11 posts tagged “lyrics”
And now it's time for an excellent band: Travis.
I want to sing, to sing my song
I want to live in a world where I belong
I want to live, I will survive
And I believe that it won't be very long
If we turn, turn, turn, turn turn
We might learn.
Okay, those lyrics do the song no justice. Frankly, I think the band writes some gorgeous melodies. The music is pretty mellow (aside from what I think is their first album, Good Feeling), the band is (according to all-knowing Wikipedia) "Scottish indie-rock," and you should listen to something. The big singles that I know of were "Why Does It Always Rain on Me" and "Sing." I think this "Turn" song was featured on a recent episode of Scrubs. I COULD BE WRONG, AND I'VE WRITTEN TOO MUCH.
The reason I'm listening to music, a strange phenomenon I haven't been doing enough of lately, is that I'm packing for--what else?--a trip to California. Normally, I'm nerdtastically enthusiastic about packing; frankly, it's fun to plan outfits, make lists of things to not forget, and strategically place objects in suitcases so that they fit perfectly (a feat that's never as easy to do when you're repacking your stuff to come home). But tonight... meh. In fact, "meh" seems to mostly describe the past week or so. I'm in some sort of summer funk; I like nothing better than to sleep for 12 hours a day, take care of the requisite 3-5 hours of work four days a week, then spend the remainder of my day on the couch. No bueno, I declare. I usually have to work to keep myself from packing days in advance; tonight, it's been a struggle to bust out the suitcases, 12 hours before my flight leaves.
Hopefully, the trip out to California (and some much needed interaction with other people, including of course the boyfriend) will make this mood lift. I'm looking forward to it, even if I'm too tired/lethargic to realize it.
As for cats. It's been rather freaky, actually, but I'll try and make this story short (I'm pretty sure it interests no one but me). The Saturday before last, I had a Most Adorable Kitten show up at my door. Anyone who knows me knows that what I want more than anything is a kitty, so I found this pretty weird; here's this cute and very affectionate cat. I know I can't have a cat, though, so eventually I went inside and left him outside (where he cried). The next morning, he was still hanging around; I left to sing, and he was still there two hours later when I returned. Eventually he left for good, and I spent the week regretting my lack of balls--why didn't I just take him in?
Exactly one week later, as I walk out to my car, a black cat sees me and runs up to me. A second black cat runs up to me from the other side of the parking lot. A third runs up to me from behind me, a small gray kitten in tow. ...Double-you tee eff, I ask. They hang out for awhile; I go inside. I peek back outside a while later, and they have literally left this kitten on my doormat. I remind myself that I CANNOT HAVE A CAT, and go back inside. The next morning, I'm woken up by a kitten crying; it's the same gray kitten, this time outside my apartment's back window.
I was terribly amused when I stumbled across the following children's book at work, which repeated the lines, "Hundreds of cats; Thousands of cats; Millions and billions and trillions of cats." It felt very like my own story. (Except the cats around me didn't end up eating each other, as in the slightly disturbing book.)
Another three hour layover, another period of gratefulness to Vista for supplying me with free Internet to pass the time, but this time no giddy, impatient excitement to get where I'm going. Joie is reluctantly returning to the real world again.
Looking like quite the technology buff, I've got my iPod next to me and I'm listening to a little Ben Folds (when am I not?). These lyrics seem especially poignant to me given the mood I'm in, so I feel like sharing.
Ben Folds - "Still"
I must give the impression that I have the answers for everything
You were so disappointed to see me unravel so easily
It's only change; only everything I know
Even the things that seem still are still changing
La da, la da, la da da da da da...
Mother misses her baby, but I only wanted to be me
She changed address and haircuts and boyfriends and lightbulbs, it's easy
But it's only change; only everything I know
Even the things that seem still are still changing
La da, la da, la da da da da da...
I stay focused on details, it keeps me from feeling the big things
But watch the microscope long enough; things that seem still are still changing
La da, la da, la da da da da da...
I've been a bit moody lately, and though this week certainly hasn't been terrible, it hasn't exactly been the best one of the year so far. This, combined with my realization that I had some spare cash (which has become increasingly rare lately), combined with these nifty earrings a girl was wearing today all mixed together in my brain. I decided that I was tired of feeling like crap mentally, and what's the best way to fix that?
"Positive thinking"? Yeah, right! I voted for "physical pain."
Don't worry, I'm not a cutter. I just did this:
Furthermore, the girl that did it did an awesome job. The first time I got my ears pierced, the woman at Wal-Mart did a lovely job of mucking everything up--part of the reason I let all the holes grow back was because of how uneven and dangerously low those were. This girl found the perfect placement to avoid re-opening those holes without piercing in a weird spot. She was so proud of herself for that (and for doing three piercings in a row!) she took pictures of my ears, hahaha.
This was just one of those weird days where you feel like you have to noticeably change something, even if you can't change the thing(s) you want to. It was either piercing the ears or chopping the hair off, so... there it is.
I'm singing the main theme of "Hoe-Down" from Copland's Rodeo to these words:
"I want some beef! Yes, I'd really like some beef. Would you like SOME beef, 'cause I'd really like some beef right now."
It's... obnoxious.
COPLAND... It's what's for dinner!!!
My friend Ashton and I were practicing for our upcoming coffee-shop performance when she mentioned a song she had heard on The Wonder Years called "In My Life." I decided to check my iPod, as it's full of random older songs I don't know about (I tend to borrow my mom's CD collection a lot). While I didn't have the version she was talking about (a cover of the song by Judy Collins), I did actually have the original Beatles version, and there are few things I love more than falling in love with a Beatles song I hadn't heard before. This one was love at first hear.
There are places I'll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone, and some remain
All these places have their moments,
With lovers and friends I can still recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all
In putting off homework, I decided to dig through some of my Ben Folds that I rarely listen to. I found a nugget off of Songs for Goldfish that I love--"Side of the Road." A little research revealed that this is actually a cover of a Lucinda Williams song (which maybe explains why I don't like the lyrics as much as I usually like Ben Folds's). Still, I love the sound of it.
I'm also enjoying the cover of Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" off Ben Folds Live. Good stuff.
I've been on a definite pop music kick as of late (which simultaneously makes me feel bad about myself and guilty for feeling bad about it... screw the definitions of "good" music). But tonight has brought a pleasant surprise!
So, I randomly got a Michelle Branch song ("Something to Sleep To") in my head this evening. I decided to indulge myself and listen to it on my iPod... and discovered something amazing about this song. The first few seconds contain this really quiet (made to sound far away or faded or whatever) orchestral something or other. As I haven't listened to this album since before college, I never realized until just now that it's no something or other: it's part of Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.
...Debussy. Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. The composer who is sometimes the sole reason I don't give up this whole music thing, and my favorite symphonic work of all time. Um. Amazing?!
I'm a huge loser. Now this post looks all OMG MICHELLE BRANCH IS THE GREATEST EVAR. But whatever. I'm excited!
In my mind, everything we did was right...
It's 12:41am, and I have a listening exam in about ten hours. I'm completely unprepared! Such is life.
This entry is to gush about what I'm currently listening to. I so rarely get to sit down and enjoy opera, but as my music history class is currently at the time period where opera is at last peeking it's pretty little head out, I've gotten to listen to quite a bit of snippets lately. So, I'm madly in love with (what I've heard of) Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas (feel free to read about that here) one of the most famous operas of all time. We're listening to three clips from the conclusion: a recitative, "Thy hand, Belinda," the infamous Dido's Lament ("When I am laid in earth"), and then the Chorus, "With drooping wings." I love the words to everything (as far as back-story goes, suffice it to say Dido realizes she cannot live without Aeneas after he is gone... so she doesn't):
Dido: Thy hand, Belinda; darkness shades me.
On thy bosom let me rest; More I would, but Death invades me; Death is now a welcome guest.
When I am laid in earth, may my wrongs create
No trouble in thy breast.
Remember me! but ah! forget my fate.
Stuff like this is what gets me through these damn listening tests, where one must be able to name composer (and their birth and death years), name of the work (and the date for that), name of the movement, and genre. Because I'm a loser and want people to hear this, I'm gonna see if I can't upload some of it. I'll try and upload Dido's Lament; unfortunately it's going to be split into two tracks, as the textbook CD set is really dumb.
Music that I happen to find particularly moving lately: "Waiting for My Real Life to Begin" off Colin Hay's previously mentioned album Going Somewhere. I didn't realize it, but I first heard this song performed on an episode of Scrubs by one of the episode's characters. The context of the song there was especially touching, and when I heard the original version of this song on Colin Hay's CD, I fell even more in love with it. I just watched the Scrubs episode, and of course... now I'm all sad. But still, I love this song so much. Posting all the lyrics would take up way too much space (c'mon Vox, give us some form of lj-cut-esque thing), so I'll post a tidbit and a link if you're interested in reading the rest.
Any minute now, my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
And I'll stand on the bow, feel the waves come crashing
Come crashing down, down, down, on me
And you say, be still my love
Open up your heart
Let the light shine in
But don't you understand
I already have a plan
I'm waiting for my real life to begin
Full lyrics: Waiting for My Real Life to Begin
The lyrics on that website are missing the last line of the song, which just so happens to be the subject line of this post.
Paul Simon is on SNL!!
It's so strange to see him now. I've been listening to a lot of Simon and Garfunkel for the past few months, so I have this image of 20- or 30-something Paul Simon (as opposed to nearly 65-year-old Paul Simon) ingrained into my brain. (Whatever, I'd still hit that.)
I have his most recent album burned somewhere around here, but I need to buy it soon:
