In my 21 years of life, I've never heard a song that creates such a profound sense of sadness within me as Nico's "These Days." Her elongated voice, imprisoned by the drone the strings, is the voice of a person who has lost a zest for life, of someone who has been hurt in an irreparable way. She had a lover, but she won't risk another these days. She sings: "I stopped my dreaming, I won't do too much scheming these days." What is life without dreams? The origins of the song never cease to amaze me. It was written by Jackson Browne when he was only 16. What Browne could've experienced at 16 that left him so completely disillusioned with life is a depressing thought in itself. On a personal level, the song stirs feelings of sadness within me because it reminds me of a dear friend who is no longer in my life. I think of her when I hear this song, and I find myself missing our time together.
Joy
I can't help but feel immense swell of happiness and excitement after I listen to "You Can't Stop the Beat", the closing number to the musical Hairspray. I've chose to upload the original Broadway version of the song instead of the movie version because I feel this video does a superior job of conveying the energy of the song. At the heart of the song is a message of acceptance and social progress. The forces of Life and Happiness do not discriminate based upon arbitrary characteristic such as race or class. The song has a special place in my heart because I performed this number multiple times in high school show choir. My fellow choir members and I were a tight knit group that enjoyed having fun together and living life to the fullest. Though exhausting, performing this number was always a blast, and we found ourselves performing "You Can't Stop the Beat" in locales as diverse as Disney World, New York City, and our high school gymnasium.
Belonging
“There is a Light that Never Goes Out” by the Smiths isn’t the most cheerful song. It’s actually rather depressing; still, Morrissey (the vocalist) has at least found a place where he belongs. The song is typical teenage drama. You’ve gotten in a fight with your parents. In hormone-fueled delirium, you’ve convinced yourself that “it’s there home, not your home” and you’re “welcome no more.” According to the lyrics, being hit by a bus would far better than Morrissey’s current situation. Who do you turn to in this desperate hour? Your friends, of course. To me, the “light that never goes out” reflects the idea that there is still hope for something better, even when all seems lost.
Gender
Defining my gender is an issue I’ve struggled with at times. I’m not comfortable living up to many of the male stereotypes that exist in our society, such as a sense of entitlement and freedom from accountability. Nevertheless, I catch myself fulfilling these stereotypes from time to time. I find that Beyoncé’s “If I Were A Boy” highlights many of these stereotypes in a powerful manner. Consider the musical tone set by the song: we merely have Beyoncé’s searing soprano accompanied by minimal instrumentation. Lyrically, the song turns the tables. She criticizes male machismo by wearing the guise of a man and playing by his rules. The song always leaves me questioning myself. Have I acted this way? How has my behavior impacted others? Beyoncé could send any man on a guilt trip with this song.
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