Musical Moments That Change Your Life

LM is the Musicman here, for sure, hands down, no contest. His posts about music have left me teary eyed, inspired, and better educated. I am awed by his writing about all things musical... But I was feeling sniffly and sick recently and between blowing my nose one too many times, and surfing through the late night music threads on C&L and others, I was reflecting more specifically on MY music.

What do I mean by MY music? Well, we all have it, the short list; the 5-10 songs, or artists that change it all for you. You were walking along minding your own business and just like in the beginning of Oz, a house came crashing down on your head. You, heard a musician, singer, artist that reached right inside you, and with an almost painful wrench they pulled you out of yourself. They took you somewhere you always wanted to go even though you never knew you wanted to go there.

I suspect it has happened to every thinking, loving, breathing one of us to some extent or another.

For me? Yes of course. (Why else would I be writing this post?)

There were jr. high flings with music, and high school crushes. But the real love affairs, the gut wrenching, house falling moments came in college and after.

There have been a few; Soul Coughing & The Story, some 13 years ago, Amp Fiddler more recently. However, the big one, the house falling out of the sky and knocking me flat, was Tori Amos. Her music quite literally change my life.

She is sexy, powerful, political, talented, and she owns the stage whenever she takes it. She sings from some place that pop-crap-musicians could never understand, even with a 101-for-dummies guide.

A virtuoso on the piano and an amazing lyricist and song writer, Tori spoke to me in a way that made me see the world from a totally different space. I listen to her new stuff much less than I did in the past, but Little Earthquakes is and always will be on my short list.

I would love to know you all better, and know who is on the short list for you. I don't mean who do you like? or Who is good?

Who changed it for you? Show and tell in the thread please.

as for mine, here you are...