Five & Why, what Lobos love to read: With Regina Carlow

Many people enjoy listening to songs that take them back to their childhood. Regina Carlow, associate dean for the college of fine arts, said her five favorite songs are ones that remind her of her time in Pennsylvania and the people in her life growing up.

1. “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by The Eurythmics

“I love this song because Annie Lennox was a pioneer in synthpop as well as one of the first female musicians to do a music video. I spent years loving her sound, as well as the Eurythmics before I made the connection between the band name and the music education system called ‘eurhythmics.’ This is a system of teaching music that emphasizes movement and dance to enhance musical understanding in children. I later learned that Annie Lennox was a student of the eurhythmics system when she was a child.”

2. “Crazy” by Patsy Cline

“This song thrills me every time I hear it, and I’m never surprised to remember that this ballad was penned by Willie Nelson. Cline’s solo recording resonates because I was raised in a small town in rural Pennsylvania. Country music was played on every radio station around the clock. This song provided the backdrop for my first slow dance.”

3. “Misty” by Johnny Mathis

“The melodic line of ‘Misty’ is the most challenging melody I’ve ever heard – or sung. The Johnny Mathis recording was a staple of my childhood, and especially poignant because the composer Erroll Garner was born and raised in Pittsburgh, near my home. I heard a new release of it this past week and continue to marvel at the complex melodic line.”

4. “Eadie Was a Lady” by Ethel Merman

“I have a very quirky passion for the voice of the Broadway Belter of the 1950s Ethel Merman. I could easily fill my top five with her many solos. I chose ‘Eadie Was A Lady’ for – of course, Merman’s spectacular brassy voice – but also because of the amazing jazz clarinet solo that starts the song with a big band jazz back up. Plus, the story is so very compelling.”

5. “Feel So Near” by Dougie MacLean and Kathy Mattea

“Dougie MacLean’s songs remind me of how fortunate I’ve been to have had a number of very strong Irish women in my life. ‘Feel So Near’ is a great collaboration between MacLean and Mattea that brings me back to my country (and) folk music roots as well as gives a nod to some inspiring female role models in my life.”

Skylar Griego is a culture reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.