Oh, The Sound of Music

Well, I promised a few posts ago to explain my playlist choices, and since I have nothing to write about, I am making good on that promise now. Music is a funny thing. It reminds me of things better than almost anything (aside from a smell), and so I hold a special place in my heart for each one of my song picks, as well as hundreds of others that I don't have the time or patience to find on playlist.com. Here are my explanations, in no particular order: Neil Diamond is just classic. How can you not love Neil? Especially when he is your dad's favorite singer? His songs remind me of my childhood, and they're so cute and clean and sweet! John Denver...well, not too big a fan, but I love "Annie's Song". The Carpenters have always been a familiar sound for me, as I grew up with them playing in the background. I have always aspired to have Karen's singing voice, but alas, my voice is neither low nor beautiful. Abba. Another classic! What girl hasn't shimmied at the very mention of "Dancing Queen"? I swear I cannot hear it without dancing - which is one of my requirements for a good song. When Saylor hears it she always says, "Mom, here's your song!" because we used to dance to it when she was little when dancing was the only exercise I could get that was enough like playing that she'd let me do it. Not to mention that it was a huge favorite with me and my pals in college, and the song to which I danced when Ty caught his first glimpse of me in all my uncoordinated glory! As for The Cure, what can I say? I had older brothers and sisters who turned me on to 80's alternative before my time, and it stuck with me. There's no excuse other than that. I love Harry Connick Jr., too - I know, slight departure from The Cure. I realize that my music selection is quite varied in style and genre, and I don't know why that is - guess I'm just extra well-rounded. Just kidding. It's probably just that I can't make up my mind about anything. Jack Johnson is my latest favorite (and by latest I mean in the last, oh I don't know, 4 years - I don't get out much), and I think he's so different and refreshing! His songs make me happy, which is another prerequisite of a good song - unless I'm in the mood for something a little gloomy. Pearl Jam's "Wishlist" reminds me of dating Ty, cause we heard it once when we were driving to Idaho Falls from Rexburg, and both agreed that it was good (the first music-type thing we had ever agreed on), however, the version I have on my playlist is live and stupid Eddie Vedder adds all sorts of weird stuff at the end - silly boy. The other Pearl Jam song is just a really cute remake of an old song that reminds me of fixing up our first house after we got married, cause we'd hear it on the radio in the middle of the night as we sanded, painted, built, cleaned, and overhauled that little gem. I really enjoy Cake, both the dessert and the band. Their lyrics are clever, which really impresses me, and they have some really funny songs. Also, they remind me of Ricks, and I love everything that reminds me of Ricks! "Canon in D" is a REAL classic in the original "classical" sense. I love it, and it played several times at our reception because it was the only song I had an opinion about for that occasion. Another thing about this song: Ty loves it, which is odd. As far as piano music goes, George Winston is IT, in my opinion. "Thanksgiving" is my favorite song, and I would wake up to it each morning if I could - it makes me feel calm and happy. Alison Krauss is as close to country as I can get, and I love her music and her voice. And last, but not least, Guns & Roses. I know, I know. When Ty told me they were his favorite band it was almost a deal-breaker, but I figured if I had already gotten past his driving a Ford truck, I could somehow make room in my heart for a man who listened to 80's "butt-rock." Turns out they're not so bad, and they grew on me (but not as much as Metallica - funny, huh?). "So Fine" is the first, and only, song we ever danced to. It was just a make-shift dance, kind of a hug gone awry really, but I count it because Ty is not one to dance! He played it for me and we laughed at how funny it was for GNR (yeah, I used their acronym cause we're tight) to write a love song and try to be sappy, but I mostly fell in love with it because Ty had been quoting it the entire time we were dating without my knowledge of its existence ("How could you be so cool?" & "How could it be you might be mine"), and for some reason it struck me as really sweet. We call it "our song" and laugh every time we hear it, cause it's pretty cheesy. Well there you have it. There are so many more songs that I would love to include in my blog, but for time's sake I summarized my life in these few selections.