Blythe and I were in the mood for a bit of rock and roll from our younger years tonight.

She even brought her guitar along.

Care to join us?

We’re at “L” this week in my musical A to Z series (inspired by Jackie over at Ambling and Rambling) and here’s what I have for you:

1.  Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi (1986)

I first noticed Bon Jovi when the New Jersey album came out in 1988.  I think I was in Grade 6 at the time?  If I was trying (harder than usual) to make my choice of theme work, I could poist that between the two albums he plucked up the courage to stop just praying about it and got the girl because Living in Sin is one of the better songs on that album.  And there is something about a rocker crooning that just, well … even eleven-year-old me got it.

But we all know that’s a stretch.  Because Tommy and Gina are FOREVER.  So we’ll just leave it with the fact that Livin’ on a Prayer is a great song.  I also once really liked this guy back in university up until the moment he told me he didn’t know who Bon Jovi was.  After that, I knew it wouldn’t work out.  I mean, on some stuff?  You just can’t take risks.

Other times call for:

2.  Livin’ on the Edge – Aerosmith (1993)

I was in high school and I think the whole mix of “the world is big and messed up and confusing but still worth living in” struck the right chord with me.  I heard it on the radio earlier this week and inspiration hit for this week’s post.

Of course, then You Tube reminded me we could take this in another direction too:

3.  Living Dead Girl – Rob Zombie (1999)

I’ve always just loved the title of the song.  While I can see the appeal to teens (I’ve posted previously of my love of all things Depeche Mode/Black Celebration), I also love the imagery and trek through the history of horror movies that is the video (which draws from 1920’s “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari“) and lyrical references.  And the Buffy fan in me gets a kick out of the fact that Faith dances it up in a bar to this song in Angel (and thumps a few people in the process without out once missing a choreographed beat.  Fan video anyone?).  But honestly?  Full time working life with two kids under five?  There are certainly days that I feel very much like a living dead girl.

But I’m kinda hoping early parenthood is sorta like your teens.  You know, you work through it and life is better for having done it.  Or, like Alanis sings:

4. (You Live) You Learn – Alanis Morissette (1996)

The benefits of hindsight and all that, right?  All of life as one big opportunity to cry and laugh and learn and grow and question and challenge and take chances and give and change and start over and well …. live.

Because, regardless what you get and where you land we all just have to figure out how to:

5.  Live Your Life – T.I. featuring Rihanna (2008)

I go back and forth on the actions of Rihanna, but there is no denying she’s a beautiful singer.  And if I choose to take the song as a call to remember where you’re from and where who you are is grounded, I can sing along happily.

And be a shining star.

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Thanks for listening!  Any other songs about life you would have added to my list?