May the Song Move You

I really hate those Facebook quizzes that ask you what type of music you listen too, or what's on your playlist, or who's your favorite artist. I can never think of answers that a) my friends would not have me committed for; b) I should be ashamed to listen to (I went through a weird period where I had the Grease soundtrack on my MP3 player); or c) should never have made any playlist anywhere.

With all the buzz about the crazy awesome performance by Susan Boyle I started thinking about songs in general and how they have the power to move you completely out of yourself for different reasons. So here goes - promise not to laugh at my way eclectic music tastes - my list of songs that move me and why they move me:

Religious (nearly all the old hymns hit me in the gut and many bring tears to my eyes) these in particular get me every time:

• Rock of Ages - dude - "foul, I to the fountain fly. Wash me savior or I die." I defy you to be unmoved by that line alone
• Old Rugged Cross
• Softly and Tenderly
• The Doxology (thank God my church still sings this every once in a while)
• Great is thy Faithfulness
• How Great Thou Art
• Amazing Grace
  
• In the Garden
• I'm Going Home (Alabama Sacred Harp Singers version)

Ok, so here comes the eclectic part:

• Mandolin Rain - Bruce Hornsby - there's no more nostalgic song
• This Year's Love - David Gray - Dang!
• Mo Ghile Mear - (loved Sting's version on The Cheiftains Long Black Veil CD - that's a totally awesome CD by the way - check it out if you're a fan of Mick Jagger, Sting, Marianne Faithful or Tom Jones)
• Ragland Road - Roger Daltrey's version on The Chieftains An Irish Evening Live at the Grand Opera House, Belfast. BTW, this is another weird little gem of a CD - it's got Roger singing Behind Blue Eyes, which was redone by Limp Bizkit in 2003.
• Already Gone - Sugarland - the verse where she leaves her guy - gut punch
• Crazy Love & Into the Mystic - Van Morrison - self explanatory
• Crazy - Aerosmith - don't ask me why. Weirdly, I found that 1 of only two songs I know all the way through is Aerosmith's "What it Takes". What does that say about me?
  
• Tom Traubert's Blues & Have I Told you Lately - from Rod Stewart's Unplugged & Seated CD
• Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
• Life in a Northern Town - both The Dream Academy and Sugarland versions
  
• With a Little Help from My Friends & You Are So Beautiful - Joe Cocker
  
• Georgia on My Mind - Ray Charles
• Roll me Away - Bob Segar
• Bobby Magee - Janis Joplin
  
• Amazed - Lonestar. I put this song here not so much because of the song, but because of where I heard it! I had to go to Buenos Aires for 2 weeks when this song was popular in America. I was completely out of my element and homesick. One day, I went out with the group and while they were talking (much as I like to think I speak a little Spanish, I really don't) this song came on the radio. I think I cried just for the love of hearing a little English!

You can listen to this playlist now. There are, of course, many, many more. What are your favorites and why?