TUNES.
Collide-Howie Day.
In this song by Howie Day he embraces the idea that what's meant to be will come true. He begins the chorus with a sense of doubt, "Even the best fall down sometimes," expressing how events that occur in our lives do not always appear to fair or even make sense. However, he ends this chorus by stating, "I somehow find, you and I collide." Even through all of the misfortunes and anomalies in the world, these two people were able to collide. In the music video below of the song, "Collide", it shows scenes from the actual movie Serendipity, which provides as a perfect example of how many apparently insignificant moments may lead up to you meeting the person that will change your life.
Finale B - RENT.
In this powerful song from the Broadway musical Rent a group of friends stress how important it is to trust your destiny. The second stanza states, "no other road, no other way, no day but today." This is a particularly interesting line because the idea of diverging roads has been highlighted as a common theme in many of our other disciplines. When the friends sing this song they express their realization that they have already chosen a road to travel down, and rather than ask "what it", you should embrace the path that unfolds before you. At the end of the song they repeat multiple times, "I die without you," expressing how the world has brought them together, and if it hadn't, they do not see how their lives could have continued.
Luck Be A Lady - Frank Sinatra.
This classic song by Frank Sinatra compares getting lucky to the manners of a woman. We all know there are times where we feel that luck has come upon us, and other times where we may feel somewhat abandoned by luck. As if describing this uncertainty of luck lasting he notes, "sometimes you have a very un-lady-like way of running out." The song continues to list the lady-like ways luck should act, "a lady never leaves her escort...a lady doesn't wander around a room...a lady never flirts with strangers". Concluding the song the man pleads with luck to remember to leave with the man it came with and "luck be a lady tonight".
How Will He Find Me? - Deb Talan [The Weepies]
This song plays with a woman's conflicting emotions of wanting to believe that love will find her, while remaining doubtful as to if that will really happen. She is at first apprehensive because she does not always stand out and asks many what if questions. What if I am not there at the right time? What if I take everything too personally? These "what if" questions are then followed by a feeling hopelessness,"It never seems to matter, the tears that I cry." However, that hopelessness is then relieved; expressed through the line,"The music and the hope of love will keep me alive." We found this song fascinating because it calls for us to question if life is a series of coincidences where some people are simply luckier than others.
This Too Shall Pass - OK Go
This video is a fantastic illustration of the ripple / butterfly effect
Accidentally In Love - The Counting Crows
This upbeat, joyful song preaches to embrace love when it introduces itself. Commonly known for being part of the soundtrack for the movie Shrek, its lyrics are perfect to describe the sudden and most unexpected relationship that develops between an ogre, Shrek and Princess Fiona.
Simple Twist Of Fate - Bob Dylan
Many people believe that as a result of fate we are meant to meet certain people. Bob Dylan tells a story through his song of exactly that, two people and a twist of fate. The story begins with the two people meeting and sharing a deep connection, not exactly noting what role fate was playing. As the song continues they go along together, when suddenly one morning the man finds the woman has vanished. It is then that he feels the loneliness that he believes to be the result of a simple twist of fate. Although the man does continue to wait and hope that they meet again due to another twist of fate, this song leaves us to question whether he truly has any control over his fate.
Accidents Never Happen- Blondie
"Accidents Never Happen" dismisses the ideas that actions throughout the world are a result of coincidence or luck. Instead, it embraces the idea that everything is meant to be. When you run into someone it should not be labeled as an accident, but rather an occurrence that was determined by fate. In the song the line "accidents never happen in a perfect world" is especially intriguing not only because it eliminates the possibility of accidents, but because it suggests we live in a perfect world. However, I do not interpret this perfect world they talk of to be a world where everything is perfect, but instead a world where everything mysteriously and almost perfectly fits and works together to shape our destiny.
The Luckiest- Ben Folds
Unlike the previous song that dismissed the idea of luck playing a role in life, in the song "The Luckiest" by Ben Folds, lucky is exactly the way he describes himself. In the first verse he speaks of making mistakes and wrong turns in life, and instead of being ashamed of these errors, he is thankful for each and every one of them. Because had he not made each mistake, it would not have led him to where he is today, and for that he calls himself lucky. One of the most fascinating ideas behind serendipity is that it is sometimes unexplainable why or how things are the way they are, and when everything is the way it ought to be, it is difficult to think of it as a result of anything except being lucky.
Street Map-Athlete
In this song by Athlete our lives are illustrated as streets on a map. Straight and sure with no change despite the decisions we make. The narrator of this song insists "one day we'll be on the same street." By this he means that at some point in their lives their two streets, meaning the course of their lives, will meet at the same spot. The whole idea of lives be represented by streets is interesting because streets can intersect, turn, and sometimes there are even detours, just as in our own lives. Eventually this may lead you, as the song said, "on the same street".
So Damn Lucky - Dave Matthews Band.
It's amazing how one second can make a difference. This song written by Dave Matthews was inspired from an actual true story where that was exactly the case. One day when he was sitting outside with some family and friends they were wondering when the boxelder tree would collapse from its heavy limbs when it completely fell down in front of them. Although it ruined his canoe, luckily no one was standing under it and no one was harmed.
In this song he states, "Amazing what a minute can do."
In this song he states, "Amazing what a minute can do."
