Music, the connection to your soul

I've written so many times about how profound of an effect music has on me - and of course - on most people.  It's a portal to your memories; you hear a song and instantly you're brought back to a certain time and place, where you can almost smell the food that might have been cooking in the background at one of the times you may have heard it.

I have quite the eclectic mix on my IPOD for running; it runs the gambit of 80's music to modern rap and electronica.  And truth be told, it's rather outdated because while I have a ton of songs on my library, I don't update my IPOD all that often.  I download them but play them on my laptop or give them to my kids for their MP3 players.  So my running mix is definitely, out of touch.

But I recently uploaded them to my phone via ICloud.  And even better is that I can have them playing on my bluetooth while I'm driving.

Here is just a sampling:

1) Rebecca - The Pat McGee Band.  Needs no explanation.  The only song that has my name in it!
2) Shake Ya TailFeather - Nelly, Murphy Lee, et al.  Fantastic song to run to!
3) Fighter - my girl, Christina Aguilera.  That song has been my anthem, esp. during difficult times.  When I'm running and feeling like I want to stop, I play it over and over again until I get through that portion of my run and can coast again.
4) The Story - Brandi Carlisle.  Again, an anthem of sorts of mine.  I really like songs I can connect with.
5) Took the Words Right Out of my Mouth - Meat Loaf.  Talk about quintessential songs of my youth!  I hear this and wow, I'm 12 years old all over again.  How can you not love Meat Loaf?  He practically invented the lyrical rock opera in a 3 minute song!
6) It Takes Two - Rob Base.  Complete 90's throwback and the best song to start a run to.  It's the perfect beat to track with.
7)The Time of my Life - David Cook.  Talk about inspiration and nostalgia all at once.  Not only do I love this song, I loved the American Idol finale where he sang it live.  I use that version rather than the studio one.  The passion and emotion in his voice just keeps me moving...
8) Fergalicious - Fergie.  It's fun.  'Nuff said.
9) Jolene - Ray Lamontagne.  Fabulous to slow down to...and who doesn't love a little Ray?
10) Please don't leave me this way - Thelma Houston.  I'm ten years old or so....at Senior Pizza with my Mom and my Aunt, playing the jukebox and this was the song they'd always play.  (That, and "When will I see you again" by the The 3 Degrees - which is not on my IPOD, but I digress...)

What songs do YOU listen to?