the vinyl vault: first 10

I was catching up on some blogs the other day and Abigail has a new meme which I need to borrow: 25 top albums that shaped your life - couldn't resist.
The rules are:
Think of 25 albums that had such a profound effect on you and how they changed your life or the way you looked at it. They sucked you in and took you over for days, weeks, months, years. These are the albums that you can use to identify time, places, people, emotions, etc. These are the albums that no matter what they were thought of musically shaped your world. No being cool, which albums have you actually listened to thousands of times? Please note that some of these are single songs since it was all about the 45s when I started buying vinyl ;)

1. In 1966 My best friend Cora Lynn and I used to karoke Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Were Made For Walking" on our front steps. They were brick and built so there were 2 arms to use as separate stages. With the song came the knowledge that I am not a carpet.

2. In grade school Halfbreed by Cher: reflected how I din't really fit in anyone's expectations because mine were already so vastly different. Her version of the Long and Winding Road became my theme for ever time we moved (every 2 years - dad was a banker)

3. Donny Osmond's singles - They were probably compliled on a best of album somewhere but these songs made me and my girlfriends sing in grades 4 and 5. One Bad Apple (which my dad occasionally called me), YoYo (which I used to dance to at the bus stop when I was delivering papers at 6:30 am. the first time the ticket clerk was scandalized but after that she just smiled and occasionally nodded her head, and Puppy Love (my first boy girl dance with Steven)

4. Michael Jackson's Ben - except for me it was my cat Snooper.

5. Harmony by Three Dog Night - One, Old Fashioned Love Song, & Black and White. I started to play it in 1973, My mantras in grade 6, I was 12? and they explained Me, Me & Love, and Me & the World. First Album I ever purchased in fact.

6. Alice Cooper - School's Out. Bought the album while attending catholic school and wearing the first pair of hot pants. Pink jersey with monet style flowers in yeoow and orange. Crazy Hot.

7. John Denver Rocky Mountain High - back when I still liked country music, grade 7, and totally misunderstood what he meant by rocky mountain high ;)

8. April Wine : the album with Oowatanite on it. Cow Bell. C'mon quit wastin' time!!!!

9. Elton John's Good Bye Yellow Brick Road - what can say? Perfect for an angst ridden antisocial 13 year old.

10. Heart - any album - Strong women can be anything they choose.... baracuda!