This is my blog that few people know about and fewer people read. I started it last Fall semester for Brother Clarke's Technical Communication class and have written on it once since the semester ended. You mentioned a possible recurring theme in the songs I savvily bluetoothed onto your phone. Well, the truth is, I'm not that clever. But, there is a reason that I decided to give you each one. Most of it just boils down to why I like these particular songs. I did the best I could to remember the ones I gave to you, but I probably left some out. Hopefully I didn't include any here that didn't actually make it onto your phone (that would be kinda embarrassing). Anyway, since it kinda fit with the theme of my blog, I thought I'd give you the reasons here.
"Change Your Mind" by The Killers - I already told you about this one. But, aside from reminding me of you and me, I like the vocal harmonies and lines like "Lazy days that help me through the hopeless haze..."
"I Can't Stay" by The Killers - This is my number one most played song with 42 times, according to my iTunes (the Seder Rap at 82 doesn't count because it's only seven seconds long). It's a great one to groove to and sing along with in the car. How can you go wrong with steel drums and a saxophone solo?
"Hard Candy" by Counting Crows - This is the title track from my favorite Counting Crows album (there are five plus one greatest hits album). I like the way the guitars and piano complement the vocals, and I like that there's a coda - the part at the end that's not the verse or the chorus. "She is something altogether different, never just an ordinary girl..."
"Mrs. Potter's Lullaby" by Counting Crows - Of all that songs that I have in my collection, this one has my favorite lyrics. It's well worth listening to all seven minutes and forty-seven seconds of it. "The price of a memory is the memory of the sorrow it brings."
"Needs" by Collective Soul - I thought you should probably have the original version of this song, so you can know what it's supposed to sound like. I'm afraid I didn't quite do it justice at that last talent show in Jerusalem. It was actually when I was giving you a sampling from my iPod there on the third floor lobby that I had the idea that we might be able to do this song for the talent show. This song also has an amazing coda (mental note: write a song with a coda).
"One Tree Hill" by U2 - I could have included several more well known U2 songs, but I decided to give you a chance to see if you liked something you probably hadn't ever heard before. This song comes from the first rock album that I ever really listened to. It's called The Joshua Tree, it came out in 1987, and I think that every track on that album is genius on so many levels. I particularly like the sound of the guitar at the beginning of this one.
"Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" by U2 - This is another one that you probably haven't heard from another album that I think is amazing.
"Fix You" by Coldplay - Hmmm, so my favorite part of this one is also the coda. Did you know that at the end all the members of the band are singing in harmony with the lead singer doing two different parts on the recording? What with the guitar, drums, bass, and vocals, it's one of the more glorious moments in all of music. You can take a look a couple posts down and see what else I said about Coldplay's performance of this song at the concert in SLC.
"Warning Sign" by Coldplay - I really like the sound of the guitar on this one as well. And "the truth is that I miss you..."
"Viva La Vida" by Coldplay - We rang the Jerusalem bells, need I say more?
"I've Been Delivered" by The Wallflowers - This is the song that has the lines, "I'd rather bleed out a long stream from being lonely and feel blessed than drown lying face down in a puddle of respect." You remember that conversation, right? I really like that little keyboard riff that plays throughout the song.
"Invincible" by Muse - With these next couple songs I wanted to venture out a little to see what your tolerance level was for music that isn't exactly like everything else. I could have included songs by these two groups that I know you wouldn't like, but I thought these two had a fighting chance because they're on the more mellow side. The guitar solo at the end of "Invincible" was one of the Top Ten Guitar Moments from Mikey's iPod that you can read about a few posts down from this one. Also, you should look up the music video on YouTube.
"Let Down" by Radiohead - I think the texture created by the different sounds in this song is unique and I really like it.
"Open Your Eyes" by Snow Patrol - I played this song for a group of girls on a staircase and when I made it to the huge climax, I jumped off the stairs, broke my pick on the strings, and made my finger bleed all at the same time. Now that's rock 'n roll.
"Perfect Situation" by Weezer - We went to get gelato once with Matt and the former Stephanie Conrad. As I was enjoying my mint chocolate chip gelato, this song came on (I was very likely wearing one of your jackets). I remember thinking that life didn't get much better than that moment.
So, there you go. I'm interested to hear your thoughts and reactions. You just told me that there was one that you don't like, but I'm having a hard time guessing which one it is. It just goes to show that there's so much more to you that I still get to find out.
Mike
