Songs of My Life

I was reading the blog of a friend recently and she was posting about a song that was stuck in her head (thanks a lot ... that song followed me around for days!).

After reading this blog (and finally shaking the song out of my brain), I started to think about my life and the music that accompanies it.

I remember a paper I wrote back in high school. It was for an Advanced Creative Writing class that I absolutely adored ... a class that even made me consider Writing as a career ... I have no idea why I didn't pursue that thought. Every once in a while I enjoy looking at some of those papers (yes, I saved each and every one ... most were written about my heartbreak, but some were pretty inspired!).

Anyway, the paper that I remember, was about how certain senses can take you back to memories you didn't even think you remembered. Like the smell of a certain cologne can remind you of your your 8th grade crush or the scent of Jean Nate brings you back to your Grandma's house.

My paper was concentrated on the sense of sound. How certain songs can almost be like pictures floating in front of your eyes when you hear their distinct melodies. Some memories can be sad, some can make you giggle ... some can get you just as fired up now as they did back then!

Here are some of the songs that take me back ....



Celebration by Kool and the Gang. Now, I am sure this song has been played at most weddings or proms you have attended, I know it has for me. But, the one memory that comes up every time I hear this song is a Father/Daughter dance I attended with my Dad during my Freshman year of high school. It was Spring, 1989. I remember noticing how cool my Dad actually was. He had rhythm. He had this distinct dance move where he shakes his hips and bobs his head side to side, all smooth and stylish. I never really had noticed my dad like that until that point in my life. It makes me smile just thinking about it.



Come on Eileen by Dexi's Midnight Runners. This song always take me back to my little yellow bedroom at our last house in Indiana. I remember my sisters and I dancing to that song over and over, running in circles faster and faster as the melody sped up. Good times.



Another One Bites the Dust by Queen. My Mom. Forest Green Chevy Nova. Turned up ... loud. Too cool.



Ice Ice baby by Vanilla Ice. My sisters and I could rap (and, frightfully, still can) each and every word. Ha!



Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. This song was the Prom theme at my boyfriend's Senior Prom. It was also "our song." Every single time I hear it I can remember him.



***This is where my post will escape to my high school sweetheart memories .... I often wonder if I am psycho for remembering all of this stuff, or if everyone remembers this stuff. These songs remind me of "that" guy, the one who broke my heart into a million pieces. ***



More Than Words Can Say by Alias. I can almost remember the notes Brian (that was his name) used to send me. They were long ass love letters, all gushy and sweet. He once wrote out the words to this song for me. (and all the girls can go ... "aaaawwwwww")



I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For by U2. On a night out with friends, this song came on the radio, Brian leaned over and whispered, "I already found what I am looking for."



Days Gone By by Slaughter. Not a well known song. I had just bought this CD when Brian dumped me out of the clear blue sky. This track? I would put it on repeat and sob my eyes out until I had nothing left and then I would do it all over again.



***OK ... no more Brian songs ..... but I did have other boyfriends ... really, I did!!!!***



November Rain by Guns and Roses. So, the guy I met right after the big break up, thought this was "our" song ... on the first night I met him ... and I was totally annihilated. Um ... after one date, I decided I would rather stay heartbroken!



Dream on by Aerosmith. My girlfriend had a crush on a boy (he was pretty hot I must say) in high school who loved Aerosmith. One night, she and I sat in my room and hit play and pause all night long until we learned the words to this song .... ha ha ha. Too bad we didn't have Google.



Killing Me Softly by The Fugees. My middle sister came to visit me in college. She listened to this song incessantly. The visit was a blast. On the way home we listened to this song: To Really Love a Woman by Bryan Adams.



3AM by Matchbox 20. I moved out into my own totally cute apartment. Free from all boys. Free to do anything I chose to do. I listened to this song cranked way up.



Angel by Sarah McLaughlin. I met E when this song was out. I always thought about him when it came on the radio ... even before I realized I liked him.



Best Friend by TimMcGraw. Our wedding song. Also, my ring tone for E. He was/is my best friend ... most of the time ;)



You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban. I dance with my Dad to this song at my wedding. I seriously cannot listen to more than 15 seconds (and that is pushing it) without tearing up and soon sobbing like a baby. If you aren't married, and you plan on getting married, and you really love you Dad, double check the length of the song you will dance with him to ... this one killed me!



Soak up the Sun by Sheryl Crow. The song playing when Big J was born. He was my sun and I soaked it up.



List of Demands by Saul Williams. Unfortunately they didn't have the radio on when little j was born. But March Madness was in full swing when I brought him home from the hospital. There was Nike commercial that they played every other second and this was its song. Little j slept in the pack and play downstairs next to the TV those first two weeks and will probably have some experience with this song someday and not really know why ... he will just think, "where the hell have I heard this before????" :)



I have so many songs I could list. Lists that could go on and on ... especially for an audiophile like me. Maybe some day I will revisit this post and add some more "songs of my life."



What are your songs?