Disc 3
1. "O Holy Night" - Josh Groban
http://www.lyrics007.com/Josh%20Groban%20Lyrics/O%20Holy%20Night!%20Lyrics.html
This isn't exactly the right version of the song. I looked for Tennessee Ernie Ford's version but couldn't find it. At Christmas time, bella and I went to my folks' house to decorate the tree. My family only listens to 3 or 4 albums at Christmas time, and Ford's is one of them. But I love this version too. Actually, it is appropriate to have this on the mix because I was a wee bit obsessed w/ this version. I love Groban' vocal quality on this track and made bella crazy trying to find it on the radio. I want to sing like him someday.
2. "It's Not Unusual" - Tom Jones
http://www.lyricsdomain.com/20/tom_jones/its_not_unusual.html
I once sang along to this song in the car and bella nearly peed herself when I hit the high notes. But it made it to the mix for a different reason. It's on the soundtrack to _Home For the Holidays_. Which is a great movie about adult kids coming back home for Christmas and the insanity that insues. It stars Robert Downey, Jr. and Holly Hunter and pretty much fuckin' sums up our holiday experience.
3. "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" - Elvis Presley
http://www.lyrics007.com/Elvis%20Presley%20Lyrics/Can't%20Help%20Falling%20In%20Love%20Lyrics.html
I can't remember quite when this happened but this song had to make the mix. There was one night that bella and I were cleaning up around the place and oldies radio was on. We had the front door wide open and were just running around, getting things done. This song came on the radio while she was in mid-sentence about something. I wrapped my arms around her waist and began swaying in time to the music. It took her a bit to figure out why I suddenly started dancing with her, but when she heard the song, we had a very sweet moment. We slow-danced in our messy living room in full view of the whole neighborhood.
4. "Happy New Year B" - soundtrack for RENT
http://www.metrolyrics.com/lyrics/20500//Happy_New_Year_B
This is bella's other favorite holiday. I want a copy of this song that has just my favorite part in it. Although, I must say, that the characters breaking into the apartment they just got booted out of is appropriate also. But from "Let's make a resolution" to the end of Angel singing "happy new year" is the reason this song made the mix.
5. "Factory" - Bruce Springsteen
http://www.lyricsdomain.com/2/bruce_springsteen/factory.html
In October I got a long-term temp assignment updating auto insurance policies for Allstate. By January we were more financially secure than we'd ever been, but I was miserable. I sat at a pod for 8 hours from 4 to midnight and did nothing but listen to NPR and type. I never thought I'd be there. It felt like a death in some ways. My sense of being special in the world died a bit. The promise of a door-opening bachelors degree died a bit. And I began to struggle with being a "working man" and feeling trapped by "the man."
6. "poesy stuff 4" - yours truly
Damn my computer ineptitude. I dug out my microphone and managed to record myself reading this. But can't yet figure out a way to save it in a format that'll burn to CD.
I worked at Allstate during the dead of winter. And the best time of the night was when I could go out for a smoke or dinner break and talk to my girl. One night, I was standing outside while it was snowing and noticed that gray dots were moving across the white sidewalk. It took me a few moments to realize that it was the snowflakes casting ahadows. Something as light and fragile as a snowflake was able create something even more light and fragile. Rather than calling my girl on my smoke break, I wrote this poem.
Even the lightest things
Can get lighter
Standing here
Watching the shadows of
Snowflakes fall
Across the ground
Even the lightest things can get lighter
Even the heaviest things
Can get heavier
I lost my job
The money ran out
We rolled pennies for
Cigarettes and gas
We damn near lost the house
Even the heaviest things can get heavier
Even the heaviest things
Can get lighter
The first checks came in
I looked in your eyes
Nine months together
It’s beautiful out here tonight
Even the heaviest things can get lighter
7. "When I'm Up I Can't Get Down" - Oysterband
http://www.lyricsdepot.com/great-big-sea/when-im-up-i-cant-get-down.html
This is the second song I downloaded after getting Limewire. My best friend gave it to me on a mix tape years ago and I've pined after a good copy ever since. I have to put another plug in for this song. Go find it if you've never heard it. It's a happy celtic freak-out and it's impossible to listen to and be sad at the same time. It's on this mix because there have been times during the past year that I have felt like the fountain of affection and the instrument of joy. When bella is sad, or hurt, or scared all I want is to see one smile...to share one laugh. And I know no shame when it comes to making that happen.
8. "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash
http://www.lyricsondemand.com/j/johnnycashlyrics/ringoffirelyrics.html
Sometime we act like the anti-couple. It took us 10 months to go to a movie in an actual movie theatre. To have a traditional date night. When we did, we saw _Walk the Line_ 'cause I just love the Man in Black. This is also my song to represent Valentine's Day. Sometimes it has felt like the past year was one big ring of fire.
9. "Queers in Kentucky" - Athens Boys Choir
no lyrics available
Which is just a damn shame!!! This is a spoken-word piece about a transman's struggle towards manhood via transition. Which sums up my experience. I'll try to find the lyrics or transcribe them and post them later. Sorry folks.
10. "Somewhere Other Than the Night" - Garth Brooks
http://www.sing365.com/music/Lyric.nsf/Somewhere-Other-Than-the-Night-lyrics-Garth-Brooks/BD87B06CA9A4203148256879000EC7C6
Sometimes I get caught up in my inadequacies. Which makes a sex life difficult. I get all twisted up about the affection I can't fully show during the nights and lose perspective about the affection that happens during the day. But I am dedicated to living my life in a way that reflects the words of this song.
11. "Living On Love" - Alan Jackson
http://www.lyricsdownload.com/alan-jackson-livin--on-love-lyrics.html
Go read the lyrics. We walked through fire and barely blinked.
12. "Godchild" - Miles Davis
instrumental track
Remember the mother and child I talked about earlier? Well, bella has always called herself this child's godaunt because, previously, the title of godmother had been bestowed upon another woman. But a week or so ago, the mother told us that thinks of bella and I as the kid's godparents. And it makes me so happy to know that I have a role in this child's life. It was an affirmation of our relationship and the good influence we bring into a mother and child's life.
13. "Look At You Now" - Catie Curtis
http://www.mark.umd.edu/catie/cc-looka.html
Sorry 'bout the guitar tabs y'all. Bella has a therapist now and is working so hard. I just think of this song whenever I look at her. I'm listening to it right now and it gets me teary.
14. "Real Love" - The Beatles
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Real-Love-lyrics-The-Beatles/CB0255B82C68AF5948256BC2001DAF9D
I do believe that the title might say it all. I've always been suspicious about the couples that are sure that their boyfriend or girlfriend is the "one" within three months of dating. God help those that get married that early. I always think "Just wait until it gets hard. You'll find out what love is then." I feel like I know now and I'm glad to see that my suspicions about what love meant have come true.
++++++++++++++++
So that's it. I titled this mix "Worth the Wait?" because bella had to wait so long to get another mix from me. Was it worth the wait my love? You had to wait so long to get me as your boy. Was I worth the wait?
I love you,
Jesse
http://www.lyrics007.com/Josh%20Groban%20Lyrics/O%20Holy%20Night!%20Lyrics.html
This isn't exactly the right version of the song. I looked for Tennessee Ernie Ford's version but couldn't find it. At Christmas time, bella and I went to my folks' house to decorate the tree. My family only listens to 3 or 4 albums at Christmas time, and Ford's is one of them. But I love this version too. Actually, it is appropriate to have this on the mix because I was a wee bit obsessed w/ this version. I love Groban' vocal quality on this track and made bella crazy trying to find it on the radio. I want to sing like him someday.
2. "It's Not Unusual" - Tom Jones
http://www.lyricsdomain.com/20/tom_jones/its_not_unusual.html
I once sang along to this song in the car and bella nearly peed herself when I hit the high notes. But it made it to the mix for a different reason. It's on the soundtrack to _Home For the Holidays_. Which is a great movie about adult kids coming back home for Christmas and the insanity that insues. It stars Robert Downey, Jr. and Holly Hunter and pretty much fuckin' sums up our holiday experience.
3. "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" - Elvis Presley
http://www.lyrics007.com/Elvis%20Presley%20Lyrics/Can't%20Help%20Falling%20In%20Love%20Lyrics.html
I can't remember quite when this happened but this song had to make the mix. There was one night that bella and I were cleaning up around the place and oldies radio was on. We had the front door wide open and were just running around, getting things done. This song came on the radio while she was in mid-sentence about something. I wrapped my arms around her waist and began swaying in time to the music. It took her a bit to figure out why I suddenly started dancing with her, but when she heard the song, we had a very sweet moment. We slow-danced in our messy living room in full view of the whole neighborhood.
4. "Happy New Year B" - soundtrack for RENT
http://www.metrolyrics.com/lyrics/20500//Happy_New_Year_B
This is bella's other favorite holiday. I want a copy of this song that has just my favorite part in it. Although, I must say, that the characters breaking into the apartment they just got booted out of is appropriate also. But from "Let's make a resolution" to the end of Angel singing "happy new year" is the reason this song made the mix.
5. "Factory" - Bruce Springsteen
http://www.lyricsdomain.com/2/bruce_springsteen/factory.html
In October I got a long-term temp assignment updating auto insurance policies for Allstate. By January we were more financially secure than we'd ever been, but I was miserable. I sat at a pod for 8 hours from 4 to midnight and did nothing but listen to NPR and type. I never thought I'd be there. It felt like a death in some ways. My sense of being special in the world died a bit. The promise of a door-opening bachelors degree died a bit. And I began to struggle with being a "working man" and feeling trapped by "the man."
6. "poesy stuff 4" - yours truly
Damn my computer ineptitude. I dug out my microphone and managed to record myself reading this. But can't yet figure out a way to save it in a format that'll burn to CD.
I worked at Allstate during the dead of winter. And the best time of the night was when I could go out for a smoke or dinner break and talk to my girl. One night, I was standing outside while it was snowing and noticed that gray dots were moving across the white sidewalk. It took me a few moments to realize that it was the snowflakes casting ahadows. Something as light and fragile as a snowflake was able create something even more light and fragile. Rather than calling my girl on my smoke break, I wrote this poem.
Even the lightest things
Can get lighter
Standing here
Watching the shadows of
Snowflakes fall
Across the ground
Even the lightest things can get lighter
Even the heaviest things
Can get heavier
I lost my job
The money ran out
We rolled pennies for
Cigarettes and gas
We damn near lost the house
Even the heaviest things can get heavier
Even the heaviest things
Can get lighter
The first checks came in
I looked in your eyes
Nine months together
It’s beautiful out here tonight
Even the heaviest things can get lighter
7. "When I'm Up I Can't Get Down" - Oysterband
http://www.lyricsdepot.com/great-big-sea/when-im-up-i-cant-get-down.html
This is the second song I downloaded after getting Limewire. My best friend gave it to me on a mix tape years ago and I've pined after a good copy ever since. I have to put another plug in for this song. Go find it if you've never heard it. It's a happy celtic freak-out and it's impossible to listen to and be sad at the same time. It's on this mix because there have been times during the past year that I have felt like the fountain of affection and the instrument of joy. When bella is sad, or hurt, or scared all I want is to see one smile...to share one laugh. And I know no shame when it comes to making that happen.
8. "Ring of Fire" - Johnny Cash
http://www.lyricsondemand.com/j/johnnycashlyrics/ringoffirelyrics.html
Sometime we act like the anti-couple. It took us 10 months to go to a movie in an actual movie theatre. To have a traditional date night. When we did, we saw _Walk the Line_ 'cause I just love the Man in Black. This is also my song to represent Valentine's Day. Sometimes it has felt like the past year was one big ring of fire.
9. "Queers in Kentucky" - Athens Boys Choir
no lyrics available
Which is just a damn shame!!! This is a spoken-word piece about a transman's struggle towards manhood via transition. Which sums up my experience. I'll try to find the lyrics or transcribe them and post them later. Sorry folks.
10. "Somewhere Other Than the Night" - Garth Brooks
http://www.sing365.com/music/Lyric.nsf/Somewhere-Other-Than-the-Night-lyrics-Garth-Brooks/BD87B06CA9A4203148256879000EC7C6
Sometimes I get caught up in my inadequacies. Which makes a sex life difficult. I get all twisted up about the affection I can't fully show during the nights and lose perspective about the affection that happens during the day. But I am dedicated to living my life in a way that reflects the words of this song.
11. "Living On Love" - Alan Jackson
http://www.lyricsdownload.com/alan-jackson-livin--on-love-lyrics.html
Go read the lyrics. We walked through fire and barely blinked.
12. "Godchild" - Miles Davis
instrumental track
Remember the mother and child I talked about earlier? Well, bella has always called herself this child's godaunt because, previously, the title of godmother had been bestowed upon another woman. But a week or so ago, the mother told us that thinks of bella and I as the kid's godparents. And it makes me so happy to know that I have a role in this child's life. It was an affirmation of our relationship and the good influence we bring into a mother and child's life.
13. "Look At You Now" - Catie Curtis
http://www.mark.umd.edu/catie/cc-looka.html
Sorry 'bout the guitar tabs y'all. Bella has a therapist now and is working so hard. I just think of this song whenever I look at her. I'm listening to it right now and it gets me teary.
14. "Real Love" - The Beatles
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Real-Love-lyrics-The-Beatles/CB0255B82C68AF5948256BC2001DAF9D
I do believe that the title might say it all. I've always been suspicious about the couples that are sure that their boyfriend or girlfriend is the "one" within three months of dating. God help those that get married that early. I always think "Just wait until it gets hard. You'll find out what love is then." I feel like I know now and I'm glad to see that my suspicions about what love meant have come true.
++++++++++++++++
So that's it. I titled this mix "Worth the Wait?" because bella had to wait so long to get another mix from me. Was it worth the wait my love? You had to wait so long to get me as your boy. Was I worth the wait?
I love you,
Jesse