music...makes the people...come together...yeah...

Forgive me for what has no doubt been a noticeable absence from blogging. When I travel, I seem to get out of the swing of it, which is arguably the main time my fingers should be forever typing. Anyway, I’m back now, and that’s all that matters.

This post has been a long time coming in many ways. For years I’ve wanted to come up with this list but felt the task was too daunting to tackle.

Music has strange power. It can affect your mood for better or worse. It can teach you a hard lesson or make you feel dumber just for listening. And it’s no surprise that some music strikes us more than others. These songs can connect you to someone, something or somewhere or can allow you to escape – often both at the same time. It’s my belief that the love we have for music is the reason Apple scored with the iPod – people love to be surrounded by their favorite words, phrases, melodies and choruses at all times. And I mean all times – the subway, the airplane, while exercising (not that I know anything about that) and even while shopping.

So, for that reason, I’ve compiled a Favorite Songs of All Time list. I think you can learn a lot from someone by observing the songs he/she listens to again and again. Kind of like clothes – you’ll always get new things that you wear till they go out of style, but you always go back to the things you feel best in. Let me also say that I took this arrangement very seriously – I tried to weigh songs I “like” against those that speak to my soul. The closer to the bottom, the more unstable the position on the list; some will be there forever and some will come and go just to return again. Many I searched out, many just sort of appeared. Sometimes it’s the melody and other times it’s the words, but either way, here they are...

20. “Love Song for a Savior” by Third Day
I never swam the deepest ocean/But I walked upon the raging sea.
I couldn’t tell you the first time I heard this one, but I’m pretty sure it was in youth group at church at some point. The lyrics are written from Jesus’s perspective, essentially pleading to be with us. The finished product is a poignant monologue and mournful music that complement each other perfectly.

19. “Fool in the Rain” by Led Zeppelin
I got no reason to doubt you baby/It’s all a terrible mess.
The music in this song first attracted me, and it’s about as light-hearted as Led Zeppelin gets. As with other Led Zeppelin songs, I didn’t understand the words until years later. Trust me, they make this one even more endearing.

18. “Let Him Fly” by Patty Griffin
There’s no mercy in a live wire/No rest at all in freedom/Of the choices we are given, it’s no choice at all.
I first heard this on a Dixie Chicks cd, and I really liked it then. But it wasn’t until I heard Patty Griffin sing it that I was really hooked – and why shouldn’t I be? The words are her own, right? Jessica Simpson also has a version, sadly.

17. “Desire” by Ryan Adams
That you’ll find me, and that you’ll see me/That you’ll run and never tire.
I love when a TV show not only has great music but tells you what the music is. House is great about this, and it brought me this song. Maybe that’s a reason I love it so much – because I can see Hugh’s brooding eyes whenever I hear it.

16. “The Weight” – by The Band
My bag is sinkin’ low, and I do believe it’s time/To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she’s the only one
Kell introduced me to this song, as he did with much of the music on my iPod. The lyrics are really sad and lonely, and I don’t really understand much of their meaning. But who cares?

15. “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” – by The Proclaimers
And when I come home yes I know I'm gonna be/I'm going to be the man who comes back home to you
This is the very first song I purchased on iTunes. Random, perhaps, but I really love it. The music is really fun, and the words are really sweet without being too sappy. The singers themselves aren’t much to look at, but that kind of makes me feel like they really felt the words they wrote.

14. “The Wind Cries Mary” – by Jimi Hendrix
Will the wind ever remember/The names it has blown in the past/And with his crutch, it’s old age, and it's wisdom/It whispers no, this will be the last
It’s probably no secret why I like this song. There are lots of songs that feature my name, but this one is truly the best. Jimi Hendrix is an insane talent, and when the wind cries for you, what more could you want? John Mayer also has a good version of this one

13. “Say You Love Me” – by Fleetwood Mac
Then woo me until the sun comes up,/And you say that you love me.
How can you not love Fleetwood Mac? Sure Stevie Nicks dresses like a witch, but these guys have put out some great ditties. Seriously, have they ever put out a bad song? The lyrics of this song are totally desperate, but the music is upbeat enough to not seem so pathetic. I think we can all relate.

12. “When I’m Sixty-Four” – by The Beatles
Give me your answer fill in a form/mine forever more/Will you still need me/Will you still feed me/When I'm sixty-four
The first appearance of The Beatles on my countdown is certainly not the last. I absolutely love this happy song detailing out all the funny things about what it will be like growing old with your significant other. I read somewhere that Paul wrote this for his dad’s 64th birthday. How great to have your own personal Beatles song as a birthday gift?

11. “Elenore” – by The Turtles
Your looks intoxicate me/Even though your folks hate me
This is one of those songs that you may recognize the moment you hear it but just never knew what it was. The words are simple, and it’s the music that really makes it. It’s a secret why I adore this song.

There you have it - the first half of my favorite songs of all time. Stay tuned for the next group, including my number 1!!!!