My Top Ten

Today I'm counting down my favorite 10 songs of all time.  The talented Alex J Cavanaugh is hosting this blogfest so be sure to hop on over to his blog and check out what other bloggers deem their top ten favorites!

The songs I chose are ones I liked or listened to during significant parts of my life.  The words themselves don't necessarily mean anything, but listening to those songs brings back certain memories of certain times of my life. 

Of course I have many more favorite songs, and some I may like more than the ones I have listed here.  But I wanted to make this list more focused, so that's why I chose songs that actually have some kind of significance in my life.

I couldn't sort these 10 songs into a list of most favorite to least favorite, so I listed them in chronological order.

1.  "Masquerade" from Phantom of the Opera.  This was the first musical I saw on Broadway when I was in 5th grade.  This was my very first "favorite" musical and the vocal power of this particular song brings tears to my eyes every time I listen to it.  This musical has a special place in my heart, because I feel like it's what made me pursue theatre in school.

2.  Torn by Natalie Imbruglia.  Wow, this song brings back every high school memory.  It was number one forever in the late 90's and I remember belting it out in the car with my friends as we cruised around looking for something to do.  We were so tragic and dramatic back then.

3.  Ants Marching by Dave Matthews Band.  I chose this song because you're not a true Dave fan until you can master his "Dave speak" and I can proudly say I can decipher most of his gibberish in this song.  My boyfriend in high school got me hooked on Dave so he (Dave, not the boyfriend) will always have a special place in my heart.  This song reminds me of high school, dating, hanging out in basements, parties, and heart break.

4.  "What You Own" from Rent.  I lived, breathed and bled theatre in high school.  If I wasn't in a show, I worked on one.  I was at the theatre from the end of school usually until 6pm every day either rehearsing, working on the set or just hanging out.  It was my life and my job.  I probably know every word to every song from Rent, and we'd all break out into song during lunch (I know, total Glee moments!)  Anyway, I can't sing, but musicals move me to the core and I guess this song had a lot of meaning too.  We're living in America, at the end of the millennium, you're what you own.  This musical represents my time with theatre in high school, and even though it had it's own drama, I don't regret any minute of it.

5.  Closing Time by Semisonic.  Okay high school is beginning to have a theme here (can you tell why I write YA?  High school is a HUGE important time for teens).  Anyway, this song reminds me of graduating.  It came out the year I graduated (I think- don't quote me on that) and the lines: "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end"; and "Time for you to go out to the places you will be from".  And, "This room won't be open till your brothers or your sisters come."  I don't know the true meaning of the song, but to me, it talks of opening new doors, closing old ones, and beginning a new adventure: college.

6.  Breathless by The Corrs.  This is the hubster's and my "song".  It came out when we were in college, and it was on the radio all the time.  The acoustic version is the one we danced to at our wedding, so yeah...'nuff said.  The hubs still leaves me breathless after 11 years.

7.  American Baby by Dave Matthews Band.  Here is another Dave song.  This was on his album that came out in 2005, the year my daughter was born.  My sister bought me the album shortly after we got back from the hospital.  I played it over and over while feeding Little Monster. The first 5 months were extremely hard for me, and this song brings back all the agonizing pain- physical and emotional, as well as all the joys.  I will never forget the sadness and emptiness that accompanies PPD, and this song is a reminder that we got through the toughest time in our lives.

8.  I Don't Want To Be by Gavin Degraw.  I played this song, as well as the whole album over and over when Little Monster started eating solids.  We had a book shelf in our dining room with the cd player and we'd rock out to this album while she ate her mashed broccoli (her favorite food).  It just brings back a lot of fun and happy memories singing and dancing around while shoving mashed up veggies into her mouth, and cleaning most of it from the floor.

9.  "Defying Gravity" from Wicked.  I bawl like a baby every time I hear Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth sing this song.  Every. Time.  It's so beautiful and powerful and tugs at my heart strings.  Little Monster is obsessed with Wizard of Oz- especially the Wicked Witch- so I got her hooked on this musical.  She loves to hear the music about the Witch and I can't tell you how happy that makes me.

10.  Bad Romance by Lady Gaga.  Listening to Gaga makes me happy.  Plus she gets me through my workouts.  What can I say?  Gaga is my hero.  She is a strong woman who is not afraid to express herself.  She's talented beyond words and fights for her beliefs.  She fights for equality among people; for us to be able to be who we are and not be ashamed.  She's a passionate writer, and loves her Little Monsters so much.  My daughter is also in love with her, and I can only hope I can teach her what a wonderful person Gaga is inside and out.  Can you guess where I got Little Monster's name??

Well that's my 10.  If you're still reading after this UBER long post, thanks for hanging on!