Archive for February 5th, 2010

Shortly after the New Year, I made a playlist of my favorite songs from 2009. Here are the best.

Already Gone – Kelly Clarkson

Listen to this one really loud in the car. Anyone who’s been through a relationship that soured won’t mind yelling out “started with a perfect kiss then/we could feel the poison set in” or “I want you to know/ it doesn’t matter where we take this road/someone’s gotta go” Kelly Clarkson is probably the only singer I listened to in middle school who I would admit to still listening to today. She’s classic and I’m very happy she keeps coming out with good songs (Anyone remember American Idol? They still play Miss Independent on the radio sometimes.) Also good by her last year were “My Life Would Suck Without You” and “I Do Not Hook Up.” Props to her for the latter especially – stars with some semblance of morals are something we need more of.

Gives You Hell – The All American Rejects

The first time I heard this song, I couldn’t believe it – it was perfect. (See above). The title explains it all. Next time you run into somebody you really don’t want to see, and it nearly ruins your day, just sing this song in your head. You’ll feel a lot better. (Who care if “truth be told I miss you/truth be told I’m lying.” Just ignore that part. The truth hurts, so sometimes you should ignore it a bit)

Someday – Rob Thomas

Another one to listen to full blast.  “You can try to carry on when all you want to do is cry/but maybe someday/we’ll figure this all out.” Sometimes you need to hear that. This is for those days when totin’ the weary load is starting to feel like a pile of….well, you get the idea. It’s hopeful, while being broody and melancholy.  Sounds kind of like me.

Love Remains the Same – Gavin Rossdale

I’ve listened to this so many times my six year old brother can sing it. Talk about broody and melancholy. It reminds me of “The Difference” by matchbox twenty; walking empty streets, giving your all. My favorite line is “the city buzz it sounds just like a fridge” – really bizarre but descriptive and insightful. My mother says that music is its own language – this one certainly speaks to me.

Tim McGraw – Taylor Swift

This tells a little story, and is very bittersweet. The emotion feels real, the story is not airbrushed. The idea of a song bringing back so many memories also appeals to me – I have deep associations with some songs, good and bad. This song is about the mementos of a relationship  – shared and unshared (“in a box beneath my bed/is a letter that you never read”). I’m sure we all have something like that unsent letter – as long as it stays among the shoeboxes and dust, the pain of the past will remain, but also there remains a tiny glimmer of hope remains, no matter how deeply buried in the back of a closet and the depths of one’s heart, which might still be cherishing a bit of girlish naivete.

Vanilla Twilight – Owl City

Owl City, who did the very popular Fireflies, also did this piece. It’s about missing someone from afar; the imagery created by the words and electronic background tones is quite exquisite. “As many times as I blink I’ll think of you tonight.” Very sweet and cheery – for once, not brooding. “Oh darling I wish you were here” – living vicariously through this song isn’t too bad.