As usual, time has gotten away faster than I could have ever imagined. What then felt like ages ago is now tomorrow: I am leaving to visit home. Indeed, we are taking the ‘London’ out of ‘American of London.’ For two weeks this blog should be ‘American back home in that place she hated growing up in’ or ‘American can finally go to the dentist’ or even the thought provoking ‘Person.’ Regardless, in a day I’m getting on a plane and being shipped back off to the Midwest. Frightening.

I’ve always believed that music sounds different according to your geography. Take Junior Murvin in the States, UK or Jamaica and each time ‘Police and Thieves’ is on it will mean something entirely unique. Where we are shapes the social context. Magically changes the sound. So I complied a list of songs that sounded like home (or what I remember it to sound like).

This may or may not be what I actually listen to when I go home. Chances are it will be all 80s pop and hair metal (80’s Night Downtown, am I right?). Each song was chosen with a purpose. I had to start everything off with Fankie Yankovic’s version of the ‘Beer Barrel Polka.’ Nothing is more painfully Wisconsin than that song. ZZ Top and Tommy James were picked to represent my dad and mom respectively.

But most of the songs were chosen because they remind me of that space and clean air of home. I’ll miss London a lot while I’m gone, but it will be so good to be in America again because that’s where McLean sounds the best.