10 of the Most Influential Songs in My Life

So over the past few days I’ve been spending a lot more time than usual with my music, I’ve just had more opportunities to listen I guess, and this has given a chance to really think about what music really actually has had an effect on me as a person. This playlist is short, not even reaching 45 minutes, so about the size of an album, but on it are 10 songs that have had some of the most impact of who I am than a lot of other things in the world. This post isn’t very exciting, but I really wanted to do it. I may continue to post things like this (I’m always making playlists anyway, maybe I’ll start talking about them) but we’ll see. Let me know if you want that. I could make them more objective and post them in “clever compositions and honesty,” but we’ll just have to see. Please note. These are not all my favorite songs. Some of them I don’t really like very much. That’s not the point of the list.

Ten of the Most Influential Songs in My Life:

10. Hands Down -- Dashboard Confessional -- So Impossible EP
I fell in love with this song before I was really familiar with Dashboard. A certain girl used to sing it all the time. Then I fell in love with her, and really did have the best dates I’ve ever had with her. This song helps me remember when I’ve been truly happy and reminds me that joy is obtainable.

9. Sun -- Daphne Loves Derby -- Punk Goes Acoustic 2
I guess you can say that this song has become my “theme song” for that past little while. And it probably will be for awhile. *sigh* It’s a beautiful song though. I love their acoustic stuff.

8. Behind Blue Eyes – The Who – Who’s Next
I wasn’t in a happy mood, and everything to help me feel happy just didn’t so good so I came up with a better idea make yourself feel even worse. So I listened to this song for 24 hours straight. It was quite the experience actually. I wasn’t actually awake for all of it, but it played while I slept. That may show how weird I am, but this song really connects with some part of me. I actually wrote out an entire script for a music video to this song (first time I’d ever done it). This has helped me be alright with a lack of acceptance

7. Memory Lane -- Jake White -- EFY 2000 Forward With Faith
I listened to this album over 40 times straight on my mission, without listening to anything else. Some of the best time of my mission might I add. Elder Chunky, this is for you.

6. Swing Life Away -- Rise Against -- Siren Song of the Counter Culture
Part of me loves this song. It’s so well written and controls emotions so well. Sadly, most (but not all) of my memories with this song are negative. It took a long time for me to be able to listen to this song (I guess I’m just overly emotional and stuff). This song helps me see beauty in sad things

5. White Daisy Passing -- Rocky Votolato – Makers
This song has so many good memories associated with it. Nag Champa and some of my favorite people in the world locked in a room until late at night. The words are beautiful and the feelings you get as you think about your own life are captivating. And I also fell in absolute love with acoustic music, opening up a whole new world

4. Let It Be -- The Beatles -- Let It Be
Back in High School, my friends and I decided to start a band. Like all good beginning bands all we could do was covers. It was a unanimous decision that this would be our first song, and guess who got to sing? That band never went anywhere, but my love for music and appreciation for bands and what they do was forever changed.

3. Heysátan -- Sigur Rós -- Takk...
February 8, 2006 This song was performed on “Late Night With Conan O’brien.” Some of you may remember when I saw this. I freaked. And so did Ben across the hall. The next day we (combined) bought most of their discography. My musical taste has never been the same. And my search for new sounds never really started until this moment.

2. A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall -- Bob Dylan -- Free Wheelin' Bob Dylan
The first time I heard this song I was in Mr. Larson’s Sophomore English class. And we didn’t just listen to it, we analyzed it. We took each line and talked about it. This is the moment that I decided that no matter what I do with my life, I want to help people. I’m still not sure how I’m going to do that, but it’s my goal to.

1. Hey Jude -- The Beatles – Single
There is no doubt in my mind that this song has had more of an effect on me than any other song ever. It’s not just the records that it has, or the groundbreaking it did (it seems like most of the Beatles stuff did. But more than that (this playlist isn’t about groundbreaking) this song is number one because it was what really helped me to fall in love with the Beatles, and music overall. This is where my passion started.

Maybe I’ll do this again sometime. I’m so excited for school to be done. Only 2-3 more days, depending on when I take my finals, then it’s off to Mickey land. I’m going to get pictures with all the princesses.

Comment questions:
1) What song has had the most influence on you? Care to share why?
2) what are you going to do over your break (if you get one)?

ps/ if you would like this or any other of my playlists (or a custom one) just let me know and we'll find a way to get it to you