Tuesday is the very last day of my 20s. Even at the age of 21, I never thought I would be 30. As many of my best friends have already hit this milestone, a tradition of mine has been to create them a cd of 30 songs that remind me of them...to lessen the blow a little bit and celebrate our years of friendship.
If dance is my number one passion, then music is a close second. Every song I hear has a significant connection to a moment in my life. When a song comes on I can tell you what that song reminds me of and why. I decided to reflect on my past 29 years on this planet and create my own playlist. A playlist that outlines some of the most significant songs in my life, so far...
1. Mama: Spice Girls
Although it's ultra cheesy because it is the Spice Girls, my mom is my best friend. She and I have a extra special connection, especially since I was born on her birthday...a trend that would continue.
2. Bette Davis Eyes: Kim Carnes
From an extremely young age, I have always love this song. I guess I should have not been surprised to find out that this was the number one song on the day I was born.
3. Uptown Girl: Billy Joel
This is the first song I can remember hearing. My grandma used to babysit me as a baby and I had two awesome aunties that would always entertain me. I remember one of my aunts putting her massive headphones on my lil' head and spinning this record. I used to love singing the "ohhh" parts.
4. Maneater: Hall & Oates
This memory was also created at my grandparents' house. I remember my aunts and my mom playing this song over and over again as they sang and danced around the kitchen. Years later this song became as inside joke for the MSUM Dance Team...and I still dream of someone producing my Hall & Oates musical. I love me some Hall & Oates. My mom and I recently saw them in concert last December.
5. Ballerina Girl: Lionel Richie
This is me and my dad's song. He has always called me his tiny dancer. When I was just a lil' one he bought this record and played this song over and over again for me.
6. Material Girl: Madonna
My Madonna craze started when I was five. I remember my aunt Denise bought this record and came over to our house to play it for me. My mom bought me lace gloves just like Madonna's and I remember dancing to this song over and over again for them in our living room.
7. Hey Mickey: Toni Basil
I had a little Fischer Price record player in my room when I was little and this was my official first record.
8. Nasty: Janet Jackson
I loved this song! My mom bought me the single and I remember playing it over and over again in my room. My little brother HATED this song, as the thought it was directed at him...hey, he was only like three or four at the time. At one point he came into my room with tears in his eyes, whipped the record off the turn table and broke it in two! This was the first official time out I saw my brother receive from my parents. Haha, Nasty Boy.
9. America: Neil Diamond
My mom found a guitar at a garage sale and brought it home for my brother and I to play with. My brother and I would play America on our tape player over and over again. He would pretend to play the guitar and I would dance of course. We would both be lead singer.
10. Learning To Fly: Pink Floyd
My dad is fully responsible for my appreciation of great music and even greater artists. You should see my dad's collection of albums! Every Saturday he would blast his favorite albums on his massive stereo system and I would sit next to him as he told me why that specific band was so great. I always loved when he played his Pink Floyd albums. This is still one of my favorites. We have been to many concerts together in my lifetime...one of the best was our first experience at Australian Pink Floyd's show in 2007.
11. Why: Annie Lennox
Because of my dad, I have always loved great artists from an early age. When kids my age were loving Vanilla Ice, I was loving singers like Annie Lennox. I guess this proves my mom's point that I have always been an adult trapped in a child's body. LOL, what does that say about me now?!?!
12. The Freshmen: The Verve Pipe
It's weird how a song/experience sticks with you. This is the first song I remember hearing after I found out I made the varsity cheerleading squad. Every time I hear this song I can remember how that moment in time felt like, sounded like, tasted like...weird the things our brain chooses to hang on to.
13. Your Woman: Alternative Rock Heros
This song is weird and I don't know why it has such a strong connection when I hear it. It reminds me of high school, no specific memory, just high school in general. The nerves, the excitement, the friends, the experiences.
14. Da Funk: Daft Punk
I remember the moment when I was old enough to be in the big dressing room behind the stage at my recitals. I was a sophomore. Everything about that dressing room was better. The personal mirrors, chairs, the lights, and the music. The senior girls always got to choose the music we played as we did our make-up. This was the cd selection that year and I thought it was so cool.
15. Who Do You Think You Are: Spice Girls
I know...how did the Spice Girls make the list twice?! I don't know. This song reminds me of my little sister. She has been a little performer since she came out of the womb. I think my friends sometimes came over to my house just to be entertained by her. I remember dancing to this song over and over again with her, singing on the top of our lungs. I was 17 and she was eight. This year she turns 21...I think that makes me feel older than turing 30.
16. Lady In Red: Simply Red
Oh teenage love. At my senior prom my boyfriend at the time dedicated this song to me. Yes, my dress was red. At the time I thought for sure I was going to marry that Nate Anderson. I am thankful for him and our four year relationship, as he showed me what I DID and didn't want in a husband.
17. Go Ye Now In Peace: Coon Rapids Concert Choir
Being involved in choir taught me so much about the human spirit. I met some of the nicest people in choir, people that I might otherwise never had been friends with. These friends taught me the true meaning of not judging a book by its cover. We all had such a strong connection. It is a tradition at CRHS to sing this song at your last concert. Listening to it can still bring me to tears. Yes, my voice does exists on a few cds out there.
18. River Deep, Mountain High: Celine Dion
My favorite dance EVER. This was the last dance I ever performed on stage during my 14 years at Stage Door. This dance brought judges to their feet in a way that I have never seen since. The last performance of this dance, at Nationals the summer of 1999, encompasses everything I love about performing: the fire inside as 100 dancers all hit the same steps in unison, the audience going wild, the judges giving you a standing ovation, accomplishment from blood - sweat - and tears. Although this year marked my 27th year of dance, I have never experienced a performance quite like this one since then.
19. Say Goodbye: Dave Matthews Band
Oh, Dave Matthews. The college days. He just seemed to speak to us all. LOL.
20. Get Gone: Fiona Apple
What do you do when you are a poor college student? You drive around the city with your friends and listen to great music. Obviously gas was not $4 a gallon back then.
21. Precious Things: Tori Amos
I accepted my first dance job in 2001. I also discovered my love for Tori around that time. My dad and I LOVE us some Tori. I learned I was a good choreographer and a great dance teacher as I taught my first students a dance to this song. It is an experience that I hold close to my heart.
22. The Happy Song: JoJo
No matter what, this song can ALWAYS bring a smile to my face and a hop to my step. It is one of the most played songs on my iPod.
23. Lithium: Nirvana
This song always reminds me of the first time I met my husband. He was (is) SO different from me. Even though we came from two different worlds, I knew from our first date that we would someday be husband and wife. He has taught me so much and has made me a better person. Why Nirvana? I don't know. Must be because that is his favorite band.
24. Like A Feather: Nikka Costa
My friends and I feel like we discovered Nikka :) To this day we don't understand why the entire world does not love her like we do. I will never forget hearing this song for the first time, my friends and I jumped out of the car and danced in the middle of the street. Nikka is a true artist and as provided a soundtrack for my many memories of the past decade.
25. With Or Without You: U2
Paul and I joke that this is our song. We love U2 so much. We love this song so much. We are going to the concert in July and I can only imagine the tears will be streaming down our faces as we sing along with Bono.
26. Right To Be Wrong: Joss Stone
I bought this cd soon after Zoe was born. I remember playing it in our apartment as I danced around the room sing this to her in my arms.
27. You And I: Michael Buble
Paul and I both have such passion for music. When it came time to pick our wedding song we felt like we couldn't pick just one, but we had to for our first dance. We chose this one...together we can concur the world, in love.
28. Every Time It Rains: Charlotte Martin
I think I love to teach dance just as much, if not more, than dancing myself. This is one thing that I can honestly say I feel I am talented at. I felt I could bring things out of my students/teammates that they never thought they could do. This song is an experience that I, and many of my original MSUM dance team members, hold close to our hearts. We achieved so, so much for that dance program in five short years. My decision to quit teaching/doing choreography was one of my toughest to dance. Some of those girls are, and always will be, some of my best friends. I am so thankful for those five years of my life.
29. Purple Rain: Prince
Prince has always been one of my all-time favorites. My aunt used to make me tapes with his music on it, age appropriate of course. I learned about all of Prince's other music later in life :) Purple Rain is just ONE of my favorite Prince songs. It reminds me of so many different things. The tapes from my aunt Denise. Seeing the Joffery Ballet performing this in their light up purple tutus when I was ten. Driving around Fargo with Amanda listening to this song on repeat. Seeing Prince sing this song at his 07/07/07 concert with tears streaming down his face. Ugh, so good.
30. I Gotta Feeling: Black Eyed Peas
Last year on my birthday I remember this song came on the radio as I was driving to work. As I was driving I was crying (yes, on my birthday) because I was three days overdue with Roxie. I just was SO tired of being pregnant and I couldn't believe she wasn't here yet. I smiled as I heard this song because at the time it was one of Paul and Zoe's favorites. Laster that day I heard this song on my drive home from work and again on our drive to the hospital. Paul sang it to me through some contractions. Yes, I heard this song three times on my birthday. I took it as a sign that my baby girl would be the third generation June 1st baby, and she was.
If I had to pick a theme of my past 29 years I would say it would be determination and hard work. I would also say it would be unconditional love. I am so lucky to have experienced so many amazing things, all which have come to fruition from hard work. I am also so lucky to have such a close family and wonderful friends who love me no matter what comes our way. If the next thirty years are as good as the past 29...I say Bring It On! I can't wait to hear the soundtrack of my next 30.
