The Songs That Made Me

Neighborhood Listserv Lament Concert Review: Lord Huron

The Songs That Made Me

This week’s Rolling Stone has a cover story called “The Songs That Made Me” in which artists share six or eight songs that had outsize influence in their lives. They’re not always what you’d expect – Marilyn Manson with “Cry Me A River” by Justin Timberlake? I loved the little window into the artist’s soul, and as a writing prompt you can’t ask for much better. So here are the Songs That Made Me.

1. Mama, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys. (Willie Nelson) The soundtrack of my childhood home had a particularly country and western bent, and the hokier the song, the better. If you can’t sing along to this one, you’re probably taking yourself a little too seriously and seriously is not how we Davises roll.

2. I Got You (Split Enz.) Yes, Neil Finn, you did, from the first time I saw this video on MTV. The song that sparked a thirty-years-and- counting run of fan devotion.

3. Love Vigilantes (New Order) I try very hard not to cling to the music of my college years and insist it was better than any music before or since, but if I had to make the argument this is the song I’d offer as proof. Everything that makes it ’80s is what makes it great: the melodica, the synths, the guitars, the hours and hours spent dancing to it in the clubs wearing big shoulder pads back in the day.

4. In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel) I didn’t ask for much when I set out into the world as a young woman looking for lasting love. Just a guy who could see the light of a thousand churches in my ocular orbits. No big deal.

5. Like a Prayer (Madonna) I had been living in Munich after college for a couple of years and this song gave me a slap upside the head to go back to America. Where the cool music is made.

6. Rollin’ with Kid N’ Play (Kid N’ Play) On my first date with my husband, we left a concert early to go back to his place to watch a movie with his roommate and a bunch of friends. “House Party” was the movie the guys wanted to watch and it made me think ok, I’m not sure he sees the light of a thousand churches in my eyes. But he will DEFINITELY make me laugh. Plus he can roll with my love of old school hip hop. This could totally work.

7. The Hardest Thing (Poi Dog Pondering.) The first dance at my wedding. Actually the first dance was a Cole Porter song, but this is the first song that we DANCED to. My new aunt-by-marriage took me aside afterward and said, “Now that I’ve seen you dance together, you two make sense to me.”

8. Paper in My Shoe (Boozoo Chavis) My husband and I used to go to JazzFest in New Orleans before we had the girls, and I fell hard – HARD – for zydeco. One night at the New Orleans Rock ‘N Bowl we got to see Boozoo Chavis do musical battle with Beau Jocque to see who was the real King of Zydeco, and that was A Night That Made Me. It’s been 17 years since we last went to JazzFest but in my heart, I’m back there every April. With some paper in my shoe.

9. Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Israel kamakawiwo’ole) Kindergarten graduation for both girls involved a sign language performance of this song by twenty-five five year olds, and fifty weeping parents. Even if my girls are teens now, this is the song that grabs me by the throat and reminds me that they’re growing up way too fast.

10. Whatever song I just downloaded from a new band. Because it’s proof that I’m not stagnating, and at my age I’ll take all the proof I can get. (The song happens to be “Coming Home” by Leon Bridges, who I’ll see Friday night when he opens for Lord Huron at the Fox!)

I asked some blogging buddies how they’d answer the question – links to their fab posts below. I’d love it if you’d share the songs that made YOU. You can leave them in the comments or, if you’re a blogger and want me to link up, email me your post to dj@midlifemixtape.com and I’ll add them here.

The Songs That Made:

Up Popped a Fox

When Did I Get Like This?

I Miss You When I Blink

My Blog Can Beat Up Your Blog

Butterfly Confessions

Good Day, Regular People