The iPod Shuffle Meme: courtesy of Jenners

Jenners posted this meme in response to "Make Your Own Meme Monday", hosted by The Secret Life of a Tattooed Minivan Mom.


Here are the rules, taken directly from Jenners' blog:

• Using the shuffle feature on your iPod (or other MP3 player), write down the first 5 or 10 songs that play.
• Justify, defend or explain why those songs are on your iPod.
• Tag someone else to complete the meme.
• Include these rules--and the phrase "The iPod Shuffle Meme was created by Jenners at Life with A Little One and More -- the greatest blog on the Planet Earth and perhaps the Universe" when you post your meme answers. ***

Before I start, let me just say that I have a verrrrrry wide range of musical tastes. (If you've seen any of my iPod playlists, you're already aware of that). I love Bruce Springsteen, but I also love Broadway. I love Amy Grant, and I love ABBA too. And you may also find a few surprises that may make you go, "Why'd she choose that?"

For me, music can evoke a memory in a way that no smell, photograph, or story can. One tune can take me back to the exact place I was where I heard that song. I hope you enjoy my stories.

And awaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy we go!!!

1. "It's My Life," No Doubt: I just love the chorus to this song. It came out at a time when I was experiencing a huge period of self-confidence: I had just bought my first condo, I was up for tenure in my job, and I just felt like I was rockin' the world. I love the beat to this song, too; it reminds me of the 80s, the decade when I started coming of age. I especially love how No Doubt took this song--which was originally done in the 80s, but I don't remember who the original artist was--and totally made it into their own.

2. "Montage: Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love," Original Broadway Cast of A Chorus Line: I told you there'd be Broadway on this meme! I discovered the soundtrack of A Chorus Line when I was a freshman in college. I borrowed the CD from a girl who lived on my floor, dubbed it onto a tape (this was pre iPod, Kittens), and listened to it over and over again. This was what started my love of Broadway musicals. I love the lyrics; they're so campy, but describe adolescence so well.

3. "No More Rhyme," Debbie Gibson: I was a huge--I mean, huge--Debbie Gibson fan when I was in middle school. I was a charter member of her fan club! Electric Youth was one of my favorite tapes. I played it on my pink walkman till it almost wore out. This just brings back memories of middle school--only the good ones, thank God! Even as an adult, I still like this music! I don't think "Ewww, bubblegum" like I do with so many teenybopper artists of today. To her credit, Debbie did write and produce her own music!

4. "Tell Me On a Sunday," Bernadette Peters: A girl who was in Glee Club with me sang this song during her last Pops Concert her senior year. It helped contribute to my love of Broadway, and was what helped me discover Andrew Lloyd Webber. When Bernadette sings this song, you can really hear the pain in her voice as she sings about a lover who is giving her grief. A lovely performance by a lovely lady. P.S. This is the song that officially introduced me to Bernadette Peters as a Broadway performer; I had previously known her through her acting. (Pink Cadillac, anyone?)

5. "Poor Wayfaring Stranger," Kristin Chenowith: I adore Kristin Chenowith. She was absolutely amazing in Wicked. She released an album of inspirational songs a few years back, and this was one of the tracks on it. This is such a powerful song, and I love the way that Kristin sings it. There are no high sopranos in it, as is her signature, but in this case, less is definitely more. This is an excellent arrangement; it is one of my favorite tracks in my iTunes library.

6. "Hawaiiannette," Annette Funicello: This is one of those tracks that's making you go, "Huh?" When I was a kid, when the Disney Channel used to run decent programming, the original version of the Mickey Mouse Club aired before school, and I used to watch it while I got ready for school. Annette became my favorite; she was a fellow Italian girl with curly hair, how could I not dislike her? So when I found this on iTunes several months back, I downloaded it. Yeah, I know this probably could be classified as "bubblegum", but you know what--I DON'T CARE! Bubblegum of the 1960s and 1980s is far superior to 21st century bubblegum!!

7. "The Boy in the Bubble," Paul Simon: This is a track off of the Graceland album. I don't remember hearing this song on the radio as much as I remember the video for it. It was one of the first computer-animated videos, if I recall. I just remember hearing this when Graceland came out, back when I was in 5th grade, and feeling all important because it seemed like such a serious song. It is a powerful song, and with Paul Simon, you really can't go wrong. (Which reminds me, did I ever download "You Can Call Me Al?")

8. "Voulez-Vous," ABBA: Ha! Told you there'd be ABBA here! I didn't learn about ABBA till I was in college and I first heard their music. One of my friends freshman year had the "ABBA Gold" CD and loaned it to me. I then dubbed it onto tape, and my musical tastes haven't been the same since. Now if you think I grew up never listening to music, you're wrong. I listened to whatever was on the radio either in my parents' car or when I was getting ready for school. It wasn't till college when I discovered a lot of the classic acts that I now adore, such as ABBA.

9. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," the Righteous Brothers: How could you not like this song? This played on WDRC all the time when I was growing up. Mama Cat and Sister Kitten loved listening to this station. Me, not so much when I was younger, but I like to listen to it now. At my last middle school dance, when I was in 8th grade, this song played, and I remember my history teacher and her husband slow dancing to this song. My friends and I just kept staring at them going, "I can't believe they're dancing like that--at a middle school dance!"

10. "Welcome Back," John Sebastian: I loved watching Welcome Back, Kotter as a kid. It was one of my favorite TV shows, and it's one of the all-time great TV themes. I kept thinking of this song when I first started teaching. Whenever I stepped into my classroom that first year, there were times that I couldn't believe that I was standing in front of the room as opposed to sitting in one of those little desks. There was a Welcome Back, Kotter marathon on TV Land when I got cable in my first apartment, two weeks after I moved in. I took it as a sign.

Well, that's my iPod meme! Jenners, thanks for such a clever meme! I liked it so much, I have decided to add a bonus track:

11. "One," Original Broadway Cast of A Chorus Line: This popped up on the shuffle just as I was concluding this meme. I felt it was appropriate to end with this; see #2 for why. After all, it's the finale to the musical, as well as this meme!