My Songs

It was bonding time. Liann, my Resident Assistant, asked us to go around the circle and share our Theme Song. I didn't know what to pick. Of course, it was important to me. I love my personality, and I love defining it for myself and others. I also love music. Here was an opportunity to define myself with song, a fabulous form of communication, but I could not think of what it would be. Dissatisfied, and a little disgusted, I volunteered what I realize now was my Love Theme Song. Everyone, "Awwwed," and I tried to retain my self-respect.


When I Fall in Love

When I fall in love it will be forever
Or Ill never fall in love
In a restless world like this is
Love is ended before its begun
And too many moonlight kisses
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun

When I give my heart it will be completely
Or Ill never give my heart
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I fall in love with you.

Cheesy, but adequate. Really, I only need the first two lines to describe my attitude toward love. It probably wasn't a very smart attitude, but it did come true. I finally fell in love, and it will be forever. As a child I thought it would be great, and make the most sense, to marry the first man I dated. Well, I am going to do that, but it took five years of off and on dating to get there.


(But it is kind of nice to know he is the only man I've ever loved, and that I'm the only woman he's ever loved.)


As I've matured and discovered what love really is, I find it nearly impossible to find a song to actually describe this ever changing, constantly surprising, and exquisitely more dear every day feeling.

However, because I am planning my wedding, I have been forced to do this very thing. The best Chris and I could come up with (and I really think we did quite well), was an old favorite from one of our favorite movies.

Proof that there is a hopeless romantic in each of us:


Beauty and the Beast

Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly

Just a little change
Small to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the beast

Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever just as sure
Ever as before
As the sun will rise

Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the beast



Now don't misunderstand, Chris may be hairy, but he is NOT a beast! I hope I don't have to add a disclaimer to my Wedding Song....

But I really do think this is a good way to tell our story. What was once so surprising has become the surest thing in my life. He is a great source of strength and luster to my world. (And yes, I just glanced at him fondly, though he doesn't know because he is sleeping on my couch.)


Anyway, back to my college years, while I did not come up with my perfect Theme Song at the perfect moment, I did, of course, realize what it was about a month [too]later.

If I had Wings

If I had wings no one would ask me should I fly
The bird sings, no one asks why.
I can see in myself wings as I feel them
If you see something else, keep your thoughts to yourself,
I’ll fly free then.

Yesterday’s eyes see their colors fading away
They see their sun turning to grey
You can’t share in a dream, that you don’t believe in
If you say that you see and pretend to be me
You won’t be then.

How can you ask if I’m happy goin’ my way?
You might as well ask a child at play!
There’s no need to discuss or understand me
I won’t ask of myself to become something else
I’ll just be me!

If I had wings no one would ask me should I fly
The bird sings, and no one asks her why.
I can see in myself wings as I feel them
If you see something else, keep your thoughts to yourself,
I’ll fly free then.

So I was finally satisfied. Here was a song to define me as undefinable, along with free and unique.

I thought I was done, but I was wrong.


A few months ago, at a Relief Society Enrichment Meeting, a music lesson brought up the old question, "What is your theme song." The teacher went beyond, saying that we should have several songs for different things. She quoted research on the usefulness of having a personal Fight Song.

Well, fortunately, I figured out mine almost immediately. I picked the song that most inspires me to action (Yes, me and action, sometimes we get together).

(It is from the FABULOUS musical The Scarlet Pimpernel)

Into the Fire


David walked into the valley

With a stone clutched in his hand

He was only a boy

But he knew someone must take a stand



There will always be a valley

Always mountains one must scale

There will always be perilous waters

Which someone must sail



Into valleys, into waters

Into jungles, into hell

Let us ride, let us ride home again with a story to tell

Into darkness, into danger

Into storms that rip the night

Don't give in, but give up

But give thanks for the glorious fight



You can tremble, you can fear it

But keep your fighting spirit alive boys

Let the shiver of it sting you

Fling into battle, spring to your feet boys

Never hold back your step for a moment

Never doubt that your courage will grow

Hold your head even higher and into the fire we go 



Are there mountains that surround us?

Are there walls that block the way?

Knock 'em down, strip 'em back boys

And forward and into the fray



Into terror, into valour

Charge ahead, no, never turn

Yes, it's into the fire we fly

And the devil will burn



Someone has to face the valley

Rush in, we have to rally and win boys

When the world is saying not to

By God, you know you've got to march on, boys

Never hold back your step for a moment

Never doubt that your courage will grow

Hold your head ever higher and into the fire we go 



Let the lightning strike

Let the flash of it shock you

Choke your fears away

Pull as tight as a wire

Let the fever strike

Let the force of it rock you

We will have our day, sailing into the fire



Someone has to face the valley

Rush in! We have to rally and win boys

When the world is saying not to

By God, you know you've got to march on, boys

Never hold back your step for a moment

Look alive! Oh, your courage will grow

Yes, it's higher and higher and into the fire we go

Into fire!

Onward, ho! 

I love this song, because it teaches the importance of the "Someones" in our lives. We can choose to let someone take care of things, or we can stand up and volunteer to be Someone.


So there they are, a few thoughts on my four songs, written with four people and the television distracting me.