For a long time, I wanted to write about 5 songs, which took me to far greater heights.
Compiling a list of songs is like pointing the most beautiful women in a group. Each one is beautiful in their own way but sometimes we feel that’Extra Zing’ on seeing a girl right? That is the kind of feeling that I am going by in writing this compilation. At the outset, let me tell you that I am no rock or metal freak, nor am I passionate about reggae or country.
In short, I don’t go by genre, I go by what gives me that’extra zing’. To compile 5 songs out of the zillions means, so many of you are going to feel dejected not to find your favorites among it. But here are the criterion I used.
The songs that I have chosen are either some of the below mentioned or all of those.
Huge hits.
Trend setters
Different from the ones that was in vogue in that period.
Different from the artists earlier works.
Hearing it puts me either in ecstasy or in ataraxis.
Said I loved you but I lied - Michael Bolton
Genre: Reggae
Emotion: Love
This to me is the greatest song turned in by a singer who promised so much but delivered so little.
Said I loved you but I lied.
This is more than love I feel inside.
Said I loved you but I was wrong.
Love can never ever feel so strong.
Words that will evoke the power of love in the most hardened heart. This soft reggae has a very mild orchestra and added with Bolton’s coarse voice amply elevates the thirst experienced in love. This song will straightaway find its place into the greatest love song list.
Summer of 69 - Bryan Adams
Genre: Rock / Blues
Emotion: Nostalgia
I have been an ardent worshipper of Bryan’s voice. To me the finest aspect of his voice is that extra strain he puts even in the lower notes. This song instantly puts me dancing and at the same time feel I so nostalgic about my childhood.
Standin’ on your mama’s porch You told me that you’d wait forever
Oh and when you held my hand I knew that it was now or never
Those were the best days of my life
Back in the summer of ’69
Coming from India, I personally don’t have any association of a rock group and my childhood. Nor did I think of mama’s porch as something different from my own. But somehow, this song has so powerful a music and so much passion in it, that it instantly reminds me of my school days where we used to live in a cluster of rented houses, the small games that I played, the first prize I won in school and just about anything pleasant from school.
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
Genre: Blues
Emotion: Pathos / Hope
Think of the 70’s and Queen comes to our mind almost instantly. This group literally ruled the 70’s.Released in October 1975, spent 17 weeks on chart at number 1. Went Platinum. First song ever to take advantage of a promotional video. Re-released December 1991 entered charts at number 1.
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide No escape from reality
Open your eyes Look up to the skies and see I’m just a poor boy, I need no sympathy
Because I’m easy come, easy go
A little high, little low
Anyway the wind blows, doesn’t really matter to me, to me
There are some moments in our life when we enjoy feeling sad, enjoy the gloom that surrounds us, like feeling down and don’t want to come out. Moments that we all spent alone on the terrace staring at the open sky and feel the light of sadness take our hearts down. Those are the feelings that this song evokes. This song is really 3 songs in one. The first part is pathos, then rebellion and then hope. I love the first and the last part of this song. This song carries so much musical variations that for the first time it is almost confusing.
We didn’t start the fire - Billy Joel
Genre: Rock
Emotion: Revolution
As a prominent member of the antagonized generation singer and songwriter, Billy Joel, used the medium of his profession to express his disgust at these unfair accusations in the song’We Didn’t Start the Fire.’ The song lists a timeline of events from early 1949 and leading up to the end of the 1980s.He goes through the song, pointing out key social issues that made an impacted not only his life, but all of American society.
Hemingway, Eichmann, ’Stranger in a Strange Land’ Dylan, Berlin, Bay of Pigs Invasion’Lawrence of Arabia’, British Beatlemania Ole Miss, John Glenn, Liston beats Patterson Pope Paul, Malcolm X, British politician sex JFK, blown away, what else do I have to say
We didn’t start the fire It was always burning Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it
Every time we feel injustice has been done, every time we feel an urge to change the society, this song provides enough fuel to sustain the rage. This song to me fuels the fire created by my conscience.
Nothing else matters - Metallica
Genre: Soft Rock(if I can call that)
Emotion: Encouragement
After all the turmoil of a day, if there is one song that I would wind myself into, then this is it. Metallica has always been known as a hard rock/heavy metal group and this song must have surprised quite a few purists. This soft song is the epitome of metallica’s greatness as a group(unforgiven is yet another proof). This is an absolutely mind-blowing song with one of the best guitar works that I’ve heard. To me writing about this song is like dancing about architecture. I would love everyone to enjoy the bliss out of this song.
So close, no matter how far Couldn’t be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are and nothing else matters
Never opened myself this way Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don’t just say and nothing else matters
~
Each of these songs evokes different emotions within me and I am sure it must be the case with most of us. Do leave your thoughts on this and also list of songs that have kindled your passions in any way.