Maybe the Old Songs

On uploading songs to my Ipod and God finding us through pop songs.

Maybe the old songs
Will bring back the old times
Maybe the old lines
Will sound new

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I've been busy uploading songs in the ipod my wife gave me (so much for dissertation!). I'm up to 346 songs and counting. Hahaha. I must still have around 150 more in a list I created. (The major contributors left to be uploaded are Nat King Cole, Matt Monro, Dionne Warwick, Broadway, Phil Collins and a number of loose songs, some fun like Electric Dreams and Theme from "The Greatest American Hero")

I think I'll end up with a collection a lot of parents (both of the standards-filled post World War II era and the 60's/70's) would love. Christmas idea, anyone? Just raid my playlist which I might make available via Facebook.

Several years ago, I made a tape compilation of oldies and gave it as a gift to co-workers at Ateneo. I think that was in 1998. One oldie and her husband really loved my gift. Because I made them happy then, I'm thinking of giving them another one next year even if I don't work with them anymore and I'm not particularly close to them. Always nice to make people giddily happy. Who knows, maybe I made their marriage romantic for many nights thereafter. hahaha

Yesterday, as I was about to sleep, the ipod shuffled on over to Barry Manilow's "The Old Songs" (Is it old enough for my students not to know it :-)? And I ended up saying to myself, ya, the old songs. Old because they are really old. I'm hard pressed to think of a song that's recent. (Sting would probably be the most familiar to my students today. They probably even associate McCartney with The Beatles and not as a solo artist).

But also old because they are the songs of my yesterdays. Songs I grew up with in Bangkok with my father. Nat King Cole, How much is that Doggie in the Window? (hahaha), The Platters, etc. Songs I grew up on in Manila with my brothers and sisters (Eagles, America, Barry Manilow, etc.)

For those of you who don't know the song, it's about a guy who's about to have dinner with what I assume is an ex or estranged lover ("and soon she'll be by, hope and pray she'll say that she's willing to give us another try... it's been too long since I've seen her face light up when I come in, it's been too many hours I've wasted staring at the phone).

And the guy has laid out the works to try to win her back (Candles burning, glass are chilled) But he has a contingency plan. He says, "And if all the plans I made don't melt the lady's heart, I'll put on the old 45" (45: small long-playing record. hahaha. funny how I feel I have to explain myself)

Then the chorus: "Maybe the old songs will bring back the old times, maybe the old lines will sound new. Maybe she'll lay her head on my shoulder. Maybe old feelings will come through. Maybe we'll start to cry and wonder why we ever walked away. Maybe the old songs will bring back the old times and make her want to stay".

Last night, before I slept, I was thinking, this seems to be an appropriate "God song". The God story could be that there's this girl (sorry girls, "she" and "her" kasi yung kanta) who has moved away from God, probably more along the lines of indifference rather than rebellion. But there is an opportunity for God to reach out to this girl. Maybe she's going on retreat or to a recollection. Or maybe she's visiting a chapel. Or maybe she's having a quiet moment. Or maybe she's reading a blog.

And God is thinking, okay, I've laid out everything to take advantage of this rare opportunity when I'll be with this girl. But if all else fails, maybe the old songs will bring back the old times, maybe the old lines will sound new. Maybe she'll lay her head on my shoulder, maybe old feelings will come through. Maybe we'll start to cry and wonder why we ever walked away. Maybe the old songs will bring back the old times and make her want to stay.

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In Ignatian prayer, we are taught to use whatever helps to bring us closer to God, even pop songs. I think it is true of our God. He uses whatever helps to bring us closer to him. Maybe the old songs will bring back the old times and make us want to stay.

Happy New Year everyone!

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The Old Songs
Barry Manilow


Candles burning
Glasses are chilled and soon
She'll be by
Hope and pray She'll
say that she's willing to give us
Another try

And if all those plans I've made
Don't melt the lady's heart
I'll put on the old 45's

And maybe the old songs
Will bring back the old times
Maybe the old lines
Will sound new
Maybe she'll lay her
Head on my shoulder
Maybe old feelings
Will come through

Maybe we'll start to cry
And wonder why
We ever walked away
Maybe the old songs
Will bring back the old times
And make her want to stay

It's been too long since I've
Seen her face light up
When I come home
It's been too many Hours
I've wasted staring
At the phone

Sweet old songs I'm counting on you
To bring her back to me
I'm tired of listening alone

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P.S. I hope you know or are able to listen to the song. It's really nice.