Soundtrack of Our Lives

I love beautiful sentences. I often find myself reading the same old quotes again and again, and highlighting random sentences on my kindle simply because I find them beautiful. When you take beautiful sentences and put them against some beautiful music, especially if those sentences are totally related to my life, I honestly think you've created magic. Sometimes, the words of others explain how we feel much better than we ever could. 

I often find myself shuffling through my iPod and thinking, "this describes my life perfectly." Here are a list of my top TCK-related songs along with some reasons why I picked them. Hopefully you'll find the relatable too! 

10. I'm Still Here (Treasure Island) - Johnny Reznik (Goo Goo Dolls)

First of all, this is one of the best and also one of the most underrated Disney movies ever. And a huge shout-out to Goo Goo Dolls, one of my favourite bands. 

It's kind of hard to explain why I picked this song, since I have so many different reasons. It's not as black and white as some of the other songs below, but nevertheless it's absolutely beautiful and relateable for TCK's. 


I feel like every culture has it's traditions and expectations. But, when you've lived in so many, you just take the beauty from all of them and make your own, unique "culture". When one culture tells you, "this is beautiful, this is right," and the other culture tells you the exact opposite, it's hard to fit in to society's perfect expectations. You try to understand, but you're forced to reconsider society's voice and use your unique experiences and your own beliefs and come up with your own conclusions. For example, bi-racial marriage. I've never seen so many bi-racial couples than in the US, but there is so much taboo surrounding it pretty much everywhere else in the world. Why? It kind of baffles me, haha.  

"They can't tell me who to be cuz I'm not what they see. 
The world is still sleeping while I keep on dreaming for me. 
And their words are just whispers and lies that I'll never believe. 
And I want a moment to be real. 
Want to touch things I don't feel. 
Wanna hold on and feel I belong. 
And how can they say I never change? 
They're the ones that stay the same. 
I'm the one now, 
cuz I'm still here.
I'm still here."

9. In My Life - The Beatles

This is one of my favourite Beatle's song. It's all about remembering those people and places of your past in a positive light. 

"There are places I remember,
All my life, though some have changed.
Some forever not for better.
Some have gone, and some remain.
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends,
I still can recall,
Some are dead and some are living.
In my life I've loved them all

...

Though I know I'll never lose affection,
For people and things that went before,
I know I'll often stop and think about them.
In my life I love you more.
In my life I love you more."

8. Talking to the Moon - Bruno Mars

Have you ever been in a long distance relationship? Or even a long distance best-friend relationship (haha I don't know what to call that!)? This song perfectly describes how it feels to have so many people surrounding you, but to still feel lonely because that one person you miss so badly isn't there. I know this is a love song, but it reminds me of my mom too, because sometimes I miss her that much. 

"I know you're somewhere out there, somewhere far away.
I want you back; I want you back.
My neighbors think I'm crazy, but they don't understand.
You're all I had. You're all I had.

At night when the stars light up my room, I sit by myself
Talking to the moon.
Trying to get to you...
In hopes you're on the other side, talking to me too! 
Or am I a fool who sits alone talking to the moon?"

The good thing: we're all in luck! No more need to talk to the moon, we have Skype for all us long distance peeps! ;)

7. Leaving on a Jet Plane - John Denver

This song makes me cry. Little personal story: I started boarding school in Jordan when I was 15, and my parents were living in a whole different continent. I still remember standing in the airport saying goodbye to my parents after winter break. I don't think I'll ever forget that moment. My dad hugged me tighter than he ever had before, and I couldn't look at my mom, who was trying her hardest to be strong for me. I couldn't look at her, because I too was trying my hardest to be strong for her. We both knew that if either of us let even one tear fall down our cheeks, we'd both break down crying.  So instead, we hugged each other with tears in our eyes, swallowing that huge lump in our throats, and pretended like everything was totally okay. I wasn't necessarily sad or scared about being so young and on my own. It was more like, I could imagine all the emotions my Mom was facing (sadness, anger at the fact we had to say goodbye, worry, anxiousness to name a few) and yet she still hugged me and was strong for me. She's my sunshine. This one is for you, Amma.

" All my bags are packed,
I'm ready to go.
I'm standin' here outside your door.
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye.
But the dawn is breakin',
It's early morn,
The taxi's waitin',
He's blowin' his horn.
Already I'm so lonesome
I could die.

So kiss me and smile for me.
Tell me that you'll wait for me.
Hold me like you'll never let me go.
'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane,
Don't know when I'll be back again.
Oh babe, I hate to go.

...

Now the time has come to leave you.
One more time
Let me kiss you.
Then close your eyes, 
And I'll be on my way.
Dream about the days to come
When I won't have to leave alone,
About the times, I won't have to say
Kiss me and smile for me.
Tell me that you'll wait for me.
Hold me like you'll never let me go.
'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane.
Don't know when I'll be back again.
Oh babe, I hate to go."

6. Daylight - Maroon 5

Goodbyes totally suck. They're the worst. Think back to the last time you moved and had to say goodbye not only to everyone you became so close with, but also the place you found yourself learning to call home. Maybe even a significant other or your own family. Remember that anxious, horrible feeling you had the whole day and night before you got onto that plane and left, not really sure when you would get to return again? Yeah. That's this song, summed up, but much more catchy!

Similar to Leaving on a Jetplane, but more upbeat. 

"Here I am waiting, I'll have to leave soon
Why am I holding on?
We knew this day would come,
we knew it all along...
How did it come so fast?
This is our last night, 
but it's late,
and I'm trying not to sleep cuz I know when I wake I will have to slip away.

And when the daylight comes, I'll have to go, 
but tonight I'm going to hold you so close. 
Cuz in the daylight we'll be on our own, 
but tonight I need to hold you so close.

...

The sky is getting bright.
The stars are burning out.
Somebody slow it down.
This is way too hard
cuz I know when the sun comes up I will leave
This is my last glance that will soon be memory."

5. My Sacrifice - Creed

I used to listen to this song pretty often growing up simply because it reminded me of happy times to come, when I would get to see my friends again, and basically that feeling of reconnecting and reminiscing about the past.

"Hello my friend we meet again.
It's been a while, where should we begin?
Feels like forever.
Within my heart are memories of perfect love that you gave to me.
Oh I remember.

When you are with me,
I'm free. 
I'm careless; I believe.
Above all the others, we'll fly...
This brings tears to my eyes.
My sacrifice."

4. Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson 

Ever lived someone where you just didn't feel like you belonged? You weren't happy there, for whatever reason, and couldn't wait to move yet again? I felt this way the first time I moved to England from Saudi Arabia. It's funny to think that now, because England is one of the few places that I truly can think of as home and I am always looking forward to visiting it again.

Anyways, this song is perfect for when you feel like you just don't belong and are still longing for that place you'd love to call home.

"Wanted to belong here, 
but something felt so wrong here, 
so I prayed I could break away. 

I'll spread my wings and learn how to fly. 
I'll do what it takes until I touch the sky. 
And I'll make a wish, take a chance, 
make a change, and breakaway. 

Out of the darkness and into the sun, 
but I won't forget all the ones that I love (the place I come from)... 
and breakaway. 

Wanna feel the warm breeze, 
sleep under a palm tree, 
feel the rush of the ocean. 
Get on board a fast train, 
travel on a jet plane far away, 
and break away.

...

I'll spread my wings and learn how to fly. 
Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye, 
I gotta make a wish, take a chance, make a change,
and break away."

3. I'm Like a Bird - Nelly Furtado 

I think this song is perfect for us TCK's who have moved around a lot and are still sick with wanderlust. The chorus, in particular, rings true. Sometimes, it's hard to open yourself up and get close to someone when you know in a year, or in two years, or in four years you'll have to move halfway across the world and you don't know when you'll see them again.

"Though my love is rare, 
though my love is true, 
I'm like a bird. I'll only fly away. 

I don't know where my soul is. 
I don't know where my home is. 
And baby all I need for you to know is 
I'm like a bird, 
I'll only fly away. 
I don't know where my soul is. 
I don't know where my home is.

...

It's not that I wanna say goodbye, 
it's just that every time that you try to tell me me me that you love me,
each and every single day I know I'm eventually going to have to give you away. 
And though my love is rare,
though my love is true...
I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away.
I don't know where my soul is. 
I don't know where my home is.

2. Drops of Jupiter - Train

Imagine your best friend from "home" singing this to you after you've moved around the world. I lived the majority of my childhood in Saudi Arabia. In 2005, I moved to England, and in 2006 to Italy. Finally, in 2007, I moved back to that same small town in Saudi Arabia and the chorus of this song is how all my friends from that small town spoke to me.

"But tell me, did you sail across the sun?
Did you make it to the Milky Way?
To see the lights all faded,
And that heaven is overrated?

Tell me, did you fall from a shooting star?
One without a permanent scar....
And did you miss me

While you were looking for yourself out there?"

And tell me, did Venus blow your mind?
Was it everything you wanted to find?
And did you miss me
While you were looking for yourself out there?"

And did you finally get the chance
To dance along the light of day?
And did you fall from a shooting star?
And were you lonely looking for yourself out there?"

1. Go The Distance - Michael Bolton (Hercules)

This song is basically my life. Ever since I moved for the first time, this song literally was made for me. Home became a concept I couldn't grasp. I had a bit of home everywhere I went, and yet I still longed for that ONE home. I didn't want a bit of home here and a bit of home there - I just wanted (and still want) that one, perfect place I can call home. I always dreamed of this one, singular, place filled with all the people I love, somewhere that I just fully felt like I belong. None of the places I've lived completed that for me, because as a Pakistani citizen, I can't just pack my bags and live where ever I want. Pakistan never fully felt like that for me, either, because I've always (unfortunately) felt like a foreigner there. 

Anyways, I'm still looking for that one, perfect place. I'm convinced it exists, and I'm have faith that I will find it.

 "I have often dreamed of a far off place 
​Where a great warm welcome would be waiting for me
Where the crowds will cheer, when they see my face
And a voice keeps saying, this is where I'm meant to be

I'll be there someday, I can go the distance
I'll find my way, if I can be strong
I know every mile, will be worth my while
I would go almost anywhere to feel like I belong."