Presidio of Monterey - The Arabic Years: 2000-2001

Habibi by Amr Diab

An Arabic song that Amanda remembered from her time in Arabic Class. This song has a easy to understand chorus after being in class for a couple of weeks.



Maria by Blondie

Blondie was making a comeback and I used to play this song a lot on the way to the Presidio, since it had a feel good beat.



Dont Leave Me This Way by Thelma Houston

For some reason, I was really getting into Disco music on my drives to and from class. I consider this the best Disco song ever.



Let the Bodies Hit the Floor by Drowning Pool

Played this a lot after September 11th.



Wonderful by Everclear

Amanda and I heard this song and we didn't ever want to be like the lead singer's parents.



Praise You by Fatboy Slim

There was a show that starred Brooke Shields by the name of Suddenly Susan, and Amanda and I used to watch it when it aired. Well, one of the actors, David Strickland, committed suicide back in March 1999, and it changed the show. When we got to Monterey, NBC started to play a tribute to him by using this song.



American Bad Ass by Kid Rock

When the USS Cole pulled out of Yemen after being bombed, the crew put this song on the loud speaker, as a show of defiance to those who were responsible for the bombing. At least, that's how the story goes. Either way, this song still gives me goose bumps when I hear it and think about the USS Cole.



I Want You to Want Me by Letters to Cleo

Fitting that a cover of a song I like be released while I was back out in Monterey.



Don't Say That You Love Me by M2M

Pokemon 2000 came out, and I took Brie to see it. This song reminds me of Brie watching the show on the TV and in the theater, even though it was on the first movies soundtrack.



Jungle Love by Morris Day and the Time

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Kevin Smith is the man!



Salinas Grammar (Parody of County Grammar by Nelly)

When a popular song comes out, what do radio stations do? They make parodies of that song and incorporate it into a skit. This song, started off as a joke, explaining what all there was in Salinas and surrounding areas. However, people, myself included, started to request this song through that radio station. It was nice to hear that song, and remember all the locations it talks about.



Angel by Shaggy

The first time Amanda and I heard this song, we were traveling through Carmel (by-the-sea), and this song played. We listened closely, and to this day, cannot figure out why a woman would stay with a man through his incarceration.



It Wasn't Me by Shaggy

Normally, when a singer or group puts out music, only one song reminds me of something per time per duty station. However, this one stands out, because the first couple times, Amanda and I thought that Shaggy's singing partner was a girl.



6 Underground by Sneaker Pimps

Amanda heard this song and it has a sombering feel to it.



She's So High by Tal Bachman

When I first heard this song, I thought Matthew Sweet was the singer, or least heavily involved in the song making process.



Rock the Casbah by The Clash

We learned in Arabic that a casbah is a castle or desert fortress.



We're Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister

Another song for September 11th. Later, after I would come back from Iraq, I used this song to show off pictures I took over there.



Heroes by the Wallflowers

This was one of those songs I wanted to translate into Arabic.



The Overture of 1812 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Sometime I would be in the mood for some classical music. If I played this masterpiece from my house or from school, it would last until I got to my destination.