As much as I like to write, I’m humbled by the fact that I cannot for the life of me turn my words into songs. I would simply be… too powerful. I think the closest I get is writing poetry; therein lies the inspiration for this piece.
For the Record (Player)
I find myself shuffling my feet
Shuffling the music as
I search for the dissonant chord
To remind me that those
Who love us shouldn’t make us
Feel like a too-hard harmony
I keep telling myself that
And I’m starting to sound like
A broken record
Which wouldn’t be so bad
If you weren’t still
My favorite track
I wrote it because I was feeling down. I was once again looping the songs I’m falling out of love with because they’re tinged with the thoughts of someone I’d rather forget, like a one-hit-wonder. As you read, you’ll come to understand what I perceive to be the dangers of falling for people who make you playlists. Before we begin, we must grasp the steps one must take to make the playlist of someone’s dreams.
Crafting the Perfect Playlist
1. Find someone special to make a playlist for.
2. Get to know them… their loves, their despises, their vibes, their hopes, etc.
3. Ask them if a playlist is something they’d be interested in—you always want a willing recipient for this.
4. Use what you know about them to pick cover art that speaks to their unique sound.
5. Write a creative name.
6. Add the songs, obviously.
7. Digitally deliver the masterpiece.
From the very beginning, finding someone worthy of a hand-picked playlist is no easy feat. When someone finds a person that makes their heart sing, it should be celebrated accordingly.
Getting to know that very same person can also pose a challenge. While some people approach life and love like a loud and catchy pop song, others like a slow-build, always worth the wait in the end.
Note: Not everyone you connect with on this level will want a playlist.
It’s just as much pressure to be the playlist receiver as it is the playlist maker. As long as your person is perfectly okay with a tracklist attuned to you two, then the fun really begins.
If you’ve reached this stage, the person making the playlist might have a name picked out already. It could be super specific like, “The Moment I Knew I’d Never Want Anyone Else Singing in the Passenger Seat But You” or short and sweet like “A Maple Syrup Smile.” The most important thing is that the name connects the two people together.
The songs can be stressful. Some different approaches could be spelling a message with the song titles (points awarded for creativity) or songs with lyrics that sum up the bond. There’s really no wrong way to signal your feelings through song. As you sync up the listening experience, you’re able to sink further into your feels for them.
My personal favorite part, as a playlist recipient, is hearing the selections. It’s a moment suspended in time, track after track of a relationship.
And after reading this, you might be wondering, “this all sounds wonderful, why wouldn’t I want someone to make me a playlist?” So I’ll tell you, from my perspective.
The danger of falling for someone who makes you playlists is you relinquish all rights to hold your individual memories with the featured songs. Like the last verse of a song’s first verse into the chorus, those songs will always be connected and strengthened (or weakened) by one another.
You could find yourself crying on the kitchen floor to songs you used to imagine dancing in ambient fridge light with your person.
You could spend the length of the playlist pondering if, like the time it took to choose the tracks, your time together meant anything.
You could find yourself running back to them, simply because the chords were too compelling not to.
You run the risk of slipping into happier memories of the two of you whenever, wherever a song plays.
Just like your least-listened-to song, you could be entirely skipped over by them.
And maybe you’re reading this and ready to risk it all. You want someone who can give you a customized collection of songs that pluck your heartstrings like the dreamiest acoustic guitar.
I’m not the person to tell you what’s right and wrong as we all search for our life’s soundtrack. But while you’re waiting for your heart to swell like the concerto track, remember that we all have to face the music eventually.
And if you’re anything like me and have fallen for someone like this, just say the word and I’ll sync up a playlist to get your mind off our musically-inclined muses.