My Darlings,
I have no idea what’s going to happen tomorrow and I am fresh out of ideas about Wednesday. But what I do know is that we will still need to be kind. We will still need songs to sing to ourselves and each other. Our best stories, the ones that seemed hopeless and hard but ended up being ok, those are the ones we need to dig up and retell ourselves and each other over the next couple of days. I thought about going bonkers on liner notes for this one, you know…super cute lil stories for each song…and then I figured that there will likely be time for more of that touchy feely crap later when we all have a little more headspace. You get it.
This first mixtape I’m sharing with you is my Official Transcript. I’ve attached YouTubes to the titles. I also (I tried real hard, so let me know if the links don’t work right, and I’ll try it again…) left you links to the list in i-tunes and on spotify. You’re welcome.
These are the tracks I go back to over and over. It’s not a list of my favorite songs, mind you. These songs have been my teachers and friends on all kinds of days. There are memories–sights and smells and textures and the way the sun was shining in the rearview mirror–attached to every single one of them. I think this list might be especially good for standing in lines or waiting for things or for listening to if other noises in the world feel too loud. Wrap up in them. Sing along with the ones you know. Laugh super hard at the image of me singing with you. Share them with others, if that’s your thing.
One day, and please to Jesus make it be soon, we will sit in a backyard and play these loud enough to make the neighbors come over and join us.
Light your candles. Say your prayers. Be kind to yourself.
Love you five-ever,
Rachie
- When I Paint My Masterpiece–The Band
- God Only Knows–The Beach Boys
- Sweeter as the Years Roll By–Blind Willie Johnson
- Devil Town–Bright Eyes
- Method Acting/Cortez the Killer–Dave Rawlings Machine
- Rise–Eddie Vedder
- All Things Must Pass–George Harrison
- Hold Your Head High–Heartless Bastards
- Ashokan Farewell–Nashville Chamber Orchestra
- Girl From the North Country–Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash
- Get Back–Ludacris
- He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands–Mahalia Jackson
- Rainbow Connection–Kermit the Frog
- Magpie to the Morning–Neko Case
- Hold On, I’m Coming–Sam and Dave
- my tears ricochet–Taylor Swift
- The Ballad of the Kingsmen–Todd Snider
- I Won’t Back Down–Tom Petty
- M79–Vampire Weekend
- The Ball Game–Sister Wynona Carr
- Battle Hymn of the Republic–The Abyssinian Baptist Church Sanctuary Choir
- Idumea–Sacred Harp Singers
- Hard Times–East Mountain South
- Fare Thee Well–Oscar Isaac
- Luckiest Man–The Wood Brothers
Mixtapes From Babylon 