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My Heartsongs: A Letter to Myself

Heartsong #1: “California” - Mindy Gledhill

When I look back on my childhood and life, I knew I had to

pick one of Mindy Gledhill songs from the Anchor album.
They made me dance while no one was watching, and when
they were. Each song could be defined as silly love songs with
no deep meaning. They don’t involve a social issue or
life-changing events. Gledhill writes about the most random of
objects or places and uses them as a metaphor for what love
can look and feel like. Some of these subjects can be best
identified through the title of her songs: Circus Girl, All the
Pennies, Anchor, Hourglass, and California. Each following
the idea of love. Not just love with another man, but child-parent relationships. These ideas of
taking miscellaneous subjects and connecting them to your world are what probably started my
way of thinking outside the box, especially when it came to writing. Intertwining the otherwise
insignificant subjects to the deepest of emotions or thoughts.

WATCH CALIFORNIA HERE

Heartsong #2: “Sussudio” - Phil Collins

Growing up my dad loved music, as he still does today. One of his favorite artists has always
been Phil Collins. He loved the passion Phil brought into every song he wrote. As I became more
interested in Phil Collins, my dad was overjoyed and proceeded
to overwhelmed me with songs I would need to add to my
playlist. The song that most resonated with me was Sussudio.
The song encompasses the idea of young love. The nervous
encounters it brings, the needs and wants to be around them, as
well as the physical shaking of speech, causing the repetition of
“Su-Sussudio” as a way of stuttering. Although it is stuttered
Collins states, “I feel so good if I just say the word” and the
need to just say their name: Sussudio. Sussudio was meant to
represent anyone’s name. It was a blank space for listeners to
fill in. A name of a person that you can’t live without. A name
that although difficult to say, because of nerves, is needed and
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pleasureful. Besides the relatable themes of love, it wouldn’t be a Phill Collins song without
drums. Drums not only give a feeling of freedom and life but also can represent many things,
such as a heart. As I creep nearer to adulthood, I look back on Phil Collins and his feelings of
youth and connection to my father. Phil Collins always connects with young people and keeps
his young attitude, supported by his famous phrase, “Not Dead Yet.” He has touched the hearts
of every young person not only through his time as an individual artist, or being in Genesis, but
through his music in Tarzan and Brother Bear. His voice is a comfort to my soul, as he conveys
the message of pushing through your hard times and doing what you enjoy in life.

WATCH SUSSUDIO HERE

Heartsong #3: “Livin’ On a Prayer” - Bon Jovi

In 9th grade or my Freshman year of high school, I got the opportunity to go on a school trip to
San Francisco. The bus ride was filled with all genres of music, that
came and gone. But Livin’ On a Prayer wasn’t one of them. It was
played several times a day, with all of us teenagers screaming it at
the top of our lungs. It became our theme for the rest of the year.
Maybe it was the line “we are halfway there” that resonated with us
as we were almost done with the school year, or maybe it was
because we were halfway through our drive, no one knows, but it
united us. The events in the song talk about a couple who are
struggling to get by in the world. When one was having a hard time,
the other would reassure them by repeating the chorus (refer to
below) in an attempt to lift their spirits. At the end of that year, we took each other’s hands and
promised to support each other, even through all the “terrible teen” years. We were unified. All
30 of us.

“Woah, we're half way there. Woah, livin' on a prayer. Take my hand, we'll make it I swear.
Woah, livin' on a prayer. Livin' on a prayer.”

WATCH LIVIN' ON A PRAYER HERE

Heartsong #4: “Upside Down” - Jack Johnson

People who didn’t have cable would know PBS Kids far too well, with
early mornings filled with the noise of Zoboomafoo, Cyber chase, or
Curious George. I was among those children, but almost every kid from
the early 2000s would know this song from the 2006 movie Curious
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George—Upside Down. This song gave characteristics of Curious George, but in reality, it gave
insight into every child’s brain. The need to “Turn the world upside down” to discover and
understand the world around them. Johnson uses questions such as “who’s to say?” that show us
why shouldn’t curiosity be questioned? What is wrong with understanding the world around us?
Understanding each crack, crevice, crease. As time has gone, many of us 2000’s babies have
looked back at this song, not only realizing the “bop” it is, but letting creativity take over us
again, and undoing what the American School system has taken away from us, creative thoughts
and actions.

“There's no stopping curiosity. I want to turn the whole thing upside down. I'll find the things
they say just can't be found. I'll share this love I find with everyone. We'll sing and dance to
Mother Nature's songs. I don't want this feeling to go away. Who's to say. I can't do everything.
Well, I can try. And as I roll along I begin to find. Things aren't always just what they seem”

WATCH UPSIDE DOWN HERE

Heartsong #5: “Calling All Angels” - Train

Growing up, and only living one hour outside of Los Angeles (L.A.), there were infinite things to
do, baseball games being the most frequent activity for my
family. Our team since the time we lived in California till now
has been the L.A. Angels. Late nights with rally monkies and
peanuts, repeating the phrase, “Let’s go, Angels, Let’s go
Angels” in our high pitched voices. We’d collect little pins to fill
our lanyards until there was no room left. Their unofficial
anthem is Calling All Angels, was my dad’s ring tone. It was my
favorite thing to hear. I’d ask him over and over to play it one
more time. It didn’t occur to me what kind of social problems it
had until I got older. The same kind of subjects I empathize
with. The song discusses how terrible this world is and how its
values are skewed. Children disappearing, bias within the media,
people losing sight of dreams, and how nowhere is safe. That is the reason they are calling on
angels. Someone to help the world with all of the corruption.

WATCH CALLING ALL ANGELS HERE

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Heartsong # 6: “Superstition” - Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder. A blind man creating music with new flavor and rhythm. Superstition discusses
the negative effects of superstitions, that “superstition ain’t the way.” Superstitions prevent
people from fully embracing life, as they become too scared of karma’s consequences. The same
could be said for prejudices; they limit one’s view of the
world and make interaction difficult. Considering that
Stevie Wonder was not only a blind man but also an
African American, there were, no doubt, prejudices against
him and his abilities. The Civil rights movement wasn’t
too long ago, and now a new war was going on in the
world, the Cold War. A true place of superstition. Russia
and the United States created a “will they won’t they”
relationship, and involving themselves in small wars of
intimidation. More contention was brought up by these
grudges and prejudices, or even superstition. As nothing good comes from them.

“When you believe in things that you don't understand, then you suffer, superstition ain't the way,
no, no, no.”

WATCH SUPERSTITION HERE