Wednesday, May 18, 2011

30 Day Song Challenge

Before you even go there, I know. I didn't finish the last 30 day challenge. You want the truth? It got repetitive. Boring. Predictable. If you know me or have an inkling of how and what I think, you know how I am about boring, repetitive routine type sh*t. Now, with this one :), it's music. I never give up on music not even when it's given up on me (which is a blog for another time). And so, let the challenge commence!

I don't have a favorite song because my whole life is music. There isn't a picture with me in it from maybe six years old to now where I don't have an iPod/cd player/tape player on my person. That being said, I have a crazy music memory (including memory of samples, and producers) and a profound love for knowing things about songs, artists, and genres I like. I have no favorites; I love them all the same. So to answer this, I'll refer to the iPod.

My most played song is Love Ultra by Dwele. It's in the playlist over there -> if you haven't heard it here yet. I've played it five hundred and eighty-five times. To put it in perspective, I usually only keep a song on my iPod as long as I keep playing it. My iPod is 8 GBs and holds roughly 1200 songs. I have roughly 3500 songs on my computer. Can't carry 'em all (at least not yet) so I cycle out old ones, but Love Ultra? Never. Gets. Old.

The guitar that kicks it off is just so mellow. The melody is simple, sweet and soulful. It makes me remember the day I first heard it. A guy admirerer had similar taste in music and sent me an MP3 of it to play. I was doing yoga (or something like it) and stretched out in a patch of sunlight on my floor. As soon as the song came on I just lay in that patch of sunlight and felt warm inside.

The words aren't too deep and are actually a little disjointed in places; the lyrics are kind of like the thoughts that go through your head when you're thinking of the one you love. They don't make sense to other people, as they are wrapped in those obscure but harmonious moments between the two of you that don't really have to make sense. My favorite line is "Love ain't up to me, but leave it up to me, I love you."

C'mon son. You have to admit that's smooth. And if it's anything a girl like me desires from a potential suitor it's simplicity, smoothness and warmth. It's a song that gives me hope, a song that eases my mind, and a song that, in a strange way, soothes my restlessly seeking spirit.

Here's the Challenge, so you can join up if you wanna.

But most importantly because now I'm curious how do you pick a favorite song? And if you have one, what is it?

2 comments:

Squeak Williams said...

If i could keep up with the Dwele songs that rotated in and out of my faves, it'd be ridiculous.

Love Ultra is one of his dopest. The scatting makes the song for me.

I love forgetting how dope a song is, and then hearing again after like 6 months or a year and falling back in love with it. Like not seeing a girl i crushed on for a long time, and then unexpectedly running into her and being taken all over again. Yeah...i love music.

Sage said...

The emotionally evocative properties of a song are what ingrains it into memory.

Tupac had a few but especially Unconditional Love.
Van Hunt and Res saw me through heart break.
Ne-yo and Dream helped me work through hard times with their "she been cheatin'on me" anthems.
Mariah Carey and her power ballads. The unique sounds of Santigold or the too common but oddly haunting voice of Ashanti(who really is just kinda screaming).
Those songs have a special resonance with ME. haha