The Music behind the… Man?

I’m sure I’m not the only one who ties certain songs to phases, days or people of my life.  I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what songs have are part of my personal history.  In some cases, it’s more than a song, its a whole album.  The albums tend to remind me of years.   SIngles remind me of people, or emotions.

The emergence of digital downloads will undoubtedly have a huge impact on this and the next generation’s view of the world.  My generation will probably be the last one to identify a summer with an album.  They might identify with a single song, or a one hit wonder, but how many will know about the conversation that the Eagles had with their fans on the Hell Freezes over album, or Eric Clapton saying ‘See if you can spot this one’ on the intro to Layla on his unplugged album, or the way the songs on U2’s Joshua Tree just flowed.  You don’t get that effect listening to the album on shuffle on your IPod.

So here are some of the songs / albums that just mean something to me.  Not that they are / are not my favorite songs, but I just tie them to a certain something (In no particular order)

U2 – Joshua Tree – High School Bus rides.  I listened to that over and over again on the commute from hell.

Mickey Mouse Disco – Our first Halloween Party as kids, and Paul Jensen splitting his pants on a dance move.

I’m Moving On – Rascal Flatts – Reminds me of my move to Seattle, even though I moved before this song was released.  It pretty much summed up what was going on in my life at that time

Old LA Tonight – Ozzie Osborne – My days working on the ASPEN project in Oshawa, Ontario for EDS in 1995.  Played that song over and over again.

Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet – Ninth Grade, riding the school bus, again, and having the bus driver pull over to tell someone to turn off the music, since we were having battle of the ghetto blasters in the back.

Fire Woman – The Cult – Playing pool at The Walrus, a bar near Pearl St in Boulder, Colorado

500 Miles – The Proclaimers – Dancing with a bunch of friends from college on a road trip north of Toronto either on a long weekend or the beginning of summer.  We were all doing this goofy dance, and it was pretty freaking hilarious.

Highway Junkie – Gary Allen – Dancing with my friend Brandy at McCabes in Tacoma.  We always lit it up with this song; that was until she caught me with an elbow to the chin on one of the spins and nearly knocked me out.

Zombie – The Cranberries – Living in a basement apartment in Oshawa, Ontario below a family where the husband and wife were always having screaming matches over money.  I always heard more than what I wanted to, and I felt really bad for their kids.

Van Halen’s Balance Album – Living in Detroit in the fall of 1995, cruising through town with the stereo on my black Pontiac Sunfire just screaming out Sammie Hagar

When You Need My Love – Darryl Worley – Reminds me of the last girl I dated before I met my wife.  That wasn’t such a healthy relationship.  I actually told her at one point that this song made me think of her, and she was upset.  She probably should have been, but it was accurate.

Half Way Up – Clint Black – This song stuck in my head when I used to ride my bike a lot. Easy to sing, and a good cadence on big climbs

Take Me away From Here – Tim McGraw - The early days of dating my wife

Fortunate Son – CCR – My First Novel.  Listened to this one a lot while writing it.

Jack and Diane – John Mellencamp – We had a foster kid for a while named Walter, and he played this, and Journey’s “Who’s Crying Now” a lot.  I don’t remember liking Walter a lot, but I remember the music he got me into

Gordon – Barenaked Ladies - My third year of university.

The Best Day of My Life – George Strait – Standing up with my friend Brandon at his wedding, and trying not to cry.

McClaren Furnace Room – The Watchmen – A guy named Randy Irwin who I knew only for a year or two back in 1994-96, who had a tremendous influence on my life.  I wish I hadn’t lost touch with him.

Everywhere – Tim McGraw – The first house I ever bought in Broomfield, Colorado

My Little Girl – Tim McGraw – Driving back and forth from home to the hospital after the twins were born and Reecie was in the NICU.  I remember rounding the curve on River Road in Puyallup with tears running down my face and worrying that I was going to have an accident.  It’s not like there is a place to pull over there.

Workin For a Living – Huey Lewis – Working the midnight shift at the Forest Golf and Country Club and getting in trouble for having the music too loud.

Fred Bear – Ted Nugent – See previous entry

Anyway, that’s all I have today.  I’m sure I’ll think of more later.  It’s probably easier to list the songs that don’t mean anything to me.