Jacqui’s Playlist

Music Therapy for Jacqui
written by Maury Smith

Click to see Jacqui's Playlist of favorite songs
Click to see Jacqui’s Playlist of favorite songs

One of the special things about my 17-year old daughter, Jacqueline, is the effect that music has on her.  She loves most songs but there are a select few that cause her to make her sad face and start crying.

When we were at a large family gathering last year there was a group of us talking and listening to the radio when all of a sudden my peaceful daughter started crying loudly.   Her older sister came right over to our table and informed us that as soon as Springsteen’s “Heart On Fire” started playing it would be only seconds until Jacqui became upset and that’s exactly what happened.  I did not know that Bruce’s song was on the “sad” list but I do know many songs that are on the “very happy” list.  I suggested that a Dionne Warwick medley would change Jacqui’s mood.

Several of Jacqueline’s aunts immediately started belting out “….the moment I wake up….before I put on my make-up….I say a little prayer for you…”   The tears stopped as fast as they had started and turned into the happiness of a teenager enjoying a great musical performance.  We covered a few oldies including  “Do You Know the Way to San Jose” and everybody loved the great singing voices of Jacqueline’s aunts.

The Music Therapy of our family singing Dionne Warwick’s big hits changed an unpleasant moment into a one of Jacqueline’s favorite concert experiences.

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