Apparently, I have been tagged. I guess I'm IT!

Lara tagged Jill, and Jill tagged me.
Unfortunately, that means that I have to find a spark of creativity, and I am just not feeling it. ha.

They didn't give me any specific rules, so I am just going to have to go with it!!

Since next Monday is my 31st birthday, I am going to give you 31 of my favorite songs, and a few random memories that go with them. I love music, and this is by no means an exhaustive list of my favorites. Reading Jill and Lara's memes however, got me thinking about days gone by, so I dug into the past for many of these. Hope you enjoy (or are at least amused! ha!)

1. When I was very young...4ish? I remember my sister and I sitting with my parents on the hide-a-bed, singing into one of those stereo microphones, along with old Chicago. Not just one song, actually, although "Saturday in the Park" always comes to mind. Somewhere, once, there existed a tape of this. I wish I knew where. If it still even exists.

2. When I was a kid, my great grandmother lived in Sunnyside, Washington, which is also where my dad and his siblings went to high school. We used to drive there all the time to visit and there were three albums we listened to over and over, that became ingrained in my head. The first song I remember from these is a song called "The Master's Call" by Marty Robbins. It was the first favorite song I can remember, from like the 3rd grade. Nearly 15 years later, when I had not heard the song since I was a kid, I could still remember every single word.

3. "Hello" Lionel Richie
Again, one of my oldest favorite songs. Another song from road trips, these with my mom and aunt.

4. One of my most favorite songs ever is a song called "Higher Love," by Steve Winwood. Once, when I was like 11, my very first crush (Stevie Ferguson, who was my neighbor and friend until I was six) and his family, visited ours from California. My friends and I had a slumber party in the yard. Sleeping under the stars I listened to that song and dreamed of Stevie, and a 12 yr old happy ever after. :p

5. "For the Longest Time" by Billy Joel was my cousin Stephanie's favorite song when we were kids, and she is still fond of it. Her parents drove this tiny Sprint, and crammed all of us cousins in the back all the time. We would holler the chorus at the top of our lungs, but our mom's didn't care, they would just sing along. =)

6. "True Blue" Ooohhh Madonna. I still love this song, I confess. I pilfered it from the neighbor girl in the fifth grade. Whenever my parents let me be home alone I would turn it up super loud and listen to it five times in a row.

7. "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen. My cousins and siblings and I, on warm summer evenings, used to sit out on my grandmothers deck while the grown-ups played cards. We would watch the bug zapper light up and buzz, and everytime it did we would sing in chorus; "Du dun dun dun...Another one bites the dust!" Sometimes now someone will do it just to make everyone else laugh.

8. "I will Always Love You" the Whitney Houston version. I can't help it. Even if it's cheesy, this song was playing in the background during my last, and most memorable kiss. =)

9. "I'll Be There For You" Bon Jovi
My friend Dani (whom I grew up with) and I used to be huge Bon Jovi fans. We grew up listening to them. When I finally saw them in concert with my Aunt and cousin about three years ago, I commented to them as Richie Sambora started to sing this song...."It just isn't the same without Dani here to tell me what a cute butt he has!" :p

10. "I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues" Elton John.
I can't even give you a great memory for this one. It was really popular on the radio around the same time as the above mentioned "For the Longest Time." Somthing about the melody just captured me, even when I was so young, and I still love this song. It just haunts me.

11. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" Tears for Fears
Ya know. There are just some songs that remind you of when you were young. Summertime, barbecues, going to the lake. Feeling good in general. This is one of those songs. Also a great summer driving song, although not the #1. See below. :p

12. "Hysteria" Def Leppard
It is my personal opinion that this is the best summer driving song EVER. No, I mean it, EVER.

13."If I Stand" Rich Mullins
Okay, I so hate that Rich died before I got to see him in concert. The man was an insanely good hammered dulcimer player. Listening to those songs of his that are full of the dulcimer just fill me with unexplainable happiness. I love this guy. My old youth pastor was a big fan too, and it was one of those things we bonded over. I just have a lot of memories of my old college group days, and Rich's songs in the background.

14. "Let Me Sing" Andrew Peterson
Because it says everything I feel about my faith. What I would sing to God, if I knew I were singing to God.

15. "Sing Sing Sing" specifically from the Swing Kids soundtrack as well, but really, any version, its a GREAT song.
We coerced the DJ to play it at my senior prom! Oh man, we had so much fun dancing to that. My friend Chris offered to flip me, but I politely declined. I confess, I was afraid that I was heavier than him and he would drop me. =)

16. "Family Tradition" Hank Williams Jr.
Seriously, this lands in the list of all-time faves. I don't think I even would have liked it, but I used to go once in awhile to this country bar at the state line when I was in my late teens and early twenties. The band ALWAYS played this song. Not only was there a line dance that went with it, but EVERYONE sang the words at the top of their lungs. It was a rowdy atmosphere, but oh my gosh, I have rarely had such fun.

17. "Wanna Be Startin Somethin'" Michael Jackson
No, I have not outgrown the Thriller album. Let's face it, it was one of the best albums ever. Plus, it reminds me so much of when I was young. My mom and my aunt used to be huge Michael Jackson fans (at least until he turned into the crypt keeper).

18. "Where the Green Grass Grows" Tim McGraw
I used to take long drives when I needed to think or felt stressed out. I would drive up toward Mnt. Spokane at dusk, and this is just one of those songs that I always loved to listen to, while taking in the general splendor of wheat fields bordered by heavy pine. Smelling the smells, and feeling at peace. It still reminds me of home, and is also a Becky and Amanda song. It always makes me think of her. Love you Beck!

19. "Martyrs & Thieves" Jennifer Knapp
Actually, every song on this cd reminds me of DTS, especially India, but this song particularly reminds me of Shawn. I would leave my boom box in the kitchen (this is in Amsterdam), so that the clean up crew could use it, and I remember coming down later, and finding Shawn sitting on the counter in the dark, listening to Martyrs & Thieves.

20.The National Anthem
Laugh if you must, but I cry everytime I hear it. No kidding. I mean, I may not shed actual tears at a sporting event, but they certainly well up a bit. 4th of July? Yeah, forget it, its over.

21. "The Easter Song" Keith Green
Okay, if you listen to Keith these days, he sounds a bit hokey, but you know he was great for his time. Check out the Afro!! Anyway, I had never really listened to him before DTS, and then one time on outreach we were driving somewhere, singing all these old sunday school songs (most of which I didn't know since I didn't grow up in ss) and somebody started to sing this song. Slowly, most of the other people joined in. I didn't know the words of course, but I got chills listening. Listening to the song now brings back that memory, but nothing will ever be as amazing as hearing all those lovely people sing it wholeheartedly.

22. "You Are The New Day" The Kings Singers
Actually, I can't remember the arrangement, though I know I still have the music in my hope chest. We sang this song in high school for graduation. Not my graduation, but the class before me. It was maybe my favorite song I ever sang in choir. Haha. Choir trips always make me remember how I flashed a guy while changing on the bus. Okay, it wasn't that bad, but I probably showed him a little more than I would have liked for him to see. lol.

23. "Day by Day" Arrangement unknown
Again, high school. This is one of the songs we sang in jazz choir, and it just happens to stick out. Jazz choir was the best thing that ever happened to me. You know those pathetic people that think high school included the best days of their lives?! I am one of those pathetic people. I have never felt the way I felt in choir, about anything else. Ever.

24. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" Do I even need to say U2?!!
Obviously, there is a lot behind this song. I love a lot ( a really really lot) of U2 songs, but this has always been one of my faves. I think because it includes the line "The real battle yet begun, to claim the victory Jesus won."

25. "Help Me Believe" Nichole Nordeman
Because it is so me. Really. When I sing it, its like I wrote it.

26. "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" John Mayer
Just listen to the music. So bluesy. I love songs that sound like this. Currently playing in the Amanda music library.

27. "Mystery" Indigo Girls
For this line alone: "I could go crazy on a night like tonight, when summer's beginning to give up her fight..."
My friend from high school got me hooked on Indigo Girls. I love pretty much everything they have done, but this is the song I would crank on those late summer evenings when I could take off my t-tops and cruise.

28. "Promentory" (#6!) Last of the Mohicans soundtrack
Because lets face it, this is one of the best soundtracks in the history of soundtracks (and you know you think so), and this is one of the best tracks on this cd!!!

29. "I'll Cover You"(Reprise) from Rent (Original motion picture soundtrack)
Maybe because there had to be a Rent song on here. It really moves me. More than I can explain.

30. "Rickety House" Pages of May
I know you have never heard of them before, but I sincerely wish otherwise. It was a local band. I knew the guys through church friends. They were very solid musically, and the songwriting was so fantastic. It was the bass and drum line that really sucked you in though. Those two guys were friends, and they were tight. It's all about a good rythm section. Anyway..they were sincerely one of my favorite bands ever ever ever.

31. Title Unknown
In high school my friend Chris played the piano for me, and sang me this song in one of our practice rooms. He sang it TO me. I can still remember. I can hear his voice. It always brings with it a lot of emotion.

So there you have it! Yay for you if you managed to stay awake through all of that tedium. haha!
At least Jill will be forced to, since she made me do it! :p