30 Day Song Challenge Redux, Week 1/4

But wait, there’s more!

The 30-Day Song Challenge I’ve seen going around the Internet had some pretty terrible prompts. So I made my own! F… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…—
grace spelman (@GraceSpelman) January 30, 2019

Skipping any duplicates, for obvious reasons 🙂

Day 3 – Your favorite post-breakup song
The Chainsmokers – Side Effects

I DON’T HATE THE CHAINSMOKERS AND I’M NOT AFRAID WHO KNOWS!

Seriously, I saw them live once and thought it was really fun. No one can take that away from me!!! (They did not play Side Effects, though. I was pretty mad about that.)

Anyway, I’m naturally drawn to anything that Emily Warren is involved in (double so for Camila Mendes). I was sold after listening to her talk about this song on one of my favorite podcasts, Switched on Pop.

(Listening to it again – is this even about a breakup? I’ve already made my choice, I’m sticking to it!)

Honorable mentions: Kacey Musgraves – Space Cowboy (this one definitely feels like a more traditional break up song, and I couldn’t go this whole challenge without mentioning Golden Hour!)

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Day 4 – A song you like with a location in the title
Fergie – London Bridge

Speaking of questionable taste!

For real, though, I was addicted to this silly, silly song when it came out! I think it epitomizes everything that I love about mid-2000s pop music: girl power, catchy lyrics that don’t actually mean anything (pretty sure my AIM profile at one point was the chorus of this song… and I’m not ashamed), sexy! sexy! music video… London Bridge has it all!

Honorable mentions: Taylor Swift – Cornelia Street (this was one of the first songs that I learned how to play confidently on the ukelele – good memories!), Beach Boys – Kokomo (though I will say that Space Force did ruin this song for me… a little…), The Killers – Sam’s Town (an iconic album opener, if I do say so myself)

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Day 5 – A song you like that uses a sample
Vampire Weekend – Diplomat’s Son

I was definitely one of those kids in high school that listened to bands like Vampire Weekend, especially songs like this, and thought I was so ~deep~ and ~mature~ for getting the meaning and subtext behind this song. I cringe! It’s pretty obvious!

I also think this was one of the first songs that gave me a good understanding of what a sample is and how they’re used. (Shock! Not Kanye West? For shame!) Even now, writing this out, I can’t get that opening riff out of my head. The M.I.A.! The bouncy beat! Last night I smoked a joint with my best friend we found ourselves in bed when I woke up he was gooooone!

Honorable mentions: Gwen Stefani – Wind It Up (please tell me that I’m not the only millennial that went through an L.A.M.B. phase… please…)

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Day 6 – A song your family played around the house
Michael Franks – The Lady Wants To Know

My dad is a big Michael Franks fan and, for some reason, the only thing I can remember him blasting from our living room speakers (other than Christmas music on Christmas), is Michael Franks.

It’s strange, because I don’t think I would have ever come across his work on my own, and even though the easy-listening-jazz combo seems to be universally reviled by my generation, I can’t bring myself to dislike it! It’s my childhood!

(Not) fun story: My dad had a signed copy of one of Michael Franks’s CDs that he played in a car that we rented while on vacation, but forgot to take back the CD and its case before returning the car. I didn’t understand his sadness at the time, but after falling in love with different artists, meeting some, and shelling out serious coin for some of their merch… yeah, I get it now.

Honorable mentions: I can’t get the Michael Franks out of my head… I can’t…

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Day 7 – A song that makes you feel energized
Hoodie Allen – No Interruption

This song (along with my honorable mentions) is my brand of energizing – starting off pretty quietly, then a heavy beat comes in to ramp up the energy – much like myself! I’m a slow burn!

I do know that I am probably not Hoodie Allen’s main audience though! Don’t worry, that was made very clear to me when I went to one of his concerts!! I don’t care that I like fratty white bro dude rap!!! I guess not caring is the theme of this iteration!!!!

Honorable mentions: Motion City Soundtrack – Everything is Alright (I’m never going to turn down an offer to include a Motion City Soundtrack song, come on), Anna of the North – Thank Me Later (you can thank me later for introducing you to this song, heh heh heh)

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Day 8 – A song you like that’s used in a movie
Michael Cera – These Eyes

I watched Superbad for the first time at a friend’s house, when he let us know that his mom! rented the DVD from Blockbuster for us and she would let us watch it in the living room while she was over in the kitchen, don’t worry! Anyway, we made it to the “all the best foods are shaped like dicks” part before stopping the movie out of shame.

I have no idea when I got around to watching the rest of the movie, but I did! And whenever I think of an iconic music scene in a movie, my mind always comes back to this by default. I wish it didn’t! This scene is so uncomfortable! I mentally scream whenever I watch it! Michael Cera is quite the actor!

Honorable mentions: For a completely different vibe, the ending scene in Blindspotting really stayed with me. I wonder if it has the same effect if you haven’t seen the rest of the movie? Comment below! Audience engagement!