You know Xyon, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a Bon Jovi fan...
I'm just gonna go down my playlist and pick out the ones I feel are worth mentioning.
THIS IS REALLY LONG GUYS. OMG WTF. I literally just sat here and picked out songs, then posted when I hit the halfway mark. Well I hope you don't mind this many!
Some songs I love, maybe a sample lyric, and why I love them:
Coco Rosie: By Your Side
"I'd wear your black eyes, bake you apple pies. I won't ask why and I'd try not to cry..."
No song has ever made me feel intensely feminist like this one does, and I love it. It's also bizarre sounding and non-linear.
3 Brave Woodsmen: Feelin' Fine
"Got nowhere to go, I got no place to be. And there's no monkey on my back that's eatin' me. So I'm taking five as far as I can roam, and if I close my eyes the world becomes my home."
It's just so cheerful, happy, and fun. This song *always* puts me in a good mood.
Abra Moore: Trip On Love
"I let my guard down in a momentary lapse of emotion. It just slipped out...and we both know my heart could be broken. I said something I never intended to say; you stopped laughing and asked me 'Do you feel alone in that way?'"
This song sounds happier than it is, and the first time I heard it I actually cried. It reminded me of some personal stuff, but I enjoy it. It also tells the story of the conversation, and I think it captures the terror and powerful longing of that kind of moment well.
Alanis Morissette: Mary Jane
"Please be honest Mary Jane, are you happy? Please...don't censor your tears."
To me, this song is about innocence lost without hope, but still trying anyway. Longing, again. I have a thing for songs about longing; apparently I relate to a strong sense of longing. You'll probably see this theme in most of my favorite songs somewhere.
Alice In Chains: Rooster
"Got my pills 'gainst mosquito death; my buddy's breathin' his dyin' breathe. Oh God please, won't you help me make it through?"
One of my uncles is a Vietnam vet who served two terms during that particular farce of a war. He came back with all of the mental health issues that you hear about in the documentaries, and he was spat on several times. What really makes this song for me is that when my mother first heard it - a woman who pretty much hates grunge and all that it stands for - she started crying because she couldn't stop thinking of her brother's pain.
Alien Ant Farm: Movies
"I want you to be free; don't worry about me. And just like the movies, we'll play out our last scene. You won't cry; I won't scream."
This one is actually another song that I enjoy because it's fun and happy-sounding, although it's a sad song about a break-up. But this is a good break-up, to me; they're being mature and wishing each other well.
The Allman Brothers: Ramblin' Man
"When it's tome for leavin', I hope you'll understand that I was born a ramblin' man."
I envy the character in this song. I wish I could just get in my car and go; there's nothing that I want to do more than abandon the life I've made and just...go. But my sense of responsibility holds me back - much to my sorrow.
Andre 3000 (Outkast): Happy Valentine's Day
"Y'all won't believe in me anyway, but you would fancy leprechauns or ground hogs. Thank you Easter Bunny..."
The idea of Cupid just telling you PLEASE NOTICE ME just makes me grin ear to ear. I think the song's hilarious, but also a good depiction of how you can't fight against your attraction to someone else.
The Beatles: Come Together
This song is pure awesome. I don't believe I need an explanation.
The Beatles: Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da
It's just so cute. There's no one lyric I love; the whole song makes me want to run outside, grab the first person I meet and dance.
Ben Folds Five: Song For The Dumped
"So you wanted to take a break. Slow it down some, and have some space - FUCK YOU TOO."
This song is hilarious and anyone who hasn't heard it needs to.
Billie Holiday: Blue Moon
Dude, Billie Holiday. Dude. I so envy that woman's voice.
Billy Joel: *Insert Song Title*
I love songs that tell stories; it's a weakness I have. Pretty much all of Billy's songs do that, so I won't even try to narrow it down.
Bjork: Bachelorette
"I'm a tree that grows hearts, one for each that you take. You're the intruder's hand; I'm the branch that you break."
Longing for the love of someone who just isn't having it. Why do I so love these songs?
Blind Melon: Change
"Keep on dreamin' boy 'cause when you stop dreamin' it's time to die."
This song reminds me of how much I used to hate myself. It's a song about moving on and beyond the pain until you find that happy place inside and can live there. How is that not inspiring?
Blind Melon: 3 Is The Magic Number
A remake of a Schoolhouse Rocks song by one of the most adorable-sounding bands ever? Oh man, the cuteness is almost an overload!
Bush: Greedy Fly
"Do you feel the way you hate? Do you hate the way you feel?"
Although this one's more from my sad-feeling days, I still love the song and miss the band. It definitely summed up how I felt about myself and the way I felt.
Busta Rhymes: Put Your Hands (Where My Eyes Can See)
I won't even try with the lyrics. I just enjoy this song and it makes me shake my "money maker" as it were - and it's not the hard bumpin' bassline is king rap song you normally hear. It stands out, to me.
Cake: Love You Madly
"When I kiss your lips, I want to sink down to the bottom of the sea."
Unreasonable but apparently fun love. What's not to like?
Cat Power: Good Woman
"I don't want to be a bad woman, and I can't stand to see you be a bad man. I will miss you heart so tender...and I will love this love forever... And this is why I am leaving...and this is why I can't see you no more. This is why I am lying when I say I don't love you no more."
Someone once told me that this was the most depressing song they'd ever heard, and I didn't believe them. I was so, so wrong. It's not the lyrics, really; the entire song is simple and easily composed. It's the horrible, heart-rending longing behind everything - knowing that you love this one person more than you ever will another, and knowing that you'll only bring out the worst in each other.
The Charlie Daniels Band: Devil Went Down To Georgia
"The whole song."
It tells a story and it's fun to recite. Perfect for road trips making wild gestures at the wheel as you tell it that it's a SUNUVABITCH.
Chavela Vargas: Paloma Negra
Besides loving and having grown up on the singer, this made the perfect backdrop in Frida. Anyone seen that movie besides me? You need to. Hate it or love it, I have never thought that I would go gay for a woman except during that to-die-for tango scene.
ChungKing: Following
"What we had, of course it makes me sad - that is when I say to myself. I won't be following...you were just borrowing me."
Unrequited longing love. Remember that theme I mentioned? Yeah, it's severe! But it's also a beautiful song.
Cypress Hill: Insane In The Membrane
I will never forget popping this song into my cd player with my oldest brother in the car, and watching this lunk, this 6 foot 5 250+ Puerto Rican guy, turn into a goofy teenager right in front of me and sing every word of this song. His grin was ear to ear.
Dave Matthews Band: Crash Into Me
This is the most beautiful dirty song ever. "Crash into me as I come into you." What was that Dave?! I can't believe they played this unedited on the radio. Just goes to show: make it pretty and no one will care.
Deftones: Change
Have you ever had a friend that you really really loved just the way they were, and then had to watch them metamorphosis into a pathetic ematiated version of themself as they insist over and over again that they've never been so ALIVE? This song brings back all those hard memories and rubs them in your face.
Donna Lewis: I Love You Always Forever
I think it's a medical fact that a male who listens to this the whole way through actually has his balls shrivel up and fall off. God save the man who *likes* this song...but I find it adorable and I love it. I'm a girl, though, so it's ok.
Eels: Novacaine for the Soul
"Life is hard, and so am I."
This song is both awesome and hilarious. I love you, Eels.
Electric Light Orchestra: The entire El Dorado album.
I grew up on this, and the entire album fills me with memories of listening to this and singing with my dad. In that same vein -
Styx: I'm Sailing Away
Yes, the one Cartman sings. But before I ever saw it on that show, I loved this song. I went to an activity with some friends, and this song was playing at one point. We all left singing it, and when I got home I mused that I remembered that song and still loved it. The next day, my dad went out, bought the Styx Greatest Hits album, and when he got into the garage he had Mom come get me so that we could sit in the car together with this blaring at the top volume as we screamed along.
I love my dad very very much.
Elton John: Your Song
"I hope you don't mind that I put down in words how wonderful life is now you're in the world."
Yes, it's sappy as hell, but the mental image of some guy singing this to me makes me all tingly and girly. When they used this in Moulin Rouge, I almost started crying during the scene - even though I didn't care for the movie itself, this was wonderfully done.
En Vogue: Don't Let Go
This song is
perfect for singing along. You just wanna BELT IT OUT!
Eve 6: Promise
"I promise not to try not to fuck with your mind. I promise not to mind if you go your way and I go mine; I promise not to lie if I'm looking you straight in the eye. I promise not to try not to let you down."
To me, it's about an honest relationship.
Everclear: Most of their stuff. Everclear has a wonderful ability to write the happiest depressing songs you could possibly listen to. I'm leaving you/you're a lying jackass/we're divorcing/your parents are abusive/I'm poor/life sucks...but here's a lollipop!
Family Force Five: Luv Addict
To hear a somewhat hard band sing about how they can't live without love amuses me on levels that're probably unhealthy. You can actually hear this song on my Myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/angatd
Don't worry, it doesn't automatically start playing like so many people have media on their pages do. That's just annoying.
Filter: Hey Man, Nice Shot/Take A Picture
Listening to these songs back-to-back is surreal. It's the same band. The
same band. Wtf? I love both songs, but...wtf?
Flogging Molly: I luvs them. Their music is Irish punk! It's punk that's Irish! OMG
Seriously though, I think their songs actually still do what punk was started for: exposes social hypocrisy and problems while being damn fun to mosh to.
The Folk Implosion: Natural One
"I can have it 'cause I act like I love it; it's a matter of pride."
When I listen to this song, I picture the most self-assured stoner ever giving his sage wisdom down unto his envious stoner followers.
