My Life's Soundtrack - Part 1 - Secular List 1

I suppose this is true for many people, but it's certainly true for me: Music is woven into my memories. In a very real way, it's a soundtrack to my life. When I hear certain songs, I think of certain people, places, events. When I see certain things, a related song immediately comes to mind.

I started jotting down songs that have special meaning in my life, preparing for a blog entry. The list got too long! So, here's the first installment. I'll focus on some secular songs this time.

Longer - Dan Fogelberg - Our friend Dave sang this song at our wedding. Though Sherry and I don't have anything we would call "our song," I think of this one.

Oh, Sherry - Steve Perry - A great video, and if I had Steve Perry's voice, I'd sing for a living, too. But it's the subject that makes it special to me. [Love you, Sherry!]

Let's Hear it for the Boy - Deniece Williams - The afternoon after Adam [my first child] was born, I heard this song as I was driving back from the hospital to our apartment in married student housing at Purdue. Yes, I had already seen Footloose, and yes, Willard learning to dance is one of the great scenes from that movie. But for me, I will always associate this song with the day of Adam's birth.

Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World -IZ - In Hawaii, on our 25th Anniversary trip, we heard this song many, many times. Of course, we've heard it other times, as well, but in my mind, it will always conjure up images of flying over the islands in a helicopter.

Very Soft Shoes - Once Upon a Mattress (Rodgers and Barer) - The Jester's Song; my song. I sang and danced; and in one memorable rehearsal, I got a huge ovation. It's one of the best memories of my high school years.

Jungle - Electric Light Orchestra - One of two songs that instantly brings me back to college; the Craig part of college. Todd, Kirk, Andy! How fun! It always makes me smile, and sometimes I just have to laugh.

Rosanna - Toto - The other college song; the Luther House part. Inimitable. Stones, Sul, Ran, Keith, Hawk, Hops - and the whole gang.