The Favorite Songs of Cheil

A band I never knew much about ‘til I saw them live at a TED event. This song and, frankly, this band itself is as close as I can imagine to an expression of pure joy that you’ll ever see or hear. If you ever get a chance to see them live, DO IT! You won’t regret it.

When I moved to London right after high school, I lived in Brixton and this song became an obsession. Every time I hear it, it takes me back to that wonderful time of my life.

Eric Clapton and Duanne Allman playing over six guitar tracks and ending in that phenomenal Jim Gordon piano coda. And a crazy love story to boot. What more can you ask for in a song?

It was one of the first songs that resounded in my soul as love. It reminds of the first time I fell in love and how I felt like all the stars in the universe aligned with my heart.

A time of small make shift stages in the back of pubs, with a hundred sweaty people and not one worry… except who’s going to buy the next beer.

I saw this band perform in 19XX and it was the first real rock and roll concert I ever went to. This song was the big finale to the show and I'll never forget it. Whenever I hear it, I have to stop what I'm doing and just listen.

This silly song instantly snaps me out of any horrible mood I might be in.

The melody. The energy. The adrenalin rush. Some songs just have that power. This one hooked me back in high school and it still taps into that familiar spirit of rebelliousness and enthusiasm that we ex-teenage boys still cherish.

It has everything to do with angst, beauty and growing up. And, this cover is the best version, ever.

When I first heard the song it made me want to hear more, so I went out and purchased the entire album. I think he’s an amazing lyricist and songwriter.

I’m a huge, huge fan of the Hova and (although I probably interpreted this song way differently from Jay-z), whenever I feel like I’m stuck or frustrated, 99 problems is the panacea to my vexed soul. :)

Wow, this song just makes me want to dance! Part swing, part country. 100% Texan. Although this song typically wraps their set, hearing it means I’ve just had hours of high-energy fun. Discovered “Two Tons” five years ago, and haven’t stopped dancing to their tunes since!

This was one of my parents’ favorite songs. Every year when we would go on vacation as a family to the beach they would play this song in the car on our 8 track player. To this day when I go to the beach I want to play this song and if I hear it I think of the beach and really happy childhood memories.

When I moved to NYC and met my soon-to-be wife, she introduced me to Soul Coughing. Never in my life had a heard a mix of sounds and words melded together in a way that was so electrifying. They were the most euphoric band I've ever heard.

When I moved to US from South Korea, I did not speak the language. MJ’s album ‘Thriller’ was given to me as a gift. By knowing these songs, I was able to connect with people and started to enjoy sharing. So, this song was a bridge for me and encouraged me to be where I am right now.

Thought the song was so interesting that I wrote a term paper about it in college. But really it’s the band. When I discovered the Pixies my freshman year in college, nothing else was the same. Opened my eyes to all new experiences.

Can’t remember the first time I heard this song, but it seems to be a turn-on switch for me where I can easily get myself into positive/mellow mood regardless the mood I was in. It’s like a happy virus for me since listening to it brings me all the good memories in the past.

I grew up listening to Elvis because my mother was a huge fan of his. ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ was one of my mother’s favorites. As a little girl, I remember thinking to myself, “She must be thinking of Daddy.” This song is one of the most romantic songs on the planet and gives me butterflies each and every time I hear it..

This song takes me back to a time when I was singing and dancing, traveling to perform concerts and promote the University of Texas at Austin. Anytime I hear this song my attention is immediately diverted and I start dancing, even if I’m driving – probably more detrimental than using my cell phone while driving.

This song makes me think about listening to Dave Matthews at camp while trying to cook instant soup with my best friend. The soup always came out terrible, but hearing that song makes me happy. Years later, it also was the first song my husband and I danced to at our wedding. And no, instant soup was not on the menu.

For me this is the greatest song to get pumped up too. If I need a burst of energy at the gym I throw on “Deadly Sinners,” before I know it I’m sweating bullets, benching freakish weight and head-butting walls.

This song works as therapy for the death of a parent, a break-up with a girlfriend of six years, and long work hours. And my 2011 was all of that. I could have picked any song from The Walkmen’s superb album, You & Me, but “In The New Year” just seems to strike a particular chord of surviving all the curves life can throw at you at once.

I was introduced to this song when I started dating my partner. I had just moved into a new apartment, and we were lying on the carpet in an empty living room listening to our favorite songs. This song represents the moment in my life when I realized that it was time to grow up and settle down with the person I love – in Dallas of all places.

This song reminds me of my college years in South Carolina where I met some of my best friends and made some of the greatest memories of my life. My life changed a lot during those years where I “grew up” and became more independent. Listening to this song puts a smile on my face and takes me back to the good ole days. Go Gamecocks!!

A girl I’ve known since 7th grade and I decided to go to one of his concerts. It was an incredible show. This date with my friend turned out to be much more. Today, we’ve been married 15 years and have two awesome kids. The lyrics talk about a guy who’s smitten and in my case that is true. It’s one of my favorite tunes from my favorite artist of all time.

Bowie was the first concert I ever went to. I had amazing seats, he put on an incredible show and I've seen him live many, many times since. For me, he's the epitome of cool, from artist, to showman, to businessman. Nearly impossible to pick just one of his songs, but this has great pace and backing. Like most things Bowie, it feels like a big production.

This song always takes me back to the good old days 90's trip hop.