welcome to my paradise

Bali is a paradise island, it has white sandy beaches, and beautiful terraced rice fields, and the most laid back people I have ever met. So, when choosing a song that is meaningful, the first one that springs to mind is “Welcome to My Paradise” by Steven Coconuttreez. This has become a form of anthem for me since I have moved here. I love reggae music, the regular beat, the dulcet tones of the singer, and the easy going nature of the music. The message in this song also sums up the reasons for my moving to Bali in the first place. He aptly describes the land where I came from, where “the seas are brown, the skies are thick and grey” and yearns to find his own place “where the skies are blue, where the sun shines so bright”. When I left England aged 24, I was on a mission to find a place where I could be myself, and have a relaxed, calm lifestyle, where the sun shines every day. I found my paradise in Bali, and I feel so blessed that I did!

My next song choice is “Somebody I used to know” by Gotye. I love the quirky video and his very unique voice. This song was in the charts during my last visit to the UK, so holds special memories of dancing around my brother’s kitchen with this song blaring on full volume. On a deeper level, the lyrics speak to me about past relationships that have soured to the point of ending up like strangers. I have had several breakups over the years, not just with lovers, but close friends too, and the feelings I was left with each time, second guessing myself and replaying scenarios in my mind are described so well here.

Finally, my third choice of song is “Just Give Me a Reason” by Pink, this is another one that I like to play on full volume and sing along at the top of lungs. This is a very intimate and personal song for her, and describes the struggles and communication issues she has faced with her husband. This rings so true to me, as men and women do communicate so differently, and then throw in there a difference of language, culture and background, and things get really interesting. What I like in this song is she is recognizing that there are problems, but not dismissing the relationship entirely, saying “we’re not broken, just bent”. Relationships take work, its a fact, and too many people walk away when the going gets tough, instead of working through their issues. My husband and I have had our fair share of problems, but I am glad that we have been able to work on them, and grow stronger together.

So there you go, three very different songs that sprang to mind when thinking about this prompt. There are many more that I love but these ring particularly true right now.