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| Artist | Song/piece | Topic(s) | Suggested by | Comments | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crowded House / Dixie Chicks / Trevor Stark | Silent House | Let go. Acceptance. Live in the now. | Barbara | YouTube | |
| Gungor | Beautiful Things | Trust the process. Step 7. | Barbara | Oh man I love this song, it's rhythm is so meditative. It makes me feel so calm and confident that I must Trust the Process. When I do, I see more beauty every day in myself and all around me. | YouTube |
| Starting Over | Macklemore and Lewis | Forgiveness Relapse Trusting the process | Spencer | Lots of good stuff in here. The pain of relapse; trusting the process to get back on track; forgiving himself for the relapse and starting over. | YouTube Lyrics |
| The Fray | Be Still | Kat | YouTube | ||
| Norah Jones | If the Law Don't Want You | Donna | it talks about always choosing the “bad boy” which was definitely one of my issues! | YouTube Lyrics | |
| Télépopmusik | Breathe | Letting go Easy does it | Stacy | Listening to this song reminds me that I don't have to fix anything right now, that I don't have to do anything right now. Just believe and just breathe is all that is required of me at times. | YouTube Lyrics |
| Classified | Inner Ninja | Susan | reminds me of my recovered self | YouTube | |
| Hania Yiska | Teleportationism | Our "intro" music. Thanks to Hania Yiska for permission to use it. | BandCamp | ||
| Steve Earle | God is God | Higher Power, Good Orderly Direction | Barbara | YouTube | |
| John Gorka | Broken Place | Acceptance, Gratitude | Barbara | "Let go and watch God" | YouTube |
| Alvin Youngblood Hart | Rest Your Saddle | Barbara | takes me back to about 10 years ago when my oldest had been runnin and gunnin for about 5 years | Play on MySpace | |
| Bernard Fanning | Watch Over Me | Step 3, Let go and Let God | Heidi | YouTube Lyrics | |
| Lindsay McCaul | Let Go | Let go and Let God, Powerlessness, Step 1 | Heidi | YouTube Lyrics | |
| Simon & Garfunkel | I am a Rock | Isolating | Dianne | (used in Detachment episode) | |
| Simon & Garfunkel | Bridge over Troubled Water | Alanon; codependence | Dianne | youtube | |
| SoKo | For Marlon | Ruth | "It brought me back to the program, after time away, when I tried to forget about it all." | youtube | |
| Corrs | What Can I Do? | Powerlessness, Letting go | Ruth | It is a song about beeing powerless in regard to another persons feeling but I think you can transfer any other thing too and let it fly (go). | YouTube |
| Lee Brice | Hard to Love | Holly | youtube | ||
| Carrie Underwood | Jesus Take the Wheel | Holly | youtube | ||
| Lori McKenna | Drinkin' Problem | Mark | Her "drinkin' problem" is not what you might think at first listen. | youtube | |
| Melissa Lawson | What if it All Goes Right? | Self Care | Barbara | YouTube | |
| Alanis Morissette | I Would be Good | Self Acceptance | Reen | YouTube | |
| Keith Urban | You're Not Alone Tonight | Carolyn | What matters most is never ever losin’ faith ‘Cause it’s gonna be alright You’re not alone tonight | YouTube | |
| Tracy Chapman | Fast Car | Loss, breaking (or not) breaking the cycle | Beth | a song to reinforce how important it is to break the chain through recovery, to arrest the disease before it repeats over yet another generation. Maybe for your adults who were in al-ateen show? Chapman takes care of her father after her mother leaves, then marries an alcoholic herself, tragically. | YouTube |
| Hot Tuna / Jorma Kaukonen | Hesitation Blues | Trust in God, Not being able to commit to action, Overdoing things | Beth, Spencer | "sometimes it is so difficult to get off the virtual couch to do the work we need to do, even though we know it will be better if we do. The hesitation blues describes the extended Ed Norton moment feeling, as he is famously getting ready to get ready, before getting around to dealing with that boulder in our path." | YouTube |
Inner ninja by confidential -reminds me of my recovered self
Sorry by “Classified ”
M
“Beautiful Broken Place” John Gorka – acceptance, gratitude, Let Go and Watch God
“God is God” by Steve Earle – Higher Power, Good Orderly Direction good cover by Joan Baez
“Rest Your Saddle” Alvin Youngblood Hart – on Big Mama’s Door – takes me back to about 10 years ago when my oldest had been runnin and gunnin for about 5 years – it almost killed both of us. My (AFG)”birthday” is Oct 31,1998 – the day I realized the program is for me, I need Recovery and have to work for it whether or not he ever gets sober. The next Mother’s Day he went to medical detox/treatment then inpatient. He really wanted help and since then has been committed to a life of recovery and service. This song came to me about the time he voluntarily went into inpatient treatment. It sounds like I felt, just completely giving up. So tired. “Son, come down and rest your saddle. you don’t have to ride that horse no more. . .” but absolutely with the understanding that it’s up to HIM. Letting Go. may be good topic – the Al-Anon Recovery Date. I don’t think that Addicts/Alcoholics understand how precious that is to us, just like their sobriety date. Many of them don’t understand how devestating a relapse can be to ME. Oh man, I can get really sick really quick. Need God, the tools, meetings, my Sponsor always.
“Watch Over Me” by Bernard Fanning
“Let Go” Lindsay McCaul
The very plain reason why I like this song is: it brought me back to Al Anon after several years of absence when I just try to forget. I want to thank SoKo by mention this song here.
I was in a very confusing situation again and this song just cleared my view.
“For Marlon” SoKo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3eOoxX9kI4
I came to hear this song during listening to the her Album which I bought cause of the song. “I kill her”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P6W9n9dfJs
I was wondering why I like this song so much? This woman is acting really crazy. I never agreed to be angry with one who your partner is cheating you, but if, with your partner himself.
First of all the song is somehow ironic. She expresses her fury and her, so common but on the same time so unrealistic expectations that you really have to laugh about that. But at one moment she also very clearly realizes how overdone it is (“me neither”). But what appeals to me in particular is that she seems vulnerable and strong at the same time.
I hope you enjoy. Take what you like and leave the rest.
It’s heartbreaking to witness the thought processes of the addicted. They seem so trapped. I’m glad I watched this video but it was painful. I hope both Marlon and the young woman made it to Recovery.
This photo reminds me of the young woman (played by Alison Lohman)in the 2007 film “Things We Lost in the Fire”. She made it out of addiction but her partner did not, and when she shared about that it was with a real flatness and sorrow. But she was living a good life, active in meetings and helping the character played by Benicio Del Toro achieve and maintain sobriety.
Hello Barbara,
I’m not really sure if there is the person named “Marlon”. In regard to SoKo I think she is a really talented artist. When you listen to several songs and imagine that there must be some real expierence behind it, you can hardly believe that all those things could have happen in only one young life. I don’t hear any familiar sounding recovery vocabulary in her songs but a lot of honest facing reality and acceptance with a good sence of humor.
I saw the movie you mention. Very touching.
… the power is not mine…
The Corrs “What can I do”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=234u2ZV8HNY
It is a song about beeing powerless in regard to another persons feeling but I think you can transfer any other thing too and let it fly (go).
http://youtu.be/MRbSUPWSdcE Melissa Lawson singing “What if it All Goes Right?”
topic, Self Care
you might be able to find a better video, I know there’s one that has lyrics.
Self Care is so important. Many times we begin to practice it in faith, and don’t see much improvement at first. But it cultivates hope and it shifts the focus from the problem to the solution. People around us begin to notice the results, and their attitude toward us changes. I remember having a clear vision of my loved one struggling through life with a huge sack on his back – like Santa Claus early on Christmas – barely able to take a single step. And where was I? I was climbing on top of his heavy load. So not only was he struggling with alcoholism, he had concerns about his Mama too. I was not helping him by heaping guilt and worry on him about MY mental and emotional state. The very best encouragement I could give him was to model respect for my own Recovery, and the most visible way to do it is to practice self care.
With or without you from U2
“I can’t live with or without you”
Described perfectly the feeling when I came to Al Anon. I can’t really recommend it as song in regard to recovery but maybe as a feeling from were you can start of.
the page was eating the link 😉
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmSdTa9kaiQ
http://youtu.be/E-EiqfYRMI8 This is a dance interpretation of Hezekiah Walker’s “I Need You to Survive” – – Unity. No Gossip. Presuming GOODwill.
there are other youtube versions available
Touching 🙂
http://youtu.be/KW0kE6mucFY Mavis Staples “You’re Not Alone”
topic: the irreplaceable value of face2face meetings and intimacy; trust; isolation.
“Open up, this is a raid” reminds me of how a really good Sponsor is there, watching me struggle, waiting for that moment to suggest the possibility that God is nearby and ready to come in. End the Isolation with the Courage we pray for.
Natasha Bedingfield: unwritten
I think this song contribute to several topics: beeing myself, courage to go my own way, living my life at full, looking forward forward to the not yet known future …
Sinead O’Connor: i feel so different http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APcLHPhxdKk
The song starts with the serenity prayer ..
It was the opening song of the latest Al Anon convention I have attended, and I have wondered why I havent thought of posting it here before.
I’m curious if someone of you has a interpretation. I’m not sure if she is talking to her significant other, her higher power or both? So or so it reminds how it is to go through many diverse emotions beside she has a awesome voice.
Wharf Rat by The Grateful Dead
Lyrics:
But I’ll get back on my feet someday
The good lord willing, if he says I may
I know that the life I’m living’s no good
I’ll get a new start, live the life I should
I’ll get up and fly away
***Not sure if you knew that there are a sub-group of Deadheads;who call themselves Wharf Rats who are drug and alcohol free. Predominantly recovering alcoholics and or drug abusers.
You Are Not Alone by Mavis Staples
The first time I heard this song it overpowered me. Mavis is so amazingly and achingly beautiful. The lyrics of this song lift me up every time I hear it. Thank you for your show. It helps on the days I can’t get to a meeting and need one.
Keith Urban – You’re not alone tonight
“What matters most is never ever losin’ faith
‘Cause it’s gonna be alright
You’re not alone tonight”
Listening to Marvin Gaye for first time in awhile- “If I Could Build My Whole World Around You” – pre- Al-Anon anthem.
‘Landslide’ by Fleetwood Mac. I met with my sponsor tonight to work on my step two. Answering the questions in “Paths to Recovery” was very illuminating for me. We discussed my great aversion to change… It literally terrifies me. I walked out of the coffee shop and got in my car… Turned on the radio and the part of the song that starts with “Well, I’ve been afraid of changing… Because I’ve built my life around you” was playing. My breath caught in my throat… It was truly a higher power moment.
Laura, this happens to me all the time – I’ve always thought that my Higher Power speaks to me through music. But maybe it’s just a reception thing and He’s glad i’m listening at all~ When people say “i like that song, but never listen to the words” I just do not get that at all. more from Landslide:
“Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
And can I sail through the changing ocean tides
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Oh oh I don’t know, oh I don’t know. . .. ”
the blessings of growth in our program of Recovery are measureless while on this planet. Seasons change, situations change, getting skills to deal with that on the most basic level are priceless.
“Nothing More” by the Alternative Routes has held significant meaning for me lately. The whole message fills me with hope and helps me understand my own humanity. My favorite part is the second verse:
“To be bold, to be brave,
it is thinking that the heart can still be saved.
And the darkness can come quick,
the danger’s in the anger and in the hanging on to it…”
I also love the part that says:
“Heros don’t look like they used to, they look like you do…”
It helps me to see all who make it through the day with this disease as heroic. This inspires me to make it through one more day.
Where Have all the Cowboys Gone -Paula Cole
Give me your Eyes by Brandon Heath. In cred I ble song. Hope you can share.
Eric B
Lucinda Williams “Are You Down” from the album “Essence” (2001)
It’s a simple, surprisingly calming song that speaks to not forcing situations/solutions and drawing boundaries:
“Can’t put the rain back in the sky
Once it falls down
Please Don’t cry
Rain turns the dirt into mud
Warm and messy
Like your love
Can’t force the river upstream
When it goes south
Know what I mean
Nothin’ will make me take you back
Are you down babe
Down with that”
“Let go” by Frou Frou. Topic should be self explanatory;). Some of the lyrics are:
Excuse me, too busy
You’re writing your tragedy
These mishaps you bubble wrap
When you’ve no idea what you’re like
So let go, so let go, hmm, jump in
Oh, well, whatcha waiting for? It’s alright
‘Cause there’s beauty in the breakdown
https://youtu.be/VvdzKHhgANA