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lashton-is-my-drug · 3 years ago

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"Not In The Same Way" is Lashton AF

“Not In The Same Way” track 8 off of 5SOS album CALM (2020)

Recently I took the time to revisit the March 2021 instagram livestream where Ashton did a track by track to celebrate the album's 1 year anniversary.

A few of the tracks caught my attention that lead me to believe they are Lashton songs. NITSW is one of them.

Let’s take a look at what Ash has to say and his reaction while it’s playing.

Then, we will look at what Luke said about NITSW, during album release promo last year.

Ash's March 2021 instagram livestream::::

To start, Ash says this song “started with a guitar riff. Stylistically links up with “Old Me"', ' because of the hip hop beat influenced sound they have. Melodically it's pretty fire.

"The concept is pretty beautiful. 'We love each other but not in the same way'. " Ash is all smiles and giggles while this song is playing.

He points out that the “Hurricane insert name” lyric is for the fans to insert the name of “the person who drives you fucking crazy”.

“We fuck we fight you call me a psycho…” for this lyric Ash makes the comment “Lust!”

Ash is so frickin happy and vibin out to this song, it's really so beautiful, just like he is.

Here's the video::

youtube

Now let's rewind back to...

April 2020 for CALM album release promotion.

Luke was interviewed by Paper Magazine.

He was asked about NITSW, specifically.

The interview itself was kinda short and in print form.

It being in print makes it a bit more interesting when we look at what was said. Let me add, it was before the band had parted ways with Modest! Management and their record label (March 2021). Interviews in print form can be more easily modified by an artists team. This is something I’ve learned through paying close attention to how music artists images are handled. The love lives of artists are very often used to promote songs, albums, and other projects. This album cycle… Luke’s relationship with his songwriter girlfriend was used to give her some work and to promote a narrative that they write love songs about each other.

Ok, now onto what Luke had to say...

Luke talked about how it was just him and Ash in a room singing over Andrew’s drum riff. And said it was one of the best days of writing he experienced. Luke said he was doing the male perspective and Ash sang the bridge, which is the female perspective.

So, Luke was feeling particularly inspired that day...

Lyrically writing a love song with his bandmate... I see....

He continues on... using the "we" first person pronoun... I see...

Then says its from two sides of a relationship... I see...

Then Luke for some reason, felt the need to go on a paragraph long answer about his girlfriend. The girlfriend who has been promoted throughout this album cycle by even including her as a songwriter on the album. The girlfriend who used to be in a duo band, was engaged to the guy, then it was broken off, and now she has latched onto Luke's career.

"Maybe Ashton was there as well, MaYbE He WaS WrItInG AbOuT SoMeOnE ElSe"

Sir- 😂

Please- All of the 5SOS guys spend most their time together and know each other like the backs of their hands. Luke and Ash wrote over 30 songs that made it to release together. There's no way in hell that Luke and Ash would have no idea who they were each writing about. So, even if in fact, they were writing about their girlfriends, they would most certainly have known.

This, folks, is why we have to think critically when we read things.

What I suspect happened was Luke was giving his answer then thought it through in his mind that this might be sounding a bit too suspect (read: gay) that he and Ash, were in a room, riffing a love song towards each other, then tried to compensate by talking about the girlfriend.

He did the interview and someone from his team told the interviewer to add in the last part to build up this flowery language about the girlfriend. To... ya know... make it not sound so... gay.

Oh…. There’s also this….

The NITSW visualizer video on the 5SOS YouTube channel uses. Red and blue, which I think are what Luke and Ash’s colors are.

So....

Lashton writing love songs with each other, for each other, on the fly, is such a serotonin filled thought. It's the best.

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btsandvmin · 4 years ago

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What made you like Jimin individually and Taehyung individually ? And do you have a slight preference between the two ?

I love all the members so much, and for me picking a bias is still kind of difficult. I have concluded that I do bias both Jimin and Tae but kind of switch between them at different times for different reasons. As for a bias wrecker I legit cannot choose and it changes all the time.

The way I got into BTS was through the BST MV and then trying to learn the members (the first one I learned and checked up on was Namjoon). I also got fascinated by the BU storyline as storytelling and analysis/reviews is a big hobby of mine (the fandoms I’ve been in are many, and character/story analyses/reviews/theories are something I have engaged in a lot).

On top of that I work in the media industry and have an interest for visual storytelling as well and I got hooked by the concepts, the beautiful MV and the both story-based and symbolical clues they left. I also loved their music and like groups in general because of the interesting vocal dynamics you can create. Basically, BTS managed to hit all my buttons and I had to look up more.

Mind you, I barely knew the members' names properly and I was already investigating the meaning of their MV and storyline. I listened to their album and loved the songs before I could tell which member was who. (Both Awake and First love made me cry without even knowing the lyrics). I also have to mention how much I love both of Vmin’s voices, who are both very unique and interesting. I basically biased their voices before I knew who they were. (Fun or sad fact but I am really bad with faces and actually learned the members' singing voices before their faces.)

Let’s just say that I got into the music and visuals/concept first, and then started to consume material to get to know the members. They all also had incredible chemistry between each other and reminded me a lot of one of my favorite j-pop groups with their dynamics.

What I started to watch was “get to know them” videos and recent interviews and clips, meaning from BST era. It was hard for me to not notice Jimin (even though vocal line were the ones I had the hardest time separating from each other in the very beginning). And perhaps even more so since the introduction videos tended to have a lot better and varied things to say about Jimin amongst vocal line. But even on his own Jimin simply stood out to me during the BST era when I joined. He took a lot of space in the group as a performer (especially with his high notes, his dancing, his hair and his outfits all combined) but also as an individual in off stage material. I fell for his voice and performance and the “Jimin effect” was hitting me hard.

I also related to him a lot. I am a sort of clingy but shy person who is a perfectionist and likes being in control. I also thought he was both cute and funny without being too over the top with things like aegyo (I mean, we all know he is horrible at it when he tries to do it on purpose). I think the way Jimin is so open (though private) makes him easy to understand and relate to. He has a lot of different moods and there is an honesty in how much he shows us even though he clearly still remained in control.

As time went by, I found myself focusing on Jimin more than the other members and I realized my bias. I was simply drawn to him more than the others from the start. That in turn brings me to Taehyung... Because honestly, at the time it was impossible not to notice their closeness. And looking up a lot of old material, where Jimin was there was also Taehyung. They were very clingy and had a lot of cute interactions. One of the first things I watched of their more off-stage material was also Bon Voyage in Scandinavia (being from there myself I was extra curious) and the Vmin moments in there just cemented their bond for me.

I am not saying I only appreciate Tae for ship reasons, simply that Vmin got my attention early on and that did make me focus more on Taehyung as well. I thought as many that he was a bit odd, but very funny and playful, that he was incredibly good-looking (my opinion from the start was that JK and Tae were the most good-looking) but also a bit difficult to read. Taehyung made me want to understand him, and I was interested in him for quite different reasons than how I related to Jimin. I love him for his way of thinking and how he seems to have this innocence or happiness in the small things about him. Like, Tae getting lost in Sweden but still being happy about the small adventure, enjoying himself and stopping to blow on a dandelion might just be one of the most endearing things I have ever seen. (Honestly, another point I relate to Jimin on so much is his love for Tae and how he just makes us smile no matter what he does.)

Of course, as they change and as I get to watch them more, the more I find to love and appreciate (as well as flaws of course) and now I would say all the members are just very precious to me and I love them both for who they are on their own and for their bond as a group. It is impressive and not to be understated how rare it is to find a bond like theirs. I have seen many groups, and few are as compatible as BTS, and few seem to truly love each other the way they do.

But as for bias it will likely always be Jimin and Taehyung unless there is some drastic change.

For Jimin I love the way he dances while controlling every fiber of his body, the way he pours love into all his relationships but isn’t afraid to call people out, the way he keeps getting funnier (I think Jimin’s sense of humor is so underrated), the way he acts like an angel but actually has the whole world fooled (and he knows it), the way he shows his emotions so animatedly no matter if he gets annoyed or laughs with his whole body, the way he knows his principles and stands his ground when he believes in something, the way he works so hard to improve and better himself both as a performer and as a human, the way he thinks about things deeply and is so eloquent with how to express it, the way he is there for both ARMY, his members and even strangers because he is empathic to his core. There is a lot to love with Jimin, and he always makes sure to return that love when deserved.

For Taehyung I love the way he stand against the norms, the way he shows it’s ok to be different and embrace himself and others without judgement, the way he almost plays with us when he performs, the way he sings with such emotion and how he loves to express himself through all kinds of art forms, the way he learns and take in valid criticism but isn’t afraid to call bullshit, the way he knows when to be serious but also the importance of having fun, the way he is both the biggest dork and a fierce performer at once (I mean he can be so unapologetically silly and then suddenly switch to lethal seduction), the way his unique way of thinking opens up to new points of view, the way he can’t help but show his excitement or love for something and wants to share it with the people around him. He goes all out when he loves something and doesn’t hide his opinions when he doesn’t. Taehyung is just a very honest (though perfectly capable of lying and fooling us thank you very much) and incredible person that I both admire and adore.

There is just so much, and even small things get to me, like don’t get me started on their smiles, or even just their habits when they laugh... (how Tae usually laughs quietly but once in a while will let out these light giggles, or the way Jimin seem to automatically covers his face when he laughs).

I love them both to death (as all the members). It is not easy to just sit down and pour years of love into words, but I tried. I love them both as singers, performers, artists, and humans. I also love them as soulmates and how much they both just spread love and positivity to the people around them. The impact they have had on me, and surely many of you, is hard to comprehend. I am so lucky and happy that I decided to become a fan of this wonderful group and these wonderful people.

Phew, that was a lot wasn’t it? All opinion based, probably a bit hard to understand and not very well structured either. This is all just a flow of consciousness, and I likely forgot to mention a lot of things I could have said. Even so I hope you found it a nice read. :) Thank you for the ask.

#taehyung #jimin #vmin #kim taehyung #park jimin #my story #vmin appriciation #my post #btsandvmin ask #btsandvmin answer #btsandvmin #vmin blood sweat and tears #bts

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reflections-in-a-critical-eye · 3 years ago

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Hi! So, why BTS? And why now? I want to follow your blog, but may I speak openly?

Writing about BTS through the lens of various critical theory is amazing. You are so smart. I am going to be honest about my own biases here, so feel free to trash me for it. I am anonymous after all so trash away as is your right. I understand.

There is often a supposition from critics, both professional and amateur, that the fandom- frequently presented as an immature, undifferentiated mob of cultists- is unable to think critically and must have basic things explained to us so that we don't throw stones at the free speech warriors of truth and standards (not saying that this is your attitude). I find that a little alienating. This fandom has existed for eight years. We have seen blogs and empires rise and fall.

I also don't think that it is an accident that the desire to project these more critical ideas into the public sphere usually comes after a year of being a full on ARMY (judging from my friends experiences). I have read peices about BTS's work referencing Lacan, neo-marxism, post-structuralism and other such stuffs. (My friend used to have an analytic blog that she chose to shut down a few years ago). I am going to be a bit blunt again, so trash if you must, but I think what was being exposed in those pieces was not only "critical thinking" but an excess of emotional investment in BTS, and the desire to intellectualize or justify it.

BTS got a lot of people through 2020. Those long content dives kept people sane. But now, based on a lot of the dissapointed PTD criticism, it feels like some people are waking up hung over and kind of bitter. Emphasizing the three English singles and ignoring BE, an album they worked on for months, seems like a symptom of this. Removing BE from the narrative seems to advance theories of BTS's 'Americanization', lack of creative agency and homogenization into some inferior or less Korean form of pop. BE should not be dismissed as irrelevant to this discourse. Many western artists take an average of 2 years between albums. BTS put out a lot of work. Maybe some of the distrust of criticism that we plebes have comes from the suspicion that critics may use art and events to construct a story. As a person of Asian heritage, LGO going #1 on Billboard meant a lot, emotionally.

I hope none of this caused offense. If it did please just ignore. Thanks for your great thoughts. Wishing you success in your goals.

Hi! Your ask did not cause offense, I'm more than fine to talk about this.

There's a lot to unpack here, so I'm taking it one by one.

Why BTS and why now? I chose to write about BTS because it's been an interest of mine for quite long. I mean, I didn't expect more than a year later to be here. My past obsessions usually lasted between 2 to 3 months, max, and everything felt so intense, but then it faded for a few years. (The last band I really focused on was Pearl Jam back in my first year of college while I was going through a bit of a difficult period in my life).

Yes, I have become a fan during the pandemic. It was sort of inevitable for it to become such a huge focus (escapism from the world outside and from writing a thesis). If I had started this blog a year ago, then you're right in one way: it would have been emotional investment and my desire to intellectualize and justify it. Basically that's what I did in the first few months (when I was on my own, in no community whatsoever). In order to explain myself and others why I'm spending time on this, I used to read research articles. But that's not the full truth and that's because to me such practice comes naturally, just as when I was 16 I couldn't just watch and enjoy movies, I had to read about them every day, or how I'm surrounded by pop culture just as everyone else, but I want to read books about it so I'm willing to do that for months. It's how I'm wired, so in a way, of course it had to happen with BTS as well.

The reason why I decided to make a blog now it's not necessarily because I ''woke up'' or that suddenly I see ''the truth''. Perhaps you may have had that impression because of my first post where I talked about PTD and the recent talks about ''Americanization''. I touched on that subject because I was closely following it, but that is not to say it was my only purpose on making a blog. I feel that, a year later, I'm more secure with my general knowledge and that of BTS. I couldn't have done it before that. I also plan to talk about other topics as well, not just what's ''hot'' at the moment. If I didn't have any other ideas, I wouldn't have made a blog.

And I'm certainly not here to teach anyone or ''plebes'' as you said, anything. And I also know that I'm not going to be the last to have a blog, write a think piece or publish something about BTS. People are allowed to engage in all types of discourse, depending on what they like and what they feel comfortable with. There are countless blogs with countless topics and perspectives. Some last, some don't, that's just how it is. I don't have huge important plans to teach the fandom, my ego is not that big and this is just a hobby for me. It's also not the first time I'm publishing something, but it is the first time on my own blog, despite being on tumblr for 10 years now.

But you are right when you talk about people forgetting about BE and I may add, Film Out which is more recent. I too thought that LGO going #1 on Billboard was incredible. It was a song in Korean that really reflected how people felt during the pandemic. Not just LGO, but the entire album is a true reflection of current times on top of being just simply good music. The album was promoted as well, different versions of the MV, the logs that preceded it focusing on production, it really made me look forward to it and it did not disappoint. The last few months of 2020 have been really good for what BTS has delivered. To go back to your argument, I don't think it's about constructing a story. Yes, in a way people could be accused of ignoring BE, but what's the problem with focusing on what's been going on at present? We shouldn't be surprised about that, PTD was released not too long after Butter. It was full of promotional material ever since May.

I stated in my blog introduction that I'm in film studies, so I will end up making a lot of references because I can naturally make my point across. Let's say I'm a fan of Xavier Dolan. I've watched his first films, fell in love with his aesthetics and his stories. Then he releases something that I don't really like, doesn't work for me. Then another. And then another. I'm thinking, ok, this is the direction he's going with, it's not as daring as what he used to do before, but so what? He gets the awards at Cannes, but I'm still writing a negative review of his film Mommy. Doesn't mean I'm wrong, doesn't mean the Jury at Cannes is wrong, it certainly doesn't mean that I don't like Xavier Dolan anymore. We're just looking for different things.

We write about things that are happening at the moment and how see them now. We make judgments of value based on our current knowledge. Who's to say that in 10 years people won't look back and think: those critics had no idea what they were saying about BTS (Antonioni's L'Avventura was booed at Cannes when it was released in 1960 and now it's considered a masterpiece and even taught in schools). But that's just a possibility right now and if in 10 years I'll remember that I used to write about this, perhaps my opinions could/would change. Maybe less than10 years :)

#asks

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shefanispeculator · 4 years ago

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Blake Shelton has 28 career No. 1 songs on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, and another seven that have reached the Top 10. It'd be easy just to stick with the singles in making a list of his best songs, but who likes easy?

Find plenty of deep cuts on this list of Shelton's 50 best songs, including his spiritual songs. Those are sprinkled all over the playlist — The Voice coach is a rare singer who can sing about drinking and heartache with as much conviction as his relationship with God. Fans will find a new one called "Bible Verses" on his Body Language album. It does well on this staff and reader partnership.

Songs with ex-wife Miranda Lambert and fiancee Gwen Stefani make the list as well, but the Top 10 Blake Shelton songs are all solo efforts ... with one exception. Is it strange that his most convincing bedroom ballad was a collaboration with a different "Gwen"? Cover songs by George Jones and Conway Twitty, collaborations with RaeLynn and Trace Adkins, and a co-write with Earl Thomas Conley all make this list of Shelton's top songs. Which is your No. 1?

Top Blake Songs: His Greatest Hits + Best Deep Cuts

Taste of Country staff opinion, and the commercial success of tracks from Shelton's 12 studio albums were certainly considered in making this list of the top songs. More than anything, we sought fan input, via sales and direct input. What's your favorite Blake Shelton song, and does it agree with our No. 1?

Below are the The Voice coach's 50 best songs. Lyrical integrity and production were also considered in this ranking. Really it's hard to argue against any of the Top 5, but we understand if there's a debate about placement. Heck, we encourage it!

Warner Music Nashville

No. 50: "She's Got a Way With Words"

Songwriters Andy Albert, Marc Beeson and Wyatt Earp wrote a clever country lyric, but the problem is, it felt too personal from Blake Shelton in 2016. This is the song that stopped Shelton's impressive streak of No. 1 singles. Sonically, very few songs from this era stand apart from one another.

No. 49: "Gonna"

" isn't a bad song — a strong case could be made that it's better than some of the singles ranked ahead of it on this list of the top 50 Blake Shelton songs, actually — the love story from 2014 just isn't memorable in any way. Think about it: At best you said, "I remember that song" but more likely thought, "which one is that?"

No. 48: "The Wave"

" is a unique metaphor for how a good love can wash away all of your troubles. Blake Shelton's song from Texoma Shore is another fan favorite. The mid-tempo track displays his voice nicely.

No. 47: "When the Wine Wears Off"

," an album track from Texoma Shore that could have been a single. The song's structure and flow is very similar to so many hits from this era of Blake Shelton.

No. 46: "Anyone Else"

When asked which deep cut they like most, Blake Shelton fans chose "

," an album cut from Bringing Back the Sunshine. This ballad shows a bitterness that's rare across the singer's discography, and certainly this list of 50 songs. It's packaged in a fairly unoffensive arrangement, but his lyrics really sting.

No. 45: "Over"

Blake Shelton gives a great vocal performance of a fairly ordinary song during "

," his fourth straight No. 1 single from the Red River Blue album.

No. 44: "I'll Just Hold On"

Shelton relied on a sitar to make this song stand out. It only worked to get him a Top 10 hit. The remainder of "

" is arranged more conventionally, making the outsider instrument something of a gimmick.

No. 43: "All Over Me"

" will always hold a special place for Shelton, as he co-wrote it with an idol, Earl Thomas Conley. The piano-led ballad finds the singer doing something truly unique: Showcasing a timid falsetto during the chorus of this poignant, pure country single. Lyrically it's difficult to keep up with, but sonically it's bold, like so many of his early hits.

No. 42: "Every Time I Hear That Song"

In retrospect, very few songs from Shelton's post-divorce album stack up against his earliest and most recent singles and deep cuts. "

" relies on a vocal hook, but the performance lacks urgency. Still, it hit No. 1 easily.

No. 41: "Sure Be Cool If You Did"

Shelton's Based on a True Story ... album started with "

," but every single that followed is far better and more engaging. This love ballad doesn't hurt for warmth, but the arrangement is milquetoast at best.

Rick Diamond, Getty Images

No. 40: "Drink on It"

Real life couple Jessi Alexander and Jon Randall joined Rodney Clawson for this track from Shelton's Red River Blue album. While still a No. 1 hit, "

" gets a little lost among other more dynamic performances and arrangements on this list of his 50 best songs.

No. 39: "I'll Name the Dogs"

" cast Blake Shelton as a husband in waiting, something his fans and the world in general were hoping for in his real life. The No. 1 hit from 2017 went Platinum on the strength of a pop-rock chorus and a charming lyrical hook.

No. 38: "Happy Anywhere"

" — the second of two straight single collaborations with Gwen Stefani — hit No. 1 and is a total earworm. It's hard to criticize the feel-good jam, but we'll say "Nobody But You" is a superior duet for the country couple.

No. 37: "Neon Light"

In a vacuum, "Neon Light" — a No. 1 hit, released in 2014 — is a funky, country and hip fusion that works. Across Blake Shelton's full catalog of hits and album cuts, however, it tries to do too many things that this singer does better elsewhere. For that reason, this track rates a bit low on this list of Shelton's best songs.

No. 36: "Granddaddy's Gun"

Aaron Lewis' version of this same song was more convincing, but Blake Shelton's "

" wasn't trying to act tough. The more sensitive singer's rendition was more sensitive and polished. The two men were targeting different country audiences.

No. 35: "A Guy With a Girl"

Blake Shelton celebrates his woman during "

" a No. 1 hit from If I'm Honest. The song is a sweet gesture, made atop a radio-ready arrangement.

No. 34: "Nobody But You"

The first of two straight, Gwen Stefani duets to country radio finds the couple trading lines as they tell a love story that can only be described as genuine. The No. 1 hit reached a very pleasing one million downloads quickly. "

" should not be confused with another song on this list. It's a progressive, pop-friendly ballad that truly simmers.

No. 33: "When Somebody Knows You That Well"

Of all of Blake Shelton's official singles, "

" faired the worst. It barely cracked the Top 40, possibly due to an outdated, string heavy arrangement. But it's not a bad little song. Harley Allen co-wrote this ballad and Shelton does OK in finding the right perspective. 'A' for effort, big fella.

No. 32: "Doin' What She Likes"

This charming No. 1 hit is best remembered for a music video in which a bumbling Blake Shelton burns the house down trying to cook a romantic dinner for Miranda Lambert, who makes a vocal cameo early. Sans video, "

" is a warm love song that's fit for a squeeze.

No. 31: "Just South of Heaven"

Another fan favorite from deep in Shelton's catalog, "

" finds the singer relying on a familiar mood over a welcome acoustic guitar and fiddle combination.

No. 30: "Came Here to Forget"

If you expected Blake Shelton's post-divorce album to include some heartache, you were right. "

is a dark country lyric atop an R&B-infused guitar line. His twang keeps it country, but the song is among his most progressive No. 1 hits. Often when he stretches the genre, it's done with a wink — not this time.

No. 29: "Sangria"

Few songs on this list of Blake Shelton's best smolder like "

." The love song rides a warm melody that covers for a barely-there hook. This 2015 hit was one in a string of No. 1 hits for Shelton, most of which went Gold or Platinum.

No. 28: "Jesus Got a Tight Grip"

When Blake Shelton does sit down to write, what comes out is often spiritual. Deep love songs and reflections on a higher power make up his short songwriting catalog. Jessi Alexander helped him with "

," a plucky country-rocker from 2019.

No. 27 Draggin' the River

" tells a dark story of two lovers escaping together, and in that way, it's very Miranda. Shelton's polished vocals and a sweetened production make this track from the All About Tonight EP very Blake, however. While not a single, it was a fan favorite back when they were a couple. We still dig it.

No. 26: "Minimum Wage"

Blake Shelton's blue-collar love song is no "Friends in Low Places" but the spirit of this song still hits today. There's not a lot of love-conquers-all messaging across his catalog, at least not as much as that of storytellers like

" is a mainstream effort that did its job of introducing a new album, but it's hard to put it high on this list of Shelton's 50 best at this point.

No. 25: "Footloose"

Blake Shelton didn't deviate much from Kenny Loggins' original version. The country "

" wasn't a radio hit, but it went Gold and introduced the country singer to an all-genre audience that was just beginning to learn of him via The Voice.

No. 24: "Some Beach"

One could make a case for "

" as Shelton's most important song, as it saved a career that was spiraling after a trio of Top 40 country airplay hits. This is the first time fans got to witness his sense of humor and sarcasm — remember, there was no Twitter in 2004. A pre

Rory Feek co-wrote "Some Beach," showing how wide the singer reached for great songs early in his career.

No. 23: "Bible Verses"

" is the faith song on Blake Shelton's 2021 album Body Language, and it's truly a highlight on the project. The singer approaches the topic with genuine humility that feels as honest as any love or drinking song he has recorded. A great play on a phrase pushes the song higher up on this Top 50 list.

No. 22: "Hillbilly Bone" with Trace Adkins

Blake Shelton proved he's a dynamic duet partner with this partnership with Trace

" is among his most well-known songs, even if it's not a Top 10 song on our list. Amid a catalog of songs with sexy, delicate women, this rocker with tough guy Adkins stands up and demands you pay attention. Even the haters have to smile!

No. 21: "Nobody But Me"

Did you even know that Shelton has a hit song called "Nobody But You" and "

"? The former is his most recent hit with Gwen Stefani, but the 2005 love ballad is the one that deserves a celebration. A jazzy piano carries the country singer atop this pleading love song. It's both memorable and effective.

No. 20: "Savior's Shadow"

Jessi Alexander returns to this list of the best Blake Shelton songs to offer a gentle message about faith and peace. "

" is Shelton's only Hot Christian Songs hit, reaching No. 14 in 2016. He's rarely, if ever, performs the song live.

No. 19: "The More I Drink"

," a Top 10 hit for Blake Shelton in 2007. The singer's early rompers are unmistakably genuine. In his later years, a certain polish would change the raw messaging, but that doesn't exist in this Brent Rowan production.

No. 18: "Playboys of the Southwestern World"

This is a song about best friends. "

" is a critic's pick for this list because we can recall him playing it live. The song is largely shelved now, but it still cooks. As a storyteller, few artists do better than Shelton, as some of the highest ranked songs on this list will prove. Playboys (No. 24 in 2003) is a different kind of story.

No. 17: "Lonely Tonight"

Give Shelton credit: At a time when few solo females could break in country music, he was doing what he could to celebrate talent.

is just one example of the hitmaker looking past stars who would have furthered his career to support Nashville's best. This dark ballad about a one night stand is a provocative conversation that just burned in 2014, a time where Blake Shelton was king. During "

No. 16: "Turnin' Me On"

Blake Shelton hasn't written very many of the songs found on this list of his 50 best. "

" is a rare case where he set out to write a song that became a hit, albeit a minor one. The simmering love song only reached the Top 10 after its 2018 release, but charts aren't everything. Years later it really stands apart from the rest of the songs he released to radio. You can feel his passion as he sings a song that he clearly had girlfriend Gwen Stefani in mind for.

No. 15: "I Lived It"

This Top 5 hit for Blake Shelton seemed to come and go, but we wish it would have stuck around as a catalog cut for the singer. "

" is among his best late model songs as it treads into new, nostalgic territory for a singer who is so often singing of love and love lost.

No. 14: "The Baby"

Blake Shelton cemented himself as one of country music's most promising young storytellers with three of his first four singles, including "

." The heartbreaking mother-son story is a gut punch for older country music fans. Melodically, the chorus gives it wings. This song from The Dreamer would become his second No. 1 hit.

No. 13: "All About Tonight"

" for Blake Shelton, and it's a song that will forever hold a place in his live show. It's kind of the theme song for any country concert, isn't it? In truth, Shelton hasn't released too many all-out jams like this one in the last decade, so it stands out a decade later.

No. 12: "Boys 'Round Here" With Pistol Annies and RaeLynn

Every once in awhile Blake Shelton drops a song that reminds you he doesn't take himself too seriously. It's critical to his artistry and an integral part of his longevity. "

" was his early 2010s version of that song. It's a sort of hip-hop-inspired redneck stomp with callback lyrics and his then-wife's supergroup supporting him. The song is just so much fun to bop along with, even a decade later.

No. 11: "God Gave Me You"

Blake Shelton took Dave Barnes' "

God Gave Me You

" and turned it into a Grammy-nominated, chart-topping country song. But that's just part of the story. The emotive love ballad is also what gave the singer the kick in the pants he needed to propose marriage to then-girlfriend Miranda Lambert. This is a tremendous vocal performance and certainly worthy of a high placement on the singer's best songs list.

No. 10: "My Eyes"

Blake Shelton and

Gwen Sebastian

kept a brother-sister kind of relationship after her time on The Voice. She even joined his band. That changed with "

," a true bed burner that beckons, "Come a little closer, come a little closer / Come a little closer, love the way you look tonight / My eyes are the only thing I don't wanna take off of you."

"My Eyes" was the last of a trio of great male/female collaborations that truly put new female artists on a pedestal. RaeLynn and Pistol Annies joined him for "Boys 'Round Here," Ashley Monroe jumped in for "Lonely Tonight" and Sebastian for "My Eyes." This was a time when women struggled mightily at country radio, but the singer did what he could to help introduce new talent.

Warner Music Nashville

No. 9: "Home"

You see a real change in Blake Shelton's commercial success beginning with his cover of "

" in 2008. One could argue this is his most important radio release, and his vocals stand up to anything else he's put out. Prior to his version of the Michel Bublé song, Top 20 was where he lived. After that, he rattled off a string of No. 1 hits as long as anyone ever: Nineteen of Shelton's next 20 singles hit No. 1.

Warner Music Nashville

No. 8: "Goodbye Time"

There is more than one famous cover among Blake Shelton's 50 best songs. "

" was a

Conway Twitty

hit in 1988, and the younger singer did it justice with a piano-led arrangement that showcased him as a premier vocalist. This song also exemplifies why he was hit-and-miss at radio in the mid 2000s. It followed the chart-topping "Some Beach," which followed a Top 40 song called "When Somebody Knows You That Well." It's good to go back and forth between good times and heartache, but with Shelton, the pendulum swung too far every time. It was hard to figure out who he was for most of a decade.

No. 7: "Ol' Red"

" is not Blake Shelton's best song, but it's his signature song. He can't play a live show without telling this story of a prisoner, a dog and a warden who gets fooled. Early in his career, Shelton wasn't shy about covering other artists, including Conway Twitty and (in this case) George Jones. His tie to the past has loosened in recent years, which is a bummer because songs like this are far more interesting than anything on the radio today.

Warner Music Nashville

No. 6: "Honey Bee"

There's not an easier song in Blake Shelton's catalog to enjoy than "

," his slightly saccharine, but still grinning love song from 2011. The track went triple-Platinum and is perhaps his most recognizable song worldwide today.

No. 5: "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking"

Joe Nichols

cut this song several years before Shelton would make it his best love song. Both versions are exemplary. It starts with the songwriting. Lyrically, "

" is more sensitive and poetic than anything else on this list. Each line is phrased as a question, and each question is one any woman can relate to. The magic is in this hitmaker's personal delivery. His range isn't needed for a subtle romancer that the greats would be proud of. Few country women will resist a warm smile when this No. 1 hit begins.

Warner Music Nashville

No. 4: "God's Country"

God's Country

" rejuvenated Blake Shelton's career. The country-rock song paints a vivid picture but it works so well because everyone who touched the song went for it 100 percent. The chart-topping hit is arguably his best of the last half-decade and an easy pick for Top 10 on this list of his greatest songs.

No. 3: "She Wouldn't Be Gone"

There's no song in Blake Shelton's catalog that paints a breathtaking picture with the same ease of "

She Wouldn't Be Gone

," his No. 1 song from 2008. He begins with, "Red roadside wild flower if I'd only picked you / Took you home set you on the counter" before his second metered stanza that goes, "Yellow sunset slowly dipping down in the rear view / Oh, how she'd love to sit and watch you / I could have done that a whole lot more."

The chorus of this song is where the tension lies, however. Shelton has told great stories before and delivered strong vocal performances plenty of times, but few songs find him so recklessly emotional as this ballad. It's almost unnerving to listen to.

No. 2: "Mine Would Be You"

" is a Top 5 Blake Shelton song because of the twist at the end that just crushes your heart. It's a love song, until suddenly it isn't. Jessi Alexander and company wrote it, but it's the singer's energy that makes the song special. As with "She Wouldn't Be Gone," there's a sense of panic so rare on the radio today. Shelton seems like such a cool character most of the time, but moments like this remind us of his gifts.

No. 1: "Austin"

Fans have, and will continue to, make a case for "

" as Blake Shelton's best song. It's certainly an all-time great debut single — one that would work in any era of country music. Early in his career, the Oklahoma native relied on veteran songwriters and producers like Bobby Braddock to shape his sound. These days everything comes with a little more polish, which is fine and probably even necessary.

You can't compare 20-year-old tracks like "Austin" with modern songs like "I'll Name the Dogs." Lyrically, his newest material lacks depth when held up against the rich tapestry of these early hits. So many songs from Shelton's first two albums make the Top 10 or even Top 20 of this list for this reason. "Austin" at No. 1? It's tempting to select another for the sake of being bold, but doing so would just be dishonest.

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ayashiki-i-i · 5 years ago

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Last Friday, I had the absolute joy and privilege to see Be More Chill in London!

(Yes, last Friday, this has been sitting in my drafts for over a week because I couldn’t figure out how to appropriately convey my delight with this show, and also yes, joy and privilege, call me dramatic but I swear to god nothing on this Earth makes me appreciate my life quite as live theatre.)

I have loved this show for a very long time. Not quite since its first Two Rivers Theatre run, but very early on from when it caught the internet’s attention. I was at the start of what was to become a viral sensation, and I was with the show, rooting for it, hoping for it, ever since. I feel like I walked the journey from crossing million hits on Spotify to the Broadway alongside the cast and creators. I felt immensely happy and proud for these people I never met when they announced their off-Broadway return, and I honest to god cried the day they opened on Broadway. Needless to say, I was overjoyed, literally jumping with happiness, when they announced they will stage a production on West End. Or technically off-West End? I’m still very confused how The Other Palace is not West End and Victoria Palace literally around the corner is West End... Anyway. I have not walked into that theatre on Valentine’s Day with low expectations.

And my Mount Everest high expectations were far, far exceeded and shot somewhere into the stratosphere.

I really can’t with words describe how much I loved this show. Joes Iconis and Tracz managed to hit some very special spot with this musical. It’s truly hard to describe, but this show just makes you happy. It makes you involved and interested. And I gotta tell you, I think we hit the press night, because there was a bunch of people (very respectfully) scribbling on their pads and iPads during the show, so this wasn’t an audience primed and geared for this type of musical. And that’s not even counting all the parents chaperoning their teenagers. And I can guarantee you everyone had a great time. During the intermission I went to get a drink and witnessed several conversations between aforementioned parents that all pretty much amounted to “wow, this is actually good!” It’s honestly such a treat to be in an audience that’s genuinely enjoying themselves.

This show is funny, and heartfelt, and charming. So charming. It has somehow a vibe of a really well done high school production, which could maybe sound like a criticism but i swear it isn’t!

I haven’t seen much of the previous productions, except few clips from the Two Rivers bootleg slime tutorial, but I really tried not to watch too much, hoping against hope there will be a revival one day (I try not to watch shows I have a chance of seeing one day. I’m fortunate to have the chance of having the full experience live so I try not to ruin it for myself lol). I gobbled up all the official promo clips and videos from the NYC revival, being super unlucky and managing to plan my New York trip in that small window when BMC just closed Off-Broadway and before it got on Broadway. I haven’t even listened to the Broadway recording, because by the time it came out I knew they’ll be staging a production over here. So i went in quite blind. With all that previous ado, this is how it was:

The book is so good. So so good. Many times when I fall in love with an album, the actual musical doesn’t hold up because the book doesn’t compare (hi, Dear Evan Hansen). But BMC is as engaging and fun between the songs as during them. Tbh I don’t love the changes to the songs they made, but I don’t really hate them either... Now having listened to the Broadway recording they reverted somewhat back to the original album on West End and I’m happy they did, but still. Especially Pitiful Children did not deserve the cuts. But I mean its still mostly the same album and it’s brilliant and fun, and ok, Looser, Geek or Whatever is a bop.

(Although I always kinda liked that Jeremy didn’t have a typical big “hero song” because he keeps mentioning how he isn’t a hero and it was kinda ironic that his own show refused him the hero treatment, but the song is solid.)

This cast is EVERYTHING. I’m sorry all previous casts, I love you and I respect you but i really think the British cast is (so far) the peak? Obviously as I said I don’t have the full picture to compare, but honestly these guys are all so good and I can’t imagine anyone else in these roles, they set the bar so high. Yes, even Michael. Omg I’m so sorry George Salazar! This role is his in a very special way, and I feel blasphemous saying this! But that’s what makes Blake Patrick Anderson so special, because I didn’t think I will ever be able to accept another Micheal than George Salazar. But from the first moment Anderson appears on stage, you don’t think of George Salazar. This right here is a Micheal and that’s it. I think he’s slightly less... Manic, than Salazar, and more caring, but also more stubborn, and nerdy. My friend said after the first act the character’s problem is that he’s a bit too likeable and it’s almost unbelievable he would be a social outcast and she was right. The dude is so damn likeable! So charming, so positive. And then Micheal in the Bathroom hits and omg does it hit. Also Blake Patrick Anderson has a really long name is very pretty. A+ snack. I’m in love. Scott Folan is, uh, I don’t really love him vocally... Ok I liked him until Loser Geek of Whatever. I don’t know, maybe it wasn’t his day. Or maybe that song is just written for Will Roland and no one will ever measure up? Tbh I haven’t seen Roland sing it live so who knows, maybe it is one of those songs that’s hard to perform without yelling a bit. Praying circle for the West End cast album? However Scott Folan’s acting is a masterclass. He’s so awkward in the first act, so sad, but also sweet. Actually I said i didn’t love his singing but when his voice cracks all over in his first few songs it’s superb and also his “Christiiine~” is really beautiful and lovely, so, dunno *shrugs*. And then in the second half he totally sells his confidence and assholer-y and like... They seem like two different jeremys, the squipped and un-squipped one. But ultimately he just gives such good-kid vibes. He seems like the perfect midpoint between Will Connolly’s shy Bambi and Roland’s geeky recluse. This Christine is absolutely feral. Like, you have no idea. Some people commented on the video of I Love Play Rehersal from the rehearsals that this Christine is not chaotic enough, so I’m seriously worried how chaotic Stephenie Hsu was? :D In any case Miracle Chance I thought was perfect, the ideal mixture of quirky but relatable, sweet but strong. Also she is hilarious. I’m pretty sure she got the most laugh out of the audience, not just because the actress’s absolutely perfect comedic timing but also that role is so well written. Like you really can’t get the full idea of this character until you watch the show, you know? It’s very layered, but each layer is easy to get so she makes a really fun character to watch. The Squip is hot. Like so hot. And his costumes are wonderful. And I know I’m not the only one who didn’t love Jason Tam’s accent as Squip and like... I think I know what he was going for but it just doesn’t work for me. This Squip is a lot more like Eric William Morris, just more hot. Oh yeah I mean the dude is fantastic actor too, and his voice is something impressive, but mostly I was just thinking “hot” whenever he was on stage :D James Hameed’s Rich is vocally stunning. By far the best Squip Song I have ever heard. Also he has Pickle Rick tattoo?? It’s fucking brilliant I HATE IT! :D Millie O’Connel is perfect of course. She has such a presence on stage. It was hilarious when she came out after the show, with her hair down and make-up off and said hi and people mostly kinda ignored her cause... She’s really a hurricane on stage and when she dials it down just a notch I really think people don’t connect her to her stage persona :D

(Also like, massive kudos to The Other Palace’s stage door, cause they allow you to just hang around the bar where the cast has to go through to leave the place, so no dirty alleyways stage dooring in rain and cold and possible pickpockets around.)

I really loved the staging, and it’s very small, very minimal, which isn’t something I normally like, so well done! They definitely dialled back from the Broadway (the bean bags are back!) and honestly the minimal props and simple set really suit this show. It adds to that almost-like-a-really-good-school-play charm. But also they have this massive LED screen as the background so they can change and move and animate their backdrop and it’s honestly so impressive. The artwork is so perfectly in line with the show’s aesthetic. And it’s building up and up towards the show’s climax which I thought was pretty subtle and pretty neat creative decision.

Ugh this is so long I didn’t think it would be so long :D But I have one criticism I cannot not mention. And I kinda always had this, but seeing it live it jumps out on me more - I don’t feel Jeremy and Christine :| I mean don’t get me wrong. The actors have amazing chemistry, their added song is the one that I actually really like and it makes sense, there’s so much more meaningful interaction they have in the show than the songs wold suggest. But. It still doesn’t quite sit well. Besides the fact that I don’t think the show’s narrative is about Jeremy getting the girl - that’s not really his character arc. But also, although they’re not incompatible, he gets the girl he doesn’t even really know, and she definitely doesn’t know him. I think I would prefer if they just stayed friends at the end, but if there had to be romantic conclusion... Well, I mean who doesn’t ship boyf friends, but seriously if Michael was a girl I’m pretty sure he’d be the romantic endgame for Jeremy. You know the type, the old friend who was by the protagonists side and believed in him all along? Yeah. But besides that, i was surprised to find I kinda liked Jeremy with Brooke too? I mean they have the same problem as Jeremy and Christine, with not knowing each other and all that, but at least it’s mutual, and they seemed to have a spark. But maybe it’s just because I unexpectedly really, really loved Brooke (she doesn’t have much space on the album and no one ever really talks about her, why does no one really talk about her???). She defies a lot of her archetype, she seems like such a sweet person. I guess I would just like to see more of her, and more depth to her, which a romance with the protagonist would’ve given her.

But tbh the show devotes a lot more time than I thought it would for Christine and Jeremey’s relationship to develop and it isn’t unrealistic, so it ended up being a pretty minor issue, which i though would be a bigger one.

Tl;dr (oh my god why is this so long????) this show is everything I wanted and more. The West End cast is amazing, charming and delightful and each of them is perfectly cast to really embody their character, while giving some fresh outlook on characters I thought I knew very well and filling very big shoes of the original cast I thought couldn’t be replaced. Also I didn’t talk to any of them but they spend a long time hanging out with the fans after the show and seemed genuinely super nice and pleased with the love the show is getting. The book is more than an equal partner to the music I already was in love with (also Joe Iconis was at the show I saw! I didn’t talk to him because I’m me and I will forever regret it!). The Other Palace’s staging and direction is wonderful, and the choreography is impressive and very on brand with the rest of the show, very modern, very electro and robot. I enjoyed every second and the standing ovation at the end was well deserved.

Just to re-affirm how much I loved this show - just few days after seeing it I booked a ticket to go see it again almost immediately lol. So if anyone is seeing it this Wednesday 26th Feb and you can telepathically pick me in the audience come say hello!

(Or like, drop me a message like a normal person if you’re also going alone and want to meet with someone to seem less like a weirdo! :D)

#ramblings #i have a life #be more chill #bmc #be more chill west end #i love musicals!#musical theatre #review #i guess?#it’s pretty much just me yelling what a good time i had

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meepmorpperaltiago · 5 years ago

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Intertwined, part 2

Aka an extension of the pop star AU that I’ve been way too obsessed with for way too long! You don’t need to have read the other fic set in this ‘verse to understand this fic, it’s a standalone thing. Thanks so much to @397bartonstreet and @jake-and-ames for all your help with this fic!

He sees that she’s shaking a little as she leaves. He takes her hand, runs his fingers over her rings.

He says softly “You don’t have to do this”.

“I know”, she says in response. “But it’ll be good to get everything out there”.

He nods. “Ok, as long as you’re sure”, he says, kissing the top of her head.

“I love you”

“I love you too”

When I meet Amy Santiago in a four-star Brooklyn hotel, she’s a far cry from both the fresh faced, bright eyed 15-year old I first spoke to at the ’98 Popfest and the troubled megastar whose life was crumbling around her around a decade ago. There’s a new wisdom in her eyes, but there’s also a sense of calm and stability that’s clearly come about since her darkest days.

She’s surprisingly humble compared to most people with her level of fame, handing me a coffee before we even sit down and then momentarily panicking when she considers that I might’ve preferred tea.

But she’s also unsurprisingly guarded, responding to my casual question of if she lives close to this area with an almost sarcastic glare. It’s a look that says “come on, you know my life, why would you ask me that?”.

In hindsight it was a pretty stupid thing to say. From the time when she first burst onto the scene to become the biggest selling teenage artist ever in only 2 years, the amount of scrutiny into her life so suddenly and so young must’ve been overwhelming.

“It was a really crazy time and for a while it was incredible”, she says with a hint of nostalgia in her voice, “but it was so so overwhelming and I never had any time to just breathe, y’know?”

When I ask tentatively if that was the real root of her later troubles, she silently nods.

“I have a confession to make”, he says with a smile, as if a joke is forming on his lips. She grins back at him, inviting him to say whatever it is he’s thinking.

“You were my first ever concert”

“No way”, she says, her hand flying to her mouth dramatically as her grin grows to match his.

“Yeah way - don’t tell Gina I told you this but she was obsessed with you, we went to your shows in matching T shirts, we had different ones for each album”

“Awww, babe that’s so cute”

For the next seven years it seemed like the undisputed Princess of Pop could do no wrong as she brought out three more critically lauded and record-breaking albums and sold out corresponding tours within minutes. Rather than dropping off like many of her contemporaries, she also grew as an artist, transitioning from cutesy bubble-gum pop of her debut album Amy and follow up Dulce into the more grown up sounding, R n B infused dance pop of Fascination and then into the pop punk and guitar sounds of My Lullaby and Our Song.

But from what she says, things weren’t so perfect behind the scenes.

“I was lonely; I didn’t get to just be a normal kid, I didn’t have any real friends, I didn’t feel like I could trust or turn to anyone. And my whole life other than my music was controlled by my management and even then every song I wrote had to be vetted. And over time I started to get really depressed”

She sighs then, looking down, as if preparing herself for the next topic of conversation.

“And”, she says slowly, “that’s when the drinking and the drugs started. That was my medicine”

“Ames, are you sure you’re ok?”, he asks as they sit in Shaws.

“Yeah”, she says, looking away from him. But he knows her too well.

“Do you wanna just go home and watch a movie? I’m sure everyone will get it”

She smiles then, takes his hand and they leave together. The warmth of his hand in hers doesn’t take away or fix her demons, but the love she feels for him does drown them out on nights like this.

“I kept it under control for a while and no one knew. But then as it got worse, it started to get to the tabloids. And then Vegas happened”

She was of course referring to the infamous incident that triggered the start of her fall from grace in 2008. The crazy vacation and a drunken fling leading to a marriage that was officially annulled within 24 hours was what turned the previous buzz of press around her constantly into a storm. The man, a failed musician named Constantine Kane, selling his story to every paper he could find for a very tidy sum also didn’t help.

“I guess that was the point where they figured out how lucrative it was when I messed up”, she comments, a sarcastic tone thinly veiling wounds that are clearly still present.

“After that, they were everywhere”

He doesn’t understand why they’ve suddenly stopped. Why Amy is looking around so nervously. Until he sees and hears them. There are 2 cars, both with different photographers speeding up behind them. His heart drops at the fear in Amy’s eyes as they race away.

She brushes it off, but later, when they’re back in his apartment, he can tell there’s something on her mind.

“Ames, are you ok?”, he asks, wanting to make whatever’s upset her better. She sighs and then says:

“I think we need to talk about what happened today. Things like that are scary, but they’re something I’ve gotten used to, I’ve been in that world for a really long time. But being with me… it means you’ll probably have to deal with shit like that too… and that’s not fair on you. Are you sure you want that? Because you could just walk away from all this now and you’d be fine-”

“Amy”, he interrupts, taking her hand. “I’d deal with all of that every day for like 100 years if it means I get to be with you. This is special. And I’m not giving up on us just because of some shitty papparazos.”

She smiles and laughs a little at that and kisses him and he’s never been so sure of anything in his life. He knows in that moment that he’ll be with her no matter what.

After we bring up Vegas and the press intrusion that followed, strangely enough she seems to zone out for a second and smile a little, as if she’s fondly remembering something. Then she comes back from whatever she was thinking of and we move on with the conversation.

Not wanting to upset her too much, I let her drive the conversation on the rest of her breakdown – the increasing stories of her crazy parties, the infamous incident where she hit a photographer with her car after he jumped in front, the lawsuit that followed in spite of the man being completely unscathed, her fines for drink driving and the crazy braids that started to appear in her hair. Then the climax of it all, for want of a more appropriate term: when she barricaded herself in her bedroom for over 24 hours in the lead up to the Grammys, where she was eventually forced to perform after her management broke down the door. She snuck out of the awards show afterwards and eventually collapsed from alcohol poisoning. I can tell that she’s holding back tears when she answers my next question: what happened?

“It just felt like everything was spiralling so far out of control and it just kept getting crazier and crazier and as things got worse, all I did was drink more and do more of whatever substances I could find. And in the end, all I could do was shut myself off, by shutting myself in. And it happened so long ago, I shouldn’t still be crying over it…”

I try to comfort her as best I can and ask her if she wants to continue the interview or scrap the whole thing.

“No, this is a story I need to get out. If I keep it all in and internalise it and never talk about it, it’ll be even worse.”, she responds, wiping the tears off her face. In the face of everything she’s been through, she has a remarkable strength.

What happened after that is something she’s kept pretty under wraps, but she tells me now, after taking a few minutes out.

“After I got out of hospital, I quit everything, I left my record label and went straight to rehab. Then, I wanted a fresh start, so I moved to New York and started therapy, which is where I met my husband.” She smiles as soon as she mentions him, looking down at her wedding and engagement rings. Although not many details of him or their relationship are public knowledge, other than the fact that he’s a cop from Brooklyn, he’s been assumed to be the subject of some of her most well-known love songs since she came back to music.

“So, what are you in for?”, he asks jokingly. “Sorry, I use humour as a defence mechanism, it’s kind of my thing”.

“It’s ok,”, she says with a smile. “For me, it’s a heck of a lot of childhood issues, mostly typical child star stuff”

“Samsies!”, he responds, “Except my childhood issues aren’t to do with being famous and I’m also here ‘cause I got framed and went to jail, I’m a cop, it’s a whole thing – but almost samsies”

They hi five at that and both smile. The therapist calls him in and before he leaves, he turns around.

“Hey, I’ll see you later, right?”

“Sure”, she responds.

“After we met in therapy, we started hanging out a lot and after about a month we started dating and eventually we got married. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without him. When I was at my lowest point, he was there to make everything better, and I’ve never felt happier or safer than I do with him”

“I’d also been writing music the whole time and eventually I set up Brooklyn Records, so I could release new music on my own terms and support new artists. I still have struggles – things like addiction and depression don’t’ just go away. But I’m ok now and as I’ve already said, I have an amazing family to support me now”

When I comment on the success of both her label and the five new albums she’s released since her comeback in 2011, she smiles fondly. It seems clear that in spite of all the bumps in the road and how much time has passed since her debut, I’m talking to a pop star still very much in her prime.

“How was everything?”, he asks when she gets home.

“It was great”, she says as she hugs him.

“Did you mention me?”, he says jokingly.

“Actually, I did”

He looks at her softly, before turning serious with genuine concern. “Aww, babe – but seriously, are you ok?”

“Yeah. I’ve never been better”, she responds. And she truly means it.

#b99 #peraltiago #brooklyn nine nine #brooklyn nine nine fanfic #jake x amy #jake peralta #amy santiago

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ladyofpurple · 5 years ago

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answer all of the questions!!

holy SHIT ok bless you omg

(sorry it's a full day late i took this shit SERIOUSLY. don't ask me how many hours this took, i was in A Mood™️ last night. removed the ones already answered xoxo)

angel; have you ever been in love?

yeah. didn't end too well, but i loved him.

petal; favorite novel and author?

this is like asking me to pick a favorite child. i guess favorite author would be stephen king, if only based entirely on the sheer quantity of his books i own alone. favorite book would probably be special topics in calamity physics by marisha pessl, and i'm only saying that because it's been my go-to response for years. i have lots of favorite books. ask me again in five minutes and i'll give you another one.

honey perfume; favorite perfume/scent?

freshly made coffee. lilacs. jasmine. cut grass. the ground after it rains. chocolate chip cookies in the oven. cigarette smoke on skin. my mom's shampoo. my grandma. my dog when he's just had a bath. thanksgiving dinner. acrylic paint on canvas. sawdust. that one cologne i can't name but can smell on a guy from a mile away. mulled cranberry and apple juice. vanilla. coconut. fresh laundry. peppermint.

sweet pea; what’s your zodiac?

virgo sun, pisces moon, scorpio rising ✨

softie; talk about your sexuality.

i'm biromantic asexual, primarily attracted to men more than women (but have had too many crushes on girls to consider myself het), generally sex repulsed when it comes to the thought of having it myself. i prefer to call myself queer in passing conversation, it's easier than explaining asexuality and the differences between sexual and romantic attraction. if someone asks more specifically, i'll usually just call myself bi for simplicity's sake, even though the ace part is a much more important (to me) part of my identity. monogamous as fuck.

i'm still struggling with internalized homophobia and a lot of "am i even queer enough" thoughts, which is super fun. took me a long time to even consider the fact that i might like girls at all. i'll probably never come out to my parents. not that they'd, like, disown me or whatever, but they're juuuuust homophobic/transphobic enough that my few attempts to educate them when they say something A Little Yikes have shown me that i should probably just stay in the closet unless i absolutely have to come out. like i'm getting married to a woman or something.

sugarplum; what’s the color of your eyes and hair?

i usually say my eyes are green because it's easier, and they mostly are, but i have rings of greyish blue around the irises and sometimes they're more hazel in the middle. they always have a green tint to them though, even if the intensity of the green varies.

my natural hair is brown, a little on the darker and slightly ashy side of completely generic. currently a former blonde, although i'm hoping to bleach my fucking YEAR of growout soon, and then go some crazy color as a last hurrah before i have to go dark again. being broke fucking sucks.

wings; coffee or tea?

tea!! black tea. chai, to be specific, with an irresponsible amount of milk and sugar. chai lattes are a fucking drug okay? coffee makes me sick (not a judgement, a literal fact. last time i tried some i threw up).

fairytale; are you a cat or dog person?

cat!! but my family has a chihuahua named sonny and you can pry that little monster from my cold dead hands ok i will fight you.

snowflake; favorite time period?

okay, i wrote and rewrote my answer to this about 10 times. then i tried to divide it up into categories (aesthetics, history, fashion, vibes, geographical location, etc), but that didn't help. so basically: i don't have one, because i have too many.

i like the american 20s-60s for the aesthetic, music/movies, and the fashion. i also like the european 1600s-1800s for the interesting history and also vibe. i love the french and russian revolutions — the fashion! the art! the wars and political upheaval! I FUCKING LOVE HISTORY. then, of course, we can't forget the rennaisance. or the witch trials (pick your continent). and ancient greece? the roman empire? hello?? did i mention empires? how bout we mosy on over to south america — can i interest you in the mayans? incans? aztecs? what about china and japan? korea? vietnam? and don't even get me fucking STARTED on the black plague.

ancient egypt? sign me the FUCK UP. vikings? yes please. the celts? oh boy. the MYTHOLOGY. the ARCHITECTURE. the LANGUAGES and POLITICS and LITERATURE and REVOLUTIONS and GOD HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN ANY OF THESE

i uh. might have gotten a little excited. basically i like history a lot. and mythology. and linguistics. and cultural practices. and the politics and prejudices behind wars and stuff. and learning in general. moving on.

vanilla; do you believe in ghosts?

let's put it this way: i don't not believe in ghosts??

listen. we don't know jack shit. we don't know what happens after we die, there are constant scientific revelations that turn our understanding of the universe completely upside-down, and there is literally no way to know which religions or myths or urban legends could have some grain of truth to them. like, dude, i've literally thought i was haunted before. psychology is bananas and the universe is infinite.

demons could be real. ghosts could be real. what if we just haven't invented the necessary technology to prove it yet? what if we never do, and they just fuck around alongside us, moving furniture and making shadow puppets on the walls just for kicks until the earth explodes? what if that one tumblr post was right and ghosts are actually real people from alternate universes or timelines that we see accidentally bc some cosmic wires got crossed? who fucking knows.

i love horror movies and scary stories and ghost hunter shows just as much as the next gal. but listen. psychics? mediums? people who accept every single creepypasta retold third-hand from their neighbor's kid's classmate's second cousin who "totally knows a guy"? doubt.jpeg

i don't understand the sheer amount of assumptions made willy-nilly about the nature of ghosts and demons and things that go bump in the night. the assumption that "oh this machine that totally doesn't look like a coathanger taped to a walkman will work because ghosts have this temperature and can always communicate like this and are electromagnetic" or whatever just baffles me. to a certain degree, following a general consensus is one thing — some basic things everyone can agree on? that's cool. ghosts can walk through walls and are probably dead people or whatever. but oh my god, taking every single story as absolute, undeniable proof?? taking these stories and expanding on them to infer intentions and scientific facts to something that by it's very nature is unknowable and assuming, like, every spirit is created equal?? and yeah, ghost hunting shows are fun and campy and kinda creepy but like. you really, genuinely don't think any of them have ever faked anything at all??? even if ghosts are real, it's fucking reality tv, my dude. it's the entertainment industry. at least maintain the slightest ounce of critical thought before taking zak bagans' word as the goddamn gospel.

and sidenote, maybe it's just my limited exposure as a white woman in the western world, but of all the shows and podcasts and movies and documentaries and whatnot i've been able to find and consume, there's the constant use of christian ideology applied to every situation that just really burns my bacon. what, there's never been an atheist ghost? if you see a shadow person and you don't know the lord's prayer by heart, are you automatically fucked? why are there never stories about, i don't know, viking ghosts? does your religion in life preclude you from becoming a ghost in the first place? is that why people never mention buddhist ghosts? i don't get it, and that's why even though i'm self-admittedly the most superstitious person i've ever met, true believers make me roll my eyes so hard they almost fall out. makes me come across as more skeptical than i theoretically am. I HAVE VERY STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THIS OK

but like, you couldn't pay me to fuck with a ouija board. i'm not stupid.

delicate; diamonds or pearls?

both have their appeal and their place, but diamonds, i guess. i like the sparkle. but fake ones!! or synthetic. diamonds are overpriced and artificial scarcity is a scam and i don't need a dumb rock that some poor person in a mine somewhere was exploited and possibly died for. no blood diamonds in this house, thank you very much.

if i ever get engaged, i don't want a diamond ring. i'd want something cool, a little unusual, like a ruby or a sapphire or some other sparkly gem that isn't literally shoved in your face every waking moment as the expected standard symbol of True Love. they're cheaper, they're cool-looking, as a ring they still hold the cultural symbolism of an engagement/wedding ring. and honestly, as long as it's well-made and durable, whatever hypothetical gem it is doesn't have to be real either. i'm a woman of simple needs and demonstrably low standards. no point in going into debt for a fucking piece of jewelry, regardless of ~tradition~.

lavender dream; favorite album?

oh lord. welcome to the black parade, i guess. or anything by panic! at the disco. there are dozens of possible options — my interests are mercurial and my memory is garbage. but i'll always be an emo little shit. black parade and vices and virtues were also the first two albums i ever listened to where i loved every single song on them, and i happened to listen to them for the first time at around the same point in my life (i got into mcr super late. like, 2012 late. rip).

silky; what’s your biggest dream?

it's cheesy but i guess i just want stability and, by extension, happiness. emotional stability, mental stability, financial stability, stable living situation, stable routines, stable relationships... you get the idea. i have ambitions and passions, of course, but my ultimate goal is happiness at this point in my life, and i'm pretty sure stabilizing all those things would go a pretty long way in achieving that goal.

a little apartment with walls i can paint because white walls make me angry. bookshelves and posters and fandom merch on every wall. a computer i can actually play games on again, and somewhere i can paint and draw and record my podcasts. someone who loves me, maybe. a cat, if i'm stable enough. space for people to come visit me, and a place for them to sleep if they need. a tiny balcony, if i really want to shoot for the stars. a job i don't hate. the spoons to hang out with my friends, and the money to not worry about buying little presents for the people i care about sometimes. i don't need much.

strawberry kiss; do you have a crush right now?

nope.

glitter; favorite fictional character?

another loaded question. like books, if you ask me again in five minutes i'll probably give you a different answer. but in this particular moment, caleb and jester from critical role (please don't make me choose between them). i won't go full shipping mode rn, but jester is so funny and silly and sweet, so much more complex than she seems, and she tries so hard to make everyone happy even when she's so sad inside. the healer who treats healing as an inconvenience in battle (she's so fucking valid and also mood), the glue that keeps the party together. and caleb learning to trust again, facing his trauma and coming out of his shell. he loves his friends so much he plays wizard as a support class and i love him so much.

i love the mighty nein in general, of course, and all the guests/honorary members they've had. pumat!! pls don't be evil reani!! keg!! shakäste and grand duchess anastasia!! cali!! kiri!!!! the brotps! empire siblings! chaos crew! nott the best detective agency! i still love molly and all his assholery to bits (fight me), and mourn his lost potential. i adore yasha, even when she's gone; fjord has grown so much; beau and nott and caduceus — i love all their flaws and disagreements and their character arcs and the excitement of watching them grow and learn. but if i had to choose, caleb, jester and molly have always been my top 3 since day 1 and, well, molly isn't really an option anymore.

but like i said, ask me again in a minute. i have a fucking list.

swan; share a quote or passage that means something to you.

a collection of things off the top of my head:

Elinor agreed to it all, for she did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition. — Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen

a tired feminist Mood™️

"What I say is, a town isn't a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it's got a bookstore, it knows it's not foolin' a soul." — American Gods, Neil Gaiman

i got my love of books from my grandma — some of my favorites i got from her. sometimes, as a treat, she used to take my sister and i to bookstores and we'd stay there for ages, getting to pick one out, roaming the shelves, the mental torture of having to choose. the peace of being surrounded by thousands of potential worlds, so much information, so many stories just waiting to be told; being surrounded by strangers who share that same wonder. the anxious drive home so we could read them, being unable to wait that long so i inevitably start reading in the car and make myself sick. telling her in excited detail all my favorite parts. if we were lucky, maybe we got to split a bear claw, or she'd drive past starbucks and get us something there too (tall vanilla soy steamer with one pump of vanilla syrup, whipped cream on top that always melted too quickly and squirted out the hole in the lid, so hot it burned my tongue but so good i didn't care). i have never felt more at home than i do when i'm surrounded by books.

"There are a lot of different types of freedom. We talk about freedom the same way we talk about art, like it was a statement of quality rather than a description. “Art” doesn’t mean good or bad. Art just means art. It can be terrible and still be art. Freedom can be good or bad, too. There can be terrible freedom. You freed me, and I didn’t ask you to." — Alice Isn't Dead, season 1, chapter 2: Alice

as cringey as it is to admit it, this line made me cry a lot after my breakup.

"So you aren't American?" asked Shadow.

"Nobody's American," said Wednesday. "Not originally. That's my point." — American Gods, Neil Gaiman

[side-eyes white america real hard]

there's more, of course. there's always more. don't even get me started on song lyrics, we'll be here all day.

lace; what’s your favorite plant/flower?

lilacs and roses.

mermaid; do you prefer the forest or the ocean? why?

both, i guess. but in different ways, and in different circumstances.

the sea is wild. it is endless and deep and unknowable. it is beautiful and dangerous. i am terrified of the ocean, and yet my favorite place in the world is an empty beach on the oregon coast. i have picked sand from between my toes for days with hair crusted in salt, danced around bonfires and watched the stars while marshmallows burn, gotten pulled under the waves as a child and nearly swept out to sea. picked starfish and crabs from small pools in the rocks, and swum (accidentally) with wild sea lions. in a long skirt, too early in the year to be swimming, i once took off my shoes and waded fully clothed into the water to my waist and just... danced. splashed and kicked and laughed with a boy i barely knew until our throats were sore and our toes were numb, walking home hours later with our soaked clothes clinging to our legs, shoes squelching, dripping algae as we went. the ocean is freeing and overwhelming all at once. i love it and am petrified by it in equal measure.

the forest is beautiful in a different way. it is silent and dense and serene. you are surrounded by life and yet, somehow, completely alone. there is magic in the forest, and history, and even when all else dies, that will remain. the trees grow from the corpses of their ancestors, and some have lived dozens of our lifetimes — with luck, a few dozen more. it is quiet there, peaceful, even the tiniest wood in the middle of a city muffling the outside world through the trees. you can feel the ancient ways deep in your soul as you follow winding paths strewn with fallen leaves, the mystery and wonder and superstitions of your forefathers. you wonder what it would be like, to run your fingers over the moss, to take off your shoes and socks and just run, leaping and dancing over rocks and roots, hair wild and air filling your lungs in deep, pure gulps as you shed the responsibilities and struggles of modern life, for just a moment remembering what freedom tastes like. it is primal, this connection to nature, one we have nearly forgotten over time. and as the sky grows dark and the silence of night presses against you, shadows looming, every footfall deafening, perhaps you begin to understand why some believed in monsters.

honeymoon; do you keep a journal?

i used to. honestly, that's a good idea, i should start doing that again. lord knows i have enough empty journal-type books.

starlight; do you believe in love at first sight and soulmates? why/why not?

i want to. i want to believe there's someone out there for me, the love of my life, someone to whom i'll be the love of their life, and that when i meet them i'll just... know.

but when i met my ex, i didn't really look twice at him for a while — no love at first sight. and when we were together, when i loved him and he swore he loved me back, i thought he hung the stars in the sky and knew i would marry him someday. couldn't even consider the idea that that wouldn't happen. and then when he broke up with me, he ghosted me so suddenly and thoroughly that he even preemptively cut contact with every single one of our mutual friends he thought might side with me in the breakup, before anybody even knew we'd had a fight. so, not soulmates either.

i really want to believe that someday the perfect romance will just fall into place and i can have the happily ever after i've always dreamed of. but the reality is i might never even have another s.o. for the rest of my life. maybe i'll get hit by a car tomorrow, or my hypothetical soulmate moves to argentina to become an alpaca farmer on a mountain somewhere and we never even meet. maybe i'm so traumatized by the betrayal and lies that i'll never have the courage to even try again.

and even so, happily ever after doesn't have to include a fairytale romance, regardless of whether i want it or not. i still like to cling to that hope though, deep down.

princess; what do you value most in people?

i'm going to assume you mean "real people" as in people i have positive relationships with, and not random strangers on the street.

loyalty. kindness. support. humor. similar values. patience. being able to grow together and teach each other things, so we can make each other better. honesty. trust. compassion. confidence. emotional vulnerability. communication. intelligence, or at least a willingness to learn. strength.

#nobody asked me to go this hard and yet here we are #my favorite pasttimes: talking about myself and being pretentious on main #Lady answers stuff #anon good nurse #Lady of Purple's slice of life #ask meme

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thatislife · 5 years ago

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I’ve listened to the whole Lover album now. It’s wonderful. Some initial thoughts in no particular order...

This feels so much like her. Like she found herself again

I Forgot That You Existed

Indifference. Love it.

Wait. She dropped Drake’s name. In my feelings. Lol

Is it just me or does this have some similar beats/music as This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things?

Cruel Summer

“If I bleed you’ll be the last to know”. So powerful

“I don’t want to keep secrets just to keep you” is so important. I doubt she meant it like this but it reminds me of abuse. Never keep those secrets folks. And there’s a difference between someone wanting to keep a relationship a secret for privacy and wanting to keep it a secret because of shame. Know the difference. And dump them if it’s the latter.

Her vocals when she sings “I cried like a baby coming back from the bar”! SO GOOD!

“I scream for whatever it’s worth, ‘I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you’ve ever heard?!?’”

“He looks so pretty like a devil” reminds me of Miley Cyrus’s 7 Things. In the best way. Actually the whole song kind of does. But a better, more adult, more refined version.

Cruel Summer could have been on 1989. Easily. Did Jack Antonoff produce this? Oh, yup. Totally did.

Cruel Summer might be my favorite

Lover (song)

60s vibes. Love it. Sounds like her. Love the video. Not having as much of a “reaction” because it’s not new to me anymore. But that video! SO THOUGHT OUT

The Man

I am so fucking here and for The Man

Seriously. The bullshit women, especially powerful and successful women, have to put up with is insane

“What I was wearing” is a reference to how women are treated in cases of sexual assault, yeah? Do we agree? Good

Ok, The Man may be my favorite. Or at least it’s my new anthem

Love the Leo name check

This song is going to be so fucking good on tour. I need to find a pantsuit to wear...

Archer

Again, not new anymore. But SO good. Feels like anxiety to me. The expectation that everyone and everything is going to leave you.

Basically one of my therapy sessions.

Eyes Open gives me similar vibes

I Think He Knows.

Very fun. A bop.

“I am an architect, I’m drawing up the plans”. Girl. We could have told him that lol. We were the first victims of your plans haha

Love it. Also going to be great on tour

Miss Americans & The Heartbreak Prince

About her “exile”. Really like this. I’m sad that she felt this way.

“You play stupid games, you win stupid prizes” is such a middle finger to it all. Love it.

“Boys will be boys”. Their behavior is always explained or excused, but women have to meet insane standards of decorum. Not to mention the obvious reference to how sexual assault is treated

This song is probably going to become my favorite. I see it as the one that’s going to sneak up on me and constantly find itself played multiple times in a row

Paper Rings

SO FUN

“Went home and tried to stalk you on the internet” hahahaha 😂😂😂 (She should have asked us for tips)

THIS IS GOING TO BE SO FUN ON TOUR

“In dirty dreams” okuuurrr Taylor! Get it girl!

Such a sweet song.

If she’s not engaged or married yet, I’d be shocked. Not that it is any of my business.

Has a sort of early 2000’s teen romcom montage song vibe

Cornelia Street

The way she sings “I never want Cornelia Street again” is so good

I hope she never needs Cornelia Street again. No offense to Cornelia Street

I like all of the insights into the beginnings of their relationship

I think I hear storms/thunder at the end. Not sure what it’s about but I like it

Death By A Thousand Cuts

I like the strain/frustration in her voice. Like she’s saying it through gritted teeth

I think this one will also sneak up on me

“I ask the traffic lights if it’ll be alright”. Love that

“Trying to find a part of me that you didn’t touch/take up” is SO great. It starts as just physical and her body but it reaches into every aspect of her life. It reminds me of “I try to be my old self but I’m still trying to find it”

Love the rhythm/cadence of it

London Boy

IDRIS ELBA!!!!!!!!

Idris Elba has a scooter!!!

The chorus reminds me of Ed Sheeran’s verse in End Game

This will also be super fun on tour

London fans getting all these references!!! YOU ARE SEEN!!!

Soon You’ll Get Better

I knew this song was going to destroy me

When she sings “‘Cause you have to” 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Praying to the prescription bottles.

Praying to a god you don’t believe in because you’re desperate and scared

“I just pretend it isn’t real. I’ll paint the kitchen neon, I’ll brighten up the sky” Trying to do anything to fix things, to make it better, to control anything in a situation that is out of your control is such a helpless feeling. It’s infuriating. And I’m currently living it

The bridge 💔

Then she changes it to “‘Cause I have to” 😭💔😭

I’m so glad the Dixie Chicks collaborated on this

How was she even able to record this?

Ronan is heartbreaking but this is in an entirely different stratosphere of devastating

She said in the live Lover Lounge thing that she spoke with her family about whether to release it and that it was a family decision. I’m glad it was

I’ve currently got a young family member who has an incurable, terminal cancer. This was hard to listen to.

Definitely a “listen to alone while curled up on the floor, sobbing” kind of song

False God

I like it but I think any song positioned right after Soon You’ll Get Better was going to have a hard time

Very jazzy?

A very good companion to Dress

You Need To Calm Down

I love this

I will always love this

It’s all pride flags, feminism, and middle fingers and I 👏🏼 AM 🏳️‍🌈 HERE ♀FOR 🖕🏻 IT 👏🏼

Afterglow

I like that she’s being very upfront about how her anxiety and previous trauma has affected her relationships

The afterglow is the calm after the storm of a fight

Me!

When Panic! released “Dying In L.A.”, literally the first thing I said after hearing it was “I want him to duet with Taylor. It would be SO GOOD”

I was right 😁

So fun. Love them together

Brendon Urie’s voice is just so uniquely amazing. It’s basically a sexual orientation by itself.

My sexual orientation may just be Brendon Urie

I might be biased

Still amazing

GIRL THERE AINT NO I IN TEAM!!!

Tour closer? Prediction

It’s Nice To Have A Friend

I like the simplicity

Like childhood

Seriously. I think she’s married

I think it’s going to overly criticized for its simplicity

May get overlooked by some of the more powerful songs, but there’s power in simplicity too

Daylight

It’s a fresh start

Reminiscent of clean

Really like it

Winds down the album well

Many call backs “Burning Red” “It’s Golden”

I love the voice memo to close it out

Step into the daylight and let it go ❤️

Basically, I love this album. It really is her best one. Plus, SHE OWNS IT 😁

@taylorswift @taylornation

#lover album #lover #taylor nation #taylor swift lover #taylornation #taylurking #taylor swift #swiftie #swifties

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funknrolll · 6 years ago

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Women’s history month: feminist anthems making herstory!

Hi music lovers, women’s history month has just began, and to celebrate this month, I will tell you all about some of the songs by some of the most influential female artists that have helped empower every woman on this earth!! Let us get started!!

Aretha Franklin- Think. As we all know Aretha Franklin, the Queen of soul was also a feminist and through her music she fought and for women’s and their rights. She was one of the first female artist to pave the path for other female artist to speak up about feminism and women’s rights!! This song released in 1968, was then rediscovered and reused in 1980s as the soundtrack for the movie Blues Brothers by John Landis. This work is a total masterpiece and the epitome of women’s liberation and freedom. This masterpiece embodies the freedom to think and say what we want without a man/men telling us what to think nor what to say, therefore without influencing our thoughts and minds. This masterpiece is so powerfu and its meaning should always be kept in mind!! This song was so powerful especially if we think about the particular time it was released, the 60s, when women weren’t used to have righs and their fathers, brothers and husbands usually influenced their minds and told them what to do sometimes forcing them to think or to do as they pleased. Usually women were beaten and believed to be worth less than men, which is why this song was so powerful. In my opinion, nowadays this masterpiece is still so relevant, relatable and powerful!! We all should keep alive in our minds the powerful and positive lesson the insuperable queen of soul Aretha Franklin has taught to all of us!! If you would like to get this album which is a masterpiece you can find the link below 👇

https://amzn.to/2SYSwwS

Chaka Khan~ A Woman In a Man’s World. As we all know, since the beginning of her music career, queen Chaka Khan has always fought for women’s rights and has always let her music speak up to pursue this ideal of equality for women and men, and to help women know their worth. This masterpiece was released in 1978 and its title is extremely eloquent and introduces the listener to the main topic of the song, in Chaka Khan’s words: “So I'm fool enough to say, thata woman's place is in the home, working twice as hard, for the same reward as any man”. These words are extremely accurate and actual even in today’s world where even if we, women, have made some steps further toward our emancipation, we haven’t fully achieved equality. This song is not the only one in Chaka’s repertoire to deal with this topic. Indeed her latest album is entirely focused on women and their power, strength and worth, and I could not love her more for that!! Chaka is an important example and role model for each and every girl and woman on this planet, and we should all look up to her and to her strength to speak up and go against society and its ideals. She’s such a bold hero!! Link to this beautiful album 👇👇

https://amzn.to/2TvuY7N

https://amzn.to/2UxbcVV

Janet Jackson~ Control. This is probably one of the most known songs in Janet Jackson’s vault. As much as in Chaka Khan’s song, by the title of Janet Jackson’s one, we know what topics we should expect. This song is contained in the homonymous album “Control” released in 1986. Janet released this song when she was a young girl and even if she was just 20, we can see how strong she was and how she exactly knew what to stand for and what she was fighting for!! I really love this side of Janet!! There are many songs in her repertoire that explore these extremely important topics, but in my opinion this one is the emblem of women’s personal freedom of mind and soul to be what we want to be and who we are: despite what men want us to be or to think, every girl and woman is in Control of her life and actions. In my opinion this song is extremely empowering. Moreover it is extremely important to mention the fact that this song’s lyrics were written by Janet Jackson herself and it is in my opinion very impressive that at such a young age she was capable of writing such a powerful lyric with powerful words, in an extremely unique and peculiar way!! I really adore Janet Jackson and her music, it is just a pity not many people are aware of her writing skills and her uniqueness!! I really suggest you music lovers to get your copy of this album, here’s one of the cheapest options, this album is a classic and it cannot miss in your collection!! Link to get your copy below👇

https://amzn.to/2XKEkLk

Britney Spears~ Stronger. This is probably one of my favorite songs by Britney. I remember when I was 15 I went through a break up and this song helped me through all of that and it empowered me as well. The topic deals with a precise moment of the life of the artist when she finally finds the strength to take a step back from a toxic relationship and be on her own hero and to stand for herself. This is so empowering!! I think everyone has been at least once through a moment like this, and this song should be a great lesson to all of us that should teach us to step back from toxic people who don’t know our worth and be our own women and be strong!! I really appreciate this song and the message it is sending out!! It is such a great source of empowerment and strenght. Link to get the album below👇

Mariah Carey~ Someday/ Prisoner. I could not choose just one song by queen Mariah Carey and so I chose two empowering masterpieces that I particularly love!! Both of these songs are contained in the album “Mariah Carey”. Like Britney Spears these two songs deal with a detachment from a toxic relationship and how the artist was able to recollect the strength to empower herself and finally be free and never look back and eventually “Rise above” the strings of that toxic relationship that made her a “Prisoner” of the love of her ex partner. These songs are so empowering and Mariah could not have expressed better the pain, the rage, the anxiety of being in a toxic relationship with someone who treats you like you are never enough. I really love Mariah for these songs and these words, I feel so empowered whenever I listen to these masterpieces!! This is one of my favorite albums by Mariah Carey which I recommend you guys!! I suggest you to get a copy of this masterpiece!! Link below 👇👇

https://amzn.to/2F4X6po

Janelle Monáe ~ Crazy Classic Life. I have already talked about this song and the album “Dirty Computer” that is containing this masterpiece. I think it is important to add this song to the list of feminist anthems that made history!! This song is another anthem of feminism, that contains some important topics such as equality for men and women so gender equality. In Ms. Monáe’s words “All men and women are created equal, That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, Among these: life, liberty, and the, and the pursuit of happiness". I really adore this song and its deep and empowering meaning, and the album I mentioned is a masterpiece everyone needs to acknowledge and listen to!! As I’ve said in one of my reviews, this album contains so many important topics such as gender equality, women sexual liberation, freedom for women to be who they are and do what they want, and to think HOW they want. Moreover some other topics involve birth control, owning our own body, the fact that girls and women can engage in a sexual relationship just for fun when, how and with whom they want to love. In my opinion this album and song are some of the most POWERFUL AND EMPOWERING works of 2018 and we all should be grateful to Ms. Janelle Monáe for this masterpiece!! Link to get your copy of this masterpiece below👇👇

https://amzn.to/2XQq0kC

Beyonce~ Flawless/HOLD UP/ SORRY. Beyonce could definitely not miss in this article. She has always been such a great example of what feminism should be and how a person who declares herself/himself to be feminist SHOULD BE. Flawless is such an extremely empowering song which explores some important topics that we all need to keep in mind. In my opinion these lines are the emblem of this masterpiece. In Beyonce’s words “We teach girls to shrink themselves/To make themselves smaller/We say to girls/You can have ambition/But not too much/You should aim to be successful/But not too successful/Otherwise you will threaten the man"/Because I am female/ I am expected to aspire to marriage/I am expected to make my life choices, Always keeping in mind that/Marriage is the most important.”.This song is all about the double standards between females and males and the fact that female have always been taught that being wives, having a family and children and staying at home is the only aspiration we can have. Women have always been taught that having success in life is ok but we cannot be more powerful than men because otherwise they would feel threatened. Additionally in this song Beyonce gives us such a perfectly accurate definition of feminism, which is “We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings/In the way that boys are/Feminist: the person who believes in the social/Political, and economic equality of the sexes”. This song is extremely powerful. It is such an empowering and powerful social critic to all these double standards society has always imposed to every girl and woman on earth. We really need to listen attentively to this masterpiece and think deeply about this!! Is this the world we want our daughters to live in?! I do not think so. Think deeply. Furthermore, in my humble opinion the whole album “Lemonade” that contains SORRY and HOLD UP is a total masterpiece and it is extremely EMPOWERING, I felt so empowered by this work of art. These songs are built around the precise moment when a girl finds out her man has cheated on her and all the anger, the pain and the self doubt she is feeling in that moment. In these songs Beyonce was capable of putting into words so precisely how a woman or a girl who has been cheated on, feels when she finds out the misfit. In my opinion this album is an extremely great source of strength and empowerment every girl needs when she feels down and when she is going through something like that. Additionally as we all know Beyonce has released so many songs that deal with feminism such as “Who runs the world” but in my opinion Flawless and the whole album Lemonade and the two songs I have just mentioned wete extremely accurate. You cannot not have the copy of this masterpiece by Queen Bey!! Get your copy here👇👇

https://amzn.to/2T3w7P2

So guys you can find all these songs I mentioned in the links below each song, make sure you download these songs legally, and remember that ALBUMS STILL MATTER!! Additionally in my opinion it is really worth to own a copy of these albums!! If you don’t want to buy the copy of the album you can alternatively get ITunes, on which you can listen every song you want and there is also a discount if you are a student!! I promise it is really worth it!!

The list of feminist anthems could go on and on, there are so many brilliant examples of them. I really recommend you guys these songs and albums which deal with some important topics we all should keep in mind!! It is 2019 and WE ALL SHOULD BE FEMINIST, we all should support each others, we all should remind ourselves that equality between genders and races IS IMPORTANT!! I hope you enjoy this article my fellow music lovers!! G❤️

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romanovanatalia · 6 years ago

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I just saw Bohemian Rhapsody and I could talk about it for hours. Growing up, Queen was huge in my house. My dad is a huge fan. He was able to see them 3 times when they came to Argentina in 1981, so of course, he would play Greatest Hits and make me and my sister watch Live at Wembley '86 and Rock Montreal. When I was 12 years old, I learnt english because of their songs. When I was a teen I listened to Queen every day, bought all of their albums, watched all the videos. I sat alone, taking refuge in their music (you know, like Radio Gaga says) during times I was depressed and couldn't even bring myself to get out of bed. Today, their music means every day more and more to me, as I grow up, I can relate even more to their lyrics. They saved my life. They are MY life soundtrack. In 2015, Brian and Roger came to Argentina with Adam Lambert and I could see them live. I cried at the stadium because of how much they mean to me.

I waited for this movie 10 years. 10 years of news of "will they finally make it", recasts, never endings "we are close to make it a reality". I still can't believe we finally have this film so I'm gonna talk about it as much as possible.

Acting: Rami Malek is amazing. His fake teeth made me cringe a bit but he gave so much of him to this role that it's unbelievable somebody could be able to portray Freddie. Still, I knew he was never gonna fail me. Gwilym Lee and Joe Mazzello are out of this world as Brian and John, they became Brian and Deacy. You could see how much dedication they put and I'd like to give a shoutout to Joe for being able to become Deacy without having him to guide him, unlike Gwilym. Ben Hardy was good, but I still believe his characterization is the poorest. I usually give Roger Taylor a lot of crap, but he's my favourite, and I cringed so hard seeing Ben with his baby face and long hair portraying an almost 40 year-old Roger who aged a lot from the early 80s to 1985.

Story: overall, it was good. I felt it was rushed a lot, especially the first half an hour, but I understand it was necessary to fit 15 years in 2 hours. As longtime Queen fans, my sister, my dad and I had no problem understanding the set ups, characters and stories, but people who know little about Queen could find it very fast paced and hard to gather so much information in so little time. I understand the need to put Freddie's diagnosis in 1985 instead of 1987, but the historical innacuracy of some events (conquering South America in the 70s instead of 1981, John Reid still being their manager until the 80s, the creation of WWRY, the band not playing live together for years before Live Aid) really annoyed me because following the true timeline wouldn't have hurt the film's structure. They show Freddie being queer and diagnosed and enough of his private life for those who claimed they were erasing that part of his life because of the comments of that Sacha Baron Cohen asshole (still, as a Freddie admirer I'd have preferred to show as little as possible about Munich because I know he wouldn't have liked it).

And now, my list of moments I enjoyed/complained about:

I hated the Somebody to Love version at the opening credits. It wasn't that hard to use Freddie's real voice. That song was the one who meant the most for him, after all.

Freddie working at Heathrow and being Brian and Roger's biggest fan. AMAZING.

Tim Staffel (Smile's original singer) is the unluckiest dude in the world.

I'm sad we couldn't see Freddie and Roger sharing and apartment and working together at Kensington Market because some great anecdotes happened during that time (Freddie having guests and making them tea on a teapot in which Roger had weed hidden and accidentally making everybody high, Roger stealing Freddie's clothes and selling them at the market after a discussion)

Some A+ chemistry between Freddie and Brian.

Bomi, Jer and Kashmira ❤️

Freddie's birthday party scene was hilarious.

Deacy sent to the basement at Ridge Farm, poor little thing

Also, why did they change the name of the farm? Idc, I'll still say Ridge Farm.

The whole I'm In Love With My Car issue!! I can't believe they did that without including the cupboard incident.

Love that Roger criticized Brian's "you call me sweet / like I'm some kind of cheese" lyrics in Sweet Lady because I've always dragged him for that.

Brian and Deacy not batting an eye at Roger after he threw them food but screaming "NOT THE COFFEE MACHINE!!" the moment he grabbed it (during that time, Rog had some anger management issues he controlled by destroying his drumsticks and electronics)

They really had Mike Myers in the film to say "Bohemian Rhapsody is not a song teenagers listen in the car while they bang their heads"

Their anger the moment I'm In Love With My Car was suggested as the lead single.

Kenny Everett!!

I'm not much of a Mary fan but Lucy was great.

I'm glad they showed Freddie playing scrabble for a tiny moment.

Why the fuck did they do a 1973/4 montage with Fat Bottomed Girls and a 1977/78 montage with Now I'm Here? Was it really that hard to switch the songs to their respective eras?

Jim Hutton ❤️ he truly deserved all of the 80s scenes. He really needed to be more. I don't understand why Freddie goes looking for him during the Live Aid day but they were wearing their engagment rings. I really deserved seeing Freddie and Jim referring at each other as "my husband"

I really wanted Freddie and Jim's real meeting at that pub. "Jim! Freddie Mercury is hitting on you!" "Who?" Lmao I love Jim for not having idea of who Freddie was.

That Paul Prenter asshole, I swear to god. I always hated him. I deserved less of him and having Phoebe Freestone (whom I met years ago at a Queen tribute band concert in my city and was a total sweetheart!) in the film instead.

Rami is allergic to cats so they had some clever editing there.

A few scenes showing the ongoing feud between Brian and John. Interesting.

What the fuck were Gwilym, Ben and Joe doing in the couch at the background during the I Want to Break Free video shooting scene?

"Without me you'd be Dr. Brian May, an astrophycists whose published thesis hasn't been read by anyone" WEEEELL

"And Deacy... well, I can't even think what you would have been without me" EXCUSE ME?! Freddie would have never treated John Richard Deacon that way, he adored him.

Deacy's one liners were HYSTERICAL. They made a good work showing his peculiar sense of humour.

Once more, Under Pressure proves that it can make me cry like a baby. That song is so powerful.

It was horrible that they erased Bowie. Horrible. They could have started a classic rock cinematic universe with Bowie appearing and having a cameo of Taron Egerton as Elton John, who was a close friend of Freddie.

"Freddie, could you give us a minute?" "Why did you do that?" "I just felt like it"

Their reunion scene has all my uwus

They put a lot of effort in the costume department, I appreciate that.

"What do you think of David, guys? I think he's gay" I SNORTED

Bob Geldof YASSS!!

The Live Aid scene ugh. I was ok singing along to BohRap and Radio Gaga but the moment Hammer to Fall started (just my favourite song EVER), I started crying like a baby again and didn't stop until the end.

That girl wiping her tears after We Are the Champions? ME

The ending with Don't Stop Me Now was beautiful.

Some good extra soundtrack songs like Super Freak, Sultans of Swing, Carmen's Habanera.

The Show Must Go On as the credits song? I'm still crying.

#bohemian rhapsody #queen #freddie mercury #text #film review #sort of?

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jackshithere · 6 years ago

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How would you describe each of the Rammstein members to someone who knew nothing about them?

Oh man… If we’re being honest, you don’t really start with the juicy bits (that keep making people come for more) if it’s someone who really doesn’t know anything about them. But I will try to make this as newbie-friendly as possible, and add enough simple details to maybe explain the level of fanatic adoration for them. (But I must admit that 1- this will be loooong as fuck and 2- I fangirl about them for their professionalism, so it won’t be as humorous as one might hope)

I’ll do a collection of posts later throughout the week tagged “Rammstein glossary” about each member, maybe get other blogs on board, but I’ll keep this exclusively newbie friendly, if a tad bit too long

Ok, so, first things first. Facts you can gleam from any wikipedia, with a little introduction on the side.

There are 6 members of the band:

Till Lindemann - the singer, the poet and a professional pyromaniac

He’s an intimidating man, with tall frame and a build of a panzer tank. Till commands the stage with incredibly rich baritone voice and penchant for being set on fire, or carrying big ass flame throwers.

Matter of fact is he’s shy, introverted, doesn’t like being stared at (hence the fire, to distract from his form) and is a soft spoken, polite man - also, his speaking voice is much much softer and gentler. People generally find him fascinating for this paradoxical character.

Richard Z. Kruspe - the guitarist and founder of Rammstein

He is..how do I put this? The typical artist. Diva and control freak, plagued by doubt and striving for perfection, which all make for one hard man to work with. Richard is somewhat of a Tumblr’s sweetheart. He’s aware of those traits, and the most talkative of the group - especially about his mental health, and the problems he faced. Which means people often relate to him, and he’s genuinely a kind and engaging conversationalist, so there are a lot of his interviews to be found online.

Also, it helps that he’s easy on the eyes, let’s be real. Also, he’s a natural meme inducer. Everything that man does and say is meme-able as shit.

Paul Landers - the other guitarist

Always smiling and extraordinarily exuberant, he’s seen as the most approachable and somewhat of a goofball of the group, always up to some antics in the background. He’s the shortest and openly the silliest of the group, so Paul does sometimes get a bit.. infantilized by some fans.

He’s got an unexpectedly rich singing voice, and he’s probably a bit of a control freak himself. For a guy that talks a lot, he doesn’t share personal details as often as Richard, so he’s also somewhat of an unexplored entity. He used to be in a previously successful punk band “Feeling B” with Flake

Christian “Flake” (fla-keh) Lorenz - the keyboardist

This is all you need to know about him. Joking. He’s extremely tall, lanky and born with a soul of a cranky old man. He was with Paul in the previously mentioned band.

He’s.. how do I describe him.. I think he’s the only member you have to go anecdotal to explain him. When they play live, he has a treadmill that he paces on during the entire concert because he gets bored easily. Flake has this sort of… interpretive giraffe-being-tazed-by-electric-fence dance that he does. He’s …somehow he’s the craziest of the group, I really have no vanilla explanation for him. If you get into Rammstein, you’ll get it.

Oliver Riedel - bassist

True to the stereotype about bassists, he’s tall as fuck, quiet and people forget he exists most of the time. Ollie is the youngest of them all, extremely private, and generally a sweetheart. There really isn’t a lot to be said about him - he’s the outdoors-y, athletic type and he also joins in on Paul and Schneider’s antics.

That’s how you do proper crowd surfing

Christoph “Doom” Schneider - the drummer

The sassiest of the bunch. I would categorize him as an extrovert, but a very well contained one. He prefers being called by his last name, though the Doom nickname came from the time he needed a name for the German copyright agency (Christoph Schneider is like John Smith of Germany), and he was suggested by Paul to use Doom, because they like the game. Incredibly confident, but also quite silly man.

In one video, he was dressed as a woman - often referred to as Frau Schneider - and he did it so well (uptight mannerisms, pursed lips, sitting posture that would bring Petunia Dudley to tears all packed in a shockingly beautiful face - I mean, look at him!) that it’s now a part of the live show for him to appear with make up and a wig.

Now, the band, Rammstein.Let’s skip the things you’ll find out from a quick read through of wikipedia, like the name, when they were founded, and all that, instead let’s go for:

What genre are they even?

What songs would you recommend a first time listener?

Why are they so well liked?

What’s so special about them?

The debate about the genre is still on going. You have people claiming they are metal band, you got the German Neue Deutsche Härte genre, you got… tons. Best way to describe, if you want to go for a solid genre label, is Alternative Hard Rock - because they are not really a metal band. But if you’re aiming for the heart of it, it’s Industrial. It’s “abrasive and aggressive fusion of rock and electronic music, with a side dash of punk”. More on their style later.

For a newbie, you got different types:

Not a fan of metal or hard rock at all - If you want to go for easier sounds, where Till’s vocal’s are more prominent, and the instruments are not as aggressively in your face, I recommend Amour for an easy introduction to his vocal style, Ohne Dich, Rosenrot and then Seemann and Mutter

Preferes rock to metal - Amerika, Mein Land, Ich Will

Fine with metal, but generally sticks to upbeat songs - Ich Tu Dir Weh, Weisses Fleisch, Haifisch and Du Riechst So Gut

Open to metal, but prefers the gothic or more alternative genres - Mein Herz Brennt, Engel, Rammstein

Metal (take it with a grain of salt, not everyone would call it metal, but the sound is hardest in these) - Mann Gegen Mann, Mein Teil and …Benzin? hesitant on the last one

Of course, this is purely my suggestion, and some won’t agree with this classification, but I think it’s a solid introduction to them. Also if you can convince a friend not to watch the video until they hear the song first, I think that would make it somewhat easier to get them into it (because hey, you made them listen to it twice, and they are watching a video so not as focused and they’ll get int— is it obvious that I forced 3 friends to do exactly that and that’s how I got them all into Rammstein?)

This is getting so long at this point, I am putting more effort into this than into my college essays..Why are they so well liked? In short: Fire, Professionalism, Democracy, Music and Controversy1) Fire. “Other bands play, Rammstein burns!“

Ok, not just fire. Though it’s pretty cool.

2) The ultimate professionalism. I am not kidding when I say that giant, well planned Broadway Musicals pale in comparison to the sheer perfection and amount of panache they put in their live gigs.

It’s considered that it should be on everyone’s bucket list to see Rammstein live at least once.

I don’t want to stereotype Germans and working like machines, but what makes Rammstein so good, is that they really stick to that stereotype where everything is a perfectly executed machine with no space for fucking around.

3) Democracy. This influences the professionalism part in the sense that, since all the members of the band have an equal amount of vote over what gets done and how, it means that they all criticize each other’s ideas until they find the middle ground. That middle ground is how they kept their specific genre, while managing to churn out wonderful after wonderful album (I am being very biased here, I just really like every single album, all for different reasons), all with a firm idea of what Rammstein is for all of them

4) Lyrics

First of all, about the lyrics - they are all written by Till. Yet on all songs, credits go to all the members, because everyone gets an input. It really cannot be understated how much of a group project this is. It’s a democratic band where everyone holds the same weight.

My personal favourite ones are Dalai Lama and Klavier. I am sucker for story telling songs and the words he uses are so perfectly chosen! The first one is a twist on Goethe’s poem while the second one is a very dark love song.

5) Controversy

Since this has gotten embarrassingly long, let me say this in shortest way possible: Some people like provocative, others abhor it and together when they argue they market Rammstein like no other. Rammstein has been blamed like any other metal band for school shootings, Nazi imagery, promoting physically abusive relationships, inciting youths to unlawful/harmful behavior etc. while doing none of that.

But in general, Rammstein has a wonderful attitude of “Interpret out lyrics anyway you want to, we just draw the line at being called Nazis.” and they usually make a point of just telling a story/ presenting a song whose lyrics and/or video are but an element to the entire thing.

Oh my god, I finally scrolled up to check if I answered everything, and you didn’t even ask for all the rest, I just kept spewing on and on D:Sorry!Once I start about Rammstein, I keep going on and on and on. I hope that at least was a good enough introduction, I’ll do those little glossaries with in jokes and fun facts later, as I promised all the way at the beginning

#Rammstein #answered

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self-made-cages · 2 years ago

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so I’ve been thinking about Midnights...

...and all of the things that Taylor could cover in 13 tracks written in the dark of the night. For my own general amusement, I compiled a track list of what it would be if I were Taylor. Disclaimer: I am not Taylor, and I don’t know any more about her or her life than the average really-big-fan. Therefore, this list is based solely on publicly available facts and details from old music that I want to dig into more. The list is sorted based on hypothetical topic for reference.

*For legal purposes, this should be considered strictly bullshit.*

Without further ado: Midnights (morgan’s version)

The Joe tracks:

1. The 2016 Pining Track: It’s a staple in the T/J love song repertoire. I don’t care if it’s what happens after Dive Bar Night or the 28th Night of September or sexting over Words with Friends at midnight in Australia (time zone plot twist!), I want more details from the beginning and I want them now. 2. The Super Sexy Song: It’s Dress and ITHK and KOMH but with half a decade of additional practice. At the time of this writing, Mr. Alwyn has been in our girl’s life for exactly 6 years’ worth of midnights. This is gonna be good. 3. The Moment of Doubt: It’s when things got tough, maybe in the early, still-catching-feelings stage or in summer 2018 when miss ma’am is on tour and learning that long distance with your soulmate is tough. Tell us, what really happened when you left Cornelia Street, before he even knew you were gone? 4. The Together Forever One: If they’re married by Oct 21, it’s the proposal story (he did it at midnight, of course. New Year’s proposal?). If they’re still secretly engaged, it’s musing on how she’ll give him a child and give him her wild. Either way, it makes little lover look downright youthful. I’m swooning already.

Career:

5. The Golden Birdcage: Critical evaluation on the metaphor that has (almost) appeared on every album since Speak Now. It’s crippling self-doubt and evaluation of exit strategy. I can’t be sassy about this one because it’s heartbreaking. A likely candidate for Track 5.

6. The Fuck the Patriarchy Zinger: Shame on all the men who have tried to push her down. If Taylor Nation has any leftover stock of the keychains, they can reissue! I regret not buying one last year.

7. The Re-Records Retrospective: Is it a retrospective if you’re only 1/3 of the way through? When Taylor dodged the question from Seth Meyers about how re-recording Red felt, the details of her most emotionally intense project to-date were left secret. Those details belong here.

Family/Childhood:

8. The College Degree: “I sometimes feel like my college degree is in acting like I’m ok when I’m not.” It’s a what-if scenario mixed with Mirrorball and Nothing New. It’s the one that makes you want to hold her and softly tell her she’s done a good job (while also crying your eyes out).

9. The Teenage Throwback: Midnights for debut-era Taylor probably involved worrying about curfew. It’s a cross between fifteen and 22; I’d call it Edge of 17 if that wasn’t already taken (maybe that’s where the Stevie Nicks rumors came from).

10. The Parent Track: The easy answer is despair over illness, but I don’t think that story could be told any better than Soon You’ll Get Better (and I don’t know that I can handle the tears if I’m wrong here). I vote for a grown-up take on “careless man’s careful daughter.” Even the best parents fuck us up sometimes.

Life. And other Concerns.

11. The Halloween Fright: It’s not actually about Halloween, but the demons and lanterns she’s chasing them away with aren’t funny at all unless you frame it up this way. I’m afraid of nightmares; sometimes I’m too scared to go to sleep. This song will say that in a way that makes Taylor Swift the greatest poet of our age and me an anxious little girl on tumblr. Runner up for Track 5.

12. The Cinderella Story: The clock strikes 12 and the coach turns back into a pumpkin. Being America’s Princess means wearing a lot of glass slippers. Today was a fairytale, but tonight was worrying about happily never after.

13. The Drinking Song: “I’ve been thinking a lot about addiction.” It’s not an IBYTAM-style bop, it’s This is Me Trying... and trying... and trying. She asked the traffic lights if it’d be alright; they didn’t know, so she went home and started asking the walls. This is definitely a song for people with feelings, but it’s not Track 5.

P.S. Remember what Taylor once said about throwing away fear-based check-listing? Her music ascended to a whole new level once she did that; I can’t wait to see what she does with this record, far and away from the silly checklist above.

#taylor swift #midnights #ts10 #tracklist #MorganSpeaksNow

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justlovehamm · 4 years ago

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Andrew Hammond’s Rolling Stone Top 25

Thought it would be fun to rerank the Rolling Stone top 25.

The first number is my ranking, then band, album, the Rolling Stone ranking, then my personal favorite song.

Without further ado...

25.Nirvana- Nevermind (6) Smells Like Teen Spirit?

24.The Velvet Underground- The Velvet Underground and Nico (23) Sunday Morning Ok this is another album that I’ve always thought got way too much hype. With a little more of an open mind, I think I do like The Velvet Underground and Nico more, having sat down and given it a couple more listens. Would it be in my personal top 25? Absolutely not. But here we are. I do hear how it influences a lot of the music I do like, but I just can’t get there with this one.

23.Carole King- Tapestry (25) Where You Lead

Through high school and college I worked at HEB. Off and on for eight years at HEB meant I developed a new genre of music: HEB Song. An HEB song has a little elevator music, a little yacht rock, a little boy band, and a lot of Carole King. This probably comes across as a backhanded compliment, but I really do appreciate someone mastering a specific sound even if it’s the sound most likely to get you to pull two bags of chips from the shelf and not just one. Where You Lead receives the favorite song nod because of its connection to Mellisa McCarthy’s breakout show, Gilmore GIrls. A favorite show of my mom and mine growing up.

22.The Notorious B.I.G.- Ready to Die (22) Juicy

A real up and down album that ends up being a little bloated once you listen to it straight through. Never a good sign when you start thinking to yourself “we are still listening to this B.I.G. album?” Juicy on its own would be pretty high up on a top songs list. “Birthdays was the worst days; now we sip Champagne when we thirsty,” my favorite line from that song.

21.Kendrick Lamar- To Pimp a Butterfly (19) Momma

Kind of a tricky one for me, since I think good kid, m A.A.d city runs laps around any other Lamar album. This choice feels a little like a reach by Rolling Stone to include something from the most recent decade in the top twenty five. My favorite parts of To Pimp a Butterfly are the Flying Lotus and Kamasi Washington influenced sounds. The avant garde lo-fi jazz sound that lurks beneath what Lamar spits out makes for a great combination. Great late night jam that took me back to my days in college when I’d play Flying Lotus late at night while studying.

20.Bob Dylan- Highway 61 Revisited (18) Like a Rolling Stone

Highway 61 Revisted was the first Dylan album I listened to thanks to my dad. So I guess I knew electric Bob before I even knew there was an acoustic Bob. Like a Rolling Stone can be debated about whether or not it is a GOAT song, but it’s easily the greatest f-you song. Verse three sticks out especially. Diplomats stealing hits home pretty quickly these days.

19.Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (15) Don’t Believe the Hype

The funniest album on the list, no question. Flavor Flav really brings the comic relief to Chuck D’s social commentary. Speaking of laughable, the initial Rolling Stone top 500 had It Takes a Nation as the only rap album in the top one hundred. For sure. Released in 1988, It Takes a Nation unfortunately fights the same battles that To Pimp a Butterfly is fighting twenty seven years later. The production bites your ears so viciously, and then just keeps chewing. An unrelenting record that demands the listeners attention, and the attention of the powers at be.

18.Aretha Franklin- I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (13) Respect

I feel like this album should be higher, but here we are once again. Aretha not getting any respect. I recently watched the Sister Act movies, and couldn’t help but wonder how the movies would turn out if she replaced Whoopi Goldberg. Spoiler alert: they’d be even better. Aretha’s voice really is that good, by the way. Take some time to listen to this album on a cold day, and let that gospel voice warm you up from the heart. The album cover perfectly captures that sixties black female aesthetic as well.

17.Michael Jackson- Thriller (12) Beat It

Ok. I know this is a #hammondhottake, but I really do believe what I’m about to say, and not just trying to get clicks. Thriller has a lot of great songs, but as a whole ends up being less than the sum of its parts. Is it possible to have too much pop? If this were a top twenty five songs list I’m sure I’d have Thriller songs higher, but as a complete albumThriller lacks depth. With the recent death of Eddie Van Halen, Beat It gets the nod for my favorite track. Such an iconic guitar riff that Eddie uses to tell white America it’s ok to like this black man’s music.

16.The Beatles- Revolver (11) Tomorrow Never Knows Over time this album has become more critically acclaimed; maybe even surpassing Abbey Road or Sgt Pepper’s. I still have it behind those two, but Revolver is no slouch. Coming out firing with Taxman, this album lays a great framework for Sgt. Pepper’s to later fill in only nine (!!!) months later. Iit makes sense that I would have Sgt. Pepper’s ranked higher since my favorite song on Revolver is Tomorrow Never Knows. You can imagine how I felt when my favorite show went to credits playing this LSD inspired track.

15.Bob Dylan- Blood on the Tracks (9) Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts

Thanks to listening to this album and Highway 61 Revisited, Dorothy now knows how to imitate Bob Dylan. “It’s meeeeee Bobbbbb!” This album hits hard, especially during the Fall. While sitting on the porch watching the leaves fall I keep imagining each one of them as a different character in Dylan’s tales. Lily, Rosemary, and The Jack of Hearts fall through the air mingling and dancing, taking twists and turns as Dylan’s characters often do in his extended songs.

14.Prince & the Revolution- Purple Rain (8) Let’s Go Crazy

Full disclosure: I have not seen Purple Rain, I’ve only listened to the soundtrack. The one regret I have on our wedding day was not playing Let’s Go Crazy to start the reception danceathon. Dearly beloved… Maybe a post-COVID danceathon will have to start off with this iconic track. I hate when you hear this on the radio and the opening is cut out. You need to have the set up before you can go crazy. This is the album you give to an alien who asks you what the eighties sounded like. Price creates such a definitive sound with this album. True talent captures a specific time and place, and then makes it timeless.

13.The Beach Boys- Pet Sounds (2) God Only Knows

Go read the Wikipedia on all the technical stuff that this album did for the first time. It’s all over my head, but does factor into the ranking here. I have to trust the studio nerds on this one, because at the end of the day it’s about the destination, not the journey. The Beach Boys create such a warm, beautiful sound, and you don’t need to know how they got it to hear the richness within it. I think a good life goal is to find someone or some-ones to whom you can genuinely sing God Only Knows and mean every single word. One of the best love songs ever. This album inspired The Beatles to make Sgt. Pepper’s, so we also can give thanks for that as well.

12.The Clash- London Calling (16) Lost in the Supermarket

What an opening bass line!! London! Calling! Pure energy in an album that keeps you pumped the whole time. A lot of high tempos, and the slower songs get their energy from the howling bass lines or Joe Strummer’s gruff voice. Like Songs in the Key of LifeI, I appreciate this album more and more as I get older. The lyrics again hit me different than they did when I was younger. Coming out two years before Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister, London Calling accurately describes the inequalities in London that she only exacerbated during her ministry. London Calling: come for the energy, stay for the class critique.

11.Fleetwood Mac- Rumours (7) Dreams

Funny this list came out right before the Tik Tok of quarantine dropped. Ha! So funny if they bumped Rumours up just because of it. Rumours has a crazy background to it, so check out the Wikipedia page to get all the gossip. I really want to talk about the ultimate backhanded compliment, Rumours being a perfect example. Is it mean to say an album is the perfect background music? I love Rumours because I can listen to it while staring at the ceiling, and it has enough going on to keep me engaged. But it might actually be a better listen if you are doing something else. Cooking, dinner conversation, playing with the kids, etc. I mean this is the best way. I really do love this album.

10.The Beatles- Abbey Road (5) Golden Slumbers 9.The Beatles- Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (24) Within You and Without You

My high school self would've ranked these albums much higher than I did here. I onced listened to the entire Beatles discography straight through. Nbd. Within You and Without You is my favorite Beatles song (breaking the tie with Abbey Road). This song comes in right behind Born to Run for GOAT opening side two song. But, speaking of side twos, Abbey Road…what a doozie. From You Never Give Me Your Money till The End, each track raises the stakes. Golden Slumbers is my favorite. Both of these albums are hard to talk about really. What hasn’t been said? They also fall victim to being so in the zeitgeist that you end up taking them for granted. The Lebron James of classic rock albums maybe? Just incredibly high expectations going into the release. They deliver a masterpiece, yet people sleep on them despite actually delivering on the astronomical expectations.

8.Stevie Wonder- Songs in the Key of Life (4) As

Rolling Stone’s highest rated double album. I’ve always known of this album, but having sat down and really listened to it straight though I appreciate it even more. Now that I’m older, this album rewards mature ears more than others on this list. Wondering aloud, could Stevie make the same album without making the previous 17(!) prior to it? Taking time to figure out who you are as a musician, and then delivering a mature album like this has to feel so satisfying for an artist. Final thought: love the cymbal on As.

7.Joni Mitchell- Blue (3) River

Maybe it’s the changing weather? Maybe it’s the clarity of sound in a house with two little girls? Still trying to figure out how Joni Mitchell’s Blue went from “the one with Mitchell’s Christmas song” to “the one where I can’t sit on the porch without playing it.” The quieter songs work better for me. Mitchell’s voice pairs so well with her acoustic guitar or piano. Mitchell wrote River in Chapel Hill while caroling with James Taylor, and I’ll be singing this to the girls this Christmas.

6.Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (17) Runaway

Power: track three on this album, and also the best word to describe the sound Kanye creates with this tour de force. There are all time bangers going down the track listing: Power. All of the Lights. Monster. Runaway. Lost in the World. What do the last ten years of rap and R&B look like if My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy never comes out? Is this the most influential rap album this century? Kanye has a lot of baggage these days, but don’t throw this album out with the bathwater.

5.The Rolling Stones- Exile on Main St. (14) Torn and Frayed

Much mythologized, Exile on Main St. has none of the hits but all of the groove. I do think without the background and circumstances Exile might not be remembered as fondly. I still love it though. The rough bluesy tracks like Torn and Frayed especially stand out to me. To picture them trapped in a house in France banging out these tracks give them an even greater life. Given those circumstances, it makes sense that this is a great quarantine album to have playing in the background.

4.Marvin Gaye- What’s Going On (1) What’s Going On

The most political album on the list, and partly why Rolling Stone moved it up to number one after ranking it six in 2003. I am more than ok with it being one. I would say Gaye and Franklin would be one or two if you listed these albums on vocals alone. Gaye’s smooth voice almost works against him while singing such gritty lyrics. Clocking in at 35 minutes I do wonder if there is something about knowing when to stop and saying, “This is the album. We’ve said all we need to say.” Although number five on my list might say otherwise...

3.Radiohead- Kid A (20) Everything in Its Right Place

When will this album start to sound old? If this came out next week it would still seem ahead of its time. I have yet to see Radiohead live. Not holding my breath, but I do hear my favorite song as my alarm goes off every morning. . Waking up to Everything in Its Right Place gives me a sense that today everything will be as it should be. What will happen will happen, and I will resolutely go about the day. Or as Optimistic reminds us, “the best you can is good enough.” This is Radiohead’s best.

2.Lauryn Hill- The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (10) Can’t Take My Eyes Off You

What an interesting career. Her only solo studio album, but what a tour de force. It always catches me by surprise how long the album is (clocking in at 69:20), but it never really drags. Justine and I danced to Can’t Take My Eyes Off You for our first dance. I often wonder how Hill would respond to hearing that a rural white male resonates with her music. She’d probably hate it since it seems like that’s what sort of turned her off from the music industry in general. Still Processing does an excellent job of reflecting on her career on this podcast.

1.Bruce Springsteen- Born to Run (21) Born to Run

This was an easy choice for me once I saw it in the top twenty five. I am actually surprised Darkness on the Edge of Town didn’t beat out B2R (as Bruce puts it when writing set lists). Darkness seems more fitting for these times than Born to Run, not that songs like Backstreets or Meeting Across the River can’t capture the current malaise. Home, to me, sounds like the harmonica and piano duet at the beginning of Thunder Road. GOAT opening side-two track: Born to Run. One of my first COVID memories is watching this on the second Sunday of lockdown. So electric. It gives me comfort to know that I’ll be listening to these eight songs for the rest of my life.

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