Songs that define moments in your life?

[jenloiacono]

I have three:

"Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls. in high school I used to, (and many times still do) cry every time i hear this song. It really strikes a deep chord with me.

'"Until I met you" by MEST. I used to come home everyday after high school and SCREAM this song at the top of my lungs in my room. It was the only way i could get out my emotions, and I hoped my mom would notice how much pain i was in and do something, but she never did.

"Hey, Good Lookin'" By Hank Williams. This is one of the first songs I sang with my Dad. we sang country songs together all the time when i was a kid. we danced to this at my wedding.

[Rosie]

'Young Hearts Run Free' by Candi Statton. My mum used to blast it out during my childhood, I didn't understand the meaning until I was older. My mum wanted to escape from my domineering father. It's never had negative connotations for me though. I took my mum to watch her live a few years ago in a small venue. We stood at the front and when Candi sang that song I sang my little welsh heart out. Candi came over and I pushed my mum forward to sing it with her. It is such a great memory for me and my mum

[Murphy]

I could name a gazillion songs....for me, they mostly define feelings rather than specific moments, but I know what you mean about yours.

"Resolve" by Foo Fighters was one I did turn to at a specific time when my depression was the worst. I also legitimately had one thing after another go wrong in my life, so this was kind of my plea to myself to get it together.

"The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World helps console me when no one's around to do it.

"Hello, Goodnight" by the Aquabats and "Learn to live with what you are" by Ben Folds can be pretty good at that too.

[heart]

^I love the middle! I play it night and day. 'Don't write yourself off yet' I need to hear that.

Torn by Natalie Imbruglia and I Can't make you love me by Bonnie Raitt: Was when I decided to cut things off with my father. It's an abusive relationship and neither of us are gaining anything. Not that I hate him, its just better for us to be apart now. And that his abuse and violence toward me has nothing to do with me its probably something unresolved from his past.

And Hand in my pocket by Alanis Morsett and Don't panic by Coldplay reminds me of when I decided not to care so much about money, and popularity and status and pride but more about what kind of person I was and how I can help people around me because I am very lucky to have people who have been patient and understanding with me.

[Murphy]

@heart I really need to hear "It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on." Intellectually true, but the rest of me refuses to believe it most of the time.

[jenloiacono]

@Murphy i feel the exact same way about that lyric. such an important reminder, as hard as it is to believe.

[apb7721]

When i am jittery or anxious at home, I tend to put on Over The Rhine's "I Want You To Be My Love". Helps me relax and focus...and its what ill want to dance to at my wedding if that ever happens in my lifetime

[Paul Gilmartin]

Jen,
Great thread!
For my years 7-10 any song off of the Beatles "Revolver" album, especially For No One, Eleanor Rigby, Here There and Everywhere, and Good Day Sunshine. My cousin who lived with us was 13 years older than me and for my 7th-9th birthdays he got me Meet the Beatles, Revolver, and Creedence Clearwater's Cosmo's Factory.

The CCR songs Lookin' Out My Backdoor and Have You Ever Seen the Rain, and Long As I Can See the Light, also bring me back to that time.

The melancholy of those songs bring me back to those times sitting in my bedroom and playing those songs over and over and even though I didn't understand the lyrics necessarily, I deeply understood the feeling in them. I suppose the reason they're still so powerful to me today is they were the only human communication to me at that age that was saying, "I know how you feel".

As far as upbeat songs from that time, the Beatles' I Want to Hold Your Hand and She Was Just Seventeen and CCR's Up Around the Bend. But they've kind of worn off. The melancholy ones still are incredibly powerful.

I was lucky enough to meet John Fogerty at a mall a couple of years ago and got to tell him how much his music meant to me. He was very nice.

Paul

[roadieric]

"Loose Ends", by Dan Fogelberg

"Ready for Camarillo", by Ambrosia

[heart]

Me and one of my friends who has overcome depression always look for hope when we're feeling down by listening to

The Cave by mumford and sons

Highly recommend it, it marks for me, the day I decided to start again and live my life for myself and not fear or the depression.