Five Fandom Friday: Songs That Changed My Life

One of our twitter pals, The Nerdy Girlie, participates in a weekly write up called Five Fandom Friday. What exactly is Five Fandom Friday? She describes it as:

 A weekly Friday blog post in the form of a top 5 list based on a predetermined topic.  It’ll give your readers a deeper insight into your fandoms and your blogging personality.  It’s a great way to avoid bloggers block and sleep well knowing that you have at least 4-5 planned posts for the month.

If you want to read more on the origins of Five Fandom Friday, click here

We decided that this would be great to take part in because who doesn’t want to learn just a little more about the folks they read posts by all the time? It’s a bit of insight into the lives of those who you may only read on a back-lit screen.  So, without further adieu, here is our first Five Fandom Friday!

1. “She’s Got A Way”- Billy Joel

This one is somewhat cheesy, but I’m going with it. When I first got into a relationship with my now fiancee, I had randomly been listening to Billy Joel one night. I think it was due to my reorganizing my iTunes (I have absolutely too much music in my library) and I was looking for music to drop. I came across an “Essential Billy Joel” album which had the usual songs: Piano Man, Only the Good Die Young, Movin’ Out,etc. But then this song came on.

I think I must have included it in the mix cds I made for her at the time. Boy what a sap I was. But it made me feel good. It had be focusing on all the amazing things that she did and the amazing way she made me feel. As the song says, “she’s got a way about her. Don’t know what it is, but I know that I can’t live without her.” There were times during high school were things were rough, stories I don’t like talking about and friendships better left in the past. But through all those times, she was there and one of my best friends, and to this day still is. I’d say that is pretty life changing.

2. “Konstantine”- Something Corporate

I have to blame this one on my sister. It’s the good blame though. She had always had better music taste than I did, so when it came to listening to bands, it was all by her recommendation. Something Corporate was one of those bands. I listened, no. I devoured their music. They were emotion that I knew and felt and could only be expressed in their catchy lyrics and their signature piano rock. It was the sound of Southern California wrapped up in a pop-punk rock vibe that I could not get myself away from.

It wasn’t until I listened to a burned copy a friend had made for her that I found this song. Nine minutes and thirty-five seconds that changed my life and to this day, listening to the song gives me chills.

There are mixed memories on this song though. I remember listening to it with my sister and gawking about how good it was. I remember listening to it in the car on late night drives home, windows open, singing at the top of my lungs with as much emotion as singer Andrew McMahon pours into the verses and chorus. I remember listening to it after my father walked out on my mom and I for no real reason and crying, wondering why something like that could happen to what I thought was a perfect family, finding some connection to the song for god knows why. The song speaks of dreams, doing so much, having hope to take this person mentioned in the song with them. Talk of youth and caring. The lyrics, “And if I hurt you, I’m sorry. Please don’t think this was easy.” It was a punch to the gut in a time of emotions, but it was also a place of comfort. There was an ease, a calm that I felt.

Out of every event that I can relate that song to, I still feel good when the song ends. I feel a journey, a sense of growing up. Never did I think I would like a song from a band that much to connect in that way. And yes, I do wish each 11:11 because of this song. I have since the first time I heard it.

3. “The Time Warp”- Rocky Horror Picture Show

A more fun song that changed my life, the way I look at things. You hear the song for the first time and you’re changed. It does something to you, you can almost say it warps time and makes you see who in your life is exactly who you need.

My friends and I have this song set as a standard at parties, weddings, roadtrips, just random times. It is the essence of fun for us. We drop all that we are doing and just sing along, dance, participate, and live life. We went from being young and innocent, and time changes us into adult, filled with responsibility. Even with all that weighing down on us, we still have the Time Warp and Rocky Horror.

4. “Seven Nation Army”- The White Stripes

This is a weird one. I know none of my friends would ever think that I would include this on a list of songs that changed my life,  but it has. Why though? It’s the music.

I used to be in a band with friends I grew up with during my childhood. My friend got a drum set and wanted to start a band. I already played guitar, so we were halfway there. He and I would have band practice at his house and show off to our families when we learned how to play this song. We thought we were absolute rock gods. We could do no wrong, get all the fame and money, and live our lives like kings. We then added our friend as bassist, and another friend as guitarist, and we had the song nailed down. Even when we moved on to writing our own music and making strides to play shows in venues like the Whisky in Hollywood, somehow at each band practice that song came up. We would play it for fun, a memory of how much we used to suck that all we could play was this song like a champion. I still hear that song and think back to those times.

5. “Come And Get Your Love”- Redbone 

This one has not changed my life yet, but I know it is going to. I admit, I had heard the song before when my parents used to quiz my sister and I on songs on the radio, but we grew out of that. Then, out of nowhere it seems, the song appears on the hit soundtrack for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s everywhere. It’s on my laptop, on my phone, and I catch myself singing it.

My fiancee and I were at a wedding for one of our best friends and this song comes up over the DJ’s speakers. We look at each other as the opening notes echo across the dance floor and we both have that sparkle of excitement in our eyes. The entire time the song plays, we do nothing but keep our eyes locked on one another, singing along and dancing, enjoying the moment with the one we love. Right then I knew it. That would be the first song we dance to at our wedding. Now, I didn’t vocalize this, but when the need for songs came up later, we both agreed it was the perfect fit.

So for now, it has yet to change my life. It’s impacted, it’s ready to change, but get back to me on November 8th. I’ll give you the thumbs up.