I go back...

I've been blogging with three fabulous women for almost two years and have been enjoying all the fun topics we come up with week after week. If you want to see what we've discussed in the past, check out our posts here.

This week, Moma Rock says:  It's song dedication time! When you hear certain songs, who do they make you think of, and why?

Before reading ahead, first see what everyone else had to say on this topic:
Froggie
Mom of Many
Moma Rock

When Moma Rock first gave us this topic, I immediately thought of "I Go Back" by Kenny Chesney. "Every time I hear that song, I go back..." Some songs immediately make me think of people and others make me think of certain places or events in my life. Please excuse the randomness of this post (and the length).

First off, there are a few songs that remind me of "Will," in one way or another. The first is "True" by Spandau Ballet, since we would add "By Wally Lamb" into the chorus. (I heard it recently at my favorite Kosher pizza establishment and had a hard time not laughing.) Then there's "I Can't Get You Out of My Head" by Kylie Minogue, since he got me her CD when I visited him in Israel and then our bus driver on the Birthright trip would play that song every day, as well. "I Will Love Again" by Lara Fabian reminds me of all the times that "Will" and I would go to gay clubs and that song would be playing. Anytime I hear it, I think of dancing with him on a podium (and how he knocked me off one time). And of course, "Get...in...the...pooooool!" Really, a LOT of songs remind me of "Will," as we have so much history. There are songs from ABBA, Barenaked Ladies, Dixie Chicks, various Broadway musicals, Audra McDonald (probably the least Jewish song possible), etc.

There are also songs that remind me of "Jack." I was listening to Spotify recently and "Around the World" by ATC came on. I was instantly transported back to the days when we would work together and then go to gay clubs on weekends. I also think of him when I hear "Ice Cream" by Sarah McLachlan because we sang it together at Karaoke once. The Little Shop of Horrors soundtrack makes me think of him because we auditioned for a community theater production once and were practicing "Suddenly Seymour" in the car the whole way there. Just like with "Will," there are a lot of Broadway musicals that make me think of "Jack." He gave me the soundtrack from The Last Five Years shortly before my wedding (not the most fitting gift, but I still love it). Anytime I hear it, I think of when we sat in my car by Old Orchard mall and he explained the background behind each song.

Whenever I hear "Perfect" by P!nk, I think of Katydid because I know it's one of her favorite songs and also because she looks like Tina Majorino, who was in the music video for this song. Most Jann Arden songs remind me of her, as well. "AM to PM" by Christina Milian reminds me of Froggie because it's the only song she ever sang at Karaoke and we sang it together. New Kids on the Block and Debbie Gibson make me think of her too. And also, "Heaven is a Place on Earth" by Belinda Carlisle because I bought Belinda's record the first time she and I hung out when we were in sixth grade. (Also, we're a bit like Romy and Michele and that song was played in the movie.) Aside from Barenaked Ladies songs reminding me of "Will," I also think of Cass (a.k.a. Mrs. McCheese), a friend I met at my Voicestream/T-Mobile job. She and I went to their concert together and we'd e-mail each other lines from songs. I could really go on all day with songs that remind me of various friends, but I'll stop here.

Next up is "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie, which I can't even listen to since the summer of 2007. It reminds me of the first (temporary) house we had in New Jersey and all the bad feelings associated with it. The main one being how horribly rude the shul president (at the time) was to us and how utterly unwelcome he made us feel right from the beginning. I think I go out of my way to make people feel welcome in my current community because I don't think anyone should EVER feel the way he made us feel at that time.

Some songs take me way back, such as "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel, which I heard at a school dance when I was in eighth grade. It was a mixer dance from Snowflake (this special anti-drug program that all the schools participated in) and some people from my future high school were there. One in particular was this attractive senior named Vance. He asked me to dance to "In Your Eyes" and was telling me how much he loved Say Anything and how I had to watch it. He was really nice to me, which made me feel really good about myself. (Years later, I spent an evening chatting with an acquaintance about him, as it turned out she would "stalk" him at T.G.I. Friday's when he was working there. Small world?)

During my freshman year of college, I was becoming familiar with Toad the Wet Sprocket. Over winter break, I bought Dulcinea on cassette and listened to it non-stop. Hearing it now always reminds me of that time in my life. When I was a junior, I became acquaintances with a guy I had met through one of the online chat groups. He was also a TTWS fan and even made me a mix tape of some rare songs. A few other singers/groups that remind me of college are Jewel, Natalie Merchant, Stone Temple Pilots, Smashing Pumpkins (mainly because a friend and I would joke about Billy Corrigan being Jamie from Small Wonder, after hearing a rumor about it) and Hootie and the Blowfish...amongst a few others. There's also the soundtracks for Clueless, Reality Bites, Empire Records and Pulp Fiction. Jill Sobule reminds me of the summer between sophomore and junior year.

Then there's "One of Us" by Joan Osborn. The first time I ever heard that song, before it became really popular, was on my friend Dave's answering machine. When it started playing on the radio more often, he was back in Utah and it made me miss being able to call him so easily. We lost contact for a while after he moved, but now he's on Facebook. Recently, I heard a song playing at Chabad, where the music group used parts of "One of Us" in the instrumentals. Too funny!

Of course, there are songs that make me think of the most special guy in my life (aside from my sons). The first is "Wherever You Will Go" by The Calling. When we were first dating, I had liked that song a lot and on our first real date (where he picked me up from my condo and drove me to a bowling alley and then dinner), it was one of the first songs I heard playing in his car. Another encouraging sign at the time. On our honeymoon in St. Lucia, they kept playing "Hey Ya" by Outkast at the resort and we now associate it with that wonderful week.

Speaking of travel music, whenever I hear "Rock the Boat (Don't Tip the Boat Over)" by Hues Corporation, I think of my first Royal Caribbean cruise. I thought the song was written for the cruise boat and found it annoying. When I was back at school, I was out one night with my friends and that song came on in their car. I was so surprised to find out that it was a real song!

When I was pregnant with my older son, "Holla Back Girl" by Gwen Stefani would be playing a lot and hearing it now reminds me of those last few months before he was born. "Baby Girl" by Sugarland reminds me of the beginning of the pregnancy. (It's a wonder I had a boy with those two songs being associated so heavily.) Oddly enough, I also would listen to LeAnn Rimes' This Woman CD (with "Something's Gotta Give"). Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride CD reminds me of my pregnancy with my younger son. I also associate Idina Menzel's I Stand CD and the Spring Awakening soundtrack with that period of time. And even though I got Adele's 21 CD after my daughter was born, I associate her music with my pregnancy. Maybe because I heard "Rolling in the Deep" on the radio all the time...

Finally, hearing Beyonce singing "Independent Women" with Destiny's Child again made me think of 2001, when that was my theme song and I'd blast it in my car on the way to the city for improv classes. I still love that song!