WORSHIP THEME PLAYLISTS

Dreams

The way Billy Joel tells it, his “River of Dreams” came to him fully formed in his head when he woke up one morning. It’s part Gospel, part Motown and the lyrics evoke biblical imagery. Despite its infections groove, the whole thing achieves a dream-like quality. Newton Faulkner’s jaunty “Gone in the Morning” illustrates a dream world and describes the frustration of a dream you want to remember evaporating as soon as you wake up.

TWO “BLUES”

When “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” was released in 1998, reviews described it as “quirky,” “bouncy,” and “hypnotic.” It became an international dance hit and Grammy Award winner. In recent years it has been reinvented as a children’s song (I put both the original and kid’s versions on the playlist). The lyrics tell the story of a man who lives in a “blue world:” his belongings, house, and car are all blue, and he feels blue, too. Not only is the song itself creative, but it paints for the mind’s eye an imaginary world for the listener. Speaking of quirky, blue-colored hits, the song

“Birdhouse in Your Soul” describes the observations of a bedroom from an unusual perspective: that of a blue canary-shaped nightlight that just wants to be loved.

Songs About Creative Outlets

FUS CRE Assistant, Xan Hendrick, suggested Art Garfunkel’s reggae-infused “I Shall Sing” about expressing one’s self through song. Non-musical creative outlets are represented as well: “Embroidery,” “The Knitting Song,” “A Palette to Paint Us As We Are,” The Beatles’ “Paperback Writer,” and John Denver’s rendition of “The Garden Song” will all get your creative juices flowing.

You can find this month’s playlist online at https://tinyurl.com/FUSplaylist . I hope listening to it brings you enjoyment and spiritual enrichment this month!

I can always add more songs to any playlist at any time, so if you would like to suggest a song for this or any future playlist, please email me at drewc@fusmadison.org. ◊

by Robert Hass