Music that Moves You (Part 1)

I remember sitting on the bus and MF passing me his headphones. I slipped them on and for the first time ever I heard Eddie Vedder sing an entire song without opening his mouth (it was “Leash” from Vs. so it wasn’t quite his usual mumbling). I bought a CD player the next week and Vitalogy along with it.

I don’t know much about music, I don’t know how to read sheet music, I don’t know melody or pitch, I don’t have much rhythm and I’m not such a great singer. But, I do know what I like and I do know how powerful music is. We’ll get to that in part 2, but for part 1 how about some fun music memories…

Singing Audio Adrenaline at the top of my lungs while on the riding lawn mower, Nirvana Unplugged every morning on the way to high school, speeding to Ghoti Hook’s “Spice Drops” then hearing them live in a church basement, Weezer’s Blue Album – all of it – over and over and over, roller-skating to “The Final Countdown” by Europe (I had to look it up) at Roll Away, the steroid football player singing Danzig’s “Mother”, Smashing Pumpkins “Disarm” and Meatloaf “I’d Do Anything For Love” at the school talent show, a bus of students cleaning up trash and a spontaneous sing-along to “Betterman”, mom reading the lyrics to “Satan’s Bed” and not responding so well, the morning my car broke down and I listened to “Wicked Garden” by STP on the way to basketball camp in Dad’s truck, hearing Plankeye for the first time at Creation, Skalleluia, Tekken and 311, Simon & Garfunkel and They Might be Giants in the Swinging Bridge office, dancing to "Come on Eileen", singing “Dust on the Bottle” with my secretary, seeing Pearl Jam at the chocolate factory with the guys, “Meant to Live” and the Antioch youth group, the whole congregation of SVCC circling the sanctuary and singing “Family of God”…

Okay, there are comments for a reason. Everybody has the songs that give them chills when they hear them on the radio, that take them to another place, that bring smiles and tears. For the handful of you out there, please participate. I want your favorite Album, Artist and Song (or a short list for each) and if you are feeling particularly into sharing, some small musical memory. I know it’s not easy, but if it was easy it wouldn’t be fun. To start things off I’ll give you mine:

Artist: Pearl Jam
Album: Blue Album, Weezer
Song: Lost the Plot, Newsboys

2nd Place:
Artist: U2
Album: Ten, Pearl Jam
Song: Far, Far Away, FIF
( I also have to mention: All I Want is You, U2; RVM, Pearl Jam; Bro Hymn, Pennywise; Seasons, Ghoti Hook)