Music by which to judge me

                Music is something I often talk about with my friends, and, if you’re lucky enough, you may have received Snapchat videos of me lipsyncing/singing along with a wide variety of music. Music has always been a significant aspect of my life, which shouldn’t be a surprise.  A good song tells a story, and stories are my bread and butter. I always listen to the lyrics, so my favourite songs are the ones with good lyrics. So without further ado, here are ten of my favourite songs (in no particular order):

10. Same Love by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

Macklemore got some heat for this song from some members of the LGBTQIA+ community, because they believed that the whole song was just about Macklemore saying he was straight. That’s an oversimplification of their complaints, but their complaints were silly. Same Love is all about acceptance, no matter your sexuality or gender. In a genre filled with artists who still use the term ‘gay’ as an insult, this song is important. In the lyrics, he calls out his fellow artists for doing that, and for promoting discrimination towards the queer community. Same Love promotes equality and acceptance, and it has a pretty good beat. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0 (the comments on the video are surprisingly uplifting for the internet)

9. American Pie by Don McLean

This song has been one of my favourite songs for almost as long as I can remember. I don’t know when or where I first heard it, but it has stuck with me for two decades. The song is an ode to music, and the lyrics are chockful of subtle references to the musicians and events of the 50s and 60s. Delving into the lyrics can be a history lesson that sheds light on how McLean felt about the state of music. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAsV5-Hv-7U

8. The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel

You’ve probably heard this song in one of the numerous funeral scenes Hollywood has put it in. And I understand why. The song is full of mourning, and sombre lyrics. Just hearing the opening chords puts one in a melancholy frame of mind. I love it. It’s a beautiful song. I really don’t have more to say than that: it is a beautiful song. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zLfCnGVeL4 or listen to Disturbed’s amazing cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Dg-g7t2l4

7. Let it be by The Beatles

I can’t have a list of my favourite songs without listing The Beatles. Let it be is one of my favourite Beatles songs because of the lyrics. Paul McCartney has said that he wrote this song while thinking about his mother, whose name is also Mary, who passed away when he was young. The lyrics tell the listener to let go and be at peace. The song also has a hopeful note to it with the lyrics; “when the broken-hearted people/Living in the world agree/There will be an answer, let it be…” Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D5JJZl6MB0

6. Gallows Pole by Led Zeppelin

Not the usual choice when people talk about their favourite Zeppelin song, and, to be honest, Stairway doesn’t even hold the number 2 spot: that goes to Kashmir. Gallows Pole tells the story of a man trying to stall his execution until he can be rescued, but all his attempts at stalling and bribery are for not, and at the end of the song he is hanged. I admit, it’s an odd song to love, but I do. It’s gallows humour at its finest. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kBX0K9nxPc

5. Zero by Hawk Nelson

This isn’t necessarily a good song from a technical standpoint, but it makes the list because of the profound personal meaning it has for me. This song came along when I was in a pretty dark place, and it helped me move on. It may be clichéd to say that this song saved my life, but it did. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFO7T2VPwdA

4. Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones

Again, probably not the first choice for many people when it comes to the Stones; I tossed around Sympathy for the Devil and Mother’s Little Helper for a while, but ultimately, this is the song that makes me love the Stones. If you look up the lyrics, you’ll notice that there aren’t many. But the lyrics it does have are full of longing and loss and love. You can hear all of this come across through Jagger’s vocals and Richard’s guitar work. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFLJFl7ws_0

3. Jesus Freak by DC Talk

This song defined a huge chunk of my life. It was my anthem as a teen. The song came out in 1995, but was still being played talked about a decade later. The song is arguably DC Talk’s greatest. It’s all about standing up for your beliefs in the face of persecution. Which is a solid message. Hearing it now still makes me want to rock out, and I remember the profound emotions I felt when I heard one of the members perform just part of the song live. Chills. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbB0QrBIs9k (that music video is so 90s)

2. Savior by Skillet

I honestly don’t know what to say about this song. Skillet was one of my favourite bands, and I listen to their new records as soon as they come out. This song was my introduction to them. I have seen this band live more times than any other. I was at the concert where they performed Open Wounds for the first time. I was at a concert that had an impromptu acoustic segment because of broken guitar strings. I’ve met the members; I’ve had conversations with them. All because of this song. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED85HCnM6bY

1. Carry Me Down by Demon Hunter
One of the only metal bands I listen to, and I pick one of their more melodic songs. As soon as I heard this song, I joked about how I wanted it to be played at my funeral (not a joke, totally play this song at my funeral). The song is sombre, the lyrics are beautiful, and vocals make you feel things. The song is about letting go, and not being frightened by that. The song is about being there at the end, and being able to carry on after. This song. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2-RHFJ2Vmg

Again, this list is in no particular order. These are just ten of my favourite songs. Hope you enjoyed.