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The Songs That Define Me

I used to think I had nothing in common with Einstein. He was a brilliant man who changed the world, the man who invented E=mc². Don't ask me to explain what that means, because I don't even know how to do long division. Einstein and I, we are not similar people. But. I once read something he said, and it made perfect sense to me. He was finally speaking my language.

“If I were not a physicist," Einstein said, "I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.”

Bang on, Einstein. Bang on. I, too, often think of my life in music, even though I can't play an instrument well, unless you count the two years I played the violin in middle school, or the several years I spent playing the guitar. Oh, and let's not talk about my voice; Adele, I am not.

However, music is in me. It moves me. Whenever I watch a movie with a good soundtrack, I get chills. I have dreams of being the person who gets to select what songs get placed in certain parts of movies. What is a good movie without a memorable soundtrack, after all? Yes, music is a huge part of my life, and has been for as long as I can remember.

Songs can lift you up, they can turn almost any bad situation good, and they can make you feel wonderful. Music gets me through a killer spinning class, music can get me through a bad day, and music can make road trips with friends incredibly, stupidly, fun.

Certain songs can bring back memories as if they took place yesterday.

Some songs make me feel like I'm 12 again, some songs I can't listen to because they're too painful, some songs make me burst into tears no matter how many times I hear them and other songs make me want to roll my windows down so everyone can hear the! most! amazing! song! on! earth!

Of course, the most amazing song on earth changes on a weekly basis for me, but trust me, I have good taste. I can't possibly fit all the songs that are meaningful to me in one post, but I'm going to highlight the most important songs that bring back all sorts of memories, memories that came flooding back after I read Ali's post.

These are the songs that take me back. They take me back to my childhood, to vacations in Greece, to summer camp, to high school, to middle school dances, to heartbreak, to friendship, to loss, to laughter, to crazy butterflies, to tears stained on my pillow, to my yellow Sony walkman, and to everything in between. These songs will always be unforgettable to me.

In no particular order, here are the songs that define who I am:

Yesterday - The Beatles
True Blue - Madonna
I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany
Into The Groove - Madonna
How Will I Know - Whitney Houston
Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds
Music - Madonna
Lost Together - Blue Rodeo
Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Riders
Hotel California - The Eagles
Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
Wake Me Up Before You Go Go - Wham
Refuge - Tom Petty
Games Without Frontiers - Peter Gabriel
If You Leave - OMD
Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
I'll Be Missing You - Puff Daddy
Wasted Time - The Eagles
Policy of Truth - Depeche Mode
Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
I'm On Fire - Bruce Springsteen
I Drove All Night - Cyndi Lauper
Sabotage - Beastie Boys
Wild Thing - Tone Loc
Blister In The Sun - Violent Femmes
Being Boring - Pet Shop Boys
Still D.R.E. - Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg
Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve
Tiny Dancer - Elton John
Piano Man - Billy Joel
American Pie - Don McLean
I Think It's Gonna Rain Today - Bette Midler
Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith
All That She Wants - Ace of Bace
Take My Breath Away - Berlin
Escape - Enrique Iglesias
Second Hand News - Fleetwood Mac
Because I Love You - Stevie B
I've Had The Time Of My Life - Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
Hangin' Tough - New Kids On The Block
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
Let Your Backbone Slide - Maestro Fresh Wes
Groovy Kind Of Love - Phil Collins
Red, Red Wine - UB40
With Or Without You - U2
Paranoid - Black Sabbath
In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel (Lloyd Dobler. Say Anything. That scene.)
Graduation Day - Vitamin C
Patience - Guns N' Roses
At Last - Etta James
Angie - The Rolling Stones

These are the songs that define me. There is a story that goes with each one of these songs. These songs will always be special to me.

What are the songs that move you? What songs define you, and what songs make up the soundtrack to your life?

"The good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
Bob Marley

Comments

alimartell said…
Such good ones here.
And OMG. YES on the Bette Midler one. So many memories from BEaches for me...first movie I saw in the theater without a parent! ha!
Anonymous said…
I have allot of the same songs.but would add a few more.i totally agree how songs come on and ur mind goes to a different place.
Jennifer said…
If I created my own list, it would be very similar to yours. Thanks for doing all the work, Loukia! As I go down that list, I'm immediately taken back to concerts at the cottage with Blue Rodeo, long drives with my (then boyfriend, now husband) to Fleetwood Mac, school dances with Madonna. University clubbing with OMD...wow...thanks for the sountrack to my trip down memory lane!
Louise said…
tiny dancer and a first love. i had no idea i'd grow up and be raising my own. sniff, sniff
I love your list, Lou! "If you Leave" just takes me back to every single John Hughes movie. That song does all of that for me!
Thanks for the inspiration -- I posted my own list too. :) xo
Good! For a second there? I was afraid there was no Elton on there. Great list!
Abby said…
Wow, what a great list! That must have taken some serious time. We must be about the same age, because I can relate to so many of these. And my favorite type of album to buy are movie soundtracks. "Garden State" is a favorite, and Drew Barrymore's "Never Been Kissed." Oh, and "500 Days of Summer" with Zooey Deschanel.
Chris Read said…
Music is my passion (after my kids of course), so to make a list of the songs that define me would be an endless task. Off the top of my head, some special ones for me:

Don't Cry - GnR (First breakup song)
Slide - GooGooDolls (Met my wife after singing this at karaoke)
My Hero - Foo Fighters (Makes me think of my Dad, who left us too early)
Fix You - Coldplay (No reason, just love it!)
Sexy & I Know It - LMFAO (Don't pretend you don't start dancing when this comes on, LOL)

I can list 1000 more songs but I don't want to ruin your comments section :)

Love your list BTW!
Lindsay said…
That is a fun post!! Great memories! Pearl Jam Black. U2 One. Nine Inch Nails Head Like A Hole. So many! I might have to dust the old blog off and do a post :)
Unknown said…
This would be a hard list for me to make but you did a pretty good job. I would have to have some U2 in there, mostly the song "One" and tons of Sarah Mclachlan, who I adore! And pretty much the entire soundtrack from "Beaches", some MJ and some Simon & Garfunkel... oh the list goes on! I may have to do this... :)
Lady Mama said…
Ahhh I love so many of those songs... And like you I live in music in a way - I always always have a song in my head and I love to sing (even though everyone wishes I wouldn't). I think music brings something to my life that nothing else can - it's difficult to explain. Can't imagine my life without it.
Jessica Heights said…
The soundtrack of Loukia is quite a fun one! You must be a blast to hang out with! :)
Marta said…
I love sooo many of those songs. In fact With or Without You is my all time favorite.

Bittersweet Symphony brings back so many memories. I think I will need to add that to my spotify playlist tomorrow!

Its amazing how much music touches or lives and transports us back to another time, place and memory.
writewrds said…
You do have great taste, Einstein! (You're waay better looking!)
I LOVE some of these songs. It's amazing how much power they have. : )
Avitable said…
Some of those are pretty decent songs that I agree with. Some of them aren't. :)
Gary Champagne said…
Wow! I think I have almost all of those in my collection! Great list :)
I love so many of these - especially Don't You (Forget About Me), Wish You Were Here, and Policy of Truth.