Music Of My Life

Here it is - the songs that made the final cut for the "music of my life". The party was fun - we almost didn't have a cd player to listen to all our cd's! Wouldn't that have been ironic? But one was located and we listened and talked about music and what it means to us. There is talk of more cd parties in the future. There are so many great songs out there and it was hard to narrow it down. In the end, I chose songs that have a strong memory attached and also songs I still like to listen to today. So for that reason, there are some that have a very strong memory (New Kids On The Block, anyone?) but that did not make the list. Maybe they'll make the next one. :)

1. You’ve Got A Friend by Carole King, Tapestry
I remember this song from my younger elementary years. We would listen to the light rock radio station a lot. I still love this song and the message about friendship.

2. I Am A Rock by Simon and Garfunkel, Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits
We had their greatest hits on 8-track and I love every song on there. This one is definitely my favorite though. Amazing lyrics.

3. Hard Habit To Break by Chicago, Greatest Hits 1982-1989
I remember riding the bus and listening to this song when I was in elementary school. I remember feeling grown-up because I understood what a song was talking about.

4. Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses, Greatest Hits
I was in band in junior high and remember seeing a high school band student play the intro to this on his electric guitar - that might have been the first time I realized how awesome the guitar was.

5. Back In Black by AC/DC, AC/DC Live
This song has the best intro - I just love it. The first time I heard it, I was in a car with my friend Claudia and I just started moving and she thought something was wrong with my neck. She wanted to dedicate it for me at my wedding but the DJ didn’t have it so she had to settle for You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC.

6. Friends In Low Places by Garth Brooks, The Hits
This was the first country song I liked. I always made fun of my friends for liking country and then I finally understood. I love the lyrics in country songs and how they tell a story.

7. Thunderstruck by AC/DC, AC/DC Live
Okay, this is a tie for best intro. This song gets me pumped and motivated. In high school my junior year, our basketball team was having a good year so they would shut all the lights off right before the game and play this song and then turn them on while the guys came out to do warm-ups. Talk about getting the crowd into the game!

8. I’ll Be There For You by Bon Jovi, Cross Road
I had to include a Bon Jovi song! I like so many of theirs but this one is one of my favorites. I remember thinking it had special meaning for me because on my 16th birthday, there happened to be a NCAA tournament game on tv and after I blew out my candles I looked up and Josh was watching the game and not me. We had a fight - he claims he looked after I blew out the candles. There is a part in the song that goes, "I wish I'd seen you blow those candles out." Oh, the drama.

9. I’ll Never Let You Go by Steelheart, Steelheart
When I was in high school, my cousin Keith, who was just a few months older than me, told me he heard this song and thought I would like it. We had been close growing up but just saw each other at family events by that point and didn’t have many similar interests anymore. I thought it was cool that he would recommend a song to me - we often would talk about music we liked and give each other a hard time when we disagreed. So I went out and bought the single and really liked the song. Then 4 years later he died in a car accident. This song brings back precious memories.

10.Homeward Bound by Simon and Garfunkel, Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits
I took a psychology class in college and we were talking about how you will often find people who remind you of people you know really well when you’re in a strange place. Just a few days later I was listening to this song and realized that they talked about it in this song - “and every stranger’s face I see reminds me that I long to be homeward bound”. I mentioned that to my professor, who then came up with an impromptu assignment of having us partner up and pick a theory or definition and find a song that described it. There was some groaning about it but it ended up to be pretty neat and then our exam for that chapter was matching the lyrics of the song to the correct term. I also just love the song for the simple fact that I love to be home and with those I love.

11. O Come All Ye Faithful/ O Holy Night by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Christmas Eve and Other Stories
Josh and I were driving home for Thanksgiving a few years ago and listening to a classic rock radio station. Josh said, “Is this a Christmas song? I think it’s O Holy Night.” and I started listening more closely and couldn’t believe it! I loved it. We made sure to listen at the end to find out who had performed it. That weekend I bought the cd and the next year we went to their concert. That was by far the best concert experience of my life. I want to learn to play like this!

12. This Is Your Life by Switchfoot, The Beautiful Letdown
I just think this has a great message - very positive and pro-active. If you don’t like something in your life, change it. This is your life, are you who you want to be?

13. In Christ Alone by Adrienne Liesching and Geoff Moore, It Takes Two
This song is about truth and faith to me. It is the essence of what I believe. I always get emotional when they cheer and talk about Christ standing in victory. The music is beautiful, too.

14. Just Might (Make Me Believe) by Sugarland, Twice the Speed of Life
When I think of this song, I remember driving to the hospital to see Rachel and Owen by myself and I had tears running down my face. I just didn’t feel like I was handling life well at that point and I wanted to believe that things would get better. It felt like Josh was constantly having to reassure me that everything would be okay.

15. When We All Get To Heaven by Brad Paisley, 5th Gear
This song was one we sang often at church. It was a favorite of my grandparents, too. I heard this version not long after my grandma died last year and it made me think of her and smile. I believe it’s true, too, and look forward to seeing her and my grandpa again.

16. You’re Gonna Miss This by Trace Adkins, Greatest Hits, Vol. II, American Man
I think this is the one that inspired lidija to come up with this idea so I had to include it! No, really, it’s another reason why I love country songs. The lyrics are just so good and bring tears to my eyes. It’s a good reminder to me to enjoy the moments and each stage of life. There will be a time in the future when I will wish we were all home together more.

17. Love You ‘Till The End by The Pogues, P. S. I Love You
This song is from the movie “P.S. I Love You” and touched me deeply. I bought the soundtrack the same day I saw the movie. I just couldn’t stop thinking about it and how beautiful it was. To me, this is the definition of true love. To choose to be with someone and to choose to love them until the end, no matter what. It’s a perfect love song.