The Geese of Beverly Road by The National. It's the most perfect song I've ever heard, and I never get tired of hearing it. Matt Berninger talks about Beverly Road in an interview: "It's a beautiful neighborhood that feels more like Savannah, Georgia than Brooklyn. The houses are all free-standing with nice yards and wrap-around porches. I was sitting outside one night watching a bunch of kids running up and down Beverly setting off car alarms. The song is theirs." I know there are a ton of different interpretations as to what the song really means (Micah says it will always be about marriage to him), but Berninger's explanation has always been enough for me.
Day 02 - Your least favorite song
There aren't really many songs that I particularly go out of my way to hate, but I suppose I'll have to go with Getting Ready For Christmas Day by Paul Simon. Don't get me wrong, I adore Paul Simon, but this song drives me crazy, and for no good reason, really. I think those voices in the background sort of ruin it for me.
Day 03 - A song that makes you happy
Good Intentions Paving Company by Joanna Newsom. When I first heard this song, it really reminded me of Charlie Brown for some reason. It was also in the middle of Summer on a sunny day in Baby Blue. Micah and I were driving to Winston-Salem and we had gotten to our exit and Micah said, "see, listen to that little banjo part," and I've been in love with it ever since. Not to mention the fact that the song is just precious in general. "How I said to you, 'honey, just open your heart,' when I've got trouble even opening a honey jar."
Day 04 - A song that makes you sad
Call Me on Your Way Back Home by Ryan Adams. I don't know what it is about this song, but it destroys my soul more than any other song ever. And that harmonica part, oh gosh.
Day 05 - A song that reminds you of someone
Sleeper 1972 by Manchester Orchestra has always reminded me of my nanny. I remember listening to it over and over again after she died because certain lines were just so fitting and perfect. This verse in particular: "I still see you/ inside of this god awful house. / You move awfully quiet now./ And I still feel you everywhere." My nanny always had a walker she'd clomp around our house in, and I still listened for it a long time after she died.
Day 06 - A song that reminds of you of somewhere
My Girl by The Temptations will always remind me of New York City. When my school visited I remember all of us walking through the city singing that together, only some of us replaced "my girl" with "my school." My Girl makes me miss my little Early College so much.
Day 07 - A song that reminds you of a certain event
Cardinal Song by The National always reminds me of the time I saw them live and they played this song. When they sang the line "Jesus Christ, you have confused me - cornered, wasted, blessed and used me," I looked out into the crowd from my little seat and everyone had their hands in the air singing along as if they were in church. I remember feeling like a part of a religious community for the first time in a long time - only it was a very confused and conflicted religious community (one that I'd actually feel at home in).
Day 08 - A song you know all the words to
A song I know all the words to? Hm. I know all the words to a lot of songs, but my favorite song to sing along to is Kanye West's Power.
Day 09 - A song that you can dance to
I can't dance, y'all!
Day 10 - A song that makes you fall asleep
Well, if any songs made me fall asleep I probably wouldn't be doing this right now. I'd just listen to that song and then BAM, out like a light. But no. I feel like I can't leave two blank, though - my one cop out was the dancing song. So, let's see. I think I've fallen asleep listening to Cosmia by Joanna Newsom a few times. Not because it's boring, though. It's just dreamy and peaceful. "I couldn't keep the night from coming in."
Day 11 - A song from your favorite band
My favorite band is the National, and I've already put two songs by them on this list. So, we're going to go with my favorite nostalgic band, mewithoutYou! Here's the song that made me fall in love with them back in the day, Nice and Blue pt. 2. "All or what little joy in the world /
seemed suddenly simple and endlessly mine."
seemed suddenly simple and endlessly mine."
Day 12 - A song from a band you hate
What's with all the negativity?!
Day 13 - A song that is a guilty pleasure
I have a whole entire guilty pleasures playlist that contains almost 100 songs, so I'm extremely guilty. My current favorite, though, is All I Have by Jennifer Lopez. Party because it's catchy, partly for nostalgia, partly because it's so fun to sing along to.
Day 14 - A song that no one would expect you to love
Tonight The Stars Speak by The Glorious Unseen. I suppose nobody would expect me to love this song because it's a worship song, and I'm not particularly religious. But if any song could make me want to worship anyone, it's this one. I also love it because it reminds me of Taking Back the Streets and sitting out in a field under the stars with this band and a whole slew of super wonderful people. Also, this is the one song I remember The Glorious Unseen playing live, and I miss that night (and era) so much.
Day 15 - A song that describes you
Pimpin' All Over the World. The video explains why!
Day 16 - A song that you used to love but now hate
Basically any song by Neutral Milk Hotel. In The Aeroplane Over the Sea is the one I'm most sick of. It's my fault for overplaying it, though.
Day 17 - A song that you hear often on the radio
The one I've heard the most lately is Rollin in the Deep by Adele.
Day 18 - A song that you wish you heard on the radio
For some reason when I read this, the song Contact High by Architecture in Helsinki came to mind first. I suppose it's because this song is so catchy and unlike typical Architecture in Helsinki, accessible. But still so good!
Day 19 - A song from your favorite album
There's already a song from my favorite album on here [Aligator], so I'm going to put one from my favorite EP. Sufjan Steven's Heirloom.
Day 20 - A song you listen to when you’re angry
La Dispute will always be my official "pissed off at the world" band, especially when my reasons for being mad are relationship-related. Here's Andria. "I felt my anger swelling / I swam into its sea."
Day 21 - A song you listen to when you’re happy
The Gardner or really any song by The Tallest Man on Earth. And he automatically makes everything happier.
Day 22 - A song that you listen to when you’re sad
The song I listen to most when I'm sad is no doubt A Song For a Lover of Long Ago by Justin Vernon. I love the rawness and the honesty and the lyrics. It's so perfect for those really late, rainy, gloomy nights. And when Justin Vernon's voice breaks at the end it kills me.
Day 24 - A song that you want to play at your funeral
In tenth grade I told Hallie I wanted Radios in Heaven played at my funeral. Even though that's not true anymore, she'd kill me if I didn't put that. Plus I don't even want to die, much less have a song picked out for when it happens!
Day 25 - A song that makes you laugh
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by the Proclaimers. It's just so cute.
Day 26 - A song you can play on an instrument
In elementary school I could never quite figure out how to read music, so I sat in music class and watched as all my piers learned Beethoven on their recorders. I learned how to play the very first song in our book, Peace Must Be Our Goal, because it had letters instead of music notes. That's the only song I've ever known how to play on an instrument.
Day 27 - A song you wish you could play
Patti Smith's cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit always makes me so sad that I never learned how to play my banjo.
Day 28 - A song that makes you feel guilty
Another song by The National, imagine that! The song Val Jester made me feel guilty for a little while after my nanny died, mostly because of the lines "you should've looked after her better" and "take your time when you tell her how she lives in your blood." I should've done both of those things, "cause one day when she goes, she's gone."
Day 29 - A song from your childhood
This song, Baby Write this Down by George Strait, is the first favorite song I ever remember having. I used to scream when the music video came on CMT, and I wanted to be one of those people in the audience holding a sign up so badly. I would've been seven then.
Day 30 - Your favorite song at this time last year
Hm, favorite song last August. Probably Days Like This by Van Morrison. I was going through a major Van Morrison phase, and that was the song that hooked me.
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