanks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy6tTvZc2B8
‘Brand New Day’ by Van Morrison
It hasn’t so much been in just this year that I’ve felt the sun coming out in my life but this year has added oh so much more peace and also, it’s okay for me to still feel like I’m coming out to or around to a beautiful new day and world….sometimes it does take a long time and years of bright brand new pieces of the puzzle being added a little at a time as the old, mildewed, toxic ones are taken away….Ian, I just finished your book last week and it was beautiful…It was therapeutic in a way for me to read stories of your childhood that were oh too close to my own…I met you this summer and I thanked you for being a great father who loved his children – I got a chance to meet you at Donald Miller’s ‘Storyline Conference’ in OR where you told the story of the Quary…you gave me a hug and told me I was a beautiful person…I bawled as I read the part in your book about sitting with your counselor and learning that you were actually seen by people for who you are…not what you are not or what you are lacking….it was a nice Christmas present to ready your book…Thank you!
Hahah…and I spelled my own name incorrectly!!!!! Priceless!
Despite the misspelling you’re still beautiful.
A million times thank you. What a kind email to wake up this morning.
Mine would be “We Don’t Eat” by James Vincent McMorrow. Or “Holocene” by Bon Iver. Just because I love both of them so much. 2011 was a blessed year.
June Hymn – The Decemberists
It brought me summer regardless of the season of my soul or our world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KusWM9AKfZg
Here’s a hymn to welcome in the day
Heralding a summer’s early sway
And all the bulbs all coming in
To begin
The thrushes bleating battle with the wrens
Disrupts my reverie again
Pegging clothing on the line
Training jasmine how to vine
Up the arbor to your door
And more
You’re standing on the landing with the war
You shouldered all the night before
And once upon it
The yellow bonnets
Garland all the lawn
And you were waking
And day was breaking
A panoply of song
And summer comes to Springville Hill
A barony of ivy in the trees
Expanding out its empire by degrees
And all the branches burst to bloom
In the boom
Heaven sent this cardinal maroon
To decorate our living room
And once upon it
The yellow bonnets
Garland all the lawn
And you were waking
And day was breaking
A panoply of song
And summer comes to Springville Hill
And years from now
When this old light isn’t ambling anymore
Will I bring myself to write
“I give my best to Springville Hill”
And once upon it
The yellow bonnets
Garland all the lawn
And you were waking
And day was breaking
A panoply of song
And summer comes to Springville Hill
And summer comes to Springville Hill
We get lyrics as well! Thanks Micah. Hope to see you soon.
I love Bon Iver.
If you like Bon Iver you should check out James Vincent McMorrow (if you haven’t heard him). Similar falsetto voice and really good.
And “We Don’t Eat” is an amazing song.
John Hiatt’s “Have A Little Faith In Me.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RWEseP-ouk&feature=related
Lots of good stuff and plenty of heartbreak this year. I think of God singing this to me, then I turn around and sing this song, with my life, to my wife and kids. Make plenty of mistakes along the way, but that’s what makes a good story.
One of my favorite songs and artists in the world!
Ian,
I have been work diligently for weeks to perfect Pacing The Cage on my guitar. Cockburn is a tough guy to follow on guitar, but he’s one of my absolute favorite songwriters and one of the most underrated guitarists out there.
So true. He’s been a stalwart for a long time.
This is such a great question!
For me, “Blessings,” by Laura Story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CSVqHcdhXQ
The words and music of this song are beautiful. And they come from Laura’s heart and her own experience with suffering.
For me, this has been a year of raindrops and tears. But through the raindrops and tears, in most unexpected ways, it has also been a year of blessings and healing.
Hi Christina, Thanks for being part of the conversation!
my theme song for 2011 would be “Stuck in the Middle with You.” Because we’ve been in congregational transition for about 1 1/2 years now….
Oh then that would be a perfect song. I understand it well!
OK – let’s go for the wonderful K T Tunstall, and her song ‘Push That Knot Away’. I’m presuming that the knot in question is the knot of stress and fear – in the night deny it any place, the morning is a doorway to walk through, and “Just remember that you have heaven in your heart, it is inside you and it will guide you so long as you listen hard”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guywPpy1FNI
O that’s beautiful! Thanks!
I seem to have a lot in common with a lot of your readers. I’ve seen John Mark McMillian,John Mayer,Avett Brothers,and Bon Iver mentioned in the comments. These artist write great,moving,life-pushing music. I would have to say my song would be “How He Loves” by John Mark McMilian. At the end of my story,as well as at this point,I’m nothing without the love of God. Even if it was just me,Jesus still would have died to show his love. Love is such a popular and almost cliche topic in songs.But I love the lyrics and melody of this anthemic piece of music.
Hi Terrence, Thanks for the good words. Good addition.
[...] author whose blog I enjoy, recently asked readers to identify their 2011 “theme songs.” Thanks to my friend, [...]
You inspired me…
http://womanneversleeps.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/grinding-out-a-prayer/
Thanks!
Beautiful Dawn by the Wailin’ Jennys. Sorry, I’m a little late for the discussion.
My husband and I were in Nashville for the World Vision retreat this Jan. It was a struggle for me to attend because I was missing the funeral of a very dear friend. She would have sent me there to be beside my husband. Maybe she knew somehow that you would be one of the speakers who would touch our hearts so beautifully. It isn’t often that a story is told that captures so much of what life is. You spoke and we laughed with you and cheered for your young son…..and you. Then we got a copy of your book which I finished yesterday….took my time. You are a brilliant writer!! The book is really good! My Dad used to say that we often don’t know the value of something until much later. Your life’s story is a little like that and so is mine. Thank you for telling it.
Thanks Marcy. I’m glad you were at the WV event and thanks for reading my book! I’m glad it connected with you.
Peace to you,
Ian