Tuesday, January 6, 2009

All is Fair in Love and End of the Year Lists!

I listen to a fair amount of music. Music has been in my blood for as long as I can remember. I can remember on Friday nights, my Dad putting on records (yes records), and listening to Jimmy Buffett, Jackson Browne, The Rolling Stones, The Bellamy Brothers, and even sometimes Peter, Paul, and Mary. Now, while I feel my taste has been refined a bit in later years, the music, and the art of it still remains. The feeling of emotions when certain songs come up, still are felt to this day, and music is an instant time traveling device that will take me back to any moment of my life. Below is the list of the top 20 songs for number of plays on my iPod for 2008. Some comments have been made for your entertainment, and for my prosperity.

1.“Alive” by Superchick. No album hit me upside the head this year like “Rock What You Got”. Fantastic album…hard written lyrics matched up with perfect rock and roll. Much more a rock and roll album than their last one, it makes you dance and feel good while making you think.

2. “Radio” by Big and Rich. Several years ago, Big and Rich surprised me with their brand of country music, and it is a different brand of country, but I am so glad I became a fan. This song is so much fun to drive to, and is just a good carefree song to enjoy while you are going somewhere. I once clocked myself at 80 MPH wile driving to this song.

3.”September” by Kirk Franklin. A remake of the Earth, Wind, and Fire classic. Kirk does a good job making “Spetember” his own song, while paying homage to a 70’s staple. But Kirk Franklin, can pretty much do whatever he wants. He is a gifted musician, that truly uses what God gave him.

4.”Buffy the Vampire Slayer Theme” by Nerf Herder. Only about a minute long, but takes me back to a very fun series. And the band is named Nerf Herder…of course I am going to listen to this song a lot.

5.”Life is a Song” by Patrick Park. I first heard this song on the very last episode of the TV show, “The O.C.” The song caught me with its amazing lyrics, and very gifted guitar playing. It makes you think how did this song make “The O.C.” final show…but when you hear the song, you will understand why.

6.”Should Have Said No” by Taylor Swift. My friend Lauren told me about this singer a couple of years ago, but I did not listen. Then I saw this young woman (she is only 18) go on the CMA awards, and sing this song. She started off rough, missing a few notes…clearly nervous of whom she was playing in front of. But a curious thing happened about a fourth of the way in to the song. She got back on track. She then proceeded to sing the doors off the dump, and completely stole the show. The ending to the song is stuff of legends and I believe you can still find the performance on Youtube. I went out the next day, and bought her album. So glad I did.

7.”Thirteen” by Big Star. Heard this song on my favorite episode of season three of the TV show “How I Met Your Mother”. In “Ten Sessions”, Ted, who is every trying to find “the one” takes out the lovely Stella (played by the amazing Sarah Chalke) on a 2 minute date. A classic scene had this song playing in the background. I actually had the song on another CD, and never really listen to it. Wish I did sooner, because it is a fantastic song, and fit perfectly for this scene.

8.”More Than A Feeling” by Boston. I use to pick on this song. A lot. But then a funny thing happened: it played a big part on one of my favorite episodes of the TV show Scrubs. I have been playing it a lot ever since…I play air singer. Kel please play lead air guitar. Whose got air drums?

9.”Red Dirt Road” by Brooks and Dunn. Not sure why I like this song as much as I do. Maybe because it takes me back to the kind of songs I use to listen to on those Friday nights all those years ago. Or it might be just because it is a good sing along song.

10.”Times Like These” (Acoustic) by Foo Fighters. Funny, how an acoustic guitar can change a song completely. The original song is a good enough song…but when Dave and the boys play it live and stripped down, you kind of wonder why the song was never recorded like this from the very beginning.

11.”Brand New Day” sung by Neil Patrick Harris. This song is part of the internet sensation, “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog” that was created by Joss Whedon. Not sure how else to explain it…but Neil has a really good voice. Doogie! Swarley!

12.”Africa” by Toto. Another one of those songs I remember listening to as a kid. And listening to it now, just takes me back to another simpler time. Plus, it is another Scrubs song.

13.”Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie. It is amazing how many TV shows have played this song. “Scrubs”. “Studio 60”, and “Chuck” just to name a few. But this song really holds up through out the years. And anyone that listens to this song and thinks, “Ice, Ice, Baby” needs to be take to the woodshed!

14.”Independence Day” by Whiteheart. Long time ago, there was such a thing called White Metal. This was Christian music’s version of hair bands. I came across this song when adding songs to my iPod, and forgot how much I liked it. And I must have really played it a lot for it to make the number fourteen spot.

15.”Hey Julie” by Fountains of Wayne. Another Scrubs song. And it is played in the same episode as “More Than A Feeling”. Just a fun pop song. It is very infectious, and within a play or two, you will be singing along.

16.”Viva La Vida” by Coldplay. Wow…does Coldplay make a bad song? The answer, no. Just a fun, potentially loud song. Well played, well sung…well everything.

17.”Fix You” by Coldplay. This song is amazing. You can actually see this story played out in your own head when Chris Martin is singing the lyrics. I first heard this song in NYC with my Youth during our Pilgrimage. Because of that, and the weight of the song, makes me appreciate what music can do to show how a person is feeling.

18.”Delirious Love” by Neil Diamond. This is one of Neil’s lesser known hits. Again, I got this from an episode of Scrubs. But when you hear Neil singing about the kind of love that is new, and you cannot help but just enjoy it. This song kind of makes you wish that those new feelings of love will last forever. If you are lucky, it will.

19.”Stand Up” by Fireflight. Up until 2 years ago, I had never heard of Fireflight. My sister in Christ Melissa, told me about them, and loaned me their first album. And then this year, what comes out on my birthday, but Fireflight’s new album. This album is a close second to Superchick’s album for Album of the Year. This song is instant caffeine. Plus it makes you think, and appreciate all that God has given you.

20.”Aggressive Expansion” by Hans Zimmer and James Howard. What do you get when two of the biggest movie composers create music together? “The Dark Knight Soundtrack”. What an amazing piece of work the two created. And then you get this piece that is place in a very critical time in the movie. (Pencil anyone?) It is loud, it is fierce, and might be some of the finest music made for a movie ever created.

So, this is my most played list for 2008. I hope you have enjoyed reading this list as much as I enjoyed commenting about it.

Until next time, I am your Eternal Bud.