This is the second edition of my post on lyrics.
Landed, Ben Folds (2005)-Ben Folds doesn’t try to make his songs universal. He writes very specific stories. He said once in a concert I attended that he admired Stevie Wonder because Wonder didn’t just write sad love songs about heart break: He wrote about all facets of life including the good and the bad. Songs like “Stephen’s Last Night in Town,” “Song for the Dumped,” and “Zak and Sara” show there’s nothing too mundane in life to be covered for a song. Folds doesn’t feel the need to write about himself either: He writes about a man who’s been fired after putting in 25 years of good work at a company in Fred Jones Pt. II, a man who became an evangelist after an acid experience in a party in “Not the Same”, and an ex-hippie who’s no longer part of the revolution in “Ascent of Stan.” By comparison, every other songwriter is a narcissist. Folds doesn’t feel like his own ordeals are as important as the rest of the world. In “Landed,” Ben Folds writes somewhat of an anti-relationship song. It’s about a guy who’s in an unhealthy relationship, gets out of it and regains his sanity in the process. The opening line: “We hit the bottom, I thought it was my fault, and in a way I guess it was.” Have you ever heard a narrator in a song possess such a lack of confidence? As the listener, you can tell that it wasn’t his fault, but the narrator has been forced into believing it was. The pronouncement at the climactic bridge when the narrator has landed is “I’ve come alone.” Upon further research, I found that this was based on a specific story of Ben’s friend. Go figure.
Hard Candy, Counting Crows (2002)-The symbolism and imagery in this song is so great. For one thing, the connection between your mother, your love, and your daughter is explored here (that is, if “girl upon a pedestal” relates to a daughter), how you miss your mother’s love as you age and see her in your wife/lover, and how you also compare that love to what you expect of your daughter. In the end, there’s an acknowledgement that this is an unhealthy cycle, because you’re waiting for your daughter to fall. The song touches up on the power of nostalgia with a certain ironic detachment that all of his regrets, his hopes, and summer memories are all compressed into a picture of an ordinary girl. I think in my own experiences, when I see a picture of some former love, I find that same irony that it’s now just a picture of an ordinary girl and it used to be much more.
Wake Me Up When September Ends, Greenday (2005)-The song takes a pretty direct approach on the subject of severe depression as depressed people tend to sleep a lot. What's interesting and relatable about the song is that the narrator wishes for something ineffective: He believes that skipping the month of September will cure his pain. That's not how the healing process works, of course. If he slept through the month of September, he would have to deal with the feelings of (in this case, getting over his dead dad) during the month of October. Nevertheless, it's a nice wish. There's a hopeful tone to this depressing state he's in simply because he is in the act of wishing (even if that wish is irrational). Of course, the song is also relatable because unless you absolutely love school (and even then, the transition is kind of hard), September is the worst month of the year and it would be kind of nice to skip it. It's kind of the flipside of a summer anthem in that sense.
Rain King, Counting Crows (1995)-Another Counting Crows song. The line in the chorus "I belong in the service of the queen, I belong anywhere but in between," is the most striking to me. I've listened to Adam Duritz discuss the song and it's not anything close to how I interpreted it, but I interpreted it as a guy deserving this woman's heart and not anything less. "So don't try to feed me because I've been here before and I deserve a little more," he also says. I see it as a song about a guy who's been searching for true love for a while and is still isn't willing to compromise. The narrator is also in a severe state of confusion, disillusionment, or euphora. It's a little hard to tell and that's what makes the song interesting.
Why Georgia, John Mayer (2003)-This is a case of me discovering a song where I was coming from the same exact place the songwriter was coming from. John Mayer was singing about dealing with a quarter-life crisis as a result of a life change. In this case, he was moving to Georgia. Perhaps, moving to Georgia was the solution to his quarter-life crisis, who knows? The pronouncement: "Everybody's just a stranger but that's the danger of going my own way. I guess that's a price I'll have to pay," puts a positive spin on the situation. When I was 20, I had to make a major life change and it was really risky to try to move far away from everything I knew. In the end, I moved away for a while, but came home a little too soon. Still, the song was very relatable to me: Moving away and taking a big risk comes with a few negatives and struggles, even when it's all for the better and a liberating move of independence.
Fallen, Sarah MacLachlin (2003)-Sometimes, channeling your sadness through music and turning it into poetry can be the best thing you can do with it. This song is nothing but sadness, but capturing those emotions so poetically and wish such a serene voice as Sarah gives these dark emotions a redeeming quality. The lesson of this song is that there's beauty in failure to.
Barrytown, Steely Dan (1974)-I didn't even know this was Steely Dan's song. I thought it was Ben Fold's song, but I just recently discovered it was a cover that I downloaded from Napster of so many years ago. The song hit a chord with me. I viewed it as a ballad against conformity: "And don't think that i'm out of line for speaking out for what is right, I'd like to see you do just fine, but look at what you wear, and the way you do your hair. I can tell by what you carry that you come from Barrytown." The song resonated with me at a time when I didn't fit in with my surroundings. I just transferred colleges and would speak out a lot against the culture of the new school only to be ridiculed and misunderstood. Apparently, the song is about a cult in New York.
You're a God, Vertical Horizon (2000)-I got into the massive hit Everything You Want well-before I got into this song, but it's a good song as well. Vertical Horizon doesn't have too many good songs other than those two. Best I Ever Had has been covered a couple times. Anyways, this song is really interesting because the narrator is proclaiming to this woman that she's a God, which is quite a compliment, but at the same time, it's being used as an excuse (i.e. "you're a god and I thought you would know...and I just thought I'd let you go"). There are a lot of complicated loopholes in this relationship or potential relationship and the narrator's reason for writing this song is that he's gotta be honest after being "covered in lies." Did he cheat on her? Did he ever have her in the first place and to what degree? What an interesting song.
Game of Love, Santanna featuring Michelle Branch (2003)-What a great song about love. The line in the chorus "A little bit of this, a little bit of that," is a good metaphor for the game of flirting and love. Successful attraction is just a random mix of ingredients and the incredibly festive music encourages you to just go out there and enjoy searching for that right mix of ingredients. The girl is heartbroken by a kiss that didn't turn into anything more but could you sit there after listening to this song and tell me that she's not having a good time with it?
You're Winter, Sister Hazel (1997)-I played this song a lot during my freshman year to deal with stresses and how I wasn't going to let them take control of me. The tone is melancholy, with the narrator saying "won't be your winter and I won't be anyone's excuse to cry, and we can be forgiven, but I'll still be here." The guy is being treated like crap by someone else and he is refusing to let it get him down. He will still be there for that person when he or she comes to they're senses and realizes how wrong they will be acting. Surely, good resolve for a strong person.
OK, that's 10 more songs. I'll do a third round of this soon.
And please donate a hit to me by clicking on my site:
Songs I'm considering writing about in the next edition:
1. It's All Been Done, Barenaked Ladies
2. #41, Dave Matthews Band
3. Who Knew, Pink
4. You and I Both, Jason Mraz
5. Grey Street, Dave Matthews Band
6. Name, Goo Goo Dolls
7. Be Like That, Three Doors Down
8. Hand Me Down, Matchbox Twenty
9. Walking in Memphis, Marc Cohn
10. Meet Virginia, Train
Showing posts with label John Mayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Mayer. Show all posts
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
As John Mayer's critical reviews go up....
Has anyone noticed that as his music becomes more and more critically acclaimed and he grows as a respectable artist, John Mayer’s songs actually get worse?
I first started listening to John Mayer’s music as a college freshmen and I found his voice a little on the weak side but his lyrics were inspiring and the guitar work is amazing. Although one can see more evidence of his guitar work from other sources (an appearance on the Dave Chappelle show, for example), look at the sheet music for “Neon” and just look at how far all over the place the notes jump up and down and how they seem to jump the fences that contain the measures.
I can’t stress how much the lyrics of “No Such Thing” spoke to me and continue to speak to me as a guide through how to brush off the newfound pressures of adulthood that I continue to follow through this day: The good boys and girls who don’t get the answers after reading the books, making the transfers and getting the credits; the expectation of having to plot out our lives in black and white. “My Stupid Mouth” spoke to me about the subtleties of dating, “3 X 5” was about having new experiences, and “Neon” reminded me of practically every encounter with a girl I’d had that year. “Your Body is a Wonderland,” the one that caught on to the masses, seemed a bit sleazy.
The other song of his that really spoke to me was one I heard a year and a half later “Why Georgia” even though it was on the same album*, “Everybody’s just a stranger, but that’s the danger of going my own way, I guess that’s the price I’ll have to pay,” helped me as I was transferring out of one college and going back home for a year.
Sadly, John Mayer’s reputation as being too poppy and just being fodder for teen girls got on his nerves a little and he set out to prove among his peers that he was serious. So he got an electric guitar and that did the trick. He had one single, “Bigger than my Body” that contained brilliant lyrics about exceeding what other people think of you: “Someday I’ll fly, Someday I’ll soar, Cause I’m bigger than my body gives me credit for” but nothing else on his CD was remotely catchy except the song “New Deep,” with lyrics that were overly existential. Confirming my hunch about the Grammys and that they’re not based on anything having to do with talent, John Mayer’s song “Daughters” won an award for best-written song. The lyrics of this song sounds like it was written by a kindergarten teacher at a parent teacher conference: “Fathers be good to your daughters, daughters will love like they do, girls become lovers, then turn into mothers, so mothers be good to your daughters too.” I even remember the original Entertainment Weekly reviewer making fun of those lines too and I wonder why the rest of the entertainment world wouldn’t do the same. Maybe the Grammies were trying to cater to the preschool crowd?
And now he had his third CD which he says finally spoke about what he wanted to say but I think it only spoke to what his musical idols and critics at Rollingstone Magazine wanted to hear because he not only has AN ELECTRIC GUITAR but he CHANNELS THE BLUES. But is he actually saying anything in his new CD? I’ve only heard the two big hit singles: “Gravity” was so insipid and slow, I can’t stay with the song for the full three minutes before changing the radio dial. “Waiting on the World to Change,” is almost a parody of the countless hippie and reggae songs that call for revolution. All I can say, John, is that there’s no need to wait, you’ve already changed the world, or at least mine, by writing intelligent lyrics. Where did that go?
*As much of a John Mayer fan as I was, I only got to know him through the magic of Limewire and not through being one of his CDs per say so that’s why I didn’t write “Why Georgia”
I first started listening to John Mayer’s music as a college freshmen and I found his voice a little on the weak side but his lyrics were inspiring and the guitar work is amazing. Although one can see more evidence of his guitar work from other sources (an appearance on the Dave Chappelle show, for example), look at the sheet music for “Neon” and just look at how far all over the place the notes jump up and down and how they seem to jump the fences that contain the measures.
I can’t stress how much the lyrics of “No Such Thing” spoke to me and continue to speak to me as a guide through how to brush off the newfound pressures of adulthood that I continue to follow through this day: The good boys and girls who don’t get the answers after reading the books, making the transfers and getting the credits; the expectation of having to plot out our lives in black and white. “My Stupid Mouth” spoke to me about the subtleties of dating, “3 X 5” was about having new experiences, and “Neon” reminded me of practically every encounter with a girl I’d had that year. “Your Body is a Wonderland,” the one that caught on to the masses, seemed a bit sleazy.
The other song of his that really spoke to me was one I heard a year and a half later “Why Georgia” even though it was on the same album*, “Everybody’s just a stranger, but that’s the danger of going my own way, I guess that’s the price I’ll have to pay,” helped me as I was transferring out of one college and going back home for a year.
Sadly, John Mayer’s reputation as being too poppy and just being fodder for teen girls got on his nerves a little and he set out to prove among his peers that he was serious. So he got an electric guitar and that did the trick. He had one single, “Bigger than my Body” that contained brilliant lyrics about exceeding what other people think of you: “Someday I’ll fly, Someday I’ll soar, Cause I’m bigger than my body gives me credit for” but nothing else on his CD was remotely catchy except the song “New Deep,” with lyrics that were overly existential. Confirming my hunch about the Grammys and that they’re not based on anything having to do with talent, John Mayer’s song “Daughters” won an award for best-written song. The lyrics of this song sounds like it was written by a kindergarten teacher at a parent teacher conference: “Fathers be good to your daughters, daughters will love like they do, girls become lovers, then turn into mothers, so mothers be good to your daughters too.” I even remember the original Entertainment Weekly reviewer making fun of those lines too and I wonder why the rest of the entertainment world wouldn’t do the same. Maybe the Grammies were trying to cater to the preschool crowd?
And now he had his third CD which he says finally spoke about what he wanted to say but I think it only spoke to what his musical idols and critics at Rollingstone Magazine wanted to hear because he not only has AN ELECTRIC GUITAR but he CHANNELS THE BLUES. But is he actually saying anything in his new CD? I’ve only heard the two big hit singles: “Gravity” was so insipid and slow, I can’t stay with the song for the full three minutes before changing the radio dial. “Waiting on the World to Change,” is almost a parody of the countless hippie and reggae songs that call for revolution. All I can say, John, is that there’s no need to wait, you’ve already changed the world, or at least mine, by writing intelligent lyrics. Where did that go?
*As much of a John Mayer fan as I was, I only got to know him through the magic of Limewire and not through being one of his CDs per say so that’s why I didn’t write “Why Georgia”
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
12 Best songs of 2002
A leftover list from 2002, the year when a whole batch of new stars like John Mayer, Kelly Clarkson, Nora Jones, Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch and Vanessa Carlton hit the scene. Of course now, these people are well-established veterans who are on their 2nd and 3rd records. It really was a great year for music, just one that I vividly remember (it was the first time I made a list of this sort, i'm pretty sure):
1. Don’t Know Why, Nora Jones: Jones’ retro-jazz act turned the music world on his head this year. Her lighter than air voice was contagious. Don’t Know Why was the most successful track on her debut album which landed her eight grammy nominations.
2. Lonesome Day, Bruce Springstein: Springstein’s voice was clearly not what it once was on his last comeback tour and still isn’t. However, this up-tempo track off his new album, inspired by the events of 9/11, brings back that uncontainable energy E Street was once known for. This ultimately led to the most uplifting musical response to last year’s tragedy that we’ve heard.
3. Thousand Miles, Vanessa Carlton: This ballerina-turned-singer/songwriter combines her graceful aura with a delightfully raw voice. She packs more punch into a piano virtuoso riff, drums and orchestration than most guitar acts in this single that finished #1 on the ARC charts.
4. Lose Yourself, Eminem: For this controversial rapper’s entrance into movies with a semi-autobiographical, he had a task cut out for him in producing the feel-good pump-you-up anthem to end the song, and he lives up to it. “Back to reality/oops there goes gravity/the music/moment/you own it, etc.” His chorus is this generation’s version of “The Little Engine That Could.”
5. No Such Thing, John Mayer: Acoustic guitarist in touch with his sensitive side finds the right words for this perfect late adolescence anti-conformist anthem. If he had a voice to match his words, he’d be great but with the way he handles the guitar you know the conviction is still there.
6. Without Me, Emimem: Those that think Eminem has gone family-friendly this year and who like 8 Mile because of it, should know that Eminem is all about controversy, whether in a bad or good way. He comes out again with his alter ego and several other voices (his trademark specialty), parodying both himself, the public, and staying one step ahead of his critics.
7. Where Are You Going, Dave Matthews Band: Last year when Matthews switched producers from Steve Lillywhite to Glen Ballard, he made a wrong move in the eyes of his fans by switching to electric and taking that organic quality out of his sound. Busted Stuff, the release of year-old session recordings with Lillywhite, was capped off with this newly written song. This mellow track is a serenade to his lost fans in an effort to woo them back, admitting, “I am no superman/I have no answers for you/But I do know where you are, is where I belong.”
8. Sk8ter Boi, Avril Lavigne: Among the talented young singer-songwriters to enter the scene this year, Lavigne is the least refined and the most proud of it. A rebellious punk rocker girl (and that’s a rarity in itself), she isn’t short on talent or range with her no-frills style. Her high-octane Sk8ter Boi, in contrast to her more emotionally powerful Complicated, is nothing but a wild and fun ride.
9. Cry Me a River, Justin Timberlake: Took a very public break-up and channeled it into a song that could make his career. The debate over N’Sync vs Backstreet Boys hasn’t been settled yet, but in the debate over the biggest star to emerge from the boy-band era, it could be him.
10. Here is Gone, Goo Goo Dolls: Whoever broke Jonny Resznick’s heart and enabled him to express such articulate feelings about heartbreak, must have really been something else. Dating back to songs like “Iris,” Resznick’s romantic setbacks continue to be the musical world’s gain. In his latest song and one of his best, he shows this mystery girl a resolve to get through whatever he’s going through, with or without her, and it’s powerfully stated.
11. Get the Party Started, Pink: The chorus “I’m coming up so you better get the party started,” sums it up perfectly. Otherwise a piece of fluff, it serves as a great party tune.
12. A Moment Like This, Kelly Clarkson: This clichéd chase-your-dreams themed song really is an obstacle course for Clarkson’s voice with a soul-tinged opening verse, a soaring chorus, and a belt-it-at-the-top-of-your-lungs bridge. She passes the test in flying colors.
Honorable Mention:
My Sacrifice, Creed-The constantly hoarse baritone Scott Staff comes his closest to finding a melody here.
This Side, Nickel Creek-Nickel Creek can't easily be categorized here, but this might be closest to a radio hit song. The sheer virtuosity of these three really is unparalleled.
Travelling Soldier, Dixie Chicks-First, the harmonies on the chorus really fit the Dixie Chicks. It sounds so convincing, you're gonna think they wrote it themselves. It's much better than Landslide
Soak up the Sun, Sheryl Crowe-Music pundits like to find the "song of the summer" every year. This is one that could fit in with any summer.
Grey Street, Dave Matthews-Leroi Moore's sax work is exceptional on the particular take that went on the record. (There are other takes you might get off limewire or Napster if you listen closely)
Neon, John Mayer-If you look at the sheet music for Mayer's guitar part, you can see how mind-blowing his guitar work is firsthand
Dilemna, Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland-A marriage of two voices that seems to fit. Here's hoping that Rowland breaks out like Beyoncee
How You Remind Me, Nickel Back-One of the most popular tracks of the year
1. Don’t Know Why, Nora Jones: Jones’ retro-jazz act turned the music world on his head this year. Her lighter than air voice was contagious. Don’t Know Why was the most successful track on her debut album which landed her eight grammy nominations.
2. Lonesome Day, Bruce Springstein: Springstein’s voice was clearly not what it once was on his last comeback tour and still isn’t. However, this up-tempo track off his new album, inspired by the events of 9/11, brings back that uncontainable energy E Street was once known for. This ultimately led to the most uplifting musical response to last year’s tragedy that we’ve heard.
3. Thousand Miles, Vanessa Carlton: This ballerina-turned-singer/songwriter combines her graceful aura with a delightfully raw voice. She packs more punch into a piano virtuoso riff, drums and orchestration than most guitar acts in this single that finished #1 on the ARC charts.
4. Lose Yourself, Eminem: For this controversial rapper’s entrance into movies with a semi-autobiographical, he had a task cut out for him in producing the feel-good pump-you-up anthem to end the song, and he lives up to it. “Back to reality/oops there goes gravity/the music/moment/you own it, etc.” His chorus is this generation’s version of “The Little Engine That Could.”
5. No Such Thing, John Mayer: Acoustic guitarist in touch with his sensitive side finds the right words for this perfect late adolescence anti-conformist anthem. If he had a voice to match his words, he’d be great but with the way he handles the guitar you know the conviction is still there.
6. Without Me, Emimem: Those that think Eminem has gone family-friendly this year and who like 8 Mile because of it, should know that Eminem is all about controversy, whether in a bad or good way. He comes out again with his alter ego and several other voices (his trademark specialty), parodying both himself, the public, and staying one step ahead of his critics.
7. Where Are You Going, Dave Matthews Band: Last year when Matthews switched producers from Steve Lillywhite to Glen Ballard, he made a wrong move in the eyes of his fans by switching to electric and taking that organic quality out of his sound. Busted Stuff, the release of year-old session recordings with Lillywhite, was capped off with this newly written song. This mellow track is a serenade to his lost fans in an effort to woo them back, admitting, “I am no superman/I have no answers for you/But I do know where you are, is where I belong.”
8. Sk8ter Boi, Avril Lavigne: Among the talented young singer-songwriters to enter the scene this year, Lavigne is the least refined and the most proud of it. A rebellious punk rocker girl (and that’s a rarity in itself), she isn’t short on talent or range with her no-frills style. Her high-octane Sk8ter Boi, in contrast to her more emotionally powerful Complicated, is nothing but a wild and fun ride.
9. Cry Me a River, Justin Timberlake: Took a very public break-up and channeled it into a song that could make his career. The debate over N’Sync vs Backstreet Boys hasn’t been settled yet, but in the debate over the biggest star to emerge from the boy-band era, it could be him.
10. Here is Gone, Goo Goo Dolls: Whoever broke Jonny Resznick’s heart and enabled him to express such articulate feelings about heartbreak, must have really been something else. Dating back to songs like “Iris,” Resznick’s romantic setbacks continue to be the musical world’s gain. In his latest song and one of his best, he shows this mystery girl a resolve to get through whatever he’s going through, with or without her, and it’s powerfully stated.
11. Get the Party Started, Pink: The chorus “I’m coming up so you better get the party started,” sums it up perfectly. Otherwise a piece of fluff, it serves as a great party tune.
12. A Moment Like This, Kelly Clarkson: This clichéd chase-your-dreams themed song really is an obstacle course for Clarkson’s voice with a soul-tinged opening verse, a soaring chorus, and a belt-it-at-the-top-of-your-lungs bridge. She passes the test in flying colors.
Honorable Mention:
My Sacrifice, Creed-The constantly hoarse baritone Scott Staff comes his closest to finding a melody here.
This Side, Nickel Creek-Nickel Creek can't easily be categorized here, but this might be closest to a radio hit song. The sheer virtuosity of these three really is unparalleled.
Travelling Soldier, Dixie Chicks-First, the harmonies on the chorus really fit the Dixie Chicks. It sounds so convincing, you're gonna think they wrote it themselves. It's much better than Landslide
Soak up the Sun, Sheryl Crowe-Music pundits like to find the "song of the summer" every year. This is one that could fit in with any summer.
Grey Street, Dave Matthews-Leroi Moore's sax work is exceptional on the particular take that went on the record. (There are other takes you might get off limewire or Napster if you listen closely)
Neon, John Mayer-If you look at the sheet music for Mayer's guitar part, you can see how mind-blowing his guitar work is firsthand
Dilemna, Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland-A marriage of two voices that seems to fit. Here's hoping that Rowland breaks out like Beyoncee
How You Remind Me, Nickel Back-One of the most popular tracks of the year
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