One of the things I love most about Kenny Chesney is easy it is to relate to his lyrics. In going through boxes of CDs today, I pulled out his “When the Sun Goes Down” album and smiled as I popped it into the CD player. This is one album that, no matter my mood, I can and will listen every song without skipping.
The second song on the album is “I Go Back” which is one of my favorites of his! What I love about this song is how he talks about the songs that “somehow stamped our lives” and how they take us back “to another place and time.”
Every song that I love has some memory tied to it. From riding in the car with my dad to elementary school, to nights spent in my bedroom learning to play guitar, and even my first grab-a-date in Sigma Kappa, so many songs have stamped my life. I always smile when I hear these songs because of the memories associated with them.
So, for today’s post, I’ve decided to share with you some of my “I Go Back” songs, as I like to call them.
The first song, The Joker by Steve Miller Band always reminds me of early elementary school and riding in my dad’s Explorer to school each day. Because we went to private school, it was a 45 minute drive each morning. We ALWAYS listed to the classic rock station so my sister and I were never into Top 40 music at that age. This song was one of my favorites.
Growing up, we were fortunate to spend any and all breaks (and lots of summers) living in Key West. My parents loved to head over to Sloppy Joe’s for happy hour, among other bars. But they ALWAYS loved the live entertainment at Sloppy Joe’s. One of the regular acts was this local lady that played some crazy washboard instrument. Her signature song was Me & Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin. This song always takes me back to hot weather, tank tops, and Sloppy Joe’s nachos.
I remember how excited I was when I got my first guitar. I was obsessed and played every spare moment I had. The sad thing is, I don’t think I’ve picked one up in nearly a year. In all my middle school angst (lol) Break Down Here by Julie Roberts was one of my favorite songs to play. This was the first song I could play AND sing at the same time. This takes me back to those nights in my bedroom where I would play for hours.
Days Go By by Keith Urban puts one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen back in my head. On a family trip to Hawaii, I remember this song coming on the radio as we drove through the canyons on a sunny, cloudless afternoon. We had a convertible and the top was down and my sister and I sang this song while riding in the back seat, doing the little hand motion from the video out the car. I can’t help but smile thinking about carefree sense I felt that day!
Use Somebody by Kings of Leon wraps my entire freshman year into one song. My first college boyfriend had just moved back to the US after being stationed in Japan for 5 years and he was totally into Kings of Leon. It was a song that got me through all the worries and transitions of freshman year. Fitting enough, one of our last events of the year was Sigma Stock, a PR concert that featured local bands. One of the songs that the headliners played was Use Somebody. It weirdly tied my entire year back together.
I couldn’t even listen to this last song without crying! My freshman year of college, one of the local bands, Big Black Dynasty, wrote a song called University Avenue (here’s a cool fact: the guys that wrote/ sing this song helped found GROOVESHARK!) and we’re chosen to play at Gator Growl. These guys played weekly at Swamp, one of my favorite bars in college. This song happened to come on the random CD I popped in on my drive back home after graduation and I BAWLED while driving on I-75 the rest of the way home. “If I did it again, maybe I’d try to stand still, soak it all in, hold onto every day…”
Man, that last song realllllly got me just now! Do you have any “I Go Back” songs? What does the song remind you of?
Today’s Pickins:
1. If you don’t already use GrooveShark, check it out! The guy singing that last song was one of the founders of the site!
2. This customizable, printable, FREE iphone charger wrap is kind of cute!
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