I was trying to do this thing where every Friday, I posted five songs that I liked and why I liked them and why people should listen to them, but then I only ended up doing it twice, because Friday's were surprisingly busy days for me during junior year and, also, I went through this pretty embarrassing phase where I only listened to One Direction and Nelly, which was a confusing time period in my life and I didn't want to subject anyone to that shame and horror. And, then, this week, when I tried to think of five songs that people should totally listen to because they're awesome, I could only think of Cold War Kids songs because I'm definitely going through another phase (although, this one is much, much less embarrassing). So, I did this instead.
Also, I just realized it's not even Friday. But, whatever.
A Song From the First CD You Ever Purchased
"I Need Love" | N*SYNC
My best friend Anna once got an entire party full of our friends to judge me because my favorite N*SYNC member was Chris. When everyone had almost forgiven me for this (which took a long time), she asked me who my second favorite member was, giving me a chance to redeem myself. Unfortunately, I answered honestly (it was Joey) and I will never live it down. But, I stand by my younger-self's judgement because Justin had hair that looked like Ramen noodles, Lance was CLEARLY gay and I didn't like the way J.C's full name sounded. So, to everyone who ever said I'm not a hipster: BOOM. I liked Chris before he was even cool. (And, he NEVER got cool, so that just makes me ironic which makes me a DOUBLE hipster. Bam, salted).
The First Song You Remember Your Parents Listening to That You Did Not Hate
"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" | The Pointer Sisters
This is about to be an embarrassing moment for both me and the Pointer Sisters, so I sincerely apologize to them, but I always thought that Bruce Springsteen sung this version of the song. "A Very Special Christmas" is the first CD that I ever put in a CD player and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" was the first track, but I was seriously so positive that Bruce Springsteen sung it, probably because my mom really liked this song and also loved Bruce Springsteen and I just equated it all together. Plus, there's like, a trumpet or something and I'm pretty sure Bruce uses a trumpet sometimes. I don't know, my whole mind is blown right now and all my childhood fantasies of the man that sat next to me at church spontaneously standing up and singing this song have been crushed. (I was 88% sure that the man that always sat by me in church was Bruce Springsteen in the witness protection program and I had visions that he would stand up in the middle of mass someday and just play his guitar and come clean about his true identity). I know now that this is (probably) not true, but I just found out I've been believing in something false for the past 21 years, give me a break.
Guilty Pleasure Song
"Don't Wake Me Up" | Chris Brown
I'm pretty positive that the only reason this song was on the Spotify Top 100 for awhile was because Allie and I listened to it on repeat wherever we were. It got to the point that we were no longer allowed to play it around some of our roommates because they were going crazy that a song that basically only repeats the same four words over and over and over again was so popular. It also is the perfect guilty pleasure song because I refused to listen to Chris Brown on the principle that he beat Rihanna. Even though I read an article (by a probably not-so-reliable source) that the only reason he did it was to gain access into the Illuminati, beating women is still not cool, bro, and why would you want to be part of a club that makes you do that and also, your hair looks stupid. But, anyway, this song is just so damn catchy and Allie and I made a really neat music video to it while we were preparing for Homecoming festivities, so there's that, too.
The First SIngle You Purchased This Month
"Gone, Gone, Gone" | Phillip Phillips
I bought this song right after some of my best friends graduated college, which was probably the dumbest thing I did all year, because I cried every time I listened to it, especially at inappropriate times, like going to get ice cream or on my way to Bracken to print out things or just looking at a picture of Phillip Phillips' face (because, seriously, look at it. He's precious). I probably would have listened to it the entire plane ride home, but I fell asleep and when I woke up, the man next to me, who was impressively dressed in all denim, was asleep on my arm and I felt that crying during a situation like that would probably have made everything even more awkward.
Song You Dance To When No One Is Around
"Every time It Rains" | Charlotte Martin
First of all, dumb question, because I dance to every song when no one is around (and also when people are around, too). But, sometimes, when I'm feeling super athletic and missing the ass-kicking that I put myself through with dance team every morning, I'll listen to the song we used to compete our contemporary dance with my junior year. I'll never forget learning that dance during the summer: we had a three-day workshop with a choreographer named Kevin who worked us so hard that the mirrors steamed up, we kept slipping in our own sweat and somehow, my thumbnail fell off and my boyfriend refused to hold my left hand for six months. That was four years ago, but it was the most anything has ever been ingrained into my memory and I still remember almost every move Kevin made us do. It's hard to do a switch-leap in the confinement of my small room at school that is mostly taken up by my giant bed, but let it be known that it can be done. And, also, FYI, I have a thumbnail again, but don't have a boyfriend, so if boys wanna hold my hand, holla at me.
The Most Important Song You Slow Danced To With Someone
"You'll Be In My Heart" | Phil Collins
Yes, I'm serious. In high school, it was one of my then-boyfriend's and mine's song and it played at Homecoming one year and everyone else was like, "Uhhh, what?" and we were like, "Uhhh, YEAH!" It was awesome. We were really cool. Seriously. Phil Collins is the man.
Song You Played Out Because You Loved It So Much When It Was New
"We Found Love" | Rihanna
This is technically a lie because I firmly believe that this song will never get old. When "We Found Love" first came out, Chelsea, Anna and I played it on repeat at our guy friend's house, causing them to think it was the longest song in the history of the world and for some of them, the song was played out after that first night. But, for me, I am positive that every time I hear it, I will be put in a better mood (unless something super tragic happens in my life while it's playing because once, I almost went off the road while listening to "Haus" by Oberhofer and I can't listen to that song without thinking about that time, so if something like that happens, I retract my previous statement). ANYWAY, I just wanted an excuse to put this music video in this blog because it's my favorite (except for the tattoo part. I hate the tattoo part).
The Song You Want To Dance To At Your Wedding
"Home" | Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
This song caused a pretty big problem in my household at one point because everyone liked it so much. I had a boyfriend and it was "our song," Jonny had a girlfriend and it was "their song" and Dana had claimed it as "his song." It was a problem. It was still a problem when Jonny and I both broke up with the people we were dating and we all still liked the song. We played "Rock, Paper, Scissors" and I won, which I'm oddly just now realizing is how an extraordinary amount of issues are resolved in my family, so now it can be my wedding song if I chose to do so. I think I won that game because I have way smaller hands than my brothers' and I think that makes me better at "Rock, Paper, Scissors," so thanks, small-hand gene. Small-hand high-five.
