Leah’s Life through Music

*Listen to the song to get the full experience*

Frank Sinatra was an American singer and actor that quickly rose to fame due to his talented voice and performances. He is regarded as one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century. He recorded over 1,400 songs and appeared in over 60 films in his career. He is well known for songs like “Fly Me to the Moon” and “New York, New York”, but has had many other extremely successful songs. He may have died back in 1998, but his music and legacy still live on.

“The Way You Look Tonight” has so many core memories tied to it, all taking place in a very specific location: West Hampton Beach. I grew up spending my summers in the Hamptons with my whole extended family. This was such a great experience that I would give all my money to experience just one more time. The Hamptons houses that we stayed at were owned by my Great Uncle Donald (or to the kids just Uncle Donald), which our family unfortunately sold after his passing.

Those that have read or watched The Summer I Turned Pretty will have a good understanding of this parallel between my life and Belly’s. Growing up, I would entirely agree with the saying “For me, it was almost like winter didn’t count. Summer was what mattered. My whole life was measured in summers.” To Leah growing up, her years were measured in trips to the Hamptons where I celebrated every birthday up there with my family. This was such a great experience as naive Leah did not realize the class that existed up there, as I showed up to huge Hamptons parties in my clothes from Justice (stylish at that time but looking back I was certainly underdressed).

Alright, back to the song. A huge part of the excitement around getting to go up to the Hamptons was not only getting to be reunited with my whole extended family but my Uncle Donald was also known for his huge parties around the pool. These parties were such a huge part of my childhood, where all of my cousins and I had to act very grown up and on our best behavior. I have always been called “well-spoken” and “mature for my age” and I would attribute this mostly to these parties of having to interact with all of Donald’s friends and introduce myself as soon as I could speak for myself.

Uncle Donald knew how to throw a party. He would go the whole nine yards with live music, caterers, servers, and just an extravaganza for the few that were able to make the guest list. With this, before the crowds arrived for the night, just the cousins and Uncle Donald were allowed to have a dance party on the deck. I searched everywhere for pictures of this event as there are many, but I, unfortunately, could not find any. Uncle Donald was very picky with the music that was played, strictly Frank Sinatra. I chose You Make Me Feel So Young due to the nature of this song and the association with these dance parties before the adult party.

Since my sister and I were his favorites (he made it very clear), we were always given the opportunity to dance with Uncle Donald. I vividly remember ballroom dancing- or at least a four-year-old version of ballroom dancing- together before the rest of the party arrived. This was such a special moment that I would now do practically anything to relieve it.

It is crazy to look back on now since I did not understand the elegance and high class that surrounded me in the Hamptons and I wish I would have had a greater appreciation for it. This was such a special place and I hope to bring back this tradition in the future when I am successful enough to purchase a house up there. Until then, I can just sit in my college dorm and listen to Frank Sinatra all night long.

* LISTEN TO THE SONG IN ORDER TO GET THE FULL EXPERIENCE *

U2 are an Irish rock band that was formed in 1976. This group is composed of now very prominent artists, with Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. U2 have released 15 albums and have been regarded as one of the world’s best-selling music artists. This group is extremely accomplished, having won 22 Grammy Awards, which is more than any other band to date. Additionally, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. They have been able to shut down many cities with their presence. Included below, is the music video for the song Where the Streets Have No Name, which was able to attract over 1,000 people during the filming. This caused such a raucous that the City of Los Angeles Police Department had to shut them down. I’d recommend watching for even a minute just to get a better understanding of their fan loyalty, as these individuals created a massive crowd in such a short period of time.

U2 is a fan favorite of my whole family and more specifically, Where The Streets Have No Name by U2 is the song of my childhood. My dad refused to listen to “our music” in the car so from a very young age, so I knew the lyrics by heart by the time I was five. My parents both love U2’s music and have gone to various concerts of theirs. For this reason, in simplest words, U2 is my family’s music. Due to my parent’s love for this band, I am very well-versed in the many songs U2 has produced. At 18 years of age, I have probably listened to Where the Streets Have No Name a couple of hundred times, with this music video engrained in my memory as it used to play on the mini television screen in the back of my dad’s car.

In ninth grade, my dad got a new convertible which is the very memory that I associate with this song. U2’s album, The Joshua Tree, was the first very thing that would start playing when you turned on the car as it was always in the CD holder. I can hear any of those songs now and immediately be transported back into the passenger seat of our old convertible.

More specifically, there was one day when my dad and I hopped in the car with our dogs and just went for a drive to pick up fresh tomatoes. It was not the act of grabbing tomatoes that resonates with me, the dog seen in the videos below has since passed so it is one of my most core memories with my former pup. This was such a great day, I remember the weather, the great music, and just getting to spend the day with my dad and dogs- what more could a girl ask for? If you watch the videos of Luna, make sure to listen to the music in the background.

Luna was just enjoying the wind flopping her ears without a care in the world. This is such a positive memory associated with her short life. Overall, Where The Streets Have No Name, will be a song that can continue to brighten my day regardless of whether I am reminded of my family or my pup. I long to be in a convertible once again and  “feel sunlight on my face”, but until then, the song will have to do (U2).

* LISTEN TO THE SONG IN ORDER TO GET THE FULL EXPERIENCE *

*LISTEN TO THE SONG TO GET THE FULL EXPERIENCE*

Fine Line by Harry Styles was released on December 13, 2019, and can be classified in the pop genre, although this song is slower much slower than some of his other songs on this album. This song has nearly two billion streams on Spotify, but it still is not the highest of all his releases but still a great song nonetheless. This song is a work of art, demonstrating the fine line between happiness and sadness as the song has many highs and lows to paint this picture. The album cover perfectly represents that fine line between light and dark as a hand reaches out to invite him to the darkness, but Harry stays in the light.

Harry Styles has been in the music industry starting with his debut at 16 years old on X-Factor UK, later joining the boy band One Direction, and now as a solo artist absolutely excelling in his career. He most recently won album of the year at the 2023 Grammys for his 2022 album, Harry’s House, with 8.3 million streams on release day.

I remember my first meaningful interaction with Fine Line like it was yesterday. My friends and I went on a trip for spring break, right before we left for college, and my friend had begun feeling the sadness of college even prior to her commitment. This was a very overwhelming feeling for her, being unsure of the future course of her life. In order to calm these nerves, she elected to lie down on the pavement just staring at the stars above. I elected to lay right next to her to remind her that we have not gone our separate ways just yet and no matter what she will still have me to rely on. This slowly transformed into our song. We’d listen to it when we were sad about college to remind ourselves that we would always still be here for one another. Unfortunately, plans did not play out the way I had intended where I am no longer as close to her, but the calming ability of this song still remains.

I play this song to calm myself for bed, after receiving unfortunate news, or just when I want to listen to an amazing song. This song will be here for me even when others aren’t and that’s part of why I love it.

In the video of the dog on the beach, I was extremely overwhelmed with emotions and was having a minor anxiety attack, to calm myself down I took a walk to the beach, simply watched the dog playing with his toy, listening to Fine Line, Harry reminding myself that “We’ll be alright”. The melody puts me in an extreme state of relaxation that I encourage others to find as well.

Fine Line is the song that played as my friends as I said our final goodbyes before heading to college. In this video, you can see me comforting the friend who first introduced this song to me. This was a full-circle moment due to my first associated memory and the next most prominent one. Despite the fact that we have gone our separate paths and ended up in different schools, in different states, we know “We’ll be alright” and we will see each other again. My friends and I have Fine Line, but I challenge you to find yours.

* LISTEN TO THE SONG IN ORDER TO GET THE FULL EXPERIENCE *

Landslide by Fleetwood Mac was released in 1975 after being written by 25-year-old Stevie Nicks. Fleetwood Mac, a British-American rock band, was formed in London in 1967. Nearly 50 years later, Landslide has 507,288,861 streams on the platform Spotify and is ranked third on the Billboard Hot 100 for all Fleetwood Mac songs. 

Over the years, Landslide has grown very important to my immediate family with each of us having many memories with one another. This song helps reflect the journey our family has gone on as each of us has grown and matured in the time that we have known each other.

Growing up my dad refused to listen to “our” music, meaning Disney or kids’ music, so my sister and I grew up listening to bands like U2, Fleetwood Mac, or the Foo Fighters. So I have known the words to most songs by these artists from a very young age.

One of my first memories of this song was when we got our Suburban that had a movie screen drop-down for the back seats. The U2 CD happened to include all of the live videos from their concerts and not just music, hence, this was a fan favorite for all parties involved since we still got to watch something as he got to listen to some great music. Nowadays I could have general accuracy when guessing a still shot from any of the songs on that cd (not that I have practiced but a genuine guess). I hated it when I was younger but am now very thankful to know the lyrics to so many great songs from growing up with them.

This song has an entirely different meaning in my life, as this was originally associated with my dad and car rides, but is now tied to my mom. In this song, Stevie Nicks is singing about her children and the harsh reality that watching them grow up is also meaning she is growing older. This song brings my mom close to tears and always leaves her holding my hand to remind herself, yes this may be sad- but at least I still have my daughter. As the chorus reads:

“Cause I’ve built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I’m getting older too”

The same Leah and “Mom” that is previously shown. However, over the years the song has certainly grown in importance just as we have continued to age.

This song is a comfort to me as it is like a hug from my parents when we are apart and even when we are together it just brings us closer together to remind us of all of these great moments we get to share with one another. Our lives are a direct reflection of this song as no matter what time in my life I am listening to this song, it allows me to take a step back and remember we are only getting older so it is time to live life to the fullest in this very moment.

* LISTEN TO THE SONG IN ORDER TO GET THE FULL EXPERIENCE *

Real Love Baby by Father John Misty was first released on July 26, 2016, and can be classified as an alternative or indie genre. This song is ranked highest of Misty’s songs on the streaming platform, Spotify, with 155,919,803 listens. There is a specific humbleness and honesty to this song when dealing with love and emotions toward others. In this, he sweetly sings “I’m a flower, you’re the bee; it’s much older than you and me” showing the harmonious relationship between these two whilst comparing it to the feeling of real love.

Now although I do not possess this same desire for real love (yet) as Misty does, this song never fails to lighten my mood. It makes me want to dance in my kitchen with the love of my life, to achieve this “real love” and satisfy my childlike desire to reenact a scene straight from a rom-com. I have not yet experienced real love so I relate to Misty in that aspect. But separate from the lyrics, the existence of this song as a whole is very meaningful to me.

Real Love Baby serves as a constant reminder in my life that everything will be okay. Just like everyone, I have experienced many ups and downs in my life and this just gives me a more abstract idea to focus on: having the “dancing in the kitchen” moment at some point. I have a “glass half full” mindset in the sense that I am always looking on the bright side and focusing on the moments in my life when I am happiest listening to Real Love Baby.

There are specific moments that I can pinpoint exactly when and where I was listening to this song. The most memorable are those where I had that “ah ha” moment when I was on the other side of a rough patch and realized everything was going to be alright. I make sure to take pictures and videos when I have these moments to remind myself that there is so much “good” in life. I have included one of these videos and I would strongly recommend putting it in full-screen mode and just joining me in that moment of absolute serenity where nothing else mattered. On July 3rd, 2022, Real Love Baby played as the sun began setting over the Chester River in Chestertown, MD, as I was surrounded by my closest family and friends. This night was full of many laughs and memories, which all flood back to me when I hear the strums of the guitar and Misty begins to sing “Our hearts are free…”. That night, we were all carefree while watching fireworks and were living the lyrics we had heard, “Let’s forget who we are for one night”, these carefree moments are what I long for. It is songs like Real Love Baby that can help remind me that anything that is of concern or upsetting is temporary and can be resolved surrounded by people you love and some great music.

 

Real Love Baby is a work of art. To others, it may just serve as just another love song, but Real Love Baby is sitting on a dock at sunset in a state of peace. I know this song will play at my wedding and continue to be tied to such positive memories and moments in my life. I hope everyone can find Real Love Baby at the time they need it most, but until then, let Father John Misty carry you away.