by Santino Fuentes

With my twenty second birthday soon approaching, I'd like to take this opportunity to reflect on the songs that have defined the first twenty-two years of my existence. 

  1. Power of Two – MYMP / You'll Be in My Heart – Phil Collins / You Are So Beautiful – Joe Cocker
    I am what you can consider a "Mama's Boy". When my dad and my brother came to the U.S. in 2005, my mom and I had to stay behind until our paperwork was processed. Being only five at the time, I had not formed many memories yet. So, when I look back to my early childhood, I see all the memories I had with my mom in the Philippines. I asked my mom which of these 3 I should include in my Golden Record. To which she replied that they all equally deserved to be on there. So, you're getting all 3. 
  2. Father and Son – Cat Stevens
    My dad and I don't have the most conventional father and son relationship. As I've grown older, he and I have seen eye to eye more. Given the fact that he and my brother came to the United States in 05', I only really began to develop a relationship with him when I came here in 2011. The first time I heard this song was when my dad decided to sing it at a karaoke party, Filipinos love their karaoke. From then on, he would beg me to sing the song with him. I also enjoyed how they used it at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy 2. 
  3. Empire State of Mind – JAY-Z, Alicia Keys 
    I was still in the Philippines the first time I heard Empire State of Mind. Ever since I was young, it's always been my family's plan to move to New York. So, when my mom showed me the music video for the first time, I was obsessed. I was listening to it on loop, and just took note of all the places shown in the music video. It left a great impression on me for what was going to be my home. 
  4. Kids – MGMT 
    Kids by MGMT simply produces a sound that reminds me of childhood. Like many of the songs on this list, I first heard of this song from my brother. I also have a slight feeling that I heard it at the end of a movie credits in a film we watched, but I cannot think of the movie. Listening to it for the first time in 2010, the song was instantly stuck in my head. I still listen to MGMT to this day and as of recently it found its place in my running playlist. 
  5. I'm Just a Kid – Simple Plan
    I knew of Simple Plan because it was my brother's favorite band as a kid. When he left for the United States and returned four years later, I recalled bringing up Simple Plan as his favorite band. He would cringe and say he doesn't listen to them anymore. I would ask not even Avril Lavigne, to which he would cringe any harder. Enough embarrassing my brother, I'm Just a Kid reminds me of simpler times. My brother and I fighting over who gets to play the Playstation or who's turn it was on the Gameboy. I get reminded of the beach trips we would go on as a family and my family's old house. 
     
  6. Someday – The Strokes 
    I came across The Strokes when I had mistaken the band for The Who. My brother would listen to both bands, which is probably why I got the two mixed up. I was simply looking for My Generation by the Who, though instead of typing The Who I would type in The Strokes. This led me down a rabbit hole of The Strokes songs, and when I listened to Someday, something about it just stuck out. The guitar mixed in perfectly with the staticky vocals of Julian Casablancas. The song is a guaranteed mood booster, and is something I like to put on to get the day started. 
  7. Hey Jude – The Beatles 
    Hey Jude was the first Beatles song I listened to. It was my mom's song to my brother. His name's not Jude, it's Jules, but to her it was close enough. Hey Jude's comforting tone reminds me of my mom and it gives me a reassuring feeling. I believe repeatedly watching the music video as a child led to Paul being my favorite Beatle. He would also sing my other favorite Beatles songs like Let it Be and Yesterday. The stories behind all three of these songs are beautiful. 
  8. Ang Huling El Bimbo – Eraserheads 
    Growing up in the Philippines, I was surrounded by OPM. When it comes to Eraserheads, they are Filipino music royalty. Ang Huling El Bimbo translates to The Last "El Bimbo" referring to a type of dance. I recall the music video deeply impacting me as a child, mainly because I found it extremely creepy. There was an iconic Filipino rock radio station that was forced to shut down and they chose Ang Huling El Bimbo for their final song. The song is deeply important to Filipino music and the childhood I had in the Philippines. 
  9. Waka Waka – Shakira 
    Soccer has been a massive part of my life. I started playing soccer in first grade and I wasn't very good. When I moved to New York from the Philippines, I struggled to make friends in school. Seeing that all the boys played soccer, I decided to pick it up again. I've made my best friends through soccer. I believe if you put a song to the sport of soccer, it would be Waka Waka by Shakira and Freshlyground 
  10. Music of the Night – Andrew Lloyd Webber
    If I was asked which would be my favorite broadway musical, I would probably have to answer Phantom of the Opera. It may be a bit of a slow burn, it may not have the craziest set, the soundtrack is great but not many may think of it as iconic to broadway as a whole. What makes it special to me is that it is one of the few memories I have of my late grandfather. My mother's father loved broadway, his favorite musical was Phantom of the Opera. He died when I was only two years old, I don't have any solid memory of him, except of fragments that I may recall when seeing a picture. Though, for some reason, I vividly remember Music of the Night echoing throughout the house as my "Pop" plays the piano from the living room. 
  11. She Will Be Loved – Maroon 5 
    Like I mentioned before, Filipinos love their karaoke. With karaoke being a staple in any party or get together, you needed your "go-to". She Will Be Loved was mine, granted I was about 7 years old at the time. What was a 7 year old doing singing about "driving miles and miles" for a girl or waiting "in the puring rain" for her? I have no clue, all my 7-year-old self knew was that it was an absolute banger! 
  12. The Killers – Mr Brightside 
    Mr Brightside is one of those songs that have just constantly popped up throughout my life. From the beginning, when it was one of the songs my mom had downloaded on her mp3 player, which she would have on while she worked on the next day's lesson plan. Then it would be one of the go-to songs for me and my brother on Rockband, we would be singing along to every word while playing those colored keys. The release of their album Battle Born would reignite my interest in the band in middle school. When my manager mentioned that he was at a Killers concert and it just suddenly rained in the middle of Mr Brightside. I decided that whenever I got the chance, I am going to see The Killers live. 
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