Day 2: My Ultimate Playlist (As of Today)

The following fifty songs make up the playlist of my life. They're not necessarily my favorite songs, although some of them are. I have many -- but not all -- of them on my IPod. These are simply songs that evoke strong memories of particular times in my life. For instance, I love to run to "Magic Carpet Ride." "And I Love Her" was the first song David and I danced to at our wedding. "Smooth" reminds me of my friend Karin dancing. "Elevation" reminds me of driving in the car with my kids. We used to sing "Have You Seen the Ghost of Tom" at Halloween in elementary school. There are only a handful of current songs on this list because I don't know yet what will remind me of this time in my life. And who knows how much of it I'll even remember? I've forgotten most of it already! Perhaps I'll have to add "Forever Young" by Youth Group or "When You Were Young" by The Killers or "Reelin' in the Years" by Steely Dan.

I refuse to apologize for any songs on this list, even if some of them are highly embarrassing. I will, however, apologize for the fact that there are actually closer to 100 songs here. I tried so hard to edit them down to fifty, but the best I could do was about seventy-five, so I gave up.

In no particular order, I give you the playlist of my life.

“Sugar Sugar” by The Archies
“Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) by Looking Glass

“Sounds” from The Me That Nobody Knows
“Lose Yourself” by Eminem
“Sweet Baby James” by James Taylor
“New Year’s Day” by U2
“Magic Carpet Ride” by Steppenwolf
“Daniel” by Elton John
“Losing My Religion” by REM
“Night Swimming” by REM
“Shiny Happy People” by REM
“Burning Down the House” by Talking Heads
“Take Me to the River” by Talking Heads
“Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads
“Fly Away” by Lenny Kravitz
“Catch My Disease” by Ben Lee
“Single Ladies” by Beyonce
“Monkey Man” by The Rolling Stones
“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones
“Start Me Up” by The Rolling Stones
“Bungle in the Jungle” by Jethro Tull
"Ninety Six Tears" by Question Mark and the Mysterians, Doug Martin on piano
“Windy” by The Association
“Little Miss America” by The Beach Boys
“Every Day I Write the Book” by Elvis Costello & The Attractions
“Crush” by David Archuletta
“Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” by Spin Doctors
“Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
“The Weight” by The Band
“Red Red Wine” by UB40
“The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys” by Traffic
“Fire and Rain” by James Taylor
“Get Down Tonight” by KC and the Sunshine Band
“Moondance” by Van Morrison
“Electric Feel” by MGMT
“Have You Seen the Ghost of Tom” by ?
“Place of the Blest” by Randall Thompson
“I Love to Laugh” from Mary Poppins
“Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go” by Soft Cell
“Layla” by Derek & The Dominoes
“Elevation” by U2
"Mississippi Queen" by Mountain
“Lounge Act” by Nirvana
“Roll With the Changes” by REO Speedwagon
“Rock the Casbah” by The Clash
“More Than a Feeling” by Boston
“The Joker” by Steve Miller Band
“Closing Time” by Semisonic
“Amie” by Pure Prairie League
“Our Lips Are Sealed” by The Go-Go’s
“Brick House” by The Commodores
“And I Love Her” by The Beatles
“Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” by BJ Thomas
“Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac
“Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green
Handel’s “Messiah”
“Downtown’ by Petula Clark
“Cinnamon Girl” by Neil Young
“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by Johann Sebastian Bach
“Wouldn’t It Be Good” by Nic Kershaw
“Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” by Crosby, Stills & Nash
“Have A LIttle Faith in Me” by John Hiatt
“Jackie Blue” by Ozark Mountain Daredevils
“Pick Up The Pieces” by Average White Band
“Rebellion (Lies)” by Arcade Fire
“More Than This” by Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music
“Head and Heart” by John Martyn
“Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve
“For the Beauty of the Earth” from the Presbyterian Hymnal
“Work It Out” by Jurassic 5 & Dave Matthews Band
“Take A Minute” by K’naan
“No One’s Gonna Love You” by Band of Horses
“Deadbeat Club” by The B-52s
“She Drives Me Crazy” by Fine Young Cannibals
“The Lucky One” by Freedy Johnston
“Walk Away Renee” by Jimmy LaFave
“Bullet and a Target” by Citizen Cope
"Waltzing With Bears" by ?
“Intro/Sweet Jane” by Lou Reed
“Better Man” by Pearl Jam
“Debaser” by The Pixies
“I Want it That Way” by The Backstreet Boys
“Fallin” by Asher Roth
“Going Out Of My Head” by Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66
“Run” by Snow Patrol
“It’s My Life” by Talk Talk
“Peaches and Cream” by John Butler Trio
“Sarah Smile” by Hall & Oates
“Doctor My Eyes” by Jackson Browne
“Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show
What I Like About You” by The Romantics
“Meet the Mets” by ?
“I’m Henry the VIII, I Am” by Herman’s Hermits
“Angels We Have Heard on High” -- Christmas Carol
"Smooth" by Santana

And last but not least, the song that I don’t know the name of that I heard in the bar. Can someone please help me out here? If you think you can name that tune (oh how I loved that show -- “I can name that tune in two notes!”), please call me and I’ll hum it for you. If you can, indeed, put me out of my misery, I'll burn you a cd (or five) of these beauties...