Meaningful Songs

I am sure we all have certain songs that elicit memories from our past and present. They may provoke pleasant and happy memories or those that are sad, maddening, or depressing. Here are a few that are "classics" in my mind and ones that I never get tired listening to.

Everything but the Girl - Missing

This is a song that brings me back to the mid-1990's (and seeing Chris Kattan butcher it on "Saturday Night Live" certainly didn't help it's popularity with me). My older sister had just graduated from NMU with a degree in Biology and was headed to Marshfield, WI to attend the histology program at St. Joseph's Hospital. My family helped move her into this very old, musty smelling building that was actually a dorm on the hospital campus where she was to stay. It was the least bit modern and didn't even have cable TV! I felt bad that she had to live in such a dump and the worst part, being five hours away from her immediate family. She was crying as we parted ways and the rest of us piled into the car and drove off. Tears started streaming down my face as I realized how far away my sister would be. I could see my mom in the seat in front of me blotting her eyes with a kleenex and I'm pretty sure my other sister in the seat next to me was crying, too. This song played as we drove through Marshfield and on our way out of town. I listened to the words of the song and it had such a profound effect on me and I always makes me feel connected to that time.

Merril Bainbridge - Mouth

This song absolutely makes me smile everytime I think of it. If you've ever really listened to the lyrics of the song, you know it'll make you chuckle. My dad was always a "fan" of it even though it seemed to be an odd choice for a favorite song. Hearing him try to sing this song being just him and me driving through the old homestead really brings back a good memory for me. That's not the only memory I associate with this song. This song happened to play on the radio when me and my two sisters were all in the car heading to one of our favorite local scenic points; the Laughing Whitefish Falls in Sundell. I remember one of my sisters swerving out of the way of a raccoon as we drove towards the falls. I think we were even singing along to certain parts of it.

The Proclaimers - 500 Miles (I'm Gonna Be)

This is such a classic 80's song for me and one that I adore. Probably the one specific memory for me is listening to this song along the AuTrain-Forest Lake Road on our way back home after doing some swimming at the AuTrain Recreation Area. It's such a catchy tune and you can't help but sing bits and pieces of it whenever you may hear it. Also, since we're discussing it, another memory I associate this song with is from high school. I was part of this science group that won many awards during the regional competition which earned us a trip downstate to Lansing. One of the songs we listened to as we made the long treck to Lansing on the school bus was this song. And yes, many people were singing along. Seems that it had a significant effect not only on me, but others as well.

These are just a few of the songs that bring back good memories for me. As I think of more, I'll post them and the reasons why they are so special.