Like most people, certain landmarks are touched by certain songs, or some songs bring back a memory. Here are some of my favorites:
- "Spinning Wheel" by Blood, Sweat & Tears. I remember I was about 4 and one of my siblings telling me to listen VERY carefully during the fade-out of that song, and being thrilled to hear the calliope.
- "Day By Day" and "By My Side" from Godspell. We bought the soundtrack album for our mother, as the first song was a favorite of hers at the time. The second one I sang with my oldest sister frequently while she played the guitar. I totally put my love of singing in harmony with that song.
- "Feeling Stronger Every Day" by Chicago and "Shambala" by Three Dog Night. Ah, summer of 1973. The family got to spend an entire week at the beach! I remember having a "pet" seaweed, and my baby brother slept in a drawer that was pulled out to make a little crib for him. I also remember the outdoor shower...when I hated showers at the time.
- "Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds" by Elton John. His remake of the Beatles song came out when I was in the throes of my Paint-By-Numbers phase...and I can still smell the oil paints when I hear it.
- "Rubberband Man" by the Spinners. Every New Year's Eve I would have my little transistor radio tuned to the Top 100 Countdown. For some reason I remember exactly where I was when this song came on the 1976 countdown - I was making myself a little dinner - even though I don't remember what number it was.
- "Don't Stop" by Fleetwood Mac. My High School graduation song, where I actually had a small and final victory over one teacher who was constantly "butting heads" with me. Long story.
- "Hold Me", also by Fleetwood Mac. This was the "Our Song" for me and my husband; he arranged to have it playing when he proposed.
- "We Belong" by Pat Benatar. While my husband and I were dating, we actually broke up at one point. The ball was in my court, and I prayed for guidance in making my decision as to whether we should get back together or not...when this came on the radio.
- "Invincible", again, by Pat Benatar; "Room To Move" by Animotion; "Survivor" by Collin Raye. These songs represent various hard times we had and each gave us strength.
- "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder. While the song was released in 1976, it automatically brings 2002 to mind. We hadn't heard the song in YEARS. However, soon after we found out that our first baby was going to be a girl, we started hearing it everywhere: on the radio, in the stores, even at a restaurant we ate at!
- "That Don't Impress Me Much" by Shania Twain. I was asked if I wanted music when I was in the hospital while our first daughter was being born. I didn't know that was an option! Naturally, I said yes, so they put on the radio. The moment she was born this was the song that was playing.
- "The Warrior Is a Child" by Twila Paris. Lesson learned: I brought a CD to have played for our second daughter's birth, and this is the song that was on during her arrival.
- "Muddy Water" by Trace Adkins and "Letter From God" by Teea Goans. These were the songs that each of our daughters, respectively, chose to have played during their baptisms.
