Day 7: Songs that bring back memories

Music is like this cycle of stories. First the songwriter plans out this idea of what they want to publish out to the world whether is an idea or an emotion that wants to get recognition from others who feel similar to that sensation or can give feedback to their idea. Then the person listening to the song stems out their ideas or emotions during the time they're listening and produces their own story based on the song whether it's through the lyrics, or the way the song was constructed and those stories remain to be vivid. Here are some of the songs that gives me a full slap of nostalgia.

1. Ring My Bell by Anita Ward - When I was around the age of four or five, my mom had this old black boombox in the kitchen (yes the ones where people would put them on their should and walk around the streets with). Well my dad had made me a CD, my first CD ever, with about twelve tracks with songs that he had grown to listen to and in the evenings I would pop in the CD in the CD player and spend the whole evening singing and dancing to it. One time in particular I had brought a paper cut out of a skeleton from school that was traced with my measurements and since the paper was the same size as me, I would dance along with it as a dance partner. I am not sure my mom has pictures, but I am pretty sure she remembers too. I also had been misinterpreting the lyrics so whenever Anita Ward would sing, "You can ring my bell" I would think she was saying my name and although I have learned the lyrics I still think Anita Ward is saying "Isabel". 
2. Suavemente by Elvis Crespo - This song gives me flashbacks to my Quinceanera that happened in October of 2013 that I had in Puerto Rico and most of my family was there to celebrate my birthday even though my birthday is in July. Well apparently this day was an emotional day not just for myself, but for some of my uncles, cousins, and my dad. As soon as you pull out the Sangria you already know where the night is leaning into. Lets just say my uncle had too much to drink and wanted to dance with me. This song was playing and if you do not know how to dance Merengue, you mainly use your hips to sway along to the beat of the song and you step backwards and forwards mirroring your dance partner. The funny moment was that my uncle told me that I need to put more hip into the song but I had thought I was doing a swell job especially for not hurting anyone and I felt that at what point of the song he was ready to just let me go and dance alone. I guess there is no holding back when you're in the zone. 
3. Better Man by Pearl Jam - The other day I charged my old I-Pod touch that I had used during my middle school times and in my I-Pod my songs fall under the miscellaneous category because my songs differed from oldies to rap to alternative to the random assortment of The Beatles. Before I had left to Hawaii my best friend gave me a going away CD that held most of the songs that we would listen together during elementary school and to keep a back up of the CD I decided to sync the entire CD onto my I-Pod. One of the songs that I remember listening to is Better Man by Pearl Jam and this brings me back to the time when we would sing to anything that caught our attention. Still shy to sing out loud, I remember I had to sing this song on my own in front of the computer where the microphone was located 
4. Fuckin' Perfect by P!nk - I think it's safe to say that during the early teenager years we have gone through the phase of insecurities and lack of confidence and the only way we felt better about ourselves was to listen to music that boasts up the confidence. Lost count as to how many times I would listen to this song but I would say that P!nk has helped me out to get over my flaws and to embrace them for what they are. "Pretty pretty please don't you ever ever feel like you're less than fucking perfect". Always keeping that in mind. 
5. The Ketchup Song by Las Ketchup - Oh, I don't remember exactly when was the first time I heard this song but I kind of want to say that this song was probably my first Spanish song that I heard. This song is special because my mom would get excited to see me excited when I heard this song and since the song had dance moves I would try to dance along to their music video. One of the few songs that could bring an immediate smile to my face and remind me of how simplistic life used to be. 
6. Any Salsa song whether it's from El Gran Combo to Celia Cruz - If you have ever been over at my house while my dad is around, then you most likely heard him sing. That man has always been singing to Salsa songs and I am still amazed of how much Salsa he knows. Like every song I've heard with him, he either knows the whole song or pieces of the lyrics and then asks me who is singing which the majority of the time I got wrong... So any song that has the slightest touch of Salsa rhythm, it reminds me of my dad which brings me so much nostalgia and happiness at the same time. At least when I miss him, I can play Salsa music and picture him singing and grabbing my hands to dance with him even though I was not the best Salsa dancer. 
7. Any bachata song whether it's from Monchy y Alexandra to Romeo Santos - Bachata songs always reminds me of home (Puerto Rico), when I was around the age of four my cousin taught me how to dance Bachata in her living room. I can still remember having the music playing and my mom and my other cousin cheering me on. Yeah Bachata comes from the Dominican Republic but since the island is right next to Puerto Rico, I still feel a strong influence in Puerto Rico. At least when I am missing my family I can play Bachata music I can imagine myself being there on the island with them.  

Which songs brings you back into memory lane?

xx Chavelita