Although you may think I personalized this blog post for Kristen D, I can assure you that is not the case.
We've been out of blog practice for a few weeks; time to ease back in with something that will get us thinking about ourselves in ways we don't usually. So, onward and upward.
Many of you use music as a gateway. To sanity, to serenity, to solace and/or to solitude. Music, to many of you, is an escape from the harsh realities of teenage life.
So, now it is also going to be a tool in which you come to a greater understanding of how you see the world, and how you see yourself.
Think about all the music you love to listen to. Specifically, think about the lyrics to songs you love. Now, I want you to pick one or two songs that adequately encapsulate how you feel about life, your life. Of course, like a quote, nothing can COMPLETELY "sum up" your entire life--I understand that. But many songs, either through explicit or implied messages in lyrics, can at least provide a concrete example of either what you want out of life, what you want out love and how you want to be perceived, taken, understood etc. These are the key concepts I am looking for.
So, your task this week is to tell us about a song, copy a few of the refrains/chorus/passages, and explicate their meaning(s) to you.
Try to pick ones that have some depth and that will provide a deeper understanding of your innate beliefs. (450-500 words/70pts)
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I do not care so much for music as I imagine others do. This may be because I take music for granted. When I listen to something, anything, if it catches my ear, it is with me forever in my mind. I remember music with the least provocation, and can recall it at will. I do not need an iPod or whatever people use to listen to music these days, since my music is always with me. I also don't find music to be very important because it is so commonplace to me. I am never bored because I am content to listen to the music of the world, the natural symphony that is never absent anywhere at anytime (since music is an arrangement of sound and silence). This is not to say that I take the simple, natural things for granted - it is quite the opposite. This just means that I do not see music the same way that other people might, since I am never without it. I prefer instrumental music to lyrical music, since it is more pure in sound and closer to the natural music of the world, but if I were to pick a lyrical song that describes how I sometimes feel about life, I would pick "The Wall" by Pink Floyd - an album, yes, but when you listen to it, it's like one big song. I will post some lyrics and explicate them later.
ReplyDeleteI don’t need an I-pod. Know why? Well, I’m glad you asked, it’s because I have a radio in my head at all times. I sing half of the things I say, I quote song lyrics in everyday conversation, I love music. I love most kinds of music from girly pop, to indie, to rap, to Disney songs to musical theatre. Though most of the songs are simply entertaining, there is one playlist that just speaks to me. This is the Almighty Express Playlist. Express as in the pricey clothing store on the first floor of the Hamilton Mall. Though I never shop there, boy do they know how to put together a playlist each month. So it’s no wonder why I’d pick two songs from here that I absolutely adore. Both songs, kind of know me in a weird way. They convey what I want out of life near perfectly. They hold the need for not stopping and the desire to embrace the world and reach your dreams. Things that are quite important to me.
ReplyDelete“Get hot
Get too close to the flame
Wild open space
Talk like an open book
Sign me up
Got no time to take a picture
I'll remember someday
All the chances we took”
Metric’s “Gimme Sympathy” is a catchy song saying to go for it! Take chances, keep moving and don’t stop to dwell on the past. You keep your eyes planted on the back of your head, you’re going to run into a wall. There’s no question about it. There are not many times in life when taking something is advised, but when it comes to chances, it almost always is. Chances are meant to be taken. Doors don’t open to be stared at or passed by, they’re opened to be walked through.
“Don't go
Stay with the all unknown”
Another part of the song touches on what we talked a bit in class about. We stay in the past because it’s familiar, we know exactly what happened, there’s no guessing game. But the future is unpredictable, it’s the only tense that’s 100% haze. I can tell you what just happened, I can tell you what’s happening now, but tomorrow? The world may never know. The song urges the opposite of normal belief, stay with what you don’t know. Don’t rely on what we recognize, venture towards the haze and stay there. This is how I’d like to live, I can’t say I’m always open to the fog of the future, but I’m trying hard to wrap my brain around the coming changes that will swoop in with the haze.
“Standing up straight I'm ten feet tall
I like this look. I love you all
A hundred feet off the ground it seems
Another beautiful day embracing me”
This song is “Don’t Let Your Feet Touch Ground” by Ash Koley. It’s the cutest song on the planet and it’s ridiculously uplifting, almost literally, telling not to touch the ground, to float up and touch the sky. I love the first verse so much! It screams “BE OPTIMISTIC” at you, enjoy the world, enjoy the people around you, enjoy yourself. It basically sums up my “This I believe.” What else I believe is…listen to the Express Playlist. Kthankbye.
When I first heard this song, I was not only hooked on the piano piece in the beginning, but I was also enraptured by the lyrics of the song. Oridnary People by John Legend tells the story of a relationship; a relationship of ordinary people. In it he mentions about how people in love, basically, have their ups and downs. He says that the only way this can work out is to “take it slow” because they’re “just ordinary people.”
ReplyDeleteWhen I heard that, I thought about how that applied to many of things in life-- not just relationships. I’ve always been a fan of the concept of letting things “marinate.” I think the first time I’ve heard that was from Wanda Sykes. But anyways, the concepts simple. Once you get an idea or thought in your head, you let it marinate. You let it sit there and let it soak in. Just like marinating meat and letting all the juices sink into it, marinating your ideas will help you think of things with deeper thought. It prevents spontaneous decisions that could end up negatively.
See, John Legend expresses exactly that, the spontaneity, when he starts building up the song. He says:
“Maybe we'll live and learn
Maybe we'll crash and burn
Maybe you'll stay, maybe you'll leave,
maybe you'll return
Maybe another fight
Maybe we won't survive
But maybe we'll grow
We never know baby you and I.”
With all those possibilities, he makes it seem like love is only for the immortal. He makes it seem that love can’t be achieved by anyone. But by the end of those words, Legend reminds the listener that they’re just “ordinary people.”
Love shouldn’t be a competition. Love shouldn’t be so full of compromising and change of self. I think that if we change so much of ourselves to accommodate someone then we’re not being true. I think though that love can’t be perfect. Which is why I love this song. It’s a reminder, that even “right in the thick of love” that “at times we get sick of love” and it’ll seem like “we argue everyday.”
I think he’s saying that we’re all ordinary people who will go through so much. But we’ll learn from all the conflicts that affect us in life and in love. We just need to take it slow and take things one at a time. I think that through the things that I’ll go through in life, specially in my career, I need some humbling down and a reminder to “take things slow.” I need a reminder that things will get rocky and sometimes it’ll feel like out of control, but I have to also know that everything will be okay if I do what Legend says and “take things slow.”
After listening to songs on my iTunes for, well let’s say a long, extended period of time, I was having trouble finding a song that truly coincides with my philosophy on life. Of course I first sorted through the Lil Wayne and other vulgar rap music that of course doesn’t apply to my life whatsoever in an attempt to make my search easier. However, even after sorting these songs out, I was still having trouble finding the ones that suited my outlook on life best. Then, once glancing at the left sidebar, I noticed the “Top 25 Most Played” Playlist. I scrolled through this list and found that some of these songs, the ones I listen to the most, apply to my life or philosophy on life almost flawlessly. I stumbled upon a few songs that really made me stop and think about the lyrics I was singing in a way I hadn’t before.
ReplyDeletePanic! at the Disco, who would’ve known that they could be so full of meaning? Well their song “New Perspective” managed to be number fourteen on my “Top 25 Most Played” Playlist, so I took the time to carefully analyze their lyrics. Of course, by the title, it’s pretty obvious what the song is encouraging, as the lyrics say, “live a life from a new perspective.” The majority of the song is relayed through metaphor, giving different instances in which we can look at our lives from a different angle, to live it in a different way. However, a couple of lines at the conclusion of the song that impacted me the most are the following:
“Don't wanna live a life that was comprehensive
'Cause seeing clear would be a bad idea”
This made me think about the big, complex idea of life. Life was made to be complex. It’s not supposed to be understood. People must make mistakes and learn from them. If life was comprehensive, we might as well be robots. So many people want to understand life but isn’t the point of life to be a mysterious journey, taking you down twists and turns that you don’t see coming as well as straight ways that you can see with clear vision? If you could see every upcoming event with clear vision, the experience of life wouldn’t be as interesting, as mystifying, or as thrilling, so a bend must come in every road at some point to mix it up, so you don’t fall asleep. Life was made to be complicated, so let it be. It’s all part of the journey.
In addition to “New Perspective,” another song that is featured on my “Top 25 Most Played” Playlist as number sixteen is the song “Between the Curves” by Fight From Above. Within the chorus of this song are the following lines:
“I heard you say, ‘There's still something left.
Just go out and find it.
Things could be different.
You could be happy.’”
This directly connects with the lines from “New Perspective” in the sense that life is a long road. There may be twists and loops in the road, but that doesn’t mean that the road is a dead end. Around the bend, there is more asphalt to be traveled; you just have to keep riding to find it. You can drive and travel however you want though; whatever makes you happy. One decision may take you down a different road, but it always leads to another if you have it in you to find it rather than just sitting at the stop sign. Turn whichever way you wish and your travels will be fulfilling.
Taylor
ReplyDeleteI have never made that connection that you don't have an i-pod! That's so weird. I'm not calling you weird, but it's just weird to think that for the amount of time we've spent together in drama, I've never realized that.
Anyways, I too am guilty for being a follower of a store's playlist. But mine's the American Eagle Playlist, of course. I think, by default, that's what I end up listening to because I work there too damn much. But, I must admit that I've discovered many artists who've had so much influence in my aesthetic. Lady Gaga, for example, was played on American Eagle's Playlist a couple of years even before she decided to go on radio. But I think I will go spend some time at Express now.
Kaitlin,
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that if you search hard and deep enough, you'd find some Lil' Wayne lyrics that would directly correspond with your life. It might be vulgar but no one said things in life are supposed to be pretty. But I must say that I was definitely looking through Panic! at the Disco songs as well like "Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off" but I couldn't connect that in any way.
Taylor: Your interpretations are so you! I can definitely see your philosophy behind them and how they directly relate to you. Your lighthearted, carefree optimism is definitely portrayed through these lyrics. By the way, where is this Express Playlist? I honestly searched it and couldn’t find it. You made me interested now. I need to hear what you’re talking about!
ReplyDeleteRobby
ReplyDeleteI have the same feeling as you when you said that you prefer instrumental to lyrical music. As I searched through the music on my iPod, I found that most of my songs consisted of a stronger emphasis on sound itself rather than lyrics. Granted, most of them were created artificially through studio and club mixing, I still found myself enjoying the ones that say the least better. I think it goes into the whole debate of which one is much more necessary, music or lyrics?
I love music. Period. I listen to just about everything. Honestly, everything: the Beatles to Katy Perry and everything in between, though, generally, heavy metal and rap aren’t near the top of the list. I get lost in music, from the sillier stuff to deeper songs like Blowin’ in the Wind. In some way or another, I connect to every song I listen to, and often it’s the memory of a favorite tune that gets me through a tough day. I’ll walk through the halls humming Faith Hills “Fireflies” or the Beatles’ “Hello Goodbye” to make myself feel better, or just because. I might get a few strange looks, but I’m okay with that. So I hope you don’t mind if I share a trio of songs. I like to think of them as where I am, where I need to go, and where I want to be.
ReplyDeleteThe first is “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day. I’m not really in love with the song’s title, or, that is, I’m reluctant to apply it to myself. I don’t really have “broken dreams”; there’s a world of opportunity ahead of me just waiting to be explored, and I’ve only really gotten my feet wet in the waters of life. I haven’t dived in far enough to really chase after my dreams, let alone find them “broken”. Besides, while I do believe that all of the effort we put into chasing our dreams, whatever they may be, can come crashing down and leave us feeling hopeless, our dreams are never really “broken”. Visible or buried in the rubble, they’re still there, waiting to be realized. But I digress. I picked the song for the lyrics, not the title:
“I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone”
I often feel alone in the world, and not simply alone, but lonely. I’ve gotten better; in the beginning of the school year, I pretty much just went to school, went to class, came home, rode, did homework, slept, and repeated the process. No going out except for family stuff, and school was just a giant AP-fest, no more. Go, work, leave. Now, I’m branching out. I’m chilling out. Sure, I’m keeping my priorities straight—work first—though I’m definitely more open to trying to have a good time. I’m trying to find a balance, but still, I have a long way to go. I walk alone.
“Take the Chance” is an older song by Peter, Paul, and Mary. I’m especially in love with the last section of it:
ReplyDelete“Now there's a moment between forward and retreating
When you're just not sure which path you ought to choose
Then the sun shines brightly on the golden meadow
And suddenly, you're not at all confused
Suddenly, you're not confused
That's when you take the chance
And let your tears start falling
And ignore the fearful warnings of your mind
And you let your heart for once do all the talking
And believe that you deserve for the sun to shine
You always did deserve for the sun to shine
I love you, and I want the sun to shine
I love you, and I want the sun to shine”
This part of the song just captures me, the me I want to be, and how I need to unlock her, perfectly. I need to take a chance—actually, a lot of chances—even if that means the tears will fall, whether they be the result of a broken heart, lost race, or stupid mistake. Sure, I’ll be upset if I screw up in life. I have to learn to deal with that though; we all do. Worse than trying and failing is failing to try. I need to remember that if I want to succeed in life, love, whatever.
I’m especially partial to the phrase “let your heart for once do all the talking”. I’m a very mind-based person. I rely on logic. “If, and, then” sort of stuff. I’ve always laughed in the face of following my impulses, of letting my heart rule my head. But lately I’ve learned that reliance on logic can backfire. There are some things that you just have to do. Usually, when presented with a decision to make or an opportunity to grab, I do one of two things: I step back and play all of the possible outcomes of my various modes of action over and over in my head until I think I’m going insane or, if the situation demands a speedy response, I act defensively, often out of fear. The first situation is an overdose of thinking, the second, of letting a fear of slipping-up and embarrassing myself cloud my judgment—a sort of knee-jerk response. Problem: I’ve let myself down so frequently lately via both of these methods… far more than I ever have by following my heart. I’m getting tired of it. If I could just “let my heart do the talking”, sort of feel the right course of action rather than calculate it or jump on what seems safest, I think I’ll be happier in the long run.
The line “And believe that you deserve for the sun to shine” speaks strongly to me, as well. I tend to put others way before myself, which is okay until it keeps me from realizing my full potential. Hoping to make life easier for someone else or avoid annoying anyone, I’ll keep to myself (recall “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”?). At this moment, my two biggest fears are being inadequate and being annoying. Inadequate is the real biggie; I don’t often feel like I deserve what I have, or what I could have. I can come up with a million reasons why I’m not worth “it”, whatever “it” may be. Irritating others is also an issue. I don’t want to feel like a pest, like that annoying girl who keeps showing up and deflating the mood. The easy solution: fade away. But I think, in order to truly be happy, I need to first believe that I deserve happiness, to stay in the light and tell myself I’m worth it.
“Don’t Stop Believin” is a song that resonates with me on multiple levels. Perhaps most basically, I relish the images of adventure:
ReplyDelete“took the midnight train goin' anywhere”/” For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on”/” Streetlight people
Living just to find emotion Hiding somewhere in the night”
Oh the irony. I, yes, I, this girl right here who is terrified of change, have found myself longing for the opportunity to just go out and LIVE. I love long car rides, and the sense of adventure they carry (yes, I am one heck of a paradox). I’d love to be FREE and “take the midnight train” and DISCOVER the world in the nighttime. Beautiful. But “Don’t Stop Believin’” also exemplifies exactly how I want to live my life. I want to always have something to believe in; myself, another, a dream, opportunity, whatever. I want to live like there’s something out there for me, a reason I keep on breathing. I want my life to be exciting. I suppose part of the reason I love this song is because the exciting images I mentioned earlier and the electric sense of continuous motion, life, and opportunity do clash with my current state:
“Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on”
I yearn for what now seems intangible. I can’t see myself on the midnight train, or “roll[ing] the dice”, but yet I can. The self I know at this moment doesn’t quite fit the picture, but if, by applying the ideas in “Take the Chance” to my life, I can escape my “lonely road” from “Boulevard of Broken Dreams “, I might soon be able to shed this layer of my being and reveal a new, more confident, daring, beautiful me that’s ready to fly into this crazy world unashamed.
Taylor- I know you used to have an iPod but you're right, I never see you with an iPod anymore! I don't know how you do it because I pretty much live off mine. Maybe because it has internet access and games and texting on it, but besides that I need the music part, too. You're lucky that you can sing songs in your head and be happy about it. When I sing songs in my head I freak out and think that I need to go listen to them now. -Hannah
ReplyDeleteJessie- I really like you're song choice of "Don't Stop Believin." For one, it's a favorite song of mine and two I really like the message. It's probably has one of the best meanings a song can have. I already take a lot of chances and I'm pretty daring, but it makes me feel like I'm living life the right way. -Hannah
ReplyDeleteKaitlin- I don't understand how you can't find any Lil Wayne songs that correspond to your life. I mean, Got Money is pretty much the story of your life right there. Anyway, I like New Perspective too and when I hear that song it makes me look at the situations I'm in in a different way. Good choice, Ging. -Hannah
ReplyDeleteBy Hannah PART 1: One of my all time favorite songs since middle school, and a classic to sing in the car with my friends, would have to be What Dreams Are Made Of by Hilary Duff.
ReplyDelete"Hey now! This is what dreams are made of."
I hate Hilary Duff and all of those Disney channel "stars," but the lyrics of the song make me think about life. Sometimes I feel like everything is going wrong, but when I hear this song I feel happy. It makes me think of all of the good things in my life and I do feel like this is what dreams are made of. I think about when I first heard this song in the movie theaters with my friends, how I sing it in the car going out places, and how much fun life really is.
"Have you ever wondered what life is about?
You could search the world and never figure it out.
You don't have to sail the ocean. No, no, no.
Happiness is no mystery; it's here and now"
This part of the song, to me, means to stop wasting your time trying to figure out what life is about how to achieve happiness. There's no way to figure it out, no matter what you do. It's such a waste of time looking for happiness because in reality it's probably right there. I'm experiencing it now and by looking for something I already have, I'm missing out on the good things in life.
Taylor Palm -
ReplyDelete"You keep your eyes planted on the back of your head, you’re going to run into a wall." Hah looking back on all the blogs, I realize that I've commented on how great you word things so many times. You word it so simple and in a new way that it makes me smile, and it's always so true and applicable! But, anyway, I do agree fully in what you said here. I feel like if everyone was too cautious about what they wanted to do, they'd never grow, and the world in general wouldn't have come as far as it would have. I mean, I believe there has to be limits, of course things that are potentially life threatening should be thought over a various amount of times, but there are a bunch of people that go through life thinking and kicking themselves for not doing some of the simple things they could've done. Asking a person out, who could very well be the love of your life or not taking a class when it could be the introduction into your life career. Hah. It kind of reminds me of the movie Yes man! :)
Kristie Aaron -
ReplyDeleteI literally laughed out loud when I read yours. Not laughing at you, with you! Because I completely forgot about that movie's existence- Hilary Duff's era seems so long ago! But, the only thing I really wanted to say about your song choice was that it makes me happy thinking about songs we heard when we were younger, because they had a lot of good messages believe it or not. High School Musical had a lot of songs about, virtually nothing, but back then, all the media and the music had a lot of good messages. And I love that you use music not only to express yourself, but to motivate you to get in a better mood. It's nice to see someone doesn't want to bask in their depression!
JV Gonzales -
ReplyDeleteI wanted to comment about your bringing up John Legend's message about love because I agree with you- it reminds us that we are ordinary people. And I like that it's not only applicable to love, it's applicable to life in general. Some people strive so hard to be perfect, or get as close as possible, that they punish themselves for making mistakes or we punish each other. And I'm glad you brought this up (one reason being because I love that song!) because it's a message that some people really need to hear- don't try to be something impossible, perfect.
Brace yourself – you might get whiplash from the length of this thing.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so I basically live my entire life through four major different moods. The first, and the worse, is my depressed mood. It’s not a “oh, woe is me!” depressed, but a silent depression that slowly eats away at my happiness. I begin questioning myself, I begin to suffer softly, I begin to lose focus. I’m in this mood now, which is why I’m waiting to write my OP, because I don’t want a weakened Kale to be the last memory any of you have of me. Nonetheless, weak is how I feel, and the song “These Days” by Nico exemplifies this mood perfectly. Here are a few verses from the song:
“I've been out walking
I don't do too much talking
These days, these days.
These days I seem to think a lot
About the things that I forgot to do
And all the times I had the chance to.
I've stopped my dreaming,
I won't do too much scheming
These days, these days.
These days I sit on corner stones
And count the time in quarter tones to ten.
Please don't confront me with my failures,
I had not forgotten them.”
The entire tone of the song, the hopelessness and sadness of life, embodies the sensation I get when I feel as if the world is swallowing me, and no one can hear me scream. I feel so alone. The worse thing about this mood I get in is exactly that – I feel no one cares. Because of this, it takes me longer than it should to reach out for help, and thus proceed to my second mood: vulnerability. I expose myself to a close friend, my mom or my grand mom. They usually tell me I’m beautiful and give me some proverbial phrase to cling to for strength. Billy Joel’s “Always a Woman” shows perfectly how I wish people would view me, in spite of my faults. Here is the entire song:
“She can kill with a smile
ReplyDeleteShe can wound with her eyes
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She hides like a child,
But she's always a woman to me
She can lead you to love
She can take you or leave you
She can ask for the truth
But she'll never believe you
And she'll take what you give her, as long as it's free
Yeah, she steals like a thief
But she's always a woman to me
Oh--she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She's ahead of her time
Oh--and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind
And she'll promise you more
Than the Garden of Eden
Then she'll carelessly cut you
And laugh while you're bleedin'
But she'll bring out the best
And the worst you can be
Blame it all on yourself
Cause she's always a woman to me
--Mhmm--
She is frequently kind
And she's suddenly cruel
She can do as she pleases
She's nobody's fool
And she can't be convicted
She's earned her degree
And the most she will do
Is throw shadows at you
But she's always a woman to me
--Mhmm—“
This song holds special significance with me regarding love. I recently told the truth about something that ruined a friendship between a person and me. I hate that. I want to be around people that don’t make me want to restrain myself for fear of committing peccadilloes, but rather people who support me and love me in spite of my many, many flaws. Especially a lover. I really want a man to love me because of my shortcomings. I’m getting off topic though – the pith of the matter is, during this healing session, I begin to believe my life is worth something. Then comes stage three, where I sit in solitude and build up my confidence, drawing my strength from the previous stage and everything I have within me. The song “This is Your Life” from Fight Club illustrates this phase. Here are a few verses:
“You have to give up, you have to give up
ReplyDeleteYou have to realize that someday you will die
Until you know that, you are useless
I say let me never be complete
I say may I never be content
I say deliver me from Swedish furniture
I say deliver me from clever arts
I say deliver me from clear skin and perfect teeth
I say you have to give up
I say evolve, and let the chips fall where they may”
At this point, I begin to realize that I am dynamic, I have purpose, and I need to be ready to hit the ground running. I begin to realize why I am alive and believe God’s backing me up. I quickly, then, enter stage four, which most of you might recognize me at most of the time. It’s the “I’M A BEAST!” stage, the “KAMEHAMEHA!” stage. And what song to better embody this feeling but “Let’s Go” by Trick Daddy, featuring Lil John and Twista. The chorus says it all:
“Lets Gooooo! (Lets Gooooo!)
If you want it you can get it let me know (let me know),
I'm bout to f*ck a n*gga up, Lets Gooooo! (Lets Gooooo!)
If you want it you can get it let me know (let me know),
I'm bout to f*ck a n*gga up, Lets Gooooo! (Lets Gooooo!)”
I don’t curse, so no, I never sing this out loud, but I love it. I feel invincible at this point. I hope I get to this point, this high, soon.
Kaitlin: “People must make mistakes and learn from them. If life was comprehensive, we might as well be robots.”
ReplyDeleteYou’re right. The way I see it, life would be pretty boring if everything made perfect sense; they’d be nothing left to figure out, no thrill in living. This idea made me remember a story about blind men and an elephant that Deanna told me a while ago. We were talking in the context of religion, but it makes sense here, too. If you blindfold a bunch of people and present them with an elephant, and each feels a different part of the animal—its fanlike ears, snake-like trunk, tree-like legs, etc—each will create a very different image of the elephant. All of the people will be partly right but none will know the whole beast. Life is like the elephant; no one person can experience the world thoroughly enough to know the entire “elephant”; each has his or her own perception… and that’s a beautiful thing. If we stay open minded and listen to one another’s ideas, we will gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of life. On a side note, I’ve always liked Panic! at the Disco, but somehow I missed New Perspective. So thanks! Now I have a new song on my IPod. ^_^
Hannah: Darn it! Now you have me singing… my poor family! Kidding, but I LOVE that song, too. I think so many of us search high and low for happiness and, in the process, we forget about the world around us and miss out on the fun that the here-and-now has to offer; I know I do. I suppose the secret to happiness is that there’s no secret to happiness, so we should stop looking and enjoy life! :)
ReplyDeleteThe Great Escape By: Boys Like Girls
ReplyDelete“Throw it away, forget yesterday
We’ll make the Great Escape
We won’t hear a word they say
They don’t know us anyway”
These words are special to me, because like in The Alchemist, the boy wants only to live his dreams. He decides, quite like I might, to let go of everything that depends on him and just escape to the place that he wants to be. To me the lyrics in the song are about finding your dreams and rejecting society in order to make them come true. I want to make the Great Escape, and I will one day. I want to travel the world and I will do so. If I become a buyer, I get to pick out the season’s next trends, while exploring the world.
The song wasn’t written only for me, though and that’s something to take into account. In the song, the lead singer describes quite poetically the pressures of society on teens to conform to the idealistic lifestyle. The singer lets whoever is listening know that it’s okay to just let loose and be free. This little bit of freedom will keep us sane, so we need to let to. It’s not only that we need to let go, but deep down, we all really want to. The poetic lyrics are paired with an extremely upbeat song that makes you want to get up and dance, which further illustrates the singer’s message. The fact that the audience feels so compelled to dance, is almost a metaphor for the need to break free of the overbearing society around us, even if it’s only for a short while. There’s a moment where the audience isn’t sure if they should dance or not and then all the sudden there is no stopping them. It’s much like the lyrics where we want to break free but we’re not sure if we should, but then when we do, there’s no stopping us.
Once again, I absolutely love the message in this song. It relates so well to me because I have recently realized that I don’t want to follow the beaten path. I want to do something with my life that will make me happy and this song makes me excited to make the Great Escape. It’s not just me that the song applies to. The song is sung directly to young teens that have trouble with the restraints society places on our daily lives. The singer recognizes that we all have the burning desire to break free of our shackles and have fun doing what we want to do. It’s not only the lyrics that provoke us to break free; It’s the music. At first, the music is almost timid and then as it breaks into a blast of merriment, we can’t help but dance. The song was wonderfully crafted, and honestly, I listen to it every time I feel like I can’t so something because everyone around me thinks I can’t.
ReplyDeleteTaylor,
ReplyDeleteThe theme of your song was a lot like mine. I love songs that have the whole "take chances" and "accomplish you dreams" message. We both seem to think that it's important to follow our hearts and I think that's the only way we're every going to stay sane. P.S. I've never heard your song before but I think I'll download it now!
JV: “But we’ll learn from all the conflicts that affect us in life and in love. We just need to take it slow and take things one at a time.”
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Life can get so overwhelming; I’m immediately taken back to the last few weeks before AP testing, when we had to study out buts off for the exam(s) AND make sure we kept up with regular schoolwork AND stay on top of out-of-school life/responsibilities. It was tough, to say the least. But in situations like that, when everything hits hard, the worst thing any of us can do is panic and rush to get everything done last minute. Take it slow, take things one at a time… I like it!
JV,
ReplyDeleteYou did what I couldn't. You approached the topic of love. I was scared to so this seeing as I have limitied experience in this area, and I'm happy you did. Though I have no idea what love's all about I agree with you. It's more than a competition and I can't see it succeeding at all if there isn't compromise!
Kaitlin,
ReplyDeleteI loves the theme of your song. I, too, beleive that we need to see things from more than one perspective all the time. If we ony see through our personal experience, we aren't really living. In order to be at ease with the people around you, it's important to see things through their eyes every now and then (not to mention it's extremely boring only seeing thingds through your eyes all the time).
Hannah- I love that song! I remember like blaring that song back in the day. I feel like I use to sing it with you and watch that amazing movie together<33 I agree that you have to stop looking for happiness because it is right in front of you. It is crazy to think that we always look for things when they really are right in front of us. Quit missing out on the good things in life :)
ReplyDeleteSarah C- kudos on the song choice. I don’t totally agree with the idea of forgetting yesterday, even though sometimes that has to be done in order to move forward, I do not think it needs to happen all of the time. I do agree that the different style the song was written in and the music composition creates an amazing feel to the meaning of the lyrics.
Kaitlin H- I use to listen to panic at the disco all the time, but I have never heard that song. I wholeheartedly agree with your explanation of the song. The comparison to robots got me thinking about different ideas. What if we knew our future? Like our jobs, our husband.. That would be very uneventful. The journey of life, in each separate body, is quite interesting to say the least.
On daily basis most people will not find headphones attached to my ears. When I do venture out to find my iPod, it is usually somewhere hidden under my bed collecting dust. The only time I use it, is when I have something on my mind. When I am listening to music, that is my sign that I do not want to be bothered. That being said, I do not have many songs, but the range of decade and meaning all have relevance to my life.
ReplyDeleteThe first song that I believe directly relates to my beliefs is “Life Like We’re Dying” by Kris Allen.
“Sometimes we fall down and can't get back up
We're hiding behind skin that's too tough
How come we don't say I love you enough
Till it's too late, it's not too late...
And if you plane fell out of the skies
Who would you call with your last goodbyes
Should be so careful who we live out of our lives
So when we long for absolution, there'll be no one on the line”
These two parts from the song, make me think every time I listen to them. Sometimes I wonder why I don’t say ‘I love you’ enough, but most of the time I wish I had. I believe in always being in good terms with a person before you leave. There is no guarantee that you will see them again. However, I do not believe in saying goodbye, unless it is really goodbye. I have a hard time grasping the concept of something being finished. With a friendship, or relationship, I like to think there is no ending point. This could end up hurting me in the long run, but I am not very good at goodbyes. Which is why I chose the next few lines as something to live by. If I was about to die, I am not sure who I would call. The song is right in saying that if we keep everything close to us, no one will be waiting for that call because you need to pick out those few special people in your life to show them you truly care. This is the way I have been living this past year. Picking a few important people to me, and making sure I show them I care. The whole concept of living as if you were about to die seems like a simple concept, yet I know I take that for granted. I take tomorrow as something that is going to happen, and not something that might happen. I am going to try and follow these lyrics and live my life as if I am dying.
The next song, that people will probably laugh at, is “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. The first time I heard this song I made fun of it. Then as it became a joke, I started to actually listen to it and the words, and I really thought the message was something to live by.
I can almost see it That dream I am dreaming But there's a voice inside my head saying "You'll never reach it" Every step I'm taking Every move I make feels Lost with no direction My faith is shaking
The struggles I'm facing The chances I'm taking Sometimes might knock me down But no, I'm not breaking
Every word of this song motivates me to continue through the difficult parts of my life. I have always believed in pushing through and looking forward to something better. I believe that you have to fail before you succeed, and that is what this song is about. Seeing your failures and pushing past them is how you can get by in life. Most of the time I feel as though I am never going to win, but I always try to believe that one day I will reach the top, and that is how I get by.
And now, for my actual response.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so this blog really threw me off. There are a vast multitude of songs, and there are many that have lyrics that talk about great themes that I try to live by. But, there's one song in particular that talks about not only what I want to live by, but how I want to be and what I've been feeling like lately. It's "Over" by Drake.
"I know way too many people here right now that I didn’t know last year, who the fuck are y’all?
I swear it feels like the last few nights we been everywhere and back, but I just can’t remember it all.
What am I doin’? What am I doin’?
Oh, yeah, that’s right, I’m doin’ me, I’m doin me.
I’m livin’ life right now, mayne and this what I’ma do ’til it’s over, ‘Til it’s over, but it’s far from over."
When I first heard this song, it was after my friend's father's funeral, and it really explains my junior year. I've met so many different people this year, made completely new connections and some old connections have completely changed. And, that kind of ties in with my beliefs. See, when I heard this song, I was instantly thinking about how I just have to keep going. People will drop in and out of my life, there will be times where I don't even know what's going on, how to handle it, what to do, but I have to remember that I have to do what I believe is right, all the time. If I do what I think is best, then I won't have a problem, and if the result is bad, I will stand by it. I have to stick to my guns basically if I'm ever going to survive, otherwise I'm only going to be a carbon copy of what society wants me to be, and I don't want that. I want to be my own person, I want to pursue my own dreams and achieve my own goals. That is, essentially, my belief, that no matter what happens, no matter what's going on, I stick to my guns and fight for what's good and what's best. And, I want to be like that. I want to stick to my guns and be seen as confident, and strong. Often in my blogs this year I have spoken about "trying to be strong", and it's true. I think the key to everything I want to be, is strength. I want to be a leader, I need strength. I want to be a fighter, and for that I need strength. It's so confident, and I want that confidence, that strength. I want to be seen that way, so that's what I've been striving for.
One of the most underappreciated bands of this generation HAS to be Death Cab for Cutie. Maybe that’s a good thing. I’d rather have an amazing band be unpopular than ubiquitously being butchered from the media, MTV, and other one-dimensional marketing lords. (not to mention fans whom don’t understand the intellectual lyrics they convey). Anyways, I never appreciated the relativity of music until this very year. I know, I’m a late bloomer, but when I found myself in tough times, music was all I could resort to. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kit, introduced me to Death Cab, offering me a song that would help my helpless heart. (thanks Kit!) I was completely astounded; the song he provided me with explained my feelings entirely. For the next five hours, I listened to that song on repeat. Both the lyrics and chords stitched my heart back to one piece, and made me feel less guilty for the heartbreaking I was about to do. (The song is Crooked Teeth, by the way). Oh dear, I’m digressing. The point I’m trying to make is that in that moment, I finally discovered the healing effect music has on a soul. And although this song didn’t exactly pertain to my ideal lifestyle, it helped me for that particular situation. So, I fell in love with Death Cab, and quickly explored all of their amazingly metaphorical and impactful songs. And I soon fell in love with two songs in particular: “The Sound of Settling”, and “When Soul Meets Body”.
ReplyDelete*The Sound of Settling*
“and i'll sit and wonder
of every love that could've been
if i'd only thought of something charming to say...”
This is why I love Death Cab! On the surface, the lyrics are obviously pertaining to someone looking back and wishing that they took the risks in order to find love. Like, you know, when the guy doesn’t have the balls to go up to the girl and say she’s pretty? (which is most boys in our school, I presume) Yet, the singer is also reflecting on all of the missed opportunities he let slip away. This song definitely encourages me to follow my dreams, rather than “settling” on something second to best.
“My brain's repeating
'If you've got an impulse let it out'
But they never make it past my mouth”
Again, I feel as though we are all scared to jump off the cliff or ask that hot boy out. We sure as hell want to, but we hesitate in fear of failure. As Death Cab is conveying, we have to go with our gut and say what we have to say, because when we get older, we’ll probably regret it. Nobody really wants to listen to the sound of settling. The sound of settling, in essence, is the sound of regret and remorse. I feel as though Death Cab is urging their fans to not settle by singing a song about settling. It inspires me to follow my dreams, jump off the cliff, and never settle for something less than extraordinary.
*When Soul Meets Body*
ReplyDeleteThis song helped me come to terms with the whole love thing. I’m a bit skeptical on the subject, perhaps because I’ve never actually experienced it, let alone had a relationship. Yet, I feel as though we do have soul mates. But ever since our several discussions dealing with reincarnation, The Art of Racing in the Rain, and our philosophies of post-death, I’ve been questioning the fate of loved ones after death. I like to believe we meet them again in another life. That’s what I got from this song, and that’s why I love it. It gives me hope not only in life, but in death.
"I do believe it's true
That there are holes left in both of our shoes
But if the silence takes you
Then I hope it takes me too
So, brown eyes, I'll hold you near
Because you're the only song I want to hear
A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere"
Okay, can I marry them now?! You could probably interpret this song in many different ways, but my interpretation generally deals with love, life, and death. The silence, a metaphor for death, will not stop him from being with his lover. You have this one true person whom accepts your soul, and when these two souls meet, everything is ok. Everything is a melody; euphonious and soothing. You belong with this person. Your soul meets your body with this person, and that’s when everything starts to make sense. That’s when the melody soars through your atmosphere. And even when you die, you know that everything will be ok; and perhaps you’ll find them in another life.
"But I know our filthy hands can wash one another's
And not one speck will remain"
This is probably my favorite line of the song. To put it simply, it’s as if the mistakes and the past of two people are cancelled out when they are with each other. Your soul mate, in a way, cleanses you. It’s a beautiful thing. Basically, the song creates beautiful imagery to describe the journey of love. He wants to go away with his lover, and not in just a literal sense. And I want to go on that journey, whether I’m 17 or 70. It’s just one more thing that makes life beautiful.
Hannah-
ReplyDeleteI LOVE THAT SONG! Wow, it's such a feel good song, and it definitely gives you nostalgia towards your childhood. I get chills when I see the clip of her singing it (i know, i know, extremely lame). Anyways, it may seem like a dumb and cotton candy kind of song on the surface, but you can really take something away from it, like you mentioned in your blog! Happiness is right in front of you; you just have to open your eyes. You and I blast the car stereo, turn up this song, roll down the windows, and enjoy life! Overall, great interpretation! Gosh, I love that song.
By Hannah PART 2
ReplyDeleteAnother song that is a favorite of mine because I like the message is Lose Yourself by Eminem. Right in the beginning he says
“Look, if you had, one shot, or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted-One moment
Would you capture it, or just let it slip?”
This is really insightful and it reminds me to take chances and when I have them to capture the moment because it may only happen this one time. Some people get really close to their dreams and they just give up (“let it slip”) but this song reminds me to seize the moment. In sports, when I have the chance to play in college showcases or even just playoff games, I always take advantage of the opportunity. I’m not going to waste them opportunities because they are just tiny steps I have to take if I want to pursue my dreams.
I usually listen to this song before each game or sometimes even practice because to me it’s a reminder to do my best because I may never get this opportunity again. There are endless amounts of situations that can ruin these moments for me, like I could get hurt and be out for the rest of my life or we could lose and be done for the season. There’s no guarantee that I could get opportunities like this ever again, so why not seize the moment? Also, in one part of the song where he says “You better lose yourself in the music, the moment. You own it, you better never let it go” I get inspired to not just seize the moment, but own it, too. If you don’t own the moment, then you’re not taking full advantage of it and you won’t get the same outcome from it as you would if you owned it. I’m not the type of person to let opportunities go, not only because I’m competitive and everything, but because I believe that if an opportunity exists then it should become yours.
There are songs that I like and then there are songs that I absolutely love. There are songs that are catchy but say nothing in their whole three to four minutes. There are songs that speak multitudes about life and its harsh realities, but those songs are often overlooked.
ReplyDeleteI have a music downloading problem. I might as well tell you now so that I don’t have to explain it later. When I realize that I like an artist, I will download all their albums. It doesn’t matter to me if they’ve had 13 albums preceding the one hit that they actually have, I WILL go and download them. It’s a really bad habit [ and I’m sure that, I too, have broken several laws and that my ip address is probably being tracked by the government..] but I love the feeling of listening to the most random songs and finding that I enjoy them more than the music that is currently out. So when I first read this blog, I automatically knew that finding the right song would be tricky for me. There are so many songs that I love, that speak to me in different ways, but I wasn’t sure on whether or not they would describe how I felt about my life now. Once I stopped worrying about it altogether, two songs just seemed to find me, and they captured the feelings that I couldn’t describe.
In the new Samsung DualView commercial, Alicia Keys is singing a song from her album called ‘Wait Till You See My Smile’. Usually, I try to avoid getting sucked up into what’s popular, so I wasn’t entirely sold on the song at first. But since I had already downloaded all of her albums, I decided to try it a few weeks ago.
‘So you’re doing better now
Everybody comes around
but you don't really need 'em
'Cause your stronger and your better and you're ready for whatever’
I’ve spent a lot of time lately thinking about our upcoming senior year. Just today, actually, I zoned out for a bit while thinking about the changes that we’ve all undergone since our freshman year at Oak and how the adventure of senior year will be like nothing that we’ve experienced before. When I expressed my musings aloud, someone responded ‘It’s so scary!’ My initial reaction was to agree, but then I realized something. I’m not scared. At the start of junior year, I was scared of my upcoming senior year because I knew that I would have to move on after the year culminated. I wasn’t sure if I could completely handle the responsibility. But this afternoon, I realized that, I’m ready now. I’ve become a lot stronger this year, and I’ve become more confident about my near future. People have left me this year, and after careful thought, I’ve realized that they were all for the better. I’ve grown a lot more than I thought I did, and I believe that I’m more prepared to take on life’s journeys waaaayyyy more than I was before.
Recently, I was recommended by a music source to listen to this group called Le Sport. Honestly, I was thrown off by just the name, but since I give everything a try, I downloaded a few of their songs. The first one that came up was called ‘It’s Not the End of the World’. Since I’ve been reflecting so much on the future, this song accurately described the way I want to approach my upcoming future, as well as the way I want to learn from any new experiences.
ReplyDelete‘You can go down under
You can take a foreign lover
You can get so high
And don't come down
Until you've seen it all ‘
‘Don’t come down until you’ve seen it all..’ That part spoke to me more than anything did. I want to see as much as I can in my life. The good, the bad, the ugly; it doesn’t matter. I want to know because I’ve always wanted to learn as much as I could about the world around me. I want to go places, I want to meet people. I don’t think that you can make it to these kinds of places unless you’re prepared to. I know that there’s a lot in this world that I may not want to know, but I don’t think that remaining ignorant will help the world and its people in anyway. Besides, I’ve always realized that I’m ready to take on what life gives me.
Music is definitely an important part of my life. It calms me down when I’m angry. It reminds me that there are people dealing with the same problems. It is so powerful. Listening to certain songs can take me back to a memory and remind me of specific people. The songs I listen to vary with what is going on in my life and what kind of mood I am. It changes as I change. There are a few that have stayed with me though.
ReplyDelete“Who's to say
What's impossible
Well they forgot
This world keeps spinning
And with each new day
I can feel a change in everything
And as the surface breaks reflections fade
But in some ways they remain the same
And as my mind begins to spread its wings
There's no stopping curiosity”
“Upside Down” by Jack Johnson has some key points in it that I believe in. In my mind this means that we can accomplish anything. Nobody can set limits as far as what can be achieved. Things in the past that were said to be impossible have become reality in the present and as times change the things that are claimed to be impossible now will probably become reality in the future. In the chorus he says “I want to turn the whole thing upside down, I'll find the things they say just can't be found.” This shows a determination to achieve your dreams and not let anyone stand in the way of that. I think it shows that we can ignore the suppressing words of others and show them that we can do anything that we set our minds to. Basically, to me, it means we can accomplish anything and make our dreams reality if we are determined and able to look past what others believe.
One other song that caught my attention was “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight” by U2.
“Every generation gets a chance to change the world
Pity the nation that won't listen to your boys and girls
Cos the sweetest melody is the one we haven't heard
Is it true that perfect love drives out all fear?
The right to appear ridiculous is something I hold dear
Oh, but a change of heart comes slow”
This part of the song appeals to being different; to accepting new things as they could be some of the greatest ideas. It shows the fear of change and how the brightest minds can be ignored because they are too different or new. This song is full of truths. It basically says that the youth of the world should not be ignored because change may be what is best. I think being different and getting your ideas out there no matter how odd they may be is very important. To me, this song is about change. It’s about putting your ideas out in the world and fighting for them no matter how long it takes because sooner or later things will change. I believe that change is important. It’s needed in order to continue growing and just because it may take a while for it to be accepted, it does not mean that we should give up on our ideas.
Kaitlin—I really liked your interpretation and I agree with it completely. Those twists and turns in life are so important. They teach us the biggest lessons and have some of the greatest impacts. And surprise is necessary in life, without it everything would be boring. We would know exactly what was going to happen and lose interest in what was happening around us.
ReplyDeleteJV—“I need a reminder that things will get rocky and sometimes it’ll feel like out of control, but I have to also know that everything will be okay if I do what Legend says and “take things slow.”
I think that is great advice. When situations go wrong sometimes I get so caught up in the moment that I think in negative terms. I lose sight of the fact that things will get better sometime. Taking things slow is a very good idea, it gives you time to process things and relax instead of going to extremely negative thoughts.
Taylor— Chances are meant to be taken. I know I’ve been afraid of taking them at certain times because I don’t know how they’ll unfold in the future but I know the ones that I have taken were worth it whether they turned out good or bad. I definitely agree that chances should be taken because if you don’t then you may never get the opportunity to take that chance again.
Kelsey!
ReplyDeleteI actually DIDN'T laugh at you when you mentioned The Climb because I reacted the same way you did at first. I used to hate that song, but after I listened and paid attention to it more, I realized that it had a really good message. I was thinking of using a Cheetah Girls song..but I think that Miley had a better message when it came to overcoming the obstacles in life. Besides..I'm the one that said I was going to use 'Blame It' it, remember? :]
Jesse!
I was wondering if anyone was going to use “Don’t Stop Believin" Actually, I was bit worried that someone was just going to use that song as a cop out so that they wouldn't have to take much time thinking about what song to choose. But I loved the way you integrated this song in with your life. It's so easy to say that this song speaks to you and tells you to never give up or lose hope, but I really enjoyed how you took other lyrics and described how you wanted them to apply to your life. I know your scared of change, but I really think that you're more prepared for change than you think you are. Maybe you just need a little push, but I know that you'll get there sometime soon. [ And then, you'll REALLY turn into a bad seed ]
Taylor!
I always sing the most random songs in my head, and I'm pretty sure I quote lyrics more than I quote anything else as well. The only thing is..most people have no idea what I'm singing. Plus, I've recently realized that I enjoy singing twice as much when I'm sick and have no voice, but out of my own pleasure, comes the torture of everyone surrounding me.
Anyway, moving on to something else..
'Don’t rely on what we recognize, venture towards the haze and stay there.'
I'm so happy that there's other people who look towards the future as much as I do now. I know that looking toward the past if familiar and perhaps more comfortable for people, but I find the opposite to be more comforting. Looking toward the past sometimes depresses me, because I know I can't change some things that I would like to. However, the future always gives me hope because I know that I can start fresh and make better choices for myself.
P.S..I'll go check out that playlist.
Chrissy bear,
ReplyDelete“One of the most underappreciated bands of this generation HAS to be Death Cab for Cutie. Maybe that’s a good thing. I’d rather have an amazing band be unpopular than ubiquitously being butchered from the media, MTV, and other one-dimensional marketing lords.”
I love, love, love Death Cab for Cutie. In the summer “Crooked Teeth” was constantly playing, along with “Soul Meets Body” and “I Will Follow You Into the Dark.” So I definitely agree with the under appreciation thing. Their lyrics are so deep and it takes awhile for the ear worm effect to get passed you before you realize how much the songs are really saying. That’s wat makes them so amazing. The whole situation surrounding “Crooked Teeth” was definitely described perfect with the song and I’m glad it got you through it!
Ps. Kit was really excited about your shout out hahaha.
Kelsey,
“The next song, that people will probably laugh at, is “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. The first time I heard this song I made fun of it. Then as it became a joke, I started to actually listen to it and the words, and I really thought the message was something to live by.”
I’m so ashamed to write this, but absolutely agree haha. I hate the fact that Miley Cyrus sings it, but it is pretty inspiring and you can never get it out of your head. I doubt she actually wrote it, but whoever did really got life. There’s so many obstacles but really that fight to overcome them is what makes life incredible.
Hamah,
“It's such a waste of time looking for happiness because in reality it's probably right there. I'm experiencing it now and by looking for something I already have, I'm missing out on the good things in life.”
The Lizzie McGuire movie, good times. I actually used o have the CD for this movie and I’d listen to it as I was falling asleep. Yep, I’m cool. But I do love this song, it really gets you all excited haha. But what it and you said about happiness is really true. The hardest things to find are generally right in front of you. You can’t search for happiness, you just have to live it.
Kait,
Haha here you go! Last month's was especially bangin!
http://express.sonictapwap.com/expressplayer.html
Well, as you all may know, music is my refuge. Music is my life. I feel sometimes as if my brain is a library of song lyrics rather than a book of information that will illuminate the path to a bright future, but I’m okay with that. Lyrics are all I need because within them, there is always a guiding principle to live my life by. I listen to songs from musicals, rap songs, and just about everything. The songs always coincide with the mood I am in. I could always give you a song to describe my life in general, what I talk about in almost all of my blogs and papers, but I think I’ll use two songs to explain how I’ve been feeling the majority of this year. I think the best way to describe it is overwhelmed, maybe a bit frustrated, and confused. Normally, and still, I have faith in humanity. I’m outgoing and personable, and quite frankly, I’ll always love people. Ironically, the older I get, the lower the maturity level of people around me seems. I’ve been frustrated with this recently.
ReplyDelete“So am I still waiting,
For this love to stop hating?
Can’t find a good reason
Can’t find hope to believe in.”
It seems to me that everything is petty drama, that people hate others for no reason, and that people can’t seem to get along. As much as I’d love to be the girl that laughs when someone says something bad about her or doesn’t like her, I’m not and I never will be. I’m such a sensitive person, someone that cares too much about people, even if they hurt her, and so I let things get to me. I should listen to the Beatles and let it be, but I can’t. Everyone tells me that I need to stop caring, and though it seems to work, it never eliminates the problem. So once again, that’s not who I am. Sum 41 comments in “Still Waiting” on the hatred that exists. Sometimes it’s easy to give up, and so people lose hope. I’ve done that this year. Instead of caring, I tried ignoring everything. Where did that get me? Absolutely nowhere. And though my decisions didn’t bother me at the time, they do now. Well, I’m done with the “I’ll just give up” attitude because that is who I’ve always been. There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel, and I’m on the quest to shine in it.
On a more positive note now, there’s another song that comes to mind about creating peace.
“Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one”
I believe in living as one, being for thankful for everything we have, and putting hardships in the past to have a happy life while we’re still living. I’m a dreamer, and I’m not alone. I just decided that I’m going to rely on my determination to make dreams become reality. “The difference between possible and impossible lies in a person’s determination.”
Gwen: I have faith in humanity, but I can see the truth in your first song. It seems that some people only come around when you're doing well, but the people that truly matter in life are the ones that will always be there for you. I think that you do need them. What's love if we can't share it?
ReplyDeleteJesse: Your song choice relates a lot to my interpretation of a song that says quite the opposite that I picked. Don't stop believing is the way I feel everyone should live life. I'm so happy that you always keep a positive on outlook. I love how you always admire the small flowers that bloom from the annoying weeks of rain, and the beauty that comes from the darkness.
ReplyDeleteIt's not hard to figure out that Muse is my favorite band of all time. You can ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you just how much I love them. Many of their songs are very political or are about standing up for your beliefs, so it makes sense that I would love them. Each album they create has a few very specific messages running throughout all of their songs, which is why I cannot pick my favorite album, they're all so different. Their third album, Absolution, talks a lot about the urgent need for action, which is made obvious with song titles such as, “Apocalypse Please,” and, “Time is Running Out” both of which, by the way, are very good songs. One of Muse's most beloved songs, “Butterflies and Hurricanes,” comes from Absolution, and is a personal favorite of mine.
ReplyDeleteI take two messages away from this song, and the first of which is shown here:
Change everything you are
And everything you were
Your number has been called
Fights and battles have begun
Revenge will surely come
Your hard times are ahead
At first this part of the song didn't sit well with me. I thought, “Are they advocating being something you're not? That isn't very Muse-like.” I thought about it some more and took all of Muse's ideas into consideration and realized that they were saying the total opposite. Society is what advocates being something you're not and is causing a self destructive downward spiral. Humanity is quickly approaching a breaking point and in order to change where we are going we have to change how we've been acting, which is very unlike our true nature. (This idea is more clearly expressed in the song “Take a Bow,” in which Matt Bellamy sings, “What we've become is contrary to what we want”). It's time to find who we really are and stand up for our individuality, because that is the only way we will survive ourselves.
The second message in “Butterflies and Hurricanes” is shown here:
Best, you've got to be the best
You've got to change the world
And use this chance to be heard
Your time is now
Don't let yourself down
Don't let yourself go
Your last chance has arrived
This is the more encouraging part of the song. Anyone can change the world. According to the butterfly effect, and this is where the song title comes into play, even the smallest stimulus can have an impact on the world. If you become the best you're impact can go far, but you have to take every opportunity you can. There is no time to waste and we can't keep pushing responsibility away. Move forward and gain momentum, if you know where you are going you can become the best and change the world.
It's fairly obvious why I love this song and why I love Muse. One of the best nights of this year was March 2nd, when I went to see Muse in Philadelphia with Sarah Lombardo and my sister. The show, of course, was mind blowing, and something that really added to the experience was the atmosphere coming from the crowd. It felt like everyone of us wanted to change the world.
Chrissy:
ReplyDelete"But I know our filthy hands can wash one another's
And not one speck will remain"
That's a great line! I just realized that I unintentionally avoided commenting on love. I feel like there is a Taylor song for any kind of heartbreak or love issues, but that line makes love sound like something so desirable, even if the majority of songs are about the horrible aspects of love. I believe that two people who are meant to be together will unite as one, disregarding the other person's flaws and imperfections.
“On to the Next One” by Jay Z was my first pick and I wanted to go deeply into detail about why my life has been written out by Jay Z, but after Lauren talked some sense into me, I knew I was in for a challenge. Well, the majority of my music is rap or upbeat stuff, but I wanted something deeper. I adore country music so I thought I’d go with some Reba or Tim McGraw until I remembered my favorite song of all time. “Photographs and Memories” by Jason Reeves isn’t only my favorite, but I could listen to it for the rest of my life, like the radio in Taylor’s head on repeat in mine with this song.
ReplyDeleteThe first few lines are all lovey dovey and that’s partially why I chose it. The love he possesses in this song through the memories he recalls makes me long for a love so comforting and relaxing as this.
“Cause I have photographs and memories of the times
When you weren't on my mind and I was alone.
And I have poetry and drawings of my life
When you weren't on my side and I didn't know
Just what is love...”
Just like this song, I want to know just what love is. Jason Reeves, through his lyrics and not his voice, makes it sound so beautiful and one day, I want something lasting like that. I know he’s talking about photographs and memories of these times, but I want times like those to remain in the present and be everlasting.
The second reason why I chose this song relates to my love of sleep – my ultimate getaway into a stress-free world of love and passion and greatness – and my love of the sky, whether day or night. So here it goes –
“And I can't wait to fall asleep to slip into my dreams
Where we can dance upon a star..”
To me, this means almost everything. I want my life to be my getaway, not just sleep. I want a love that means everything where I don’t need to dream about it and do the things I love in my dreams but do them in my life on a daily basis. I feel like I’m ranting, but I hope I’m getting my point across.
What I want in my life is happiness and fulfillment. While I do believe life is what you make it, I think a big thing that will improve or tear down the building blocks to my future is love. I want a love that is so touching that I feel like my dreams have come true, one that makes my life better than my dreams, one that makes me feel like I can reach the stars.
Gwen:
ReplyDelete"But this afternoon, I realized that, I’m ready now. I’ve become a lot stronger this year, and I’ve become more confident about my near future."
I just had a similar revelation! Doesn't it feel great to realize that you actually aren't scared to be a senior? I've grown a lot junior year, and I've discovered a lot about myself. I really don't have anything to fear about next year, I'm more confident and I know I'll be fine.
This blog question really got me thinking about why I listen to the music I did, which I believe was its purpose. I had never thought about it before. Some of my favorite songs, Nothin’ on You by B.O.B, Tik Tok by Kesha, Missing You by First Lady, and Sweet Dreams by Beyonce are completely different in content and meaning. However, they all help me escape the difficulties of the world around me. So, to being, I broke them down.
ReplyDeleteNothin’ On You- To me, this song is what I want out of a relationship. It is how I want someone to feel about me, talk about me, and think about me. I want to be all someone thinks about or all that they want. I long to be “whole” when I know I have found my other half. In the song, the first few lines are what I listen for, the words with the most meaning to me. “Beautiful girls all over the world, I could be chasing but my time would be wasted. They got nothing on you, baby. Nothing on you baby. They might say hi and I might say hey. But you shouldn't worry about what they say. Cuz they got nothing on you baby. Nothing on you baby...” These words give me hope that there is such a thing as true love, soul mates, or even love at first sight. It reminds me that there are faithful guys out there, ready to be with someone like me. That hope is what keeps me going.
Tik Tok- Oddly enough, this song gives me hope of craziness once high school is done. My life right now is pretty standard and very controlled. I do not go out and party, go crazy, drink or smoke (not that I want to), or stay out after curfew. I never do anything bad. However, I kind of long for the freedom to do crazy things, even if I do not want to do most of them, like drink. In the song, she talks about partying and music and just an all around “good time” and that is what I cannot wait for. “Wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy. Put my glasses on, Im out the door - Im gonna hit this city (Lets go)
Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack. Cause when I leave for the night, I aint coming back. Im talking - pedicure on our toes, toes. Trying on all our clothes, clothes. Boys blowing up our phones, phones. Drop-toping, playing our favorite cds. Pulling up to the parties. Trying to get a little bit tipsy…” are lyrics that sound completely silly to me. The way Kesha describes these “adventures” makes it sound so perfect and fun. That sort of relaxation is what I want, what I cannot wait for in my future. This song just makes me smile, like there is something else after high school. It does not just end here.
Missing You- This is a particularly bad song. There is almost nothing cheerful about it. I first heard it at the Cabaret Night at Oakcrest, sung by the wonderful Sandy. It made me cry because the first person I thought of was my Mommom who passed when I was eight. While I doubt I will ever completely get over her death, I realized how far I have come and I was proud of myself. This song reminds me of that fight, to come from so far down to where I am now. When she first passed, I could only think…“What did I do to deserve this? I did not even get one last kiss from you. God took your love from me, needed another angel so it seemed…. Need to feel you holding me…. Miss your love so much.” As time went on, I blamed God and became so angry. Finally I realized that I… “Can’t keep living this way.” But I knew I still needed her. “I need you here with me. Why did he take you away from me…” It is like the beginning of the song tells my story. It means a lot to be because it reminds me of her but in a good way. However, with good comes the bad. There is one part in this song that makes me cry no matter what kind of mood I am in. It really hits home for me because I still have this problem to this day. “It’s hard to say I love you when I am standing over your grave. And I know I never hear your voice again….” I love You Mommom
ReplyDeleteSweet Dreams- This song also reminds me of how far I have come from the down that I was during 8th grade and freshman year. With the passing of my Mommom, a domino effect of bad things also occurred. It made my home life completely unbearable. Since no one could understand at school, I was constantly misunderstood and teased for being “different” or “emo.” Because of it, I often loved to fall asleep because the dreams I would have would take me away from the pain and agony I had each and every day. “Every night I rush to my bed with hopes that maybe Ill get a chance to see you when i close my eyes, I’m going outta my head, lost in a fairytale can you hold my hands and be my guide. Clouds filled with stars cover your skies and i hope it rains. You’re the perfect lullaby. what kinda dream is this?” This particular verse means the most to me. While I never imagine one person to visit in my dreams, I was completely refreshed with seeing anyone at all because they always made me feel better. It the part where Beyonce wishes for rain, my interpretation is rainfall that washes everything away. In my case, I mean the pain, heartache, and bad luck. I wanted it to rain, so when I woke up, everything would have washed away and I would be okay.
While I have a bunch of other favorite songs, (Fireflies, Daddy’s Home, Hey, Soul Sister, and Halo – to name a few) these ones have strong meanings to me. After doing this blog, I realized I am more proud of myself than I realized. While I did not think I gave myself credit for over coming those obstacles, my song choice apparently things otherwise. The other thing I realized about my song choice is that I listen to music that gives me hope, music that gives me the energy to get up and go another day. I listen to music that gives me hope because hope is one of the most important things I have.
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ReplyDeleteI feel very passionately about my music, and I know of numerous songs that I find a close connection to, but a major fraction of those songs come from the band Tool. I would have to say the three songs that sum up my views and my life aspects are the songs Sober, Vicarious, and Ænima. Now these songs are all not that vulgar, but when I quote there will be excessive cursing, not all the songs have massive amounts of cursing but it just happens that the parts that I feel have meaning usually are accompanied with a lot of F words. Now that I have wasted time talking about how the songs have cursing I would like to explain which represent which aspect of my views and life. Ænima is a song that pretty much sums up my seemingly apparent pessimistic views of the world and my life in it, but when read between the lines it makes much more sense than what appears to be pessimism. Sober is a song that describes my view of myself, again not very positive but questions that test the meaning of life in its aspects. Vicarious is another song about my views, I say my views because the band Tool is unique in its music and has very intelligent lyrics, and almost in every way I have a connection to their songs and metaphors.
ReplyDeleteThere is a part in Ænima that goes…
“One great big festering neon distraction,
I've got a suggestion to keep you all occupied.
Learn to swim.”
These lines when paired with prior lines describe the world and its temptations, how people are sucked up into the negative aspects of problems and life, examples being sex, drugs, money. The “learn to swim” part in consistently whispered in the background of the song, as if to imply the solution to every person and their problems. Learning to swim is referencing to keeping oneself afloat, and not being brought down by the world and its temptations and distractions. The song goes on to mock, ridicule, and well “F**K” aspects of people who have met those temptations and embraced the distractions.
“Learn to swim.
Fuck L Ron Hubbard and
Fuck all his clones.
Fuck all these gun-toting
Hip gangster wannabes.
Learn to swim.
Fuck retro anything.
Fuck your tattoos.
Fuck all you junkies and
Fuck your short memory.
Learn to swim.
Fuck smiley glad-hands,
With hidden agendas.
Fuck these dysfunctional,
Insecure actresses.
Learn to swim.”
Though it doesn’t seem much like it, this song in its entirety describes my views and my life—considering it is about 7 and a half minutes there is more to it than ridiculing problems of others. The song also speaks of “flushing it all away” and always being able to change and to change the future by “learning how to swim.” I think this band is unique and intelligent in the way it portrays its lyrics, and my connection to their songs is very strong.
Robert:
ReplyDelete"I am never bored because I am content to listen to the music of the world, the natural symphony that is never absent anywhere at anytime"-- this part of your blog really spoke to me. Sometimes, the things you say make me feel like I am not the only one. I often listen to what is going on around me or go to a quiet place and listen to the natural music all around. It is like the sound of the ocean waves being the only sound that soothes me.. I love natural music.
Kale-
I loved how you described the feelings you get and the emotions that come to you after hearing that particular song. Like me, you seem to get hope from the music you listen to or at least you gain a piece of insight from the lyrics. Wow, that is not what I am trying to say at all. Hmm... I loved the way your blog was written and I understand how those thoughts and emotions appeared into you head.
Jessie:
When I read your blog, I got that the song gave you hope to keep going. While I know the song very well, (it was nominated the Chess Team's SONG), I also get that sense up get-up-and-go and never-give-up. The melody of the song makes it relaxing for me though. It is the actually music of the song, not the lyrics that make me calm down enough to keep going.
Taylor:
ReplyDelete"Metric’s “Gimme Sympathy” is a catchy song saying to go for it! Take chances, keep moving and don’t stop to dwell on the past."
This reminds me of the visual part of your final that you presented on Tuesday. The "Keep moving and don't dwell on the past," idea is just like your "it's all water under the bridge" project. It also reminds me of Brittany's project, how the little paper guy was clinging to the closed door when an open door was right in front of him.
Music means more to me than it probably should. When I can't talk to anyone and I'm upset, I turn to my buddy Music and he makes me feel better. Any kinds really, except any hardcore rap or overly G music, country, or bluegrassy / folky weird stuff. What i usually need in order to calm down and relax or even just maintain an upbeat, happy mood is rock, some metal (ironically), or alternative music. If I'm hyper, some kinda dance or pop will do.
ReplyDeleteThese two songs, however, are pure rock and roll. The first, classical, and the second, more modern.
The first song is entitled "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd:
Take your time... Don't live too fast,
Troubles will come and they will pass.
Go find a woman and you'll find love,
And don't forget son
There is someone up above.
And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Be a simple kind of man.
Won't you do this for me son, if you can?
Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul,
And you can do this if you try.
All that I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.
Boy, don't you worry... you'll find yourself.
Follow you heart and nothing else.
And you can do this if you try.
All I want for you my son, is to be satisfied.
Every verse in this song consists of priceless advice. It is so valuable, and aside from the gender in the lyrics, I can relate one hundred percent. I want to live my life and enjoy everyday of it- living my life too fast would be a complete waste. I need to savor every moment, every encounter. I need to take every opportunity and not rush through anything. When it comes to love- one day I''ll find it. But for now, I am content with not rushing into it. If we all live simply, and not complicate things, we can enjoy life so much better.
Who needs gold to be wealthy? I may not be wealthy financially, but I sure as hell am wealthy in other ways. I have everything I need -- great people, great life experiences, and a great personality that allows me to enjoy it all. Wealth can be interpreted, and that interpretation occurs in your soul, and your heart. I tend to follow that... I don't need rules or orders (although obviously I follow them in certain situations). I just need to go with what my heart tells me, and so I do.
The second song is by a band called Shinedown. Their song, "Fly from the Inside" is deeper than "Simple Man" and represents my life in other ways.
ReplyDelete"I am focused on what I am after
The key to the next open chapter
Cause I found a way to steal the sun from the sky
Long live that day that I decided to fly from the inside
Every day a new deception
Pick your scene and take direction
And on and on I search to connect
But I don't wear a mask and I have no regrets"
Anyone who knows me knows that I do not give up. If something is important, I won't give up on it, even if it is best to (an obvious flaw of mine). When I want something, I work hard to reach it, and usually it is to new opportunities and open doors in my life. Everyone's life is split into chapters of different lengths and tones, whether they be positive or negative, and I am always working towards the next one, ready to fill in the empty pages in my life.
No one truly knows the meaning of life. But I've figured it out. At least, I think I have. "Stealing the sun" in my case means just that -- the sky being life, and the sun, its meaning. The day I "decided to fly from the inside" was the day that all of this made sense to me. No longer was I going to sit there inside this shell and live life by going through the motions. I flew out, and took control, ready to define my own life.
People suck. They deceive you, play you, irk you, and anger you. I "pick my scene" and go in the direction I choose to go, wherever that may be, and I am always searching to connect with those around me. Finally, "I don't wear a mask and I have no regrets." Despite what I have been told, I am not fake. I am who I am, and I'm not afraid to show it. And, most importantly, I try my hardest to live my life without regrets. That's difficult, as we all make mistakes. But the way I see it, if the outcome of said mistake is unchangeable, I just need to move on and get over it. There is no use fretting over it or having regrets about it if I have no control over it.
Though many use music as an escape, I might be alone in thinking that music is an escape from myself. The music I listen to is often a direct contradiction to how I actually think and act. I’m typically really restrained, passing up opportunities to have fun just to protect myself or… well, I’m still not sure why I pass up opportunities to have fun, but I do. A lot of the music I enjoy is about letting go, freeing yourself from restraint and doubt and just being exactly who you are. The other group of music I listen to is usually about fighting for what you believe in, probably because I almost never do so for myself. In short, I suppose music is hope for the future for me. It represents everything I wish I could be, and maybe by listening to these songs I figure that I might get a little closer to realizing that potential.
ReplyDeleteThe first song that comes to mind from the first category is “Riptide” by Sick Puppies.
Chorus:
I, I won't justify
The way I live my life
'Cause I'm the one livin' it
Feelin' it, tastin' it
And you're just wasting your time
Trying to throw me a line
When you're the one drowning
I like where I'm at on my back
Floating down in my own riptide
The water is fine
The song is basically about being who you are and not caring what others think. My biggest problem has always been acting on my feelings and beliefs, and this song represents everything I wish I could be. I’d like to think that I’ve made some progress in this area this year, but I still have a long way to go. I’m just starting to accept who I really am, and hopefully in a few years I’ll finally be content with who I have become.
From the second category. “Uprising” by Muse sticks out.
Rise up and take the power back, it's time that
The fat cats had a heart attack, you know that
Their time is coming to an end
We have to unify and watch our flag ascend
It’s basically about political oppression and revolution, but it makes me think of just taking a stand in general. I’m not familiar with a lot of Muse’s older songs, as I’m sure Stephen is, but from what I have heard, a lot of their songs are about standing up for your rights. Standing up for myself and fighting for what I believe in is something I almost never do, but songs like these inspire me to be more steadfast in my beliefs.
I forgot to mention a third category before. The other group of music that I listen to is just pure energy music. More often than not, I don’t even notice what the lyrics say in these songs. Instead, I just let the energy of the music take over. This is the type of music I listen to when I’m feeling particularly down or uninspired (like today!). An example of this would be “War” by Sick Puppies. The lyrics themselves are pretty unoriginal, but it gets me pumped up, so I really don’t care.
That about sums it up. I really don’t listen to many other types of music unless they just happen to be on the radio. Love songs, for example, never really interest me. They usually seem way too sappy and generalized to actually affect me in any way. Also, I much prefer loud, obnoxious music to soft music, and soft music usually accompanies lyrics about love. Occasionally, I’ll listen to humorous songs, like “Threw it on the Ground”, but I’m not really sure they merit in-depth discussion and thought. In general, I only listen to music that makes me happy and gives me hope for a better future. Nothing else really resonates with me.
Kyra A:
ReplyDeleteHow did I forget about "Simple Man"? Though it doesn't fit into any of the categories I listed, this is one of the best songs I've heard in quite some time. Also, since your second song is from Shinedown, I must ask if you discovered "Simple Man" because of Shinedown's cover of it. It's just a guess, but that's what happened to me. I never really cared much for "Fly from the Inside", though. Oh well.
Stephanie: For your first song, I understand that feeling completely. I kind of explained that in my second choice, about wanting to be number 1 to a lover no matter what. I think Manny fulfills that for you, so I would consider that mission accomplished. Secondly, I’m so proud that you’re proud of yourself! You have grown since I first met you in myriad ways, and I know you will continue to keep growing. Just promise to keep in contact with me, k? :] We still have to go to Nipplopolis!
ReplyDeleteDylan: I have to check out this band now, because I love the lyrics you posted from them. I don’t think you are a pessimistic person at all, just a very logical, realistic one. Totally opposite from me, mind you, but I feel realism and altruism are two different means of obtaining the same goal. The lyrics, though, I feel, are empowering. I’m beleaguered by insecurity more than I would like to admit, and the line “f*ck these dysfunctional insecure actresses” makes me think, “You know what, I am beautiful,” since it usually is the plastic surgery on these actresses that make me feel less than pretty. Interesting blog, Dylan.
Stephen: Ah, Muse. If I knew nothing about you but one thing, it would be that your favorite band was Muse. I really like the lyrical examples you posted because, although they’re from different songs, they basically say the same thing: be yourself, now. That’s great, because it’s a message so easily tossed out of the window, a message so obvious that it often remains unseen. Personally, I can tell how this has affected you; when I first met you, you denied that you were gay, and now look at you! Gay and proud! :D And I’m proud of you for being you Stephen ^_^
Dylan: First, I'd like to say, great taste in music, Tool kicks ass. Second, I'd like to say that I agree on the whole "learn to swim" thing. People are too easily pulled under by those things you have mentioned, and it is so unneccessary. We need to get above that !
ReplyDeleteJesse: "Worse than trying and failing is failing to try." This is so true, and I apply it to almost everything in my life ! And: "But I think, in order to truly be happy, I need to first believe that I deserve happiness, to stay in the light and tell myself I’m worth it." Maybe this is just my overly optimistic attitude speaking, but you really are worth it. You deserve happiness so much more than some others, because you are a truly good person. I think you are just too modest to say it or see it. But be confident in yourself because you are truly worth it!
Sarah: I love that song! And you are so right, that song can probably fit a lot of our lives as teenagers in society. But one thing that you pointed out that I never noticed was your metaphor for dancing and the need to break free. I think it's awesome that you made that connection!
Lucas: I love both versions of the song, but growing up my dad would always play the original version. It was pretty cool to find out that Shinedown covered it, and it is kinda funny that techinically both songs I chose to write about were from them. But yeah, Simple Man is an amazing song!
ReplyDeletePart One
ReplyDeleteI have never really been the best with lyrics, I always mix them up and either say the wrong thing or add words of my own. Anyways, when I was thinking I was first trying to find a song that really relates to the way that I visualize love. This song in a way is not symbolic to my whole life story but it’s the way I want to live, and of course it’s the way I want to love. I want to love fearlessly, so yes the song that most relates to how I imagine my life is depicted through “Fearless,” by Taylor Swift. Say what you want about Taylor but every time I hear one of her songs I feel so connected to the lyrics that I can never mess up her songs. The line that is really embedded in my head is “You take my hand and drag me headfirst, fearless. And I don't know why but with you I dance, in a storm in my best dress, fearless.” I love this line of the song and for two direct reasons. It’s first symbolic to the way I want to fall in love, or my thoughts on love. I want to be in love without reservations. Meaning I want to fall in love with someone and not question whether or not they fit my standards. Sometimes I feel that’s the problem with society we build up this perfect man and yet they don’t exist but what we really should look for is how we feel when we are around them. That’s why whenever I hear this song I want to find love like that because it’s silly and crazy idea, but it doesn’t matter because the way you feel with that guy makes everything seem perfect. That’s why I want a guy help me take that take risks in doing something and not caring what others think this line sums up how I feel My hands shake, I'm not usually this way, But you pull me in and I'm a little more brave, a guy that keeps me guessing what they have
Part 2
ReplyDeleteplanned next and most of all doesn’t have to impress me through diamonds but just simple things such as dancing in the rain. I feel that this line and whole song depicts love as carefree which is something I want to obtain because I am always focused on what others think. I feel it advices sometimes you have to take that leap of faith in love to find that person, basically risks are worth taking. This leads me to the second reason why this depicts how I imagine my life, sometimes I fear too much and don’t follow my heart. The reason why is because I care what others think too much. If I make the wrong move, decision, choice I know that I will be frowned upon. That’s a scary feeling being judged and sometimes I feel I live too cautiously afraid to upset others. That’s why this song just inspires me to just go out and do crazy things ex.( dance in my dress in the rain) and not care that the whole world is watching but just care that I am happy. That I am young and fearless, “Cause I don’t know how it gets better than this,” what is better than living like this. I mean you shouldn’t be carefree about everything but maybe being fearless speaks to me in the way of not caring what others think. Thought fearless is a song dedicated to the realms of dating and love, many emotions arise from it and resonate in my brain in how I want to be perceived. I don’t want to care what people think if I do something absurd or crazy, I want to just laugh and smile because it feels good not because it’s normal. I want to be referred to as a risk taker and someone who always follows their heart. In a way I want to be perceived I guess in a sense as stubborn. With love I want to go in with an open-mind and heart and not care about what could happen but about how they make me feel when I am around them. In this passenger seat, you put your eyes on me, In this moment, now capture it, remember it and that’s exactly in a nutshell the feeling I want to feel when I am with this special guy. Fearless is overall how I want to live life from this day forward, not afraid of the future, not afraid to get my heart broken and definitely not afraid to be myself.
Hannah (Harriet)- I love your song choice. Everytime I here that song I totally feel like I am a little kid again. Not even the lyrics but just the fact that Lizzie Mcguire everyone's icon sang it! Anyways, I feel like we search way to much for the meaning of life but what I feel like Lizzie is saying is that life is where your heart is. It begins when you follow your heart and that is the true relatity. Anyone can tell you what life is about but if you dont believe it in your heart than really it's not your life, it's that persons. Maybe that's not actually what she is saying but I feel that's what she is. That dreams are made from what lies in the heart!
ReplyDeleteDeanna N:
ReplyDeleteI, too, seem to go through phases like that. I felt particularly familiar with the world-is-swallowing-my-happiness part, and I agree that some music definitely represents that stage well. However, I've always thought it to be counterproductive to listen to that type of music when depressed, because more often than not it makes me more depressed. That could just be me though. Also, love sucks. That's why I tend to avoid it completely. I hate putting myself out there because I feel like I'm just going to regret it later. I guess that's one of my many flaws, too, and it's definitely something I should think about working on.
Kel- I love that song! Sometimes I relate that song back to the song 100 years which they are totally different but sometimes they feel the same. Yeah, nobody says "I love you," that much because we always feel like we are going to see the ones we love.Sometimes you just surprise me in how deep you truly are. You have a lot of insight about things and sometimes I feel like you just get songs like every song you take relate it to live. I feel like you have done that our whole friendship and I am finally realizing that now.
ReplyDeleteGwen- Everytime that I hear that Alicia Keys song I just get up and dance. I just think in a way it's just so uplifiting even though I only know one verse. Gwen I think that is so cool that you are ready for the senior year. I have always looked at you as strong and confident in yourself and thats surprising to see your apprehensive for this year. This song though does remind me of you because you are always smiling and laughing about something.
ReplyDeleteDo I even need to warn this shall be very long.....
ReplyDeleteMusic is next to air for importance of it in my life.
I hope I don't get in trouble for this Bunje, but under my scarf... my headphones are always snuggling into my ears...
No, I would never dare turn my iPod on in your class, or any class where I need to listen and pay attention.
But they are ALWAYS in there, for security that I might need to turn my iPod on and escape.
Currently I have over 2,000 songs on my computer, and more then 1,300 on my iPod. Every single song is there for a reason, and I have a song from every single genre you could think of. I also have songs from other languages. Now that I have expressed that Music is my Best Friend and the cause of my horrible hearing, I hope this will be an understanding that all of my songs have a part to fit with my philosophy of my life, and I can't just pick 2/2,000 to explain it. I will though pick two that I feel currently.
First song is by a man that I consider one of the best political/society rappers ever, Jay-Z "discovered" him and described him as a "Fresh breath of Air" to the Rap Game. His name is Lupe Fiasco. He also does rock and has a Punk Band. If I could I would actually pick many parts of his many wonderful and underrated songs to describe my feelings
I get effected by the society surrounding me and the actions of people. I was going to pick Where is the Love by Black Eyed Peas, but it was as intense as this one. The corruption and oppression of another irks me to the point of emotional and physical exhaustion. I turned to writing and art to express and I feel like I'm not the only one that cares when I listen to the song, HURT ME SOUL by Lupe Fiasco. .
He goes through his personal development and then lists what other's would complain that they go through and I feel by listing it, he is supporting and letting people know what is going on. It's a venting song and I just feel this feeling that we are not alone, all the people that I've seen suffer are not alone. Some where out there understands and cares, like me.
LYRICS
ReplyDeleteIn the mix with my realities and feelings
Living conditions, religion, ignorant wisdom and artistic vision
I began to jot, tap the world and listen, it drop
My mom can't feed me, my boyfriend beats me
I have sex for money, the hood don't love me
The cops wanna kill me, this nonsense built me
And I got noooo place to gooo
They bomb my village, they call us killers
Took me off they welfare, can't afford they health care
My teacher won't teach me, my master beats me
And it huuurts meee soooul
They took my daughter, we ain't got no water
I can't get hired, they cross on fire
We all got suspended, I just got sentenced
So I got noooo place to gooo
They threw down my gang sign, I ain't got no hang time
They talk about my sneakers, poisoned our leader
My father ain't seen me, turn off my TV
'Cause it huuurts meee soooul
So through the Grim Reaper sickle sharpening
Macintosh marketing
Oil field augering
Brazilian adolescent disarmament
Israeli occupation
Islamic martyrdom, precise
Yeah, laser guided targeting
Oil for food, water, and terrorist organization harborin
Sand camouflage army men
CCF sponsorin, world conquerin, telephone monitorin
Louis Vuitton modelin, pornographic actress honorin
String theory ponderin, bullimic vomitin
Catholic priest fondlin, pre-emptive bombin and Osama and no bombin them
They breakin in my car again, deforestation and overloggin and
Hennessy and Hypnotic swallowin, hydroponic coughin and
All the world's ills, sittin on chrome 24-inch wheels, like that
They say I'm infected, this is why I injected
I had it aborted, we got deported
My laptop got spyware, they say that I can't lie here
But I got noooo place to gooo
I can't stop eatin, my best friend's leavin
My pastor touched me, I love this country
I lost my earpiece, I hope y'all hear me
'Cause it huuurts meee soooul
My second song would be by Eminem, Sing For The Moment.
ReplyDeleteTo me it talks about how no one can truly relate to a person as a whole, even though it might seem like that sometimes but at least that these rappers or song writers try to make us feel like we're not alone.
"Yet everybody just feels like they can relate, I guess words are a
mothafucka they can be great.
Or they can degrade, or even worse they can teach hate"
Then in the third verse, he starts describing how music is effective and important.
I listen to music to sometimes vent anger before I lash out on someone. Sometimes I hear I sad song and it'll replace my tears. An angry Fuck You song will take away thoughts of snapping or getting in someone's face. Of course it can also make me happy and chill, but I feel like it saves me more then it puts me in bad situations.
"They say music can alter moods and talk to you
Well can it load a gun up for you , and cock it too?
Well if it can, then the next time you assault a dude,
Just tell the judge it was my fault and i'll get sued.
See what these kids do is hear about us totin' pistols
And they want to get one cause they think the shit's cool.
Not knowin' we really just protectin' ourselves, we entertainers
Of course the shit's affectin' our sales, you ignoramus.
........
That's why we sing for these kids, who don't have a thing
Except for a dream, and a fuckin' rap magazine
Who post pin-up pictures on their walls all day long
Idolize they favorite rappers and know all they songs.
Or for anyone who's ever been through shit in their lives.
Till they sit and they cry at night wishin' they'd die.
Till they throw on a rap record and they sit, and they vibe.
We're nothin' to you but we're the fuckin' shit in they eyes.
That's why we seize the moment try to freeze it and own it, squeeze it and
hold it.
Cause we consider these minutes golden
And maybe they'll admit it when we're gone
Just let our spirits live on, through our lyrics that you hear in our
songs and we can...
{C'mon}, sing with me, {sing}, sing for the years
{Sing it}, sing for the laughter, sing for the tears, {c'mon)
Sing it with me, just for today, maybe tomorrow the good Lord will take you
away..."
Taylor-
ReplyDeleteAhhhh, the joys of Express Playlist. During those tough and chilly winter months, I believe this playlist got me through it. I wish I listened to it more. Anyways, it comes as absolutely no surprise that you would choose songs from Express Playlist to extract philosophies. Express doesn't mess around!
“Get hot
Get too close to the flame
Wild open space
Talk like an open book
Sign me up
Got no time to take a picture
I'll remember someday
All the chances we took”
This kind of reminds me of my "This I Believe" topic. I used an extended metaphor about driving without a rearview mirror as a means of saying that dwelling on the past will waste the present, like Metric is conveying in this song. Take chances, make mistakes, live while you can. Just grab life by the horns and have fun! I think this particular lyric relates to you completely! You're the one to take risks, to be the one who takes the dare. That is one of the reasons why you're a great friend, and also why we're different. You'll be like "Let's go." While I, on the other hand, say, "Well, maybe we shouldn't". You just love taking chances.
Kelsey C:
ReplyDeleteI just thought about who I would call if I was falling out of the sky, and I can't honestly say that I would have an answer (other than family, obviously). I think I need to get more out of life. If it's really that hard to decide who I'd want to talk to then, there's something pretty wrong. That gave me a lot to think about.
If you’ve ever been in my presence with the absence of a music player for a long enough time, you know I live by Relient K and Switchfoot. I don’t run around singing their songs just because of catchy beats and addicting melodies. I run around singing their songs because they make me feel like, well, me. Sure, Relient K has their ridiculously asinine songs (think “Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything,” “Skittles and Combos,” or my favorite, “Untitled”), and Switchfoot manages to get a little more ambiguous than I am comfortable with at times, but both bands have released songs that have shaped the philosophy by which I live my life. I managed to get it down to excerpts from four different songs.
ReplyDelete1. “And it’s funny how you find
You enjoy your life
When you're happy to be alive.”
-Relient K, “High of 75”
These are perhaps the most blatantly obvious words I have ever heard in my life, but they are words that I need to be reminded of on a daily basis, if not more frequently. They remind me that I control my own mood and feelings. When I’m feeling down, I simply need not be in order to feel better.
2. “Somewhere back there I left my worries all behind.
My problems fell out of the back of my mind.
We're going and I'm never knowing (never knowing) where we're going.
To go back to where I was would just be wrong.
I'm pressing on.
I think we're going somewhere.
We're on to something good here.
Out of mind, out of state.
Trying to keep my head on straight.
I think we're going somewhere.
We're on to something good here.
Adversity, we get around it.
Searched for joy, in you I found it.”
-RK, “Pressing On”
As I said in my first OP, I believe in big G, little O, little D. This song encapsulates the energy I receive from praying and looking to God. My favorite bible verse is, and has always been Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” The song “Pressing On” captures the essence of moving forward without worry and knowing everything is going to work out for the best.
3. Hello hurricane,
You're not enough.
Hello hurricane,
You can't silence my love.
I've got doors and windows
Boarded up.
All your dead end fury is
Not enough.
You can't silence my love, my love.
-Switchfoot, Hello Hurricane
On to Switchfoot. “Hello Hurricane” is, to me, a statement of resistance to all the negative things in life. No matter what hurricane, what conflict or adversity, I may face, it won’t be enough to shut me down. I can prepare for or fight through anything without losing sight of the things that matter most.
When I go through a hardship, whether it is a physical injury, harsh words, or a tough time, and no matter how unexpected or powerful it may be, I try to keep my head on straight and my priorities in perspective.
4. A spark ignites
In time and space
Limping through this human race
You bite and claw your way back home
But you're running the wrong way
The future is a question mark
Of kerosene and electric sparks
There's still fire in you yet
Yeah there's still fire in you!
If we've only got one try
If we've only got one life
If time was never on our side
Then before I die
I want to burn out bright
-Switchfoot, Burn Out Bright
When on my deathbed, I want to be able to say that I’ve burned out bright. I want to be this unstoppable juggernaut, grabbing life by the horns and pushing and fighting my way through anything that comes at me, even in the face of uncertainty. I want to live life to the fullest and with no fear, and die having left my mark on the world.
Lucas:
ReplyDeleteYay! Uprising! That is such a great song, and the perfect overture for the entire album! You should listen to some more Muse, and take some of their advice. You're very intelligent Lucas, you should stand up for yourself and what you believe in. You can go so far, don't let anyone stop you.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMARYAM"S BLOG
ReplyDeleteSilence is the peace that fills me and music is the peace that surrounds me.
Music. I rely on it a lot, maybe a little too much. It flows through my ears when I do my homework, when I draw, when I paint, when I sleep, when I screw up, when I'm in pain, when the only person that can comfort me is thousands of miles away and I have noone else to turn to. Although I like complete silence the best, there are certain songs that consume me in a different kind of solace. The perfect combination of the sounds that the instruments (and computers/mixers) produces some of the most relaxing and deep songs I have ever heard. I listen to very little lyrical songs simply because I believe that most times words are completely unecessary. For example, two lovers can express their love for each other without having to verbally say "I love you." They can feel each other say "I love you" through a hug, a kiss or even simply holding hands. The possibilities can be endless.
"Your Hand In Mine" by Explosions In The Sky is one of my most listened to non-lyrical songs and my second most listened to musicians. The first time I heard it, I immediately knew I would never get tired of this song. I knew that no matter when I would listen to it, I'll feel the same as I did when I listened to it for the first time but each time, I'd fall deeper and deeper into the beauty of the music. There are so many sounds that create the perfect cadence of the music to express it's own emotions and feelings for the story it tells. That's why I love instrumental music, especially from Explosions In The Sky; each song tells a different story. The beauty of it is, the story is different for each person that listens to the music because without lyrics one has a blank canvas and can create the story themselves. The title kind of sets the theme for the story, and the rest is up to the listener. Sometimes when I listen to this song, my story changes depending on what I hear in the music.
Another song that I absolutely love is "Lost In Timeless Horizons" by Nyctalgia. Nyctalgia is my most listened to musician in all of my itunes because I feel so connected to the music every time I hear it. The artist is simply a twenty year old college student living in Switzerland who composes the music using a guitar, piano/keyboard, bass, and drum programming. All of his music amazes me no matter how many times I listen to it. The emotions, the feelings and stories expressed in them have such a depth that when I listen to them, I can feel the music wrap itself around me. It sounds weird, but it's true. The sound is so beautiful, it needs no words to complete it not to describe it. This song particularly brings peace to me in a way that almost perfectly connects with my soul. Even the video for it shows the serene snow-covered Alps in Switzerland and the beauty of a person enjoying the complete solitude on top of a mountain.
Music is great as long as you're not filling your ears with Bieber or the Jonas Brothers! Haha! No, actually, as long as the song's music and lyrics really connect with you, I believe any song is fine. So, if Drake's next hit is about slapping some booty and that is a perfect description for your life, that's ay oh kay with me.
ReplyDeleteI think of myself as a patient person. I like to listen to others and even wait for my turn to talk in a conversation. Even when I'm interrupted, I back off and begin to listen again. I don't mind being patient because I whole heartedly believe in the statement, "good things come to those who wait." This quote often comes to my mind when I'm feeling lonely. By lonely, I don't mean that I'm missing friends or my family isn’t around, I just have times where I really wish I had, as Uroosa states often in class, someone who just really "gets me". Y'know..."THE ONE.” I'm trying to avoid steering this post into a opinion about love, but I will say this, I believe there is someone out there for me. I also believe that I'll have to go through multiple options of "THE ONE" before I actually find "THE ONE". So be it. I can wait.
That's where the song, "Til Kingdom Come" by Coldplay comes in. Not only is Coldplay my favorite band of all time, but this song inspires my journey to finding the one I'll love and ultimately sums up that beautiful and miraculous moment where I find "THE ONE" that "gets me". The one I love; my other half.
"Still my heart and hold my tongue
I feel my time
My time has come
Let me in
Unlock the door
I never felt this way before"
It will be a moment where unique and new feelings wash themselves upon me; feelings i've never experienced before, but i'll still know what they mean.
"For you I’d wait 'til kingdom come
Until my day, my day is done
And say you'll come and set me free
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me"
I will wait, I will wait for as long as I can because I know that my reward will not compare to anything I've experienced before. I will wait until kingdom come for you.
"For you I’d wait 'til kingdom come
Until my days, my days are done
And say you'll come and set me free
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me"
I will wait for as long as it takes, I only hope, I only pray, that this person I'm waiting for is patient, and they are waiting for me.
MARYAM'S BLOG (continued)
ReplyDeleteSometimes, though, words are necessary for the message to be expressed clearly to all listeners, which is why still have some songs that have very subtly deep meanings portrayed through the small amount of lyrics in them.
"On the way with bow and arrow
Try to find this thing to shoot
Be on the hunt with bow and arrow
It's a very different trip
Dangerous but necessary
Yes I know
The ice is too thin to walk on
Yes I know
The path too narrow to walk on
Sleepy storm
Where is your beating heart today
Hey sleepy storm
Would I choose to walk or stay
On my way with bow and arrow
To be on the safe side
Until I lost sight of the land
Far into the night
Be on the hunt with bow and arrow
With bow and arrow
Shall I find your hiding place
Yes I know
The ice is too thin I walk on
Yes I know
The path too narrow I walk on"
These lyrics from "Sleepy Storm" by Schiller are probably the most representable with me and my life. Behind the words I see the path that I've been going on in life on my search for peace. I haven't really been on a "hunt" for peace but I have been seeking it. For those of you in my class know that I consider death as the ultimate peace.(you know how they say "rest in peace" for those who have died...) I mean it's not like I want to die or that I'm suicidal or anything, it's just that I don't view death as a bad thing. I believe it is a part of life and that when I'm done with my time on Earth, life continues because your soul still lives on. When death does come, I believe that it will be a time of complete peaceful solitude, until Judgment Day of course. So in this song I see the "sleepy storm" as the ultimate peace, death. For me the "hunt" isn't that I'm trying to kill myself in order to get to the ultimate peace, but sort of my path of patience. It's difficult to explain, but when you listen to the song, the peaceful swift sounds explain themselves. But let me get it clear that I'm not hoping to die, looking forward to it, or unappreciative of this life... just so nobody misunderstands, I just don't think death is a bad thing. That's all guyss.
T-Palm:
ReplyDeleteYou were right (not that I'd expect anything different)! “Don’t Let Your Feet Touch Ground” is ridiculously uplifting! I love the idea of "another beautiful day embracing me." It's definitely a song I'm going to add to my mental playlist, as I, too, have no iPod.
JV-
ReplyDeleteNot only is John Legend sexy, but he is obviously so incredibly talented, as illustrated through his Grammy-winning music! His music, especially "Ordinary People", will never grow old on me. When I first heard this song, I remember having an instantaneous connection to it. Thus, I was connected to your blog the second I saw John Legend's lyrics. Just to add to your thoughts, I feel as though Legend is trying to express that love is an imperfection. With it, we're going to make mistakes, we're going to be foolish. "We're just ordinary people". Like you said, you need to fight in order to make your relationship stronger. And like you mentioned as well, this can be related with any ordinary person. We all make mistakes, and we learn from them. We become stronger. Great song choice, and I definitely agree with your interpretation.
JV:
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge fan of "Ordinary People," too. Like you, I don't think it's meant to be applied strictly to relationships, but to life in general. Whether it's love or a homework assignment, if you dive in too quickly, optimum quality cannot be achieved. Everything worth havig is worth being patient for. Maybe we should take it slow.
Robert F- "I prefer instrumental music to lyrical music, since it is more pure in sound and closer to the natural music of the world..."
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. As I said in my blog, I think sometimes words are completely unnecessary and that's another reason why I prefer instrumental music to lyrical. But it's true, the instruments sound so pure and have such a natural flow to it, it's hard not to like it.
Katie G- First of all, way to cut off my blog! Just kidding :)
Well I definitely wanted to read yours seeing as we share music in art class all the time, and I love your taste in music. But I was a little surprised you picked a song related to your view on love since you haven't really talked about love that much. And I was also surprised by how we share similar characteristics dealing with patience...actually, I'm like the same exact way! Anyways, as usual, I loved the song's lyrics and i love the last sentence because it also relates a little with me. :)
Music is such a great escape that without it I wouldn’t be able to dance my way out of reality, in which most times I need a break from. I truly do love and am thankful for music. But I rely on the music alone. It’ cadence, the quantity of beats one can step too, and everything else that contributes to the overall catchiness. So to find music that resonates with me was, I’ll admit, difficult. I mean how was Lil Wayne’s “Bed Rock” or Keisha’s “Tik Tok” or even Jay Sean’s “Down” (was a song I was once obsessed with haha) were to resonate with me? After much searching, and eliminating tons of songs I managed to find few that I believe quite fit my perspective on life and how I’d want it to be.
ReplyDeleteTo start off, Kerli Koiv’s “Walking on Air” :
“Do you know what it's all about
Are you brave enough to figure out
Know that you could set your world on fire
If you are strong enough to leave your doubts
Feel it
Breathe it
Believe it
And you'll be walking on air
Go try
Go fly
So high
And you'll be walking on air
You feel this
unless you kill it
Go on
And you're forgiven
I knew that
I could feel that
I feel like
I am walking on air”
The music (meaning the beat not the lyrics) is pretty whimsical and also at the same time daunting. I also adore what it she has to say. It goes hand in hand with my quote as well. We, as complex human beings, are capable of having so much power. And I believe we should exercise this power, our unalienable rights, in life. We shouldn’t always be afraid of things we WANT to do. I believe we should follow our hearts and trust it to lead us to our rightful place or path, whatever it might be. People are too afraid relegate themselves for the fear of parents, lovers whatever it might be. If your not “walking on air”, they’re just holding you down. Only YOU have the power to change that. This piece of lyric highly motivates me to apply it everyday in my life.
Another one is Tevin Campbell’s “Eye to Eye” (From the Goofy movie)
“I've got myself the notion
One I know that you'll understand
To set the world in motion
By reaching out for each other's hand
Maybe we'll discover
What we should've known all along
One way or another,
Together's where we both belong.
Chorus:
If we listen to each other's heart
We'll find we're never too far apart
And maybe love's the reason why
For the first time ever we're seein' it
Eye to Eye”
I like this song cause it’s really catchy, even though it’s one of those 60s or 70s type of beat going on there. Hippy-ish? I guess that would be the word, the lyrics could be called that too since it advocates peace. (I believe this quote can apply to all types of relationships, not just lovers) I believe everything can end or be done peacefully. If “we listen to each other’s heart and find we’re never to far apart” This, is what I always and will do. It’s best to always find common ground, before you automatically assume or point out something that might in away cause an earthquake. Understanding is part of being the better person rather than being completely ignorant, if you put yourself in a situation, that you know nothing about. This explains my silent, observant side.
And what I want out of love…
Of course a bollywood song (their mainly love songs)
Kyun Hawa- from the movie Veer Zara:
kyo.n hawaa aaj yuu.n gaa rahii hai
Why is the breeze singing today?
kyo.n fiza ra.ng chhalka rahii hai
Why is the whole atmosphere saturated with color?
mere dil bataa aaj hona hai kya
Tell me, my heart, what is destined to happen today?
chaa.ndanii din me.n kyo.n chhaa rahii hai
Why is moonlight spreading into the day?
zi.ndagii kis taraf jaa rahii hai
What path is life taking?
mere dil bataa kya hai yeh silsila
My heart, explain this chain of events!
kyo.n hawaa aaj yuu.n gaa rahii hai
Why is the breeze singing today?
gaa rahii hai...
It's singing
Basically self explanatory. I want to feel as if nothing can ever go wrong with the world.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTaylor - I love your choices! The first makes me picture you just running around doing whatever you want, I love it! And the second, let's just say I've had it on replay for the longest time now. Oh! I'm glad I'm not the only one with a radio playing in my head all the time - I always think music is playing so I start dancing... low and behold, I'm all alone.
ReplyDeleteMusic is extremely vital in my life. I use it to relax, vent, release anger, entertain myself; music is very important to my daily functioning. In my opinion the most beautiful of art forms, music has the ability to express feelings in their most pure form. Music is a universal beauty, it can be shared by anyone; a reserved citizen of Japan is just as likely to enjoy a beautiful symphony as a brash and outspoken American. Music is enjoyed and cherished by countless individuals, and I am no different.
ReplyDeleteOver the past few years, I have turned to music in both my most turmoil filled times as well as my most blissful times. My music taste has expanded so much over the last four years, beginning with the energy driven and passionate songs of Metallica and lately shifting to indie bands, representing raw and avid ideas. I have been exposed to music my whole life, and have accumulated countless interests. One day I will bob my head to Avenged Sevenfold, the next relax to the mellow and uplifting beauty that is MGMT, but no matter the genre or style, I enjoy good music. One song that had particularly shaped my ideas and views is “Imagine” by John Lennon.
“Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one”
The broad yet simple views on unity and peace expressed in this song speak volumes to me. I have come to realize that peace is the only answer, that violence and dispute is never the answer. This song played a large part in these realizations and strong convictions. The pure altruism expressed in every verse of this song move me; inspire me to be the best person that I can be. The notion that peace can be achieved through unity and the pursuit of selflessness is a profound one that should be practiced by all. The sheer emotion and passion displayed in this song have also shown me that I can make a difference in this world; I can exemplify idealism, through unique and passionate thoughts. This idea has had a deep impact on my life over the past year, and will continue to influence my decisions and choices.
Kaitlin H:
ReplyDeleteI remember the first time I saw the video for "Between the Curves" and fell in love with the sentiment behind the lyrics. Any song that echoes the idea that there's more to life than their appears to be on the surface has always tugged at me, and this song is no exception. Like you and Fight From Above, I have a desire to "just go out and find it."
On a side note, finding the area between two curves in calc was a little less painful because it always managed to stick this song in my head.
GWEN- “I have a music downloading problem. I might as well tell you now so that I don’t have to explain it later. When I realize that I like an artist, I will download all their albums. It doesn’t matter to me if they’ve had 13 albums preceding the one hit that they actually have, I WILL go and download them.”
ReplyDeleteHAHA. YES! I do this too! Every album usually has a theme though, right? So, I think each CD is telling a story, and if you only listen to one song, that only a piece. YOU NEED TO KNOW THE WHOLE STORY!!!
CHRISSY – “This is why I love Death Cab! On the surface, the lyrics are obviously pertaining to someone looking back and wishing that they took the risks in order to find love. Like, you know, when the guy doesn’t have the balls to go up to the girl and say she’s pretty? (which is most boys in our school, I presume) Yet, the singer is also reflecting on all of the missed opportunities he let slip away. This song definitely encourages me to follow my dreams, rather than “settling” on something second to best. “
LOVE Death Cab! I didn’t know you were into them! I believe in the same meanings as you do when listening to this song, and it’s probably because we’re similar in our goals, fears, and dreams. We don’t want to settle for an ordinary life, we know that our career paths will involve risks, but that’s what we want! Death Cab is such an incredible band. I listen to them when I draw and I just go into another world.
Sarah C – “Alchemist, the boy wants only to live his dreams. He decides, quite like I might, to let go of everything that depends on him and just escape to the place that he wants to be. To me the lyrics in the song are about finding your dreams and rejecting society in order to make them come true. I want to make the Great Escape, and I will one day. I want to travel the world and I will do so. If I become a buyer, I get to pick out the season’s next trends, while exploring the world.”
D’AWW SARAH! The Great Escape…is an amazing song. I remember it was Crystal’s ring tone when we first started hanging out, and this is weird…but it always seems to be playing at shitty parts of my life. Hahahaha! This should make me hate the song, but maybe its…AN OMEN. An Omen for me to just escape the crap moment and move on.
I can trace the veins of my growth as a person through my music. It’s not only entwined with my life, but fully enwraps it. As a little kid my dad didn’t really get the whole “children’s music” thing. While my friends had Barney blasting on long car rides, I had David Bowie, Loggins and Messina, Eric Clapton, Meatloaf, and millions more. As I got older I detached from my dad’s music. I wanted to listen to something that felt like my own. Fate stepped in, and carried Robert Zimmerman into my poor little life. You probably know him as Bob Dylan, but I see him as a musical God. Although my music today is widespread and eclectic, he remains a rock for my ears and my mind.
ReplyDeleteBob Dylan’s “Up to me” might seem to ramble through a man’s life and thoughts, but it maintains one consistency: there are times when you can’t let yourself be dragged in and out with the tide, there are times when you have to dig your feet into the sand, there are times when you must make a stand even against forces far greater than you.
“If I'd thought about it I never would've done it, I guess I would've let it slide,
If I'd lived my life by what others were thinkin', the heart inside me would've died.
I was just too stubborn to ever be governed by enforced insanity,
Someone had to reach for the risin' star,
I guess it was up to me.”
This acceptance of the need to be a factor of change is never easy. I’m never good at it. I like to observe things around me, and try to understand them. Often I take myself out of the equation, and forget to consider what I can do. In these moment I try to look for what I must do, and go for it. I’ve definitely missed a lot of these opportunities or messed them up, but I still believe it is important to try.
“Well, I met somebody face to face and I had to remove my hat,
She's everything I need and love but I can't be swayed by that.
It frightens me, the awful truth of how sweet life can be,
But she ain't gonna make a move,
I guess it must be up to me.”
My cowardice appears the most when these moments of change have to do with love or even silly crushes. In almost every situation, I’ll try to avoid making any moves. However I know when people I like slip away, it’s usually because I didn’t do anything. I just hope that someday I can get over that and be a more active force in my own life.
The moment of change always exists, but is rarely always clear. Finding my place or path even just in relation to my life is really difficult. “Into the Ocean” by Blue October is about a guy who jumps off a boat to see what will happen then struggles to deal with sinking and his own confusion. It’s real message and description connect with the part of me that often feels lost.
“Not knowing how to think
I scream aloud, begin to sink
My legs and arms are broken down
With envy for the solid ground
I'm reaching for the life within me
How can one man stop his ending
I thought of just your face
Relaxed, and floated into space”
The flustered feeling of searching for something without really knowing what that something is can be overwhelming. The more rushed and confused you get, the less likely you are to find anything besides discouragement. The task is even harder and more important when looking for something inside yourself. Wishing you were somewhere else or someone else (or “solid ground”), and panicking won’t help. You just have to move on and remember what’s important to you.
Manar H- "Every single song is there for a reason"
ReplyDeleteI don't have thousands of songs in my ipod like you, I only have about 400 in it now, but I too have each song there for a reason. None of my songs are ever ignored, I go through all of my songs in my ipod in an entire week (sometimes two). As I add more songs, at least 7 a week, my time with my headphones in my ears increases. As for your lyrics, I like how they express so much emotion. You know how I told you I get obsessive with the Palestinian genocide, well after we talked yesterday, I was watching this video of a girl performing her poem about hate in the Palestinian/ Israeli conflict that I think you'll like...I'll show it to you later. :)
Deanna - I'm amazed on how you can pin point why, how, and describe exactly what about the song effects you. I also love how you already used the vocabulary word Peccadilloes to your benefit. Reading your blogs and papers are always offering me a thing or two to learn because as I'm sure everyone noticed I have trouble expressing what I mean or feel. This blog was difficult because I had to describe and show about lyrics and music when I in fact go to music to just FEEL and not have to explain that feeling. You exemplify a perfect way that in my mind I model from time to time to help myself overcome this "expression" problem.
ReplyDeleteJessie- "Don't Stop Believin" is one of those songs that it can be interpreted in many ways and we both happen to interpret the same way.
"Oh the irony. I, yes, I, this girl right here who is terrified of change, have found myself longing for the opportunity to just go out and LIVE."
I love security and to be knowing and aware, but this song also gives me hope that I will LIVE and DISCOVER like you said. I also think that taking that chance to discover and live is within itself a discovery of self. You dissecting the lyrics to all these metaphors really have taken me back because you put what I feel into words.
ALL AP LANGERS- Okay, many and by many I mean almost all of the songs I have never heard before. I really though I was one of the few that went in depth with lyrics and all of you have given me, not only a whole new bunch of songs to search, but also different perceptions to learn from and take in. For example: AlexisB, when you mentioned Drake's It's Over, I got excited and was like wow! Someone looks past that Drake is portrayed as this sex/money symbol, because his lyrics actually talk about life and people that effect your life in a negative way. Then I see Cheek's description of the Climb and realize that I secretly have that song for the lyrics also, and that publicly, as bad as it seems, I make fun of it. So again, Thank You all for making a very difficult blog for me, worth it. (:
Kristen - Boo. Not just because I'm your friend, but I really think you shouldn't let that certain jerk. I know you're sensitive, everyone is at some point, but I think you should use lyrics to your advantage. Since you're so musical, which you should continue to be (through college), you should get your feelings out that way. I love you, a lot of us do, and you need to get rid of the jerks that treat you wrong!
ReplyDeleteKristie:
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard "Photographs and Memories" before, but I went ahead and looked it up because pf how you wrote about it. The second Jason Reeves started singing, I had to stop everything I was doing and truly listen to him. It's one of those songs that makes me fall in love with love. Thanks for writing about "Photographs and Memories" because I'm so glad I listened to it.
JV - I should have read your blog before I did mine becaue you said it so easily, I struggled the whole time. I love hearing your voice while I read your blogs, too. "Love isn't a competition" - my favorite! Don't be afraid of love, my darling. :)
ReplyDeleteKyra: Simple Man is an excellent song that exemplifies life and the things one faces in it. I am glad you can take positive messages from this song, I surely have. It's such a beautiful song, and it may sound corny, but my mom used to sing this to me when I was a baby. It is really a heartfelt song and I'm glad you enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteStephen: I also enjoy Muse, and especially that song, "Butterflies and Hurricanes". I am glad you can take lyrics that appear to repsresent one idea and interpret them in a way that most wouldn't. That's the beauty of music, it can be interpreted in countless ways, as shown by your reflection on the song. I also envy the strong values you extract from the music of Muse and the ideas that you can relate to in their music. You are a truly passionate person and it is displayed in your musical preferences.
Chrissy: I can totally agree that Death Cab is one of the most underappreciated bands of this generation. There truly is deeper meaning to many of their songs and I also enjoy that aspect of their music. Death Cab does have an impactful effect on people and I'm glad you have been positively effected by their music.
JV: First of all, I love that song! “Ordinary People” is one of those songs that makes me just feel good. Although obviously I’m aware of the lyrics because of the feeling it gives me, I never really analyzed all the significance they hold. Reading your blog, I couldn’t agree more. We are just all ordinary people who need to “take it slow.” Otherwise you’ll miss important details of life. Without these details, life won’t be nearly as fulfilling. You may stumble over an important step. And as we all know, you can’t miss a step. So don’t rush through it. Live out each moment to the fullest. It’s the best way to truly live.
ReplyDeleteI love change. I embrace change. I need change.
ReplyDeleteI can’t stay too long in one stagnant, boring pattern or else I’d probably go insane. This applies to everything in my life.
In school, I can’t just keep doing the same projects and papers and problems over and over again. I need teachers that mix things up and keep me excited and on my toes.
In my social life I can’t just hang out at the mall or go to the movies every weekend. When I hang out with my friends I like trying new things.
When it comes to music I’m ALWAYS switching up what’s on my ipod. Every night I’m in a new mood. Whether it’s my favorites like Dr.Dog and Blink 182 or random artists like Prince and Eminem, I just love changing it up.
It applies to EVERYTHING.
“Let's take this for what it is
You tell me you have changed
Well we all change in our own ways
In our own pretty ways”
This is a verse from the song “Our Own Pretty Ways” by First Aid Kit. For one, it’s a totally beautiful song and I suggest you listen to it. :D But the more important thing about this song is that it really encompasses what I believe about myself, my friends, and people in general.
Change is inevitable. We all change. We all change in our own pretty ways.
I know lots of people who find change terrifying and try to stay close to what they know. I don’t go searching for crazy adventures and to change everything about my life, but I definitely make it a point to not be afraid of the changes that are coming. This is because I truly believe that all of the changes that occur within people ARE pretty. I think that every little change that occurs within us is good for us and it makes us who we are and who we will be. This verse also shows that every change that occurs within us is unique to us. “we all change in our own pretty ways” is actually one of my favorite lines ever in any song that I’ve heard and I really hope that throughout my life I am able to believe this for the rest of my life!
This blog has been a tough one because I listen to, basically, love songs and "dancing night out" songs. Many of the love songs, I can honestly say, begin in ways that resemble my life, but then they begin to sing about love and relationships, which while filling me with dynamic peace and serenity, they cannot be applied to reality because I have never loved nor have I ever been loved. And many of the "dancing night out" songs tend to be very shallow. However, there are three songs that I felt exemplified (one) the present, (two) the forever, and (three) the visions of the future.
ReplyDelete“Hook Me Up" by the Veronicas----In the past few months, I've transferred my energies from "On my own" by The Used to "Hook Me Up" by the Veronicas. I am dealing with the 'harsh realities of high school' less with less with an empty feeling of pity, but rather with strength, power, and anger. From using large rice bags as punching bags to riding my bike miles away into uncharted woods and parks, I feel like this is the way I want the world to see me. Not as an anger-driven person, but a person with the strength and power to take care of herself, which I know I can do. It's just that the feelings exemplified in "On my own" signal weakness, and I am not weak. Though I may be little, I am strong, prevailing, and hopefully soon, robust. This summer, I am not only going to be training for cross country, but I am also hoping to develop my physical strength more because my future depends on it. In the future I know this will come in handy in the possibly unsafe place I roam while in college and beyond. Thus, my first song illustrates the annoyance I feel, and have been feeling, towards these ridiculous people I see...well everywhere. The song speaks about the urge to escape a chaotic place with a strong, bad-ass attitude to a "brand new place" and well, "anywhere is good enough." For the singer, it is drama with her friends where she finds herself stuck in the middle. For me, seeing that I have NEVER gotten involved in any drama, it's a bit different. But our feelings are mutual. And rather than be seen, presently, as a person who is weak and crumbles, I want to be a fighter who deals with it by taking a hour or two bike ride along the Mullica-like wilderness I never knew existed behind my house. Lyrics:
"I'm tired of my life.
I feel so in between.
I'm sick of all my friends, girls can be so mean
I feel like throwin’ out everything I wear
I'm startin’ over new,
Cause I’m not even there.
Sometimes,
I wanna get away some place,
But I don't wanna stay too long.
Sometimes
I wanna brand new day,
Try to fit in where I don't belong"
"Radio Arcade" by Kill Paradise----My second song exemplifies my "forever"--as in who I was, am, and will be all at the same time. On the surface, this song seems like a very energetic song about a girl dancing at some party. However, to me this goes much deeper. Let's begin:
ReplyDelete"I believe in the sand beneath my toes
Nobody knows
Nobody knows"
For me, I believe in a lot of things that may seem unnoticeable to people. For instance, I believe that gender is like a permanent mask that covered essentially equal people. If I was a boy, on the surface and in society, I will be different, but inwardly, I would be the same. I believe, I think, I feel---these are many things that "Nobody knows," except me of course. I often do not share things with other people and in those moments of loneliness I am out of society.
"Oh my god she’s back again
The music made her happy and
She’s hold'n hands
She brought a friend
Forever she's a dancer
What the heck’s an attitude?
She’s dancing and her face is nude
She twirls her dress like fancy food
Forever she’s a dancer"
Very soon, the song shifts mood and the 'main character' of this song is back to the 'dance floor' and this time "She brought a friend." Every time I listen to this, I imagine myself entering back into the bustling world of society/people/life (the dance-floor) and living an exciting life with other people. The last line "Forever she's a dancer" basically means that forever, I want to be a dancer--- a dancer of life. In reality, I am back in society and expressing myself, how I want to live life, with grace and attitude. I want to be a dancer.
"Fall over ocean side fighting just to stay alive
(oh she knows, oh she knows it now)
I believe in stars
I believe in sky
THE MORE YOU KNOW
THE LESS YOU KNOW
The more you try
So believe in the music
It will take you right through it"
Here is a roadblock and the "main character" has fallen and from the beauty and grace of her life. However, she knows now that she believes ("in stars" , "in sky") and she works off her own beliefs to continue on dancing. Many times, I have fallen and must fight to get through whatever has happened. But I always think, "Shirley, You gotta be strong enough to be in and interact with the world. You must or else!" I may know more or less about how to deal with what life throws at me. However as the song says "the more you know" or "the less you know", "the more [I must] try." I must always try. The music will help me dance "right through it."
"The more that you do
Baby that’s the more you stay true"
The more I dance (or the more I am a participating person of society) the more I stay true to myself. Since my sophomore year, when I actually spoke, I realized that I'm learning more and more about myself and who I really am by being a part of society. When you think of it, it's a paradox. I am more 'me' when I am with people rather than alone. People are showing me how to express myself and it's solidifying the person hidden away within me. Finally, the rap at the end of the song ties it all together with a fierce attitude: "You know we bout to dream" Yes, I am dreaming now that I dancing
"Stars" by Switchfoot -----Finally, this third song is a song I haven't listened to a few years. But, I could not believe how much this related to my life. “Stars” speaks about a person who is encountering so much chaos and disorder in his life. To everyone in the world, he appears "partly cloudy," or alone. Yet when he looks to the stars (possibly symbolizing God) he has hope that he can go through a positive metamorphosis. When I hear this song, I think about the other Shirley. The Shirley within me; the one I'll meet in the near future. In the face of what the singer calls "the chance of rain", I look to my own star, Shirley. Since I met her three years ago, Shirley has been watching me and wondering how "the chaos in [my] life could pass as sane." Yes, to everyone, I "look so lonely." But to me, this does not matter, because when I look to my future, to my star, I see a different me. And this is how I perceive the world: with hopeful eyes. This is the optimism I hope to have even as I grow old. I know in the future, I will be someone else---someone better---and hey, who knows, the future may be tomorrow! Lyrics:
ReplyDelete"I've been thinking 'bout everyone
everyone you look so lonely
But when I look at the stars
when I look at the stars
when I look at the stars
I see someone else
When I look at the stars
the stars
I feel like myself
Stars looking at our planet watching entropy and pain
And maybe start to wonder how the chaos in our lives
could pass as sane
I've been thinking bout the meaning of resistance
of a hope beyond my own
And suddenly the infinite and penitent
begin to look like home
I've been thinking bout everyone
everyone you look so empty
But when I look at the stars,
when I look at the stars,
when I look at the stars I see someone else"
Okay, so this is embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Uroosa Zeb and I used to love Hilary Duff. Back in the day, I used to blare her music on my Walkman, all the while singing the lyrics, jumping around and dancing (my dancing skills have not improved greatly form those good old days. Sad, is it not?) I grew up and moved away from Lizzie McGuire and Disney Channel. Yet, through out the years, one song has always resonated with me. What Lizzie McGuire song can deeply impact a girl, you ask?
Hilary Duff’s Why Not used be, and continues to be to a certain extent, my anthem.
“You always dress in yellow
when you wanna dress in gold
instead of listenin' to your heart
you do just what you're told
if you keep waiting where you are
oh what you'll never know.”
This chorus describes my life to a Tee. Perhaps I knew, even as an eight year old, that I allowed others to live my life. My whole life, I have allowed other people make decisions for me. I have never truly listened to what I wanted. I never trusted my own judgment, ignored my desires, and feared having control. So, I just molded myself to the liking of those around me. But not anymore. I am shedding the yellow and rockin’ out in gold from now on.
“Acting like you just don't care
when life could be so sweet
So why you wanna be like that,
This is nothing new
You're not foolin no one
you're not even foolin you”
I realized that I can’t really lie to other people, but I can delude myself into believing a lot of things. I can delude myself into believing that I want to grow up a certain way or that I want to become a doctor. I can delude myself to believe I am happy when I am not or that a person is better than they are. I lie to myself, but I still know that I am not fooling anyone.
“Why not (Why not)
take crazy chance
why not (Why not)
do a crazy dance
if you lose the moment
you might lose a lot
so why not why not”
As for taking a chance, I am taking over the steering wheel. I am going to make it my own decisions. Ever small decision I hand over to someone else just allows them to dominate my life furthermore. So I am going to buy whatever clothing I want (with out asking for approval from anyone else). I am going to learn about myself and find my favorite foods, and I am going to take my life over. Why not, right?
Shout-Out to my girl Hannah, who reminded me that Hilary Duff was born Paki too.
Well, nearly every song that I truly enjoy speaks to me or about me and my ideals, desires, or experiences. Scrolling through my play lists I;ve picked out about 40 songs that could really reflect me, depending on the day of the week, the temperature, who is in the room, and if I’m capable of getting up and dancing at that moment. Narrowing this down has certainly been a hellish ordeal, but I feel like I’ve got this handled. We’ll see.
ReplyDeleteOkay so I’m the cynical pessimistic one. No shocker there. But I have a confession. I want quite badly to be in love. I’m still fighting internally with myself over whether or not I even BELIEVE in love, but if it IS real I want it. The vision I have in my mind of it is fantastic, too good to be true, but I’d give anything for it to be real and be in my grasp. So my lyrics here will be from Hello Goodbye: “Here In your Arms”.
“You are the one, the one that lies close to me
Whisper's "Hello, I've missed you quite terribly"
I fell in love, in love with you suddenly
Now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms”
Cheesy yes, but it’s the truth. I don’t know what that up yonder feels like since I’ve never felt love like that before, but I’m sure it’s a marvelous thing. I suppose most people want to find love, but I’m slightly concerned that too often I come across as not being capable of it. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying I’m the hardened, jaded victim of some abuse but I’m a little too good at faking disinterest. I guess I’m a closet romantic…? Does that have the wrong conotation? I’m secretly a romantic. That sounds safer. =]
Besides its terrific fuzzy-feeling-inducing powers, the actual music is bubbly and upbeat but still quirky and original. It doesn’t SOUND like every other pop-y love song which gains it some serious brownie points in my book.
As for a life-encompassing song…that depends entirely on my mood. If I’m pissed off I’ll lean towards a Bullet for my Valentine screamo song like “Tears Don’t Fall” or the obvious “I Hate Everything About You” by Three Days Grace. If I’m being my defiant self then “Headstrong” by Trapt will definitely be ringing through my ears. And If I’m just feeling sublime then “Lay Me Down” by Dirty heads or “Billionaire” by Travie McCoy will grace my headphones.
My slight bipolarity reflects in my MP3 player (too poor for an iPod =P ) loaded with country, rap, hip hop, R&B, Sinatra, screamo, alternative, classical etc. The HelloGoobye lyrics are just more revealing about a side of me I keep roped off a bit more. Its one of my dreams for the future and so far one of the only ones that hasn’t been seriously damaged…yet. But I'm trying to be optimistic.
Comment 1:
ReplyDeleteTo Kel: I think everyone secretly likes the Climb. It’s a really inspirational song. The only problem with it is Miley Cyrus (baby barf).I just like that its talking about how we all struggle to achieve our desires, but the struggles is what make those desires worth having.
KTG:
ReplyDeleteI’d like to say how similar we are with patience, especially with conversations. Actually, I’m exactly the same, ha. I too believe that “good things come with those who wait”. But don’t be waiting too long for that “one” to come. When it happens, it happens and when it does you’ll tell me all about it :D. Cool?
Maryam R:
I completely agree with this statement “I listen to very little lyrical songs simply because I believe that most times words are completely unnecessary”. Words aren’t the only form of expression. For this blog, I thought mainly about the tune and the tone it made me feel a certain way after listening to it. It’s not always about the lyrics for me. I liked how you mentioned that. Also, your appreciation for instrumental music and your reasons as to why you like it shows your artistic and open mind. Good job buddy :]
Manar:
I just had to comment on yours cause you mention my once favorite artist, Eminem! I don’t know what happened now, I guess I got tired of rap. Anyways further on you say how music is like a sanctuary and you talk about the third verse of Sing for Moment, it reminded me of Across the World, by Pitbull. ( I know, Pitbull???)
“I guess its true what they say
Music is the universal language
Its a true blessing you know”
Music can be oohh sooo wonderful!
Roo = Don't feel bad, everyone thought I looked like her for the longest time so I got embarrassed because I DIDN'T listen to her music. After listening to your presentation in Lang I see this recurring patern of trying to live for yourself and be your own person.In the type of environment you live in I'm beyond amazed at how unique you are at school. From the sounds of it your folks pull all your strings, but you still have very uroosa-y habits and thoughts which is awesome.
ReplyDeleteSarah L:
ReplyDeleteThe song “Into the Ocean” is one of my favorites of Blue October, and the song also speaks to me in very much the same way it does you. The feeling of overwhelming uncertainty is one that I can relate to that the song describes, and this song in particular out of many of the Blue October songs is very well composed.
Deanna:
The second half of your blog I found pretty amusing because all I could think was that the song represented your life and creating an odd Non-Deanna-like image in my head. But I also have my songs where the lyrics don’t really hold all that much meaning but just the presentation of the lyrics and the actual music can sometimes be reviving. Also you said you had to listen to Tool? Check out A perfect circle as well, same lead singer, amazing band--The outsider is their best song.
Chrissy:
I also like Death Cab a lot because the way their lyrics explain questions I also have in a very well constructed way baffles me. The conversation-like lyrics create a sense that they are speaking to you. The song “soul meets body” is also one of my favorites and their lyrics have so much meaning behind the words.
Alex V:
ReplyDeleteWell, you're not the only one with that problem. I'm sure a lot of people think I'm totally incapable as well. In fact, some people have suggested that I'm not capable of feeling any emotion at all (unless awkwardness counts as an emotion). I knew exactly what you meant by the whole closet romantic thing.
Chrissy-
ReplyDeleteDeath Cab for Cutie… I love them! I was actually going to pick one of their songs, but then I changed my mind. Soul Meets Body is one of my favorites from them, too! But personally, my favorite is Someday You’ll Be Loved, because I always cry when I listen to it. And I think you are so right, it’s better that they are not butchered by the media and producers. That’s what I think happened to Owl City and now his songs are just annoying when before they used to heal my soul. Also, I feel the same about love. I LOVE to listen to love songs because of their beautiful sounds and moods. However, I am a huge skeptic of love. Many times I do not believe it exists. I have neither seen it nor felt it in any ‘real’ way. I like the way “When Soul Meets Body” gives you hope. I thought about your belief in the fact that we will meet with our loved after death. I’m still not sure whether I personally can believe it.
Kelsey: I was actually going to do The Climb ;D
ReplyDeleteUroosa: I used to be a Hilary Duff fan too, haa i even have that song in my ipod. It's a nice catchy song. I'll miss those old shows.
Alexis-
ReplyDeleteI never thought of that song like that! I like it! Also, “People will drop in and out of my life, there will be times where I don't even know what's going on, how to handle it, what to do, but I have to remember that I have to do what I believe is right, all the time.” It’s interesting you say that because in the song Drake says “I’m doin’ me” I thought that meant that he’s not worrying about other people and what happens to other people. He’s just worrying about what’s happening himself because he has to live his own life. If that’s what he’s mean, then you shouldn’t really worry about other people. You should always live your life the way you want. Any other way is just…ridiculous!
Lu Lu = These are definately very not so lucas-y songs, but then again I'm really not at all surprised by these choices. I can picture you being a radical...if I try a lil bit. I totally get that "I wanna be this but I'm not" feeling...hence my own song and some of my other personal favorites like "Bring the Pain", though I'm not nearly that good at free-styling rhymes or that volatile,and "When the Sun Goes Down", who doesn't wanna party on the beach in their mind?!
ReplyDeleteChrissy: I have managed to download a couple of Death Cab for Cutie songs over the past few years, but I never really explored their music. However, your blog has inspired me to explore! I think I’m going to start downloading more Death Cab for Cutie songs, exploring their lyrics. It seems that they could help me in situations as well. I love songs that have that ability. Anyways, to your blog more specifically, I try my hardest to live my life without regrets. I try to take the approach that if something didn’t happen the way I wanted it to, it wasn’t meant to and that my life will carry on from the experiences I procured from that particular event. It seems that you try to live the same way, taking risks so there are no regrets further down the road. Although risks are scary, I’ve been trying to take more of them to try to make my life experience more fulfilling. It seems that this is what Death Cab for Cutie is encouraging too.
ReplyDeleteFollowing the words of Bunje, music is an escape for many of us. However, music is not an escape for me. Unlike many of us, I don’t listen to music that often. I don’t listen to it as I do my homework or as I prepare for school in the morning or as I ride on the bus. Music isn’t that important to me. I can live without music. Don’t get me wrong though, I like music; I just don’t love it.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I surprised myself when I easily found a song that represented me. My song is I Can by Nas. Like I said before, I’m motivated. I can conquer all challenges—within reason, of course—with hard work. If I want to be a doctor, then I can be a doctor. If I want to fly to the moon, then I can fly to the moon. If I want to…yeah, you get the point.
I Can represents me because its message is, “You can be anything in the world...” The chorus reads,
“I know I can (I know I can)
Be what I wanna be (be what I wanna be)
If I work hard at it (If I work hard at it)
I'll be where I wanna be (I'll be where I wanna be).”
We really can be what we wanna be. There is nothing stopping us except ourselves. That of which you manifest is before you. “But nothing comes easy it takes much practice.” Hard work beats talent if talent doesn’t work hard. Life is like sports. If you want it the most and if you work the hardest, you will win. Nas said, “Read more learn more, change the globe,” and he’s right. In today’s competitive world we need more than physical practice; we need mental practice. We need to go to school and expand our minds. To be a doctor or astronaut, we need an education. We need to be focused and not distracted.
“Watch the company you keep and the crowd you bring
Cause they came to do drugs and you came to sing
So if you gonna be the best, I'ma tell you how,
Put your hands in the air, and take a vow”
Along with motivation to succeed, is steadfast commitment. Every step we take has to be toward our goal. Practice instead of party. Practice instead of Applebee’s. Practice instead of everything else. Without commitment, we won’t succeed.
But even more important that motivation and commitment, is belief. We can’t succeed if we don’t believe. We can’t win if we don’t’ believe. We do what we want to do or be what we want to be if we don’t’ believe. To believe in ourselves is to empower ourselves. “If you believe, you can achieve.”
Jesse B = find a way to drive a convertible with the top down on a sunny day in the middle of nowherewith the radio blaring...you'll feel A) super bad ass and B) totally free from the world. Its awesome. I understand the fear of leaving and being spontaneous, I'm quite petrified of change myself, but never having tried to break free scares me more than the potential outcome. You can always come back if it gets too crazy too!
ReplyDeleteTo Hannah:
ReplyDeleteI love those songs that you hear, and they automatically make you smile. The ones you sing to in the car, off-beat, and still can have fun. Its good to just think that everything is going to be okay and be happy, even if it is for a moment.
To Pooja: remember when Disney was good? When it was not all about whores ? What happened to those day? Disney used to be about teaching kids good morals and now its just plain dirty and that is why i boycott it...
ReplyDeleteKaitlin—
ReplyDelete“So many people want to understand life but isn’t the point of life to be a mysterious journey, taking you down twists and turns that you don’t see coming as well as straight ways that you can see with clear vision” I agree with this. But many people want to understand life because the unknown is always frightful. If you don’t know what’s going to happen, you may be pleasantly surprised or hurt very badly. People are afraid of being hurt, in the most extreme cases, people may die. So I don’t really want to go through life with an extremely blurry image of what’s going to happen. I want some type of idea. It’s like going through the world, if you had REALLY bad vision, without glasses. But I understand that the mystery is a thrilling part of it…like watching LOST! So much mystery but so much fun!
-Rob F.
ReplyDeleteI also prefer instrumental music to lyrical music, and also live music to recorded music, as I feel it provides me with a greater connection to the people around me. Live music, lyricless and more natural, just seems to feed the hearts and please the ears of those who prefer it much more than recorded music and words can seemingly ever do.
-Gwen
I've also realized that most of my recent life changes, specifically certain people coming and certain people going in and out of my life was definitely for the betterment of myself. I feel like I, and many other people as well, just naturally go through changes that include and exclude certain people that are beneficial or hazardous to our growth. It's almost subconscious when it happens, but it certainly happens for a reason.
-Dylan
Those lyrics of yours were a bit strong, to say they least, but I can definitely relate to them and understand your connection to them. Lyrics like that can resonate with many people and I can definitely understand your feelings towards such lyrics. It's good that you have something that you feel strongly about that you can go to whenever you need.
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ReplyDeleteSorry, Bunje, but unlike many of us, I don't use music as a “as a gateway. To sanity, to serenity, to solace and/or to solitude,” but rather more of just a distraction when I'm bored. And my favorite songs, by the way, usually have just about no meaning at all to me, besides a few meaningful words and phrases that would mean some pretty mean things if I said them. So, I've decided to take a song, a certain song that I like to listen to and sing whenever I'm bored or—well, probably just bored—and, although this song may not have much meaning to anyone, it sure does to me(especially when I'm doing a blog about it). And that song is: The Campfire-Song Song from Spongebob, that I'm sure everyone is quite familiar with, whose obviously very insightful lyrics go something like this:
ReplyDeleteLet's gather round the campfire and sing our campfire song
our c-a-m-p-f-i-r-e s-o-n-g song
and if you don't think that we can sing it faster then you're wrong
but it'll help if you just sing alooooooooooong!
Bum-Bum-Bum
(sung faster)
c-a-m-p-f-i-r-e s-o-n-g song
c-a-m-p-f-i-r-e s-o-n-g song
and if you don't think that we can sing it faster then you're wrong
but it'll help if you just sing aloooooooooong!
(repeated infinitely, with each verse faster than the last)
Now, I know this song may only be about eight lines long (minus the infinite repeats of the last verse), but it has some very deep-seeded, intellectually stimulating, philosophical meaning that I'm sure everyone can relate to. Now, it's obvious from the method Spongebob uses to both introduce and end his song that this song is meant more as a call-to-action for all human beings to help one another and live peacefully in harmony. Spongebob opens with a very casual “Let's gather round the campfire” as if to invite his audience, nay the entire human race, into his soul, his emotions and life, to aid him on his journey through it. Spongebob wants us to all “just sing along,” or rather, “just sing aloooooooong,” at the end of his song, as if to say that all our earthly problems are mere distractions in our lives that can easily be overcome when we all combine our spiritual energies in harmony and work together for the betterment of each other. In Spongebob's mind, the world exists without conflict, if and only if we cooperate with one another on a daily basis, which doesn't necessarily mean we must devote our lives to each other either. It can begin as simply as, say, singing all along to a campfire-song song.
Robert F
ReplyDeleteI’ve never looked at music as you have. To think of music as the natural sounds around me is exciting and refreshing. Who is to decide what music is anyway? It’s all about perception. We all choose what we consider as music and we all chose whether to enjoy the sounds we hear. Some people may prefer rock to rap or rap to rock, but for me, it is the world to the world. All the world’s a stage.
Taylor P
To be honest, it’s kind of funny that you got your music from the Express playlist. Who would have thought, out of all the places to get music from, you get it from the Express store on the first floor of the Hamilton Mall.
I don’t agree with not stopping. The way I see it, if you don’t stop, then you’re more likely to crash into a wall.
JV
I like to take things slow too. I mean, if you take things slow, then you’re less likely to crash into a wall! Why do you think drunk people drive too slow sometimes? I also agree with your take on love. To my disappointment, I see that a lot of times love is “my way or your way.” Like you said, I think love should be more compromising. Instead of “my way or your way,” it should be “our way.” People in relationships need to work things out slowly so they can avoid crashing into walls.
Deanna
ReplyDeleteI love “These Days”. It sounds really honest without trying too hard. It perfectly fits that mood when you feel yourself sinking into the quicksand of a rut. I wish I was as sure of how to get out of it as you seem to be. When I read the quote from Fight Club, I seriously thought we were the same person for a second. We all need to be reminded that society built most of these silly boundaries we enclose our lives in, so we can most certainly tear them down. If anyone is a beast, you are, I promise.
Simon
You have so much clarity when you think and write. I admire that a lot, because usually my brain is a muddy mix of different feeling and ideas. I agree with you that dedication and determination can get you where you want to be. As for belief, when you change your perspective, you can change your world.
Well i knew it would do this again so here i am re-posting this for a second time! fingers crossed it works...
ReplyDeleteOne song that has resonated with me ever since I was young is “Changes” by David Bowie. I first remember hearing this song at the young age of about seven or eight, it has a catchy beat and chorus so I was immediately hooked. As I grew older “Changes” became more to me then a euphonious anthem, I began to apreciate the lyrics not for their smooth sounds but for their meaning.
So here is the opening of the song:
I still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste
was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test
These opening lyrics sum up being a teenager in so many ways, I have so many opportunities in my life and it seems like theirs not enough time to explore them all. We all have bad experiences throughout our lives, but we need to learn from them and make them make us better individuals. This song also taught me not to become too comfortable in situations and relationships with friends because that can change in an instant. You have to be ready to accept change for what it is because it is inevitable.
The chorus of this song, besides sounding completely awesome also taught me a lot about life and relates a lot to me.
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
Changes are going to happen no matter what, but you have to be ready to greet them with open arms, even if that changes may be unpleasent or difficult. Change is a natural occurrence in life. The “strain” described in the chorus are the diffcult changes that one must go through in order to contunue on his or her path in life. It may not always be easy, but change is a good and nessesary thing.
Lastly these few other lyrics that I left out are very key in my life, but also meant a lot to the teenagers in the time perios of this song.
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware
of what they're going through
In my mind this part of the song describes adults who think they know that they are steering you in the right direction, but are actually tearing you away from your hopes and dreams. You have to remember to always grip tight these dreams because they make who you are, with out them you are an empty shell containing only others aspirations.
I’ve always felt a connection with the city of New York. I’m a city girl and I know that I’m suppose to be there at one point in my life. New York, stirs excitement and bubbles up the ambition I forget I had. I love the people. I love the sounds. I love the hustle of it all. Which is probably why the song “Empire State of Mind” resonates with me. Not only is the harmony of the beat soothing, it inspires, motivates me.
ReplyDeleteEmpire State of Mind
“In New York,
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There's nothing you can't do,
Now you're in New York,
These streets will make you feel brand new,
The lights will inspire you,
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York “
The lyrics here, make me swoon… yes, swoon. “concrete jungle where dreams are made of” I don’t know if that’s what my dreams are made of but I do know that the city itself represents something very important to me. The best part of it, is that I’m never sure as to what that is, maybe it just brings me hope… Either way, the ambition and excitement make me positive that whatever it is, is destiny.
Neil Young, wrote a song called “Old Man.” This song for a reason that I’m not totally sure of always comes to mind. I love everything about it. I love the instruments. I love the feeling I get from the song. I love the lyrics. “Old Man” tells a story of a young man realizing his what life is really about and that he can relate all of it to a man who has experienced all of this prior. This song humbles me. It is a representation of the patience, which I have none of normally, to sit and listen to others. To absorb wisdom instead of letting it hit you and dry up.
Old Man
“Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
Twenty four
and there's so much more
Live alone in a paradise
That makes me think of two.
Love lost, such a cost,
Give me things
that don't get lost.
Like a coin that won't get tossed
Rolling home to you.”
A huge reason why these lyrics speak to me, is because it makes me feel closer to my dad. I feel like I underestimate him.. He’s so intelligent, yet I ignore his ideas. I mean, I definitely have my reasons, however it’s not right of me to not give his ideas a chance. Especially since, my father and I are exactly the same.
Where is the love? Is not just a song title probably the most dire question among every soul searcher. What is the point in all the hatred in the world? Why is the survival of a country dependent upon how strong its men are? Why must the complexity of modern weapons be stronger than a pen? I cannot accept the fact that millions of people must die in order for a group of men to gain control of nothing. It disgusts me. Which is why I feel such a strong feeling to this song. It ignites the sleeping passion that makes me who I am.
ReplyDeleteWhere Is The Love?
“What's wrong with the world, mama
People livin' like they ain't got no mamas
I think the whole world addicted to the drama
Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma
Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin'
In the USA, the big CIA
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all
People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek
People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek
I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm gettin' older, y'all, people gets colder
Most of us only care about money makin'
Selfishness got us followin' our wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema
Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness in equality
Instead of spreading love we're spreading animosity
Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down
There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under
Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found
Now ask yourself
Where is the love?”
The truth in these lyrics is beautiful. I love how the passion seeps through each word, how universal lost causes are preyed upon. I will not allow them to be lost causes within myself. Where is the love in the world, within countries, within ourselves?
Jon- "You have to be ready to accept change for what it is because it is inevitable."
ReplyDeleteIt's so true. I'm glad you're always ready to transform and adapt to what is necessary. By the way that's a beautiful song.
Kyle: Do you have a lot of free time? Just wondering. :P I enjoyed you're rather esoteric ideas about Sponge Bob's campfire song... However, I wish I could of read one of the "mean" songs you mentioned.
Simon: "Practice instead of Applebee’s." hahaha. Simon, you're motivation is beautiful. Never lose that, it will take you so far. I love how you mentioned "practice instead of Applebee's" not only is it true but it makes a big difference and is a big metaphor for how far you'll get in life.