6 Songs That Define My Entire Life

I’ve always been into music. I love that feeling when you hear a song and it really resonates with you - when you feel connected to a song’s message, almost on a spiritual level.

Everyone has those select few songs that are not only on all of their playlists, but whenever they come on, even if you’ve heard it a million times, you feel compelled to sing along with more soul than Aretha. You might tell your friends that these specific songs just represent your life. They get you, almost as if they were written specifically for you.

For fun, I thought I’d share mine because I feel like you can learn a lot about a person this way. And because I think it might be fun to just make the list for myself. So here’s a list of 6 songs that I feel just get me; maybe some of them might just get you, too.

Stop This Train by John Mayer

This song nearly brings me to tears every time I hear it. John is singing about not wanting to keep growing older and watching his life pass him by. He says he wants to get off the train that’s moving too fast before he gets any older and before he has to watch his parents go. I can’t even begin to describe how crazy it feels to be in my mid-twenties. I’m constantly asking myself, where did the time go? I would give anything to go back and do it all over again, and so would he, until his dad explains that stopping the train isn’t possible and he needs to just keep on living, and so do I.

No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande

I can so relate to Ariana here. She is ready to be over her past and the things that have hurt her and she is no longer giving them power to make her sad. She is learning to live her best life, despite the tragedies that the world throws at her. This is something that I’ve been working on for some time now in my own life. I’m learning to let go and live my best life, too. Ariana is strong and full of #girlpower in this song, and I aspire to be a lot more like her every day.

The Last of the real ones by fall out boy

Not only is Fall Out Boy my favorite band and always has been, but I was just an only child of the universe before I met Ethan. And I really believe that he is the last of the real ones. I am forever grateful to be in such a loving relationship. I often feel like I am the planets spinning around Ethan’s solar gravity, just as the song suggests. I listen to this song once a week, at least, to always remind myself that I'm one of the lucky ones who has a partner that truly is one of the last of a dying breed.

Shoutout to my ex by little mix

This song is life. It was written about Perrie’s break up with Zayn and you can hear her painful breakup emotions when she sings this. However, this is a not a crying-in-your-bed-with-chocolates kind of song. This is a so-much-better-without-you kind of song and I love that message. When my ex and I broke up I spent all of 5 minutes mourning the loss and then I very quickly realized my life was brighter without him. I still sing this song in celebration on occasion, and I recommend anyone going through a tough break up to do the same.

Wake me up by avicii

This song speaks to following your own dream rather than letting someone tell you how to live your life, and to finding your place in the world. I can relate to both of those things. In the music video a young girl and her sister don’t fit into the small town where they’re from because they’re different, so they run away to be in the city with people who accept them. I love the message that this songs gives people - don’t let others tell you where you belong, find that place for yourself. You’re never too young to know what you want from life and never too old to go after it.

I lived by one republic

This song is about getting the most out of life before it’s done. It wishes upon the listener that they own every second and see all the places they can - that is exactly the way I hope to always live my life. At the end of my time, I hope to say that I did it all and with every broken bone - although I’ve not had any yet - I’ve lived.

Obviously with every song there is tons of wiggle room for interpretation and that’s true for these, too. You might disagree with my analysis, but this is what I’ve taken from them and how I’ve applied these 6 songs to my every day life. These are some of my favorite songs ever made and even as my mantra songs change as I get older, I doubt I’ll ever make a Spotify playlist without these on it. Music is good for the soul, so find those songs that speak to you, and play on.

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”

— Bob Marley