Wednesday, October 06, 2004

Soundtrack of My Life

Blogdad Grau asked us to list 15 songs as a soundtrack to our lives, and explain your choices.

It took a little bit of thought, but here they are, along with some really lame explanations. In no particular order, they are:

1. Tennessee Flat Top Box - Johnny Cash
One of those things that strongly remind me of my father.

2. Crazy Horses - The Osmonds
Stop laughing. Oh, okay, go ahead. I am! Seriously, I first heard this song at my cousin's place when I was really young. It was my first clue that there was music other than polka and country.

3. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
Picture a kid listening to a small transistor radio in the dark. He knows he's not supposed to be listening to rock music, but he kinda likes what he hears. A bell begins to ring on the radio, and goosebumps stand up on his arm. Scared to death, he can't shut the radio off, and he loves what he's hearing while almost shaking. I still love this song!

4. A Day In The Life - The Beatles
Overall, I do not like the Beatles. But I love this song. I had a clock radio, and had it set to wake to music. I was dreaming about angels singing, and when I woke up, this was the song playing. Loved it since.

5. Raining Blood - Slayer
I was in awe the first time I heard these guys. Music so fast, angry, and of course, cool. No one compared to these guys. Brings back some great concert memories too!

6. Dead Man's Party - Oingo Boingo
Just alot of good memories associated with these guys' music. Danny Elfman ... (Simpsons, Tales From the Crypt) great composer. Fun music.

7. Fast as a Shark - Accept
My brothers and I still sing the intro to this song. Starts as a polka, record gets needle dragged across it, and all hell breaks loose.

8. Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck - Prong
When you're feeling a little anger coming, this song is a great release.

9. Superstition - Stevie Ray Vaughan
This is the song that got me hooked on SRV. His music, and guitar playing have meant an awful lot to me.

10. Ira Hayes - Johnny Cash
Not only does this song remind me of my dad, but it was one of the songs that my platoon would sing quite often. About half of the platoon knew all of the lyrics at one point. Great memories of my Marine brothers.

11. We Die Young - Alice in Chains
More great concert memories. My nephew is named after the lead singer. Yeah, he was an addict, but he had an incredible talent.

12. White Noise - Corrosion of Conformity
I've always been a huge fan of these guys, but this song off of "Blind" got to me. Music is cool, of course, but there are some lyrics that caught me when I first listened to it. I'm not a lyric guy, just give me music, but I liked the words:

When they cracked the whip, nothing was said
When the flames burned, nothing was said
When they notched the barrels, nothing was said
When the bays opened, nothing was said
When the dogs were set loose, nothing was said
When colors run red, nothing was said
When innocents cried in the face of the guilty
NO ONE SAID ANYTHING!


13. My Favorite Things - sung by Julie Andrews
I don't know. I really don't. I just like it.

14. God Blessed Texas - Little Texas
Another Marine memory. Probably the only time I've worn a cowboy hat (as an adult), and I was singing this song at the top of my lungs as my buddies and I were driving through College Station, Texas. I was a little tipsy, but I knew what I was doing. One of the best road trips I've ever been on.

15. People=Sh*t - Slipknot
Pissed off? Got the cure right here.

(bonus hidden track: Taps as played at a Marine funeral. You want to hear something so beautiful that it makes the hair on your arms stand up? This is it. I was on funeral detail in between schools, and there was this one bugler in particular that played Taps with so much sadness, it was creepy. I always had moisture gather at the corner of my eye when he played.)

These aren't necessarily my favorite songs, but they do mean alot to me. Yep, I know some are a little strange, but that would be called "balance."

Hope you enjoy.