I find extraordinary joy in music. It is a wonderful gift we were blessed with and it never ceases to amaze me how music can change your mood, bring people together, or serve as a method in which memories are preserved. I would imagine most, if not all people with access to some form of music outside of what they create themselves, have been in a situation in which they have heard a song and are instantly reminded of a significant (or not-so-significant) moment in time. Kenny Chesney sings about this in his song “I Go Back”. Found within this song are the lyrics “We all have a song that somehow stamped our lives, Takes us to another place and time”. Songs do stamp our lives. I was thinking about this the other day and a large number of songs began to flood my mind that I consider significant to certain memories throughout my life.
Those who know me well know that I am terrible with long-term memory- without pictures or music, most of my memories from my middle school years would be a muddled mess, as would some from high school. And you can forget about elementary school. At least most of college is still intact because I am not that far away from those years…yet!
So, for my entertainment at least (and to serve as another way to hold on to some memories), here is my list of some of the music that has served as a script for my life.
1. Jesus Loves Me, Away in a Manger, and Zaccheus. All Bible songs I learned at an early age and sang with my mom as an itty-bitty. Also included in this time frame would be the Sesame Street theme song and Won’t You Be My Neighbor from Mr. Rogers. No extraordinarily specific memories related here, more a general remembrance of that time.
2. Debbie Gibson- Shake Your Love. I had a pocket rocker back in the late ’80s (when they were created) and thought it was the coolest. That and my Debbie Gibson tape that accompanied it. I was approximately 8 years old then and was rocking the side ponytail and slap bracelets.
3. Baby Baby by Amy Grant. Middle school. I remember distinctly two of my best friends at the time making fun of me because of my love of Amy Grant, and especially this song.
4. Right Here Waiting for You by Richard Marx. Played this in band in middle school. My dramatic middle school self almost started crying while we played it during a concert due to my unrequited crush on a fellow band member. That makes me laugh now.
5. En Vogue. Free Your Mind. I remember two of my guy friends getting into an argument in eighth grade because one felt the other was too judgmental. This song was brought into the argument and was quoted.
6. Devil Went Down to Georgia. High school. Riding with a friend of mine in his pick-up truck with windows down as he blasted this song.
7. Carolina in my Mind. I went to UNC, and every time I hear this song I have multiple memories of my time there.
8. Ice Ice Baby. Also in relation to UNC. Exam time. And an awesome RA I’m proud to call one of the best friends I’ve ever had.
9. You Are Beautiful (My Sweet Sweet Song)- Third Day- concert with two good friends when in graduate school at the University of South Carolina. One of my friend was not a Christian but seemed really into this song- whenever I hear it, I think of her and hope she has come to know Jesus as her Savior.
10. More- Matthew West. This is the song that was playing on the radio when Will pulled up the driveway to pick me up for our first date.
11. How Do I Love Her- Steven Curtis Chapman. The song sang during our wedding ceremony.
12. I Could Not Ask For M0re- Edwin McCain. The song Will and I danced to at our wedding reception.
13. My Little Girl (Tim McGraw), All-American Girl (Carrie Underwood), and There Goes My Life (Kenny Chesney). All songs that made me cry when pregnant with Eila.
14. Heaven is the Face by Steven Curtis Chapman. I heard this song on the radio while going to a doctor’s appt to check on my yet unborn little guy, Asher. I remember beginning to cry as I thought of the pain Steven Curtis Chapman and his family must feel after the loss of one of their daughters, and I also cried due to the baby I carried in my womb and the remarkable, precious gift that life is.
15. Baby Baby- Amy Grant. Yes, it is on here again, because it was the song playing on the radio (the station was playing some older songs) as I made spaghetti while in labor with Asher. It was ironic and appropriate and even more memorable since I loved the song as a child and Eila loves it as well!
It’s amazing to look back and see how music permeates so many moments in our lives. There are so many more that came to mind while writing this but this post would be entirely too long (I think it already is!) and some things, I just like to keep for myself.
Dancing in the Mundane 