Each year, during my birthday week, I share posts of my favorite appropriately numbered books, films, foods, etc. at that time – and I enjoy looking back each birthday and seeing the new additions as well as the items that are constant.

(We won’t discuss the expansion of those lists each year – only that I hope it continues to grow to an incredibly high number. 😉 )

As with everything else in my world, I am off to a later start than usual on these because of the flu that has taken me out for weeks – so I will be pouring my lists into a few days as we wait on what may be an epic winter storm here in the Deep South.

My first list, always fun to think about and make my Apple playlist, is my song list for my 47th birthday. As always, these are just songs I’m digging right now for one reason or another, in no particular order.

47 songs.

Shine – Dolly Parton

Throttle Therapy – Ruby Darkrose

Before It Breaks – Brandi Carlisle

Chaos and Clothes – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

My Heart Can’t Tell You No – Sara Evans

Bad News – Zach Bryan

To Sir With Love – 10,000 Maniacs

What I Got – Sublime

The Old Apartment – Barenaked Ladies

Anna Begins – Counting Crows 

Come As You Are (Live Acoustic) – Nirvana

Praying For Time – George Michael

One of Us – Joan Osborne

Reckoning – Whiskey Myers

Kid Fears – Indigo Girls

I Will Follow You Into the Dark – Death Cab for Cutie

Molotov – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Little Life – Cordelia

the 1 – Taylor Swift

Mandolin Rain – Bruce Hornsby & The Range

The Song Remembers When – Trisha Yearwood

Stone – Whiskey Myers

Highway Don’t Care (feat. Taylor Swift) – Tim McGraw

Broken Window Serenade – Whiskey Myers

Innocent – Our Lady Peace

Long Live (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift

Nothing Compares 2 U (Live at SiriusXM, 2015) – Chris Cornell

As Good As I Once Was – Toby Keith

Little Bit of Red – Serena Ryder

Head Above Water – Avril Lavigne

In the Blood – John Mayer

Bottoms Up – Brantley Gilbert

21 Guns – Green Day

Fly Over States – Jason Aldean

I Am Not Okay – Jelly Roll

Down to the River to Pray – Alison Krauss

Ripple – Grateful Dead

Spotless (feat.The Lumineers) – Zach Bryan

Last of My Kind – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Bitin’ List – Tyler Childers

Bottomland – HARDY

Favorite Country Song – HARDY

Hard Fought Hallelujah – Brandon Lake & Jelly Roll

Boys of Faith (feat. Bon Iver) – Zach Bryan

Wicked Game – Tenacious D

White Horse – Chris Stapleton

At the top of this list is a song that I have just fallen in love with, a cover by Queen Dolly of the 90’s Collective Soul song, “Shine.” Her version is so unexpected and bright, and it makes my heart smile.

In honor of Dolly’s 80th birthday yesterday, it’s only right that we take a listen today.

Happy Birthday, Dolly! ❤

Be well, everybody. Take care of yourselves and each other.

Grace and Blessings