{30-DC} Day 4: List fifteen songs that represent your life's soundtrack.

Brown-Eyed Girl (Van Morrison) - I remember my dad singing this to me when I was really little, and all the way up to present-day time...

California Dreamin'  (Mamas and the Papas) - We went on LOTS of road trips growing up. This was a staple of those road trips--I remember my dad singing it in the van at the top of his lungs. We'd do the background. It was awesome. :)

Ironic (Alanis Morisette) - I listened to this in my bedroom, in the basement of our house in Colorado Springs, at the top of my lungs. I remember recording it from the radio and then replaying it again and again until Abby finally came in and gave me a look. You know, a look. That spoke volumes.

Feliz Navidad - When we lived in Panama, I heard this for the first time--during the Christmas season--and I thought it was the coolest song I'd ever heard. Probably was, considering I was only six. It's very nostalgic for me.

The song in this documentary - If you know the title and composer of the song, please tell me? My mom and I have been trying to remember. Anyway. I used to sit in the car after everyone had gone inside and turn up this piece of music really loud, and I would just sit in the car letting it wash over me and cry. Just because it's beautiful and evocative and I feel transformed when I listen to it.

Distant Green Valley (Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Band) - I can never go wrong with Yo-Yo Ma, for obvious reasons! But this song is from a CD I found when Phill was deployed. I listened to it in the car for weeks and weeks, wherever we drove. It makes me hopeful and happy and thoughtful.

From the same CD--Mohini (Enchantment) - This song is just so beautiful to me.The whole CD, really. (Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon)

You're My Best Friend (Tim McGraw) - This is the first country song I heard that I actually liked. And guess why? Because Phill is the one who introduced it to me. Long story short, it's "our" song. :)

Don't Speak (No Doubt) - Listened to this all the time after I found out the boy I liked didn't like me back anymore. I was 13. I was devastated.

Let it Be (the version from Across the Universe, w Carol Woods and Timothy T. Mitchum) - This arrangement just reaches in, grabs my heart, and won't let go. It kills me. It honestly changed my life, in that it changed the way I think about this song and the time period in which it was written, in relation to my life now.

Ringa Ringa (from the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack) - I just realized the strange scope of the songs I'm listing here. What can I say? I like variety. Actually, I like what I like--and then when I like something I listen to it for weeks. And then move on to the next. :) The kids love to dance to this one.

If You Could Hie to Kolob (particularly this arrangement) - I love this hymn. It's really fun to play on the cello, and I've had some memorable spiritual experiences that involve this hymn.

O My Father (a hymn) - I could list several hymns, but I'll pick this for the second one. I love it.

I Dreamed a Dream (Les Mis) and  Think of Me (Phantom of the Opera) - Yes, I'm claiming two here--Abby and I sang the songs from both of these all the time. Not just these two, but whatever else we could find. Sometimes we even fancied that we sounded just as good as the real performers. :) And....*ahem*...we sang together again last Thanksgiving. So. This isn't just an old tradition. It's current, too.

Last one! This is hard, actually, to limit myself to only 15! Who would've thought?

My brother-in-law recently introduced me to Janelle Monae--and she is UH-MAZING. I LOVE her. Here's Tightrope.