Vienna

Honestly Such a Gem

Vienna by Billy Joel

Recommended by Skye

"Sorta sage advice. Tugs on me heartstrings a little."

Real talk about the "sage advice." It was hard to pick a favorite line from this song because Joel is out there dropping T bombs all over the place.

You better cool it off before you burn it out.

Slow down, you're doing fine.
You can't be everything you wanna be before your time.

Don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true.

This is a guy who's got it all figured out.

But, okay, it wasn't always like that. Joel actually wrote this song about a time when he went to visit his estranged father 15 years after he took off to Austria when Joel was 8 years old (x).

The song's not about his father, though.

When Joel went to visit his dad in Vienna, they watched an elderly woman, maybe 90 years old, outside sweeping the sidewalk. Joel commented that it was sad for such an old lady to be put to work like that. His father replied, "No, it isn't. She's being useful...she's happy...she's not just sitting at home wasting away, and she's got dignity" (x).

So Joel wrote this song, really, about the "observation that you have your whole life to live" (x). Contrary to U.S. pop culture, life doesn't end at 30 or 40 years old:

We treat old people in this country pretty badly. We put them in rest homes, we kinda kick them under the rug and make believe they don't exist. They [the people in Vienna] don't feel like that. In a lot of these older places in the world, they value their older people and their older people feel they can still be a part of the community and I thought, "This is a terrific idea - that old people are useful - and that means I don't have to worry so much about getting old because I can still have a use in this world in my old age." I thought, "Vienna waits for you..." - Billy Joel (source)

I like that the song is in Joel's classic style. There's a little percussion and a hint of harmonica, but the track is largely based upon smooth and steady vocals over a piano. It's a sleek and sophisticated combination that lends an extra level of authority to the excellent advice.

It's some seriously easy listening, and I mean that in the best way.

I can't help but believe this guy has his life perfectly together. Somehow, I'm not put off by the way he kind of talks down to the listener because I want him to tell me what to do. Teach me your ways.

The song was used, quite appropriately, in the soundtrack for 13 Going On 30, and there's a good cover by Miss Ariana Grande that you can listen to here. (It's an old video, so she hadn't reached her full potential yet, but it's still pretty good.)

Overview:

Genre:
Pop Rock

Favorite Lyrics:
You can get what you want,
or you can just get old.

Verdict:
another hit from the piano man himself

Run

Turn On Closed Captions for English Lyrics

Run by BTS

Recommended by bridges

"Kim told me to recommend you a song and I sort of remember us having a conversation about them."

BTS, or Bangtan Boys, is an enormously popular South Korean boy band made up of seven guys. And I thought three was a crowd!

Apparently all seven members are included in the "the musical and lyrical composition" of their songs, and they all "play an active role in producing their music" (x). If that's true, I'm impressed.

I wouldn't say K-Pop is quite mainstream in the U.S. - at least, it hasn't made its way into the Billboard Hot 100 or saturated the airwaves. That said, it's certainly growing in popularity. BTS is known, in fact, for having an international fan base (x).

Last June, the groups third EP The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 1 made it onto Fuse's list of the "Top 27 Albums of 2015 So Far" (x), which shows that the genre is making it in the US.

Actually, my friend tweeted at me a few weeks ago asking who BTS was because she heard that they were really popular among high schoolers. She was super surprised to hear that it was South Korean boy band, but let me tell you, K-Pop really picking up speed over here.

I guess it's considered "K-Pop" because it's upbeat and Korean, but this track draws from some hip hop and R&B influences if you listen closely.

There's certainly some bona fide rapping in this song, but I also dig the talk-singing in the last parts of the verses. It's like they have a melody going but the vocalist isn't completely committed to singing it so they're just rapping with more varied intonations.

When they're actually singing, the melody is unbelievably catchy, though. Like, yo, I'm going to be humming that chorus under my breath for the next several years.

Run run run!

Overview:

Genre:
K-Pop

Verdict:
Self-explanatory...in that this is going right onto my jogging playlist

Riptide

A Certain Spark

Riptide by Vance Joy

I was stuck in one of those YouTube binge-ing sessions, where you just click-through your "Up Next" and Related Videos for several hours, when I came across this song.

Vance Joy opened for Taylor Swift when I saw her on the 1989 Tour, and I remember being really excited even though this was the only one of his songs that I knew. It's, like, that good.

A little history from the man himself:

"Around the time I wrote the song I met this girl. I asked her what she did and she was like 'I'm a magician's assistant.' I didn't really know where to go from there. I bet she never gets tired of laying that line on people." (source)

Just as I never get tired of hearing that line.

Or any line in this song.

Like the beginning.

I was scared of dentists and the dark.
I was scared of pretty girls and starting conversations.

That's probably the most endearing opening of any song ever.

Those lines set up the sweet but dorky vibe really well...but nowhere does it come through quite as well as in the bridge, where this kid is tripping all over his simple question:

I just wanna - I just wanna know...
If you're gonna - if you're gonna stay...

How precious. If you're not rooting for him, then I don't even believe you.

But no matter how cute it is, the love story isn't what had me playing this song on repeat for a month back in 2014. I kept it spinning because that sound is infectious.

The track is led by a delicate but warm ukulele, which works perfectly. I feel like the ukulele is a popular choice for covers, but it's underused overall. I want to hear more ukulele on the radio. It's such a bubbly instrument.

Joy sounds great on top of it, too, especially during those oh oh ohs where there's a textured harmony that kind of puts a lump in my throat. 

As for the title, Joy says:

I think at first you write these words without really thinking if they make sense or not. In my mind it's the ocean, but my whole awareness of that word existing is staying at a motel called Riptide. That's why it was in my head since it's not the most commonly used expression. And for that reason, the word has a special significance and a special memory for me. (source)

Good times.

Overview:

Genre:
Indie Pop

Favorite Lyrics:
I wanna be y our left-hand man.

Verdict:
okay but there's no way you'll be singing the words wrong

P.S. How about that music video? It's interesting that they went for a 100% literal approach, but then they decided to purposefully apply incorrect lyrics...? Okay.

Cruel

Zaddy

Cruel ft ZAYN by Snakehips (Ta-ku remix)

Recommended by Jase

"New fav"

Another music duo, Snakehips were fresh off a collaboration with Tinashe and Chance the Rapper when they moved on to feature ZAYN in this soulful electronic track.

Billboard calls the vocals "moody," which I think is kind of unfair (x).

Technically, "moody" means "giving an impression of melancholy or mystery," which this song does. But in practice, the term brings to mind images of a teenager sulking in their bedroom, pouting alone in the darkness.

This song is more than that. Yes, there's a sense that the singer is brooding, but there's also a genuine warmth in the way ZAYN caresses each word and a mature sultriness in R&B style.

CapitalFM called it "smoky and sexy," which I like better (x).

There needs to be a neologism that's synonymous with ZAYN's particular brand of smoky sexiness. Like Tyra's "smize."

Even without the cover art, I would have been imagining raindrops on a window with city lights sparkling, just beyond.

I mean, the track begins with a second of nothing but the sound of rain, which is self-explanatory. Then, there's that synth hopping from ear to ear, which tells you the streetlights are probably out-of-focus. And finally, ZAYN's vocals are crystal clear in front of the hazy dreamscape of instrumentals behind him.

It's some high class city life. That guy who seems like he has it all, but he's actually got his own problems, you know?

I don't know.

Anyway, sound is cool.

Overview:

Genre:
R&B

Favorite Lyrics:
Venus in Converse,
you put a spell on me.

Verdict:
gotta go listen to the original

Law & Order Theme

Theme from Law & Order by Mike Post

"DUH DUN."

Classic, right?

Take a look at Mike Post's resume, and you'll see that he's something like the John Williams of television theme music.

Since he was twenty four, Post has been writing theme music for which he has garnered various prestigious awards, including multiple Grammys and Emmys. His and Stephen Geyer's theme for The Greatest American Hero reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, which really just doesn't happen for television theme songs (x).

While the Law & Order theme never made it onto the radio or into Billboard charts, it certainly made its way into our hearts.

Post composed for the show not only the opening theme but also the dramatic noise that plays between scene changes. It has been called the "ominous chung CHUNG," "The Dick Wolf Cash Register sound," or, by Post himself, "The Clang" (x).

Funny story about that sound effect: it's created from a mixture of almost 12 sounds, including a judge's gavel, a jail door slamming, and - I kid you not - 500 Japanese monks crossing a hardwood floor (x). Mike Post, ladies and gentlemen.

The theme song itself is a little simpler in its composition, using only electric piano, guitar, and clarinet.

Both have become synonymous with the show and franchise. Which, you know. #ThemeSongGoals

Overview:

Genre:
Instrumental

Verdict:
sets the tone

Closer

Hey

Closer feat. Halsey by The Chainsmokers

I haven't been able to get this song out of my head for the past week, so now you can all join me.

This song is special for a couple reasons. First of all, it marks the first time that one of The Chainsmokers has sung in their own song (it's Andrew Taggart). I'd heard of them before, but I didn't realize that they're actually a DJ duo, so they're usually on the production side (x).

Also, this track skyrocketed up the charts to become the first #1 for both The Chainsmokers and Halsey, in both the U.S.A. and Australia. Cheers.

The track was inspired by Blink-182's I Miss You, and the lyrics speak to that when Halsey name-drops the band during her verse (x).

I love this beat, and the melody is so, so catchy. Plus - and I'm noticing a trend with this - I really enjoy the minimalist ~aesthetic~ depicted in the lyrics. Is it not every millennial's pipe dream to take off, move to the city with nothing but the clothes on your back and a broke down car? And, of course, to never get older?

I mean, most of us wouldn't even want to make that a reality, but it's like...the place we go when we're staring out the window of a college classroom.

Overview:

Genre:
Electropop

Favorite Lyrics:
Hey, tell your friends it was nice to meet them
But I hope I never see them again.

This is my lyric soul mate.

Verdict:
kind of reminds me of Cold Water but it's still doing its own thing and I dig it

M.I.L.F. $

MILF Money

M.I.L.F. $ by Fergie

"Moms can be hot too! Good for Fergie, Kim, Alessandra and all the milfs out there workin' it."

I received this song rec a few weeks ago, and I'd been putting it off because I thought it would be dumb. But you know what? This song is an inspiration.

Sure, it's not deep or poetic or anything, but I can't imagine anything better for hitting up the gym. You're like "If this is how Fergie feels even after squeezing a human child out of her body, then I can finish this cool down."

The beat gets into your bones, and it's easy to sing along to the chorus. Plus, like any self-respecting Fergie track, there's a spelling section. Learn how to write such empowering words as paid and independent.

About the track, Fergie says:

This is definitely empowering moms to have fun. Being a mom and having a career, taking care of yourself and still being able to be flirty and fun and a little naughty sometimes - there's nothing wrong with that. Society tries to tell moms what they should and shouldn't be, and it's just a little freeing to have fun with pushing those limits a bit. I might do it a little bit more than others, but that's just who I am. (source)

Preach, my dude.

Beyond Fergie, Kim Kardashian West, and Alessandra Ambrosio, the music video features the moms Chrissy Teigen, Ciara, Gemma Ward, Tara Lynn, Devon Aoki, Angela Lindvall, Isabeli Fontana, Amber Valletta, and Natasha Poly (x). 

Work it, ladies.

Overview:

Genre:
Trap

Favorite Lyrics:
I been workin' all week,
now where the hell is my drink?

Verdict:
Queen.

Louie Louie

The Tip of the Tongue and the Teeth

Louie Louie by The Kingsmen

"FBI investigated this song."

That's true, and I feel like it needs some explaining.

The FBI received letters from angry parents about supposed indecencies heard in the song. For some reason that I cannot find anywhere online, these concerns warranted a full-on investigation into the lyrics of Louie Louie.

The governor of Indiana even called it "pornographic" (x).

It seems like extreme censorship to get the FBI involved over the possibility of an f-bomb. Shouldn't they have been more concerned with H-bombs at that point? I can't imagine if these 1950s mothers heard the explicit lyrics in some songs today.

Apparently the FBI played it "backwards and forwards, they played it at different speeds, they spent a lot of time on it - but it was indecipherable at any speed." Yet - and this is unbelievable to me - they never interviewed lead vocalist Jack Ely (x).

Ladies and gentlemen, your tax dollars at work.

The FBI eventually realized that The Kingsmen had simply made a new version of a song that had been covered multiple times, and they found that the lyrics are much clearer in the original 1955 version by Richard Berry, "written and performed in the style of a Jamaican ballad" (x).

Those lyrics can be found here if you're interested.

The only reason this got blown so far out of proportion is that The Kingsmen wanted to record the track as cheaply as possible, and the $50, one-take recording session resulted in unintelligible lyrics.

The single actual obscenity is at 0:54 where you can just barely make out the drummer yelling f***! after he drops his drumstick. Coincidentally, this is the one thing that the FBI never pointed out (x).

Thanks for joining me on that wild ride. Gotta love it when there's such a dramatic story behind a catchy, feel-good bop.

Overview:

Genre:
Rock/R&B

Favorite Lyrics: 
aslghoaiwnrij
jwekjaiw.

Verdict:
poor diction choices

All Good Things (Come to an End)

I Dunno, Son

All Good Things (Come to an End) by Nelly Furtado

"I just love Nelly Furtado's voice! It's so unique. I always tear up a little bit listening to her sing this one."

I'm also tearing up. It's a sad song! I try to focus on how every ending is a new beginning, but it's hard to get excited about that when you're not ready to start a new chapter. There was nothing wrong with the old one.

As a senior in college, I feel this pain acutely.

I like this track a lot, though she loses me when she talks about the dogs hoping it would come soon so that they could die.

Why?

Also, okay, I'm not crazy about the way all the background noise cuts out sporadically during the second verse at Travelling I only stop and if I'll stay (stay). I thought for sure that there was an audio problem with my headphones when there was nothing but a naked voice for just the one word: I.

Unless, like, it's supposed to represent how alone she feels. In which case...a little dramatic, but I can dig it.

In general, I love the dreamy sound of this track, with the the delicate vocals in the chorus and the steady drumbeat throughout. It settles over you like a heavy blanket, the kind you throw on even when you're not cold, just because the weight of it makes you feel safe. It's like the music comforts you after the lyrics upset you.

Also, I guess he didn't sing enough to be "featured," but there are harmonies in this song provided by Coldplay's Chris Martin. He also helped Furtado write the song, and he's responsible for the strong, "hypnotic" melody (x).

Overview:

Genre:
Pop

Favorite Lyrics:
Wondering if I'll stay
Young and restless
Living this way I stress less

Verdict:
sweet but somber...mellow-choly

One Headlight

Even a Stopped Clock Is Right Once A Day

One Headlight by The Wallflowers

"Loved this song when first released. Lead vocals very seductive and overall feel to song kinda sexy BUT was listening to song tonight with my son and realized it's a pretty sad song. Obviously never really listened to the lyrics."

This track was ranked #58 on Rolling Stone and MTV's list of "100 Greatest Pop Songs of All Time," and it won Grammys for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group (x).

It kind of makes me feel awkward that I'd never heard of this song before you recommended it.

It's interesting to me that you think the song gives off a sexy vibe! I agree that the lead vocals are satiny, but I definitely feel a heaviness to the track that hints at the lyrical message.

Lead singer and songwriter Jakob Dylan says the song doesn't have a concrete meaning:

I tend to write with a lot of metaphors and images, so people take them literally. The song's meaning is all in the first verse. It's about the death of ideas. The first verse says, The death of the long broken arm of human law. At times, it seems like there should be a code among human beings that is about respect and appreciation. I wasn't feeling like there was much support outside the group putting together the record. In the chorus, it says, 'C'mon try a little.' I didn't need everything to get through, I could still get through - meaning 'one headlight. (source)

That sounds confusing to me. Why are people taking these lyrics literally if they're all metaphors? I guess if he doesn't need everything to get through, then we can make up our own meanings for this track.

And if that's the case, then ignore the text in favor of those sexy vibes you were feeling before.

For me, the song is ultimately quite positive. Despite the overarching theme of death, whether it be the "death of ideas" or the death of the singer's only friend, we're told that our best is good enough. All we have to do is try a little, and we can make it with one headlight.

Overview:

Genre:
Alt Rock

Favorite Lyrics:
We'll run until she's out of breath
She ran until there's nothin' left

Verdict:
tries a little, but not too hard

King and Cross

More Like Rockjavik

King and Cross by Ásgeir

Recommended by Skye

"It was a little tiny bit of an acquired taste, but it grew on me a lot. Infectious, uplifting harmony."

Ásgeir Trausti is an Icelandic artist who performs worldwide, both as a solo act as well as a guitarist in a band called The Lovely Lion.

It's pretty easy to pick up what this song is putting down. The melody is simple, but harmonies and vocal filters keep it interesting. The instrumental track behind it is nothing short of groovy.

This is the versatile kind of music that can keep me hyped for an early morning run, but it is also mellow enough to be accepted in a coffee shop. It gives some nice atmosphere to a casual get-together, but it also works for a low-key pregame.

<3

Overview:

Genre:
Pop, "Melodic Folk"

Favorite Lyrics:
The forest knows,
but it won't share the secret.

Verdict:
funky fresh

Josey

Me

Josey by Hey Monday

Recommended by Michelle

"Brings back happy memories of car rides with my children even though it's not necessarily lyrically happy 😉 AND great song to play while running intervals on the treadmill 😜"

I'm always looking for songs to spice up my runs, so I was excited to receive this submission.

I didn't realize this was going to be pop punk, but it's a welcome surprise.

See, I knew one song by Hey Monday before you sent this to me - Candles - but I had only heard the Glee version. And, okay, I love everything the Warblers sang on that show, but the mostly-a-capella cover doesn't really hint at the original band's intention.

Anyway, Josey is pop punk in its purest form, and I love it, from the strum of the guitars to the angsty drums to the slightly whiny melody.

Plus, as a college student, I find Josey as a character to be super relatable.

They're talking about a girl who doesn't really know where she's going, so she just parties all the time and enjoys the ride. Every now and then, she thinks she should stop drinking so much, but then the drinks are buy-one-get-one-free, and that all goes out the window.

And, like, can you blame her?

Even if "it's not lyrically happy," it's also not that unhappy. It's kind of optimistic. She's getting this craziness out of her system, but Hey Monday say that eventually she'll know just what to do. I can only hope I'm so lucky.

Now I think I'll have to give the rest of Hey Monday's discography a listen. So thanks :)

Overview:

Genre:
Pop Punk

Favorite Lyrics:
It's just a phase you're going through.
Some day you'll know just what to do.

Doesn't matter, just do something.

Verdict:
freshman year at UGA

P.S. There's this lyric she slips on her necklace, and I know it means that she puts the necklace on, but I keep imagining Josey stepping on the necklace on the ground and falling over.

Gravel to Tempo

Wait, What's This Song Called?

Gravel to Tempo by Hayley Kiyoko

"It's a good song."

Agreed.

A catchy, upbeat track, Gravel to Tempo sounds way too positive to be about high school.

Hayley Kiyoko says of the track:

From the beginning of writing that song, I envisioned myself in front of all the girls I had crushes on in high school. I remember so well what it was like to idolize other people and look for validation from them. But then I grew up, and I realized: the only validation I need is from myself.

My goal is to inspire my fans to find happiness in themselves earlier on, so they don't have such a tough time growing up. The world is a hard, difficult place right now. But it can feel a little bit easier if you believe in yourself. (source)

That's a noble goal, and I'm all about it. I wish I had been able to learn that lesson when I was younger.

It's funny, but I feel like I wouldn't have connected with this song as much when I was in high school. As much as it's a good message for teens, this song is clearly coming from the point of view of someone who has already been through those terrible, hormonal years.

Saying "be yourself" to someone who's still in the midst of learning how isn't usually super effective.

And I say that as someone who's, like, not quite there yet. Though I'm way further along than I was in high school (who isn't?).

Kiyoko acknowledges this in the song, actually, saying Caught up with the fact that life will be dark, but can we handle being kids? AKA: growing up is hard.

Anyway, this is definitely a song made for jumping on the bed and dancing around your room with a hairbrush microphone. Wherever you are on that journey to self-acceptance, you can sing along with this beautiful pop song and be happy and optimistic.

Question, though: why is this song called Gravel to Tempo? It's one of those songs where the namedrop never comes, and I don't get it.

Overview:

Genre:
Pop

Favorite Lyrics:
Lost in this feeling,
don't ever need a reason.

Verdict:
I love this woman.

Son

Southern Fried Rock

Son by Will Overman Band

Recommended by Uncle Robert

"The balance of music and Will's mesmerizing voice is very peaceful. This song, if you listen to the lyrics, would seem to be dark, but you just can't help but smile and tap your toe. This band is tearing up NC and VA. You need to get them to UGA."

I hope they do come down to visit us sometime. I feel like this vibe would jive with Athens.

Okay, so Will Overman, guitarist and lead vocalist, is super young - like 22 years old - and is still studying sociology at the University of Virginia. I don't say that to make you more impressed (if you've got It, you've got It, no matter how old you are), but it adds context (x).

He only got through two levels of NBC's The Voice, but the end of his run on the show was obviously not the end of his career.

Son is a standout from the album, and it was released as a single. The track features Sam Wilson on pedal steel, which you can hear underlying most of the song, and Brittney Wagner on the vocal line. Wagner, who also plays guitar in the band, harmonizes beautifully with Overman in what he calls "a natural mix" (x).

I read that Overman wrote this song about his relationship with his father. The two share a close bond, and they go out camping and hiking whenever they can (x).

It's funny to hear that Son is literally about Overman being his father's son, because I definitely heard religious undertones at first. I'm sure it's meant to be taken in more than one way.

I'm getting tired of driving, so I'll step aside and let you take the wheel.

There's no way that's not a reference Jesus, Take the Wheel, right? Plus, I thought maybe the title was referring to Jesus, the son of God.

They've all gone and left me here with you.

As my uncle mentioned, the lyrics are a little sad, but they're also uplifting, in a way. He spends a good deal of the song talking about his friends going off and leaving him alone on a lonesome train, but it's not too awful. The loneliness means there's no one to hold me back from my life.

I mean, it's still sad, but he's looking on the bright side.

He also poses the question Is life not a song? and the song can be more positive or more negative depending on how you decide to answer.

In any case, I agree with my uncle that the music belies the questionable and dark themes of the lyrics.

The mellow, ambling guitar, Overman's warm voice and charming accent, and a comforting bass line sound familiar and comforting. The whole thing sounds somewhere between a lonely walk on the train tracks and a late afternoon on the beach with your friends - in either case, there's a sunset involved.

Overview:

Genre:
Amped-up folk rock

Favorite Lyrics:
There's no one to hold me
back from my life.

Verdict:
deceptively warm sound

Girl From Ipanema

Rollin' on the Rio

Girl From Ipanema by Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz

"Kinda the song of 2016 Olympics. And been in so many movies. Wanted to know your take on the song."

Figured I would try to get this in before the Olympics end.

I admit that I did not watch the opening ceremonies, but you can watch the relevant part here and hear someone talk about it here. Apparently Gisele Bündchen nailed her walk.

But the original recording of this track was released over half a decade ago.

The first release was actually by Pery Ribeiro in 1962, but the song didn't take off until it was recorded in 1964 by Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz. That version won a Grammy for Record of the Year in 1965 (x).

Besides the Grammy, this song boasts such titles as "second most recorded pop song in history" (after Yesterday by the Beatles), 27th greatest Brazilian song (according to Rolling Stone), and "elevator music cliché" (x).

Ipanema is "a fashionable seaside neighborhood...in the south...of Rio de Janeiro" (x).

The lyricist Vinicius de Moraes said the titular character is

the paradigm of the young Carioca: a golden teenage girl, a mixture of flower and mermaid, full of light and grace, the sight of whom is also sad, in that she carries with her, on her route to the sea, the feeling of youth that fades, of the beauty that is not ours alone—it is a gift of life in its beautiful and melancholic constant ebb and flow. (source)

The real-life girl from Ipanema is Heloisa Eneida Menezes Pais Pinto (Helo Pinheiro), about whom you can read here. It's kind of creepy, actually, the way the creators of the song ogled at this little eighteen-year-old girl who just wanted to buy a drink. Or cigarettes for her mom. Or sunbathing. (Reports vary.)

In any case, Pinheiro grew to enjoy the fame brought on by the song. Now 71, she even got to be a torchbearer for the Olympic Ceremony this year (Today).

Almost as accurately, we could describe Astrud Gilberto as the real-life girl from Ipanema. The young, unseasoned singer's voice is what propelled the song to international popularity. 

It has been proposed that her lack of experience is exactly what the track needed, and I happen to agree. There's something perfectly charming in her delivery. If you watch the video, it really looks like Gilberto was suddenly thrust in front of a microphone and found herself performing when all she wanted was to take a walk.

So, like. If that's what they were going for...

Pinheiro has stated that her favorite cover is this one by Frank Sinatra (x):

I don't think it has quite the same charm. Something to do with the fact that Sinatra's an old man, and he's singing about this child. But he's charismatic, too, obviously, and I appreciate that he goes all in with the Portuguese. Impressive.

Overview:

Genre:
Bossa nova

Favorite Lyrics:
When she walks, she's like a samba.

Verdict:
I want to learn ballroom dancing.

Purple Lamborghini

Is That a Record Label Ref

Purple Lamborghini by Skrillex & Rick Ross

"An epic collab for a really cool movie :D"

I really need to dig through my song recs with a finer-toothed comb so I can cover tracks in a timely manner. How long has Suicide Squad been out now? Two weeks? Dang.

Yeah, so Purple Lamborghini was released almost a month ago as a single off of the soundtrack for that film.

I typically don't love soundtrack songs that are explicitly about the film they're written to support. Like, I find it strange listening to Ed Sheeran sing about Durin's sons in I See Fire. I love that song, but I still wish it wasn't so specific to The Hobbit.

Instead, I prefer casual references to the film. I'll stick with the Ed Sheeran example and reference All of the Stars from The Fault in Our Stars. Obviously there's a connection with the stars, and Sheeran mentions America and Amsterdam...but it's not like "Poor Hazel Grace. Okay okay."

That's just a weird thing that I have, but I actually really like this line from Purple Lamborghini.

Drugs every corner, this is Gotham City.

I feel like any rap lyric could include this Batman ref, you know? No? Maybe? I don't know.

Anyway, Purple Lamborghini is a solid track. I mean, how could it not be with the combined powers of rapper Rick Ross and producer Skrillex?

It's really just a lot of fun to listen to the wild lyrics atop an equally wild mix of synthesizers and booming bass and drums that build to an apex every so often - typical Skrillex, you know. Plus, the music video is fun to watch.

Overview:

Genre:
Hip-Hop / Trap

Favorite Lyrics:
Forgive me for my wrongs,
I have just begun.

Seven figures,
I spend that every other month.

Verdict:
the trillest

One Summer's Day

As We Say Goodbye To Summer Break

One Summer's Day by Joe Hisaishi

"Any Ghibli Studio fan knows this song from the iconic movie Spirited Away. This beautiful piece sounds so nostalgic and emotional. There's something comforting, yet thrilling about how Joe plays. I really recommend finding a video where you can see him playing live. It's a delight. =)"

As you said, this work comes from the score of the 2001 film Spirited Away, and this is just one of many highlights from an incredible tracklist. It's one of many highlights from Joe Hisaishi's 100+ film scores and solo albums. He's won the Japanese Academy Award for Best Music seven times (x).

If you've seen the movie, you'll notice that the piece fits perfectly within the whimsical and fantastical world built by Hayao Miyazaki.

That said, the track can stand alone.

Listening to the piece from start to finish can take you on a journey just as rich as one portrayed in any film. You go from broken chords and a quiet melody into lush passages spanning several octaves...before inching back to a softer and more tentative repetition of the original melodic line.

I've seen the film numerous times, and I swear I can hear the entire coming-of-age story within the notes of this piece.

But aside from that, this piece makes me feel things that no writer or director, no matter how skilled, could ever fully capture. Things that can't be put into words or plotlines. Music just does that.

Hisaishi later added lyrics and called the track - with vocals by Ayaka Hirahara - Inochi no Namae (The Name of Life). I'm more into the instrumentals-only version, but whatever floats your boat.

The music is beautiful, and it can get at some very deep, complex and subtle emotions that are different for everyone. When you put words to it, you take away too many of the nuances.

It's like...you know how for the stage version of The Lion King they added lyrics to the movie's background music, creating such songs as Shadowland? When I listen to the instrumental song, it sets a mood but doesn't put a specific scene in my mind; whereas, the lyrics make the track about a very specific situation. As much as I love the new track, I prefer the original.

(When you create instrumental versions of songs that originally had lyrics, on the other hand...I dig that.)

Overview:

Genre:
Instrumental / Soundtrack

Verdict:
background music is so underrated

I Love You, Beer

I Dunno, Son

I Love You, Beer by Charles (Chip) Esten

Recommended by Crews. Kind of. He said, "Have you heard this? I can't believe they weren't playing downtown last night. Doesn't it sound like the kind of song they'd play twice a night in Bourbon?"

Bourbon's a bar in Athens. I agree...but they might play it twice an hour. Especially during socials.

Sorry about the video quality. It's the best I could find. I think you can find the song on iTunes and Spotify, so go check it out.

Anyway, I wish I didn't title each post with the name of the song, because half the fun of this track is the build-up, before you realize that it's an ode to beer.

Listen to the seriousness of the lyrics - it sounds like any other country song. You're remembering a high school party back in your little country town. You try to flirt with a girl, and it takes a minute, but y'all end up hanging out.

But then you get to the end of the verse, and you realize he's not talking about a girl at all.

It's actually pretty clever how the lyrics don't give anything away about the song being an ode to beer, yet it fits perfectly once you know. Everything is different the second time around.

You were out in his backyard with all your friends beside that tree.
I tried to pick you up, but you were oh so cold to me.
You opened up, and I did, too.
And then I spent that night, just sitting there and holding you.

That's hilarious.

And the double entendre continues:

I went to college, and you were there.
You made it hard to study, oh but man I didn't care.

I also get a kick out of watching it devolve from poetic double meanings to lyrics that are more clearly about the alcoholic beverage:

I must have had a few of you
to talk to you this way.

People are always making fun of country music. The lyrics, the guitar, the sounds, the accents. The repetition of the same words and phrases, the images of dirt roads and pickup trucks and small towns and blue jeans and, yes, cold beer.

The thing is, country music doesn't care.

They make fun of themselves.

Between this and Girl in a Country Song and Red Solo Cup, it's pretty clear that the genre knows It's Not That Deep. Country music is about sharing small #relatable experiences and making people feel something - even if it just makes them laugh. It's about the simple pleasures, the little things...and if you don't appreciate them, it's your loss.

Overview:

Genre:
Country

Favorite Lyrics:
Every time I reach for you,
you've always been right there.

Verdict:
College football hasn't started, but it's still Saturday in Athens.

More Than This

I Still Miss Zayn

More Than This by One Direction

Recommended by Bella :P

"the best 1d song xD"

Okay, while this is clearly not true...I still love this song.

There's some nostalgia attached to a track that came out in the boy band's first album, back in 2012. At the time, they had come in third on The X Factor, and no one knew if they really had what it took to grow into the international sensation that they obviously became.

(Simon Cowell says he knew, but come on.)

Anyway, this song was good enough to be brought back for the second tour (Take Me Home), so it there's was something to it. I mean...they didn't have a whole lot to choose from at the time, but still.

I'm looking at the Wikipedia page, and it actually got good reviews, too.

Digital Spy calls the track "one of the best boy band ballads in recent years" and expresses surprise at "the group's ability to carry off a sizable ballad" (x). Gordon Smart from The Sun said it is "almost an indie song" with impressive high notes (x).

Literally compare those tiny children in the video above to the real live adults in this live acoustic version from 2014:

Those harmonies are so on point.

(Niall still needed work, but if you find something from 2015, you'll see that he got better!)

Plus, on a personal level...I started getting into One Direction during my first year of college. Now, as I go into my first week of senior year, the song makes me feel some type of way.

I haven't covered a 1D song on my blog in a while, anyhow, so I couldn't say "no" when I saw this slide into my DMs.

Overview:

Genre:
Pop

Favorite Lyrics:
If I'm louder, would you see me?

As you close your eyes tonight,
I pray that you will see the light.

Like..what?

Verdict:
reminder that there's always room for improvement

Bohemian Rhapsody

A Matter of Time

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

Recommended by Uncle Manny

"As a teenager, I remember this song being so different. I was a fan of Queen because of initially the We Will Rock You / We Are the Champions song, but listening to their music, I became of a fan of their musicianship. And I love Freddie Mercury's voice.

I love Bohemian Rhapsody because it was such a different song at that time. The operatic part in the middle was so fun to listen to, blasting it loud on my car stereo. I remember seeing Queen in concert, and when this song came on they never even tried to reproduce the operatic part live. They would just play the first part of the song, then blackout the stage, bring up the video of the operatic part, and then blast into the last part and play the heck out of it. It was always fun to watch live."

It was "such a different song at that time," and I think it still bears that title in 2016. Song is crazy.

More of a "suite" or "cantata" because it is composed in three distinct sections, Bohemian Rhapsody still bears some similarities to its namesake.

A "rhapsody" is "a one-movement work that is episodic yet integrated, free-flowing in structure, featuring a range of highly contrasting moods, colour, and tonality. An air of spontaneous inspiration and a sense of improvisation make it freer in form than a set of variations." (Wiki).

Compared to today's pop songs, this track is much less formulaic. As such, it's not as easy to commit to memory, and I'm surprised it achieved such incredible commercial success.

(Plus, the lyrics are, like, kind of depressing.)

At its initial release in the '70s, it hit #9 on the U.S. Billboard charts. After appearing in Wayne's World, it hit the U.S. charts again, this time at #2. Plus, internationally, it hit #1 in several countries (x). I can't imagine such a unique, 6-minute track getting much radio play in 2016. A shame, perhaps.

Less surprising to me is the track's induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004. It's one of Queen's most famous songs, and it was certainly influential at the time (x).

Because it's such a famous track, there's little I can say that hasn't already been said:

Music scholar Sheila Whiteley: "The title draws strongly on contemporary rock ideology, the individualism of the bohemian artists' world, with rhapsody affirming the romantic ideals of art rock" (x).

Judith Peraino: "Mercury intended ... [this song] to be a 'mock opera', something outside the norm of rock songs, and it does follow a certain operatic logic: choruses of multi-tracked voices alternate with aria-like solos, the emotions are excessive, the plot confusing" (x).

I love the a cappella harmony that opens the track, an unexpected introduction that doesn't really set the tone of the song (the mood shifts too often for that) but maybe whets the appetite for something nontraditional.

Then, the piano comes in, softly, just mimicking the melody at first before easing into a sweet, rolling accompaniment behind the solo vocalist.

A guitar solo connects this section to the next (the "operatic" section). It's not, like, a perfect segue, but it works.

The "operatic" section is the one that I always think of when I think about this song, and it's the one that is most commonly made fun of. I mean, just listen to it. What is even going on. 

Well. You're listening to the product of 3 weeks of recording, including "180 separate overdubs" courtesy of Brian May, Freddie Mercury, and Roger Taylor singing for 10-12 hours a day to create that "choir" effect (x).

Maybe that's why they can't perform it live. Makes sense.

Lyrically, this is often analyzed to represent the narrator's descent into Hell and the fight for his soul. But Mercury himself has never explained anything.

I'm not inclined to comment on the meaning of this track. I enjoy the funky sounds and the seemingly random spontaneity in how everything is stitched together, but I can't find anything int he lyrics that I connect with. If you do, then that's cool. Music is personal.

Nothing really matters...

Rock on.

Overview:

Genre:
I mean...

Mock Opera + Rock Instrumentation / Progressive Rock

Favorite Lyrics:
I don't wanna die.
I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all.

Verdict:
as classic as it gets, post-Roman Empire

Went to War

Oh, It's a Duet

Went to War by Amason

Recommended by Skye

"It makes me really happy. I think it raises my vibration."

Amason is a five-piece Swedish band. They have two different voices, drums, keyboard, guitar, and bass guitar.

A soft beat opens the song before we hear Amanda Bergman (aka: Hajen, Jaw Lesson, or Idiot Wind, according to Wikipedia) come in with a gentle verse that sets a heavy, but not altogether melancholy, tone.

The feeling is akin to nostalgia. You feel it deep within your heart, but you can't quite name it.

I like that we have a second voice joining in for the next verse. They two vocalists sound beautiful together, and it warms your heart to hear the two puzzle pieces fitting together. Harmony. All right.

It's a comfortable happiness. It doesn't ask you to go into over-the-top positivity mode, but you feel good.

Enjoy.

Overview:

Genre:
Indie Pop

Favorite Lyrics:
I'm not running, I'm not falling, 
nor I'm evading

Verdict:
I'm a fan.

In the Name of Love

Don't Stop

In the Name of Love by Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha

"I was actually going to recommend a different song, but this came on autoplay after the original one, and I ended up really liking it. Hope you dig it, too."

Indeed, I do dig it.

Bebe Rexha's voice is so cool to me. She sounds like Ellie Goulding plus Sia? I don't know. I'll work on that comparison.

Actually, it's not just her voice on this track that's cool.

Rexha had classical training and could sing opera as a coloratura soprano. She also wrote or co-wrote a bunch of songs for popular artists, including The Monster ft. Rihanna by Eminem. And, of course, she also co-wrote In the Name of Love with Dutch DJ Martin Garrix (x).

Anyway, I'd never heard of this song, but apparently it's pretty popular with people who keep up with electronica. It hit 14 on the US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs by Billboard (x).

I can see why it hit such highs.

Or, I guess, I can hear why.

The short intro hints at the electronic elements to come, but when the song begins in earnest, it's a sweet and catchy hook, with nothing but Rexha's voice and some piano chords. It draws you in slowly, lets you tiptoe to the edge of the cliff. Then during the pre-chorus, the music builds, and you muster up some courage before you take the leap at about 0:50.

The music and lyrics join together to tell that story. The next verse asks when you're jumping from the heights, would you fall in the name of love? Then, again, the music builds, and you get your answer.

I think the track is really well put together, and so it not only sounds good but also feels good. <3

Overview:

Genre:
Future Bass / Progressive House

Favorite Lyrics:
If I told you we could bathe in all the lights,
would you rise up, come and meet me in the sky?

Verdict:
just do it

Midnight Train to Georgia

Pips Are the Dots On Dice

Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight & The Pips

Recommended by Kim C.

"I met Gladys Knight and her husband once at a Mormon temple. Very strange...But I was glad to meet the woman behind this song and the famous chicken and waffles."

Couldn't post this last night because my Internet wasn't working. Not sure if it was the apartment in my wi-fi or my computer.

Anyway, yeah Kim that's bizarre. But cool.

This is a great jam. It won the Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus way back in 1974. Then it was inducted into the Grammy hall of fame in 1999. It's history.

The track is actually kind of based on a true story!

Composer Jim Weatherly called his friend Lee Majors. He had been dating Farrah Fawcett...and she happened to answer his phone. She said Lee wasn't around and she was packing to take a midnight plane to go home to Houston (Songfacts).

Not exactly the story in the song - okay, not at all - but what can you do.

Quickly creating a descending bass line and writing the line I'd rather live in his world than live without him in mine, Weatherly composed the song (then Midnight Plane to Houston) in, like, an hour (WSJ).

As happens sometimes, Knight's signature song was not written for her. It was first recorded by Georgia native Cissy Houston a year earlier. That was when we traded Houston for Georgia and plane for train. It also switched from being a country song to having more of a rhythm and blues sound (WSJ).

That said, Knight's fingerprints are all over this thing, at least her version of it.

Aside from her voice, she changed changed lyrics (a life he's come to know --> we've come to know), and added some instruments to "create texture and spark something in me" (WSJ). Lots of horns.

Except for the ad libs. Knight says she's not much of an ad-libber. As she was recording the end, her brother was in an earpiece feeding her phrases to sing. "Gonna board, gotta board" or "my world, his world, our world" (WSJ).

And, obviously, it worked.

The other "true" story is that Knight's husband was working to be a saxophonist, but eventually divorced her because he couldn't handle their non-traditional marriage. They divorced in 1973, the year this song was released (WSJ).

"That's probably why it sounds so personal" (WSJ).

It also sounds amazing. I love those background vocals.

I'm leavin'
(I know you will)

I want background vocals in real life. They don't even have to sing. Just accent whatever I say.

I'll just play this song wherever I go. It'll be close enough.

Overview:

Genre:
Soul

Favorite Lyrics:
But he sure found out the hard way
that dreams don't always come true.

Verdict:
Groovy

Hey Mami

Vampire

Hey Mami by Sylvan Esso

Recommended by Skye

Skye suggested this band a while ago, and she gave me a couple of their tracks to choose from back in May. At the time, I listened through the short list and settled somewhat arbitrarily on Coffee.

Now that I'm more familiar with Sylvan Esso and their discography, and I want to introduce y'all to Hey Mami.

This was actually the first single from Sylvan Esso's debut album in 2014, so you probably already know it. I'm just not plugged into pop culture. They performed it on Jimmy Fallon and everything.

Amelia Meath's voice is unique, the harmonies are beautiful, the electronic beat is thrilling.

Elle said the track "embraces saccharine synths, bright xylophone tones, and dance beats" (x). Gwarlingo comments on the "rich and sparse" balance of "the organic, folk-like qualities of Meath's vocals with electronic beats and found sounds" (x).

When they mention "found sounds," they're referring to the electronic noises that back up the vocal line. Listen closely and you'll hear that the bottom layers are actually "a field recording of boats on the Milwaukee River" and "a looped car passing" and "[producer Nick Sanborn's] foot scraping along a wood floor" (x).

Okay, maybe we couldn't have heard all of that without insider knowledge...but now that you know what to listen for, you can at least pick up on some of it.

"I always love it," Sanborn says, "when the recording environment colors the record" (x).

In interviews, Meath has said that despite its folk influences, Sylvan Esso makes true "pop" music. That is, "these songs were meant very specifically to be catchy, to appeal to a wide audience" (x).

Still, she resents the idea that pop music can't simultaneously be folk music. Just it makes you want to dance doesn't mean it can't be quiet (x). "There's a lot of movement," but there's also "honesty" (x).

You'll notice that the lyrics of Hey Mami are from the point of view of an outside observer. That's because Meath prefers to dig into "universal, human emotion" (x). She says:

I don’t really like writing songs from the first-person perspective. I like talking about situations that are neither good nor bad. Like “Hey Mami” is definitely talking about cat-calling, but it’s also talking about cat-calling in this way that’s not, “You f***!” Sometimes getting cat-called is lovely if it’s done right. Sometimes it makes me feel really shitty and threatened. So writing about that, writing songs that are questions and not statements, is much more interesting to me. (Wondering Sound)

Stephen Thompson from NPR observes, "it's commenting on guys who make leering catcalls toward women, but it also functions as a catcall itself...It's very coolly seductive while also commenting on less-cool attempts at seduction" (x).

Overview:

Genre:
Electronic Indie Pop
(and folk "in an ethnomusical sense")

Favorite Lyrics:
She owns the eyes as she flies right through the sound
Moving her body all around town

Verdict:
guys want her, girls want to be her (but also want her)

Rotten to the Core

Apples to Apples

Rotten to the Core from Disney's "Descendants"

"So this movie comes from the same minds as 'High School Musical,' as I'm sure you can tell. This is the main opening song, much like What Time Is It was for HSM2 - one that quickly summarizes the plot and theme of the movie. Basically, these kids are the descendants of some classic Disney villians, so they have to sing a song about how ***evil*** they are. Plus, they added a weird dubstep number, 'cause I guess that's what the kids are into nowadays."

I actually could not tell that this song was by the 'HSM' people. Troy and Gabriella never danced to this kind of EDM stuff.

This song is definitely not my favorite track from a Disney Channel Original Movie. Why don't they just sing it? They're just talk-whispering most of the time? And they've got a forced rasp thing going on...it's, um, fine.

Sofia Carson recorded a version for the "computer animated short-form series 'Descendants: Wicked World' (x). This version adds a little bit of soul and - bless - takes away the dubstep interlude.

I'm still not in love, but this is better than the movie version. It kind of gives me Mercy (Duffy) vibes, at least at some points.

Overview:

Genre:
Dance Pop

Favorite Lyrics:
The past is past,
forgive, forget.
The truth is, 
you ain't seen nothing yet.

Verdict:
A little suggestive for Disney tbh

Thinking Out Loud

When I'm Fat and Old

Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran

Recommended by Mom

"Another great love song!! Just love this one. Makes me think of seeing this concert live with you and Manny. I remember I wasn't really excited about going to this concert, but I came away such a huge fan - and this one is my favorite! Ed is so talented, and I always remember Crews coming home from that tournament in San Diego listening to him before anyone knew who he was...funny. 😊"

So you're saying you heard about Ed Sheeran before he was cool? What a hipster.

On the same note, I liked this track before it was all over the airwaves. It's amazing how much your opinion of a song can change once it becomes inescapable.

Okay, but at least in this case, I can understand what all the hype is about. I mean, this is a good song. Thinking Out Loud was nominated for three Grammys, winning Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. It was the first song to be streamed over 500 million times on Spotify, and it Sheeran's highest charting single in North America (x).

The message behind this song is very clear and very dramatic, and I love it. Sentimental. Some might say sappy. I can't even imagine how many times this was used as the first dance song at weddings last year.

(Speaking of dancing, how lovely is that music video?)

One quirk about the lyrics is how Sheeran sings I will be lovin' you 'til we're seventy. I mean, the life expectancy in the U.S. is 78.8 years. What are we supposed to do for that last decade? (x)

I'm sure he didn't mean it that way - it's just a good rhyme - but it still raises my eyebrows. Sheeran says he wrote this song while "in a relationship at a really, really happy point" (x). That much is clear. But in admitting that it was just a high point among low points, perhaps he's admitting that he doesn't believe in a love that's truly evergreen, despite what he says in this and many of his other songs.

That's negative. Sorry.

Whether that's true or not, Sheeran has spoken about the track, calling it a "walking down the aisle song" that reflects on "getting older and fidelity and love in a fairly conventional context" (x).

Musically, critics have called the song a "sleek update" of Marvin Gaye's 1973 soul powerhouse Let's Get It On. Similarities include the way Sheeran's voice is fairly loud compared to the instruments, which is "surprisingly rare" these days, and "the gently loping four-note bass pattern and crisp '70s soul drums" (x).

Plus, there's the "general candle-lit bedroom feel" (x).

Overview:

Genre:
Pop ballad

Favorite Lyrics:
People fall in love in mysterious ways.

Verdict:
Radio play was extra, but the song is good.

Seven Days

One Week

Seven Days by Sting

This is a track off of the album Ten Summoner's Tales, which was nominated for six Grammys (it won three).

I think this song has a really cool vibe. The staccato guitar and sharp drum beats form a light but very present backdrop for Sting's casual vocals. For most of the song, it sounds almost like something's missing because the accompaniment is so sparse.

The refrain is the only place where we get flowing, lyrical melodies.

The lyrics are really entertaining. I like how he refers to his romantic rival as a Neanderthal then bemoans the fact that such a brutish dude could win his love's affection despite being dumb.

IQ is no problem here.
We won't be playing Scrabble for her hand, I fear.

I don't know, I just think this song has a unique feel.

Overview:

Genre:
Soft Rock

Favorite Lyrics:
It's a big enough umbrella, but it's always me that ends up getting wet.

... a line which you may remember from Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, released over a decade earlier.

Overview:
A more mature version of I Would

Hurricane (Arty Remix)

To Infinity And Beyond

Hurricane (Arty Remix) by Halsey

Recommended by Kim C.

"You always ask me if this is a remix when it comes on in my car. It is. It is a remix. (Also, I love this song.)"

Duly noted.

So the mastermind (other than Halsey, of course) behind this track is a Russian producer and DJ who calls himself ARTY. He's a true prodigy; he started in music school at the age of eight and finished it by the time he was fourteen. At that point he decided against going to college for music because he didn't love playing the piano anymore. Instead, he turned his talents to electronic music (x).

Since then, he's been pretty active in the EDM world.

Of this track, he says, "I decided to take it in a completely different way compared to the original – make it more uplifting, change the whole vibe around and bring up the Hurricane feeling into [the] main part." (source)

Not super clear to me. Open to interpretations. Drop me a comment.

Compared to the original, the ARTY remix seems a bit softer and lighter. ARTY calls it "uplifting," and I feel that. It's not as grounded, replacing low drones and a heavy bass line with a fast, astral beat that takes us to outer space.

EDM Magazine says it's "spacious and sweeping," and I feel that, too (x).

Overview:

Genre:
EDM

Favorite Lyrics:
Don't belong to no city,
don't belong to no man.

Verdict:
This is probably how Halsey's original recording sounds if you listen while using hard drugs.

The Rock Show

Music Starts at 00:19

The Rock Show by blink-182

I went to a blink concert tonight, so - as is the protocol - I had to look at one of their songs. This has always been my fave.

I'm not sure what it is that makes me like this song. Is it the repetitive melody that gets stuck in your head like an ant on flypaper? Is it the quintessential pop punk lyrics about stupid teenage adventures and general lack of ambition? Or is it the Guitar-Hero-level guitar action?

It has that "manic pixie dream girl" stock character which is, like, not usually my favorite thing. But it's kind of a staple in this genre of music, so we can let it slide. It's not that deep, and it's too tiring to get annoyed by, um, all the small things.

lol

Anyway, this song was written mostly by bassist Mark Hoppus to fill the spot as a "catchy, feel-good" track for the album (along with Tom DeLonge's First Date). Apparently they each went home and angrily wrote those respective songs in, like, ten minutes after a meeting where management asked them for a "good-time summer anthem thing" (x).

You want a f***ing single? I'll write you the cheesiest, catchiest throwaway f***ing summertime single you've ever heard. (source)

The band members explained their new sound as "catchy [but with] a definite edge" (x). Of the album and The Rock Show specifically, they said:

I think it's actually as if we built a punk rock time capsule and went back to five years ago when we were writing songs. We wrote that song as a mid-tempo punk-pop song about a girl, and it ended up being one of the better ones on the record. (source)

The inspiration for the song was a rock show at a venue Hoppus describes as "covered with graffiti. It stunk. It was made of concrete and metal so the sound sucked and the toilets were always over-flowing. It was the best, we loved it" (x).

Also, okay, last thing: This song came out in 2001.

That was 15 years ago.

Mark Hoppus is 44, and he's still singing about being 17 without a purpose or direction which I think is kind of funny. But, like, whatever. The line is more about lacking purpose rather than being a teenager.

In other words, pop punk isn't an age; it's a mindset. What's my age again?

In other other words, pop punk is a "combination of pop melodies with fast-paced punk rock" (x). It's guitar-heavy music with punk lyrics that actually has a chance of getting on the radio.

It's a banger.

Overview:

Genre:
Pop Punk

Favorite Lyrics:
She said, "What?"
And I told her that I didn't know.

Verdict:
Can you believe blink-182 invented pop punk?