Playlist of My Life

Have you ever noticed how a song can stir the strongest memories, ones that are so vivid that you feel as though you could close your eyes and be transported to that exact moment that is forever entwined with that song…it feels so close that you still remember what you were wearing and how you were feeling? The lovely Nicola over at Simply Homemade Blog came up with a fantastic linky called the Playlist of My Life and I’m delighted to be joining in.

Please note that it’s well documented that I know very little about music and the following songs represents moments in my memories and are not necessarily great music or even songs that I actually like. 

Early Memories

One of my earliest musical memories is my mum playing Abba songs, whenever I hear their music, which is frequent with small people who love Mamma Mia, I think of her.

My early childhood was spent living in our family pub and my bedroom was directly above the bar. Waking to hear singing in the bar below was not uncommon and one of my lasting memories was hearing The Green Fields of France being sung, although to be honest until very recently I thought this song was called Willie McBride. The song reminds me of every great night in the pub, both as a child trying to sleep through it and a teenage working there, no celebration was ever complete without someone belting it out.

My first parochial hall disco, at the magical age of 13, is forever linked with Belinda Carlisle’s Circle in The Sand…

The reggae tones of UB40 will forever be associated with a holiday as teenagers in Galway. My sisters and I singing along to a much prized tape on a mortifyingly bright yellow tape recorder…this particular track is the one that sparks the most memories.

A large portion of my teenage memories involve Madonnas nightclub and while I was never cool enough, or rebellious enough to be a ‘Cure Head’, The Cure’s Friday I’m in Love has me instantly transported there.

A magical summer in Gibraltar at age 17 was made even more special when the navel officer that I was dating arrived at the restaurant I was working in, in full uniform to say goodbye moments before his ship left port ( cliche or what!) God help my best friend who had to put up with me listening to Bryan Adams’ Everything I Do, I Do It for You until my broken heart mended. ( at age 17 that probably took about a week)

‘Katie’ by Mary Black, takes me to our school hall on the very last day of Leaving Cert as we sat listening to a beautiful rendition by one of our classmates, tears flowing as we realised that it was the very last day that we would all be together and the heartbreak that that caused.

College days were spend listening to, or often in my case tolerating, newer trendier bands. Oasis, The Smiths, Blur are the ones that stand out but no one song remains in my memory.

The soundtracks to Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs permeates every memory of my J1 summer in Rhode Island and this song in particular stands out.

 

A soundtrack to my life couldn’t be complete without a big mention for U2, not because I’m a big, or even a little, fan, but because they are my husband’s favourite band ever. Their music is the soundtrack to our early years together and he even proposed to me at a U2 concert.

My much ridiculed choice for our first dance at our wedding was Nine Million Bicycles by Katie Melba, not an obvious choice but the lyrics conveyed everything I wanted for that day, and yet when I hear it I’m not transported to the dance floor on that magical day, instead I’m in a tiny 12 seater plane, landing in a field somewhere near Kruger Park in Africa, on our way to the first part of our honeymoon. Whether it was coincidence or my husband arranged it I’ll never know but it made me laugh and cry at the same time and ensured that moment will never be forgotten.

I am struggling to think of more recent songs and there is just one that stands out. Last winter my husband discovered First Aid Kit and this song was played most Friday nights as we sat, with the children in bed, having a glass of red wine together by a roaring fire. It doesn’t have the headiness of some of my earlier memories but it represents a feeling of being exactly where I should be.

 

These are a snapshot of the songs that transport me to another moment and as I write more and more memories are flooding back. I’m delighted that Nicola began this linky as it’s been such a lovely trip down memory lane.

What songs take you back in time?

If you would like to join in the linky or view the other contributors click here or if you just want to share yours you can comment below.