10 Songs/Albums that Remind You of HS

After reading Alicia's post on 10 Bands that Remind You of HS I had to do it myself, but I had to change it to songs. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was songs or albums that really brings back those vivid song related memories you have... you know the ones. The ones that you distinctly remember listening to at a particular moment. So here are mine and if there is a particular moment related I will include that too.

1. Bleach by Nirvana. For the end of my freshman year and the following summer, 1995, I listened to this cassette over and over and over and... well, you get it. This was practically my own little revolutionary anthem. It's hard and raw and unfiltered in a way Nevermind lacks, and it heavily influenced my guitar and music writing style. On the rare chance I listen to it today, it still stirs up this GET FUCKED attitude that lurks just under this glossy, polished exterior (HA).

I do actually have an exact moment associated with this album. I was at summer school, sitting on a picnic table in a field behind the school during lunch. I was wearing my holey jeans and chucks, and absolutely hating everyone and everything, including myself. Even if that's not a good feeling, it's interesting to be so filled with one emotion that nothing else fits in.

2. Piece of Cake by Mudhoney. I had heard a few odd Mudhoney tracks on and off, and when my brother offered to buy me a CD for my birthday I picked this one up. It took a while to like all of the songs, then the entire CD plays backwards at the end which is a big 90's thing to do, what with the advent of mass marketed CD technology.

I remember listening to this CD in my room, feeling sort of gyped like I should have gotten a different CD. I have, however, found Mudhoney albums I love... if you're into them, check out My Brother the Cow and the ever classic Superfuzz Bigmuff.

3. Teenage Whore by Hole. This and Miss World are the two best songs by Hole, and while I didn't like Courtney Love all that much, these two songs made me respect her a little bit.

4. What's Up by 4 Non Blondes. This song was on the radio all the freakin' time. I sort of liked it at first but ended up hating it due to how played out it got, especially because they were local.

I had a bunch of friends staying the night and we lined up pillows and blankets in the living room, watching MTV late at night. This video came on and that moment was forever etched in my head. It was nice just hanging out with my friends, being a bunch of teenaged girls, mocking the video together in the dark.

5. Zombie by The Cranberries. I secretly liked The Cranberries, but have never owned a song by them. I like her accent and her voice.

This song reminds me of hanging out with my ex boyfriend in his parent's Oldsmobile, with him doing a very close imitation of her singing. I applauded for him and was mesmerized with him at that moment, although it wasn't for his singing. What can I say... I was a stupid teenager.

6. Billy Holly by Weezer... or pretty much any song by Weezer. Another band I refused to listen to based on their popularity, back when being different mattered more. I own a few songs by them now them, embracing them as slightly vintage.

7. Loser by Beck. This was the first song I heard from Beck, and I wasn't to pick him up until the early 2000's. I still love, love, love this song, even if I did hear it on KOME a billion times (don't touch that dial, it's got KOME on it!)

8. No Rain by Blind Melon. This was also extremely played out, but I still like to listen to this when I'm feeling happy.

I refused to dress out for PE during my freshman year, particularly for the swimming phase. My friend Jeff, one of my first friends after moving to the US, had this tape in his walkman and he had also not dressed out... he gave me one earphone and he listened through the other and we rocked the hell out on those concrete bleachers.

9. The Sub Pop self titled mix CD. This was not an easy CD to get my hands on, and involved a few *years* of bribery and empty flirtatiousness with the only guy I knew who had it (who luckily developed a love for me, although it was never reciprocated... mwahahaha I'm a bitch like that). This is back in the day when smaller labels made mix CDs of bands on their label.

Unfortunately, this CD was stolen from me years and years later after a drunk woman ran into my parked car (she also had an infant in the car who was in a rear facing child seat in the FRONT seat). I briefly searched the car for my CD case before they towed it (she totalled my Jetta, the bitch), but not seeing them I assumed they were in the house. They must have been lodged under a seat our of reach, and the tow truck guy or whoever got their hands on 300+ CDs. Karma is a bitch ;)

10. The Good Morning Vietnam soundtrack. Don't ask me why, but I listened to this all the time. I have a lot of love for 50's-60's music. I didn't tell my friends I listened to this :D