Joss Stone “Free Me”

All Time Top Five Songs that shouldn’t make me cry, but do . . .

I’m not going to pretend like I’m profound by telling you that your perspective is likely to change, if you give it enough time. But I’ll give you an example.

First, I wrote about this song a few months ago, when it was new, and I was questioning whether it belonged on mvyradio or not. We DID end up putting it into rotation, and four months later, I feel like it’s a really great addition to our station.

The second perspective change came after I had heard the song enough times to sing along with it, but not so many times that I had yet processed them.

I knew that this song was a message to her record company, who had been pushing her to record more pop hits, while she was more interested in exploring Soul music. It’s your basic “Don’t tell me what to do” song, the kind that lots and lots of folks have written. I’ve heard them before.

But I’M different now.

So when I found myself singing:

Something that you don’t see every day
A little girl who found her way
Through a world that's designed to break
All of your dreams

I saw my daughter in my mind. And I thought about what prejudice she’ll face as she grows, confronts challenges, and tries to make her way in the World. I know there will be people who will try to limit her because she’s a girl. And I’m doing all that I can, as her Dad, to make sure she grows up to be someone who wouldn’t listen to those voices.

Had I heard this song 10 years ago, there would’ve have been no way to experience the paternal pride that swells when I think of her and hear the line:

If I lose you in my jet stream
Then you only got to raise your eyes
And see me fly

What parent doesn’t get a little misty, thinking about their kid soaring?






From time to time on Every Day I Write The Blog, I do a week’s worth of my five favorite songs on theme. For the All Time Top Five rules, see this previous post.