Songs and Their Personal Meanings

As I was laying in bed last night not quite able to fall asleep just yet I grabbed my iPod and started listening to music. As I lay there with my eyes closed just relaxing and listening to my soothing music and my rock music back and forth I had a thought. I found myself constantly thinking about what each song I listened to reminded me of and just how fascinating it is that each song carries a different memory with different people from different times. I felt it was extremely worthwhile to at least reminisce about some of the songs that remind me of those better times.

"Far Away" by Nickelback is a song that can tug at your heart strings. It has meanings to many people out there and has become a very popular hit for its time out on the charts. For anyone who misses someone out there that has either gotten away from our grasp or gone to a better place, this is a song for you. This special meaning between my buddy Josh and I occurred several months ago and every time it comes on (either radio or jukebox) we light up a cigarette and cheers each other. It has become our "smoking song" and sometimes it doesn't even matter why.

"Big Brown Eyes" by Old 97's brings back memories from high school. The four best friends camping up north (being horrible campers at that) and just relaxing, having a good time, and then at night having the CD player replay this CD over and over and over again. I came to like some of the songs (this one imparticluar) but how could you not with the amount of times I heard the damn CD. Most importantly it is a reminder of a time when you and I didn't fight...at least not as much.

"Less Talk More Rokk" by Freezepop is the first song that really made me enjoy the video game Guitar Hero. It is so damn catchy and challenging at the same time, especially for an amateur like myself. When I hear this song the first thing I think of is the screen on Guitar Hero with all the colorful notes.

"Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond always puts a smile on my face because (a) it is so damn catchy and (b) it always gives me a visual in my head of a group of drunken people at a bar singing so loudly in unison that it is almost like you are at a mini concert. Nothing beats the sound of that because I love when everyone sings "Sweet Caroline! Ba Ba Ba! Good times never seemed so good!" Music to my ears...literally.

"In The End" by Linkin Park, although overplayed to an nth degree, remains one of my favorite songs and began my lifelong love affair with Linkin Park. I don't really know if there are many people who would not be able to recognize this song and I'm sure most of you can sing a lyric or two. It has been embedded in history as the beginning of a band that doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.

"Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" by Fuel is another one of those songs that spring boarded a group to the top of the charts. Fuel began to enter my music life as soon as I heard this song, which is one of those rare ones that never gets old with me no matter how many times I listen to it. Even people, like some of the people who write this blog and other friends of mine, who do not necessarily like Fuel will still jam out to this song. That says something.

"Bless The Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts was discovered by an ex of mine when she said it was a song that made her think of me. She was right, it was true (obviously not fate though as you see the "ex" part of this) and it began me down a path that I never took before. I never listened to country. I badmouthed it, gave it no credit, said none of it was ever worthwhile. I'm not saying it turned me on to all aspects of country but it did give me a start onto several other bands with Rascal Flatts being the ultimate favorite.

"Tea For The Tillerman" by Cat Stevens reminds me of a semi-fun time in my life. My first ever job working at a Kroger (as a courtesy clerk turned grocery clerk) can be defined by the Cat Stevens record as it soothed us when we got stressed out. When I worked stock and we had a truck arrive late (so we had to double time it) or we had way too many pallets to break down we would work our asses off for a while and then put on this album. It was always noted as "I believe it is Cat Stevens time" and every time I hear any song from that album I go back in time to those moments.

"Jolly Rovin' Tar" by Bruno's Boys is one of my favorite drinking songs, especially while drinking and listening to this song live with the band. I am a regular, at least when they play decently close to me, of this Irish band who, I must say, does Irish music proud. Any Bruno's Boys song will make me wish I have a drink in front of me...which I usually do anyway when I'm listening to them.

"Fall To Pieces" by Velvet Revolver takes me right to my first strip club when I was 19 in Canada. Why would you remember a song and not the fun part of those clubs? Well I'll tell you why. I walked into this club for the first time with that song blaring out of the speakers and the glorious view on the stage finalized the experience. The rest of the night went typically but we left and came back later (even though it was after drinking hours) and what song came back on? That's right.

There are plenty more memories with many other songs but this is just enough to give you an idea of what was going through my head last night before I drifted off.