# What song(s) defines a part of your life? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 21, 2019, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-defines-a-part-of-your-life/845191 "2019-12-21T20:15:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-defines-a-part-of-your-life/845191/21 "2019-12-23T18:23:15Z")
It’s going on the second year since my son died, and I still can’t listen to “Cat’s In The Cradle”. My career in the military meant that I was gone for long periods of time, so although I made the most of the time I was home, my kids didn’t get the full dad experience. Even after the military, my jobs were traveling jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-defines-a-part-of-your-life/845191/22 "2019-12-23T18:55:43Z")
The year was 1986, I was gearing up to graduate high school, and go to university to study physics, and this little tune comes out: > [@](#): > > Timbuk 3 - The Future’s So Bright > > I study nuclear science > I love my classes > I got a crazy teacher, he wears dark glasses > Things are going great, and they’re only getting better > I’m doing all right, getting good grades > The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades > I gotta wear shades They meant it sarcastically, but it fit so well… ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-defines-a-part-of-your-life/845191/23 "2019-12-24T07:46:42Z")
Any “soundtrack” of my earlier years would include SIDEWALK SURFIN’ and ALLEY OOP, with Korla Pandit at the roller rink, Wolfman Jack border-blasting on the Mighty Ten-Ninety, and CONELRAD nuclear alerts. DUCK AND COVER made a lousy party song. I swear to dog that Bernie Taupin framed my first marriage in TINY DANCER. Then came Pat Sky’s MANY A MILE. And inevitably (We Five) Mike Stewart’s I CAN NEVER GO HOME AGAIN. Too true. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-defines-a-part-of-your-life/845191/24 "2019-12-24T14:29:26Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > well, yeah. The Boomers love to talk about how the music they like was the best music ever made, but that’s in the past. I don’t have a “soundtrack to my adolescence” or “soundtrack to my teenage years” because _I don’t act like I’m that important._ This whole notion is Boomers acting like they’re the best thing to happen to this planet in its entire existence. This doesn’t even make sense. What on Earth makes you think associating a particular song with your own life, whether because of the lyrics or just because of it being often played during a certain point of your life, has anything to do with age? I’d think it odd that someone \*doesn’t \*have any music that holds a significant place in their past. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-defines-a-part-of-your-life/845191/25 "2019-12-24T14:32:21Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > well, yeah. The Boomers love to talk about how the music they like was the best music ever made, but that’s in the past. I don’t have a “soundtrack to my adolescence” or “soundtrack to my teenage years” because _I don’t act like I’m that important._ This whole notion is Boomers acting like they’re the best thing to happen to this planet in its entire existence. This doesn’t even make sense. What on Earth makes you think associating a particular song with your own life, whether because of the lyrics or just because of it being often played during certain point of your life, has anything to do with age? I’d think it odd that someone doesn’t have any music that doesn’t hold significant ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-defines-a-part-of-your-life/845191/26 "2019-12-24T14:43:58Z")
The songs in Tom Paxton’s Annie trilogy are all set in bars. I wonder if I met Tom in my early 20’s. Had Annie Been In Tonight? (Did Annie drop in for a beer or was she into the gin?) Annie’s Going To Sing Her Song. (A drink for me, a drink for you, you’re going to need a drink or two) When Annie Took Me Home (Late at night, somewhat tight, guardian angel put to flight. Freddie’s doused the neon light that promised when it shone) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-s-defines-a-part-of-your-life/845191.md?page=1)