Song Saturday #12 - My new favorite song

My friend Darsey always listens to cool new music. I used to love it when she was my roommate because she'd pass it on to me, and then I felt cool, too.

When she came this weekend on a visit from her new hometown of Portland, Darsey brought me a CD by up and comer Lucy Schwartz called Life in Letters. She said that every time she heard the title track, number 5, she thought of me, which I love, because this is exactly the song I want to be identified with!

The A,B,C part makes me think of being a teacher, how there's nothing better in the world than the sound of pencils scratching on paper and no greater sight than a sea of waving hands, just itching to be called on.

Living your life in letters totally makes me think of my new life as a writer, how I see and experience everything in the context of telling a story. This is the kind of identity I want to share with my students - to give them the power of having a voice, of having something to say.

The sensational clapping makes me think of happiness and car dancing and getting high fives. It makes me smile.

It's my new favorite song, natch.

Give 'er a listen.



I know you, with your heart of blue
You take your troubles and release the sound
Into the open, up from the ground
These words unspoken, you sing aloud

Words can be strong, like the beating drum
Like ten thousand voices that call together
A is the ailment, and B makes it better
C is creating your life in letters

Life in letters
Life in letters

So take me back, I have lost the path
I need to recover this life you lead
Sing when I’m broken and I’ll sing when I’m free
Sing for the world and then sing just for me

We are just stories, so here’s mine to tell
Give my heart freely, hope you keep it well
A is the ailment, and B makes it better
C is creating your life in letters

Life in letters
Life in letters

A B C, B C
Come on set me free

Life in letters
Life in letters