1. “Sweet Caroline,” Neil Diamond
I am a Red Sox fan and listening to “Sweet Caroline” in the middle of the eighth at Fenway just kind of makes an impression. Every time I hear this song, I think of Fenway, ball games with my dad and drunken Red Sox fans falling over throwing their fists in the air. Also, I just love yelling, “So Good! So Good! So Good!”2. “We Belong to the Night,” Pat Benatar
This song makes me laugh. It is the song that Ricky Bobby and Jean Girard run to in the final race in “Talladega Nights.” Plus, Pat Benatar is awesome. I love 80s music and this is one of the best examples of it. Chris “Phantom” Lawson and I would put this song on last year to upset a friend of ours, so I get a laugh thinking about that.
3. “For Once in My Life,” Stevie Wonder
Early Stevie Wonder is awesome and this is my favorite of his early adulthood. There is a harmonica solo in the middle of the song and who doesn’t love a good harmonica solo? Can’t help but do a little dance when this one comes on. I love the oldies and this is a great one.
4. “She Talks to Angels,” Black Crowes
The first time I heard this song I was driving somewhere and the song was exactly what I needed to hear. I really enjoy the acoustic guitar and this has a great acoustic intro. It’s a great song to just lay back and chill to.
5. “All These Things That I’ve Done,” The Killers
Hot Fuss is an amazing album and this song is my favorite from the album. It is kind of a pick-me-up when I am down. I really like running to this one or driving to it when the road trip is starting to get a little too long.
6. “Cold Hard Bitch,” Jet
This song was on my playlist before hockey games. I was usually pretty tense before the puck would drop and listening to this song would get rid of the nerves. I would pretend to play the guitar on my hockey stick right before the game. When I had long hair this was my favorite song to headbang to before games.
7. “Waiting on an Angel,” Ben Harper
My brother bought Ben Harper’s album Live from Mars a few years ago and I loved this song. My brother introduced it to me as, “A song that discusses the cultural and religious influences that distinguish and express the practices in religion today of the Catholic church and the practices of priests fixations with…” you can fill in the rest.
8. “Brown Eyed Girl,” Van Morrison
Anthony Martinez was my best friend in seventh grade and he sang this song every day. He moved away the next year and I have not seen him since, so this song always reminds me of him. As a side note, I am not able to resist the desire to act out/dance to this song when I am running.
9. “One Love,” Bob Marley
I really like reggae and Bob Marley. The message in this song is what makes it my favorite Marley song. I might be best categorized as a cynic and when I hear this song I think of how we can change things if we really want to. The lyrics are my screen saver.
10. “Under Pressure,” Queen and David Bowie
No playlist is complete without Freddie Mercury on it. Queen is one of the greatest rock bands of all time and David Bowie was in a movie with a bunch of muppet-like things. Add it up and it is tough to top this song.