Most of my work is done in the evenings after my kids are in bed. The house is quiet, and I sit, thinking and writing and working. Another thing I’m never without – my music and headphones. One little creative quirk – when I’m working on creating I often will be listening and working and one song will come on and it makes something click for me where I get into a literal groove of pushing out content. When that happens I hit the repeat button in iTunes and listen to it over and over again until I am done creating.

The funny thing is the message of the song often has nothing to do with the work I am creating…  In some ways it’s pretty laughable…

For example, last summer when I create the very first class of Finding Photo Flow it was Foster The People’s Pumped Up Kicks that played over and over while I cranked out content…  I seriously probably listened to that song over 100 times…

It was awesome until my teenager came home and educated me on what the song actually meant and said.  It really is a sad song about a kid and a gun.  Ouch – sad I didn’t get that! Obviously part of my routine doesn’t include singing along…

Needless to say I found a new song the following month when I revised the FPF content again…

That month it was Death Cab Cutie’s Monday Morning…

She may be young but she only likes old things,
And modern music it ain’t to her taste,
She loves the natural light, captured in black and white,
She sees mirages of mountain ranges,
Within a blink of her eyes it changes,
Back to the open plain, oh no she can’t explain.

I cry out “Love keep your arms around me”,
I am a bird that’s in need of grounding,
I’m built to fly away, I never learned how to stay.

The night is gonna fall and the vultures will surround you,
And when you’re lookin’ in the mirror what you see is gon’ astound you.
But all these lines and greys refine, they are the maps of our design,
Of what began on a Monday morning.

Monday morning, Monday morning,
Ooh, ooh,
Monday morning, Monday morning,
Ooh, ooh,

The night is gonna fall and the vultures will surround you,
And when you’re lookin’ in the mirror what you see is gon’ astound you.
But all these lines and greys refine, they are the maps of our design,
Of what began on a Monday morning.

Oh yes the night is gonna fall, and the vultures will surround you,
And when you’re lookin’ in the mirror what you see is gon’ astound you.
And all the glow of you from inside the room,
Is burning on inside of you, it all began on a Monday morning.

Monday morning, Monday morning,
Ooh, ooh.

I can honestly say that song got me through more than a few all-nighters… A few other favorites that pulled me through - Bella’s Lullaby (piano version) by Tallesin Orchestra, Mylo Xyloto by Coldplay and Every Teardrop is a Waterfall by Coldplay.

Music has always been a big part of my life. I remember in the 70′s my parents always had a great LP player with speakers and so many vinyl records (yes I had bright orange and green bell bottoms to match!) My sisters and I would listen to those records endlessly…  I still can’t do a road trip without Fleetwood Mac. :)

Lastly the weird song that is helping me to create my lates class and inspired this post –  Lullaby by the Cure… Not sure if this means I am close to dropping off the creative deep end – I just go with what moves me, you know?

Which brings me to you. What are the soundtracks of your life right now? What helps you to run, work, dream, create?

What songs do you hear that instantly bring back memories of a specific place and time? Have you ever recorded those memories for posterity?

Please share!!