Peace Corps Playlist

I receive a playlist for everything. Every road trip I've been on has included a playlist. There is a playlist specifically for Bachelorette parties (I've planned a few back in my years as a professional bridesmaid). I throw a playlist for painting my house, tiling my kitchen countertops, holidays from Grace to Noel to New Year's Eve to Easter to various birthdays.

There's one titled "Awesome", that I'm sort of scared to see at for concern that it's not actually awesome, and moreso, that it's probably really embarassing. One was made with a drag show in mind, aptly titled "good things to hear to" (??) which I mean was used when we arranged a male stripper (named TRACY! for a bachelorette party which almost got us forcibly removed from a real nice hotel in Manhattan (sorry, Parker Meridian). There are around for various weddings, people in my lifetime for whom I've made cds, and several cities in which I've lived or visited that are associated with certain songs. I throw a playlist for deployment that thankfully hasn't gotten any use in late years (and will hopefully never get use again).So obviously, I would make a Peace Corps playlist. It's cheesily entitled "Inspire" and was made with the thought that I'm going to need pick-me-ups in the kind of music during my service. It's also made with the thought that I love depressing music. A little bit of juxtaposition for ya. Anyway, I thinking I would share some of it, mostly because it makes me laugh when I mean of what a huge dork I am, and thinking you might wish to jest at me yourself. Feel free to part your own Peace Corps inspired music selections- I'd love to add to my collection, and maybe laugh at you, too.Inspire Playlist ABBA: I Give a Dream (needs no explanation) Alanis Morissette: You Learn (because I am a production of 90s angry lady rock) All-American Rejects: Move Along Beatles: Carry that Weight, Blackbird, Let it Be, Getting Better, With a Little Help from my Friends (gotta have some Beatles) Black Eyed Peas: Where is the Love (come on, this is cheesy) Bon Jovi: It's My Life, Living on a Prayer, Who Says You Can't Go Home (because what's more inspiring than Bon Jovi?) Britney Spears: Stronger (Britney's always well for a dance party) Bruce Hornsby: The Way it Is (Please say me you think this song written by a rich American white dude about tough lives, like he really knows much near "the way it is") Songs from the Lion King, because I'm going to be in Africa, duh. Cat Stevens: Wild World, Peace Train Cher: Believe (one of the top gay anthems of all time, and so will cheer me to be amazing and timeless like Cher) Dixie Chicks: Ready to Run, Heartbreak Town, Landslide, More Love, Top of the World, Long Way Around, Wide Open Spaces (because you may take that I deliver a semi-secret past as a country music fan, also the Dixie Chicks are amazing) A Fine Frenzy: Come On, Come Out, The Minnow & the Trout Fiona Apple: The Baby is Gone Fleetwood Mac: Go Your Own Way Garth Brooks: Standing Outside the Fire (yes, embarassing) Glee Cast: Don't Stop Believin' (one of my all time favorites), 4 minutes (because sometimes you just have 4 minutes to write the world), Somebody to Love, Keep Holding on, Defying Gravity, Over the Rainbow, Taking Chances, Dream On, I Dreamed a Dream (GLEE IS AWESOME, don't hate. Guster: Manifest Destiny, The Captain, Amsterdam, Homecoming King, Keep It Together, Rise & Shine, I'm Through, G Major Imogen Heap: Wait it Out Ingrid Michaelson: Keep Breathing Irene Cara: Flashdance. What a Feeling (sometimes I'm a steel town girl on a Saturday night) Jewel: Till We Run Out of Road Jo Dee Messina: Bring on the Rain (there's that country past creepin') Joan Baez: Blowin' in the Wind Kate Nash: Mouthwash Katy Perry: Firework Kelly Clarkson: Breakaway The Killers: Smile Like You Think It Lee Ann Womack: Something Worth Leaving Behind, I Trust You Dance Little Shop of Horrors Cast: Downtown (I ever wanted to play Crystal, Chiffon, or Ronnette).Lynyrd Skynryd: Free Bird (no playlist is accomplished without it) Owl City: Hello Seattle Sara Bareilles: City, Uncharted, King of Anything Sara Evans: Born to Fly Sarah McLachlan: Fallen, World On Fire, Do What You Have To Do Shania Twain: Up!, She's Only a Pretty Face, C'est La Vie SHeDAISY: Out of My Mind (seriously preoccupied with this call when I was deciding to use for Peace Corps 3 years ago), Whatever It Takes Sheryl Crow: Sweet Child O' Mine, Light in Your Eyes, If it Makes You Happy, Good Is Good, Wildflower, Lifetimes, Where Has All the Love Gone Sia: Little Black Sandals, Clap Your Hands, Bring Night, Cloud Simon & Garfunkel: Sound of Silence Stevie Wonder: Superstition Sugarland: Something More, Settlin' Taylor Swift: Long Live TI: Live Your Life Tom Petty: American Girl, Runnin' Down a Dream, Learning to Fly, Into the Great Wide Open, Walls Vanessa Carlton: Ordinary Day, A Thousand Miles This one is a particular gem. Thanks, Genesis!