I think that the Ipod could have been yet another great invention by Benjamin Franklin, and if it was around back in height of his creative years there are many songs of love, nature and other elements of Romanticism, Enlightenment or even captive narratives. When thinking of such brilliant minds like Franklin, Paine, Irving, Equiano and others, I have come up with my own playlist of songs which I think would describe their thoughts and emotions.
        Washington Irving showed stages of Romanticism through his descriptions of Nature’s beauty in his short story “Rip Van Winkle.”  Its setting and themes of the supernatural and fantasy, as well as nature are prevalent throughout the work. I tried picturing this picturesque setting of the Kaatskill Mountains and his vivid and colorful description of nature on that autumn day.    He states, "The mountains are clothed in blue and purple” (Irving). He also describes “miles of rich woodland.” And that, “ He saw at a distance the lordly Hudson, far, far below him, moving on its silent but majestic course, with the reflection of a purple cloud, or the sail of a lagging bark, here and there sleeping on its glassy bosom, and at last losing itself in the blue highlands."  ("Rip Van Winkle, A Posthumous Writing of Diedrich Knickerbocker” par. 16). I think Irving would have included in his play list, Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” The song is an anthem for nature and living. The lyric starts with, “I see trees of green, red roses too. (l.1) “I see skies of blue and clouds of white” (l.5). And throughout the song he talks about the rainbow skies and how people are casually walking by shaking hands and smiling, a perfect piece of nature and happy days.
http://youtu.be/m5TwT69i1lU
        India Arie wrote a song called “Nature” and I think that Irving would have had this song in his play list as well. Irving portrayed elements of Nature during the time of Romanticism which I find to be dark, mysterious and love gone bad, and Arie’s description of nature is more mellow and inviting.  Arie lyrics are, “Let’s sit back and watch the flowers grow/why you want/to swim against the tide/Let’s lay and watch the river flow.” (ll.5-8) Later she talks about this (meaning the Earth) being God’s creation and all the things the beauty and nature provides. And the last part of the song really nails it for me because of her comparisons casual acquaintance or something meant and letting nature take its course, “Like the sun shines and/The wind blows/like the birds fly/and the moon glows/If I am meant for you and/You are meant for me/Then we will flow together/Ever lastly (ll.29-36). Nature is portrayed through the song and the lyric are filled with its overtones. I find it amazing how one description of nature is related to gloom and yet its description of a beautiful autumn day and its location can make you almost forget about the darkness of the work. And then you have an artist like Arie who puts together a beautiful lyric and landscape of nature and it makes you want to find that place she is singing of. According to Professor Lilia Melani’s, “Introduction to Romanticism”, “Nature” meant many things to the Romantics. It was often presented as itself a work of art, constructed by a divine imagination, in emblematic language.” While Irving’s description of seeing the Mountains through “magical hues and shapes” (Irving)
http://youtu.be/2SSbhlYaGgk

        The autobiography of Olaudah Equiano reads like the movie “Amistad.” He talks about how he was treated as a slave, but he gains his freedom and his story becomes a rags- to-riches tales. Even though his story reveals one of America’s most horrendous eras, it also show what God and determination can do for one’s spirit, and I think the song by Paul McCartney called “Freedom” would be a perfect song for Equiano’s play list. Equiano spoke of how he witnesses the selling and killing of his own people, but he had already devised a plan to purchase his freedom once the opportunity permitted itself. Equiano revisits the day by arriving in Montserrat and having consulted with the captain and his money in hand, he approached the “master” in a very respectful gesture and the fears in his heart. He stated that, “I prayed him to be as good his offer to me, when he was pleased to promise me my freedom as soon as I could purchase it.” After some convincing from Equiano and the captain, the master released the indentured servant. Equiano described the first Bible scripture that came to mind when he speaks of walking out of that door and headed to the Register’s office to apply of his freedom. He states, “I called to the mind the words of the Palmist, in the 126th psalm, and kike Him, I glorified God in my heart, in whom I trusted.” His wordsand thoughts are crying out,  “freedom” The lyric starts with, “This is my right, a right given by God/to live a free life, to live in freedom.” I believe this is all Equiano was asking. Equiano was once free in his homeland and he had this simply liberty taken away because of greed. Later the lyric say, “I will fight, for the right/ to live in freedom.” Equiano mentioned the fist fights that occurred during his time of captivity and he having to defend himself from the hand of the racist white man, but then he was able to purchase his freedom after al l he had encountered Freedom! Equiano shows Enlightenment thoughts throughout his autobiography.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM6sXIWmqok

        Another song I think Equiano would have had in his playlist is a song written by Donny Hathaway called “Someday we will all be free.” The song became like an anthem for African-Americans everywhere. It was played on the airwaves a lot during the civil rights movement and I think that the song and Equiano’s struggles have a lot in common. I also feel that the song is describing how Equiano would have described his thoughts while walking to the Register’s office and filling that Manumission form for freedom. The song lyric is: “Keep you self-respect you’re very bright/get yourself in gear/keep your stride/never mind your fears/brighter days will soon be here/Take it from me someday we’ll all be free.” After going from being free in his homeland to becoming in slave in strange land, back to being free in a foreign land, just show the strength, character and determination of a group of people that were taken from their homeland to come to a foreign land and work it for no pay and beat and sold as if they were animals, yet these people never game up because they had something on the inside that could not be described. Call it Faith or whatever; his people (our people) are a resilient group of people. This song boasts love for self, strength and determination. These are some the characteristic of this race of people. I think that Equiano would have been proud to have this song in his playlist. (Torrez, "Equiano and Slave Narratives)  gave a very good description of Equiano’s quote when he was making reference to the Africans and the Spaniards.  He stated, “Who hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Equiano 43, 44). Not only is he stating that the Spaniards are no better than the Africans, he is saying that all me are created equal and free. Equiano story has many elements of a Slave narrative, but his accounts of what he encountered as a slave were very convincing. I found additional info about Equiano at: http://www.brycchancarey.com/equiano/

        I chose two totally different writers and two different elements; however, I believe that both were so unique in their work. One used nature and imagination to write of a dark period in his life and the other sharing the horrendous experience of becoming a slave and back to being a free man. Both are now a part of history. Irving’s playlist would contain songs of nature, imagery, setting and themes and I think that his playlist with India Arie and Louis Armstrong lyric were filled with imagery and nature, while Equiano needed his spirits lifted while his faith was being tested and believe that the songs chosen for his playlist are both uplifting and encouraging.