Awhile ago I promised I would compile a list of my top ten favorite songs. I'm not kidding, this was nearly impossible. I got started and I would think of a song and then compare it with another, and I couldn't. I love all music for different reasons and it's not fair to compare- it's impossible, actually. I thought of all kinds of top ten categories I could put songs in to make this easier, and then I realized that I'd probably have a billion categories on the list when all was said and done. So, here are the top ten songs that I chose. Some of them I chose because of sentimental value and some I chose because of musical value. These are ten songs that I cannot imagine living without (I literally went through this long list I wrote down and said "What songs would I die without?"), and most of them have helped me through many a hard time in my life. I don't care if you love them or hate them or agree with their positions on my list- these songs are my favorites because they mean something to me. However, I really hope that you readers can relate to one of my song choices or maybe converted to be a lover of some of them. ;) Well, here goes!
1. "Deathbed" by Relient K
So, this song has every right to be number one on the list. I really don't think there is a more epic song anywhere. This song is around 11 minutes long, but it's worth every single second. The song is basically a man laying on his deathbed reviewing his life and all the things he regrets and the hardships he had to face - this man led a very hard life. But, the event that sticks out most in his life is the night he gave up and turned himself over to Christ. I believe everyone who has become converted to the love and teachings of Christ can identify with the lyrics:
"You cried wolf, the tears, they soaked your fur. The blood dripped from your fangs. You said 'What have I done?' You loved that lamb with every sinful bone, and there you wept alone. Your heart was so contrite. You said 'Jesus, please forgive me of my crimes, and sanctify this withered heart of mine. Be with me until my life is through, and on that day, please take me home with you.'"
Jon Foreman's outro sums it all up by saying "I am the way" and "I am love". This song is purely incredible!
2. "Konstantine" by Something Corporate
This is definitely the second most epic song ever. This one's about 10 minutes long, but again, every second is meaningful. I think that everyone can relate to this song in one way or another. I know that the meaning changes for me each time I listen to it, and each time new people or situations come come into my life. I sincerely believe that this is the only song I've ever heard that uses the "F" and it just belongs there for artistic value. Some of my favorite lyrics of all time come from this song, my favorite being:
"This is to Jimmy Eat World and those nights in my car, 'When the first star you see may not be a star'. I'm not your star. Isn't that what you said? What you thought this song meant?"
One of the phrases that hits me the hardest every time I listen to this song is "They'll never hurt you like I do." I think everyone can relate to this on some level. I think that's maybe why Andrew chose to repeat it more than any other words in the song.
The most amazing thing about this song is that Andrew McMahon wrote it when he was 17. If you have not heard this song, I promise you, it is worth your time to give it a listen!
3. "For the Moment I Feel Faint" by Relient K
This song has helped me through so many hard times in my life. My faith in the Savior is the most important thing in my life, and this song sums it all up so easily. "Never underestimate my Jesus, cuz when the world around you crumbles, he will be strong." No matter what inadequacies we posses, Christ will always make up for them through his love. There is nothing more powerful than the simple testimony given in this song.
4. "I Want to Save You" by Something Corporate (The acoustic version)
Hahaha notice a pattern? This just proves Relient K and Something Corporate are amazing. I guess my love for this song is my inner teenage girl coming out, but I believe everyone (Not just teenage girls) is looking for someone to save them from whatever they're facing, whether it's themselves , their circumstances, or situations they've put themselves in. Despite how corny it sounds, this song always gives me hope for my future. Hope that one day I will meet someone who cares about me enough to save me from reality, and that my reality will be better because of them. The acoustic version of this song is so amazingly beautiful, it just hits the spot each time I listen to it.
5. "Hallelujah"
So there's no artist on this song, because there's not one artist's interpretation that I particularly love. My favorite version is the version I sing at my piano and express how it makes me feel myself. This song is the epitome of beauty. The melody and accompaniment hit you right in the soul every time. But, the words are my favorite part. The lyrics to this song are pure poetry. They're absolutely classic. If the music hits your soul, the lyrics pierce right through it; they're completely heartfelt. My favorite line from this song will always be "I've seen your flag on the marble arch, but love is not a victory march. It's a cold and a broken Hallelujah." My mom wants this song played at her funeral, and I don't blame her. This song is music at some of its finest.
6. "Hold On" by Good Charlotte
So before you criticize me for having Good Charlotte on this list, hear me out: this song has helped me through so many hard times in my life. I know it's so cliche emo, but it's true. Sometimes all you need from life is someone to tell you "Hold On". I seriously cry almost every time I listen to this song. And the music video (which I posted awhile back) is absolutely amazing. It's about suicide awareness, and this is an issue that hits very close to home to me. This song always seems to bring everything in my life back into perspective. So, judge me as you will, but I firmly believe this song deserves its place on this list.
7. "Hear You Me" by Jimmy Eat World
What can I say about this song? This is one of the first songs that really started my love of music. I also get really emotional every time I listen to this song. I believe it's a good song for missing people, deceased or not. This was the favorite song of someone very close to me, who I ended up growing apart from. I listened to this song a lot when I started to miss them, because it connected us in a way. (Corny, I know, but it was comforting to me). I think that the third verse is incredibly beautiful:
"And if you were with me tonight, I'd sing to you just one more time a song for a heart so big, God wouldn't let it live."
I definitely wouldn't mind having this song played at my funeral, it's that great.
8. "Let it Be" from the Across the Universe Soundtrack
"Let it Be"- it's a Beatles classic. The Beatles were a huge part of my childhood, including this song with it's powerful lyrics. However, this version of the song puts it in a whole new perspective. I'm awestruck after every time I listen to this song- the vocal ability and raw emotion presented are incredible. This is one instance where I believe the cover is better than the original version. If you have not seen Across the Universe, please at least listen to this song. You won't regret it.
9. "When Doves Cry" by Quindon Tarver
I think it's funny that this song is on the list after everything I've put before it is emotional and makes me reflect upon myself and deep things such as that. This song, however, is on here simply for its musical content. The first time I ever saw Romeo + Juliet, I watched the scene where they sing this song, and I remember thinking that it was the most amazing thing I had ever heard. I am absolutely in love with Quindon's silky smooth, soulful voice, and could listen to it for hours. His voice hooks you into the song instantly, but then as the song transitions into this fantastic beat, you become addicted. I have always thought this song was just extremely well-done, and I could definitely not live with myself it wasn't on the list.
10. "This Ride" by The Starting Line
The tenth song was the hardest to decide on, but this song stood out among all my other options as the song I would have a very hard time living without. I don't remember when the first time I heard this song was (it was several years ago, I know that), but it was the song that got me hooked on TSL. It's an extremely catchy song, and I've found that no matter what's going on in my life, this song always seems to fit it. The line that made me fall in love with this song is "When happiness is based on lies, it's so hard, it's too hard to tell the truth." It's such a simple phrase, but that's what makes it so great. It's absolutely true, and we've all experienced situations where our happiness is based on lies, but it's too hard to face reality. Also, I don't know about you, but when I write songs or listen to certain songs, my real intent is to say "Here's the things I meant, but I never said."
So that concludes my list. I'm pretty pleased with it for the moment being, and I hope I don't think of revisions I could've made, because it'll drive me crazy. It's probably best if I don't give it much more thought. Ha ha. I hope that maybe you'll agree with some of my song choices, and maybe you got introduced to some great new music, or at least got reacquainted with some. :)
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Guilty Pleasures
, So, everyone has guilty pleasures: those things that you secretly love but won't admit to anyone. Well, here are a few of mine:
Music: The first thing that comes to mind is Britney classics. Yes, I am a huge fan of ...Baby One More Time. It was the first CD I ever bought, and I still hold it dear to my heart. Some of my favorite Britney hits include "...Baby One More Time", "Oops! I Did it Again", "Everytime", and "Lucky". I also have a problem with listening to music that a white girl like me has no place listening to and pretending I'm a gangster. My top horrible fake gangster songs are "Lean Like a Cholo" by Down AKA Kilo, "Drink 'n My 2 Step" by Cassidy, and "Hustler's Anthem" by Busta Rhymes ft. T Pain. Lastly, I have a deep, passionate love for John Denver. My dad owns "John Denver's Greatest Hits" ( a three disc collection!), and I am guilty of frequently listening to all of it and singing along to most of it. I have so many more music guilty pleasures, basically because I have no shame when it comes to music. I just don't want you people to discredit me anymore than you already are.
Food: Well, I can't think of anything really too bad that I eat... my favorite thing ever is semi-sweet chocolate chips in a cup of milk. I eat it with a spoon, and it's fantastic cuz the chocolate is all hard and cold, and not dry! :D I guess another thing that I am actually embarrassed to admit is that my family likes Spam... a lot. I don't love it or anything, but I'll eat for breakfast it if it's cooked in a pan like bacon. Childhood memories, I guess? (Yeah, I know, judge me.)
Movies: Well, according to my sister, I have horrible taste in movies, and I don't exactly disagree with her. I'll watch mostly anything. However, I would say that Drive Me Crazy is definitely a guilty pleasure. Not only does it have a title derived from a Britney classic (I forgot to add that I love this one!), the acting's not that great, the plot is cliche, and it has an awkward ending. Regardless of all of this, Drive Me Crazy is one of my top five favorite movies ever. (Also, Adrian Grenier is incredibly hot in this movie.)
Books: Those of you who know me well know that I'm in love with Twilight. Don't ask me why: I know the writing's bad, and a lot of times Edward/Bella/Jacob are all incredibly creepy - what with wanting to suck each other's blood and having vampire babies and stalking into your girlfriend's bedroom and being a teenage werewolf...Still there's something about the series that has made me read it more than once and endure through the terrible movies. Another guilty pleasure of mine is the Confessions of Georgia Nicolsson series, or the "Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging" one. This series has absolutely no point and is about the most annoying fifteen-year-old girl in the world, but I read all 10 (yeah, TEN) books, and loved them. Don't ask me why, cuz I can't tell you.
Celebrities: I am a girl of many celebrity crushes, but I believe that most of them are in good taste. However, there are a few that I'll admit aren't attractive, but I still find them oddly hot. First of all, when I was younger, I had the biggest crush ever on Yu-Gi-Oh. Yep, a cartoon. I still think he's a little bit of a cutie, but don't worry, I don't want cartoon babies. The rest are all real people, I promise. Also carrying over from my childhood is a crush on Elijah Wood. I know he's really short and relatively unattractive, but there's just something about him, I don't know. Next is Matthew Broderick, but only in Ferris Beuller. He's not my type at all (I think he has a weird face and bad hair), but every time I watch the movie, I just want to jump on him! If it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't enjoy the movie nearly as much. Lastly, is Nate Ruess, the singer of The Format and fun. I saw him live once, and there was just something oddly alluring about him. He has very charismatic stage presence and was also wearing a very cute striped cardigan. That could've been it, but I secretly think he's oddly attractive as well.
Clothes: I only have two clothes guilty pleasures: wearing black and navy together and pantyhose. One of the basic fashion rules is never wear black and navy together-you'll look like a bruise. However, I really like them together and wear them all the time (with reasonable moderation). I also REALLY love pantyhose. You know, the ugly tan things with control top that business people and grandmas wear constantly? I love them! I'm constantly wearing them under jeans or wearing them instead of socks. I think they're super comfortable, and they keep you really warm.
TV: I don't watch TV... like, ever. But, I guess I have a guilty pleasure in The Bachelor. I love The Bachelor, and didn't miss an episode last season. I guess my love for The Secret Life of the American Teenager is a very guilty pleasure. It's honestly a really crappy show, but I can't stop watching it, I haven't missed an episode of this either. Lastly, I have a deep, fiery passion for Sabrina. You know, that show from the '90's with Melissa Joan Hart? I will proudly admit I've seen every episode at least twice, and am on the lookout for all the seasons on DVD.
So now you know my deep, dark secrets and have full right to judge me. But, before you do, think of your own guilty pleasures. Yeah, you're not so innocent yourself, are you? ;)
The song of the blog (unofficially) has to be "Guilty Pleasure" by Cobra Starship. However, the song I really wanted to share with you is "On Your Porch" by The Format. Everything by them is fantastic, and they've been my music obsession this week, but this is definitely my favorite song by them. The lyrics are great, and I love anything acoustic (and don't forget my secret crush on Nate. I love his voice!)
Music: The first thing that comes to mind is Britney classics. Yes, I am a huge fan of ...Baby One More Time. It was the first CD I ever bought, and I still hold it dear to my heart. Some of my favorite Britney hits include "...Baby One More Time", "Oops! I Did it Again", "Everytime", and "Lucky". I also have a problem with listening to music that a white girl like me has no place listening to and pretending I'm a gangster. My top horrible fake gangster songs are "Lean Like a Cholo" by Down AKA Kilo, "Drink 'n My 2 Step" by Cassidy, and "Hustler's Anthem" by Busta Rhymes ft. T Pain. Lastly, I have a deep, passionate love for John Denver. My dad owns "John Denver's Greatest Hits" ( a three disc collection!), and I am guilty of frequently listening to all of it and singing along to most of it. I have so many more music guilty pleasures, basically because I have no shame when it comes to music. I just don't want you people to discredit me anymore than you already are.
Food: Well, I can't think of anything really too bad that I eat... my favorite thing ever is semi-sweet chocolate chips in a cup of milk. I eat it with a spoon, and it's fantastic cuz the chocolate is all hard and cold, and not dry! :D I guess another thing that I am actually embarrassed to admit is that my family likes Spam... a lot. I don't love it or anything, but I'll eat for breakfast it if it's cooked in a pan like bacon. Childhood memories, I guess? (Yeah, I know, judge me.)
Movies: Well, according to my sister, I have horrible taste in movies, and I don't exactly disagree with her. I'll watch mostly anything. However, I would say that Drive Me Crazy is definitely a guilty pleasure. Not only does it have a title derived from a Britney classic (I forgot to add that I love this one!), the acting's not that great, the plot is cliche, and it has an awkward ending. Regardless of all of this, Drive Me Crazy is one of my top five favorite movies ever. (Also, Adrian Grenier is incredibly hot in this movie.)
Books: Those of you who know me well know that I'm in love with Twilight. Don't ask me why: I know the writing's bad, and a lot of times Edward/Bella/Jacob are all incredibly creepy - what with wanting to suck each other's blood and having vampire babies and stalking into your girlfriend's bedroom and being a teenage werewolf...Still there's something about the series that has made me read it more than once and endure through the terrible movies. Another guilty pleasure of mine is the Confessions of Georgia Nicolsson series, or the "Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging" one. This series has absolutely no point and is about the most annoying fifteen-year-old girl in the world, but I read all 10 (yeah, TEN) books, and loved them. Don't ask me why, cuz I can't tell you.
Celebrities: I am a girl of many celebrity crushes, but I believe that most of them are in good taste. However, there are a few that I'll admit aren't attractive, but I still find them oddly hot. First of all, when I was younger, I had the biggest crush ever on Yu-Gi-Oh. Yep, a cartoon. I still think he's a little bit of a cutie, but don't worry, I don't want cartoon babies. The rest are all real people, I promise. Also carrying over from my childhood is a crush on Elijah Wood. I know he's really short and relatively unattractive, but there's just something about him, I don't know. Next is Matthew Broderick, but only in Ferris Beuller. He's not my type at all (I think he has a weird face and bad hair), but every time I watch the movie, I just want to jump on him! If it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't enjoy the movie nearly as much. Lastly, is Nate Ruess, the singer of The Format and fun. I saw him live once, and there was just something oddly alluring about him. He has very charismatic stage presence and was also wearing a very cute striped cardigan. That could've been it, but I secretly think he's oddly attractive as well.
Clothes: I only have two clothes guilty pleasures: wearing black and navy together and pantyhose. One of the basic fashion rules is never wear black and navy together-you'll look like a bruise. However, I really like them together and wear them all the time (with reasonable moderation). I also REALLY love pantyhose. You know, the ugly tan things with control top that business people and grandmas wear constantly? I love them! I'm constantly wearing them under jeans or wearing them instead of socks. I think they're super comfortable, and they keep you really warm.
TV: I don't watch TV... like, ever. But, I guess I have a guilty pleasure in The Bachelor. I love The Bachelor, and didn't miss an episode last season. I guess my love for The Secret Life of the American Teenager is a very guilty pleasure. It's honestly a really crappy show, but I can't stop watching it, I haven't missed an episode of this either. Lastly, I have a deep, fiery passion for Sabrina. You know, that show from the '90's with Melissa Joan Hart? I will proudly admit I've seen every episode at least twice, and am on the lookout for all the seasons on DVD.
So now you know my deep, dark secrets and have full right to judge me. But, before you do, think of your own guilty pleasures. Yeah, you're not so innocent yourself, are you? ;)
The song of the blog (unofficially) has to be "Guilty Pleasure" by Cobra Starship. However, the song I really wanted to share with you is "On Your Porch" by The Format. Everything by them is fantastic, and they've been my music obsession this week, but this is definitely my favorite song by them. The lyrics are great, and I love anything acoustic (and don't forget my secret crush on Nate. I love his voice!)
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