Scott's "Cancer and Me" Playlist (September 22, 2025)
When Scott was undergoing cancer treatment, he made a Spotify playlist called "Cancer and Me." I couldn't listen to it much while he was sick or in the months after he passed because it still felt too raw and painful.
In the midst of processing Todd's cancer diagnosis, I started listening to Scott's "Cancer and Me" playlist again. Hearing it now, over three years out, brings a sense of comfort and closeness with Scott. Some songs ("Lost in the Supermarket", "These Days") are very familiar, and I have many memories of listening to them with Scott. Other songs ("Someday We'll Linger in the Sun", "Astral Weeks") are new to me, and there's an element of discovering something that Scott liked and possibly brought him comfort as he was facing his own cancer journey.
Scott always enjoyed "indoctrinating" people when it came to introducing them to music, books, movies, and games that he loved. When we first met in college, I was completely in the dark on pop culture. The first summer after we started dating, I went to Taiwan for a 6 week cultural program informally known as "Love Boat" (this is a whole other story, but Scott was convinced that my parents were shipping me off to Taiwan to find a nice Chinese boy). As we said goodbye, Scott slipped me his Sony Discman and 4 CDs: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles, Achtung Baby by U2, Bookends by Simon & Garfunkel, and August and Everything After by The Counting Crows. Listening to those songs over the summer (this was the mid-1990s, and Internet service wasn't so easy to access) made me feel closer to Scott even though he was half a world away. In the years following, Scott and my sisters often traded music recommendations, and we all have memories of sharing and listening to music with him.
I still have Scott's Spotify account, and every once in a while I'll listen to one of his many playlists. I think he would be happy to know that even now, I'm still discovering music through him.
Brian Wilson (Live) - Barenaked Ladies
Where the Streets Have No Name - U2
Desperado - The Langley Schools Music Project
I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones
Lost in the Supermarket - The Clash
Rue St. Vincent - Yves Montand
Look At Me - John Lennon
These Days - Nico
The Fairest of the Seasons - Nico
I Hope that Something Better Comes Along - Matt Nathanson
Simple Twist of Fate - Bob Dylan
Stand by Me - Otis Redding
Moonlight Mile - The Rolling Stones
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight - Richard & Linda Thompson
Someday We'll Linger in the Sun - Gaelynn Lea
50 Lashes - Floating Action
Elastic Heart - Sia
No Surprises - Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox
33 "GOD" - Bon Iver
Astral Weeks - Van Morrison
The Only Living Boy in New York - Simon & Garfunkel
I Still Miss Someone - Johnny Cash
Handle With Care - Traveling Wilburys
America - Simon & Garfunkel
Kathy's Song - Simon & Garfunkel
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