Personal Theme Song

Posted by beth on June 25, 2009

In college, my friends and I used to imagine that whenever the guy we had a crush on at the moment came into a room, time would stand still and everything would go all hazy except for the two of us as we crossed the room, a slight glow emanating from us both as we gazed into one another’s eyes and embraced. At one point for one of us, the crush-of-the-week’s song was the Cutting Crew’s “(I Just) Died in Your Arms.” For some other guy, it was Bad English: “When I See You Smile.”

But it never occurred to us to come up with our own personal theme songs to be played from some mysterious source over some mysterious speakers every time we entered a room. Now, I know that this is not necessary for me as I generally come in singing something from Legally Blonde: The Musical anyway, but it’s fun to think about.

For sure, my theme song would change daily if not hourly depending on my mood, which would be extremely helpful to those about to interact with me in said room. But as I was encouraged to consider it this afternoon, it hit me. My theme song of late. Here is the annotated version:

Do you know what you want? You don’t know for sure.
You don’t feel right, you can’t find a cure,
And you’re gettin’ less than what you’re lookin’ for.

Man, ain’t it the truth? Aren’t we all looking for something more? But we don’t know what it is until we find it?

You don’t have money or a fancy car,

Amen.

And you’re tired of wishin’ on a falling star.
You gotta put your faith in a loud guitar

Now I don’t know about putting my faith in a loud guitar. I don’t think that’s quite what it is that I’m looking for. But perhaps the giver of it? We’ll get there momentarily.

If you wanna be a singer, or play guitar

Or write a book about two immigrant families that you will later turn into a Neil Diamond musical theater EXTRAVAGANZA.

Man, you gotta sweat or you won’t get far,
‘Cause it’s never too late to work nine-to-five.

Hooboy, I tell you, this one is what really got me. You’ve got your whole life to work a boring desk job, and while I don’t know why you’d ever want to, that will always be an option if you live long enough. But why take the risk of working the crap job now and not having the chance to live the dream later? It’s never too late to work 9-5, but it might become too late to do something you really love.

You can take a stand, or you can compromise.
You can work real hard or just fantasize,
But you don’t start livin’ till you realize – “I gotta tell ya!”

Here it comes…

God gave rock and roll to you, gave rock and roll to you,
Gave rock and roll to everyone!
God gave rock and roll to you, gave rock and roll to you,
Put it in the soul!

God gave rock and roll to you (to everyone he gave the song to be sung)
Gave rock and roll to you, gave rock and roll to everyone
God gave rock and roll to you (to everyone he gave the song to be sung)
Gave rock and roll to you, saved rock and roll for everyone
Saved rock and roll!

And my favorite part:

I know life sometimes can get tough! And I know life sometimes can be a drag!
But people, we have been given a gift, we have been given a role
And that role’s name is…
ROCK AND ROOOOOOLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now everybody go out and live the rockin’ life you were born to live. It’s in your soul.