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Musical Memories

Let it Be Me

By Janine WalkerPublished 10 months ago Updated 10 months ago 9 min read
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Me and my friends from home

Track 1: The Letter – From the Original Cast of Billy Elliot

I remember being in choir in high school and having the opportunity to get tickets to the theater during the holiday season. Whoever signed up would go to the play house and sing in the lobby nestled between a piano and a huge Christmas tree, that couldn’t have been any shorter than 12 feet tall. We sang some carols and some hymns about the birth of Jesus. As the show was about to begin, we were then escorted to the second row in the theater and we sat down to watched the show. I’ll always remember my first time seeing Billy Elliot. After seeing that show I added the soundtrack to my “musicals” playlist and would revisit it daily until it only became every once in a while.

at 15 years old I was embarking on a new journey in life. I was chosen to be an exchange student abroad in Thailand for an entire year. I packed my bags and flew 14 hours to Bangkok. I lived with a Thai family, I went to an all-girls Thai school, ate Thai food, learned the language, and had a great experience. But nothing could have prepared me for how much I would miss my mother. And you have to remember, this was before the time of FaceTime, Video chats and Zoom calls. I scheduled a Skype call with my mom maybe 3 times throughout the year and we emailed weekly outside of that. I found myself reaching for my playlists for comfort and that’s when ‘The Letter’ from Billy Elliot came through my headphones once again.

Hearing this song had me thinking about how my mother also missed me growing, missed me crying, and missed me laughing during my time away, just like Billy’s mother. But this song also reminded me how much love my mother had for me and how proud she was that I was embarking on this journey on my own, just like Billy had to. This song will probably always make me a bit emotional when I hear it.

Track 2: 3005 – Childish Gambino

Fast forward to my freshman year of college and it's move in day. I think we were put in rooms alphabetically because I was paired up with a girl that had the exact same initials as me, JCW. I was of course nervous to meet her. What would she look like? Would she be nice? Would she like me? Would we get along? It wasn’t long before all those questions were answered. The minute she walked into our shared room, we became fast friends. We did almost everything together (barring our differing class schedules). We were two peas in a pod. She was the Dirty Jalissa to my Billie Janine (these are nicknames we gave to one another as renamed Michael Jackson songs).

But in the Spring of 2014 at the end of our first year at Ohio State, the end of year concert was Childish Gambino. I never really listened to him before and neither had Jalissa. So, together we spent a few weeks constantly playing his ‘Because the Internet’ album and truth be told I only ended up learning one song word for word from beginning to end, ‘3005’. A song talking about being by someone’s side regardless of the circumstances, just because of who they are. And that really encapsulated my entire friendship and sisterhood with Jalissa. As similar as we were, we were still very different people with very different battles in life. But because of who she is, I could easily find myself right by her side til’ 3005 on any day. Also, it does make this song memorable that I posted a picture of Jalissa and I together, using 3005 as the caption, and THE Donald Glover (a.k.a. Childish Gambino) liked my post. What a time to be alive!

Myself and Jalissa with a caption from Childish Gambino's 3005

Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino) liked my picture

Track 3: Call me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen

College brought so many amazing experiences and memories for me. I can’t hear the song “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen. Without thinking about this boy that I thought I was soooooo in love with. He was so silly and caring and he honestly couldn’t help himself when this song came on. He just had to jump out of his seat and start singing and dancing. Although this relationship ended (as it should’ve) I’ve got so many great memories with him, he had to make my memory playlist.

Track 4: Leg Over – Mr. Eazi

After getting out of that relationship, I found myself having to start over. Find a new friend group and getting out of my comfort zone. That’s when I met a girl named Marsha in my ‘Sounds of Religion’ course. She was new to the school, but well connected in the community since she had grown up in the area. Meeting her truly changed the trajectory of my life in ways she probably doesn’t even know. She invited me to join her at African Youth League, one of the multicultural organizations at the school. As a Black American who doesn’t identify as African, I was a bit hesitant. But I went anyway and it was the best decision. I found my people in AYL, and my college experience was so much better because of it. The parties, the hangouts, the food, the afrobeats, everything felt like home. The song of the season had to be "Leg Over" by Mr. Eazi, the minute you heard the intro beats followed by that iconic ‘Zagadat’ you know it was time to run to the dance floor.

I’ll never forget going to the Mr. Eazi concert with Marsha and we snuck our way into VIP (It wasn’t that hard; the venue was so small) and we had the time of our lives screaming and reaching up on stage. After the concert ended, she dropped me off at home and she took off to head home as well. Within 10 minutes I get a call from her telling me she heard that Mr. Eazi would be at this club and that she’s on her way to get me so we can go. Was he at the club? Yes. Did I get a photo with him? Yes. Was this one of the best nights of my life? Yes. Was Marsha a major reason why? Absolutely, yes!

Myself and Mr. Eazi after his concert

Track 5: All I Want for Christmas is You – Mariah Carey

Track 6: My Favorite Things – Julie Andrews

Track 7: Fairytale of New York – The Pogues ft. Kirsty MacColl

After college I immediately went into grad school and moved all the way to London, England. I was there during Brexit, the Pandemic, through lockdown, and for the 2020 Euros. Simply, unprecedented times that I wouldn’t take back for anything in the world. London is where I met my British besties. If you would’ve told me that I would be living with two white British men for 2 years and the would be my best friends, I don’t think I would believe you. Living with them was almost always a UK v. USA battle. Sue me for not knowing who David Attenborough was! (I do know who he is now and acknowledge that he is, in fact, a gem of England). But our major dispute came about maybe a month after moving in together.

Since Christmas is one of my favorite holidays I found myself in a conversation about “classic” Christmas songs. Of course “All I want for Christmas is you” made the list, even “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music, made the cut. Then my flatmate Alex brought up “Fairytale of New York” by the Pogues. And while I had personally never heard of it, I suggested that it can’t be a “classic” because it’s mostly popular in England. Well ,that started an all out debate! The American versus to Brits once more. Of course I had to use my Instagram to poll the public and as I suspected a whopping 70% of the people that voted had never heard of this song and didn’t consider it to be a classic. At the end of the day, we had to agree to disagree, but later that night I did find myself adding “fairytale of New York’ to my “Christmas” playlist... what can I say, it’s a pretty catchy song!

My Instagram story poll on whether this song was a Christmas "classic"

The reaction to the Christmas poll and me being shamed for not knowing who David Attenborough was

Track 8: Let it Be Me – The Everly Brothers

After being away from home for so long at school in London, I finally got the chance to visit home. And coming back home is always so nice for me. And seeing my friends again is the best part. Some of my friends I’ve known since the second grade. My friend group has been through it all together. And I think what really trauma bonded us for life would be our time in choir together. In our friend group we have the sopranos, Midori, Marley, and Emily B. Then we have the second sopranos, Meckaela, and Abigail. And finally, the altos, myself and Emily K. All together we can create the most beautiful harmonies. We can sing show tunes, A cappella, and even barbershop. I don’t think there’s anything more magical than creating music with other people. Throughout our times together singing in choir there's one song that really reminds me of how much we’ve been through and what I would do for my girls. “Let it be me” by the Everly brothers will always be the song that we share. “If for each bit of gladness, someone must taste of sadness. I’ll bare the sorrow, let it be me.” For these beautiful women that I have grown up with, I would give the world for them because I know they would too for me in return.

And truly to all the names I mentioned to craft this playlist (except maybe the boy that broke my heart) I play this song in honor of you. My life has been so meticulously shaped and molded by everyone in one way or another. For me to see their faces when I hear these melodies is a gift I get every time I click on my Spotify. These songs aren’t about me but about how these people brought music into my life and how wonderfully they treated me and made me feel. In closing, a message to my playlist muses, “don't take this heaven from one. If you must cling to someone, now and forever, let it be me.”

The entire playlist can be found here !

playlist
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About the Creator

Janine Walker

I'm Janine, a 27 y/o a free spirited and opinionated, extrovert that loves travelling, changing my hairstyles, storytelling and musical theater. Currently traveling the world as a digital nomad, and trying to navigate life.

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