Music in my life...

Music can trigger memories. It calm nerves, creates common ground, brings a smile to your face, or a tear to your eye. Songs mark memories for me. For some reason, if I am thinking of growing up I think of Country Music. I can still picture my mother singing The Gambler along with Kenny Rogers when I was growing up. Or my dad tuning in to 70's rock on his buffet sized radio while we ate dinner. I can remember all of the songs I learned at church camp even though I am not particularly religious, and, of course being a teen at the time, I can also recall words to most popular songs in the eighties. I would record song after song off of the radio with my new boom box. I would be 'totally bummed out' if the radio announcer started talking before the song ended because that meant I would need to do it again! My first two tapes were Rick Springfield, and Breakdance. The first tape I drove to the mall and bought myself when I turned sixteen was Crowded House. I got my first portable cd player in high school. I think my first cd was the Beatles White Album. I didn't like our senior class' choice for class song at the time- Rod Stewart's Forever Young- but now I can't think of any better song for us. I remember the song I played over and over again after breaking up with my boyfriend in college. It can still choke me up, even today. I attended my first concert after high school. MC Hammer with a couple of girlfriends. I have only been to three others. Two in college- Greatful Dead, and AC/DC. Then James Taylor with Art's sisters and their family when we moved back East. One of my favorite tapes is one made by Art that has Hymn to Her by the Pretenders on it. It took us years to identify the song, but I played it over and over again when commuting to work in Texas Creek. DH won the memory award when he knew our wedding song and I could not remember it. It is Wonderful Tonight by Erik Clapton. Definately a meaningful song for us. The i-pod is an amazing little device for us. We love making different mixes, or letting the computer do the work. It is definately a requirement that our next car be i-pod ready. I put together a list of songs from my life. One from each year. It is more difficult than it seems, because some years there are ten or twenty you absolutely loved, and other years where you wonder if you listened to anything new at all!

1971. Anticipation by Carly Simon

1972. A Horse with No Name by America
1973. Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd

1974. Already Gone by the Eagles
1975. Still Crazy After All These Years by Paul Simon
1976. Somebody to Love by Queen
1977. Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton
1978. The Gambler by Kenny Rogers
1979. Let’s Go by The Cars
1980. Magic by Olivia Newton John
1981. Under Pressure by David Bowie and Queen
1982. Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
1983. Every Breath You Take by The Police
1984. Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper
1985. We Are the World by USA for Africa
1986. Final Countdown by Europe
1987. Livin’ On a Prayer by Bon Jovi
1988. Forever Young by Rod Stewart
1989. Beds are Burning by Midnight Oil
1990. Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O’Connor
1991. Shiny Happy People by REM
1992. Walking on Broken Glass by Annie Lennox
1993. Happy Nation by Ace of Base
1994. Satellite by Dave Matthews
1995. Waterfalls by TLC
1996. Jealousy by Natalie Merchant
1997. Don’t Speak by No Doubt
1998. Even Flow by Pearl Jam
1999. Livin La Vida Loca by Ricky Martin
2000. Follow me by Uncle Kracker
2001. Whenever, Wherever by Shakira
2002. Lose Yourself by Eminem
2003. Hey Ya by Outkast
2004. American Idiot by Blink 182
2005. Photograph by Nickelback
2006. The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani
2007. Makes Me Wonder by Maroon 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:20th_century_songs This link helped a lot!