Hear all about it from our very own music man, Ryan Servis!
We’ve all been through the wringer that is “a day in the life” at Bottom Line. Much like a playlist, intensity rises and falls while emotions flutter. Although no two days are ever the same, we’ve all had the collective experience that is “The BLM Company Playlist.”
Although my mornings at the office with Annette have been few, I’ve heard firsthand her cheery greeting of, “Good Morning, Good Morning!” from the 1952 musical, “Singin’ in the Rain.” Not only is it the perfect way to kick off the playlist, but pays homage to a special Bottom Line tradition.
From here, we face “Monday, Monday,” a melancholy recollection of love lost on a day that was supposed to be a good one. Much like “Monday, Monday,” we all try to start our week off strong, but the advertising world often has other plans for you. “Jump Into the Fire,” “Under Pressure,” and “Help!” illustrate the mad dash to keep pace with a hastening workflow, before inevitably falling behind and calling for backup.
“I was alright for a while, I could smile for a while…” Roy Orbison’s “Crying” is next, and is the rock bottom of our list. If you have not cried during the fourth quarter at Bottom Line Marketing, then you don’t have to look hard to find a coworker that has.
“Hold On” is not only a Bottom Line karaoke favorite, it’s a light at the end of the tunnel. The sweet consolation from our coworkers continues with “Don’t Worry Baby” and “You’ve Got a Friend.” We’ve now come full circle, and it’s time for “One More Cup of Coffee” to hit the reset button before the second half of our playlist.
To me, working at a creative agency is not only about the million dollar ideas, but the hundreds of unused concepts and hard work that goes into creating them for our clients. Part two begins with “Dirty Work,” an introduction to a suite of songs also including Randy Newman’s “It’s Money That I Love,” “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” and “Ain’t That A Shame.” This segment of our playlist is widely open to interpretation and I hope it will mean something different to each of us.
Tequila!
As our playlist comes to a close, “Whip It” brings in a tone of optimism. Being able to handle any problem that comes along, whipping it good, is what makes us all feel like we’re good at our jobs at the end of the day.
“Good Times Bad Times” is the beginning of our final reflection on the highs and lows of our time with Bottom Line. It is a bridge between an energized Devo and a sober Frank Sinatra. “My Way” is a classic closer. It’s what filled the airwaves when Sinatra died. Although it’s bombastic, sometimes a cliche just fits the bill. I’ll leave you with the final verse:
Yes, there were times, I’m sure you know
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way