Six years ago today I was awakened by a phone call from my dad. "A plane hit the World Trade Center," he said. I had just returned from New York ten days prior, having spent three months in the city. Somewhat groggily I got out of bed and turned on CNN, expecting to see a Cessna that veered off course. Instead I saw what is likely the defining event of my generation. On very rare occasions we know the magnitude of something as we are watching it happen.

This edition of six songs is dedicated to songs that are tied into my memories of September 11, 2001 in some way.

1. Two Seconds - Laura Cantrell
Shortly before I left New York I saw Laura Cantrell play a free concert in the courtyard between the two towers of the World Trade Center. While waiting for the concert to begin I can recall looking up at the massive structures that stretched above me and thinking about the 1993 bombing that was intended to topple one tower into the other. "The devastation that would have caused would be unprecedented." I thought. This was one of the first things that came to my mind a few weeks later as I watched huge plumes of smoke rise from that same spot.

2. New York, New York - Ryan Adams
While I was in New York my friend Andrea gave me an advance copy of Ryan Adam's soon to be released album, Gold. This is the opening track, and it took on a different meaning after the attack. What was a song about a girl (Adams often substitutes the name of a place for a person) became a love song to the city itself.

3. My City of Ruins - Bruce Springsteen
As Fosco noted, hearing this, singing this and feeling this surrounded by 20,000 people was an amazing communal experience. This is another song that took on new meaning; It was actually first performed in December 2000, and was written about the devastation of Springsteen's adopted hometown of Asbury Park, NJ.

Springsteen performed this song at the Tribute to Heroes television benefit on September 21, 2001.

4. Walk On - U2
On October 10th U2 performed at Notre Dame, their first show since the attacks. The show featured this song with the names of those killed on September 11 scrolling over a semi-transparent backdrop. It remains one of the most powerful concert experiences I have ever had.

5. Jesus, Etc. - Wilco
Another album I got an advance copy of while in New York. Contains some eerily prescient lyrics like:

Tall building shake
Voices escape singing sad songs
Turned to chords strung down your cheeks
Bitter melodies turning your orbit around
Voices whine
Skyscrapers are scraping together
Your voice is smoking
Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around

6. Imagine - Neil Young
Neil Young performs John Lennon's anthem, another track from the Tribute to Heroes broadcast.