meaningful songs
A friend of mine asked me to list some meaningful songs from alternative artists, and I liked the idea, so I went through my entire CD collection and selected all the songs I think are especially meaningful or poignant. Songs that affect me, make me think, make me dream. Etcetera.
Well, I know you said to shy away from main stream, but it's gotta be said, first and foremost: TIME AFTER TIME - CYNDI LAUPER wins.
Now that it's been said, we'll move on to the list:
(alphabetical by band/artist, listed in the format of "song - band/artist")
283 Of the Most Meaningful Songs to Me:
winter's love - animal collective
Antony and The Johnsons:
((the entirety of their album I am A Bird Now is about as meaningful and poignant, powerful and emotional as a concept album can get. The content is genuinely inspired))
check out these songs specifically to get a feel:
you are my sister
my lady story
bird girl
this diary - the ataris
I died - bif naked
lucky - bif naked
Bjork:
human behavior
violently happy
the anchor song
I remember you
army of me
it's oh so quiet (check out the music vid, it's by Spike Jonze)
cover me
hunter
all is full of love
107 steps (from the motion picture Selma Songs)
pagan poetry
it's not up to you (the version on the live album release is excellent)
it's in our hands (arcade mix)
oceania
the dull flame of desire (feat. antony)
my juvenile (feat. antony)
keep myself awake - black lamb
everywhere - michelle branch
you get me - michelle branch
soda shop - jay brannan
Broken Social Scene:
lover's spit
fire eye'd boy
windsurfing nation AND swimmers (has to be back to back)
super connected
it's all gonna break
the great escape - bt (carmen rizzo mix)
life is short - butterfly boucher
you - candlebox
don't panic - coldplay
twentysomething - jamie cullum
dorothy at forty - cursive
the bitter end - cursive
as lovers go - dashboard confessional
hands down - dashboard confessional
crooked teeth - death cab for cutie
chemical party - gavin degraw
til the end of time - devotchka
Ani DiFranco:
both hands
talk to me now
subdivision
gratitude
self evident (the absolute BEST recording of this is the first time it was ever recited, Carnegie Hall 2002, the live album)
educated guess
serpentine
little plastic castle
gravel
swan dive
napoleon
out of range
you had time
the million you never made
hypnotized
reprieve
hello Birmingham
angry anymore
hat shaped hat
sex changes - dresden dolls
sing - dresden dolls
I need some sleep - eels
Esthero:
that girl
swallow me
we r in need of a musical revolution
every day is a holiday (with you)
amber and tiger's eye
melancholy melodies
fastlane (feat. Jemini and jelleestone)
bring me to life - evanescence
mushaboom - feist (both original and the K-Os remix)
gatekeeper - feist
secret heart - feist
basically, all of Let It Die by Feist is pretty inspired
yoshimi battles the pink robots pt. 1 - the flaming lips
do you realize?? - the flaming lips
let go - frou frou
shh - frou frou
the dumbing down of love - frou frou
holding out for a hero - frou frou
Nelly Furtado:
hey, man
I'm like a bird
trynna finda way
one trick pony
powerless
explode
the grass is green
childhood dreams
promiscuous
say it right
in god's hands
from a shell - lisa germano
mysteries - beth gibbons & rustin man
teenage fbi - guided
big exit - pj harvey
make it home - julianna hatfield
getting scared - imogen heap
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (music from the motion picture/play)
I highly recommend the whole soundtrack, actually, in its entirety. It's definitely worthy of purchasement…muwahahahaha, new word!
origin of love
wig in a box
midnight radio
in your arms tonight
wicked little town
blue - angie heart
such great heights - iron & wine (yes, I realize this is a cover)
Yoko Kanno:
cyberbird
ride on technology
psychedelic soul
what's it for
living inside the shell
I do
heartbeats - the knife (as well as the jose gonzales cover)
fly paper - k-os
imagine - john lennon
beautiful boy (darling boy)
Jenny Lewis
anything and everything from Rabbit Fur Coats is absolutely worthy of this list, honestly I recommend this album to everyone I do and don't know. One of THE albums of my life time. No joke, it's that good, for me at least, these songs really say something. And not just lyrically…music is more than lyrics. Rabbit Fur Coat is absolutely amazing…go check it out
highlights:
the big guns
you are what you love
handle with care (cover, obviously)
rabbit fur coat
born secular
it wasn't me
can't stand me now - the libertines
what became of the likely lads - the libertines
the never ending story - limahl
Lisa Loeb:
I do
furious rose
wishing heart
dance with the angels
jake
firecrackers
bring me up
stay (I miss you)
sandalwood
taffy
do you sleep?
upside down - scott matthew
in the end - scott matthew
prayer of saint francis - sarah mclachlan
Metric:
IOU
hustle rose
combat baby
dead disco
empty
live it out
sunshowers - m.i.a.
burning up - kylie minogue
this girl - kylie minogue
in my arms - kylie minogue
cosmic - kylie minogue
confide in me - kylie minogue
Anais Mitchell:
before the eyes of storytelling girls
cosmic american
orion
I wear your dress
two kids
your fonder heart
changer
out of pawn
all I want - joni mitchell
little green - joni mitchell
a case of you - joni mitchell
the last time I saw richard - joni mitchell
as the rush comes in - motorcycle (gabriel & dresden chillout mix)
undress me now - morcheeba (**OUTSTANDING SONG**)
world looking in - morcheeba
hand in my pocket - alanis morissette
valley of the dolls - mylo
sunworshipper - mylo
doctor pressure - mylo
walking on thin ice - yoko ono
fuck the pain away - peaches
aa xxx - peaches
lovertits - peaches
in my dreams - linda perry
life in a bottle - linda perry
fruitloop daydreams - linda perry
in light - linda perry
Pink:
family portrait
dear diary
don't let me get me
just like a pill
who knew
I'm not dead
the one that got away
conversations with my 13 year old self
ride on shooting star - the pillows
little busters - the pillows
every you every me - placebo
all I want is you - barry louis polisar
my machine - princess superstar
artery - princess superstar
untitled 17 - j. ralph
mi ricordo - j. ralph
thrift shop warrior - j. ralph
when she dances - j. ralph
volcano - damien rice
the professor & la fille danse - damien rice
Rilo Kiley
don't deconstruct
we'll never sleep (god knows we'll try)
the execution of all things
a better son/daughter
with arms outstretched
does he love you?
I never
the absence of god
love and war (11/11/46)
give a little love
land of a thousand words - scissor sisters
sentimental heart - she & him
black hole - she & him
I should have known better - she & him
caring is creepy - the shins
new slang - the shins
know your onion! - the shins
the snake - shivaree (it's actually an old folk song, and Shivaree's rendition is beautiful)
I close my eyes - shivaree
strange boat - shivaree
little black mess - shivaree
1/3 pure heart emotion - siam shade
the only living boy in new york - simon & garfunkel
secretly - skunk anansie
Sleater-Kinney:
lora's song
dig me out
words and guitar
jenny
one beat
entertain
winding road - bonnie somerville
teen age riot - sonic youth
dirty boots - sonic youth
the bedroom - sonic youth
Regina Spektor:
ode to divorce
us
fidelity
better
samson
20 years of snow
that time
music box
Stars:
counting stars on the ceiling
toxic holiday
my radio (both versions)
your ex-lover is dead
one more night
the first five times
soft revolution
calendar girl (young galaxy remix)
my favorite book
bitches in tokyo
wild horses - the Sundays (***OUTSTANDING SONG***)
Tegan and Sara:
monday monday monday
living room
come on kids
I know I know I know
walking with a ghost
wake up exhausted
the con
are you ten years ago
like o like h
Laura Veirs:
fire snakes
secret someones (***OUTSTANDING SONG***)
cool water
where gravity is dead
don't lose yourself
nightingale
black butterfly
bitter sweet symphony - the verve
far away - martha wainwright
whither must I wander - martha wainwright
Rufus Wainwright:
grey gardens
oh what a world
I don't know what it is
movies of myself
harvester of hearts
shoot the lights out - the watson twins
list of demands - saul williams
seaweed - saul williams
tears dry on their own - amy winehouse
in the waiting line - zero 7