Me, Essentially, In Song (Friday List Part 1)

Adam (who hasn’t written in SOOO long! COME BACK TO THE BLOGGY WORLD, Adam!) inspires me. He decided to compile a list of what I refer to as ‘the songs of his life’. He simply calls them his ‘essentials.’ I immediately began brainstorming my own list, and began to nitpicking all the various qualifiers the list could have. In the end here are the rules I settled on: Song list must be around 20 songs. These songs are songs that feel influential and pivotal in my life. Here they go (part 2 will be posted on Monday!).

“She Came in Through the Bathroom Window” The Beatles – The hardest part of making this list was excluding the FIVE MILLION other Beatles songs that are pivotal in my life. I limited myself to just one though, and I feel like this one is the most “me.” It’s at the end of this medley of sorts on Abbey Road. I used to get up on Saturday mornings put on Abbey Road and make pancakes in my wonderful red robe. The Beatles have been the most steadfast, strongest musical influence in my life. ADORE ADORE them…fyi.

“Anticipate” from Living in Clip, Ani DiFranco – Senior year of high school, history class, the cutest girl hands me a mixed tape of all of Ani’s best songs. Who was this annie (teehee) deFRANKo?? I fell madly in love (with both, mind you) the girl and the woman singing. Here was Ani, this little woman, belting out feelings and lyrics and female strength that was unparalleled.

“I’m Feeling Good” Nina Simone – First heard this song watching a Banana Republic ad. It was the first time I had heard Nina. I thought she was a man, to be honest. I searched high and low for that song, until discovering it was by this magical voice. Away from all my loved ones, “Feeling Good” became my goal, finding my own strength and success. It truly empowered me.

“Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” Culture Club – Boy George was such an enigma to me. I was so drawn to him and his ambiguity. Had this song on vinyl and played it over and over and over and over and over again. I don’t think I even truly understood angst and heartache at that point in my life!

“Cassidy” Grateful Dead – My parents were Deadheads. I’ve probably seen The Dead in concert 12 or so times. I feel connected to so many of their songs, remembering belting them out in unison in the car with my family, or scrubbing the floor with them playing. “Cassidy” was the first song I felt a real kinship to when I was younger, and named my first kitty after it.

“Wanna Be Starting Something?” Michael Jackson – Oh, Michael… Thriller is AN AMAZING album, that my mom had bought for herself on cassette tape. I commandeered it pretty early on though, and it was this song that got my body MOVING!

“Rockefeller Skank” Fat Boy Slim – Music to dance to! New Year’s Eve of 1999, I danced my ass off to this song for what seemed like days. It must have been a remix or something, because it literally never ended. Fat Boy Slim is the easiest go-to guy for music to get me in the mood to DANCE, clean, bust out some home improvement, or drive to Mexico.

“Fame” David Bowie – I’m not sure how the evening started, but one night my mom made this big deal about ‘teaching me how to dance.’ She put David Bowie’s Greatest Hits or whatever, and on came “Fame.” While I have some feelings of sheepishness about including this song over my FAVORITE Bowie tunes (like ‘Starman’ and ‘Life on Mars’), “Fame” is really the song that changed me, by showing me what keeping the BEAT was all about. ;)

“Nothing Better” The Postal Service ­– Duets are touching. I think of Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me Baby?” specifically as a strand of duets, and “Nothing Better” is in the same category for me. You’re listening to this fabulous song and it goes on and on, and there’s no need for the second voice, when all of a sudden, the second point of view (the girl’s) comes in. Yeah, it’s genius. “Nothing Better” is an all-time favorite, and was a personal anthem for me for awhile.

“Books Written for Girls” Camera Obscura – I believe it was Pam who discovered Camera Obscura through Belle & Sebastian (SWOOOON!)’s website. What a discovery. I feel like this song amongst others really marked a time in my life where I was allowing new music back into my life. I go through various periods where I only listen to my tried&true music, and never venture out. It’s good to be around adventurous music types, especially when you stumble upon the lovely Tracy Ann, then it’s more than worth it.

“Glory Box” Portishead – I heard this song for the first time in Stealing Beauty. So great and electronicy and cool. Then my dearest Craig played Dummy, and there the song was all over again. It birthed a new love: NEW MUSIC! I had spent most of my teens listening to classic rock or at least 80s music, and Portishead was new(ish) and definitely NEW to me.

“Fair Play” Van Morrison – My dear dear friend (and professor who I dearly MISS!!) Karen, gave me Van’s Veedon Fleece one Christmas. I listened to it once or twice before putting it aside. It didn’t feel like the Van Morrison I knew and loved of “Moondance” or “Brown Eyed Girl.” I pulled out the album one night after going dancing and coming back in the morning. I was half-asleep and tender and the album seeped into my pores and heart. “Fair Play” is the first song of the album, and just the first few chords sends me right back, and it continues to be my ‘after hours’ album.

“The Littlest Birds” Be Good Tanyas – This was MY song when I was pregnant with Hannah. I bought the Be Good Tanyas album, and listened to it thousands of time. Folksy and genuine, all the things I aspired for when I was pregnant! Teehee!