Breaker

What’s on your soundtrack?

Movies have soundtracks with songs that can perfectly capture what is going on with the characters.  It helps you to feel the right emotions when you need to.  Sometimes even shitty movies, can feel so much better with a great track behind it.  Looking over my life so far, I can pick out songs that always create such vivid memories for me.  If there was a soundtrack for Colleen this far, this is what it would be:

 

Track 1 I Want Candy – The Osmond Boys – My very first concert was The Osmond Boys.  They were the kids of the Osmonds, like Donnie and Marie. I know this is really dating myself, but I LOVED them.  They were my first crush. I would listen to their cassette while reading my fan club newsletters, which I have kept to show Brooke one day and laugh with her about it.  

 

Track 2 Coward of the County – Kenny Rogers – We would go to Ludington MI every summer, and stay at the state park in tents, and my mom would play Kenny Rogers’ Greatest Hit. I love that we still go camping every summer to this day.  We don’t listen to Kenny Rogers anymore; my mom actually has each of us pick two songs, and she makes a CD with all the songs on it.  So, Coward of the County, this is the first song I really noticed the words to. “Promise me son not to do the things I’ve done” Even at a young age, I just really liked the story.  I didn’t realize the adult content at the time, but the words made the song to me and not the melody.  

 

Track 3 Holiday – Madonna – My mom used to listen to Madonna while she was cleaning.  I remember being in our house in Calumet City, sunlight streaming in our kitchen window.  I was sitting on the floor playing with my brother’s ewok hut pretending it was a tree house for the family of little people I had.  My mom was at the counter doing dishes and singing along, “it would be, it would be so nice!”. Whenever I hear this song, it takes me right back to the kitchen and looking up at my mom swaying at the sink and thinking she looked so beautiful.

 

Track 4 Dreamlover – Mariah Carey – I wanted a walkman so bad for christmas one year.  I BEGGED for one, and wouldn’t you know it; that year Santa brought me my Sony walkman and two cassettes.  Mariah Carey’s Music Box, and Dreamlover was my favorite song from that album. I would go on my brother’s paper route with him sometimes for company and I would listen to Mariah the whole time.  I was in 4th grade, and I was already crushing hard on Clayton Bruce. This song just made me think of him the whole time, and Clayton if you ever find yourself reading this; it was hair. You had this golden hair that was golden and it went to just past your ears, and all I wanted to do was run my fingers through it.

 

Track 5 Waterfalls – TLC – This is one of my first CD’s, and it was my first “girl friends” song.  I had all of my friends over at my house, and we put waterfalls on, and made up our own dance moves.  We felt so cool, and we were dancing around so much we would make my mom’s nick nacks shake on her china hutch.  I have no clue how we didn’t break something. Each of us would take turns pretending to sing the song into a hairbrush as the lead singer.

 

Track 6 Betterman – Pearl Jam – First cool concert that I am not embarrassed to admit I went to it.  My oldest brother, AJ, interned for Rock 103.5, and I thought he was the coolest with the coolest job.  He would take the train into the city, and he interned for Sludge. He got to go to so many concerts, and events like the car show at McCormick Place, and hand out swag and run contests.  So, he got tickets to Pearl Jam at Alpine Valley. AND HE PICKED ME! I was on cloud nine! He also brought Rolling Rock, so it was the first time I had beer. I was a senior in high school, and I just don’t think there could have been a better night.

 

Track 7 Always on Time – Ashanti & Ja Rule – First I would just like to say my best friend, Meg Dunc, and I invented Carpool Karaoke.  We originated this while going to NIU, and driving around in her car, singing along to our favorite mixed CD’s and not giving a single fuck what we sounded like.  It was our release from a stressful day or celebration for something great happening, or just the way we like to start our night before heading to the bar. Those nights in her car were my favorite from all my memories of college.  Windows would be rolled down, and my hand would be out the window cutting waves through the wind and there are times now that I would give just about anything to be back in that car with my best friend! I am happy to say, and I am sure Meg would be happy to know, Brooke and I have picked up this tradition also.  We are partial to Taylor Swift, Haschak Sisters, and Kelly Clarkson.

 

Track 8 Hands Down – Dashboard Confessional – Rick and I started dating on the DL.  My brother worked for his family business, and his brother and my brother were best friends.  There were so many connections between our family, we decided we didn’t want anyone’s opinions weighing in on our relationship.  We starting dating in June, and had the whole summer just for us. It was amazing! Our start was filled with so much passion, late nights, and butterflies; everything a summer romance should be!  Driving home from Rick’s house I would crank up Hands Down as loud as I could. Each line of the song just fit so perfectly with everything I was feeling, plus I had a crush on Rick LIeberstein for as long as I could remember, and the fact he was mine, and I got to see him naked on the regular was blowing my mind!  I wanted to keep my perfect fantasy in my little bubble.

 

Track 9 Summer Love – Justin Timberlake – Now it’s the summer of 2007 and I am super pregnant with my son.  I had an easy pregnancy, and had a ton of energy. I would dance around my kitchen singing this song to him.  I would sing, I can’t wait to fall in love with you, you can’t wait to fall in love with me, this just can’t be summer love, you see.  Of course, I was already in love, and maybe this was just in my mind, but the way he would kick while I was singing and dancing to him, I think he was letting me know he loved me too.  While I was writing this, I played the song for Ricky, and he wrinkled up his nose, and told me it was a bad song. He thinks our song is House of Gold by Twenty One Pilots. He makes me smile because I’m glad we have a song now, but Summer Love was our first song.

 

Track 10 – Bushel and a Peck – Guys and Dolls – Brooke isn’t as lucky for her song, but I was show tune singing hard during her pregnancy.  Probably because at that time Ricky was a toddler, and he already had learned the word shit as one of his first 10 words.  For some reason, when this song would come on my shuffle, I would sing extra loud and rub my big belly. During both my pregnancies I felt like there was special super power of sending love to my children through my hands.  I think most women must feel like that, because I always see expecting Mommas with their hand on their bellies. With Brooke I remember singing the songs, and holding my hands to her inside me, and sending so much love to her.  I also continued to sing that to her as a baby, and growing up. She proudly sings that song, and thinks of me too with that one!

 

Bonus Tracks!

4 My People – Missy Elliot – Meg Dunc and I’s favorite party song.  We even had tshirts made, and had a choreographed dance to this!  I loved having a best friend that we had our inside jokes, and our own dance moves.  I felt like in college we had our own rhythm, and it is one of my most precious memories.

These Arms of Mine – Ottis Rettig – The song I knew I was going to marry Rick.  I was in the basement, and we were pretty much living together at the time.  I had the music on while I was doing laundry. These Arms of Mine came on, and Rick came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me.  He spun me around, and slow danced with me to the song in the laundry room. I can close my eyes now and feel us swaying to the music, so young and in love.

 

Comments

Colleen Lieberstein

Colleen Lieberstein, Executive Administrative Assistant, is the heartbeat at two award winning and fastest growing companies in the Chicagoland area. She lives in New Lenox with her two energetic kids, and her supportive husband. Colleen loves to read, play with her children, and go on adventures with her family. Exploring new places and eating new foods is the best.