Journeys With Jani

Let’s Talk About It…

Some days the internet is a dumpster fire with a Wi-Fi signal.

And then some days it hands you Loretta Lamberth.

Loretta is one of Take Time To Travel’s long-time homebased advisors and she’s the real deal. We swap grandkid stories, recipes and the kind of everyday life chatter that somehow turns into a full therapy session without anyone scheduling it. She’s a gem. For sure. And clearly she also has great taste in music.

So when Loretta dropped a “not really a playlist” playlist in the comments on one of my Facebook posts… yep. Today’s blog became a music post. Because this list is too good to leave sitting in a comment section like it’s not the main character.

Here’s Loretta’s lineup, with a little added flavor from me.

💿 Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody

Loretta said it’s the best song ever and must be on every playlist. Period.

And honestly… she’s not wrong. “Bohemian Rhapsody” isn’t a song, it’s an emotional event. It’s theater, chaos, heartbreak, harmony and that moment you realize you’ve been singing the lyrics wrong for years and you don’t even care because it still hits. Every playlist deserves at least one track that makes you feel something. This one makes you feel twelve things at once.

💿 Billy Joel: Only the Good Die Young and River of Dreams

Loretta’s exact vibe was basically, “Aw heck… all of Billy Joel.” Which is the most accurate Billy Joel review I’ve ever heard.

“Only the Good Die Young” has that rebellious thing. Catchy, bold, slightly don’t clutch your pearls too hard. And “River of Dreams” is pure late-night-driving energy. Reflective but still moving. Billy Joel doesn’t just write songs, he writes scenes. You can see the story while it’s playing.

💿 Elton John: The One, Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, The Bitch Is Back, Original Sin and basically all of Made in England

Loretta came in strong with Sir Elton John and I respect it.

Elton can do heartbreak that sits you down gently and then turn around and deliver a song that struts into the room wearing sunglasses with no apologies.

And “Made in England”? That’s one of those if you know, you know picks. Loretta knows.

“The One” is soft, grown-up love. The kind that feels earned. “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” is a full-body emotional experience. “The Bitch Is Back” is glittering confidence blasted from a cannon! And “Original Sin” is moody, dramatic and criminally underplayed.

💿 NSYNC: Bye Bye Bye

Loretta said out of all the boy bands, NSYNC was the best.

I’m not here to fight her. “Bye Bye Bye” is pop perfection. Catchy, sharp, attitude with a beat. Also… the second it comes on, your body remembers choreography you never officially learned. Your body starts acting like it was on TRL in 2000. No consent. It just happens.

Every good playlist needs at least one track that makes you grin and time travel.

💿 Meat Loaf: the storytelling king

Loretta said Meat Loaf never gets enough playtime or recognition and she’s right. He is irreverent, dramatic and ridiculously good at telling a story through a song.

She called out most every track on:

🦇 Bat Out of Hell and Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell

Meat Loaf is for people who like their music with a plot, a storm rolling in, a motorcycle revving somewhere in the distance and a heartbreak so loud it requires a spotlight. He didn’t just sing songs. He performed emotional car crashes in the best possible way.

The takeaway:

Loretta’s “not really a playlist” playlist is exactly what a good playlist should be: legendary voices, big feelings, a little humor and a lot of personality. This lineup works whether you’re cleaning the kitchen, driving to work, wrapping up a long day or planning your next trip and pretending you’re in a movie montage.

And the best part is this: music is personal… but it’s also communal. It’s how we share pieces of ourselves without having to explain all the messy details.

Loretta, if you’re reading this… you’re a gem and your taste is immaculate.

Now…

Who’s next?

🤔 Drop 3–5 songs that never fail you and I might turn your picks into the next blog post.

🤔 Or just drop 1 and I’ll bundle it faster than Jake from State Farm!

🤔 If you want to make it easy, answer these:

❤️ One “best song ever”

❤️ One song that kicks you right in the feelings

❤️One song that makes you dance in the kitchen

Tell me yours in the comments. I’m collecting favorites and grouping them into future playlist blogs… and yes, I will absolutely quote you!

XOXO, Jani