Soundtrack of My Life

This is a fun little Blogfest brought to you by Lee over at Tossing it Out (if you haven’t checked out his blog yet, please do so) in which the participant lists songs from their life.  Without further ado I offer you mine.

1. Barbara Ann – The Beach Boys:  This song, along with many other Beach Boys’ tunes, was played on long car trips with the family.  Most of my life I’ve been in Connecticut while all members of my extended family were in Ohio, Florida or, before my aunt and uncle retired from the Navy, in another country.  I do believe I used to chide my father about this music when I was young and hungering to listen to more of my own, but now I have a tremendous fondness for this group as well as the memories it evokes.

2. Bad Medicine – Bon Jovi: Speaking of long car rides…  One of the first tapes I ever owned was Bon Jovi’s New Jersey.  Back in the days of the Walkman I listened to this tape, as well as Tiffany, forever and a day on those car rides while reading Sweet Valley High or Gymnastics books.

3.  Never Gonna Give You Up – Rick Astley: A dear friend of mine, recently reunited through email, and I used to dance around and sing along to Rick on my little boombox during those oh, so precious moments of privacy during sleepovers.

4.  What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong: No matter what’s going on in my life, Louis makes me feel better.  Another of his songs, Blueberry Hill, is one that my Grandfather used to sing in his somewhat off-pitch husky voice.  There’s still a small ache in my chest when I think of him doing so, but it is a good memory and one I hold directly accountable for gifting me with the love of Louis.

5.  Annie’s Song- John Denver:  This is the ultimate love song for me.  Since the first time I remember hearing it (not too many years ago) I thought of my husband and, incidentally, still do.  “Come, let me love you; Come love me again” – and this is what love is to me.  [Dreamland Express is another by him that I adore.]

6.  Intermezzo in A major, Op.118, No. 2- Brahms: This piece embodied love, heartache and break to me during a particularly rough time in my courtship with my husband and it will always call to me.  For what is love but a connection that is nourished through many trials and life and the joy of having done so?  It’s also a piece I played amazingly well once upon a time, learned in during the aforementioned difficult time period and then played to accolades at my Honors Recital.

7.  Piano Concerto, No. 3, first movement – Rachmaninoff: This piece is passion incarnate.  It’s also a piece that introduced me to the world of concertos.

8. Simple Man – Shinedown: Before I had my son this was the song I always thought I would like to impart the wisdom of onto my children.

9.  Danny’s Song – Kenny Loggins: When hubby and I lived in a little apartment together, struggling to buy groceries, pay rent and all the other trappings of being newlyweds w/out careers, I would sing this song to him.  My way of making myself less crazy about the money and reminding him that love was always in my heart.

10.  Valentine – Jim Brickman/Martina McBride: Another one of those lovey songs that makes me think of hubby and yearn for slow dancing around the living room.  I should probably pick up the toys on the floor first, though.

11.  Ten Thousand Fists – Disturbed: I love the righteous optimism in this song.  It makes me stand proud and tall in my philosophy and ideals (and drive really fast).

12. Today – Smashing Pumpkins: Every time hubby and I would fight, before us being hubby and wifey, this song would come on the radio.  It was the strangest darned thing and always broke the mood and frustration.

13. Black – Pearl Jam: What is life without the mention of a first love?  Mine had a wonderful voice that quite enchanted me.  One evening under the stars he held my hand as we stood next to his car and he sang this song for me.  We of course ended our relationship, a year later he was killed in a car accident, but through all the tumult of that relationship and of his life I think of this song and the sweetness with which he sang it.

14. Remember When it Rained – Josh Groban:  I can’t help it, I love this guy.  The song, again, is just so darned romantic it sweeps me off my feet every time I hear it.  [Really, I could put just about all songs by him on this list, but I decided against it.]

15.  Cliffs of Dover – Eric Johnson: This song just rocks and it ALWAYS makes me smile.

16.  The Barney Song: Every time we have Barney on in the house my son will come up to me at the end, when the song is played, grab my hand and dance with me then, when appropriate, give me the hug and kiss.  For this alone I adore that stupid, annoying, purple dinosaur.

17.  White Christmas – Bing Crosby:  It’s Bing – ’nuff said.  Another by him I adore is Gone Fishin‘ – a duet with him and Louis Armstrong.

18. It’s in Everyone of Us – John Denver and the Muppets: I love some of the music of Christmas time and this is easily one of my favorites.  The message is timeless and applicable all year round.

19.  Let’s Get it Started – Black Eyed Peas: This song always gets me moving.  I have no idea why, it’s just darned catchy and makes me wanna get my groove on.

20.  It’s My Life – Bon Jovi:  The lyrics of this song are, quite simply, my anthem in life.

21.  Not Ready to Make Nice – Dixie Chicks:  Another song that is quite an anthem to me.  What freedom lover wouldn’t like this song?

22.  Vicarious – Tool:  I’ve been a fan of Tool for a very long time and I just adore them.

23. The Warmth – Incubus: Years later and this song still calls to me.  It brings to mind the couple of times I saw them live, one such time with my now husband and a couple of his friends whom I like to claim are mine as well.

24.  The Spirit of the Radio – Rush: I had never listened to these guys until my hubby introduced me.  How could I not become hooked after this?

And there you have it.  A mere sampling of the songs that I relate to, embrace and revel in.  What about you?

[I apologize for some of the videos I’ve linked.  Sometimes I passed up good video to have better sound.  Darn people for doing silly and absurd mashups to good music.]