I frequently post songs that I enjoy listening to and this one is not an exception. To be honest, I heard this song for the first time at the end of 2010 after my first semester of my senior year of college. I had a college classmate who was sick and in the hospital. People started saying that if anyone wanted to see them they needed to go ASAP to the hospital. This person was someone I knew rather casually but often spoke to on occasion since we had several classes together. Needless to say I visited them at the hospital and while I was thankful for the experience, it was also sobering on how short life really is. Nobody teaches you what to say to someone on their deathbed. This year I’ve talked to a decent amount of people on their deathbed and I’ve still been stuck on appropriate words to say in that situation. I say all this to say that this song is one of hope. It’s a reminder to press forward and to keep pushing despite obstacles that come. Great melody and I like the optimism in the message.
Category Archives: music
Fight for You (the song)
This song has been going through my head nonstop for the past few days. I first heard it about a week ago while I was traveling and the melody is so catchy. Unlike the vast majority of the songs that I like, i can’t really say exactly why I really like this particular song. It might be the fact that it depicts a conversation that Mali is having with himself and I rarely listen to songs that involve an internal dialogue with a self-empowerment twist. Or maybe even the fact that the beat is perfect to ball up your fists and do a little boxing move of duck and cover when he gets to the “fight for you” line. It might even be that this song is PERFECT to do a slow groove version of the dance “The Wobble.” I think Mali does a pretty decent job of explaining his own song so you can watch that as well.
I Blame You (the song)
I don’t know why, but this song reminds me of the winter feeling. I don’t know why but I just has an “it’s cold outside and I’m sitting by the fireplace sipping hot cocoa” feel. Let me start off by saying that Ledisi is one of the most versatile and talented female artists that I’ve ever heard. Her range is amazing and her runs are very crisp. I had the opportunity to hear her live when she came and sang at my church and subsequently released this single not that much later. There are few artists I’ve heard who sound better live than their recordings and she is without a doubt one of them. This song is a happy “I’m in love” sorta song with Ledisi singing about how her perspective has changed once she has met this special person. She feels like a different person and it’s something that other people notice as well. When I first heard this song I listened to it at least five times in a row because it was just so well written. The melody is clear and catchy and the lyrics fit perfectly with the whole concept of the song. Ledisi is another one of the artists I consider to be melodically articulate because she has such great control in her voice but there’s also emotion and soul behind it that comes through when she sings.
PYT
I am a fan of Tori’s voice. These days there aren’t a lot of singers who sound exactly like they do in on the CD in person. I can honestly say that after hearing Tori sing live in person that this is one of my favorite covers that she’s done. Not only is this song a classic, Tori makes it her own without overpowering on the melody. She has such an amazing range and control along with the fact that she’s great with the guitar. One of the reasons why I like his cover so much is that Tori almost completely remakes the song while still remaining true to the original concept. This is something of a balance act but Tori pulls it off effortlessly.
I Wish (the song)
Unlike some of the songs that I’ve posted, this one definitely has the distinction of being one the songs I like that has very distinct memories associated with it. This album came out when I was 12 and I can still remember the excitement of putting it into the CD player of our van for the first time while we made one of our numerous family road trips. This song was one of my favorites from the album because it had a nice beat but it also had substance. The song talks about about wishing that someone was with you and the emotions that come along with missing them. It speaks of loyalty and the disappointment that sometimes comes along with relationships when you are emotionally invested. The melody fits the words and the message perfectly. It’s the song that I requested that we all listen to as we drove around town on my 13th birthday. Even at 13, there was an identified person I remember thinking about with the lyrics “I wish that you were here with me.” Regardless, this is my throwback song. A classic that I will always remember because there are a lot of memories associated with it.
Right There
I don’t know if I can call myself an Ariana Grande fan but I must say that every single song of hers that I’ve listened to I’ve liked. This one is one of my favorites. Along with a really catchy melody, it’s easy to harmonize to this song as she sings about her commitment to a relationship. Realistically, people change, but I can appreciate her sentimental “best case scenario” promises. Relationship songs that use the words “always” and “never” always pique my interest because I feel like many times relationships have a lot of gray areas. Regardless, I like the song. It’s so optimistic and promising.
Love you long time
I’m definitely a huge music fan and I ran across this gem of a song about a month ago on Amazon Prime music (great app by the way). I absolutely love the versatility of Jazmine’s voice and the fact that her songs actually have a coherent message. This song could have easily been a slow ballad that would have been a great first dance song at a wedding. However, the music says something completely different. It’s happy and celebratory while still preserving the weight of the lyrics. You can’t help but bob your head to the beat of the song. Which by the way has some reggae and pop influences. This song has literally been on repeat for about a month on my playlist and I like the message. Jazmine is singing about someone she loves and who she doesn’t want to lose. It’s definitely the “I’m in a relationship and I’m happy” song. Jazmine is one of the handful of artists that I consider to be “melodically articulate” (a phrase borrowed from Pharrell). Her voice is absolutely amazing and she has a signature style that can’t be duplicated by others.
Got to get my heart back
As I was minding my business today I thought about this song. While it’s a couple of years old, it’s still one of my favorite songs. I can’t even really say that I’m a huge Keyshia Cole fan but I can appreciate the depth of the emotion in this song. The song speaks about wanting to get back to the way things used to be before emotions got involved. Keyshia sings about giving 110% and even loving the other person more than herself saying that she would have done anything for them. Yet, it’s such a reminder that the affection and attention from one person does not make up a true relationship. There has to be some sort of reciprocity. Keyshia sings about this as she says that she just wants to get her heart back. After giving so much and loving so deeply, the realization that you aren’t loved in that same manner can be extremely sad. The song is definitely evidence of that and even the instrumental part alludes to a haunting memory that builds on the initial four notes you hear in the first bar. Interesting how Keyshia sings about getting her heart back, implying that it’s in the position of another. However, Keyshia never sings about taking the action to get her heart back, she just says that she has to do it. Another things that stands out to me about the lyrics of the song is that Keyshia spends the entire time talking about how she wants to get back to the way that it used to be instead of expressing her desire to move on into her future. She wants to go back in the past before she even met the person. Thus saying that she really wishes that she never had the experience of loving that hard and getting nothing in return.
Enjoy Yourself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WILbxhnlSQ
I ran across this classic while browsing youtube the other day. I love the flashy outfits and the tight harmony that set Jackson 5 apart as a group in their day. One thing that is obvious is the amount of work that they put in in order to make those dance moves flawless. The tune is catchy and head-bobbable. Plus, it’s a great song.
Sorry
I was having a conversation with someone this weekend and we were discussing how the musicality and quality of Brian’s music is often overlooked. It’s rare to have artists who can not only write great music but also perform songs in a way that draws out emotions. All that being said, I think that this has to be one of the best “I’m Sorry” songs EVER written. Even the melody seems apologetic. The words are heartfelt and convey a sense of responsibility along with the request to make things right. While this song is not one of the most popular of Brian’s songs, it definitely deserves to be. Enough people mess up in relationships to use this song 100 times over. I wonder how many relationships have been positively impacted by this song?
Alisha's Angle 