Songs From Your Past

You know how you'll get a whiff of a scent and it brings you right back to a certain time and place in your past? I've had that with a candle I bought once. We had the same scent when we lived in our apartment and Germany, and I happened upon it years later and it instantly brought me back.

The same things goes for songs; tonight after I was done watching Lost (I bought it iTunes), I was perusing songs and somehow found a compilation album for every year of the 90s. I listened to a few clips and some of the memories I had were just silly, some were sad, and some were good.

In no particular order:

"Mr Jones" by Counting Crows: I remember sitting in Mr De Jong's grade 7 Social Studies class discussing this song with several of my classmates. I can't remember who, but I can still remember how we were sitting. It was me, two guys, and another girl.

"Hold My Hand" by Hootie and The Blowfish: My dad and my step mom (at the time) took me to a Hootie and The Blowfish concert in Vancouver. It was awesome! I even got a concert t-shirt. Don't ask me to recall where it is, because I wouldn't be caught dead with it now, lol! I had so much fun going to that and thought I was hot shit because I was at a CONCERT! lol

"California Love" by 2Pac: An old friend of mine, Kristen, and I were having a "party" at my house and before all the kids arrived, her and I were watching Much Music (I'm Canadian, it's our version of MTV...or what used to be MTV) and I remember seeing this video. I can even see us sitting on the floor in my basement watching the video.

"MMM Bop" by Hanson: My friend Jake and I were going out for dinner at Red Robin, and his sister Sam was driving us and I remember us waiting in the car for her. The song came on and he and I were singing along to it.

Almost anything from 1998 pretty much defines the whole year for me. I graduated from high school, started college, had a pretty traumatic breakup that fall, met my husband, spent time with my Best friend from California. Many Many things. It was a real turning point in my life, as was 1999 (which I shall get to in a moment).

One song from 98 that affected my life in 99 was "Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith. The reason behind that song is simple. When my husband and I were "dating" over the Internet, he said that was "our song" (you know how teenagers are, lol, we were 18 and 19!!!). Anyway, he and I broke off our engagement and I had gone on to date other guys etc etc, and I was at a friend's house sometime later and he and I watched Armageddon. I balled like a baby when I heard that song, it was so emotional for me because it had been mine and my "fiance's" song (now husband). Funny thing is, my friend had no idea and thought I was crying because of the movie. Yikes! lol I guess I wasn't really over him yet (this all happened early spring 99).

And of course, we can't forget "My Heart Will Go On" from Titantic! I saw that movie so many times, and I remember the first time I saw it I was in Delta with my friend Melissa, and some of her friends and us girls were all crying afterwards and all the boys hugged us. Awww.

Another emotional song for me is "Love Song" by Sky. This is probably up there with the Aerosmith song. I had another somewhat serious relationship in 1999, and this was a really popular song while "S.P." and I were dating. Ultimately things didn't work out for us, obviously, but this song always makes me think of him (same goes for "Blister In The Sun" by the Violent Femmes).

I think a lot of songs from 98 and 99 bring back the most memories for me because of all the life changes that went on. Like I said earlier, I graduated from high school, had a couple relationships, a couple bad breakups, moved out on my own, got a job and supported myself, got engaged, went to College and University, and ultimately eloped and married my husband of 9 years!

And lastly, two more songs from 2000: "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down, and "I Try" by Macy Gray. Nothing spectacular that's for sure, but that was when my hubby and I were first married and we lived in Germany. These were really hot songs at the time, and I can still see us driving in our Suzuki JLX driving from housing to the Air base, and hearing these songs on AFN (Army radio station).

Now that you've hopefully enjoyed the little window into my memories, what are some songs that define your life? What brings back memories?


*there are some I did not share, like all the Smashing Pumpkins stuff, which makes me remember practically all of grade 9. Or a song by The Police, which reminds me of my friend Jake, who I mentioned already, etc etc. I though my post was long enough ;o)*