The Divine Secrets of a Southern Diva

My darling Misty did this on Facebook and I thought it was too cool to just put it there. The description: Think of 15 albums that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life or the way you looked at it. They sucked you in and took you over for days, weeks, months, years. These are the albums that you can use to identify time, places, people, emotions. These are the albums that no matter what they were thought of musically shaped your world.

Well, for me, music is a powerful memory trigger. A song can bring so much back, ya know? I love doing blogs like this. I know I’ve done several about songs specifically but not albums.

So, here you are: a little glimpse into my soul to see what makes me tick via pop music in chronological order.

Thriller- Micheal Jackson At 7 years old, I entered the world of fangirl. I had shirts, posters, stickers, books… I don’t know what else. I would listen to this album on my little silver panasonic hand-held tape-recorder over and over again.

I’d try to watch any and every appearance he made on tv… which in 1983 was kinda hard. No cable and no VCR. I don’t think we got one until the following year.

This was the year he won 8 grammies, too. This was also back when they’d let that telecast run as long as it wanted. OMG did I throw a fit because I wanted to stay up and watch it but my mom made me go to bed. I was so PISSED.

He was so bad ass back then. Who would have thought he’d have turned out to be a total freak.

Dirty Dancing Soundtrack- I was 12 and GOD did I love this movie. My CCD (that’s code for Catechism) teacher loved it too and they had 2 VCRs. Now, that was big shit back then. She rented the movie and taped it for me so that I could watch it over and over again. Sounds so weird now that you can buy any movie you want on dvd, but then you couldn’t.

The soundtrack had such great music- original stuff plus some oldies. I listened to it night and day. I also had some big-ass Patrick Swayze poster in my room.

Right next to Kirk Cameron. Weird, I know.

Ropin’ the Wind- Garth Brooks This was one of my country phases. Back when country was good and not a bunch of glamazon pop stars with slight twangs. Garth was my favorite by far.

This album, in particular, had the song Shameless. Yes, I know Billy Joel wrote it. But Garth Brooks gave it voice with a lot of emotion. And, I don’t know… I think I was about 16 at the time and boys hadn’t really started noticing me and all my friends had boyfriends… blah blah. I just wanted some dude to love me like the dude in that song loved his woman.

I found that, btw. His name is Mike. FACE.

Ten- Pear Jam I was introduced to Pearl Jam by my first real boyfriend summer before my senior year- Mark Ponter. He was older and way more into music than me and this was before this album broke big.

I was also in some sort of total depression then, too. Probably because he was an ass, but whatever. I would listen to this album constantly in my room. I felt, for the first time, that it was real music. Not bubble-gum pop (which I still love, btw) but soul-moving and meaningful. I still feel that way. They’ve never really had another album that is as good, in my opinion. Black is my favorite song which probably tells you where my head was at that time.

Journey’s Greatest Hits- I got into Journey because of the same boyfriend listed above. My uncle always liked them, but I never paid much attention to them before then. He would listen to it constantly. And as a result became hooked.

It was the first CD I ever bought. And since then I think I’ve owned about 3 copies of it. I listen to it on my iPod all the time. I love Steve Perry’s voice and lets be frank: the man can rock a mullet like no other.

I ended up listening to this cd for most of my senior year- specifically on Spring Break in New Braunfels at Julia’s parent’s house.

Steve Miller Band’s Greatest Hits- Yes, another greatest hits compilation. But it’s Steve Miller Band, man! That is summer chillin’ music. It just reminds me of staying up to the wee hours in the morning, just hanging. Not doing much of anything else.

Every summer for about 5 years we’d sit outside under the stars and see a Steve Miller concert. In between that, we’d just hang and listen to it. It was our road-trippin’ music. Our doing stupid-shit music. Our being-18-and-about-to-go-off-to-college music. It was the last time that I felt care-free and happy. I mean, I’m happy now, but growing up comes wiht a price. No more care-free for this chick.

August and Everything After- Counting Crows College and freedom. And with those things came worries. Worrying about money, grades, what I was going to do with my life. It was a fun time, but had I not had to worry about money so much and getting through it, I might have appreciated it more.

Everytime I hear this album I think back to frat parties, parties at the Rugby house, my first apartment, and watching Reality Bites and hoping to god I didn’t graduate and end up living like that.

It’s another one of those “real” albums. Like the music really means something and is emotional… not just music. And again, they’ve never made anything even close to as good as that one.

Fumbling Towards Ecstasy- Sarah McLachlin Now, Sarah’s voice is just so relaxing. And this album is so emotional. Me and Traci, my collage roommate would listen to this over and over again.

There is something very haunting about it. Her ethereal voice with strong synthesized drums and classic piano. I’ve never heard anything like it. It mellows me. I tend to put it on when I’m working and tuning out the world. It is probably my very favorite album, ever.

Every song is perfection.

Dizzy Up The Girl- Goo Goo Dolls Ah, the Goo Goo Dolls. I heart them so. This was their really big break out album, but not their first. I think, as of now, it was the pique of their success.

Its the album that was out when I became a geeky fangirl. I can’t even tell you how many times I watched their behind the music. I would keep up with them via their website so I knew every appearance they had on tv and I’d tape it. I made it a mission to meet them since I’d missed out back in ’96 (that’s a story for another blog, though). I finally met them in 2002 at a private show. Super nice and totally worthy of my fangirlness.

My Own Prison- Creed So, I know a lot of people hate this band. Do I care? No. From the moment I first heard this CD I was hooked.

I love Scott Stapp’s voice. I love that every song on this album is some sort of struggle with religion and morallity and understanding who you are and where you came from. It often boggles my mind when other people can’t listen and hear that, too.

I think they get dismissed because its cool to do so without taking the time to listen to them first. But for me, the music means something. What can I say? I’m a rebel.

So that’s my ten. I hope you liked my little peak into my soul. I hope some of you do the same thing- but I’m not tagging anyone.

Also, Mike knew I’d include 8 of the ones I chose. He knows me pretty well. I don’t know if I could pick out the ones he’d include, but he’s got some crazy music collection. I don’t think he could actually do a blog like this because his head might explode.

Now, I think I’m going to go listen to some music…

Boppin’ to the beat-
Ali