Jillian's Infinite Playlist

Recently, I read a blog about how everyone has their own personal "Sountrack" of their life. Songs that define you as a person, songs that you can relate to certain moments in your life, songs that you turn to for comfort, songs that stop you in your tracks when you hear them because they just mean that much to you.

My soundtrack? It would be a flippin' long one. Music is such an important part of my life. From the time I was a little kid, when my family used to tour around the back roads of the Pontiac listening to tapes, or on the Saturday nights we got to stay up late and Dad would take out his guitar, music was infused into my life. In high school, I was the girl who would put off homework to sit on the floor and make mixed tapes by recording all my favourite songs off the radio.

And now, in adulthood, God has blessed me with this little thing called iTunes, which allows me to download songs and create my own playlists. For me, it's a source of endless entertainment. I get to play DJ in my own little world. I've made myself tons of different mixes and playlists - but I've never tried, before now, to compile the "Soundtrack to my Life". It's a daunting task to me - to shave my vast and ever-growing eclectic MP3 library down into a neat-and-tidy list that defines me and my life.

But I'm going to try. So here, in no particular order, is my Soundtrack. I'll try to give a little explanation beside each, so you know why that song made my list. Here it goes...

All Shook Up - Elvis Presley: Impossible to not have Elvis on my list. He's my dad's favourite singer, so I heard a lot of him growing up. But not until recent years have I truly begun to appreciate the King. This was my favourite when I was a kid (when I thought it was called "Amashookah"), and it has stood the test of time. It still makes me want to dance!

Love Lifted Me - Kenny Rogers: Yes, this would be taking things back to those days of driving the back roads with my parents in the front and all three of us kids crammed into the back. Kenny Rogers' greatest hits tape was a popular choice (we only had a few to pick from!) - and while everyone else waited anxiously for "The Gambler", it was "Love Lifted Me" that I wanted to hear.

Forever and Ever Amen - Randy Travis: Seeing Randy Travis in concert this past winter was pretty cool for me. This song was also a staple of those Sunday afternoon drives, but it also makes me think of my teen sister being madly in love with a park ranger on one of our family camping trips to Achray Station in Algonquin Park - Mr. Ranger played it once around our campfire, so she had to buy the cassette, and for months afterwards, we heard it over and over and over again...AMEN!

The Sign - Ace of Base: Ok, I'm sure you're thinking this is one helluva lame choice for the Soundtrack to my life...But for a very long time, during my latter years as an elementary school kid, this was THE song. When it came on the radio, it was like the world stood still for a few minutes while I danced and sang along.

Cover Girl - The New Kids on the Block: Another of those songs of my youth - again, a bit against the grain; this wasn't NKOTB's biggest hit. But it was the song I made up dance moves to. And sometimes, my Donnie doll danced with me.

I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany: I wouldn't be a girl from the late '80's/early '90's if I didn't have this song on my list. The neighbourhood kids used to do airbands in the garage to this song. (They made me be the drummer). In high school, it made a reprise - we rarely had a sleepover that this song didn't get played at least once. And even now, when the girls all get together, and after a few drinks are down, you can almost bet that Tiffany will hit the stereo...

The Graduation Song (Friends Forever) - Vitamin C: If this song hadn't hit the airwaves in the year 2000? I probably wouldn't have cared much for it. But being the high school grads of the year 2000, it seemed only fitting that we would have the most iconic graduation song ever released just in time for our big day. Stacy wrote the lyrics out in my yearbook, and everyone was listening to it on their discmen in preparation for our Grad. June 2000 = Vitamin C in my memories!

American Pie - Don McLean: It's a song that has always intrigued me, and one of the greatest songs to belt out with a bunch of friends at the top of your lungs. Young Family Christmas Eves have featured it many a time. The original is over 7 minutes long. My family? We can stretch it out for a good 15 minutes...

Long Time Running - The Tragically Hip: I'm a huge Hip fan, so many of their songs hold memories for me. They were my first concert; the first band I truly became obsessed with. This song is special for a particular reason. A certain dance, with a certain boy - a long time coming... it was well worth the wait.

The Green, Green Grass of Home - Elvis Presley: Back when my dad was a little more of a party animal, he'd pick up a guitar and run through a string of songs that were his "standards". Now, he no longer smokes or drinks, and he plays the guitar so little that when he does, we only get one song out of him, and it's always this one. It's still music to my ears.

All I Want is You - U2: It was the song my sister and her husband chose to be sung at their wedding by my cousin Troy. Since the day he sat down in our living room and played it for them, it has been my favourite U2 song. I'm proud to say I can now play it on my guitar, too.

Boom Boom Pow - The Black Eyed Peas: A little too soon to be choosing this for the Soundtrack of my life, you say? Considering it's at the top of the charts right now, and the big hype on the pop music scene, you might be right. But I'm pretty sure when I look back on this time in my life, I'll still get those words stuck in my head. I like that Boom Boom POW!!!

Semi-Charmed Life - Third Eye Blind: Remember when I said I spent hours as a teen making mixed tapes for myself? For a long time during that phase, this was MY song. I think I taped it every time it came on the radio - just in case, ya know, one of the tapes broke or something, then I'd have lots of copies. When I finally got the CD, I still taped it, just in case I one day lost the CD, or it broke too. Hearing this song today still makes me burst into a huge grin.

I Put My Blue Jeans On - Keith Urban: Road trips with the girls - before there were boyfriends and babies - during our party and "chase-the-band" phase. The girls always teased me for singing it wrong. It makes me think of summer days, driving around with the windows rolled down, hair blowing everywhere, and not a care in the world.

The Middle - Jimmy Eat World: This song has got me through some tough times in my life, especially during college, when it seemed like all my friends had boyfriends, and I felt like I had no one. This song can always get my chin back up, and fill me with positive hope.

Free Fallin' - Tom Petty: It's the first tune I learned to play by myself on guitar, so I have that connection to the song. It's also in one of my favourite movie moments - when Jerry Maguire is driving and looking for a "celebration song", it comes on the radio and he belts it. When I'm in my car, and it comes on the radio, I do the same as Tom Cruise did in the movie - I bang on my steering wheel and sing at the top of my lungs.

Fix You - Coldplay: I love this song. It sends shivers up my spine, and raises the hairs on the back of my neck. My goal in life is to one day have someone love me this much; that when I'm broken and beaten and at my lowest, there will be that guy who will do everything he can to fix me.

Sandy - John Travolta in Grease: Grease is my all-time favourite musical, so I had to pick one of the awesome songs from the soundtrack for my Soundtrack. I chose "Sandy", because that's the one my friend Sara and I occasionally break into song with - spontaneously, and I'm not even sure why we do it, but there's nothing more satisfying than singing it loudly and watching everyone around us look at us like we're completely nuts! Oooo, and the cool sexy talking part in the middle? LOVE it!

Drops of Jupiter - Train: Another song that makes me think of a certain boy who was a pretty big part of my life at one time - even though he didn't even know it.

Song 2 - Blur: I will always associate this song with the Ottawa Senators, especially those glorious early years of when I first became a fan of the team, and this became their own personal theme song. They played it everytime the team scored, and during the playoffs, fans would whip around their "Woo Hoo" towels and sing along. Those were good times...

Here for a Good Time - Trooper: This is my anthem. When the weekend rolls around, this song is exactly what I'm all about. And it reminds me of the good times with friends who I don't see as often, or who don't come out as much anymore. It's about embracing the moment, because it might not last long, and the sun can't shine everyday.

Love You 'Til the End - The Pogues: In my mind, this is the ultimate love song. It's wistful and melodic and Irish-sexy. One day, I hope to dance to this song at my wedding.

So there you have it - a very abbreviated Soundtrack of My Life...And I'm sure as soon as I post this, I'm going to think of a hundred other songs that should be on here. As my life continues, I'm sure there will be a ton more that can be added. It's an ever-changing list, as life brings new twists and turns.

With each step, there will always be a song.

(Want to share your own soundtracks? Feel free to post 'em in the comments section!)