The Songs That Changed My Life

I cannot remember a day without music. Even my first memory is full of it!

Today, I would like to share a list of songs that have made my life better. I hope you will enjoy my selection.

"Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode

Picture this. Southern France in the early 1990s. A 10-year-old kid (hint: me!) is listening to the radio, when the station suddenly blasts Enjoy the Silence.

That is how my obsession with Depeche Mode started.

While my knowledge of English was very limited at the time, the lyrics were simple enough for me to understand. I have loved listening to silence ever since!

"Ripples" by Genesis

Two years later, another track came into my life—Ripples. This song is not just about growing old, but it is also about the importance of embracing the here and now.

For years, Ripples was part of my daily playlist on my way to and back from school. I highly doubt I could have navigated middle and high schools without it!

Genesis remains my favorite band of all time. One of the highlights of my life was seeing them in concert in Toronto in 2007!

"Someone Saved My Life Tonight" by Elton John

Next in my list of essential tracks is Someone Saved My Life Tonight. I consider it to be Elton John's masterpiece and one of the most emotionally charged songs of the 1970s.

"Two of Us" by Supertramp

In May 1993, my mother, her then boyfriend and I were returning from a road trip to Southern Spain. We stopped at a gas station close to the French border. While waiting for my mom to get out of the washroom, I caught sight of Crisis? What Crisis? in the window. Already a fan of Supertramp's, I begged her to buy me the cassette tape.

Half an hour or so later, as we were driving through the most beautiful landscape I had ever seen in my life, Two of Us started playing in the background. I was transfixed.

I still am to this day. The clarinette solo in the middle always brings tears to my eyes.

"Close to the Edge" by Yes

Shortly after my 20th birthday, a nasty breakup triggered my desire to look for a song that would uplift me. Yes's music seemed to be the only thing able to help, so I went to the store and bought the album that many people recommended at the time: Close to the Edge.

I have never been the same since!

"Endless Dreams" by Yes

Early in my artistic career, I came across the exhilarating Endless Dreams. This song has put me in a creative mood hundreds of time! It is so multi-layered! And I discover something new with every listen.

"Nevermind" by Texas

If love could speak, I think that it would do so in Sharleen Spiteri's voice. A timeless song that has put a smile on my face for more than a decade!

"Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield

Those familiar with The Exorcist will instantly recognize this title. Mike Oldfield 's 48-minute track is an absolute masterpiece. And yet, very few people know about it.

"The Warsaw Concerto" by Richard Addinsell

I grew up in a music-loving family. My mother played the piano and tuned me into classical music early on.

One my favorite classical pieces is The Warsaw Concerto. This short work for piano and orchestra was written by Richard Addinsell for the 1941 British film Dangerous Moonlight. I have never watched the movie, but the concerto is a masterful creation.

"Our Lady" by Deep Purple

Deep Purple's underrated (and mysterious) song, Our Lady, was one of the hymns of my teenage years. Sometimes, I still cannot believe that it was released 50 years ago! It has aged more than well.

"Nervous in the Light of Dawn" by Leigh Nash

Leigh Nash's song came into my life when I was in my early 40s. At the time, I was in the process of making peace with several people who had deeply hurt me. The lyrics, which I consider among the most beautiful ever written, hit me like thunderbolt. They also cemented my belief that forgiveness is a necessary, albeit very liberating, experience.

That's it for today! Thank you for reading.

I wrote this story in response to the Melodic Milestone Playlist Challenge organized by Vocal in May 2023.

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Cendrine Marrouat is a writer, photographer, podcaster, blogger, anthology editor, and the co-founder of Auroras & Blossoms and A Warm Cup of Cozy. She has authored and co-authored more than 40 books, including The Train: A Short Story (2023), In Her Own Words: A Collection of Short Stories & Flashku (2022), After the Fires of Day: Haiku Inspired by Kahlil Gibran & Alphonse de Lamartine (2021), Rhythm Flourishing: A Collection of Kindku and Sixku (2020), Walks: A Collection of Haiku (2019-2020), and In the Silence of Words: A Three-Act Play (2018).

Cendrine's work has appeared in many publications. She is the creator of the Sixku, Flashku, Sepigram, and Reminigram; as well as the co-creator of the Kindku, Pareiku, Vardhaku, and Hemingku.