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The songs that built me.

My life in a musical playlist.

By Jennie HarlukPublished 4 years ago 6 min read
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myself, pictured in July 2019 after a performance.

In this picture, I see blinding spotlights. I imagine the applause I always seem to forget from being caught up in the last three minutes. I feel my racing heart, no longer needing to stay in a calm and collected beat to the song I'd been singing. I see someone who's favourite place to perform isn't before the eyes of hundreds of people (no matter how much she loves it)... but in the seat of her parents car where her love and passion for music began.

When I think about growing up and what symbolizes different stages of my life along the way, I think of music. Songs, bands and artists that were always better company than kids at school. My best friend was and still is the sound of someone's voice I've never met before playing through speakers. Everything I can remember about myself and my life so far, is linked to music. Eric Church says it best: "Funny how a melody sounds like a memory." So here are memories, in the form of songs, with little stories behind each one.

1. "Like We Never Loved At All" - Faith Hill and Tim McGraw (2005)

Or as I called it at three years old begging Mom to play it in the car, "The Yellow Dress Song." This is the first song that I can remember belting out, and never got tired of hearing it. It's still one of my favourite songs to sing. This song represents my earliest memory of wanting to be a musician, all I wanted to do was listen to Tim and Faith so perfectly sing a song about love and heartbreak; two things that at three years old, I didn't know or care about...I just thought it was pretty.

2. "Last Kiss" - Pearl Jam (1999)

I'm not the only musician in my family. My dad Shane Harluk is a singer/songwriter as well and so when I was little, he'd sometimes sing this song to me before I went to sleep - in place of a bedtime story. Then and even now, this song only makes me cry when he sings it. A tragic death and end to a relationship, the song describes a man's moments with his love, right before she passes away. This song will always remind me of Dad singing to me before bed and will remain a very special song to me.

3. "Jackson" - Johnny Cash and June Carter (1967)

I can picture myself in the backseat on a long drive to a family friend's house who was also named Jackson. It was tradition and absolutely unacceptable not to play this song while going to Jackson's house. This song always makes me think of summer as a little kid, the fields of cows on the way to where we were going and the intersection I'd always ask mom "Play Jackson's song!"

4. "Coat Of Many Colors" - Dolly Parton (1968)

The song I've sung about a thousand times from every small town rodeo talent show to my grandma's living room at her request. I remember singing this song in first grade on the playground for a group of friends, putting on my own little concert under what we called "the big tree." Everybody loves this timeless song and it definitely played a role in building my performing experience.

5. "The House That Built Me" - Miranda Lambert (2009)

Something about this song always makes me want to cry. I've grown up in the same house my whole life and never moved, my parents are always working and renovating, changing and building on making it the perfect home as we grow and change. I've always thought about how sad I'd be if my house were to ever sell, and if I'd come back to meet the people making new memories where mine once were. There are lot's of lines in this song that resemble aspects of my home and I've always felt really connected to the words in it. Another memory I have of this song, is being at a restaurant and there was a live musician there. When he was sitting at his barstool on his break, I asked him if it would be okay if I sang a song while he had his dinner, this is the song I sang.

6. "Change" - Carrie Underwood (2009)

Carrie Underwood has always been an inspiration to me, she was the first concert I went to at ten years old for my birthday. I wanted to be her. So, in my first year of middle school (fifth grade) at ten, I decided to enter my school talent show. I still remember what I wore: a black and white checkered dress with a red ribbon and a matching hat. My middle school was made up of about five hundred kids from grades five to eight and I'd never performed infront of a crowd that big before. This song was the beginning of being asked to sing the National Anthem at every school assembly for the next eight years, and I'll always remember it as the beginning of loving to perform infront of big crowds.

7. "Bubbly" - Colbie Caillat (2007)

My best friend lived right next door to me up until she went away for University, and growing up we loved singing together and listening to music. She had a karaoke machine and this was our go-to song, always competing for which one of us could get the highest score. This song reminds me of her and all the childhood memories we made together.

8. "Home" - Phillip Phillips (2012)

In 2014, I was a member of The Young Canadians of the Calgary Stampede, and performed along side one of my best friends on the Grandstand Stage, under exploding fireworks singing this song. Being apart of TYC was one of the best experiences, and that summer was one I'll cherish forever. I was only a part of the company for one year, but in that year I met so many great friends, that I'm still in contact with, learned how to dance (and learned how bad I am at it! haha.) Every year since then, I've gone to watch my friends every year and every year there are tears streaming down my face from bittersweet feelings of both happiness and nostalgia. What a magical time.

9. "Suitcase" - Jennie Harluk (2016)

My song. The first song I ever released. A sad and relatable song to so many families who go through divorces and everchanging homes. I had a small part in writing this song, my dad Shane Harluk wrote the majority. It was really hard singing this song in the beginning, it was too sad. People really resonate with this song though and I think it's an important message from the perspective of a child in this situation. You can listen to "Suitcase" on Spotify, iTunes and Apple Music if you'd like!

10. "Fire" - Jennie Harluk (2019)

Fire is my latest release to all platforms! I wrote this song when I was thirteen and just released it last year. Fire was written on a pawn shop guitar my Dad bought for me when I was around six. It's the only song that has ever come out line by line, no changes, no second guessing. Mysterious and secretive followed by an eruption, Fire get's people's foot tapping. All my friends love this song, and I love seeing people's reactions when I play it. This is a live performance but you can listen to Fire on all streaming platforms!

So these are the artists and the melodies that I feel built me as a musician and as an individual. I have so many memories associated with these songs and of course there are many more, but these are the top ten! If you had to choose one song to describe you, your life, your goals - what would it be? What is your life playlist? Thanks for stopping by and reading all about my musical passions, memories, and of course - the songs that built me.

xo,

Jennie

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About the Creator

Jennie Harluk

Hello! I'm a seventeen year old singer/songwriter born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. Aside from songs, I love creative writing and blog styled posts. I'm just here to write whatever I can, for anyone and everyone to read!

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