cuz my real life ain’t fucking funny

Here is a prairie-gothic playlist for a cross-country road trip, moving through an emotional landscape as much as a physical one: the simple joys of solitude and the aching realization that love is like that, sometimes. This is folk music intermingled with bad top 40s radio play music (bc nostalgia) and some wistful modern crooners - getting at something integral to Midwestern girlhood, at least for me. My own interior life and the interior lives of women I love.

Also, I love Liz Phair. I love Liz Phair so much I will periodically re-listen to her interview with Joe Rogan.

I’m feeling weirdly calm today, because I know most Americans know this is injustice. We have to be there for each other in times of darkness. I trust and believe that. And for now we can band together, scream, sing, and cry.

Gigolo - Liz Phair

And it gives me something to cry about

'Cause my real life ain't fucking funny

Crush - Ethel Cain

I owe you a black eye and two kisses

Tell me when you wanna come and get 'em

Plastic Jesus - Tia Blake

I'm in the backseat sinning

Jesus up there grinning

Sittin' on the dashboard of my car

Norman fucking Rockwell - Lana del Rey

'Cause you're just a man

It's just what you do

It Ain’t Me Babe - Joan Baez

A love of your life and nothing more

I Know - Fiona Apple

And you can use my skin to bury secrets in

And I will settle you down

And at my own suggestion

I will ask no questions

While I do my thing in the background

One Headlight - The Wallflowers

This place is always such a mess

Sometimes I think I'd like to watch it burn

I'm so alone, feel just like somebody else

Man, I ain't changed, but I know I ain't the same

Silver Spring - Fleetwood Mac

Time cast a spell on you, but you won't forget me

I know I could have loved you

But you would not let me

Dream Baby Dream - Suicide

Come on dream on, dream on baby

Come on dream on, dream on baby

Come on dream on, dream on baby

Come on dream on, dream baby dream