What is the most influential song from your childhood?

I was at a party of like minded adults on Saturday, so inevitably I got bored, because if I wanted to talk to people who agreed with me on all the important topics of the day, I would listen to the voices in my head.
So, bored at this party in one of those new lofts that have ruined the return of the golden age of manufacturing, I was at a loss of what to do. By the way, it’s true, a lot of manufacturing concerns would love to move back to the crumbling cities, but all the good warehouse-type buildings have been gutted and turned into large, well appointed loft living spaces.
I started walking around the party, drink in hand and I began doing what I do at parties where I don’t know a lot of people and I am bored. I would walk up to a couple of strangers chatting and I would interrupt and I ask a poll question.
“Excuse me, hate to interrupt but I was just wondering, China or Russia?”
That was my Memorial Day bored out of my mind question. Saturday night, I was drawing a blank as I approached the first two people deep into a conversation, an interracial couple of unknown origin.
“Excuse me,” I began and my mind was blank, until I said, “you look like music lovers, who is the most influential song of your childhood?”
See how that worked? You let your mind go completely to blank and the best questions just explode out of your giant empty mouth.
But they both just drew a blank, so I continued. “Favorite band from your childhood?” That one they jumped on, he liked Paul Simon, she Madonna. I smiled and said, “so, about the most influential song?” Without missing a beat, they both had the same song, although neither was sure of the songs name.
I made my way through the crowd, interrupting at will, not bothering to introduce myself, just saying excuse me and asking if they had a favorite childhood band or singer. The results varied, Psychedelic Furs came up twice, which surprised me. Rolling Stones were mentioned 3-4 times, I did not write these down. Another idiot said Madonna. One gay man said Florence and the Machine. Some people named rap singers, but I’ll be dead 7 years before I try to figure out who they were actually naming. There was a variety, but the most interesting poll result of the night was this: over ninety five percent of the respondents had the same favorite song from their childhood.
To be honest, I was shocked, not because all these complete strangers, a diverse group of blue collar workers and doctors and lawyers and everyone else, but also people from twenty something to 70 plus in age.
Ninety Five percent chose the same song and when I went home and found it on YouTube all I could think about was how I sang every word to this song millions of times during the summer of my discontent.