7 Songs that...
Dear Reader,
This is a book blog, with a strange amount of Taylor Swift references sure, but a book blog still.
Today, I choose to write about music! These songs, the 7 favourites and 3 honourable mentions I have picked are unexplainably attached to my mind. In this blog, I try to explain.
Let's get started:
1. "Heroes" by David Bowie
Despite my adoration of Bowie, who I own 1/2 of his discography on vinyl, several vintage collectors magazines of, and 4 thrifted posters hung up in my room of- my attachment to this song, funnily enough sprung from my love of a book- so I would say is a great number one for easing my regular readers into this change of brand (don't worry this is a one time thing). To those who have digested the novel/film: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, you will know the scene where these characters, some of my all time favourites, drive through a tunnel at night listening to a song- which I don't believe is named in the book. This moment, driving through that tunnel, Charlie (our protagonist) describes himself feeling 'infinite'. This song, has always brought me back to that moment, which despite being a pretty precise culture reference I find so universally applicable to the teenage feeling of absolute harmless freedom. I love that Chbosky, who also directed the film, chose this song for this moment because of how it was always this song, even when it was never named. There's no other song, there is just heroes.
The moment in question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMSkavUrzHM.
When this song comes on, I find I never expect it to be playing, but that its effect is so inescapable and it always accompanies that flooding feeling of youth and slipping time that can not be described unless you are living it, or living in the nostalgia of it. It is beautiful, and so damn powerful. Take away: Shout it next time you're on a motorway.
2. Clearest Blue by CHVRCHES
This is admittedly the only song I know well by CHVRCHES, because I almost think I'll ruin the magic of it if I know too much of the artist that put it together. This song, playing as loud as you can bare in your room, literally just jumping around with your eyes closed has got some built in endorphins. I don't know how a song can make me feel this giddy and over caffeinated. And it never loses that power! I have spent literal hours playing this song on repeat jumping in my room like a mad man, and I only really stop when I feel like my neighbours might begin to plot my sudden death.
I found this song in the background of a Netflix show that is so underrated and under-hyped it's ridiculous. The Politician, created by Ryan Murphy staring Ben Platt with Gwyneth Paltrow and in later seasons Bette Mydler, is a hidden gem that has to be my favourite TV show that isn't a sitcom. In this particularly scene Astrid, played by Lucy Boyton dances around her room with her headphones on to this song. To me it represents such a female coming of age sense of sexuality and again (big theme here) freedom. It's like the modern day, techy version of Girls just want to have fun but with the best delirium beat drop I've ever bounded around my room to. Take away: listen for similar symptoms of a candyfloss IV drip treatment.
3. Seven Wonders (Remastered) by Fleetwood Mac
I have little to say about this one except this era of music (Tango in the Night 1987) could not be further encapsulated than in this fairly simple melody. No word has ever been so wrapped around a lyric as ethereal is to Stevie Nicks singing 'So Long Ago, It's a certain time, It's a certain place'. Take away: Listen to it with floaty sleeves/ floaty skirt for max. effect (men of course included).
4. Dancing in the dark by Bruce Springsteen
I don't know what it was about the 80s but everyone was writing about what it was to be human and not knowing who you want to be to the world yet. I eat that stuff up. Springsteen is a connection I have with my mum and I always love returning to him in the darker months of the year as he pretty simply fuels my energy for life and manages to re-balance me to the moment. He is such a legend and everything he writes just feels so grounded in what it is to go through life constantly changing shape and growing. I have a memory of me and my best mate after covid dancing to this song in our local park, after it had snowed and we got this lovely lady and her little son to dance there with us. Key memories infusing songs, is a different kind of magic. Takeaway: public parks are for dancing.
5. Don't take the money by Bleachers (Written by Lorde)
Ultimate shower song. For me this song is about when you're witnessing your friends grow out of Childhood and become an adult who has to compromise themselves our of all our childhood creativity and joy- and what a total sell out this feels like to our inner child. That's probably the anti-thesis of what this song is about, but for me it's just that. It's the let's keep dancing in the snow till we're the mum with her 3 year old dancing with us. I discovered this on a 'mental health walk' and took a different route to kind of dance-walk my way through the common. I clearly have not learnt shame, but I feel this is what these types of songs want us to embrace about ourselves, those young careless grooves. Takeaway: Taylor Swift has good choice in producers.
6. (It's going to get sad guys) The Night We Met (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) by Lord Huron
Phoebe's verse is fricken mythical. It's stunning, and the guitar in it is haunting, pretty fitting for a 13 Reasons Why soundtrack. I first heard of this song as once a boy I was talking to sent me a track of him playing it on guitar and I was all 'am I the main character in a Jenna Han novel?'. After that I was wating for the day I got to dance to this song with someone I loved, it almost as if I know that day will come. Whether it comes on in my kitchen Alexa, or at some sort of ball, I feel I'll remember any memory that will be associated with this song. It's a beautiful little track about heart break and nostalgia- and if you hadn't noticed- I'm feeling pretty damn nostalgic today. Take away: for full enjoyment of this song, do not watch it with the 13 Reasons Why context, and instead remember it as a soundtrack to a dream ft. your crush.
7. Shake it by Metro Station
Name a song that makes you want to shake shake shake shake-ah-shake it more than this. It's a stupid song and I think nothing like it will ever be written again. Take away: Treasure it! That time where this music was socially acceptable is gone now.
Honourable mentions:
-Moon song by Phoebe Bridgers (Might as well put a trigger warning for: Right person wrong time/ Your dad left)
-Dawns (Feat. Maggie Rogers) by Zach Byran (I bloody love a bit of country music)
-The Mates of Soul (Remastered) by Taylor John Williams (This guy wins the fricken Voice and goes onto write the first dance song I've heard to date)
Until next time,
Issy
x
Ps: MUSIC RECS ALWAYS PLS!
