Write Back Weekend "Play It Again, Sam"
Although I never learned how to play an instrument or read notes, I've always felt a special connection with music. Many people out there call themselves fans, but I've always found that for me, music was something that was so easy to get lost in.
Songs are also great ways to jog old memories. When I hear a good song, or even a bad one, I am often taken back to the time I first heard it and the memories I have associated with it. When I was a teenager I had an uncanny ability to match up songs from the years they were released, too. Although the nineties were supposed to be my "primetime" given I graduated high school and then college, I have a harder time attaching specific years to those songs. This could be because I started to get older, or this could be because the music started to get crappier. You decide.
Like many of you who love music, I truly, truly struggled for which songs to list for my answer to this week's TITMT. It was so hard for me not to be tempted to just create a list of my favorite songs but really, that's not what this question is all about. Most of the songs you see listed will not be my favorite songs. These are just the songs that have stuck with me through thick and thin, better or worse, whatever the reason.
1. That Thing You Do- The Wonders: It was fall of my sophomore year in college when the movie That Thing You Do came out. At the time I was still borderline obsessed with watching movie trailers as back then they hadn't fully given in to ruining the entire movie. I recall seeing the trailer for this film before it was released and I was instantly giddy with anticipation.
This movie was perfect for me on so many levels. For one thing, I loved the sixties innocence attached to it. For another my man Ethan Embry was in it which if you know anything about the boy, doesn't happen that often. And then there was the song. The perfect song for this perfect, perfect movie. The guys who starred in the movie said that after awhile they were so sick of hearing it, but I never reached that point with the song, or the movie for that matter. Not only is it a song that attached to a great film, there are also so many great memories of that time. For me this song just makes me happy and perfection at a running time of 2 minutes and 52 seconds ain't half bad.
2. Burning Up- Madonna: Over the years Madonna has had what, like a zillion hits? So one might wonder why I chose "Burning Up" out of all of her songs. All I can tell you is that I didn't chose the song, it chose me. Out of all of Madonna's tunes it is the one that has stayed with me the most. Again I owe this to the memories attached to it.
When this song was popular so were our neighborhood block parties. Every summer my friends and I would decide we were going to perform in the talent show. Every summer we made up a routine and every summer, we chickened out. One year we almost did a routine to "Naughty Girls Need Love, Too" by Samantha Fox. It's amazing when you look back on it now that we could manage to "choreograph" a routine to such a raunchy song, completely clueless as to its lyrical significance. I chose "Burning Up" over "Naughty Girls" only because I came up with a lot of the moves for the "Burning Up" dance because we did the same song in camp that year. What can I say? It was a popular tune.
3. Believe It Or Not (It's Just Me)-Joey Scarbury: This song is a little different than the choices above because there isn't a specific memory attached to it. Instead this song reminds me of an entire time period. Released in 1981, I was only four at the time so really, how well could I remember the actual show The Greatest American Hero? It's so memorable because it is one of the first pop songs I remember falling in love with. I remember thinking it was so uplifting and fun. Ok, so at age four maybe I wasn't aware I found the tune "uplifting". The fact that it was attached to a popular television show only made it all the more memorable because it was one of the first times I could put an image to a song.
4. Could've Been- Tiffany: Say what you will. I am now, and will always be, a devoted slave to the eighties. Not only do I have a PHd in all things eighties, my major was cheesy eighties pop. Debbie Gibson. NKOTB. Tiffany. I loved 'em all.
In my mind I always thought Tiffany got a bad rap. At the time she didn't write an of her own material, but then again, does Lindsay Lohan or Hilary Duff? The difference is Tiffany could actually sing. And if you only know of "I Think We're Alone Now" you might disagree with me. You'll just have to trust me on this. "Could've Been", even if it wasn't written by her, was always one of the most beautifully sad songs to me. The fact that it's played next to never only makes it that much easier to love.
5. Worst That Could Happen- Brooklyn Bridge: This song was released before I was born so unlike the other choices, there aren't any memories attached to it. I just think it's one of the best, most melancholy pop songs of all time. That is all.
6. Round Here- Counting Crows: This song is one my what I like to call "storytelling" choices. Basically, it's exactly like it sounds. I like this song because I like the story behind it. I realize it's another sad song. I never realized before I had such a penchant for sad pop. Learn something new everyday.
7. Jessie's Girl- Rick Springfield: Yes, I'm well aware of the fact that in recent years this song has been a major part of renaissance of all things eighties. For many people that is exactly the reason why "Jessie's Girl" is not cool, because through reinvention a whole new generation of bar hopping, sorority girls have made it their own. I hear what you're saying but quite frankly, I don't care. Bottom line in my book, this is one of the best pop songs EVER. Oh, and Rick Springfield rules.
8. Veronica- Elvis Costello: In the early nineties there were a few bands and artists I discovered that had their heyday some ten years prior. Rick Springfield was one of them, Elvis Costello was another. The way I was introduced to loving Costello's music was through a new release called "Veronica". I remember listening to that song, over and over, in order to figure out what the hell he was saying. As any Costello fan knows, the man has an amazing ability to sing everything with enthusiasm and energy, even when the topic is anything but.
"Veronica" was no exception. I was reeled in at first because of its hook and undeniable pop presence, but I stuck around for the sad, serious message behind it. I'm glad I did.
9. Don't Dream It's Over- Crowded House: This was one of my favorite songs released in one of my favorite years (1987), of my most favorite decade musically. Something about this song is haunting. It's sentiment applies to so many avenues in life and Neil Finn, Crowded House's lead singer, is one of the most underrated vocalists in pop music.
10. If You Could Only See- Tonic: They played the hell out of this song when it was released, but never, ever did I get sick of it. That is why this is the perfect way to close the top 10. It's a beautifully romantic song but it also rocks, in a tame, chick rock sorta way. Poor lead singer Emerson Hart has a beautiful voice, but his face just didn't match. And thus the flock pledging allegiance to Rob Thomas was born.
I hope you enjoyed hearing AND seeing some of my favorite choices. Props to MCF's post for giving me the idea to include the visual.
Songs are also great ways to jog old memories. When I hear a good song, or even a bad one, I am often taken back to the time I first heard it and the memories I have associated with it. When I was a teenager I had an uncanny ability to match up songs from the years they were released, too. Although the nineties were supposed to be my "primetime" given I graduated high school and then college, I have a harder time attaching specific years to those songs. This could be because I started to get older, or this could be because the music started to get crappier. You decide.
Like many of you who love music, I truly, truly struggled for which songs to list for my answer to this week's TITMT. It was so hard for me not to be tempted to just create a list of my favorite songs but really, that's not what this question is all about. Most of the songs you see listed will not be my favorite songs. These are just the songs that have stuck with me through thick and thin, better or worse, whatever the reason.
1. That Thing You Do- The Wonders: It was fall of my sophomore year in college when the movie That Thing You Do came out. At the time I was still borderline obsessed with watching movie trailers as back then they hadn't fully given in to ruining the entire movie. I recall seeing the trailer for this film before it was released and I was instantly giddy with anticipation.
This movie was perfect for me on so many levels. For one thing, I loved the sixties innocence attached to it. For another my man Ethan Embry was in it which if you know anything about the boy, doesn't happen that often. And then there was the song. The perfect song for this perfect, perfect movie. The guys who starred in the movie said that after awhile they were so sick of hearing it, but I never reached that point with the song, or the movie for that matter. Not only is it a song that attached to a great film, there are also so many great memories of that time. For me this song just makes me happy and perfection at a running time of 2 minutes and 52 seconds ain't half bad.
2. Burning Up- Madonna: Over the years Madonna has had what, like a zillion hits? So one might wonder why I chose "Burning Up" out of all of her songs. All I can tell you is that I didn't chose the song, it chose me. Out of all of Madonna's tunes it is the one that has stayed with me the most. Again I owe this to the memories attached to it.
When this song was popular so were our neighborhood block parties. Every summer my friends and I would decide we were going to perform in the talent show. Every summer we made up a routine and every summer, we chickened out. One year we almost did a routine to "Naughty Girls Need Love, Too" by Samantha Fox. It's amazing when you look back on it now that we could manage to "choreograph" a routine to such a raunchy song, completely clueless as to its lyrical significance. I chose "Burning Up" over "Naughty Girls" only because I came up with a lot of the moves for the "Burning Up" dance because we did the same song in camp that year. What can I say? It was a popular tune.
3. Believe It Or Not (It's Just Me)-Joey Scarbury: This song is a little different than the choices above because there isn't a specific memory attached to it. Instead this song reminds me of an entire time period. Released in 1981, I was only four at the time so really, how well could I remember the actual show The Greatest American Hero? It's so memorable because it is one of the first pop songs I remember falling in love with. I remember thinking it was so uplifting and fun. Ok, so at age four maybe I wasn't aware I found the tune "uplifting". The fact that it was attached to a popular television show only made it all the more memorable because it was one of the first times I could put an image to a song.
4. Could've Been- Tiffany: Say what you will. I am now, and will always be, a devoted slave to the eighties. Not only do I have a PHd in all things eighties, my major was cheesy eighties pop. Debbie Gibson. NKOTB. Tiffany. I loved 'em all.
In my mind I always thought Tiffany got a bad rap. At the time she didn't write an of her own material, but then again, does Lindsay Lohan or Hilary Duff? The difference is Tiffany could actually sing. And if you only know of "I Think We're Alone Now" you might disagree with me. You'll just have to trust me on this. "Could've Been", even if it wasn't written by her, was always one of the most beautifully sad songs to me. The fact that it's played next to never only makes it that much easier to love.
5. Worst That Could Happen- Brooklyn Bridge: This song was released before I was born so unlike the other choices, there aren't any memories attached to it. I just think it's one of the best, most melancholy pop songs of all time. That is all.
6. Round Here- Counting Crows: This song is one my what I like to call "storytelling" choices. Basically, it's exactly like it sounds. I like this song because I like the story behind it. I realize it's another sad song. I never realized before I had such a penchant for sad pop. Learn something new everyday.
7. Jessie's Girl- Rick Springfield: Yes, I'm well aware of the fact that in recent years this song has been a major part of renaissance of all things eighties. For many people that is exactly the reason why "Jessie's Girl" is not cool, because through reinvention a whole new generation of bar hopping, sorority girls have made it their own. I hear what you're saying but quite frankly, I don't care. Bottom line in my book, this is one of the best pop songs EVER. Oh, and Rick Springfield rules.
8. Veronica- Elvis Costello: In the early nineties there were a few bands and artists I discovered that had their heyday some ten years prior. Rick Springfield was one of them, Elvis Costello was another. The way I was introduced to loving Costello's music was through a new release called "Veronica". I remember listening to that song, over and over, in order to figure out what the hell he was saying. As any Costello fan knows, the man has an amazing ability to sing everything with enthusiasm and energy, even when the topic is anything but.
"Veronica" was no exception. I was reeled in at first because of its hook and undeniable pop presence, but I stuck around for the sad, serious message behind it. I'm glad I did.
9. Don't Dream It's Over- Crowded House: This was one of my favorite songs released in one of my favorite years (1987), of my most favorite decade musically. Something about this song is haunting. It's sentiment applies to so many avenues in life and Neil Finn, Crowded House's lead singer, is one of the most underrated vocalists in pop music.
10. If You Could Only See- Tonic: They played the hell out of this song when it was released, but never, ever did I get sick of it. That is why this is the perfect way to close the top 10. It's a beautifully romantic song but it also rocks, in a tame, chick rock sorta way. Poor lead singer Emerson Hart has a beautiful voice, but his face just didn't match. And thus the flock pledging allegiance to Rob Thomas was born.
I hope you enjoyed hearing AND seeing some of my favorite choices. Props to MCF's post for giving me the idea to include the visual.
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