Top 100 - Staring At The Sun, TV On The Radio # 40

Story by Amy


I'm not sure why I find this song so awesome, there's just something about it that makes you turn the volume up to 11 and close your eyes. And sometimes lie on the floor. Especially after drinking wine.


Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Penny Arcade, Roy Orbison # 39

Story by Adele

Something about me - I grew up with my 3 brothers and my mother in a small country town in a tiny 6 square, 2 bedroom housing commission house and as such shared a bedroom with my mother (separate beds just shared the room). 

As a single mother of 4 small children my mother’s social life was non-existent. One of my life long memories has been that she used to listen to the radio, with the volume turned down very low at night in bed until the wee hours of most nights. Not surprisingly I know the words to many 50’s, 60’s and 70’s songs that many people my age have never heard of.

One song sticks in my mind and reminds me of this time and my mum – Penny Arcade, this is my song for your top 100 songs.


Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Hells Bells, AC/DC # 38

Story by Nicole


For a few years in a row I volunteered at the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach and the song reminds me of all the wonderful people I met and the memories of being there. They play it regularly through out the day during the comp. Even now when I go purely as a spectator I can't help but get a friendly shiver up my spine when I hear it being played over the sound system.


Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - He Aint Heavy, He's My Brother, The Hollies # 37

Story by Len

When I first heard this song which I believe was banned for some time and I don’t know why it was introduced with:

A father talking to his son.The son told his father that he was bored and did not have anything to do. The father got a picture of a map of the world and tore it up into little pieces and told his son to put it back together.

The son went away and in a short while came back with the map of the world all put back together. The father asked his son how he did it so quickly.

The son replied:

On the other side of the picture of the world was a picture of a man

When I put the picture of the man together to world came together.


Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - The River, Bruce Springsteen # 36

Story by Dom


My song is the river by Bruce Springsteen. The reason I've chosen this song is because for a really long time I only liked depressing music that reminded me of Canberra. This song has had the most influence of me as song writer because I remember seeing the clip for it and I looked like the boss was crying and I knew that if I wanted to write music as good as that I had to 100 percent honest like him.


Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Perfect Kiss, New Order # 35

Story by Fiona

1985. A 12" single import with a silver, embossed cover. It had to be ordered from overseas. Bernie ordered it from Red Eye Records in Sydney. Twenty-six years later the store is still going. The proprietor still recognises me with a smile, though it has been years between visits at times.

I remember Bernie playing the new single to me on his record player in his bedroom at Cromer. We were in love. Every kiss was perfect. We believed in a land of love.

Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Born To Run, Bruce Springsteen # 34

Story by Heidi

My parents listened to a lot of Bruce Springsteen when I was young, and his music reminds me of my childhood. One song in particular invokes a very specific memory.

'Born to Run' triggers memories of cruising around with Dad in his hot rod as a little girl.

This explosive song induces excitement. Memories of the windows down and music pumping. Wind in my face, wind in my hair, big smiles. Not a worry in the world. Just cruising with Dad.

I felt so important, driving around in Dad's special hot rod with him.

Along with this memory comes an overall sense of happiness, contentment, and security.

It's not hard to understand why I love this song so much.


Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Lithium, Nirvana #33

Story by Magda


That song reminds me most of me-that-was.


Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Atlantis, Donovan #32

Story by Steve

My song is Atlantis by Donovan.

First of all it was my favourite song when I was sixteen and I bought it as a single.

Then one day I was walking down the corridor in my school and I heard someone strumming the chords. I look into a class room and a very cool looking kid was playing my fave song on a guitar and it sounded good and there were 3 or 4 very attractive girls looking dreamily on. The whole thing etched permanently in my mind, a voice in my head said you should get started learning to play a guitar

Postscript. The kid I saw was Don Miller Robinson. I believe he is in the US working as a musical director Shania Twain these days. He was a natural!

Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Away In A Manger, Christmas Carol # 31

Story by Millie


I like this song because it reminds me of Christmas.


Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Story Of The Blues, The Mighty Wah #30

Story by Iain


This is not my favourite song, in fact it's not even in my top 10. However, it is a song that reminds me of a time in my life. The song was in the UK charts, I think it reached number 2 or 3, and was played on Top of the Pops. It's a bit of a cliche but this song always makes me think of when I was dumped by the first girl I really loved, or I thought so at the time at least.


Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Deeper Water, Paul Kelly #29

Story by Nigel

This song from the 1995 album of the same name has always been a personal favourite, however it has taken on a deeper meaning since I have been away from my family. This song, especially the first verse, reminds me of my son, and that I have not seen him for months- it is so heart wrenching (for me) that every time it comes onto my ipod, I have to skip past it- and even then I cry for a few minutes.

Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Footloose, Kenny Loggins #28

Story by Lucy 

My song is Footloose. The song has lots of great memories for me throughout my childhood and adolescence. The strongest memory is probably from my time as an exchange student in Japan. There really weren’t a lot of English language videos available in the Japanese town where I was living but there was a copy of Footloose… so I watched it many times that year! I particularly love the scene at the end of the movie when Footloose is playing and everyone is dancing. There is a girl wearing a big dress who spins around and around. She looks like she is having so much fun. Whenever I hear the song, it reminds of some the feelings I had that year being a girl from a small country town in a very foreign place, particularly the strange, overwhelming and confusing feelings of newness and freedom.

Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon, Urge Overkill #27

Story by Justine


A very memorable song from a very memorable evening is 'Girl, you'll be a woman soon', by Urge Overkill seen at the Coogee Bay Hotel in 1994 during the Sydney bushfires. It was so hot the crowd were regularly hosed down and when we left we were met with ash from the fires falling from the sky. A very surreal end to an amazing gig.


Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Starry Eyed Surprise, Paul Oakenfold #26

Story by Fi


I was travelling after school with a group and we sang it on a boat as we were going between Europe and Asia.


Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Hallelujah, KD Lang #25

Story by Karina


The song that triggers the strongest memories and emotions for me is K.D Lang's version of Hallelujah. It was played at my mums funeral because it was one of her favorite songs and singers, and when I hear it now it reminds me of the amazing person she was. Its now one of those songs that makes me feel so happy and sad at the same time.

Top 100 - US Forces, Midnight Oil #24

Story by Marty 

1982 - My first year playing cricket.

This is silly little story, but something I'll never forget and tied me to this band for life. A little snapshot all the same.

One Saturday morning I was getting ready to play under 14's cricket at Collaroy.

One of the coaches was walking around with a Walkman and giving people turns listening to the the headphones. (he had just picked up a new cassette at Sandys Records)

I had a listen and playing was Midnight Oil - U.S Forces.

I was blown away, I hadn't at that point heard any Oils. It sounded great and I wanted more.

Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Moon River, Frank Sinatra #23

Story by Cathy

This song reminds me of happy easy times when a lovely bar manager called Dennis would allow my young somewhat insane gothically inclined friends to stay in the Agincourt pub in Sydney after closing hours, drink black russians and sing along with the jukebox to very uncool songs (well from their perspective anyway...).

For me, it has also come to symbolise the importance of good friends and what friendship can really mean.

I have a very clear memory of this song from being overseas travelling around Europe without my parents for the first time. I was walking through the cobblestone streets of Potsdam in Germany having escaped my hostel full of 20 law students (urgh), and there was a busker playing Moon River in the moonlight. It was so beautiful but I also suddently desperately wanted to be at home.

Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - Tears In Heaven, Eric Clapton #22

Story by Asel

I finally did it! I sat down and thought of a song that is important to me. Well, I should say I thought of many songs: some that remind me of childhood, my brother and home, some that remind me of my parents and especially my artistic pianist mother with her love for classical and French music (I was really tempted to pick one of the songs by an Egyptian- Italian, Dalida, who sang in French, one of the favourites for me when I was very small was her with Alaine Delon) Then there are songs that remind me of my carefree young days, friends and my exchange year in America.  I decided against the latter as I did spend most of the time in Oklahoma, so can't really see you inspired by a line-dancing type of a song.  And of course there was Kylie's "On a Night Like This" for the Sydney Olympics, the time when I first arrived in Australia all naiive and starry-eyed. I am not usually Kylie's biggest fan, but it just happened that her performance on the closing night coincided with my arrival. So Sydney forever in my mind will be decked in glitter and pink feathers with her song playing in the background :)))

I thought about them all and many more that brought happy memories. However I decided to go with a very sad one, hope you don't mind. 

It is "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton. It's a song that always brings tears to my eyes. It is bitter sweet, because it reminds of a very special person in John's and my life: our daughter, Leila, whose date of birth and death are the same: 28 February 2003.  She was our beautiful angel, who, due to a "cord accident", was taken away from us on the same day she was born...

It is a tribute to her, who we will always remember and to my husband, John, whose love kept me alive and to our other children Erik and Maksat (Max), who made me believe again and that life does go one and one could be happy again.

So this is my song for you...

Artwork by Karin

Top 100 - End Of The Line, Traveling Wilburys #21

Story by Mel

It reminds me of barbecues on a sunny day and bonfires on a chilly night in Sutton. My sister and I used to listen to the Travelling Wilburys on the record player on repeat when we were younger. I liked all their songs but this has the best memories for me... and it's a reminder that 'its alright' and is probably always going to be that way, no matter what happens.

Artwork by Karin