eminem - sing for the moment

This Eminem song rocks. Well, that's probably due to the guitar part being sampled from Aerosmith's Dream On. But you know what? As much as I like Aerosmith, I like Sing for the Moment better. It's... edgier.

midnight oil - beds are burning

No special reason for this song other than me liking it and me hearing it in the cab, while I was en route to hand in my final paper for my master's degree (yep, am about to finish the darn thing).

How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How do we sleep when our beds are burning?

pearl jam - i am mine

Ok, I can't really say I know much about grunge. I can't therefore say that I like it or not. The first (and for a long time only) Pearl Jam song I ever heard was back in grunge's heyday - it was of course Jeremy and I was barely in my teens. I had somewhat mixed feelings about it. I kind of liked it, but kind of... considered it unproper, I think.

I think a friend of mine sent me I Am Mine. It came on playing some while ago, which made me look for more Pearl Jam stuff. I like Eddie Vedder's voice, that much I can say. I am still in the process of listening to these guys, so I still can't tell you whether or not I like them and I definitely can't extend that to a whole genre, of which, wikipedia informs me, they are not completely representative. But this song has stuck with me. I don't want to withhold the lyrics from you, either.

The selfish, they're all standing in line
Faithing and hoping to buy themselves time
Me, I figure as each breath goes by
I only own my mind

The North is to South what the clock is to time
There's east and there's west and there's everywhere life
I know I was born and I know that I'll die
The in between is mine
I am mine

And the feeling, it gets left behind
All the innocence lost at one time
Significant, behind the eyes
There's no need to hide
We're safe tonight

The ocean is full 'cause everyone's crying
The full moon is looking for friends at hightide
The sorrow grows bigger when the sorrow's denied
I only know my mind
I am mine

And the meaning, it gets left behind
All the innocents lost at one time
Significant, behind the eyes
There's no need to hide
We're safe tonight

And the feelings that get left behind
All the innocents broken with lies
Significance, between the lines
(We may need to hide)

And the meanings that get left behind
All the innocents lost at one time
We're all different behind the eyes
There's no need to hide

alice cooper - poison

Ooooooooookay, I'm back in the business :D.
I'm not even going to start telling you why I haven't blogged. But I'm back now and maybe I'll keep going for another couple of months before I take another break ;)

The choice of song is not random. July 1st (though four days ago) was the last concert day of the B'estival, an open air festival that promises to be held yearly in Bucharest. If it promises that, I promise to go, because I've had a really good time this year and enjoyed some really good performances. One of which belongs to shock-rocker grandpa Alice Cooper. That's right, the dude was painting his face and scaring over-concerned mums when the likes of Marylin Manson (with whom he shared the stage twice for a duet) and Slipknot were still peeing in their diapers.

So, this is the first song from the encore, one of the most looked forward to. Needless to say the crowd went hysterical (Oh, did I mention for the umpth time I had front row? And that I have one of Jason Hook's guitar picks?)

dusty springfield - son of a preacher man

Another song that I've first heard on the famous morning radio show. Until then... well, I had heard of the name Dusty Springfield and assumed it was a man's name. It sounded like a country singer to me :))).

This is probably one of my favourite "oldie" song. Speaking of which, I have a dilemma as to how old a song must be to be qualified as an 'oldie' and what other criteria it must fulfil. You may or may not have noticed that I haven't put that label on Pink Floyd for instance. It just doesn't feel like an oldie to me. And then, there are the 80's songs. Run to You, recently posted, has been released about twenty years ago, but I wouldn't call it an oldie. I've heard kids going 'wow, that is an old song' about songs I've been dancing to at highschool reunions. Gosh... I think those songs are still young... it is me growing old :(

Take a look at this footage. Look how she enjoys what she's doing. Check out that dancing style. Listen to the simple orchestration, close your eyes and feel how alive this song is and how it communicates the mood. Don't see much of this these days :(

pink - god is a dj

And here I am, accomplishing the wonderful feat of uniting the recent concert theme with the Eastery-religiousy thingie. Because Pink is one of the artists who will be present at the B'Estival this summer. Now when I first heard Pink I wasn't all that impressed. There was a more R'n'B feel to her first album and I am not particularly into that style. I saw, I noticed (hey, you're bound to notice pink hair in someone), I thought 'cute, but not my cup of tea' and moved on. However, her later efforts... well, that's another story. Rock and dance influence, a rebel attitude, a talent for telling unpleasant stuff straight forward and a I-don't-really-give-a-fuck motto made it for me, publicity stunt or no. So, to keep with the theme, here is God Is a DJ, a cheer-happy-go-lucky song. If God is a DJ, life is a dancefloor, love is a rhythm and you are the music...

eurythmics - missionary man

Well, this is a band. Mad genius meets tough lady and make hits. :)))) I adore Annie Lennox, seriously. There are no 80s without Eurythmics. And this song goes well with the religious theme.

genesis - jesus he knows me

Ok, moving on to a little bit of an Easter theme for three or four days now. Or not necessarily Easter but semi-demi-religious at least. So first one... taking the mick out of TV evangelists are Genesis with Jesus He Knows Me. Of course the first Genesis song and vid I knew was I Can't Dance but this one is even more fun-making :) with Phil Collins as the money-making preacher. I am actually not really sure if I know any Genesis songs from the Peter Gabriel era. Oh, and Genesis will probably have another entry here with Ray Wilson as a vocal, as that really meant a shift in sound. And this might be blasphemy, but I loved the songs he made with Genesis more than any other tracks I've heard from the band.

jon bon jovi - miracle

So I've told you before how it all started. Am going back in time all of a sudden. I've taken out all my tapes, and cd's to listen to, I brought my cd with the discography to work tonight. Because someone on the forum I'm on decided to open a thread. It was like opening the door of a submarine while still underwater. I'm being swept off my feet once again. Added to that, an online acquaintance of mine whom I've been talking about the concerts I mean to go to said that the only one he would attend would be a Bon Jovi concert. I replied after five minutes of fantasizing of how that would actually feel... and if it wouldn't kill me.

This particular song is features on the Young Guns II soundtrack, along with Academy Award nominated Blaze of Glory. I remember how happy I was back in 1995 or so when MTV had an entire weekend dedicated to BJ and I actually saw the video to this, seeing I never knew until then that it had been released as a single. I had had lyrics of the song written on my (by now hopefully famous ;) ) huge paper sheet on my drawer door. It's an encouraging song to hear.

A penny for your thoughts now baby
Looks like the weight of the world's on your shoulders now
I know you think you're going crazy
Just when it seems everything's gonna work itself out
They drive you right back down

And you said it ain't fair
That a man walks when a bird can fly
We have to kick the ground, the stars kiss the sky
They say that spirits live, a man has to die
They promised us truth, now they're giving us lies

Gonna take a miracle top save us this time
And your savior has just left town
Gonna need a miracle 'cause it's all on the line
And I won't let you down
The river of your hope is flooding
And I know the dam is busted
If you need me I'll come running
I won't let you down... no, no

You're looking for salvation
You thought that it'd be shining like an angel's light, yeah
Well, the angels left this nation
And salvation caught the last train out tonight
He lost a hell of a fight

He said: "I'm just one man, that's all I'll ever be
I never can be everything you wanted from me
I've got big plans so big that any blind man could see
I'm standing in the river
Now I'm drowning in the sea"

Gonna take a miracle top save us this time
And your savior has just left town
Gonna need a miracle 'cause your heart's on the line
And your heartbeat is slowing down
Your feet are grounded still you're reaching for the sky
You can let 'em clip your wings 'cause I believe that you can fly

Well my eyes have seen the horror of the coming of the flood
I've driven deep the thorny crown into the soul of someone's son
Still I'll look you in the eye 'cause I've believed in things I've thought
And I'll die without regret for the wars I have fought

george michael - killer / papa was a rolling stone

This is another major artist having a concert in Romania this year. Unfortunately, I won't be in the country when this is happening, otherwise I might seriously consider attending this one too :) I've been meaning to do a George Michael blog for some time now, but kept wondering what song to use. This came on late one night on VH-1 and I said this must be it. I don't generally like covers. There are few that can stand up to the original or maybe surpass it. This is two covers in one and it sounds great. It's Adamski's Killer and The Temptation's Papa Was a Rolling Stone in a medley, with a cool black and white video, taking the mick out of consumerism a bit and featuring some sexy lip scenes with piercings ;)

placebo - twenty years

They were bound to show up again on the blog and I couldn't have found a better excuse than the concert series :) I don't know why out of the entire set they played, Twenty Years is the one song that always takes me back in time to that particular August night. "There are twenty years to go, with many friends I hope, though some may hold the rose and some may hold the rope..." I will just copy-paste part of an entry in my personal blog here:

the opener is infra-red, one of the best if not the best track of the album... "someone call the ambulance, there's gonna be an accident", well, i at least am high, this is no night to consider sore throats, "i'm coming up on infra-red, there's no running that can hide you, cause I can see in the dark...". next up is meds, another killer track, no it's brilliant, though i somehow miss the chick's voice... "baby, did you forget to take your meds?", nope, that's not the issue, there is no med that can put up with this, and then because i want you. so do we. then the screams get even louder when black-eyedstarts, yep it looks like the right people came to the concert, then song to say goodbye and what can be cooler than spending money on a ticket to hear a dude sing you "you are one of god's mistakes, you're crying tragic waste of skin" to some hypnothizing chords, and no, i am not a masochist, i'm just a darn happy fan.

but it can get better, next is special k, the first placebo song i ever heard, with that wonderful video with the mini-sub. then the inevitable technical problems, "this being a totally live show things are bound to go wrong, and right now they just did", guitars changing, and yes, the show must go on, there starts another special... special needs this time. "just nineteen, a sucker's dream, guess I thought you had the flavour, just nineteen and dream obscene with six months off for bad behaviour" and no, i am not nineteen, but i can rise up to any hysterical bsb-fan or whoever it is they are worshipping these days.

then, again off the meds album there is drag, "you're always ahead of the pack, I drag behind", no you don't, they are really on top and they are here, live, in font of me and i still don't believe it, then every me and every you, people sing it out loud, as someone said, well not some anyone, but the seraph in person, it's the placebo song of which every loser (aka manele listener) knows. of which, yes, but which - i doubt. however, who's there knows and sings. then there's one of a kind, "on top of the world you get nothing... done" and then see you at the bitter end and placebo exit stage. people scream, shout, clap on seats for around five minutes, i still don't know whether what followed was an encore or just the resuming of the concert after technical trouble. fact is, placebo are back on stage, and what can be heard is running up the hill, a kate bush cover. brian introduces the band, after which nancy boy follows, "got the muse in my head, she's universal", yes she is, but placebo leave again.

the public screams again, i am caught somewhere between fear and hope, it can't have been all, but what if...? no, people keep shouting, it can't be over, and this time i'm sure it's an encore, yes, placebo are back, steve, the guitar player heads through the crowd, brian apologises for being late and for the technical problems, thanks the public for their patience and the incredible atmosphere, promises that "they'll be back soon", i know it's a nice thing to say but i can't refrain from hoping, and i still do... next up is twenty years, and yes, after that they are gone for good.

faithless - why go

Another band I am sorry not having seen live, because I think they put up a show to behold are Faithless. And funny thing is, I could've made it to a gig in Budapest and catch Placebo there too the next day had I known of a trip on which a colleague went. I don't like all of Faithless' stuff, but they have some amazing songs. I find this one very uplifting and with a video to match. :)

bryan adams - run to you

And since we've started with concerts... first one I've ever been to was Bryan Adams. That's what being high must feel like. Loads of memories connected to this one. I still have the concert poster on the door of my room. One of my fave Bryan Adams songs, though it's hard to pick just one was Run to You, I really love the beat of this one. And... I love what Bryan does as a photographer too. He really seems the type of guys who does what he does for fun and believing in it and that is inspiring.

rolling stones - love is strong

Starting out the concert series: I have friends bugging me to go to the Rolling Stones concert in Bucharest on July 17. Thus, I am bugging other friends to come with me and so on. Now I can't say I am a big Stones knower or liker. But it's probably my only chance to see them in concert before one of them snuffs it (yeah, that was mean) and I know that I'll probably scratch out my eyes if I don't go, so I will probably yield to temptation. This is one of my favourite Stones song, along with Anybody Seen My Baby. It is simply H.O.T.

depeche mode - walking in my shoes

Depeche Mode... hm, the first time I heard about them was from a gang of guys in my neighbourhoood when I was a little girl... maybe... dunno 6 or 7? They were in their teens and generally not well regarded by the parents. And they have been blamed for writing on the walls in the stair halls and scratching stuff into the paint. One of them was a rose with DM written underneath :)

The first song of theirs that I have heard was probably Enjoy the Silence or maybe Personal Jesus. Not knowledgeable enough to call myself a fan, but whenever I hear a song of theirs, it usually hits home. This one here is one of my faves. Great lyrics, give them a read.

matchbox twenty - if you're gone

It was only a matter of time till another MB20 would show up on the blog again. I work in a 24/7 call center, which is obviously a shift jobs. A thing which I like because there are always people willing to take on my morning shifts and leave me their afternoon ones, which is vital for a late sleeper like me :). However, my favourite shifts, of which I unfortunately don't get enough, are night shifts. I love the peace and quiet of it. No one around the building (well, except the door guards and the firemen, but they are on ground floor, I'm on the fourth). I stay awake till 4-4:30 am if I am given the chance anyway, so there's no big deal in prolonging that till 7 am. Usually no one's calling in, so I am left to fill my time.

Am on nightshift right now. I brought a stash of cd's with me to which I haven't listened in a while. It was like meeting up with dear old friends. I know them by heart, they have memories and feelings connected to them, I know I like them every time I rediscover them... and they always stir that something in me that made me like them in the first place. I absolutely love Matchbox Twenty. Everything they've ever done. I got their three albums in Barcelona a couple of years ago. Oh, the thrill of the chase, the joy of the discovery, the relief of the prey, the extasy of fitting them into my rather tight budget... :)

This one is off their second hit album, Mad Season. This is a live acoustic version.

I think Ive already lost you
I think youre already gone
I think Im finally scared now
You think Im weak - but I think youre wrong
I think youre already leaving
Feels like your hand is on the door
I thought this place was an empire
But now Im relaxed - I cant be sure

I think youre so mean - I think we should try
I think I could need - this in my life
I think Im just scared - I think too much
I know this is wrong its a problem Im dealing

If youre gone - maybe its time to go home
Theres an awful lot of breathing room
But I can hardly move
If youre gone - baby you need to come home
Cuz theres a little bit of something me
In everything in you

I bet youre hard to get over
I bet the room just wont shine
I bet my hands I can stay here
I bet you need - more than you mind

I think youre so mean - I think we should try
I think I could need - this in my life
I think Im just scared - that I know too much
I cant relate and thats a problem Im feeling

If youre gone - maybe its time to go home
Theres an awful lot of breathing room
But I can hardly move
If youre gone - baby you need to come home
Cuz theres a little bit of something me
In everything in you

I think youre so mean - I think we should try
I think I could need - this in my life
I think Im just scared - do I talk too much
I know this is wrong its a problem Im dealing

If youre gone - maybe its time to go home
Theres an awful lot of breathing room
But I can hardly move
If youre gone - baby you need to come home
Cuz theres a little bit of something me
In everything in you

ana johnson - we are

I liked this song the moment I heard it. I like rock chicks :) Not even the fact that it was on the soundtrack of Spiderman deterred me; then again, I have another film from the series posted here. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I like Spidey. It's a crap movie, of course, but that only if you insist looking at it as a movie. I don't. I continue to view it as a cartoon, with actors instead of drawings and thus am able to enjoy it despite all flaws and blunders.

Now just you go figure what a weird person I am. Here were, four or five people wanting to go to the movies to see Spiderman. Frist, someone's late for the meeting point. Then, I insist we pass an ATM so I can withdraw money to get my ticket and a coke. They don't want to take that route, cause they'll pay and I'll repay afterwards. I hate having people pay in my stead, even if it's just a loan. They rush like mad, I tell them to calm down, as all we are bound to lose are the ten minutes of commercials at the beginning of every flick. Then someone starts bickering. I have my ticket bought and get myself a bottle of coke. Finally we enter the theatre, but hey, one guy's missing cause he went to the loo. It's dark already inside, commercials showing, so we have to wait for him as to not get split up. There are some free seats there that are just perfect - nothing hindering the view, first row of a bunch of them, so we don't even bother anyone. No, someone insists we go farther to the front. The movie is about to start, we grope our way. By this time I am not pissed, I am fuming. They have watched me grow increasingly mad and kept making fun, by now I don't even talk to them, they find the whole situation very amusing and keep giggling. They finally decide they are up front enough and sit down on three seats at the margin. I sit myself in the row behind them. Am not in the mood for more giggling and teasing on their part. I just want to enjoy watching this cartoon (by the above definition) and relax, wind down. By know, one guy probably senses I'm serious about it, so he gets up and sits beside me cause it's not nice to watch a movie alone... errrrm. Hm. Approximately the same group of people wanted to watch Garfield in the 8pm show. I went to the 6pm one, alone, rather enjoying it.

Anyways, looking back these are the two things I remember about the film. Ana Johnson's song and that movie-going experience. Am not going to the movies alone anymore, but I darn sure pick my company.

goo goo dolls - here is gone

When I first heard Iris, I instantly fell in love with the song. It... touched something. Much later did I see the movie City of Angels of which it was part of the soundtrack and made the connection to the lyrics. For a long, long time, it was the only song I knew from the band. Slowly, I discovered more and Goo Goo Dolls are definitely in my top ten bands now with Here Is Gone being one of the faves. I remember either reading or hearing a piece of trivia at some point. I guess 12 years waiting for international success (they were formed in 1986, Iris was released in 1998) can do that to you: before Iris made it big, singer/songwriter John Rzeznik had serious self-esteem problems regarding his songwriting skills. I think his songwriting skills are fucking amazing, but judge for yourselves.

nelly furtado - powerless

I like Nelly. I had mixed feelings about her first single Like A Bird, sometimes liking it, sometimes being bored by it. The album title Whoaaa... Nelly was kind of cute though an I liked other songs of it, like (Shit) on the Radio and Turn off the Lights, not to mention Forca. Her comeback now after a baby break is really amazing, with more great songs. She manages to be good looking, to be hot'n'sultry if she wishes without becoming cheap, which is a pretty rare thing in my view. One of my favourite tracks of hers is Powerless (Say What You Want), dealing with her ethnic background and the way ethnicity is treated by majoritarian cultures. A serious issue to a lighthearted tune. Listening to this on my mp3 player while making my way through rain to work puts a smile on my face, regardless of how many reckless drivers manage to soak me in puddle water. Cuz this life is too short to live it just for you...

metallica - enter sandman

Well, in this post I am not going to tell you how I've finally discovered Metallica. That's another story and another song. The only Metallica song I thought I liked at that time (and now you know it, huh?). Hey, I was in denial. I knew a song with the title Enter Sandman existed but wasn't even curious about it as there couldn't have possibly been another song of the band I might like.

So why am I posting this instead of taking it nice, from the beginning? Well, because lately I am in a Metallica / Guns'n'Roses mood to the extent of downloading three albums each last night. This was further fueled by precisely this song coming up on MTV - I was heavily impressed :) And... the song still rocks when a Bolivian guy sings it in English in an Irish pub in Germany top the delight of three Romanian fellows. Hey dude... you should've won! Well, if this song can withstand globalization, it can withstand anything! Now turn up your volume and take my hand... we're off to Never Neverland.

röyksopp - what else is there?

I became aware of Röyksopp back from Poor Leno, though right now I remember the video rather than the song, though I remember liking it. Poor Leno really made me sad :(. I absolutely love this track and the video is... well... let's call it freakish. And I am proud to say that I recognised the voice as belonging to the chick singing in The Knife, from what brief but intensive exposure I've had to the band from a friend (cheer!) - hey, I'm a fast learner. Come to think of it, I need to dig deeper on The Knife... Another band added on the 'check out list'. The girl's name is Karin Dreijer Andersson. I don't know it, I've looked it up. Shame on me. And I call myself a person who has taken Swedish lessons and wants to take them up again.

madonna - rain

It's the third day in a row that the rain just keeps pouring here, so on my way to work (while I was getting myself soaked), I thought a rain-themed song would be in order. Don't get me wrong, I like rain. If only drivers paid more attention... It was really hard to choose something to post, as several songs came to my mind. I googled a bit and found a themed website, they had indexed over 770 songs about rain. But I've stuck to this one, as I've been humming it today at the office. If Madonna is to appear in my blog, it has to be with Rain, as it's one of my favourites of hers. Captures my rainy days mood perfectly. :) And the other folks singing about rain... well, they'll just have to wait. I ain't running nowhere.

red hot chili peppers - under the bridge

I have no problems calling this song a classic. I used to have problems liking it because my brother said it was good and then, in my mind, it wasn't supposed to be. But now, years later... hey, he was right. Not even All Saints managed to ruin it completely >:) I am glad the Peppers have emerged from the nineties and are still going strong. So, ladies and gentlemen, presenting you with probably the best love song for a city ever written: Under the Bridge.

firma - important

Firma are probably one of my favourite Romanian bands. Their first video was La Orbire (Of Blindness), I have seen it once, liked it and forgotten all about it. Then they got a record contract and along came the single Nimeni (Nobody). I loved it instantly, in fact so much that I just went out and bought the album. It is very well worked, especially for a music album produced in Romania, with attention to every detail from sound and lyrics to album cover and design - all aspects in which the band members were heavily involved. And then came this video for the single Important. First time I saw it, I thought it belonged to a foreign artist. Really well done and I recommend it in a quality higher than the one youtube can provide.

There is also another version of this video, subtitled Rocca's Nightmare (Rocca being the lead singer and songwriter); then the band kind of vanished. There was a collaboration of Rocca with N-eatgroove (much like the Brian Molko - Timo Maas song First Day) and that's about that. Yesterday I read in a cheap grab-it-for-free local newspaper that the band is working on a second album. I didn't quite know what to make of it, since they only mentioned three members. I've check the band's homepage and... guess what, the newspaper was right for once. Apparently Lix, the guitarist and other songwriter has left the country; don't know what has happened to the other dude, but they are down to three members now and about to release an album. Am curious about that one.

u2 - beautiful day

Back by public request... and not really. I've thought and thought what to post today, seeing as it is my birthday. Since nothing smarter than this came up, since I love u2, since... hey, it is a beautiful day (actually, it rained heavily, but then again I love rain)... I am going to spare you another mile long entry and just let you enjoy the song and charge yourself with some energy. :)

the doors - not to touch the earth

Posting a Doors song here is an act of courage for me. There are several bands that I just do not dare to approach. I am intimidated by the aura surrounding them. It's not a thing that I can explain rationally. No one is forcing me to listen or ignore, to like or dislike, but somehow I can't bring myself to give them some attention and get my own opinion. I have only recently dared listen to some Pink Floyd albums. I still haven't stuck my teeth into the Doors. I know "the hits" and that's about that. I've promised myself to remedy this situation as soon as possible. Why I have posted this particular song and not some I'm a bit more familiar with... well, because of the story.

So, the first time I came across The Doors... I didn't know I had come across them. :) I was in the... seventh grade maybe. The last hour on Wednesday was religion, we always held that one in another classroom. I was (they say) a Catholic, there were relatively few of us, so we had a really old classroom, with old wooden writing desks. These desks have been the witness to many generations of students of various grades and as such were bearing the marks of time. From maths formulas to drawings in boring hours, in pencil, in ball-point pen, etchings, declaration of love and... lyrics.

On the desk I was seated at, I found the following: 'Not to touch the Earth, not to see the sun, nothing left to do but run, run, run...'. I had no idea what it was or whose it was, but I loved it. I loved it so much that I wrote it on the huge sheet of paper I had glued on my dresser, where I gathered sayings and lyrics from songs (these sheets will come up again in my posts). Just the quote and in my mind filed it under 'author unknown', attributing it to the one who had written it on the desk. Only many years later have I found out that those lyrics belonged to none other than Jim Morrison, being the beginning of this present song.

korn feat. amy lee - freak on a leash (unplugged)

To set a thing straight: I am not a Korn fan, though one particular song will appear here at some time. I like their lyrics but they're a bit too rough for my taste. I like Evanescence and I think Amy Lee has a great voice. I caught a glimpse of this on T.V. on Sunday and immediately looked it up on youtube. I can't say I particularly like the original version, though I enjoy the video very much. But unplugged... I just love it. I think this is a real test for a song. Strip it to just the core of its tune and the lyrics and see if it still sounds good. I find this one does.

the beatles - yellow submarine

Again, not my song of choice but fitting for the day. So, as you might have guessed, after the previous hectic days, I was dead tired. Did I manage to get some rest on Saturday? Noooo. I was on morning shift and then in the afternoon I went to a march of supporters of my hometown football team. Long story, I won't bother you with insignificant details. However the atmosphere was incredible. I have managed to take some really great pics (false modesty aside: especially compared to those posted on some official sports sites) and had a great time singing along with the crowd. And one of the songs was the official supporters hymn of the team, which is to the tune of Yellow Submarine. So there you go, the post is perfectly justified. :)

queen - we are the champions

Queen are another long overdue band. And another one that will feature several times, because this is not the track I first intended to post :) But it is related to the continuation of the story from the previous post. In Thursday's hectic we managed not to get the diplomas for the kids printed on time and we also only had enough t-shirts for the volunteers who coordinated the various kid groups. So on Friday we went to their school with the diplomas, chocolate and t-shirts for the kids in the winning group - the one whose project was finally voted as being the best one. So We Are the Champions seems only fitting for the occasion.

No song related story, but a band related one. When I was in the tenth grade, I had a classmate / schoolfriend who was a big Queen fan. Her dad was into music, I think he owned tons of magnetophone tapes :). She then told me of an acquaintance who used to be a huuuuge Queen fan. The guy had original disks, limited edition ones, anything you could desire and that was no easy feat in Communist Romania when he began collecting. And the guy hears Freddie is gay. So he goes into his garden, piles up all his Queen stuff and sets it on fire. Is this crazy or what?

alice cooper - school's out

Ok, retroactive blog. And now, as promised, I'm going to tell you a bit about what I have been doing the past few days. I have acted as a volunteer for an NGO and as such have coordinated a project that involved taking around fifty 7th graders to the city hall; during one exhausting day, they learnt the ins and outs of life as a local councilor; they identified issued in the field of "safety" that they would like to see solved, came up for solutions in groups and then had to vote for the best solution. All in all, I think they had loads of fun and I think it was also a good experience for them. For the coordinators on the other hand... well, you can imagine. We get to see the mess behind the curtains :)

So, I thought that School's Out would be a fitting track. The day was a day off from school for the kids... and it was a good cry of relief for me when it was all over. :) Now, a funny incident I remember involving another Alice Cooper song, Hey Stoopid, was several years ago. I was maybe 14 or so. Someone kept on calling on the phone, obviously in a prank. I got tired repeating over and over that it was the wrong number, so I pulled my cassette player next to the phone, set a tape to the start of this song and waited for the phone to ring. I picked up the receiver, put it next to the loudspeakers and pushed play with maxed volume. I think it created quite a microphony. Anyways, they didn't call again :D

And now, back to present... Alice Cooper (by the way, seen him on VH-1's Behind the Music, he's a totally sweet guy) is one of the artists who will be performing at the B'estival, a three day festival to be held in Bucharest this year. The line-up kind of sounds worth taking the long train ride in stride :)

dire straits - brothers in arms

If you were the sole survivor of World War Three... what would you sing in farewell over the graves? I'd go for this one. It's a morbid thought, I know. But the message that this songs conveys to me - the lyrics, the vocal, the guitars - it's just a desperate, disappointed headshake at someone who just can't grasp the obvious: the futility of violence. I was shocked years ago when I first heard the song, for I knew Dire Straits only from merrier songs like Money for Nothing and Sultans of Swing. The imagery this song always evoked was that of burnt fields, smoke still rising and clouding the vision, ruins in the distance and an overwhelming feeling of loneliness and hopelessness in front of the way the tides are rolling. I have only seen the video once before looking it up on youtube and honestly, I couldn't imagine it otherwise than black and white. There's so many different worlds, and so many different suns... And we have just one world but we live in different ones...

u2 - van diemen's land

Actually, this song wasn't requested by anyone. It's just a way of saying thank you. On to the explanation: I love U2. They are one of the top three bands I want to see in concerts. They have songs that touch me in a way... There is probably more to come from them on this blog, there is no way around that. I have the U2 discography and yet I have always avoided this song for a pretty silly reason: its name. It reminded me of Vin Diesel who, at the time I got the discography was mega in-vogue because of the triple X, which was pretty enough for me not to like him. Due to that association, I usually skipped the song. So, my thank you goes out to the one who's opened my eyes (or rather my ears) to it, as I've come to appreciate it as a jewel among many other jewels bearing the U2 trademark. Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for... The Edge.

Hold me now, oh hold me now
'til this hour has gone around
And I'm gone on the rising tide
For to face Van Diemen's land

It's a bitter pill I swallow here
To be rent from one so dear
We fought for justice and not for gain
But the magistrate sent me away

Now kings will rule and the poor will toil
And tear their hands as they tear the soil
But a day will come in this dawning age
When an honest man sees an honest wage

Hold me now, oh hold me now
'til this hour has gone around
And I'm gone on the rising tide
For to face Van Diemen's land

paula cole - i don't want to wait

Ok, back-posting again. One day, I might share with you what is keeping me busy. Maybe I'll even find a song to say it with. Am just replacing "Say it with flowers" with "Say it with songs" :). Anyways, in the past few days I have caught myself on several occasions humming the chorus of this song. With my voice, it's all I really can do. I haven't heard the song in ages, so finally giving it a listen was a nice thing to do. And it would hopefully get it out of my head. It's an interesting video too, with Paula's immortal character falling in love and having to part with lovers through various ages. It was one of my favourites when VH1's pop up videos was still running - that was a good show. The first song I've ever heard of her though, was Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?, you can check it out here. It's another great song, though I've always supported the Indians myself :)

take that - shine

Ok, this one really wasn't planned (I have thirty something songs written on a piece of paper that I mean to post here at one time or another...). But I was talking to a friend yesterday and he told me he had just listened to Take That's new single five times in a row. And that reminded me how I dropped my jaw a couple of days ago when I heard a song I really liked on TV, went into the room to see who it was... and discovered Shine. I had already liked Patience, but I think I was still skeptical about the guys making a real comeback. Woo-hoo, I suddenly feel so young again. I mean... Take That were in my top three bands twelve years ago! Like with many others, I've started liking them when they were already falling apart as a band. I still think Robbie can pocket the entire band as a songwriter and entertainer, but... this song rocks. I think it will be for March what Mika's Grace Kelly was for February - feel good song of the month.

simon & garfunkel - the sound of silence

I love this song. It must be one of the best songs ever written. I've just listened to it in constant loop for about an hour, it has an amazingly soothing effect on me. The lyrics are urban poetry and the tune is so simple and quiet - it goes straight to my heart. And the video shows what it all was about: MUSIC. Two guys and a guitar and yet a masterpiece. It is one of the tracks that makes me wish dearly I were old enough to have witnessed those times as a teen :( And I guess it rings truer now than it did back when it was written. If you enjoy it only half as much as I did, you'll love it.

Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

"Fools", said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed
In the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls"
And whispered in the sounds of silence

dido - sand in my shoes

Dido is the second artist that has provided me with a soundtrack while I was working on my BA paper. She has a really pleasant voice and I've quite liked all of her songs. So during that time it was two albums by Moby, two albums by Dido, load in winamp and... here I go typing like mad or spreading sheets of paper all over the floor :) Maybe it sounds weird to some, but this is a nice memory. I think writing my final paper was the best thing about going to uni. Best thing out of four years was that thing I felt was all mine, and I've done it to this soundtrack. First I thought of going with a more mellow song, but it is such a nice quiet warm day today, that I've finally decided for Sand in My Shoes.

poets of the fall - carnival of rust

Rainy winter afternoon (yeah, winters are rainy round here...). I was on afternoon shift and rather bored. Then an online acquiaintance asked whether I had heard of Poets of the Fall. Well, I hadn't. She wanted to send me some songs through messenger, since she thought I might like them, but that feature doesn't work at my office, so she sent a song per e-mail instead. Well... I've got the entire album in the meantime :) so I guess she was pretty much right about me liking the song. This is the one I got from her and still one of my faves from the band. There's some really nice imagery in the lyrics and a nice creepy fairground video to match them.

moby - in this world

Mmmmh, Moby... Again, I don't think this seems an obvious choice for me. However, I like most of the things he's done. What I don't quite digest are songs with beats like Honey, Find My Baby or the likes. I like these mellow ones, though some of the others too. And I love his videos. Almost all of them have a very powerful message, I find. Moby is one of the two artists that will forever and ever be linked in my mind with the time when I was writing my final paper for my B.A. I work well with music, but that really needed concentration and I was in need of music that would both provide a nice background and not distract me at the same time. Moby was one of my two choices. Again... Hard time chosing just one song to mention and just one video to share. But the cute little green aliens did it. Don't you just want to hug them? :)

die toten hosen - ich bin die sehnsucht in dir

Well, tough choice again. Die Toten Hosen are a German punk rock band. I first "met" them in high school (it was a german one i attended). They had a couple of songs I knew and loved. So when a colleague announced she had a tape with one of their albums, I was overjoyed. I borrowed the tape from her and made a copy. When I listened to the album, I was a bit disappointed, as I didn't particularly like what I heard (I was still under the impression mentioned before... rock is a loud noise-violence) and I deleted the entire tape, not only the songs that bothered me. I can't even remember which album it was, though it might have been Opium für's Volk.

Anyways... I rediscovered the band a couple of years ago, through a song sung in English, called Pushed Again (still one of my faves) and also remembered my other likings. I downloaded songs again and... hey, guess what, I like them again :) Again, I had no idea which particular song to choose. At one point, I wanted to go with the English one, but that isn't really what Die Toten Hosen is about. Lastly, when I was down to a choice of three, I based my choice on what youtube had to offer, so here is Ich bin die Sehnsucht in Dir (I Am the Longing in You).

Wir kennen uns ein Leben lang (We've known each other for a lifetime)
ich hab dich schon als Kind umarmt. (I've even hugged you as a child)
Ich hab mit dir die Jahre gezählt, (I've counted the years with you)
mit deinen Träumen habe ich gespielt. (With your dreams I have played)

Ich hab dir deine Wege gesucht, (I have looked up your ways for you)
ich bin dein Glück und ich bin dein Fluch, (I am your blessing and I am your curse)
hab dir fast den Verstand geraubt, (I have almost taken your minds)
du hast trotzdem an mich geglaubt. (Still you have believed in me)

Ich bin die Sehnsucht in dir. (I am the longing in you)

Immer wenn ich bei dir war, (Whenever I was with you)
hast du alles nur für mich getan. (You have done everything only for me)
Ich hab dich in die Irre geführt, (I have led you astray)
meine Versprechen waren so oft leer. (My promises were so often hollow)

Wegen mir hast du vor Wut geweint, (Because of me, you've cried in rage)
wegen mir hast du dich selbst zum Feind. (Because of me, you're your own enemy)
Es ist meine Schuld, du kannst nichts dafür. (It is my fault, nothing you can do)
Ich bin die Hoffnung und du stirbst mit mir. (I am the hope and you die with me)

Ich bin die Sehnsucht in dir. (I am the longing in you)
Ich bin die Sehnsucht und du stirbst mit mir. (I am the longing and you die with me)

Ich hab die Welt um dich gedreht, (I have turned the world around you)
stehl dir die Zeit, bin dein Tagedieb, (I steal your time, am the thief of your days)
war oft genug dein Alibi, (Was often enough your alibi)
was auch passiert, ich verlass dich nie. (Whatever happens, I'll never leave you)

pink floyd - wish you were here

An overtrodden path? Perhaps. But this is one of those occasions when an overtrodden path just goes to show that the one who first stroke it did one hell of a job and that many others have appreciated their work and followed in their footsteps. This is one of the songs I can't help being touched by. The partly wise, partly bitter, partly condescendingly amused beginning gets me every time... and then the fishbowl part... I can't help but close my eyes, bite my lower lip and nod in approval. Not much else to say to that. To add something would be to spoil it. Such a simple track, saying so much and touching so many...

foo fighters - walking after you

Honestly, when Kurt Cobain died, it was darn clear Nirvana died also. There are certain bands that just don't exist with their emblem gone. But I would've never expected any of 'the other guys in Nirvana' to achieve something musically. And who would've thought of the drummer being the one who actually does. I mean... how many Phil Collins-es can there be? Well, apparently this drummer also made it. Only that instead of going solo, Dave Grohl formed a band that proved quite successful, namely the Foo Fighters. This is probably my favourite of their songs. It's really mellow and I like both the almost-but-never-there feel of the video and Dave's vocals on the track.

frank sinatra - my way

Shocking, I know. I don't even like the dude :-s. However, I've always had a weakness for this song. Errrrrm, I'll skip a certain night attending a karaoke show, where a bloke insisted on doing an entire Sinatra impersonation, friends know why. So I'll just forward to today, when I was writing an entry for my personal blog. And as the writing progressed, this song came to my mind and it fitted the entire blog post so well, that I finished it off by quoting the last lines of the song. So fucking true... and so makes me grit my teeth and just move on, pulling my cross after me, just to spite the crowd.

For what is a man? What has he got?
If not himself - Then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels.
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way.

bon jovi - always

Ok... there are several reasons why this band hasn't made an appearance earlier on. First I thought I'd post them under the label 'un-famous songs of famous bands' with the track Let's Make It, Baby. Thought I wouldn't find anything featuring the song on youtube. Eventually, I did but it was a distorted version. And amazingly enough it was nothing x-rated about it. Then I thought of posting Living in Sin, since it's a little known fave of mine. But then again... nope.

It just had to be Always. Because ultimately, this is the song that started everything for me. And by everything i mean... everything. Before this, the only songs I ever knew were the Lambada and Wind of Change (which I loved, and just goes to prove I'm the power-ballad-chick type).

It was in the winter of '94. I hated MTV (and mind you, back then it was good) and I hated rock, not because I had listened to anything, but because my brother did, too much, too loud and never allowing me near. Guess he wanted a private experience listening to his stuff, which I now understand but which at that time frustrated me. Then, a schoolfriend of mine asked me whether I had seen this particular video and 'what happens in the end? does she die?'. Errrr... I dunno. I have no idea what you are talking about. But I promised to look into it. So i did. I turned on the tv, and I turned on MTV and just waited for the song. This was a huge hit in Europe so I didn't have to wait long. Errrrrr... yup. Instant crush. On the song, on the band, on the singer... I did it all. I got the tape with the album, I got the posters, I got the band history, I got everything related... and I got started on a path of no return :) So, this is my homage then. Oh, today is Jon's birthday. What a happy coincidence :)

mika - grace kelly

This I have declared at the begging of February my feel-good song of the month and I must say it did a good job out of it. When I first heard the song I went in the room to see who was singing. I kept humming it all day and I've even had "Why don't you like me, why don't you like me, why don't you walk out the door?" as a messenger status that day. It's a really playful satire with a colourful laid back video, nothing fancy. The dude has in interesting voice, he really 'tries a little Freddie' at times. Apparently, he wrote the song in frustration after being turned down by several record companies for not fitting the trend, hence the 'I could be brown, I could be blue, I could be violet sky, I could be hurtful, I could be purple, I could be anything you like' part.

christina aguilera - fighter

So... this is the second anthem I was mentioning in the Robbie Williams post. I absolutely love this song, though maybe you wouldn't consider Xtina as one of my obvious choices. Interesting video too. Reminds me of Silence of the Lambs for some reason. Well, not for some, but a very specific one - the creepy butterfly/moth thing. Insects freak me out but the whole coming out of the cocoon thing is a good metaphor for the song I find (though Christina looks better as a brunette, but don't take my word for it). Anyway, this song rocks. And, oh, that chorus fit so well.

So I wanna say thank you
'Cause it makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
It makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter

robbie williams - feel

I guess this is going to raise eyebrows. I was a Take That fan back in the sunny days of my youth :), but interestingly enough, I never was one for Robbie. I think he is one of the precious few who emerged to a successful solo career after being part of a boy band and looking back I think Take That was indeed holding him back in his development as an artist. I think this guy is born to be an entertainer and it's both his blessing and his curse, as it is definitely taking a heavy toll on him. But I absolutely love some of the stuff he's done. And many of his lyrics are very truth-stating and touching and inspiring and, as I find, absolutely easy to identify with. I loved this song the instant I heard it. I just closed my eyes and cried. It really hit home at a time and at some point became my anthem along with the one in the next entry. Well... enjoy.

Come on hold my hand,
I wanna contact the living.
Not sure I understand,
This role I’ve been given.
I sit and talk to god
And he just laughs at my plans,
My head speaks a language I don’t understand.

I just wanna feel real love,
Feel the home that I live in.
’cause I got too much life,
Running through my veins, going to waste.

I don’t wanna die,
But I ain’t keen on living either.
Before I fall in love,
I’m preparing to leave her.
I scare myself to death,
That’s why I keep on running.
Before I’ve arrived, I can see myself coming.

I just wanna feel real love,
Feel the home that I live in.
’cause I got too much life,
Running through my veins, going to waste.
And I need to feel, real love
And a life ever after.
I cannot get enough.

animals - house of the rising sun

Geesh, the things you find out on wikipedia :) Apparently this is a folk song, origins unknown and recorded by artists starting in the 1920's. I've only ever heard the animals version and I guess it is the widest known one. Eric Burdon has a really deep, powerful voice, making the song's message all the piercing. That, and a hypnotic psycho glance, but I didn't see the video until much later after starting to like the song and it makes me laugh every time. I remember seeing 'Behind the Music' on VH-1 with Travis and I distinctly recall Fran Healy mentioning that this song was recorded in half an hour studio time, in a couple of takes, pick the best one and that's it. Amazing sound, amazing endurance. Enjoy.

cargo - batacanda

This is local pride kicking in :) And i mean local, not national. Cargo is one of the most appreciated Romanian rock bands, active for over two decades. It is the band that made guys like my brother want to be in a rock band; it is the band whose concerts i don't miss; it is the band that doesn't even have to sing when they come to play home gigs, because the public would do it for them with all their heart and all their lungs; it is the band that headlines festivals in my hometown, no matter what other band is playing the same day; it is the band that still draws fans in spite of changes of line-ups and attitude problems (oh, yeah, they sometimes have them :D ). This is one of my favourites among their songs, though it is so hard to pick just one. Makes me just wanna undulate my hips ;)
For Romanian speaking people... here is a short documentary on the band. And for them and all the rest... here is Batacanda.

marla glen - believer

Now, I've mentioned my early years of intense radio listening before, and the morning weekend show I was addicted to. There was one dude who once (and several times thereafter) requested this song. I had no idea what it was, I had never heard of it until then... or so I thought until the song started. Then I recognized it as a song I loved and never identified. It had been used in a commercial, am not sure, but it might have been United Colours of Benetton. It featured various kids on a train (and I mean on, as in on top of the wagons), breaking out of a tunnel into the light to this uplifting song. So I was really thankful to finally find out what the song was and who was singing it. And... oh, yeah: distinctive female voice. Very distinctive :)

radiohead - just

I know someone who'll be happy to see this entry. :)

If you'd wake me in the middle of the night and asked me to name the best music video ever made, in my humble opinion, anyway, there is a strong chance that this will be the first one that comes to my mind. Also, I love the lyrics to this one. I've used it on several occasions as a release song and every time the truth of the chorus lines just hit me "you do it to yourself and that's what really hurts, you do it to yourself, you and no one else". But before we proceed... duuuuude... what wrong?!?!?!?!?! It's driving me crazy...

zager & evans - in the year 2525

This is another song the mentioning of which is due to last winter's youtube sessions, same as Horse with No Name. Written in the mid-sixties and charting in 1969, the song depicts a somewhat gloomy and slow apocalypse of mankind, brought about by evolution in technology. It notes the inventions and changes from the year 2525, 3535, 4545 and so on, predicting what the future will look like, provided "man is still alive" and "woman can survive". Impressive foresight except for the date, I'd say, for many things already happened and we haven't even started the first stanza.

catatonia - road rage

Have I mentioned the phrase "distinct female voice" before? Well... I'll use it again. This time for Cerys Matthews of Catatonia, a Welsh band. Not to be mistaken for the Sweds of Katatonia. This is probably their biggest hit, a song full of energy as I consider it. I also like the lyrics. They're the 'with a twist' type. So if all you've got to do today is find peace of mind, come round, you can have a piece of mine:

the music - freedom fighters

This song... I've become aware of it about the same time as the Still's one. I fell in love instantly. Don't ask why, I couldn't tell you if I wanted. I had nearly forgotten both the band and the song until a couple of weeks ago, when I was looking for a song to illustrate a picture I took. I googled for tracks having to do with fighting and freedom and there it was. Afterwards, I've come across several other tracks by The Music (Cool name, eh? So onvious. How come no one thought of this before?) and I think the band is seriously underrated. Or seriously underexposed. Or maybe my eyes and ears are just not open enough :)
Anyways... let's dance for freedom, fighters of the world.

lake of tears - to blossom blue

One of the songs that should've made the list loooong ago, only I couldn't find a video. Since I was in no mood to yet again settle for another one, I've... errrrm... well, made one. A slideshow, I mean. Just so I can upload it on youtube and post it here. Knowing that I am a pretty lazy person and that I've spent an entire day doing this, you go figure. This is a dedication by a friend to my blue dragon, who grazes on clouds on full moon nights :). Oh, nevermind my silly talk. Just press play.

hara - nuro shavo

I've decided to also promote some Romanian bands around here. Romanian music industry is far from great quality-wise, in my opinion. With far too many people listening to 'manele' and an overcrowding of the market with cheap ten a dime bubble-gum pop sings and some wannabe hip hoppers mainly. However, I do find that there are some notable exceptions. One of them is Hara, a band from Cluj, unless I am much mistaken. They've enjoyed some success with a couple of songs. My favourite is "Nu-mi pasa" ("I Don't Care"), but haven't found a vid. Instead, I went for Nuro Shavo, featuring Tamango. Enjoy ;)

the stills - still in love song

This song is the only one I've ever heard of the band, but I've done some digging right now as I am writing this and... I promise I'll look into it. The (first, I think) album of this dudes is called Logic Will Break Your Heart and this is a single thereof. New album out now, entitled Without Feathers. They are based in Montreal, Canada, their site informs me. Interesting design, take a look at http://www.thestills.net/ - I'm to the new album as I write now.

Anyways... the song I am talking about... I've first noticed it while I was en passant through the room while MTV was on, the song was coming up and the band/title combo caught my eye. I watched and listened and like. What I like to this day is the double meaning you can read into the chorus lyrics. Though they are clearly stated as "I'm still in love and I'm still in love" they might well be heard/interpreted as "I'm still in love and I'm stealin' love" or "I'm stealin' love and I'm still in love". You go figure out the different meanings the thing taks on according to that change. I'm going to give the new album a listen now and you watch the vid (finally a genuine one):

janis joplin - mercedes benz

And now we're talking legends. Unfortunately, legends lived and died before my time. I see this song as a humourous-bitter comment and I can't say it doesn't still ring true after 30-something years. Some things never change.

Lyrics of this were in the forum signature of an online-acquaintance of mine, which recently re-brought the song to my attention. I've looked for a clip with actual Janis footage in it, but all those were rather twisted (am refraining hard from saying 'tormented' and 'slaughtered') versions of the songs or covers. I'd rather put up with a good song and a poor slideshow. Nice try though and thanks for using the original. Here is the commentary of one youtube user on the song:

This was recorded on October 1, 1970. If Joplin had lived, they may have added instruments to it before releasing it, but Joplin died 3 days later.
Joplin wrote this with a poet named Michael McClure. It is a social commentary on how many people relate happiness and self-worth with money and material possessions.
In the '90s, Mercedes used this in commercials for their cars. It was one of the great misappropriations of a song in a commercial, as Joplin's song was meant to convey the message that owning a luxury automobile does not make you a better person. Joplin's step-sister owned the rights to the song and allowed Mercedes to use it.
Janis Joplin never got a Mercedes Benz, but she did have a 1965 Porsche that was painted to become a piece of hippie art.

travis - side

Travis... oh, sweet memories :). Loved them ever since Writing to Reach You. Then a friend (cheers there!) made a copy of The Man Who (1999) for me. That convinced me. Afterwards I got the by then other two albums as well, Good Feeling (1997) and The Invisible Band (2001). Have I ever mentioned I love Scottish accent? Well, I do.

Anyways, another hard time picking up just one song from this, I find, awesome band. I thought I'd go with something more cheerful today... so I picked Side. It sounds rather upbeat. Once again, I'd like to draw your attention to the lyrics. They're the universal-truth-stating type ones.

That the grass is always greener on the other side, the neighbours got a new car that you wanna drive and when time is running out you wanna stay alive... We all live under the same sky, we all will live, we all will die; there is no wrong, there is no right, the circle only has one side

placebo - sleeping with ghosts

Well... a Placebo songs should've been listed here long ago (not that this blog is very old), since they are undisputed rulers of my last.fm charts. One of the main reasons it didn't, was because it was damn hard to choose. They are likely to be featured far mode than once.

However, this is definitely one of my favourites ever since I heard it. It has an outspoken political statement in it while at the same time dealing with relationships in the present society, all in Brian Molko's distinctive voice. I think it has everything Placebo. It's bitter, it's cynic, it's ironic, and at the same time it's somehow both fragile and protective. I love the tender chorus and the almost desperate (self)reassurance... soulmates never die. what better entry for valentine's day?

maroon 5 - woman

Another one from the series "un-famous songs of famous bands". This time another fave band of mine, namely Maroon 5. This track featured on the soundtrack of Spiderman 2. I haven't seen the film, but I have reasons to presume it was the best thing about it, lol.

Once again, skip the video. The only clip I could find far and wide across youtube (ok, I didn't look that hard, admittedly) is a tribute to Emma Watson who's playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movies.

I find this to be a very sultry love song, both lyric and tune wise and I think Adam Levine's voice is really fitting for the atmosphere of the song.. I'd recommend this one as a soundtrack for hot moments.

anouk - mood indigo

OK, nevermind the crappy video now (the other option was something performed on a TV show, you didn't want to see that). Best press play and minimize your browser window. Close your eyes and listen.

This is yet another distinctive female voice, I find and along with K's Choice some of the finest the Dutch gave to the music industry (I don't really know what else they gave, though, lol). I discovered Anouk by accident. Like pretty much everybody else at that time, I only knew of the single Nobody's Wife, which rocked. I liked it and that was that. Until one day, at a radio show contest, I won a tape (yes, a tape!) with the album Together Alone (1997). They even apologized that the case was broken, it was the last they had to give away. Well, 'nuff said that the tape landed periodically in my walkman in the coming years.

Apparently, Anouk is a well selling artist in the BeNeLux countries, with now six albums under her belt. I have only heard one other, but off the first, there are several songs that have stuck with me. This one is the first single off it. As said... 1997. Nevermind the video.

PS: Later edit: Apparently the video has been taken off the site. So has been the crappy one. I'll leave it here as it is and will replace it should another one appear. Do listen to the song, though :)

PS: Edit no. two. Found the crappy one again. Forgiver her, she was young and inexperienced back then. :)

america - horse with no name

I am too young to have known America for anything other than the band that sang The Last Unicorn. Sadly and shamefully for me, I still don't know much else. But there is one other song I know and love.

The first time I ever heard this was on an interactive show at a local radio station. The DJ had the habit of asking people to call in with their top ten songs on a certain topic, or with specific words in the title. He'd make a final top of those and air them the next day. One of the given topics was 'songs with animals in their title'. Among black dogs, cats in the cradle and eagles from abba, there was this. I fell in love with the song in an instant and never ever heard it anywhere else. Several years later I remembered it, asked someone to download it, lost it again and re-downloaded it myself after a couple of years.

This winter I was with a friend, we wanted to listen to some music, we've already had some share of the 70's and I said let's listen to this. Here is what the dude said who uploaded it on youtube:

A Horse With No Name, originally entitled "Desert Song", the song was renamed at Samwell's suggestion. It was written on a rainy day in England and was intended to capture the feel of the hot, dry desert Bunnell remembered from his childhood at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Enjoy.

darren hayes - unlovable

Savage Garden are one of the bands whose birth I witnessed, so to say. There are bands I love that I have discovered, but with Savage... it's different. I have known them from their first single I Want You, I have bought their albums and awaited others. Then they broke up. Apparently lead singer Darren Hayes wanted to go on as is, while guitarist Daniel Jones wanted to shift the sound of the group more towards rock. I wouldn't have minded either, perhaps I would have welcomed a bit of both, but it did not come to pass.

I do not know what become of Daniel musically (he is running a label), but Darren has released a couple of solo albums, Spin (2002) and Tension and the Spark (2004) to moderate success, I'd say, though singles of the first one were quite some hits (namely Instatiable and Strange Relationship). Apparently a third album is in work. Tension and the Spark sounds more electronic, still there are tracks there that... well, what I've particularly loved about Savage Garden songs were the lyrics. There were twists of words and sense and direction, and metaphors and phrasings that I loved; there were feelings I could well retrace; and there was blunt and painful honesty. And I found all that again.

This song here is one of my favourites and lyric wise one of the most moving songs I know. It's just pretty much a straightforward cry of desperation put in song, but judge for yourselves. Oh, and I heartily recommend Darkness as well. I find it very... soothing, in an odd way.

garbage - only happy when it rains

"I'm only happy when it rains, I'm only when it's complicated...". Shirley Manson is in my opinion one of the best female voices / frontwomen of the new generations, up there with the likes of Sharleen Spiteri of Texas and Gwen Stefani of No Doubt. She has a very recognizable voice and at the time Garbage emerged as a band, I thought they sounded really fresh. Their older songs are still my favourites, with this particular one standing out. Apparently it is about the way we like to complicate our own lives. Enjoy.

willie nelson - he was a friend of mine

I think the original of this was the Byrds version, followed by Bob Dylan's, but I wouldn't bet on that. However, this is the version that always gets to me. Whenever I listen to this intently, I start crying. First time I heard it was in the soundtrack of Brokeback Mountain, perhaps this is the reason to it - the connection I immediately make with the film. Again, no video made, but there is a youtube-video with images from the movie. If you take offense at (the suggestion of; nothing really explicit in there) gay relationships (which you shouldn't, but there are weird people out there), don't watch it, but listen to the song nevertheless. It's worth it.

matchbox twenty - cold

From the series "un-famous songs of famous bands" now... The band in question is Matchbox Twenty and they are among my favourite artists, though they are famous in the US rather than in Europe. More fame has acquired here the lead singer and main songwriter of the band, Rob Thomas with his solo album Someone to Be and the singles thereof, Lonely No More and This Is How a Heart Breaks, as well as with the duet Smooth with Santana (yeah, he's the dude).

Anyways, with Matchbox, as with many other bands, I find that some of the best songs (or the ones I like best) remain well hidden on the albums. So, this song is not a single, but a track of the most recent MB20 album, More Than You Think You Are. Since it's not a single, there is no video for it, but I found a compilation of some TV series moments, I think, that features the song as a soundtrack.

melissa etheridge - come to my window

I really like Melissa's voice, though I only know a couple of songs of hers. She is on my "to check out" list, though. The video has a strong emotional message as well. The song kind of passed out of my memory until a couple of days ago when I was writing an entry for my personal blog and I found myself humming this song, so I looked it up and listened to it again.