Ten Favorite Songs -- And Why

Saturday, Jun. 14, 2003 - 2:43 p.m.

Here are ten of my favorite songs, in no particular order, with one exception.

The song titles appear first, followed by the artist who performs the version I'm talking about.

1. Only You - Yazoo
This song will always be listed at the top of every favorite song list I might ever create, for the simple reason that I credit it with saving my life. I first heard this song on a mix cassette that my penfriend from England sent to me in 1984. The rich vocal and the simple synth arrangement were the inspiration and the catalyst that made me go out and purchase my first electronic keyboard. That keyboard got carted by me through two failed marriages and a roommate from hell. There were two instances where I had actually come close to killing myself, but instead chose to sit down with my keyboard and play music instead.

2. The Rose - Bette Midler
This song will always remind me of a trip I went on in 1980, with my high school choir, and it will always remind me of a friend I knew then, Linda Rose Burns. It was her favorite song, and when she had to move, I learned it on the piano, and played it for her as a farewell gift.

3. The Road Ahead - City To City
This song is by a band that no longer exists. The CD is out of print. I found this song over on a Dutch website, and it's one of those songs that, had it hit big here in America, would have been played at high school graduations, the way that 'Wear Sunscreen' song was a couple of years ago. It's beautiful and inspirational -- and besides, one of the band members looks like my husband John did, twenty-five years ago. Nummy nums!

4. Freedom - Erasure
This is also another one of those upbeat songs; I refer to it as my 'morning cup of coffee' song. A line in it always affects me: "Your guardian angel will make all the wrong things right." I discovered I had a lot of guardian angels this year.

5. Why Worry - Dire Straits
This song reminds me of my penfriend in England, after he moved to Amsterdam. He came over to visit me in the summer of 1989, and this was 'our song'.

6. An Ending (Ascent) - Brian Eno
You've heard this one at every planetarium show you've ever been to. It's an ambient song, but it's got the perfect amalgamation of sound, and it's just one of the songs I love listening to when I'm trying to relax.

7. Conferring With The Moon - William Ackerman
I heard this song performed live, on public television, from a concert at Wolf Trap. I had never heard of this artist before, but the song is so lovely that obtaining the album solely for this cut was not a waste of money. It reminds me of my time in the Pacific Northwest.

8. All Together - Dougle Maclean
This is another one of those songs for I went out and purchased the CD. There are very few songs that sound like they're specifically written to appeal to pagans, but this is one of them.

9. Walk On The Wild Side - Jimmy Smith
This is simply the best thing that's ever been done with a jazz organ. Do yourself a favor and go get his greatest hits CD.

10.The Man With The Child In His Eyes - Kate Bush
This is one of her older ones. I almost put the more recent version of Wuthering Heights here, but decided not to, because The Man reminds me of loved ones past and present.

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This took a lot out of me.

I feel like I left too many songs out.

I guess I'll do eleven through twenty at a future date.:)

More later, maybe. Today I'm cleaning the living room. Bleah.

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