My Life's Soundtrack - Part 3 - Secular List 2

The third in a series [begun here, and continued here] of music which has formed My Life's Soundtrack. Today another list of secular pieces.

Linus & Lucy - Vince Guaraldi - Motivated me to take piano lessons (from Ann) - though I never did get good enough to play it. And it makes me smile - I've always loved Peanuts.

Three Pieces from "Star Wars" - John Williams - Was there ever a better set of movie score bookends than "Main Title/Blockade Runner" (Heroic, Exciting Annunciation) and "The Throne Room/End Title" (Exultant, Victorious Majesty)? And then, for character definition, "Binary Sunset" sets the tone for Luke Skywalker throughout the films and on into every (good) book written about him thereafter. The personal connection? Well, [ahem] I saw this movie in the theater, 22 & ³/4 times when it was released in '77. Kind of a favorite of mine.

Silly Little Love Songs - Paul McCartney & Wings - This song was on the jukebox in the office/rec room at "The Lake" resort, where we went on vacation with my dad's side of the family every year. I listened to this and many, many other songs many, many times with my cousins. (When we weren't playing volleyball, or playing pinochle, or fishing for northern pike and walleye, or splashing around in the lake....)

Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel - I remember hearing it in Ames, Iowa. Married student housing. 3rd grade or so. Perhaps the song I first remember hearing on an album.

Time in a Bottle - Jim Croce - I loved it for what it was -- a love song -- and then it was sung at a cousin's funeral after he died too early in his life in an accident. Now it will always affect me, and prompt me to appreciate the time I have now.

Lucky One - Amy Grant - I listened to the House of Love album in general, and this song in particular, over and over when Sherry was away on her mission trips. It reminds me of her, and that's always good.

The Call - Regina Spektor - This was the choice we made for the "Father/Daughter" dance for Sarah's wedding, and it was perfect. I sang while we danced. Sarah sang, too. For the two of us, it made sense. We are both inclined to break into song, and certainly to sing along with music we love. We danced, we sang, we danced. And now she's Troy's wife.

My Life's Soundtrack - Part 2 - Sacred List 1

My first installment of "My Life's Soundtrack" dealt with secular songs, but it will come as no surprise to people who know me well that I have several "sacred" songs (Gospel/Christian/Christmas songs) that are especially meaningful to me. In fact, if you've been reading my blog for more than a year, you likely know one of the songs that I'll list below. In any case, here's the second installment.

Christmas Lullaby - Amy Grant and Chris Easton - Not only is this a beautiful song. Not only is do the lyrics hold a powerful faith statement. But also, Sherry, Sarah, Leah & I sang this at our Christmas Eve service one year, and that is a memory that will always be with me.

Hope for Resolution - Paul Caldwell and Sean Ivory - I blogged about this piece of music back in 2004, but its history goes back t0 2002, and extends past 2004. In 2002, Adam was a freshman at Luther College (our alma mater) and we attended our first "Christmas at Luther." "Hope For Resolution" was the closing piece, and it was so powerful, it brought tears to my eyes. A couple years later, I loaned the CD to Karla, our church choir director, and she decided our choir could and would do the piece. Sherry, Sarah & I were in the adult choir, Leah was in the children's choir, and it was probably the best piece we ever did. I stil get goosebumps listening to the high notes Sarah sang at the end, and my emotional high follows the music, especially recalling the beautiful accompaniment of Leah and the rest of the children's choir. Getting the chance to sing it with the four of us, and having the connection to Adam and to Luther make it a very meaningful piece in my life.

Friends - Michael W Smith and Deborah D Smith - We sang this song when some family friends left Rochester, but we've felt the emotions in this melancholy yet hopeful song many, many times since; most recently as we changed congregations ourselves. "Friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the lord of them."

Hallelujah - G. F. Handel - Participating in Handel's Messiah each year at Luther was special enough (Weston Noble, folks!), but to do it in our senior year with my wife, my sister and my parents singing as well? A musical highlight of my life.

Beautiful Savior - Translated by Joseph A. Seiss- The finale piece at Decorah High School's Christmas Concert, and a meaningful, symbolic piece of art for the remainder of my life. Whenever I can sing this, in four-part harmony, in a sanctuary full of worshipers, I experience a foretaste of heaven.

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.