The subject says it all.
Post lyrics, or youtube links, or both, to songs that.. Fuel you, inspire you, drive you, give you hope, whatever...

I'll start, ofcourse.
This song right here, it's something I've listened to a thousand times or more.
The lyric says, well.. it says it all.

Blind Melon - Change

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFqvIUcfBcw&feature=related#

I don't feel the sun's comin' out today
it's staying in, it's gonna find another way.
As I sit here in this misery,
I don't think I'll ever see the sun from here.

And oh as I fade away,
they'll all look at me and say, and they'll say,
Hey look at him! I'll never live that way.
But that's okay
they're just afraid to change.

When you feel your life ain't worth living
you've got to stand up and
take a look around you then a look way up to the sky.
And when your deepest thoughts are broken,
keep on dreaming boy, cause when you stop dreamin' it's time to die.

And as we all play parts of tomorrow,
some ways will work and other ways we'll play.
But I know we all can't stay here forever,
so I want to write my words on the face of today.
and then they'll paint it

And oh as I fade away,
they'll all look at me and they'll say,
Hey look at him and where he is these days.
When life is hard, you have to change.


I got a new acoustic guitar for my birthday and I've been practicing, trying to get hang of it again as I haven't played in 10 years. I'm a little rusty.
And I'm thinking I'll try and record myself playing and singing it sometime next week, as a last recording of my voice before I go to Reykjavík for my T trip.
"IF" it sounds remotely acceptable, I "MIGHT" be convinced to post it on YouTube.

you...ya keep on tryin', but you just can't put your finger on me, I stand here before you...yet seem to do so elusively, you're lookn' hard...but ya don't know what you see, I am exotic...exotica exclusively

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Post Merge: November 04, 2009, 07:01:38 PM

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Post Merge: November 04, 2009, 05:02:05 PM

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When I began to transition, even when it was part time, this began my theme song.



I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an' pretend
'cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again

CHORUS
Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman

You can bend but never break me
'cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
'cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul

CHORUS

I am woman watch me grow
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin' arms across the land
But I'm still an embryo
With a long long way to go
Until I make my brother understand

Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to I can face anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
Oh, I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong

FADE
I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman

The parts that are bolder were the one that gave me the most boost.  And by 'brother' I always thought of my fellow humankind.


Janet

I used to listen to this a lot during transition but it wasn't my official transition song (that was Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten") but I really like this too:

Christina Aguilera's "A Voice Within"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n3PBYdgnlA#noexternalembed

Young girl, don't cry
I'll be right here when your world starts to fall
Young girl, it's all right
Your tears will dry, you'll soon be free to fly

When you're safe inside your room you tend to dream
Of a place where nothing's harder than it seems
No one ever wants or bothers to explain
Of the heartache life can bring and what it means

When there's no one else
Look inside yourself
Like your oldest friend
Just trust the voice within
Then you'll find the strength
That will guide your way
You will learn to begin
To trust the voice within

Young girl, don't hide
You'll never change if you just run away
Young girl, just hold tight
Soon you're gonna see your brighter day

Now in a world where innocence is quickly claimed
It's so hard to stand your ground when you're so afraid
No one reaches out a hand for you to hold
When you're lost outside look inside to your soul

When there's no one else
Look inside yourself
Like your oldest friend
Just trust the voice within
Then you'll find the strength
That will guide your way
You will learn to begin
To trust the voice within

Ohh yeah, ooh, yeah ohh

Life is a journey
It can take you anywhere you choose to go
As long as you're learning
You'll find all you'll ever need to know
(Be strong)
You'll break it
(Hold on)
You'll make it
(Be strong)
Just don't forsake it because
No one can tell you what you can't do
No one can stop you
You know that I'm talking to you

When there's no one else
Look inside yourself
Like your oldest friend
Just trust the voice within
Then you'll find the strength
That will guide your way
You will learn to begin
To trust the voice within

Young girl don't cry
I'll be right here when your world starts to fall

Megadeth - Symphony of Destruction

Skid Row - 18 and life to go




Skid Row
18 And Life
------------------
Ricky was a young boy, He had a heart of stone.
Lived 9 to 5 and worked his fingers to the bone.
Just barely got out of school, came from the edge of town.
Fought like a switchblade so no one could take him down.
He had no money, oooh no good at home.
He walked the streets a soldier and he fought the world alone
And now it's

18 and life You got it
18 and life you know
Your crime is time and it's
18 and life to go
(repeat above)
[ Skid Row Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]

Tequila in his heartbeat, His veins burned gasoline.
It kept his motor running but it never kept him clean.
They say he loved adventure, "Ricky's the wild one."
He married trouble and had a courtship with a gun.
Bang Bang Shoot 'em up, The party never ends.
You can't think of dying when the bottle's your best friend
And now it's


"Accidents will happen" they all heard Ricky say
He fired his six-shot to the wind that blew a child away.

This song has held allot of meaning for me

Mazzy Star - Fade Into You



I want to hold the hand inside you
I want to take a breath that's true
I look at you and I see nothing
I look to you to see the truth

You live your life you go in shadows
You'll come apart and you'll go black
Some kind of night into your darkness
Colors your eyes with what's not there

Fade into you
Strange you never knew
Fade into you
I think it's strange you never knew

A strangers light comes on slowly
A strangers heart without a home
You put your hands into your head
And then smiles cover your heart

Fade into you
Strange you never knew
Fade into you
I think it's strange you never knew
I think it's strange you never knew

For those of us of the female persuasion, you can't beat Carol King.







(I have to say I prefer her version to Aretha's -- it's less exuberant and more vulnerable and sensitive, which works for the song, which she wrote, after all.)

Quote from: Miniar on November 02, 2009, 06:56:55 PM
The subject says it all.
Post lyrics, or youtube links, or both, to songs that.. Fuel you, inspire you, drive you, give you hope, whatever...

I'll start, ofcourse.
This song right here, it's something I've listened to a thousand times or more.
The lyric says, well.. it says it all.

Blind Melon - Change

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFqvIUcfBcw&feature=related#

I don't feel the sun's comin' out today
it's staying in, it's gonna find another way.
As I sit here in this misery,
I don't think I'll ever see the sun from here.

And oh as I fade away,
they'll all look at me and say, and they'll say,
Hey look at him! I'll never live that way.
But that's okay
they're just afraid to change.

When you feel your life ain't worth living
you've got to stand up and
take a look around you then a look way up to the sky.
And when your deepest thoughts are broken,
keep on dreaming boy, cause when you stop dreamin' it's time to die.

And as we all play parts of tomorrow,
some ways will work and other ways we'll play.
But I know we all can't stay here forever,
so I want to write my words on the face of today.
and then they'll paint it

And oh as I fade away,
they'll all look at me and they'll say,
Hey look at him and where he is these days.
When life is hard, you have to change.


I got a new acoustic guitar for my birthday and I've been practicing, trying to get hang of it again as I haven't played in 10 years. I'm a little rusty.
And I'm thinking I'll try and record myself playing and singing it sometime next week, as a last recording of my voice before I go to Reykjavík for my T trip.
"IF" it sounds remotely acceptable, I "MIGHT" be convinced to post it on YouTube.

How strange?!  I love Blind melon.  I done a research paper on his band.  It's good luck and have fun playing your new acoustic.  I play acoustic to.Once when I played with my brother (on bass) and my guitar teacher (on rhythm) and my teacher put me on the spotlight and put me on LEAD!  That was the only time I played in a 'band'.  No one else would accept me.  Hey I'd like to hear you sing!!  Especially 'change'.  it's a great song.

I know its sad but it came on, in the wierdest situations...




Jay 

Funny that I noticed this thread after hearing this one on the radio today - I'd never really thought of it in our context but, apart from subbing "sister" for brother in the first couple of verses, you could as easily imagine this song about us as about the people Michael McDonald intended to sing about...

You don't know me but I'm your brother
I was raised here in this living hell
You don't know my kind in your world
Fairly soon the time will tell
You...telling me the things you're gonna do for me
I ain't blind and I don't like what I think I see

Takin' it to the streets (takin' it to the streets)
Takin' it to the streets (no more need for runnin')
Takin' it to the streets (Oh, oh-oh, nah, nah)

Take this message to my brother
You will find him...everywhere
Wherever people live together
Tied in poverty's despair
Are you...telling me the things you're gonna do for me
I ain't blind and I don't like what I think I see



As for songs that just kind of motivate me, I'd have to give some thought to that because any number of songs can connect to a given state of mind at one time and not another.

Quote from: Red on November 05, 2009, 02:15:40 AM
How strange?!  I love Blind melon.  I done a research paper on his band.  It's good luck and have fun playing your new acoustic.  I play acoustic to.Once when I played with my brother (on bass) and my guitar teacher (on rhythm) and my teacher put me on the spotlight and put me on LEAD!  That was the only time I played in a 'band'.  No one else would accept me.  Hey I'd like to hear you sing!!  Especially 'change'.  it's a great song.

There's a link over in spirituality > other that has me singing a little chant thing to Freyja if you really wanna hear me sing.
I'm working on getting the strumming "just right" so I can record it...

Quote from: Miniar on November 05, 2009, 07:58:04 AM
There's a link over in spirituality > other that has me singing a little chant thing to Freyja if you really wanna hear me sing.
I'm working on getting the strumming "just right" so I can record it...

Hey that's so cool!  I'll go and listen to it.  I know how hard it can be to try and strum and sing at the same time.  The only song I could do that to was "More Than Words" By Extreme.  Man I used to play all kinds of music but since my poodle, before he died, he literally almost chewed the tip of my left ring finger off... I can't use it.  I had three stitiches and the doctor even gave me shots to numb it but the needles weren't clean.  When I got home at about 6am, I noticed  I had two red streaks going up my arm where the injection site was.  We went to the regular doctor and told them about the ER doctor and man were they mad!  I think he lost his job for it.  I haven't seen or heard about him since then.

Anyway, like I was saying, I cannot feel the tip of my finger so it'll be hard to play guitar again with it.  I'm hoping my brother can fix my electric guitar and then he can have that and he can buy me a newer acoustic.

DANG you got a good voice!  I can't sing worth a hoot!  I saved it to my faves so my mum can listen to it later.  She'll love it too, I know!

You keep on keepin' on  be safe,
Red

Quote from: Red on November 05, 2009, 11:51:30 AM
DANG you got a good voice!  I can't sing worth a hoot!  I saved it to my faves so my mum can listen to it later.  She'll love it too, I know!

You keep on keepin' on  be safe,
Red

Thanks.

I'm gonna be a little bit sad when it breaks, but only a little.

Quote from: Miniar on November 05, 2009, 01:21:59 PM
Thanks.

I'm gonna be a little bit sad when it breaks, but only a little.

I was happy for mine to break.  I went from sounding like Darren Hayes (??) of Savage Garden to sounding like the singer from Megadeth.  One guys' voice I envy is the singer of Crash Test Dummies, their song mmmm.  He's got this DEEP voice.  I wish mine was like his.

Anyway back on subject, your voice, IMO, sounds like an angel when you sang that.  I haven't heard anything like that before!  I've listened to it like, 3 times already


you take care and i'll talk to you again soon
-Red

Here's my transition theme song:



The Who - "I'm a Boy"

Heard this one on the way home this afternoon and, as I've been doing a lot lately, I re-contexted the lyrics to my onw life...

Now if you're feelin' kinda low 'bout the dues you've been paying
Future's coming much too slow
And you wanna run but somehow you just keep on stayin'
Can't decide on which way to go
Yeah, yeah, yeah

I understand about indecision
But I don't care if I get behind
People livin' in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind. (yea

Now you're climbin' to the top of the company ladder
Hope it doesn't take too long
Can't cha see there'll come a day when it won't matter
Come a day when you'll be gone

I understand about indecision
But I don't care if I get behind
People livin' in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind.

Take a look ahead, take a look ahead, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah... whoa!

Now everybody's got advice they just keep on givin'
Doesn't mean too much to me
Lot's of people out to make-believe they're livin'
Can't decide who they should be.

I understand about indecision
But I don't care if I get behind
People livin' in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind.

Take a look ahead, take a look ahead. Look ahead.



While I was searching for this thread i found where someone else had posted this one in it's own thread. I listened to this song every week for five seasons but I never really thought of it in our context but darn if it doesn't hit awfully close to home...

It's been a long road
Getting from there to here
It's been a long time
But my time is finally near

And I can feel the change in the winds right now
Nothing's in my way
And they're not gonna hold me down no more
No there not gonna hold me down

Cause I've got faith of the heart
I'm going where my heart will take me
I've got faith to believe
I can do anything
I've got strength of the soul
And no one's gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I've got faith
I've got faith
Faith of the heart

It's been a long night
Trying to find my way
Been through the darkness
Now I finally have my day
And I will see my dreams come alive at last
I will touch the sky
And they're not gonna hold me down no more
No there not gonna change my mind

[chorus]

I've known a wind so cold and seen the darkest days
But now the winds I feel, are only winds of change
I've been through the fire and I've been through the rain
But I'll be fine

Cause I've got faith of the heart
I'm going where my heart will take me
I've got faith to believe
I can do anything
I've got strength of the soul
And no one's gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I've got faith


Here's the Rod Stewart version (which I prefer) that someone dubbed on the Enterprise video...

There might not be a more significant song for someone who is facing what I choose to face.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sCkAvh50Vs#noexternalembed

I can see
when you stay low nothing happens
Does it feel right ?

Late at night
things I thought I put behind me
haunt my mind

I just know there's no escape now
once it sets it's eyes on you
but I won't run, have to stare it in the eye

Stand my ground, I won't give in
No more denying, I gotta face it
Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside
If I don't make it, someone else will
Stand My Ground

It's all around
getting stronger, coming closer
into my world

I can feel
that it's time for me to face it
can I take it?

Though this might just be the ending
of the life I held so dear
but I won't run, there's no turning back from here

Stand my ground, I won't give in
No more denying, I gotta face it
Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside
If I don't make it, someone else will
Stand My Ground

All I know for sure is I'm trying
I will always stand my ground

Stand my ground, I won't give in (I won't give in)
I won't give up (I won't give up)
no more denying, I got to face it
won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside
if I don't make it, someone else will

Stand my ground, I won't give in
No more denying, I gotta face it
Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside
If I don't make it, someone else will
Stand My Ground.

no lyrics here, but the title is enough (FFVII Crisis Core Soundtrack: The Price of Freedom)

Tom Petty -- "You don't have to live like a refugee."

I think it's a great, if unintentional, metaphor for transition. I liken living before transition to being a refugee, and after transition to being an immigrant, something I tell people to help them understand why it is worth the trouble and loss of cis privilege (at least the part of it perceived and extended by others).

Ladytron is awsome! All there stuff is TS/TG insperational. to me at least.... Other than Ghosts, Runaway is a good one, I'm not scared, Burning Up, and Deep Blue but its not as TS/TG related. I kinda read into the songs but nonethless.

Here is a link to Ghosts....I  encourage you to look up the rest (some of it may be repetitve but it just sounds great)