Before we came along, I’d wager the most common music you’d hear inside the religious structure that became our home was “Amazing Grace,” “Silent Night, Holy Night,” Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” and “Jesus Loves Me.”
And then we bought the former Methodist church, and the soundtrack changed. Instead of organs and choirs, we summoned a good drum track and guitar.
If my new memoir, “Church Sweet Home” had a playlist, this would be it:
- “Anticipation” by Carly Simon: This was our theme as we waited for the closing date.
- “What’s the Buzz” from the musical Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar: This was music for the village, as residents wondered what we were up to inside.
- “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder: A little funk for demolition.
- “Whip It” by Devo: Crack that whip, boys!
- “Bat Out of Hell” by Meat Loaf: We have a belfry. And we had a bat.
- “You Can Call Me Al” by Paul Simon: This melodious bit of music was the leitmotif for our master carpenter. His presence recurred during tiling, construction, garage building and belfry repair. One of his favorites for background music comes next.
- “If You Want to Get to Heaven” by The Ozark Mountain Daredevils: You got to raise a little hell.
- “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin: This is the music for installing a spiral stairway.
- “Take Me to the Church” by Hozier: The lyrics of this song aren’t quite right, but the title sure is.
- “Start Me Up” by The Rolling Stones: Tyler played this one at top volume during one early par-tay after we moved in. It was awesome!
- “Big Time” by Peter Gabriel: Tyler says this song would come up on the playlist for every book I write, I like it so much. It is the perfect tune for him, my Big Sexy who constructed our big house for our big dreams.
The final song in the playlist would have to be Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” with full symphony and choir. Between Tyler’s massive sound system and the naturally fantastic acoustics of the church sanctuary, this piece will move an atheist to his knees. And its final “Hallelujahs” are the crowning glory of the completed renovation.
# # #
My memoir Church Sweet Home: A Renovation to Warm the Soul comes out Tuesday. Preorder the ebook at Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook and Kobo.
Congrats on the debut of the book! What an accomplishment – actually two accomplishments, right? The reconstruction and the book!!
LikeLike
Right, a two-fer! Tyler is enjoying being the author’s husband AND playing the starring character, too!
LikeLike
[…] Tyler’s stereo system was an important finishing touch to the “chome.” What songs does this book make you think of? [See this post for a playlist.] […]
LikeLike