Music I Told Myself to Remember
by Nic Birney
Time for a list, in no particular order, of stuff I’m listening to right now. This is from the “music” section on my notes app, which I use because I will forget the song’s name and it will drive me crazy, if I don’t write it down.
- Tall Boy by Abby Webster
- The lyrics to this song are just, so great. A sample:
“ My daddy didn’t teach me much before we lost him to Captain Crunch
He drowned after 17 or 20 beers
if That wasn’t clear, I mean in the milk, fucker passed out at 9 AM
And every man I’ve met since then is even dumber than him “
- The lyrics to this song are just, so great. A sample:
- Rouge by TOKiMONSTA
- The drop on this song is so fun. Instant mood booster. It’s weird to call it a drop because it’s not a really upbeat tempo, but I think you will know what I mean. It’s rigth after the sound that sounds like someone tapping on a glass with a fork.
- Bored Again! by Buddy Ross
- Lots going on here. Love the piano in this, and with everything going on with my mom, who I have so many memories of playing the piano, anything with piano is instant nostalgia for me, even if it’s new. I also just love how much fun it sounds like he’s having fun with this song. It’s got a nice funky beat, with the nice silky smooth melody being song on top, like he’s ice skating over the music. Beautiful.
- Tiny Garden by Jamila Woods
- I actually forgot about this one until going through this list. This is why we write things down! I absolutely love the vocals on this track, along with the message. And that chorus has that encouraging sound that can really make such a huge impact on me, emotionally. I love the music video, I just found out, as well. Look at these lyrics, friends:
“ it’s not gonna be a big production.
it’s not butterflies or fireworks.
said it’s gonna be a tiny garden.
but i’ll feed it everyday. i’ll feed it. “
- I actually forgot about this one until going through this list. This is why we write things down! I absolutely love the vocals on this track, along with the message. And that chorus has that encouraging sound that can really make such a huge impact on me, emotionally. I love the music video, I just found out, as well. Look at these lyrics, friends:
- Bloom by the Paper Kites
- That’s some good fingerpickin. Such a delicately devistating song. It’s the kind of song that really hits you in whatever emotional spot you happen to be in. It makes me want to dance and cry at the same time. If I were a songwriter, this would be what I would hope to create.
- It’s Plenty by Burna Boy
- Another seriously positive song. Listen to it and try not to smile! It sounds like a roadtrip with your closest friends.
- Zaz
- I couldn’t remember the name of this French singer I used to listen to in high school. If you haven’t heard her, Zaz has a really beautiful voice, and there is something about sung French that just hits me in a place that English doesn’t.
- Wolf Alice
- This was another one where I didn’t write the name of a specific song. I love this song “Don’t Delete the Kisses” though. It sounds like youth and bad decisions and love.
- Body by Briston Maroney
- Another very nostalgic sounding song. I really really really like this song. It’s beautiful how Briston Maroney is able to sing about something as serious as mortality without dragging the song into dispair. I’ve had to deal with death a lot more lately, and my own mortality is at the forefront of my mind. This song really illustrates how I’d like to see myself deal with the topic: reverent, but not afraid.
It’s good I went through my notes on this, I had almost forgotten some of these songs. I also find it interesting that my actual listening rotation includes a lot more downer songs right now, to match my mood. But the songs I tell myself to remember are generally positive.