My Top 10 Favorite

My Top Ten Favorite
1. Pink Floyd (1973). “Great Gig in the Sky” Dark Side of the Moon. Though having no words, Pink Floyd succeeds in bringing out the deepest of nostalgic emotion using a passionate choir singer. The song starts off in piano, soon followed by a man saying “I am not afraid of dying, anytime will do I don’t mind. Why should I be frightened of dying? There’s no reason for it, we’ve all got to go sometime.” Eventually, a woman’s voice is delivered with raw talent. This was accomplished on her first try. During recording, this song was called “The Religion Song” or “The Mortality Sequence” and it is clear on why. Personally, this song is my favorite due to the pure emotion sent through just by a voice with no words. Even without lyrics, the song is easy to relate to just by giving off a nostalgic and blissful mood.

2. Avenged Sevenfold (2005). “The Wicked End” City of Evil. With allusions to Adam and Eve, “The Wicked” portrays exactly how mankind began the path of corruption. Referencing to sinful ways, Avenged Sevenfold tells their audience how this will ultimately lead to the worlds destruction as we “grow into the numbers of six hundred sixty six.” There are also allusions to the rapture, as signs of the end become real. About three minutes and thirty seconds into the song, it breaks down and forms into spiritual and instrumental singing, which quickly merges into M. Shadows singing in perfect synchronization and emotion that can be felt by anyone listening.

3. The Beatles (1966) “Eleanor Rigby" Revolver The fear of being forgotten is deeply embedded into this song for me. A woman named Eleanor Rigby seemingly has no one who cares for her, symbolic of "all the lonely people" around the world. Even so, the Father of the church still buries her and writes a proper sermon. The song is so beautifully sad, it earned it's place on my favorites list. Yet, I can't help but feel happy listening to this song. While people are being forgotten, I believe I am grateful I have not yet vanished from memory.




4. Brand New (2006) “Limousine” The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me.  While recording their album “The Devil and God Raging Inside Me,” there was a terrible car crash near their recording studio involving a drunk driver who had crashed into a limousine. Katie Flynn, a seven year old girl coming home from being a flower girl at her aunt's wedding, was immediately decapitated. The limousine driver died soon after. There are multiple points of view during the song, the first being from the mother. Her message is simple and clear, as much as she wishes to keep her daughter, she cannot stop death as it creeps into her daughter's body. Wishing to see her daughter married, it is discretely suggested that the drunk driver would be the one to wed her. Except, she would be married to death: “And it’s your day to wed/We found your man/ He’s all American/ And he’ll drive/He’s volunteered with grace to end your life.” The second point of view is from the drunk driver, Martin Heidgen, who is ultimately sorry for what he’s done as shown in my favorite verse: “Your beauty supreme/Yeah you were right about me/But can I get myself out from underneath/This guilt that will crush me.” He truly thinks that even God doesn’t have a place for him. The end of the song could be either Katie or Martin, singing “I love you so much, but do me a favor baby don’t reply/Cause I can dish it out, but I can’t take it.” In the background, it is shown that Katie should “be laughing right now” because she will never have to endure the sorrows of life. The amount of depth of this song really hit me on a personal level, as the deep and pure depressing emotion and tribute to Katie Flynn is moving.

5. Mars Volta (2003) “Roulette Dares (The Haunting Of)” De-Loused in the Commatorium.  Using morbid metaphors and grotesque symbolism, The Mars Volta shows exactly what shooting heroin does to a person. The reason this made my favorite songs list is because of the peculiar way they deliver their song. It takes a long time to figure out what their lyrics mean, since their odd choice of words barely hint towards the actual meaning of the song: “The a.m. trinity fell upon asphyxia-derailed /In the rattles of.../Made its way through the tracks of a snail slouching whisper..” Obviously, the train tracks are a reference to the way veins collapse after heavy use of heroin. The extravagant use of metaphors and symbolism throughout the song paired with the structure of the song keep it on my favorites list.

6. Kanon Wakeshima (2008) “Still Doll” Shinku Dolce. Possibly my favorite song sung by a Japanese singer, Kanon Wakeshima does well with allusions to Alice in Wonderland. Kanon sings, “Mada atashi/Kokoro ga sakete/Nagarederu/Tsukurotta/Sukima ni sasaru/Kioku-tachi” which is translated to “Still/ My heart tears/ And drifts /Stuck in the patched crevices /Are memories.” This uses objectification, as if saying that memories are weighing her down even though her heart was broken long ago. Overall, the song is beautifully sad as Kanon combines her amazing cello with incredible lyrics.

7. From Autumn to Ashes (2003) “Autumn’s Monologue/The Fiction We Live” The Fiction We Live. With a first-person point of view, “Autumn” (sung by Melanie Wills) sings of how her heart is beyond broken, bled out until there was nothing left. Feeling replaced, she wonders “How love could be so thoughtless so cruel” when she tried so hard to love this boy. It is hinted that she is contemplating suicide, and there is no hope when she says “I break into over you/And only you can give the breath of life/But you don’t see me.” Tragically, another song (“The Fiction We Live”) made to pair with “Autumn’s Monologue” is sung from the guy’s point of view. He sings of how he loves her, “you might be just what I need.” He does see her, but he agrees “we only exist in this song.” He wants to fix Autumn, completely understanding how she feels, as his heart is breaking over her sorrow. The song gives a sense that nothing can be done, there is no hope even though they keep trying.

8. The Strokes (2003) “Reptilia” Room on Fire. I can’t get over this song, or The Strokes. It seems like love and hatred are filling this room. At first, he is “impressed by the way” she looks. However, the situation turns as “the room is on fire.” This metaphor is used in order to show the level of anger between the woman and narrator, in some odd passionate rage. He keeps saying “the night’s not over” and that she’s “not trying hard enough,” saying that he’s going to take control of the situation to make the night better. All the while, the melody of the song goes perfectly with the lyrics.

9. Circa Survive (2010) “Spirit of the Stairwell” Blue Sky Noise.
Yet another depressing song, “Spirit of the Stairwell” is a tribute to one of the band members, whose wife tragically kept having miscarriages. Immediately the listener is faced with a sad melodic tune, paired with hums in the background. There is a sense of dispatch between the lovers, and the man ran away. He doesn’t even know if he’ll come back, understanding she might not want him: “I won’t be angry if you have to leave/But I won’t be waiting for that day.” The title of the song “Spirit of the Stairwell” is actually an allusion to the French saying “L’esprit de l’escalier.” It is an expression used to explain the phenomenon of things that you think to say, after the conversation is already long over. Chances are, there will never be another time to express these feelings. They are left to haunt the stairwell, where they were formed. A favorite song, to go with one of my favorite sayings.

10. Acceptance (2005) “So Contagious” Phantoms. This song completely explained my life for the longest time. It definitely marks down as one of my all time favorites, just because of it’s beautiful lyrics and melody. I especially love the lines “Oohhh, when I'm around you I'm predictable/Cause I believe in loving you at first sight/I know it's crazy but I'm hoping to../To take a hold of you.” The song deeply expresses love at first sight, but the nervous feeling of putting yourself out there and taking a shot even though it may “be out of line.”