The Song Remembers When, Part 2

"The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" by XTC. I was familiar with the Crash Test Dummies' version, but my friend Darlene told me this was a better version, and she was right. I remember me and Darlene discussing many a tune in my room in Wiley Hall, sitting at the computer with drinks in hand. There was a unique air about those nights. They were wonderful.

"Blue Skies For Everyone" by Bob Schneider. Me and Maxie went to see Bob Schneider perform at a great pub called the Rathskeller, in Indianapolis. There was a table of screamy blond bitches in front of us...so of course they were the ones who had free CDs taped to their chairs.

"Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon. I played with My Little Ponies when I was little. Big surprise. Anyway, I remember having them perform this song as if they were in concert. They were superstars!

"Daddy, I'm Fine" by Sinead O'Connor. I had my computer set up in the front room of Phi Delta Theta one summer, and my friend Catherine came to visit. This song began to play on the music player and she immediately asked me who it was. I put it on CD for her later.

"Fallen" by Sarah McLachlan. I was in the hospital with pneumonia...the first time...and had a portable CD player. I was in the hospital for 5 nights and got myself to sleep every night listening to this CD.

"Ghost World" by Aimee Mann. I took a fiction & poetry workshop in college. It was taught by the exceptional Dr. Kathy Barbour. She encouraged us to bring in music for discussion and this was one of the songs I chose. I love it when I can introduce people to music and Dr. Barbour as well as a couple of students were impressed with Aimee's turn of phrase and melodies, as well they should have been.

"Girls Just Want To Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper. I was in the waiting room at King's Daughter's Hospital in Madison, Indiana waiting for my sister Amy to be born and Cyndi's video came on the television. Talk about omens!

"Iowa" by Dar Williams. I was at a party, where there was a mixture of friends and people I didn't know. There was one girl there who was very chill to me. Even my trademark smile didn't win her over. Finally, we were in a circle of friends talking and Dar Williams came up. I mentioned how much I loved her and that "Iowa" was a favorite of mine. Well, the girl suddenly became a beam of light. She too loved that song. A few seconds later, after she learned I was gay, it was as if we were best friends. She was also gay and had never been comfortable around straight men.

"Like a Prayer" by Madonna. I was in seventh grade and on the bus to school. Madonna had just released "Like a Prayer" and I was officially nuts about her. When the song came on the bus radio I jumped up and started screaming "Turn it up! Turn it up!" The driver - a very kind woman who liked me - gave me and irritated look and said "Okay. Calm down."

"Run" by Collective Soul. A friend of mine had her boyfriend come to campus one weekend. It fell upon me to entertain him one day and I noticed immediately he was a bit...curious. We went and saw the film Varsity Blues (this song is on the soundtrack). It was the weirdest date I've ever been on. Later that night he straddled my chest when we were alone in my room. That's as far as it went, thank the lord, but his girlfriend - my friend - walked in just the. Awkward.

"Things Have Changed" by Bob Dylan. Me and Maxie went to see him at the Murat in Indy. He didn't move much. But the Oscar he won for this song was right there on the speakers through the entire concert.

"Where the Streets Have No Name" by U2. When I was little, my brothers and I had to share a room. My brother Brent had "The Joshua Tree" on tape and we listened to it every night as we went to sleep. It still makes me sleepy when I hear it today.