10 Songs on our Current Playlist

Would you like to listen again, Amma! Sure, Ammu as I mostly address her. And, there, she goes on and on and on. One thing I have learned in the last 5 years and still find it difficult to follow sometimes is to take my mind off what I am doing and listen to her. I remind myself to do it often.

After me shaking my head vigorously as if I am listening to her, to convince her, her voice makes me look up at her. Amma, you still cannot get the words right. I look at her and I tell her that I’m trying da. She confidently says, No ma, you’re not listening. I now know I cannot even focus on my work with that guilt, so I tell her, let’s do it.

And then, I listened. Now, I vibe to these. The reason I try to keep away from the kids’ songs is because they’re really addictive. Be it, wheels on the bus or Baby Shark to Dance Monkey now, the choices are really good. When other people are around you, you vibe to these like you’re singing some top chart songs. Totally out of sync when I am with others, but N-Sync in my world.

Well, that’s my Kids’ playlist. What about mine? I’ve been listening to the usual ones, or the loud ones(husband’s) gradually adding some new ones. Mostly like listening to what makes me feel nice, but not energetic. The Kids’ playlist is just brand new and I’m also big time into watching animation movies now. So, the songs are teen/kid stuff – more like dance mode on.

Getting to the current playlist now, we would listen to this in any order, but these are the ones on repeat since last year. If you have Alexa, then pretty much all of these are in there. Just play it and enjoy. Listing them as I remember.

1. Dance Monkey by Kids BOP Kids
   
   I liked the music, but I assumed it was more of a teen song, I was wondering how she knew about this song. I just move to the beats, but then once when she danced, she started reacting to the words and that’s exactly when I noticed the words. Well, it’s my top favourite now. If nothing else goes right in a day, all I do is put on this song and dance like a monkey.
   
2. Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys
   
   When we heard it for the first time in the movie Sing 2 at the theatres, we knew this one was going to stay with us forever. This was her first movie at the Theatre post COVID and she danced and moved around throughout the movie. My husband booked the last row and we were only happy to see her dancing from one end to the other throughout the movie. This song is letting it all out, so beautifully filmed in every way, but what I liked most about this is how much her voice opened up after this one. You could lose your hearing if she used her mic and sang this one. It’s easier when you have cotton next to you. When the kid’s on the mic, you might need it.
   
3. Firework by Katy Perry
   
   We listened only to one of the verses by Rosita in her auditions in the movie Sing. It stayed with me, it was my to go song throughout my job search. I guess because of me she started listening to it, picked singing it since it was on repeat. It’s a good dancing song though. There is a bit of parenting lesson in this one too, what you do matters and you are constantly being looked at. So, be yourself as much as you can, but own up to it. You can be clumsy, silly and it’s okay – I’m imperfectly perfect and that’s agreeable. 🙂
   
4. Shake it Off by Taylor Swift / Reese Witherspoon
   
   Again an inspiration from the movie Sing, she loves Rosita. She has a masquerade that we got to mix and match for her Halloween costume, but never used it then. She used it for this song and it was such a cool act. Just as the song says, all you need to is Shake it off. Undoubtedly, one of our favourites.
   
5. A sky full of Stars by Coldplay / Taron Egerton
   
   Well, don’t ask me if there’s no other movie I could quote, since this is again from the Sing series. What can I do if all the good ones were picked by these guys. Taron Egerton was the voice of Johnny in Sing and we loved Johnny. Whether it’s I’m still Standing from Sing or this one from Sing 2. I don’t know what she understands, but she loves and makes signs of a sky full of stars. I always point to her and she points to me when we dance together. It’s the I’m there for you kind of song.
   
6. Faith by Stevie Wonder ft. Ariana Grande
   
   Such a quirky song, but we love it. She’s Ariana Grande, because she’s got the swag and I’m Stevie Wonder because I do the male voice, guys (that’s all, I am no living legend). And it’s a way of conveying to her that I’ve really got faith in her and she’s amazing. Often what I fail to communicate in a normal conversation, I make up for it in songs and the time I spend with her.
   
7. Let it go by Idina Menzel / Demi Lovato
   
   I’m sure it was on everyone’s playlist at some point in time. It was on mine, now it’s on hers, so it is round 2 for me. First it was personally for me, now as a parent it’s so different. When she stresses on the good girl line, I’m like, okay I get it. And, the No rules for me – hey kiddo I’ve been there too, okay. For us it was just loving the lines, singing the song, but in the commercial world now with the frozen kit – frock, dolls, oh the hairstyle (even if you haven’t got enough, you have the Elsa plait, you could fix and dance). Elsa just came down and sang at our house. When asked what she wants to become when she grew up in reception (Upper Kindergarten) – she said she wants to become Elsa when she grows up.
   
8. Set it all Free by Scarlett Johannsen
   
   My daughter wanted an Electric Guitar after seeing this one. It was high pitched and almost the noisiest she has heard. She was mesmerized by this song and she’s Ash in a lot of ways. Her sarcasm stings, she’s an awesome singer with a crazy style and when she sings it even I feel so liberated. It’s like the new age Let it go. Electric guitar is still on the list of things she wants for almost 2 years now. Oh, she’s just 5 and don’t forget the mic’s damage to my ears.
   
9. Try Everything by Shakira
   
   We listened to it for the first time on Zootopia and picked it from there. It’s my go to song and she picked it up for the Bull who comes in the song. I listen to it almost every time, since she has her ear in most things I listen to, she picked this up. What she picked up from this song is that it’s okay to do mistakes and it’s okay to fail. I listen to it for the same reason, to feel alright and not beat myself up too much – because If I cannot be kind to myself, there’s no way I could be to her. I am aware of it more now than ever as she is growing up quickly.
   
10. I still haven’t found what I am looking for by U2 / Scarlett Johansson
    
    Last but not the least, this song humbles me and it stays in her playlist because it’s a duet – she gets to sing Ash’s (SJ) lines and I get to play Clay Calloway’s (Bono) lines. Why would I say no when I could express what I feel through a song to my loved one. It’s true that I take a lot of time to understand things, be it parenting or understanding life, but this one humbles me so much. It’s the search that gives me peace, I want her to have that spark within her always.

Are any of these songs in your playlist? If not, suggest a few songs from your current playlist or songs you’ve always enjoyed and we’d be happy to listen and try listening to them. Alexa is all you need to play and dance around isn’t it.