Ultimate Summer Driving List

I’ve been tagged by the lovely Sarah over at My Beautiful Three to join a music meme of the Ultimate Summer Driving List. I found this very difficult so I thought I’d narrow it down by choosing songs from significant years in my life.

Turns out, this doesn’t make it easier at all because the choice for certain years is either crap or there’s an abundance of great songs and it becomes impossible to choose.  Anyway, after great deliberation, these were the ones I came up with:

The first is from 1982.  I’d love to say this was the year I was born but I would be LYING THROUGH MY TEETH. What?  I only look thirty-one?  Why thank you (that’s the great thing about blogs, I can carry out my own internal dialogue that says what I want it to).

Initially I started from my birth year, *whispers* 1976 but the choices were pretty dire.  There’s also no point saying I remember much music as a new-born or a toddler so I started here, because A Town Called Malice by The Jam is, in my opinion, an absolute classic and I didn’t want to leave it out of my selection.

Apologies in advance for this one but I WAS only nine when I loved this song and I had a choreographed roller skating dance to it and everything (I’ll show you sometime – NOT).  Frankie by Sister Sledge reminds me of going on holiday with my family and Godparents and having a great time so mleh! if you don’t like it, me and my leg warmers did.

Whilst I’m on a roll…who doesn’t love Tiffany’s I Think We’re Alone Now? (don’t answer that).  1988 was the year I started secondary school and I remember youth discos and wearing dodgy eighties fashions, in particular some sparkly leggings and a sequined handkerchief t-shirt that reflected the glitter ball and no doubt blinded the other eleven year olds who were also doing those infamous hand moves.

This one’s bit more respectable (I think); obviously my taste in music was maturing along with my wardrobe (although my mum would disagree because I was at college and wore Doc Martin boots with a skirt and it drove her INSANE).  It must have been a time of teenage angst because I used to play Stay on repeat in my bedroom, so much so that I could sing the lyrics as quickly as Lisa Loeb (just not in tune).

1999 was a very significant year for me; I was twenty-two, turning twenty-three that November.  I’d met my (now) husband but had a place holiday repping in Cyprus for the summer so we split up temporarily.  (There’d also been a drunken snog when we were seventeen at our local nightclub when he’d asked his friend to hold his pint whilst he kissed me.  I knew then that he was a keeper).  I love a bit of TLC and No Scrubs was being played lots in Cyprus and also over here when I got back.  I started my teacher training course this year, too.

2002 was a tricky year to choose from but it was the year we got engaged so I wanted to include it.  It was a good year in many ways but not, as it turns out, for ultimate driving songs (although there are some excellent tunes like Handbags and Gladrags by Stereophonics and Just Like a Pill by Pink).  These are both songs I love but are a bit too slow and mellow for driving, so I’ve chosen Girlfriend by N’Sync instead.  Ladies, you’re welcome.

Ah, 2004, the year we got married.  You’d think I’d be tempted to find a song about my life being over or making a huge mistake or something but no, I’ve chosen ‘Yeah!’ by Usher…about still having the freedom to pull in nightclubs.

I’ve also put If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys as this was one of our wedding songs and I’m soppy like that.  Other possible choices were Toxic by Britney, (I Hate) Everything About You by Three Days’ Grace, The Trouble With Love Is by Kelly Clarkson and Leave (Get Out) by JoJo 😉

2005 was the year our eldest son was born.  I’ve resisted the urge to choose Crazy Frog which was number one at the time (did anyone else just shudder in horror?) and have instead opted for the amazing Arctic Monkeys.  I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor is the one featured as it’s from this year but really, take your pick, they’re all brilliant.

I get goosebumps even introducing this song.  It does funny things to me *goes and takes a cold shower* It’s Use Somebody by Kings of Leon.  That Voice.  Anybody with me? 2009 is the year our middle son was born and it was a good ‘un; in addition to this obvious choice there was also Boom Boom Pow by Black Eyed Peas (the only one of theirs I like), Single Ladies by that dog, Beyonce 😉 and Bulletproof by La Roux.

Towards the end of 2010 our youngest son was born and I’ve chosen a cheesy, upbeat song by Carly Rae Jepson, Call Me Maybe. There’s a bit of ambiguity over whether it’s 2010 or 2011 depending on the chart you’re looking at but as he was born at the end of November I’m claiming it.  It’s a perfect, upbeat, summer driving song.

And so to this year; the year I become famous, make loads of money and gain global domination (or at least have a bit more time to work on my blog and writing with two at school and the youngest in childcare a couple of days a week).  Another cheesy and cheerful one; Taylor Swift’s, I Knew You Were Trouble.  Don’t look at me like that.  I’m down with the kids 😉

So without further ado I’m tagging @CupcakeMumma11, @teagossipblog, @MamaMummyMum, @hurrahforgin @nortonmum, @3yearsandhome and @CarolynneAsh to create their own Ultimate Summer Driving List x