Playlist: Stargazing at the Playground

Stargazing at the Playground on Youtube

I haven’t been really making playlists for this story, nor was I planning to, but one came together for this chapter really organically so I said “okay fine, I’ll include it.”

1.) a-ha — Dark is the Night for All

It’s always bothered me that a-ha is seen as a one hit wonder in the US, because they had a whole ass career above and beyond Hunting High and Low, and all of their subsequent albums are so much better.

2.) Perry Como — Catch a Falling Star

I always took this song to mean save up the joy so you can enjoy it when you need it later.

3.) The Smashing Pumpkins — Tonight, Tonight

This may be the one song where I’m like “nah, y’all knocked it out of the park with this one, you can keep it.” (otherwise I’m pretty firmly in the “songwriting is solid, cause the song always sound 10000x better when not sung by Billy Corgan” camp with regard to the Smashing Pumpkins.) Another really excellent use of the 90s alternative string ensemble.

4.) David Bowie — As The World Falls Down

Both The Wizard of Oz (the movie anyway) and Labyrinth are about a protagonist who wants to escape their home troubles with a fanciful journey, ends up going on said journey to figure out some fundamental truths about life and themselves with the assistance of friends made in the faraway place before returning home to deal with their lives. Or maybe I just made that up because both soundtracks cropped up in my head a LOT writing this.

5.) We’re Off To See The Wizard (Trio)

See #4.

6.) Blind Melon — Three is a Magic Number

RIP Shannon Hoon. Wish he and Blind Melon got to do more than this and No Rain.

7.) Indigo Girls — Galileo

Keeping the stargazing theme, here, but no one does adulthood existensial crisis songs like the Indigo Girls.

8.) CAKE — Let Me Go

I’ve waited for her for so long
I’ve wondered if I could hang on
“Let me go”, she said.

9.) a-ha — Waiting For Her

yes it’s another a-ha. Like seriously, check out the rest of their catalogue. But this song… just those big yearning strings with Morten Harket’s absolutely celestial voice! *chefkiss*

10.) Stone Temple Pilots — Big Empty

Yeah, not gonna lie I just threw this in because I thought it vibed with the theme. I stand by the choice.

11.) Steam — Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye

…. well I was day of this post years old before learning this song was performed by a bunch of white guys. The Seventies were wild, y’all.

12.) John Denver — Leaving on a Jet Plane

I usually have to pick any other version of this song than one sung by John Denver because I’m pretty consistently a MESS by the first chorus. Like full on crying Mess. Now imagine Saoirse and Esme’s farewell with this in the background and you know why I was sobbing into my keyboard while writing it.