What's the defining song of your youth?

[Appalonia]

I was watching TOTP 1995 tonight and Pulp singing Common People was on. It took me back to a very particular time in the nineties and got me thinking about songs that encapsulate a time in your life.

For me it's Ghost Town by The Specials when I was a teenager. Summed up a v bleak time, mass unemployment, race riots, a sense of decline and hopelessness in the early 80s. Also, coming from that part of the UK, it had a particular resonance for me. Obviously there were lots of upbeat songs around at that time too, that I still love, but feels like this song was so much of that time ( tho ironically still feels relevant today...!)

What song do you feel defines your youth?

The Cult She Sells Sanctuary, it was the song to get people up on the dancefloor!

This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both of Us by Sparks. It was 1974 and I was 11. Their performance on Top of The Pops was mesmerising, and the talk of the school the following day.

And Come on Eileen in 1982. I was 19 and having the going-out time of my life. It was playing everywhere.

Both bring back very happy and special memories.

Losing My Religion.

This is the song for me too. Played at every night at the student union. Me and now dh went to see The Killers.

I was at Uni at the same time and also remember this. It was played everywhere I went.

Smells like teen spirit

And (in a totally different vein!) Football's Coming Home.

Stone Roses Fool's Gold. It was so different from anything before, being both guitar music and dance music combined and was the start of teenagery life being a bit more cool and more exciting on the snogging/party front.

Doing the dance at youth club?

Hi Ho Silver Lining by Jeff Beck. It was played at the end of every disco I went to.

Mr Jones by The Counting Crows takes me back to 18, leaving school, heading to uni. Life could go in any direction, every door open, endless possibilities.

What a time.

Underworld Born Slippy. It still gives me goosebumps.

James Oh Sit Down! Always...

Yes!! When I hear this song I'm instantly back at a train station in Glasgow on the way to Balloch Park - the infamous Oasis Summer gigs.

Love this!!

Also Cum On Feel The Noiz by Slade and Blockbuster by The Sweet

I also just watched this, and realised that even though I was only 10 when those songs were out, they absolutely must have shaped my musical tastes- I've seen 4 of the acts on that show in concert, and if Oasis ever decide to join back together, they are the absolute top of my list to see.

But the specific songs that were defining for me were a few years later- dirrty, various steps songs, get the party started, crazy in love.

Don't Leave Me This Way. Just hearing it on the radio makes me feel like I'm having youth and energy poured in through my ears.

(Then I look in the mirror)

So hard to choose! Maybe Wonderwall

Chesney Hawkes The One And Only.

The soundtrack of the end of 6th form, getting bought drinks by teachers and having them ask you to call them by their first name, A level results, Uni and a lifetime of excitement stretching ahead of you.

Pump Up The Jam. My parents kicked me out, I was living in a succession of house-shares/squats bouncing around a massive loose group of people who were all centered around a club I used to go to - it would be called sofa surfing now, back then it was just "go to the club and find somewhere". I went out all the time - looking back I've no idea how as I had no money but I'd never stay in. This song got played everywhere and I thought the singer was really cool - if you remember, there were two videos for it, one with a clubby babe girl, the other with a masc girl, the vocals sounded like a guy, it had the coolest hook, I loved it. At some point during the summer I went to Glastonbury with a bunch of other people. We didn't pay, I think we said we were in a band. We didn't even have a tent or anything, just this fucked up electric blanket that we figured would keep us warm. Then we realised that electric blankets don't work without electricity so we ripped all the wires out. So now we just had a ripped up blanket. But it was the best weekend ever. We had a tape deck in the car and all the way there and back we played compilation tapes and I swear to God Pump Up The Jam was on most of them. Man, I loved that song.

Same! Born 1989?

Ironic - Alanis Morrisette!

Quite a few of those already mentioned have youth memories, but a big one for me is Placebo’s Every You and Every Me, we used to play it a lot in my 6th form common room and it brings back that time to me.

Another is Lightening Seeds Pure, which reminds me of my first boyfriend and driving around in his car, I was 13 and he was 19 which is likely unthinkable these days but a very normal 90’s phenomenon

Brian Adam (I think?), Run To You - first radio / tape player aged around 9

Saturday Night by Whigfield - school discos at primary school aged around 11

No one knows by Queens of the Stone Age starting uni age 17

Incubus, the down the river song, age 16, first boyfriend

In addition to the above: Dreams by Gabrielle. Instantly transports me to around 10 years old and hearing it on radio in my mums car on way to my nans