Foki ki Amelika: The Playlist

This week Abby and I are on the mainland of Tonga for our Close of Service conference, which is three days dedicated to the logistics of our return to America.

It will have been 2 years, 2 months and 4 days (but who’s counting) since we last set foot in America when we step off the plane at Des Moines International. It’s a moment Abby and I have dreamed about for a long time and will undoubtedly be the most emotional moment of our lives.

Throughout this journey of ours music has played a vital role. The blog itself is named after the greatest and most important album of all time (in my humble opinion, of course) The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. Some of my earliest and happiest memories are spinning this record on my dad’s record player and the two of us listening to it over and over, talking about his childhood, life in the 60s, civil rights and Vietnam. I carried that with me all my life.

In Tonga music has been our entertainment and our outlet. There is no TV, no Internet, no showers, no entertainment (besides Church) in the village and so much of the time has been spent with the two of us cooking dinner, preparing lesson plans (well, not so much me), looking out at the ocean, petting Lucky and talking about life, all while listening to music. The soundtracks of this experience have been shared by the Coopriders and calcified our memories of living life in this village of 250 and making it our home.

Accordingly, I went all John Cusack in Hi-Fidelity and constructed a playlist for the two of us that we have been listening to when we think about home. Though I usually consult with sages of the playlist like Flood, Kappy, Theo and Cross, this one is all me. It’s pretty much been on repeat the last month and will probably continue up to that moment we come home to America.

(I trust that you, dear reader, can infer the theme of the playlist…)

1.     Welcome Home (Touch The Sky EP Version)                            Radical Face     

·          A Cooprider original and the most poignant tune in capturing the emotions of this experience. This is the song that will be playing in my mind when we touch down in Des Moines.

2.     American Hearts                                                                           A.A. Bondy     

·         A second Cooprider original and a way Abby and I reflect on the presence of God in our service.

3.     Take Your Time (Coming Home)                                                 Fun.     

·         The best song in the world to crank up when life is good in the village and you begin to dream about life being good back in America.

4.     American Slang                                                                            The Gaslight Anthem     

·          Clearly my favorite band is going to make it on here. They’ve pretty much been on repeat during my time in Tonga.

5.     Coming To America                                                                      Neil Diamond

·      Because Nanners loves Neil Diamond. Aww, heck, because I love Neil Diamond.

6.     The Body of an American                                                            The Pogues     

·          Because The Wire is a masterpiece of modern television (all credit to Ted for putting us on to it) and because it reminds me of my two grandfathers, who also spent time out of the U.S.

7.     Homecoming                                                                                  Kanye West     

·            More reminiscent of my time in Phoenix, another very, very hot time in my life.

8.     Home                                                                                       Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

·           If Abby and I had a band I’d like to think we’d sound exactly like this.

9.     Homeward Bound [Live]                                                            Simon & Garfunkel     

·            I’ve been listening to Simon & Garfunkel’s Central park concert for as long as I could remember.

10. American Skin (41Shots) [Live]                                                   Bruce Springsteen

·          Springsteen singing about social issues is pretty much the reason I joined Peace Corps and what makes me who I am. RIP Amadou Diallo.

11. Come Back Home                                                                          Pete Yorn     

·          My sister and I only spent one year when we were both in college and Pete Yorn most certainly provided the soundtrack to that year.

12. Take Me Home Tonight                                                                  Eddie Money     

·          Because how often is it that your one and only karaoke song fits perfectly on your playlist. And also because if Abby and I had a band we’d probably sound more like this.

13. American Girls                                                                                 Counting Crows     

·           To know me is to know of my abnormal affinity for 90s alt-rock bands. This song carries the flag for that.

14. Welcome Home (Reprise)                                                                Radical Face     

·          One more time, just a whisper.

Special Bonus Track:

15. Will You Return                                                                                    The Avett Brothers     

·          The lyrics are me talking to Tonga, talking to Abby, talking to Abby, plus The Avett Bros represent the B-Team, who are waiting for me in Denver. A perfect way to end the thing.

That’s it, thanks for reading. Catch you on the flip side.

P.S~If you made it through this self-indulgent playlist of a blog and want to read more about music, my favorite music blog is www.brownbearwantshoney.blogspot.com and is worth a looksy.