Every so often a song comes along that is so good and so utterly awesome that it becomes not only a personal timeless favorite, but a defining moment in my life. Just as some people recall memories with images, smells, or touching, I also adhere very tightly to music as a history tool.
I began listening to and liking music as a leisure activity in the eighth grade, and my interests in music exploded throughout high school. My first two CDs, Astro Lounge by Smash Mouth and Walking Off the Buzz by The Blessid Union of Souls introduced me to many sounds, and this begins my musical time line.
1998 - "All-Star" by Smash Mouth
My first favorite song, this represents "the beginning" for me, and every time I listen to it I am pulled back to late 1998, along with memories of my first portable CD player that I got for my birthday that year.
1999 - "Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me For Me)" by The Blessid Union of Souls
This was the first song that I tied to a particular girl in my life, happily imagining a life described in the song, hoping my crush at the time would "like me for me." Boy was I wrong.
1999 - "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John
Much of the music that I was initially exposed to was from my parents collection, and I discovered my liking the music of Elton John right away. At this time in my life I was still bouncing from crush to crush, but "Tiny Dancer" certainly described how I felt about a very special girl at the time.
2000 - The albums My Own Prison and Human Clay by Creed
Both of these albums, pushed onto me thanks to the single "Higher," introduced me to my first full-on acoustic/rock experience, and I embodied every song across these albums (and later, Weathered). "Higher" became my first feel-good rock anthem, while "My Own Prison" stands as a reminder of all the mistakes I made in high school.
2001 - "Hanging By A Moment" by Lifehouse
As one of my all-time favorite songs, "Hanging By A Moment" became my "Lacey anthem." Ask her if you wish; she could tell you of how closely I held to the lyrics of this song, and how many times I referenced it in courting her throughout the remaining three years of high school.
2001 - "Plush" by Stone Temple Pilots
During my massive weight loss/diet in the summer of 2001, "Plush" ran through my CD player more than any other song, and it was my anthem for the future, my "where am I going for tomorrow" song.
2001 - "Breakdown" by Tantric
Ranked as my personal favorite song, "Breakdown" (and Tantric's music in general) represented an evolution of my musical taste, and confirmed the acoustic/rock genre as my favorite (read: Live, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, etc.). It's still a pick-up-and-listen feel-good song any day.
2002 - "You" by Buckcherry
Quietly and without much admittance to my friends, I fell in love with a song that resembled every emotion and feeling that I had towards Lacey. In short, it was as beautiful as she was.
2003 - "Comedown" by Bush
Generally accepted to be the song to represent my high school career, the lyrics and outright power-rock of "Comedown" was revealing to how I felt about my high school years. Between massive emotional changes, meeting new friends, firsts of just about everything, and my focal point, Lacey, "Comedown" is everything:
"Love and hate get it wrong
She cut me right back down to size
Sleep the day, let it fade
Who was there to take your place
No one knows never will
Mostly me but mostly you
What do you say do you do
When it all comes down;
I don't wanna come back down from this cloud
Taken me all this time to find out what I need."
2003 - "Naked" by Avril Lavigne
A non-hit, but certainly a good song. 2003 saw many transitions for me, among them the loss of Lacey (temporarily), and a focus into college at BGSU. "Naked" ties in strongly because one of my absolute best friends at this time, Brittany, was also a fan of this song. It's indescribable in many ways, but the memories of our time together are always conjured when I hear this song.
2004 - "Jesus of Suburbia" by Green Day
Certainly, without a doubt, the best track from Green Day's American Idiot album, "Jesus of Suburbia" was a song that made me a fan of the band. It also helped develop my first real opinion of current events in the world, in this case the so called "war" in Iraq. It made me political. Thanks a lot, Green Day.
2005 - "Last Train Home" by Lostprophets
Deep into my relationship with Lacey, in the summer of 2005, the Lostprophets brought a raw energy and great-feeling rock that I have used to represent the best-of-the-best, awe-inspiring notions that come with a perfect summer: warm weather, a girl to love (and to make love to), loads of friends, and a bright future.
2006 - "Hate Me" by Blue October
In the months after my breakup with Lacey, I struggled to find any music that provided a solace to me. About four months into being a very single and depressed man, I stumbled upon Blue October, and nothing has been the same since. "Hate Me," despite sounding like a self-pity song, was the song to perk me up when I needed it, bringing not pity, but strength to me when I needed it the most. To this day, Blue October stands as one of my favorite bands.
2006 - "Crazy Bitch" by Buckcherry
The bad-boys that I followed like a religion in high school came back with an incredible album, and more importantly, an incredible song that replaced "Last Train Home" as my head-banging, summer rock anthem. Yes, it's dirty, and yes it's wrong... but I'll be damned if it ain't good.
2007 - "Far Behind" by Candlebox
Yes, the song itself is well-more than a decade old, but I did not discover it until this year. Having been without Lacey in my life for several months, I've finally put old ghosts aside and have been pushing forward to redefine what I expect from myself. "Far Behind" is my way of saying goodbye to a life behind me. Corny? Yes. Meaningful? To me, most definitely. My new favorite.
And with that, a brief glimpse at some of the most important songs in my life. Although there are hundreds of songs that hold some special meaning to me, and dozens more that could have made this list, these are the above-all-else standouts. And yes, many songs are described as being associated with a girl in my life, which goes to show you how attached I was to the ladies throughout much of my life thus far.
What's best about this list? I never know where the next meaningful song in my life will come from.
Out.
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