Happy New Year!
Okay, so perhaps not quite the greeting the civilians out there might be expecting in September.
But if you just finished serving a summer-long tour of duty strategizing camp routes and schedules, running deep intel ops on potential babysitter’s burner social accounts, mediating truces for multiple pint-sized skirmishes over remote control jurisdiction, preparing enough snacks daily to feel as if you were running a chow hall for a small army, and packing backpacks with a mind-boggling assortment of school supplies that would make a Tetris champ weep?
Well, after all that those “first day of school” pics sure can feel like a ball dropping in your own personal Times Square, the echo of some YouTube personality’s voice replacing “Auld Lang Syne” in the background. (Maybe all “auld acquaintances” shouldn’t be forgotten, but the streamer who helped your child swap dreams of becoming an astronaut for a plan to stream Minecraft cave-building for a living could be an exception.)
It might not quite be time to kick back—seriously, when did Neil deGrasse Tyson start writing elementary school math homework?!—but fall does offer parents a bit more time for the other R&R: reflection and recalibration.
If the past summer has you rethinking your space or neighborhood, these cooler, busy-yet-more-regimented months offer a perfect time to explore your options—and Woodside Homes has put together a home n’ hearth-centered playlist for these wistful, hopeful days.
Check it out and ping us with your favorite tracks on social media!
Wilson Phillips: “Hold On”
Though this classic soul-stirring ode to change isn’t about real estate per se, two daughters of Brian Williams of The Beach Boys and the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas and The Papas sure carries a vibe both familial and neighborly. Also, the line “Don’t you know things could change/Things could go your way/If you hold on for one more day” definitely does not feel completely unrelated to the housing market of the last few years.
Taylor Swift: “The Best Day”
Yes, including a Tay-Tay track on a playlist is probably required by federal law in 2023, but that doesn’t change the fact that this Fearless track is one of the most lilting, beautiful homages to how the love of a family transforms a house into a home. “I didn't know if you knew/ So I'm taking this chance to say/That I had the best day with you today.”
Sinead O’Connor: “Dancing Lessons”
When O’Connor tragically passed away last July, much was made of her fiery anthems and social activism. Which absolutely should be acknowledged. But the Irish singer-songwriter also wrote incredibly vulnerable songs about love and devotion like “This is to Mother You” off the 1997 Gospel Oak E.P. and this affecting electro-folk song from 2000’s Faith and Courage. “And when you wrap your arms around me/When you take me close and say/That you're so happy and so glad you found me/You take my rainy days and make them go away.”
Phillip Phillips: “Home”
Though he got this start on the big and flashy stages of American Idol, Phillips brings it all back to the roots in this track, arriving in a hail of harmonized “ooh”s and folksy strumming to imbue lines like “If you get lost, you can always be found/Just know you're not alone/'Cause I'm gonna make this place your home” with real emotion and authenticity.
Lonestar: “My Front Porch Looking In”
The imagery in this track is just perfect—“There's a carrot top who can barely walk/With a sippy cup of milk/A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong/'Cause she likes to dress herself”—but for our purposes here the pre-chorus is a bullseye: “My blessings are in front of me/It's not about the land/I'll never beat the view/Of my front porch looking in.”
Creedence Clearwater Revival: “Lookin’ Out My Back Door”
At Woodside Homes, we take a 360-degree view of the home, so if we’re gonna show love to the front porch, we’re going to follow up with an appreciation for the beauty and wonder that awaits outside the back door. Thanks to Creedence Clearwater Revival for anticipating just such this situation back in 1970. (Actually, John Fogerty wrote it for his three-year-old son, but still…)
Bon Jovi: “Who Says You Can’t Go Home”
Not Woodside Homes. It’s actually kinda the opposite of what we say. Also, got to kick off the last third of the playlist with a true blue, bona fide anthem.
Jonas Brothers: “Little Bird”
Lovely song about finding a space in which you can live in the moment and focus on what matters. Written from the perspective of a father speaking to his daughter, the brothers sing: “Darlin', there's a train comin' in your life that you gotta catch/But that's not right now/Small hands (Wrapped around my finger, wrapped around my finger)/And we dance (Try to let it linger, try to let it linger).”
Stevie Wonder: “Isn’t She Lovely?”
Find you a house you can look at the way Stevie Wonder sings about his daughter. “Isn’t she lovely?/Isn’t she wonderful?/Isn’t she precious”... “Isn’t she pretty?/Truly the angel’s best/Boy, I’m so happy/We have been Heaven-blessed.”
Madness: “Our House”
C’mon. You knew this was coming.
Your Next Steps
Ready to write your own song in the key of life? Check our versatile, modern new homes that empower you and your family to play your own unique melody, your own way. Contact us today, and let's get you home.
