As I chopped the fresh basil and oregano this morning, I remembered the words of my Italian neighbor as she taught me how to make an authentic red sauce.

But, the track that brings it full circle is “It’s Been a Long Time” by Labelle, and is the payoff and the redemption song for our Precious character as we see her ultimately overcome her dismal circumstances. It’s a great choice and gives you that permission to exhale soundtrack lyrics after almost two hours of holding your breath.

Yes he pursued you. Yes he expressed his desire efficiently and convincingly in the beginning, but once in a relationship, black men tend to retreat to safety. It’s part of our conditioning. The vulnerability that we feel is juxtaposed with the strength (a.k.a “swagger”) that we superficially display. Unfortunately, we don’t know when to drop it, or display it in a different manner (e.g., with compassion, tenderness, or empathy). Have you ever heard someone say, “He’s got a compassionate swagger?” Of course not. Swagger is all about confidence and strength. It protects us from other men, and makes us desirable to women. We just have to be programmed to know when it’s appropriate and safe to be swaggerless.

Fonda and Hopper had asked to include Bob Dylan’s “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” and hoped that Dylan would write an original theme song for the film. Dylan, however, did not like the film’s ending in which the protagonists are killed in the South. Dylan refused to license his recording of “It’s Alright, Ma,” but would permit a cover version to be included as long as it did not end the film.

Another hauntingly beautiful composition from Katharine Blake. The lyric is a 12th-century English poem, just one stanza in length, portraying Christ suffering on the cross.

3 Days Grace- ‘Pain’ – Haha, this song is the best. 😛 This is what the world is about these days and I’m loving it. A world of misery is worse than a world of anger. “Anger and agony/ Are better than misery”! 3DG is a perpetual favorite here.

Her second album, “Folklore”, was released in November of 2003 shortly after the birth of her daughter, Nevis. Due to poor promotion by the label, the album was less successful than her first album. The singles from the album were “Powerless (Say What You Want)” and “Try”. The song “Forca” from the album was used as the official anthem of the 2004 European Football Championship. The song “Childhood Dreams” was dedicated to her daughter.

Honey and the Moon – Joseph Arthur. Again, like Naked as We Came, it is more of a modern tune, but still at its core is a classic singer-songwriter jam. The guitar is played capo-ed on the fourth fret and is masterfully finger picked throughout. The guitar, melody and lyrics are the highlights in the song as I am not the biggest fan of Arthur’s almost whispered vocals, but those three elements of the song alone give it it’s place among the best acoustic songs.