There are certain songs that, whenever we hear them, remind us of a certain time in our life. It's probably impossible to remember them all off the top of your head to respond to this option, but what are at least 3 songs that bring back a memory, and what is that memory? Feel free, or even encouraged, to go into details about these memories and what they mean to you.
Rush, Force Ten
As a debater in high school, I spent three weeks at a debate institute following my sophomore and junior years. It was, as one of my fellow debaters put it, "like being in the debate marines." We had some time for fun, but I spent more of my day working than I ever had before or have since. Force Ten isn't really about that sort of thing, but I was just starting to get into Rush, and I only had a couple of their CDs with me, so Hold Your Fire got played a lot, and Force Ten was the song that I wanted to hear.
Rush again, The Analog Kid
Well, first of all, this song rules. The vast majority of Rush songs kick ass, but this one kicks ass, takes names, alphabetizes them, and revisits them on their birthdays to refresh their memories of what it feels like to have their asses kicked. See where I'm going?
It's special to me, though, because it's a tricky bass line that I managed to learn and play note-for-note during that brief time of my life where I really put my heart and soul into the bass. And then I got to play it in front of my entire high school. The sound system wasn't great, and the crowd didn't quite get our vision (in retrospect, I don't hardly blame them), but still: there I was, making like Geddy Lee and doing a damn fine job of it, with a good slice of my personal world watching. Word.
I watch the crappy old videotape I have of it every once in a while, and every time I amazed that I could ever move my fingers that quickly.
Marillion, Alone Again In the Lap of Luxury
Not nearly as pleasant a memory. This is the song I most often listened to during the sleepless nights when Julie was pregnant and we weren't together. The verses of the song are well written but don't really speak to me. The chorus, on the other hand... brilliant.
Luckily the whole situation worked out and the memories are not bitter, because the album this track came from (Brace) remains my personal all-time favorite Marillion album.
As much as those songs rock my world, though, right now I'm totally digging the grooves from Rush's Vapor Trails.