Darius Rucker #4

"Don't Think I Don't Think About It"

Julia Riker 

The first song I heard by Darius Rucker was "Don't Think I Don't Think About It." I remember telling my dad that I liked that song and I also remember him telling me he was African American. I thought it was the coolest thing ever because no one else sounded like him. The song I think is about a man who left his girlfriend. Throughout the song when he says "don't think I don't think about it" means that he regrets his decision of leaving and he wants the girl to know. He is thinking about if he made the right decision or not. He is debating what would've happened if he didn't leave. Would they be ok? Would they get married or have kids possibly? He keeps asking himself all these questions while In the meantime drinking whisky. After the whisky gets to him he starts saying how he hopes she has moved on and married a nice man because he didn't deserve her. This is one of my favorite songs from Darius because it is sad but a great musical piece. It teaches us a good life lesson of don't do anything you'll regret later. Also try to work things out if your having problems and try to push through them. This song was written by Darius himself along with his friend Clay Mills. The song was recorded in 2008 and can be found on Darius' album Learn To Live. 

"Darius Rucker." - Don't Think I Don't Think About It Lyrics. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.

Music video by Darius Rucker performing Don't Think I ... - YouTube

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HsYNUUl9MM

Blink-182 #4

Blink-182 Adam's Song

 Adam’s Song will forever be one of my most favorite Blink-182 songs. The lyrics of the song have so many different interpretations, and the song has a different meaning to everyone. The lyrics "I took my time, I hurried up, the choice was mine, I didn't think enough" refers to the Nirvana song "Come As You Are." The line in that song is "Take your time, hurry up, the choice is yours, don't be late." Adam’s Song seems to be a response to Nirvana’s song. Some that I love about music is how people are so directly affected by what they listen to. Adam’s Song is mezzo forte, however, the last verse is forte which adds to the intensity of the song. The lyrics, "I traced the cord back to the wall, no wonder it was never plugged in at all" were inspired when guitarist Tom Delonge was playing in his garage and he and his amp were in a puddle. Luckily, the amp was not plugged in or he could have been electrocuted. The harmony that the band depicts while singing together makes my heart melt. Blink-182 has lyrics that make people think about the deeper meaning and specifically Adam’s Song does that.

"Adam's Song by Blink-182." Song Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.

"Adams Song by Blink 182 | Interscope." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.

Blink 182. N.d. Tumblr. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.

Carrie Underwood #4

My favorite song by Carrie Underwood is one of her more recent songs, Little Toy Guns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6P6MOTWXkE

This song was released on Carrie’s most recent album, Greatest Hits Decade #1. It was written by Underwood, but she also had help from Chris DeStefano and Hillary Lindsey. The main aspect of the song that drew me to it are the lyrics. Carrie Underwood always writes meaningful songs that give her listeners more than “just a good beat or tune.” This particular song is about how she wishes that words were more like little toy guns, something that a person can play with, but that does not hurt another person. On top of the greater meaning of the song, it is also has an allegro tempo with a very rich timbre. Carrrie Underwood also has one of the best voices that I have ever heard. She has an amazing range, and unbelievable natural talent. Additionally, Carrie Underwood truly enjoys what she does, and I think that this makes her a better writer and performer because she is doing what she loves. This song is a great song also because it mixes country music with a little bit of pop and I think that many people would also enjoy it too.

"Little Toy Guns - Carrie Underwood." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6P6MOTWXkE.

"Little+toy+guns - Google Search." Little+toy+guns - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015. <https://www.google.com/search?q=little%2Btoy%2Bguns&biw=1368&bih=753&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=YCgYVeb5N4ewggSwmoGgDA&sqi=2&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAw#imgrc=gqcj7-UF0aeU6M%253A%3B-agxb0avBUSKLM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fi.ytimg.com%252Fvi%252Fe6P6MOTWXkE%252Fmaxresdefault.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.youtube.com%252Fwatch%253Fv%253De6P6MOTWXkE%3B1920%3B1080>.

Coldplay #4

  


While many of Coldplay's songs are incredible, my favorite was the song that made me love the band, "The Scientist". When I had heard it for the first time I thought it was a good song with great lyrics, but it was the piano that made me really love it. The entire song is built around a piano ballad played by Chris Martin, and the song is about a man who loved a girl and is trying to apology. It is one of my favorite songs to play on the piano, and it can give me chills listening to Chris Martin play it. 

Coldplay released the song with their second album, "A Rush of Blood to the Head", in 2002. When released, the song reached number 10 in the UK charts. It was number 34 for the the United States' Adult Top 40 Chart. Critics praised the song and also the music video. It won three MTV Music Video Awards. This is because in the song Chris Martin plays his part in the piano backwards and reverse narrative. 

It is not only the beautiful sound of the piano but the lyrics are also very relatable and amazing as well. "The Scientist" is about a scientist, obviously, who spent too much time working that he neglected his girlfriend. He regrets his decisions and wants to "go back to the start" like it is said in the song several times. While not many people are scientists who lost the love of their life, there are many people who feel the need to go back to something that already happen or regret something that they did. They beautifully portrays this idea of wanting to undo something they know they can't. I think the chorus is one of the most meaningful parts of the song:

Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Oh take me back to the start

It is a great representation of what anyone can feel like when making a mistake, whether it be with a boyfriend/girlfriend, a family member, or a friend. The person can look back on all of the mistakes they made and blame the issue on certain things. But in the end, you can never "go back to the start"

Unlike most songs of this day, "The Scientist" doesn't use repetition and annoying, easy to remember lyrics to make the song popular. Coldplay simply writers emotional and relatable music. It isn't repetitive at all. They don't even say the word the scientist. The closest they get to it is the science. That's what I find so unbelievable about them and this song. They sing what they want to sing, not what records tell them, and they are still popular. 

The Scientist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s70OsXlDD94

Works Cited
"Rate Comment."Coldplay.N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.

"The Scientist by Coldplay Songfacts." The Scientist by Coldplay Songfacts. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.

"The Scientist" - Coldplay (Kurt Piano Cover)." YouTube. N.p., n.p. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.

Death Cab for Cutie #4

I Will Follow You into the Dark

By Anne Marie Adams

My favorite song by Death Cab for Cutie changes depending on what mood I am in.  Passenger Seat, Little Wanderer, and Soul Meets Body are some of my favorites,  but the one I am almost always in the mood to listen to is I Will Follow You Into the Dark.

I think the reason I love this song so much is because it is so simplistic yet deep.  The lead singer, Ben Gibbard, has a soft voice with nothing but a guitar playing, making the song very poetic.  It alludes to being taught Catholic beliefs about what will happen when you die and being given a set of harsh rules to follow, but depicts someone that does not truly believe what he has been told his entire life.  I can relate to this because I was raised non-denominational but attended Catholic school most of my life.  Because of this, I can’t decide what to and not to believe from each religion.

“Love of mine, some day you will die

But I'll be close behind

I'll follow you into the dark

No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white

Just our hands clasped so tight

Waiting for the hint of a spark”

Here he is talking about his love for a woman being so strong that he is not even scared to die because he will support her through anything. He is strangely comfortable with the unknown. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDHY1D0tKRA

"Death Cab For Cutie Announces New Album, Moves on Without Chris Walla." Billboard. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.
"Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Follow You Into The Dark +Lyrics." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.

Chili Peppers Post 4

Hannah Trondle

My favorite song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers is the song, “Scar Tissue,” on their album Californication. I love this song for many reasons, including the lyrics. I think we can all relate to the lyrics a little because in one of the first verses it says, “Scar tissue that I wish you saw,” this speaks to me because whenever someone asks if I’m okay and I’m really not but I say yes anyway, I wish they would see that I’m not doing well. The guitar in the background creates a haunting melody and beat to the song. This song is also very interesting because it’s also about drug addiction. The scar tissue is from needle-use involving heroine. They also talk about sharing a lonely view with the birds; a metaphor of being high on drugs and completely consumed by loneliness and isolation because of this addiction.

I remember the first time I heard this and I truly could not get the lyrics out of my head nor could I stop thinking about the rhythm and beat of the song. I also love the harmony the band members have when singing together. There is heavy emotion in the song and it leaves a wanting to listen to it again and mull over every detail in the song.

"Red Hot Chili Peppers - Scar Tissue (Album Version)." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROVQwiFMTx4  

Fergie: "Big Girls Don't Cry"

In a lot of Fergie's songs her sound is up-beat and intense. She is known for her hip-hop style. One of her songs that became very popular and people still listen to today is "Big Girls Don't Cry."I really like this song because first, it is very different than a lot of Fergie's songs and because the meaning of the song is powerful. Fergie has written a lot of catchy songs. Some of them I don't care to listen to because I don't connect with her lyrics. The reason I picked Fergie to talk about in my blogs was because she is different then most singers, I like, but I grew up in middle school listening to her songs. Fergie is not like one of those typical pop singers. She is unique and has a sense of style to her that fits her role in pop music. She wrote "Big Girls Don't Cry" because she remembers breaking up with someone and what he were like. She explains she needs some time on her own to think about what she wants. When she sings, Big girls don't cry, she is expressing that she is a grownup now and can't spend her life wasting on a guy who has different viewpoints.

This song connects to me in my personal life, not about a breakup, but that there are some things going on in my life that make me sad and hard to think about. Although there are parts of my life that are this way, I also have some amazing times with my family and friends. I learned from this song, it's not worth thinking back to those bad memories or rough patches; it's about what I want and what makes me happy. Fergie says she won't cry anymore because she's over thinking about things in the past that aren't going to get better. Like the famous quote says, "Surround yourself with people who make you happy." This is true because in order to be happy, you have to hang around people that will make you laugh and smile. Fergie's lyrics stand out to me because she explains in order to be a "big girl" you have to be strong and be happy with yourself.


"Fergie - Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal)." YouTube. YouTube. Web. 27 Mar. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agrXgrAgQ0U>.

Web. 27 Mar. 2015. <http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=8329>.

Web. 27 Mar. 2015. <http://www.adnmundo.com/userfiles/contenidos/items/52861_detail.gif>.

Youtube link to Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agrXgrAgQ0U

Train #4

Drops of Jupiter

By: Allie Perez

Although it is tough to pick my favorite song by Train, I would have to say one of my absolute favorites is Drops of Jupiter. Although it was one of the very first songs I ever heard by Train, I still love to listen to it. The easily recognizable tune drew me to it initially, and makes it so easy to sing along to. I also enjoy the rich and warm timbre of the song.

The ambiguous meaning behind the song also fascinates me. I initially interpreted it as a girl who took time off from a relationship to “find herself”. The lyrics “did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there” lead me to believe this. After starting this project, however, I came across an interview Pat Monahan gave with VH1 that explained the actual meaning. He wrote this song in response to the death of his mother, and came up with the “Drops of Jupiter” lyrics after a dream he had. The lyrics “she's back in the atmosphere” refers to the idea that his mother will never be completely gone. The line “And that heaven is overrated”, also alludes to this meaning. I think this interpretation gives a whole new outlook on the song, because although it seems to be a more upbeat and fun song, it has a much deeper meaning to it.

Drops of Jupiter

"Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)." Songfacts. Songfacts, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.

"Drops of Jupiter." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.

Train. "Drops of Jupiter." YouTube. YouTube, 25 Oct. 2009. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.