Songs that are personal to you...

[Matt Till]

What are some songs that have a special meaning to you... like you associate the song with a time or person. Example:

My dad was a huge Genesis fan, and instead of singing me a typical lullably when I was a baby, he'd sing "Carpet Crawlers" from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. A bit of a weird tune for a baby... but no weirder than any other insane nursery rhyme... those got pretty crazy.

Anyways I borrowed a bunch of records from my dad a while before he died, then one night I couldn't sleep because I couldn't stop thinking about him lying in a hospital bed all alone, so I put on that album, dropped the needle to Carpet Crawlers and cried my eyes out... he died that night.

So needless to say, that song means a lot to me.

Any other similar stories.

[retitled]

wow.. i dont have anything as deap as that but the song spade by marilyn manson reminds me of an Ex of mine.. not lyrically or anything it was jsut her favourite song..

[Adam Barkley]

Saddest Song by Morphine makes me think of my G-pa who passed away a few months ago.

Tuesday's Gone was my uncle's favorite song. He exposed me to some great music before he died.


I know that my dad thinks of his dad everytime he hears that one Mike and the Mechanics song about "Never getting to say goodbye" to his dad. Or something like that.

[JimmyM]

"Purple People Eater" reminds me so much of my great uncle Elmer, who was abducted, probed anally, and eaten alive by aliens in the woods around the mountains of Virginia. When the aliens left, all that was left of Uncle Elmer was a pair of steel-toed workboots and a couple feet inside. Apparently there are some things that even aliens won't eat.

[Marcus]

The Ben Folds song "Late," while not personal specifically to me, easily conjures up brilliant images of how much of an influence Elliot Smith had on Mr. Folds. It's melancholic and beautiful.

For me...

The Ben Folds Five song "Smoke" reminds me of leaving stages of my life behind that are never going to ever be again, no matter how hard influences may try to remind or guide me back to what once was.

[bassteban]

When I was 5 or so, my college-age hippie brother would babysit me by cranking The Doors or The Beatles through his funky old record player & I would fall asleep w/my head against the speaker, so anything I heard back then takes me back. My two all-time favorites, & very personal I think, are 'I'm not in love' by 10cc & 'Over the rainbow' by Judy Garland. Either one will instantly bring me to tears.

[paintandsk8]

I went through a rough break up with a girl I cared alot about at the same time that I bought Guster's Lost and Gone Forever album. It seemed like that album was written just for me, and that I could agree with every line. Whenever I play that album it will remind me of her and that time of my life.

[buzzbass]

fade to black - I'm not generally a "happy type" person.
in your eyes-gabriel, reminds me of how I feel about my wife.

[bassontherun]

Used to stand at the top of Sunset Heights in San Fran overlooking the entire west side of The City and ocean with AIC's "I'll Stay Away" in my headphones. Nothing like a good anthemic song and a 20 mile view to make you feel like you own the world!

+1, Tuesday's Gone
+1 on the Fold's. Selfless, Cold and Composed is a dead-on anthem for my first wife.........

[MAJOR METAL]

Metallica's "The Outlaw Torn" probably holds the most personel meaning for me of any song i can think of. To me the reality of loosing somone to death and continualy waiting and searching for the replacment that never comes is a pretty real thing.

THE OUTLAW TORN
And now I wait my whole lifetime for you
And now I wait my whole lifetime for you

I ride the dirt, I ride the tide for you
I search the outside, search inside for you

To take back what you left me
I know I'll always burn to be
The one who seeks so I may find
And now I wait my whole lifetime

Outlaw of torn
Outlaw of torn
And I'm torn

So on I wait my whole lifetime for you
So on I wait my whole lifetime for you

The more I search, the more my need for you
The more I bless, the more I bleed for you

You make me smash the clock and feel
I'd rather die behind the wheel
Time was never on my side
So on I wait my whole lifetime
Outlaw of torn
Outlaw of torn
Outlaw of torn
And I'm torn

Hear me
And if I close my mind in fear
Please pry it open
See me
And if my face becomes sincere
Beware
Hold me
And when I start to come undone
Stitch me together
Save me
And when you see me strut
Remind me of what left this outlaw torn

Words and Music by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich
Copyright © 1996 Creeping Death Music (ASCAP)
International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved

[KeithBMI]

For me, it's "Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who. It just seems like they are talking about me.

[syciprider]

Cows with Guns

We will run free with the buffaloooooo....

[driver800]

The Beatles' "In My Life". I have always loved that song and felt like it is one of the most meaningful songs ever written or recorded. But recently it has taken on even more meaning...

My younger cousin Justin was killed in a motorcycle crash this past June. He was 28 and a drummer. My Uncle told me that Justin really looked up to me - a big part of it was as a musician. My Uncle then asked me to sing at the funeral. Oh boy. I'm not much of a singer; I usually joke that I sing well on songs that don't require a good singer. So I was pretty unsure about it. Then my uncle said he wanted me to sing "In My Life". I felt like I had no business singing THAT song, but I knew I could not turn him down.

Then, I learned that Justin knew a famous guitarist and the guitarist had agreed to play at the funeral. So my insecurities only became worse. I just wanted to honor my cousin appropriately and didn't know if I was capable of doing it. I knew I just had to throw everything aside and let it happen. I got together with the guitarist about an hour before the funeral and rehearsed the song a few times. He was really cool and reassuring.

Nearly 300 people crammed into the small chapel and many waited outside. We began the service with "In My Life". As I sang the first line, my Aunt and Uncle begin to break down crying uncontrollably. It was all I could do to keep from breaking down myself. I looked down and began to feel a sense of being guided - I no longer thought about the lyrics or the arrangement. It was just flowing. After the funeral, my Aunt and Uncle came over and hugged and thanked me. All I could think was how honored I was, to be able to pay a public tribute to Justin - before all his family and friends. I thanked them.

About a week later, I was in a grocery store when I heard the opening notes to "In My Life" faintly over the store PA. I stood, silent and still, tears welling up in my eyes until the song was over. Now, everytime I hear it, I stop and remember him.

Justin's former bandmates have organized a fundraiser/tribute show this Sunday (9/18/5) to honor him. It is on a farm just West of Athens, GA. My cover band is playing and his band is playing along with some of his drum tracks they discovered after he died. We'll have BBQ, drinks, raffles and more. There will probably be a lot of Harley's there also - he was a HD mechanic. Anyone in N. Ga that is interested, PM me and I'll send you a flyer.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading it.

[page]

Coney Island Baby by Lou Reed. This song is about his love affair with a transvestite. For me it makes me think of my girl , who is not a transvestite, but this song always makes me think of her, its kinda as if he's describing our relationship in the song........minus the transvestite part.

Ole 55 by Tom Waits, makes me think of my deceased musician grandfather. He was a crazy old pianist and always said he wrote that song and Tom Waits stole it! He was a bit senile but this song makes me remember him.

and the entire "A Love Supreme " suite by John Coltrane- it makes me remember a day of good and bad at the same time , almost bittersweet. I like to listen to it when im sad.....................

[Matt Till]

Originally Posted by buzzbass

in your eyes-gabriel, reminds me of how I feel about my wife.

Strangely enough, that reminds me of my high school friend Jared.... ha.

I came over to the radio station he worked at with my girlfriend Amber, Jared locked Amber and myself in a closet and put "In Your Eyes" on and said, "You go to town you crazy kids..."

We just sat their in the dark talking about what a nerd Jared was.

Originally Posted by Joshua

Heckuva story Matt!

When I get talented enough (which may never happen) I want to work out a cover of Carpet Crawlers. I just want to do justice to the song, so I'm not rushing into it.

[pil]

Waterloo Sunset by the Kinks...reminds me of my nan who lived over the river where Terry and Julie felt safe and sound, and thats how i used to feel - or an explanation less crappy anyway

[MJ5150]

The first time I ever went on a serious date with a girl, I was listening to the album "Standing Hampton" by Sammy Hagar in my truck. We arrived at a place to eat, and I leaned over to give my girl a kiss. The first time I was about to ever do so. At that very moment, the song "Baby's On Fire" was playing. When I play that song, I go right back to that night 18 years ago, and it is as vivid to me now as it was then.

On a sadder note, during my years of heavy drinking, I used to listen repeatedly to the songs "Fade To Black" by Metallica, and "Crown Of Thorns" by Mother Lovebone. I listened as I contemplated whether I should continue living as a useless drunk, or kill myself. I'd cry sometimes, and hope I woke up in a different body as a different person.

There ya have it, no laughing.

-Mike

[The Antipop]

candlebox's- far behind is a very important to me

[MJ5150]

Originally Posted by The Antipop

candlebox's- far behind is a very important to me

Interesting. I consider "For You" to be on my list as well, I just didn't want to bore people with that story also.

-Mike

[Compressed]

Audioslave's Yesterday to Tomorrow does it for me. I've been trying to write a song for the last 18 months that sums up the way I feel about my partner. I bought Out of Exile, and there it was, written for me. She picked me up from the ground when I was a broken shell of a man and I am forever in her debt! Wow, I'm feeling way to mushy for this time of the day!

Pete