My Birth Playlist

I was just reading a post on one of my favorite sites of all time, OffBeat Mama, about birth playlists, and I thought it would be fun to share my birth playlist with you all.

Let me start off by saying that if I had known I'd be in labor for 17 hours, I probably would have selected more songs ;). Hindsight being 20/20 and all, there are lots of artists who didn't make the list that I probably would have loved to have heard.

 For my big day, I didn't know what to expect. I knew I would likely be in huge amounts of pain and I wasn't sure what musical stylings I'd be up for. I chose some of the songs because they are very sentimental to me, and others simply because I love the artist and I knew it would be a soothing presence for me....a huge portion of my playlist was comprised of Cat Power songs because she's been with me for so long through the ups and downs, and there's something so still and powerful about her voice--like the rush of a little brook. SO here goes:

Cat Power-Where is My Love
Cat Power-Maybe Not
Cat Power-Half of You
Cat Power-Colors and the Kids
Cat Power-The Greatest
Cat Power-She's Got You
Cat Power-Lost Someone
Ray LaMontagne-Let it Be Me
Ray LaMontagne- A Falling Through
Ray LaMontagne-Sarah
Quiet Company-Red and Gold
Radiohead-All I Need
Radiohead-Nude
Radiohead-Videotape
Jewel-Angel Standing By
Azure Ray-Sleep
Maria Taylor-My Favorite Love
Patti Griffin-Burgundy Shoes
Patty Griffin-Up to The Mountain
Patty Griffin-Heavenly Day
Wilco-My Darling


I guess I was looking for songs with a quiet energy or a warm feeling to carry me through this difficult test of mind and body. All in all, there were times in the birthing process when the songs were more important than I can even say, and other times when I completely tuned them out or even requested that the music be shut off. Because music is so much at the core of who I am as a person and how I express myself, the songs on that list will be forever ingrained in my heart and mind.

After Everleigh was born, we played these 2 songs over and over: "Heavenly Day" by Patti Griffith and "My Darling" by Wilco and cried because we are huge babies.

"Oh Heavenly day
All the clouds blew away
Got no trouble today
With anyone
The smile on your face
I live only to see
It's enough for me baby
It's enough for me
Oh heavenly day
Heavenly day
Heavenly day
Tomorrow may rain with sorrow
Here's a little time we can borrow
Forget all our troubles in these moments so few
Oh we can right now the only thing that all that we really have to do
Is have ourselves a heavenly day
Lay here and watch the trees sway
Oh can't see no other way
No way
No way
Heavenly day heavenly day heavenly day
No one on my shoulder
Bringing me fears
Got no clouds up above me
Bringing me tears
Got nothing to tell you
I got nothing much to say
Only I'm glad to be here with you
On this heavenly heavenly heavenly heavenly heavenly day
Oh all the troubles gone away
Oh for awhile anyway
For awhile anyway
Heavenly day
Heavenly day
Heavenly day
Heavenly day
Heavenly day
Oh heavenly day"

"Go back to sleep now

My darlin
And I'll keep all the bad dreams away
Breathe now, think sweet things
And I'll think of all the right words to say
Because we made you
My darlin
With the love in each of our hearts
We were a family, my darlin
Right from the start
Grow up now
My darlin
Please don't you grow up too fast
And be sure, darlin
To make all the good times last
Because we made you
My darlin
With the love in each of our hearts
We were a family, my darlin
Right from the start"