Waiting for a NY post? Keep waiting!

I've been quite remiss in failing to post about all the goings-on of my visit to New York last week. Even so, I'm going to post about something else in the meantime: a meme post inspired by Abbey's blog, about the "Soundtrack of Your Life". Essentially, bust out the music on your iTunes or your computer's music file (if you're ghetto like me), then let it pick 18 songs at random. Resist the temptation to choose songs yourself and disguise any music of which you're a bit shameful.

When you have your 18 songs, match them up with the events listed below to determine the music that's "appropriate" for each event. Just go in order. Don't try to pick the song that most applies. I did it, and as you'll see, some of the song selections are quite choice, and some are quite illogical. My comments are below, and in some cases I've linked to or provided lyrics or videos.

OPENING
"Carry This Picture"
Dashboard Confessional - A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar
(Lyrics, Cover)
Introspective and bittersweet...

WAKING UP
"Bad Time"
Grand Funk Railroad - All the Girls in the World, Beware!
(Odd video, but it's got the song)
It's kind of peppy...

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
"Hips Don't Lie"
Shakira - Oral Fixation
(Video)
Well, I can kind of picture myself strutting in to school to this song with a swagger...

FALLING IN LOVE
"A Home"
Dixie Chicks - Home
(Lyrics)
Awfully sad for a love song, but it is one of my favorites.

FIGHT SONG
"All My Life"
DJ Harry - Collision
A song from Veronica Mars - it's a little techno-y, but not really a fight song.

BREAKING UP SONG
"January"
Bonnie McKee - Trouble
(Lyrics)
"If you leave now baby don't come back,
if you leave baby don't come back"

PROM
"Blinding Sheets of Rain"
Old 97s - Drag It Up
(Lyrics)
Damn depressing for a prom song. We should've swapped this one and the one before it.
"I could've sworn the heart you wore upon your sleeve was mine."

LIFE
"Sweetest Goodbye"
Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane
(Lyrics)
It's kinda sweet, I suppose...but not one that I'd really pick to sum up my whole life.
"I'll never leave you behind,
or treat you unkind,
I know you understand...
How does it feel to know
you never have to be alone
When you get home?
There must be someplace here
that only you and I could go
So I can show you how I feel"

MENTAL BREAKDOWN
"I Will Still Love You"
Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time
(Lyrics)
Well, lyrics like "even through the darkest days our love will find a way" seem to indicate that even a mental breakdown will not separate me from my beloved. Or, possibly, that my mental breakdown will be pop-music-induced.

DRIVING
"Hear Me Out"
Frou Frou - Details
(Lyrics) or odd video)
This would be the sort of music that would play when I'd be driving to reach someone urgently, as if I were trying to stop a wedding or a murder or something desperate. In real life, I think U2 tends to have the best driving music.

FLASHBACK
"Say Hello Wave Goodbye"
David Gray - White Ladder
(Lyrics)
Pretty darn good, but again not so much with the happy!
"Take a look in my face, for the last time
I never knew you, you never knew me
Say hello, goodbye"

GETTING BACK TOGETHER
"Lost and Found"
Michael Nyman - The Piano soundtrack
Instrumental
Pretty, but sad. Too bad it couldn't have been some of the more passionate music from the same album! Still, the title of the song does make sense given the event.

WEDDING DAY
"Ruins"
George is Jones - N/A
(Listen on MySpace)
I don't quite get what the song means, but lyrics like "I am an ending at the beginning" and "even ruins can't all be ruined" seem to indicate something timeless or everlasting. Still, remarkably downbeat for a freakin' wedding.

BIRTH OF A CHILD
"Mercy on Me"
Christina Aguilera - Back to Basics
(Hear it)
I love this song, and I guess it's kind of about rebirth, so maybe it'll do. Also she says "I'm so lost and I need you to help me with this," and that's probably what I'd be saying about when I asked for an epidural.

FINAL BATTLE
"Fascinate You"
Ari Hest - Someone to Tell
(Lyrics)
Apparently my final battle will be with someone who's hard to impress. And who I apparently want to date?
"Something that I've realized
Nothing will ever do for you"

DEATH
"Sleep to Dream"
Fiona Apple - Tidal
(Video)
There are a few lyrics that seem to apply to heading for the great beyond:
"I don't go to sleep to dream...
This mind this body and this voice cannot be stifled...
I've got my own hell to raise...
Don't make it a big deal..."

FUNERAL
"The Chance"
Julie Roberts - Julie Roberts
(Lyrics)
This one would have 'em sobbing in the aisles, then heading out to take advantage of their lives while they still had 'em.

CLOSING CREDITS
"New Strings"
Miranda Lambert - Kerosene
(Video)
Kicky and upbeat. A good thing to close it all out with.
"I guess if you don't jump
You'll never know if you can fly"

Thanks for the fun meme, Abs!