On the big screen, a large fin sticking out of the top of the water isn’t quite as intimidating without the daunting instrumentals, the “Dun-dun. Dun-dun. Dun-dun” of the “Jaws” theme song.
Rocky’s sprints through the streets of Philly and one-armed pushups inside the ring become slightly less motivational without the trumpet build-up of “Gonna Fly Now” by Bill Conti.
Daniel LaRusso’s high kicks against the Cobra Kai martial arts groups were ten times more powerful with Joe Esposito’s “You’re The Best Around” playing in the background.
The soundtrack behind every film has the opportunity to make or break the scenes, the settings and the story. Similarly, the soundtracks that make up our lives can enhance every event and experience.
So, this past November I was excited to get the chance to make a playlist that set the stage for the Buster Bowl, a student and staff football game that is the main opportunity Union students have to either play in or watch a football game. My writing professor that semester — Ted Kluck himself — had a big part in coaching and playing in the Buster Bowl. After sitting through some classes with Kluck, who used every class period as an excuse to show off his background DJ skills as we worked on our assignments, I was excited when we decided to collaborate on the Buster Bowl playlist together.
Making a playlist that perfectly fits an event can be tricky, though. It’s kind of like when you’re trying to plan your own birthday dinner, and you realize that your friends are all coming together from different groups, and “cliques” may not necessarily work. If Kate comes, that will be good because she kind of knows John through a mutual friend — so he will have someone he knows — but what about Ashley? And also, I’ll feel bad if I invite Chris but not Lily, but I don’t really talk to Lily… You get the point. On your own, you get along great with each person or group, but when they all come together, it has the potential to be pretty awkward. And who wants it to be awkward at their own birthday dinner?
So, when trying to “make a moment” with a playlist, you have to be pretty careful about how everything will mesh together, pulling from different genres, transitioning from one song to another, etc. You’ve also got to know your crowd. Otherwise, the vibes will simply be off.
The fate of the Buster Bowl vibes rested on the shoulders of Kluck, me and our three-hour Spotify playlist.
We decided to set the stage for the game with the classic hype-up songs. “We Ready” by Archie Eversole and “All I Do is Win” by DJ Khaled are perfectly universal pump-up tunes that would speak to young college kids and Jackson community members alike.
Some songs, such as “Monster” by Meek Mill, “Power” by Kanye West and “‘Till I Collapse” by Eminem were going to be necessary for the twenty-something year old’s out on the field to get into game mode, despite the potentially disapproving looks from older community members. (Don’t worry, clean versions only!)
Christian rap songs such as “You Can’t Stop Me” by Andy Mineo were added, too. That spoke to any kid who had stepped foot into a youth group or spent a summer at a Christian camp, where leaders and chaperones overplay any song that mixes clean lyrics with a more “secular” style of music.
Kluck added songs from NFL Films and the “Monday Night Football” theme, songs you wouldn’t know the name to but would immediately recognize when played, getting you into that football spirit. He also added AC/DC, Metallica and Led Zeppelin. Although it wouldn’t have crossed my mind to add hard rock, I had to admit that it did help create the atmosphere we wanted.
(Our collaboration for the playlist was essential to making it work for everyone, as we represented very different demographics. Me, a twenty-year-old female college student who listens to way too much Taylor Swift, and Kluck, a thirty-something sports fanatic whose music taste was probably still a bit stuck in the 80s.)
Toward the end of the game, when high spirits were already established and not going anywhere, we had a vibe-switch from pump-up to just plain fun. Some classic oldies — “I Want you Back” by the Jackson 5 and “I’m A Believer” by The Monkees — fun and happy, and versatile enough to speak to every member in the crowd.
Music can make the most mundane tasks more exciting and make the most fun events ten times better. You can make a playlist for anything —cleaning your room (we’re going to need some exciting tunes for this one) or going on a drive (the vibe of this one will depend on the weather — is it windows down or a rainy day?)
So, the next time you’re wanting to make your experience better, just make a playlist.
