Times Like These

I’m not sure where I first heard this song, I know it was 2 or 3 years ago. I downloaded the song from iTunes and I’d listen to it on my way home from that awful part-time job I used to have, the one that kept me out until 11 p.m. five days a week. The song is hypnotic; the actual version is by Willie Nelson with Bonnie Raitt. The combination of their world-weary voices is breathtaking. The video I found from YouTube isn’t half bad.

I feel wistful when I listen to this song … makes me think of the sadness that I’ve gone through, without actually feeling sad.

What do you do with the sands of time
When they carve out lines around your eyes
I can close my fists up good and tight
But I can’t hold back the sands of time

Night and day
Night and day
You remain
You remain

I love me some epic music, and “No More Drama” by Miss Mary J. Blige certainly fits the bill. There’s pain, anguish, emotion … and with lyrics like “no more waking me up in the morning with your disturbing phone calls,” you know this shit is real. My friend Chris and I will quote this song to each other at work or when one of us is having a personal crisis. Mary J. heals all.

So tired
Tired of these drama
No more, no more
I wanna be free
I’m so tired, so tired
Broken heart again
Another lesson learn
Better know your friends
Or else you will get burned
Gotta count on me
Cause I can guarantee
That I’ll be fine

No more pain
(No more pain)
No more pain
(No more pain)
No drama
(No more drama in my life)
No-one’s gonna
Make me hurt again

Why’d I play the fool
Go through ups and downs
Knowing all the time
You wouldn’t be around
Or maybe I like the stress
Cause I was young and restless
But there was long ago
I don’t wanna cry no more

No more pain
(No more pain)
No more game
(No more game
Messin with my mind)
No drama
(No more drama in my life)
No-one’s gonna
Make me hurt again
No more tears
(No more tears
I’m tired of cryin everynight)
No more fears
(No more fears
I really don’t wanna cry)
No drama
(No more drama in my life)
I don’t ever wanna hurt again
Wanna speak my mind
Wanna speak my mind

Uh, it feels so good
When you let go
Of all the drama
In your life
Now you’re free
From all the pain
Free from all the game
Free from all the stress
So bye your happiness
I don’t know
Only God knows
Where the story ends
For me, but I know
Where the story begins
It’s up to us to choose
Whether we win or lose
And I choose to win

No more pain
(No more pain)
No more game
(Tired of your playin’
Game with my mind)
No drama
(No more drama
In my life)
No more, no more
No more, no more
No more tears
(No more tears
No more cryin every night)
No more fears
(No more waking me up
In the morning
With your disturbing phone calls)
No drama
No more in my life

No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama in my life
So tired, tired of these drama

I’ve always liked the song Night Moves by Bob Seger; I liked it even when I was entirely too young to understand what he was singing about. I was living my youth, not reminiscing about the past. Now, however, at the age of 33, I’ve loved, I’ve lost, I’ve lived …

Night Moves is my recovering-from-a-break-up song. It has that perfect mix of wistfulness, sadness and joy to make me smile wryly … plus I can easily belt it out. Last year my ex-husband went to see Bob Seger in concert. He later admitted he was a bit drunk and a bit wistful when he sent me a txt message stating that “Night Moves is the greatest song ever!” That still makes me smile, if only because it showed me that it’s ok that I’m not 100% over him because he’s not 100% over me.

This is just one of those perfect songs that we can all relate to … because we’ve all been young and restless and bored … or not-so-young and restless and bored …

I was a little too tall
Could’ve used a few pounds
Tight pants points hardly reknown
She was a black-haired beauty with big dark eyes
And points all her own sitting way up high
Way up firm and high

I awoke last night to the sound of thunder
How far off I sat and wondered
Started humming a song from 1962
Ain’t it funny how the night moves
When you just don’t seem to have as much to lose
Strange how the night moves
With autumn closing in

This song makes me think of just about every guy I’ve ever liked but it still manages to make me smile. How is that possible?

Forget About It by Alison Krauss

Forget about it
I’m admittin’ I was wrong
And I’ll just take what’s mine
And walk right out the door
Forget about it
I’ll split and I’ll be gone
And you’ll have memories
You’ll find hard to ignore
‘Cause after all
I see you sometime
Maybe when I can’t recall
How you drove me crazier
Forget about it
When forever’s over
I won’t remember how much
I loved you anymore
Forget about it
Put me out of your head
Now that you’re free and easy
Out there on the town
Forget about it
When you’re lying in bed just wishing
I was there to lay you down

‘Cause after all
I see you sometime maybe
When you will recall
How I drove you crazier
Forget about those stars in your eyes
Laying by the fireside
Holding you tight
I can’t remember when I felt so right
So just forget about it

Forget about it
When you see me on the street
Don’t wink, don’t wave
Don’t try to tease me with your smile
Forget about it
If we chance to meet somewhere
Don’t think it’s cause I’m trying to reconcile

‘Cause after all
I see you sometime maybe
When I can’t recall
How you drove me crazier
Forget about those stars in your eyes
Laying by the fireside
Holding you tight
I can’t remember when I felt so right
So just forget about it