Day 8: A Song You Know All The Words To

I'm the kind of person that listens to songs until they are worn out. So even if I forget the lyrics to a song cause I haven't listened to it in a while, I generally have no problem relearning them in no time. Last year I discovered the CD Everybody by Ingrid Michaelson and it quickly became one of my wear out albums. The song that I listened to the most off of it was Maybe. This song deals with a little bit of a depressing topic, but there is an element of hope that I love. Beyond that, the song has a very soulful sound to it without going overboard or getting overcomplicated. It has quickly become one of my favorite songs. Also, I think this music video is kind of creative. I especially like the part where the blue paint is used as rain. Enjoy!

Day 7: A Song That Reminds You Of A Certain Event

One of my favorite vacations ever was the road-trip that my family took across the Southwestern United States. We started the trip by leaving Kansas early in the morning and driving all the way to Albuquerque, New Mexico. The next day we had lunch at a local restaurant, where I had one of the best taco salads ever, and then made our way to Flagstaff, Arizona. After that we made our way to the Grand Canyon, and then on to a city called St. George, Utah. This is where we stayed the longest. It's quite a lovely little city, and I would recommend that any avid travelers visit there. After our stay in Utah, we spent a day in Vail, Colorado before making our way back to Kansas. While driving I had plenty of time to listen to some music and there are many song that I listen to now that make me think back to the road-trip. So here are three songs that remind me of my trip across the Southwest.

Come Away With Me by Norah Jones: 

This song, well actually the whole album, reminds me of driving across Arizona. The desert out there is beautiful and I would love to go back some time. I'm posting a link to this one, because I couldn't find the music video on YouTube and I think the setting of the video helps explain why this song reminds me so much of driving across the desert.

http://music.yahoo.com/videos/NorahJones/Come-Away-With-Me--2156467

Hold Up My Heart by Brooke White: 

I really enjoy Brooke White's music, and a lot of it is inspired by the Southwest because that's where she grew up. I listened to her whole album a lot on this trip, especially on the way to Utah. This is one of my favorite songs off of her album.

Tired of This Life by Dawn Landes:

Dawn Landes is one of those little known artists that I really enjoy, and this is my favorite song from any of her albums. I once gave a friend some of her music to listen to with this piece of advice, "listen to this music at night." I can't explain why, but for some reason Dawn Landes' music has more impact at night. I think my friend was skeptical of the advice at first, but later she told me that she even understood what I meant. This song reminds me of driving through the Colorado mountains on the way to Vail. It's one of those moments where I was just listening to the perfect song at the perfect time. Also, I love the simplicity of the guitar in this song.

 

Day 6: A Song That Reminds You Of Somewhere

The saying goes, "Everything is up to date in Kansas City!" Now to most of the world, Kansas City barely makes the map, but to those of us who live here, it's a gem. The song that reminds me of somewhere is "K.C. Blues" by Charlie "Bird" Parker, a native of Kansas City. I love traveling and seeing new places, but at the end of the day I'm always glad to be back in Kansas City. What's so great about KC is that it's the meeting of the best of two states. The best of Kansas and the best of Missouri can be found in Kansas City. What's so great about this song is that represents the great history of Kansas City. There are two things that make Kansas City great, Jazz music and Bar-Be-Que. It just so happens that my favorite BBQ in the world, burnt ends, is native to Kansas City. Jazz has always held a place in this city, and Charlie Parker is the leading jazz musician to come from KC. In fact the world's only jazz museum can be found in Kansas City's famous 18th and Vine Jazz district. I once read a quote that said, ""While New Orleans was the birthplace of jazz, America's music grew up in Kansas City." This song is an example of that. Hope you enjoy the sound of Kansas City!

Day 5: A Song That Reminds You Of Someone

Sorry, I know this one is late, but I was spending the day putting up Christmas decorations, so I ran out of time for blogging. Today's topic is a song that reminds me of someone. At first this one seemed daunting, but after a little bit of thought a song did come to mind. The song that reminds me of a person is "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" by Dionne Warwick and it reminds me of my mom. Now you may have never heard of this song. I know I had never heard the whole thing until a couple years ago. As a matter of fact I didn't even know if it was a real song and if it was who sang it. For most of my life all I knew about this song was that my mom would go around singing the line, "do you know the way to San Jose" on random occasions. Sometimes it was just because she was in a good mood and other times it was while she was getting ready or belting it in the shower. We would always ask her where the line came from and she didn't even know, all she knew was that she knew that line of the song. At one point my dad even had all of us convinced that it wasn't a song at all. Finally we found the song, and now we all know where that line Mom would sing came from. It's got a pretty catchy beat to it, hope you enjoy!

Day 4: A Song That Makes You Sad

Sad songs can sometimes be some of the best. Most of the time I prefer a good happy song, but there's so much emotion in sad songs that can't be found in happy songs. It's this emotion that draws me to sad songs in the first place. Like my post about happy songs, there are far to many for me to narrow down, so I'm going to post a playlist of sad songs as well.

I Love You Porgy by Billie Holiday: This song comes from the movie Porgy and Bess. Now I've never seen this movie, but this song has so much emotional appeal. While this song is sad, what I love about it is the way that Holiday pleads to Porgy. It's not a sad or pathetic pleading, it an expression of her love, which makes this song great. 

Smile by Brooke White: To me, Brook White is one of those hidden treasures. Most people don't know much of her music unless they maybe saw her on American Idol. What I have always liked about her is the emotion that her voice carries. Her vocal performance isn't crystal clear, but that's why it's great. This song is sad, but it highlights just how emotive her voice can be. 

The Weary Kind by Ryan Bingham: If you have seen the movie Crazy Heart, you might know this song. There is a lot of hurt conveyed in this song, which parallels the movie well. I think there is a lot to be gained from the idea of someone picking up the pieces of their life and putting them back together.

Rosie's Lullaby by Norah Jones: I think that Norah Jones has one of the most amazing voices. I've tried to figure out exactly what the meaning of this song is, but have never quite figured it out. One thing I do know is that this song conveys both sorrow and beauty at the same time, which is why it's great.

Child in a Storm by Sharon Little: There is a sense of desolation to this song, yet at the same time there is a sense of hope that really draws me to it. 

 

You Really Got A Hold On Me by She & Him: Yes, I realize that Smokey Robinson sang this song first, and I really like his version, but there is something about the way that Zooey Deschanel and M.Ward sing this version that makes it heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. I also love the minimalist nature of this song. 

I'm Thru With Love by Diana Krall: This song is just sad. I mean the idea of someone just giving up on love is tragic, but the way Diana Krall sings this version also makes it beautiful. Also I apologize for the video, it's the only one I could find and apparently the only person to post this song decided to put a bunch of actors from old movies in it. Still, a good song. 

 

Day 3: A Song That Makes You Happy

So for today I'm supposed to come up with one song that make me happy. Sorry guys, can't do it. There are simply too many songs that make me happy when I listen to them. Instead of giving you one song I figured I would give you a little playlist of songs that make me happy.

Someday Our King Will Come by Natalie Grant: This song has so much power. The good kind of power too. You know, the power of hope that makes you feel like you can do anything. I guess as the saying goes, this song takes you to church, and I'm lovin' every second of it. 

Be OK by Ingrid Michaelson: What I love about this song is how upbeat the melody is. It's simple, but it's happy, and that's why I love it. Also, the lyrics are something we can all kind of relate to. Who doesn't want to feel some sense of security?

Real World 09 by Rob Thomas: For a song about being hit with the hard reality of life, this song is surprisingly upbeat. I like it because the song has the feeling that if life gets you down, you might as well laugh because there's not much else you can do about it. 

Stuck Like Glue by Sugarland: Okay, this song is admittedly silly, but I can't help but like it. The tune is infectious, and I love the reggae jam in the middle of the song.  

Good Morning by Mandisa ft. TobyMac: This is the perfect song to wake up to if you aren't a morning person. I have listened to this song on the way to school many days. There's no better way to wake up than to a great upbeat song.

You Lead by Jamie Grace: This song gives me so much hope and raises my spirits every time that I hear it. There is a solidity to this song that make me feel like a can do anything that stand in my way. Great song!

Hope you guys find these songs as uplifting as I do! Happy Thanksgiving!

Day 2: Your Least Favorite Song

Figuring out the song I like the least is about as hard as figuring out the song I like the most. I mean the more I think about it, there's a lot of music out there not to like. For the most part I don't listen to most of the modern Top 40 hits. Most of the time it's cause that stuff isn't going to stick with me. I like to listen to music that I won't get bored with or tired of after a year. For people who really like that stuff, I get it, and I can understand that. It just isn't my thing. There are some songs on the Top 40 that I really can't stand however. Most often this is because the lyrics of the song are frankly disgusting, and other times it's because I simply find the artist to be overrated. Case and point, Lady Gaga. Yes, she has a pretty good voice. I'm not denying that, but to me most of her songs are just a repeated chorus and a club beat. Another reason I'm not a fan is because she seems to be pretty disrespectful, and will do anything to get attention. My least favorite song is Born This Way by Lady Gaga. While this song is not as offensive to me as a lot of her other music, I pretty much feel the same way about this song as the rest of her music; overrated. Also, this one gets stuck in my head every time I hear it, which is really annoying. So to spare you and me the pain of that experience instead of posting the song, I'm going to post what I think is a pretty clever parody of it done by Weird Al. Enjoy!

Day 1: Your Favorite Song

I kind of hate the question, "What is your favorite song?" It's not an easy question to answer. Personally I know I get on kicks with artists, where I'll favor one over another for a while and play their music until I don't want to hear it anymore. There are times when I would probably say that my favorite song is a secular one, and then there are times when I would probably say that a CCM song is my favorite. When it comes down to it though, I do have a favorite song. It's a song that I wouldn't mind listening to anytime and that I can hear just about anyone sing (with the exception of people who try to do alternative or rock versions that are heavy on the electric guitars and raspy vocals). My favorite song is the hymn "How Great Thou Art." This song has a clear yet powerful message of faith and love. To me it perfectly blends the ideas of "awe" and "love" in a way that few other songs can. Hearing the line, "Then sings my soul my Savior God to Thee, how great Thou art" is powerful. It implies that the singer isn't simply singing a song, but putting their whole mind, body and spirit into that song. Like I said I can hear just about anyone sing this song, but one of the most heartfelt performances of this song I have ever witnessed is from Carrie Underwood. She has the vocal range and the sincerity to pull this off phenomenally. Hope you enjoy! Also the sound on this clip is a little iffy in the beginning, so I apologize in advance.

Welcome to 13:13

Hey! So this is my blog 13:13. I know it seems like an odd title, but hopefully the passage under the header will clear things up. This passage inspires me because as a Christian and as a human being I believe that to live a meaningful life, we must have faith, hope, and love. So I'll be starting this blog off with the 30 Day Song Challenge which goes as follows:

Day 01 – Your favorite song

Day 02 – Your least favorite song

Day 03 – A song that makes you happy

Day 04 – A song that makes you sad

Day 05 – A song that reminds you of someone

Day 06 – A song that reminds of you of somewhere

Day 07 – A song that reminds you of a certain event

Day 08 – A song that you know all the words to

Day 09 – A song that you can dance to

Day 10 – A song that makes you fall asleep

Day 11 – A song from your favorite band

Day 12 – A song from a band you hate

Day 13 – A song that is a guilty pleasure

Day 14 – A song that no one would expect you to love

Day 15 – A song that describes you

Day 16 – A song that you used to love but now hate

Day 17 – A song that you hear often on the radio

Day 18 – A song that you wish you heard on the radio

Day 19 – A song from your favorite album

Day 20 – A song that you listen to when you’re angry

Day 21 – A song that you listen to when you’re happy

Day 22 – A song that you listen to when you're sad

Day 23 – A song that you want to play at your wedding

Day 24 – A song that you want to play at your funeral

Day 25 – A song that makes you laugh

Day 26 – A song that you can play on an instrument

Day 27 – A song that you wish you could play

Day 28 – A song that makes you feel guilty

Day 29 – A song from your childhood

Day 30 – Your favorite song at this time last year

This exercise will hopefully help you get into the blog and help me get used to writing one. Don't be too surprised if I change a category here or there in this challenge, cause some of these don't really apply to me. Anyway, hope you guys like the blog!