KEEP A SONG IN YOUR HEART PEOPLE PICK ANTHEMS TO HELP DEFINE, START OFF THEIR NEW YEAR.

Byline: Daily News

Ever creative, Daily News Staff Writer Brent Hopkins gave us the idea to ask people to tell us their theme song for the New Year.

He started the tradition himself when he was still in high school. He decided if he was going to start the new year on a good note, he was going to need good music to usher it in.

After a couple false starts -- ``I used to pick ones that sounded cool, but I don't think their message was particularly inspiring'' -- he finally scored with ``Like a Rolling Stone'' by Bob Dylan.

``I associate it with growing up, being on your own and trying out new things,'' he said.

And that's why he's reprising that song for 2007, although he's going with the Jimi Hendrix version ``to inject a little energy'' into the new year.

Here's a sampling of the songs some of you will be using in 2007 as your personal anthem:

``Ain't No Mountain High Enough,'' by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell 

``I thought that as we go into the new year facing a mountain of opposition in our effort to transform our schools that it was a great theme song for the idea that we will prevail.''

-- Antonio Villaraigosa, 53, Los Angeles mayor

``Brand New Day,'' by Sting

``It's filled with hope and so many people need hope for a new beginning. And new year means new beginning for a lot of people, so if you go there, close your eyes and think about it, everything can start again.''

-- Dean Sweetman, 42, of Studio City, personal coach

``Piazza, New York Catcher,'' by Belle and Sebastian

``A boundless adventure is what that song is about. What happens is that he goes and whisks his lady...and they just sail away and they just get into trouble and the devil's on their heels. It's important.''

-- Sarah Kleinman, 23, of Los Angeles, film festival coordinator

``How to Save a Life,'' by The Fray

``It's a good song that brings out a good feeling, a positive feeling, and it just makes you happy.''

-- Julian Quintos, 26, of Van Nuys, handyman

``The Best,'' by Tina Turner 

``I'm committed to attaining certain goals that will improve my life and bring forth new opportunities.''

-- Rick Williams, 40, of Sacramento, environmental planner

``Heaven,'' by DJ Sammy & Yanou

``It's a nice meaning to a special loved one and it really means a lot.''

-- Chan Sary, 23, of Van Nuys, cable TV installer

``Show Me What You Got,'' by Jay-Z

``It's a fun song to start the new year off, it gets you pumped up, it gets you in a good mood.''

-- Valencia Patton, 22, of Northridge, CSUN student and teacher's assistant

``The Riddle'' by Five for Fighting 

``We're looking at 2007 to remind ourselves of what one has that is meaningful and good, for our families, our friends, and our community.''

-- Michel Moore, LAPD chief, commanding officer of the Valley Division

``One With the Freaks,'' by The Notwist

``It's about accepting yourself unconditionally and people around you

unconditionally, and just being entirely in your life, entirely present, and that's how I want my year to be.''

-- Amy Siegman, 23, of Van Nuys, CSUN student

and traffic coordinator for an interactive design agency

``I Love Lucy'' theme song

``It's a very special project that I'm working on, and that's all I'll say, because anytime anything really works out for me, I don't tell anybody.''

-- Arlene Parness, Valley Village, actress

``'Til Kingdom Come,'' by Coldplay

``It has a lot to bring as a positive attitude. I want my year to be positive and full of lots of fruit.''

-- Jake Sweetman, 18, of Studio City, recent high school graduate

``The Saints are Coming,'' by U2 and Green Day

``It's time for a change, it's time for something new, and I think that song defines a difference, personal, political, however you want to take it.''

-- Aaron Snow, 24, of Studio City, sales manager

``With Plenty of Money and You,'' by GGGGHal Kemp

``I've got a couple of projects this year that I want to make a lot of money on, and I want a relationship.''

-- Jim Evering, of Los Angeles, writer/producer

``Happy Days are Here Again,'' by Jack Yellen

``If you were a Democrat it'd be, `Happy Days are Here Again.'''

-- Tom Barger, 71, Denton, Texas, self-employed

``Imagine,'' by John Lennon

``It's all about peace, imagining that there might actually be some, and we actually need it, I think. Things aren't improving, and the Middle East crisis is getting worse and worse, so imagine.''

-- Shahe Mankerian, 39, of Pasadena, school principal

CAPTION(S):

12 photos

Photo:

(1) `How to Save a Life'

(2) `I Love Lucy theme'

(3) `One With the Freaks'

(4) `Show Me What You Got'

(5) `Imagine'

(6) `The Best'

(7) `Brand New Day'

(8) `Piazza, New York Catcher'

(9) `Heaven'

(10) `Til Kingdom Come'

(11) `Happy Days are Here Again'

(12) `The Saints are Coming'