Top Ten Tuesday - Songs That Bring Me Back

Today's Top Ten Tuesday is extra special to me. I love music, almost every different genre has a place in my heart. There are so many songs that take me back to my young and wild and free days that it was really hard to come up with just ten - so I went with the ones that evoked the most carefree emotion within me. The ones that I can listen to, close my eyes, and envision my younger self loving them. Without further adieu, I give you the Top Ten Songs That Bring Me Back.

**Disclaimer** Clicking on links within this post may not be work safe. I did not link to only clean versions. :)

1. Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh - La Di Da Di  (1985) - I discovered this song on a cassette tape I pulled out of a discount bin at a little store in the mall with my grandmother when I was in 5th or 6th grade, at least a few years after it was released. It was one of those various artists compilations and it opened my eyes to rap. I listened to this tape over and over again until I had all the songs memorized (The Show, Rapper's Delight, and more) - but the one that stuck in my head more than any other was La Di Da Di. When I was in high school, Snoop Dogg released his own version (Lodi Dodi) and I shocked my boyfriend by knowing all the words practically immediately.

2. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991) - It may be a little cliche to put this on a Top Ten list, but I just have to. Nirvana opened the door to Alternative/Grunge music for me and Smells Like Teen Spirit was the song that did it. It was the anthem of my early high school years. One of the things I'm most glad about is that I got to see Nirvana in concert at Bayfront Park my junior year of high school. I lost a contact and a K-Swiss sneaker in that mosh pit, fought with my boyfriend causing me to miss part of the set, and still consider it one of the best concert experiences of my life. (Sneaker was retrieved by a crazy guy friend, thanks Drew, wherever you are!)

3. Pixies - Debaser (1989) - I'm sad for anyone who didn't get to experience this band. The Man acts like I'm personally stabbing his eardrums whenever I pay The Pixies so I don't listen to them nearly as much as I'd love to. Debaser is one of those songs I can clearly remember losing myself inside on a car trip with my parents - my Walkman playing it over and over again. I felt like a hero to my friends for discovering The Pixies before they had and giving them all the gift of their melodious awesomeness.

4. The Cure - Just Like Heaven (1987) - I fell in love with The Cure in 9th grade because I loved a boy. He was a senior and he was beautiful and he loved The Cure. That boy barely knew I existed and barely looked my way, but The Cure stayed with me, never once letting me down. Robert Smith was the face I woke up to every morning of my high school years, a giant poster taped to my ceiling. The Cure could bring me through every range of emotion from ultimate sadness to such pure happiness - truly a song for every time in my life. To this day The Cure remains probably my favorite band of all time.

5. Led Zeppelin - Thank You (1969) - There was a good portion of my early high school years that Led Zeppelin was the main event on my Walkman. It was a tough call between this song, Kashmir, and The Rain Song - but in the end I had to give Thank You the edge up. When it comes on, I instantly smile and my day is brightened. I'm instantly transformed to a time when I could live inside my headphones.

6. Weezer - Say It Ain't So  (1994) - This is the kind of song that I can never turn off. It's the kind of song I'll sit in the car for an extra few minutes to let it finish if it's on. This song takes me back to my little red Honda Civic, driving all over town, and belting out the lyrics as loud as I could. I found kind of an epic remix of it while checking out images for this post, too.

7. Montell Jordan - This Is How We Do It (1995) - This song was playing in all the clubs the summer of 95, my first semester of college. I had never been much of a clubbing type of girl before then, maybe because I was barely 18 but also because I identified myself as much more of an Alternative style chick. But I was away from home, in college, not really knowing anyone and my dorm roommate liked to go dancing. So I guess I figured, what the hell, and off I went to the club. It didn't take long before I was a bit of a club junkie and this song was my club anthem.

8. Less Than Jake - Jen Doesn't Like Me Anymore (1995) - I was lucky enough to be at the University of Florida just before Less Than Jake blew up. When I was in Gainesville, Less Than Jake was a great local band that played at all the clubs in the area and was frequently seen around the town. When I went through my angsty teenage piercing phase, it was Roger Lima who pierced my tongue. It's almost like I feel like I know them, they were so approachable back then. This particular song takes me back to all the new excitingness of my first year at college - smoky clubs, cheap beer, and my world being opened up.

9. Big Punisher - Still Not A Player  (1998) - This is one of the few songs I actually enjoy the censored version more, Big Pun definitely takes me back to a time when I was young, carefree, and in it for the fun. This CD is actually in my van's CD player right now, but the kids make fun of me when I car dance while we're driving. Seriously, how can you not get up and move your ass to this song?

10. The Crystal Method - Busy Child  (1997) - The Crystal Method was my introduction to Techno. This is probably the song I blew my speakers to in my car. This bring me back to a time when I couldn't have enough sparkles in my make-up, my pant legs were wide enough to use as a sleeping bag, and Adidas visors were a way of life. This was my last stage of youth before I had children so it holds an extra special place in my heart.

So many other songs could have made it to this list, The Breeders, Belly, The Beatles, other bands that start with B... but this isn't called Top Twenty Tuesday (thank heavens) so I had to narrow it down.