The Music That Shapes a Girl

I am a product of the 80’s. As a young tot I was listening to pop songs by Debbie Gibson and Tiffany. Anyone remember, “I think we’re alone now?” I also grew up on my parents old records. The Cars, Blondie, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Reo Speedwagon, AC/DC, Journey, Billy Joel, The Eagles, Meatloaf, Led Zepplin, Styx, Olivia Newton John, and Supertramp. Oh, and I cannot forget Rod Stewart. That man’s music was a huge part of my childhood since my mom was like his biggest fan!

When I was around 7, my mom let me have her old record player in my room and gave me all her old 45’s to listen to. Elton John, The Carpenters, Donna Summer, The Bee Gees, The Beach Boys, Joe Walsh, and Captain and Tennille. Oh my gosh, how I loved the song, “Love Will Keep Us Together.” I played that so many times I think I ruined the record eventually.
Please go to these links for a narrow glimpse into my childhood.

Joe Walsh
Amii Stewart
Captain and Tennille

In 3rd grade I bought my first cassette. It was Vanilla Ice “To The Extreme.” I rocked out to Ice Ice Baby on my Walkman. I don’t think the rest of the album was appropriate for a 9 year old. My Walkman was my favorite thing in the world. I got a hold of some of my dad’s tapes. Two songs that I remember listening to on a daily basis were Def Leppard’s “Photograph” and Loverboy’s “Working for the Weekend.” You can’t argue that those songs are still sweet.

In sixth grade I got some sweet tapes for Christmas. Ace of Base “The Sign,” Spin Doctors “Pocket Full of Kryptonite,” Gin Blossoms “New Miserable Experience,” and Counting Crows “August and Everything After” became the soundtrack of that year and the year after. My granny found me some sweet tapes at D.I. They Might Be Giants “Flood,” Paula Abdul “Forever Your Girl,” and this next one is pretty humiliating, but granny gave me this cassette called Book of Love “Lullaby” and I loved it. Please, please, please, whatever you do, promise me you will look up this band. Embarrassingly good.

By age twelve I was really getting into music. I would tape songs off the radio. The cassettes were all full of fuzz and static from the recorder, but I loved those cassettes. What was I listening to in the early 90’s? Let’s see what I can pull out of the vault. "Another Night" by Real McCoy, “Dreams” by Gabrielle, “King of Wishful Thinking” by Go West. Then there was my R&B stuff. En Vogue, Salt n’ Pepa, SWV, Boyz II Men. Okay, but remember Crash Test Dummies “Mmmmmmmmm?” That was way up there too.

In seventh grade as far as radio hits go, Joan Osbourne “If God Was One of Us” Blessid Union of Souls “I Believe,” Des’ree “Gotta Be,” and Alanis Morisette “Isn’t It Ironic” were favourites.

By 8th grade I was getting into the era of alternative music which is where my true love really lies. In the summer time when I was allowed to stay up as late as I wanted I would listen to “Out of Order” with Jed the Fish. I was still taping songs off the radio and loving stuff like Spacehog, The Gufs, Nirvana, Blind Melon, Tonic, Tracy Bonham, Garrison Starr, Porno for Pyros, Our Lady Peace, Lemonheads, Goo Goo Dolls, Mazzy Star, Violent Femmes, Garbage, Veruca Salt, Tripping Daisy and Weezer. These bands were like the shihzazz to me.

9th Grade brought songs from Bare Naked Ladies, Green Day, No Doubt, Wallflowers, Bush, Everclear, Smashing Pumpkins, and Live. One of my all time favs was “Freshman” by The Verve Pipe. I thought that was really cool because I was, in fact, a freshman when it came out. Woooo….
I also had Enya “Shepherd Moons,” which was essential for falling asleep. Romeo and Juliet (The Baz Lurhmann adaption) and Clueless were my favorite soundtracks. I guess I should also mention that I was introduced to the Aquabats and saw them in concert. I didn’t know it then, but by the following year “ska” would be hitting the radio in full force.

10th Grade--- That song “Closing Time” by Semisonic. And who could forget the song “Flagpole Sitta” by Harvy Danger or “Sex and Candy” by Marcy Playground? Chumbawumba and Eve 6 were other bands to hit the airwaves. I liked all those, but these next ones were/are the essentials of my collection. I mean, this is what got me through high school: Radiohead, Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, Oasis, Fiona Apple, 311, Dave Matthews Band, Thrid Eye Blind, Better Than Ezra, Depeche Mode, The Cure and Sublime. Seriously, I can’t even explain how vital these bands were to my young ears.

11th Grade---I liked the one hit wonder K’s Choice with their song “Not An Addict.” I was listening to Bjork quite a bit. I bought Madonna’s “The Immaculate Collection” and could not get enough of the song “Like a Prayer.”

12th Grade---Matchbox 20, Vertical Horizon, Silverchair, Placebo, The Verve, The Blur, Filter, and Toadies. Cruel Intentions was my favorite soundtrack.

The summer after graduation I went through a rough patch. My go to music that summer was Incubus, Chris Isaak, Cranberries, The Mamas and the Papas, and the soundtrack from Angus. I also discovered the Pixies. I couldn’t believe I’d never heard of them before. But the moment I heard “Debaser” I fell in love, and I fell hard. The Pixies became a fundamental part of my life and still are to this day.

As a freshman in college I was listening to Pink!, Lifehouse, Candlebox, and Alien Ant Farm. I heard the song “Yellow” by Coldplay and was immediately hooked on that band. That year I finally got around to listening to Cake. I became a fan of the album “Fashion Nugget” long after the hype had faded.

Sophomore year of college I played “Divine Discontent” by Sixpence over and over again. John Mayer was another one of those artists I was immediately attracted to. I don't want tot forget Duncan Sheik’s “Wishful Thinking.” I also rediscovered Jeff Buckley’s Grace. I can’t even tell you how much I heart that album.

The summer after I got my Associates degree, I went through another rough patch. I watched “The Graduate” for the first time in my life and Simon and Garfunkel became the soundtrack of my summer. (“Sounds of Silence” and “Scarborough Fair”) I was also listening to stuff like Seether “Fine Again,” Chevelle “Send the Pain below” and “Stories” and “Echo” by Trapt. Jimmy Eat World with their hit “Sweetness” and Revis with “Caught in the Rain.” I was also listening to a lot Tom Petty. And for some reason lots of country. As a result, most of the songs at my reception were country songs.

Later, later college I held a place in my heart for Neko Case, Keane, Death Cab for Cutie, Pinback, The Strokes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gnarls Barkly, The Killers, Frank Black, AFI, Justin Timberlake, and lots more. Check out my 2008 playlist below.