The Music of 2023: Quarter 3
July
36. The Hard Way - 3 of Hearts
Call me foolish, call me lazy, call me young, call me crazy
(Let me do it my way, it's alright, my way)
Take my heart out, pick back up and I'll decide when I'm in love
Bought a cheap random CD at a book sale (featured below), this was my favorite; I'm just obsessed with the way their voices layer in the chorus of this one. And maybe I also like it because it's one of the most pop-leaning songs.
37. Love is Enough - 3 of Hearts
We don't need the world outside, we've got all we need tonight
I mean, if the first song hooked me enough to let it play, I might as well feature it too.
CD REC: 3 of Hearts, eponymous (2001)
This is another lukewarm rec, because honestly, I bought it based on its super pop girlie music look and was flabbergasted to hear the strains of a fiddle spilling forth as soon as I put it in the car ("secret country?!"), but when I popped it in the computer intending to just rip the one that had gotten stuck in my head, I found it eminently listenable as a whole, ranging from purebred country to country-pop. Damned if I can remember how any other songs go when it's not playing, but maybe I'll highlight others later.
Anyway, then I watched the movie "Marry Me" and loved it, largely because of the music, so here are the top five faves:
38. Marry Me - Jennifer Lopez/Maluma
True love gotta ring, ring, ring
Church bells let 'em ring, ring, ring [WHY ISN'T ONE OF THESE "SING"]
You're the queen, I'll be the king, king, king
For life, for life, for life
I cannot lie, this is a bop.
39. Marry Me (Ballad Version) - Jennifer Lopez/Maluma
Take my last name, put it where your name is
Have they ever seen a love this famous?
True magic is a song that works equally well in two styles; get you a producer who can do both.
40. On My Way - Jennifer Lopez
And every heartbreak was a yellow brick road
Pointing me straight, just taking me home
MAJESTICAL ballad.
41. Love of My Life - Jennifer Lopez
I am the love of the love of my life
Even catchier than Marry Me??
42. After Love - Jennifer Lopez
Long nights in your car, mornings in your arms
From five hour calls to nothing at all
I guess I missed the signs, writing on the wall
Don't know where it all went wrong
And this is the most lyrically impressive one.
August
CD REC: Daisy Jones & the Six, "Aurora" (2023) (or 1976?? WHO CAN SAY)
It has taken me nearly six months, but I've almost finished Daisy Jones & The Six! The finale remains, but I've seen enough now to unlock the album on Spotify, and it's right up there with the Marion Raven CD as favorite of the year. Even though I don't love all the songs, I don't really hate any, and I enjoy some of them so much that I even love their acoustic demos and remixes, which I NEVER tolerate ("one version of song ONLY unless it's a cover in a different style!"). I love it as a concept, I love it for existing, DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GET IT.
43. Aurora - Daisy Jones & The Six
You're my morning sun
Did not initially love this one, mostly because I really hate the "I kinda think I wanna make this last forever" part in the middle, but the opening beats are an attention-getter (such a great album opener) that I quickly fell in love with the rest, and within a week the chorus was CONSTANTLY stuck in my head.
44. Let Me Down Easy - Daisy Jones & The Six
Don't you go and tell me that you loved me while you're leaving
If you're gonna leave me now (oh-oh)
If you're gonna let me down, let me down easy
The most classic 70s sound. And some cool lyrics ("got me lost in a daydream feeling"? love it. "every lie is true at the time, baby, that's the thrill"? AMAZING)
45. Two Against Three - Daisy Jones (solo feature)
It seems you have a choice to make
This shell is white and yours to break
Either way, it's just as well
All I need's a promise I can keep to myself
From the moment her pure and delicate voice trilled out, I was GONE. This is like, debut-album Jewel level of purity.
46. Look At Us Now (Honeycomb) - Daisy Jones & The Six
Did we unravel a long time ago?
Is there too much we don't want to know?
I wish it was easy but it isn't so
Oh, we could make a good thing bad
The classic! It demands to be used in fanvids. Also, there are some amazing guitar solos in the middle. I keep forgetting that because it starts out so soft and quiet and delicate, but it gets real fast and animated by the end.
47. Regret Me - Daisy Jones & The Six
I'm a slippage in the system and I'm perfectly ready to strike
So go ahead and regret me, but I'm not easing up on this mic
This is VERY rock and I shouldn't love it, but I really do! (except once again, I don't like the semi-spoken line of "go ahead and regret me but I'm beatin' you to it, dude" in the middle)
48. The River - Daisy Jones & The Six
If I follow you to the river
Send my blues out to the sea
Will you stay with me forever?
Will you chase me in my dreams?
Fantastic melody & harmonies. Very possibly my favorite in the set. This (maybe alongside Aurora) is particularly the one for the Fleetwood Mac fans in the audience.
49. Look Me In The Eye - The Dunne Brothers
Plus this classique, which isn't technically on the above album (except a live performance on the Deluxe version) because canon says it was recorded earlier, but it's stil super catchy! (sorry Stumbled on Sublime; can't say the same for you)
September
50. We Could - K? (kayoticLightning? this one is not about the recognizable credit...oh I see, because they borrowed the music and just set lyrics to it, makes sense)
Through the fire, through the flood
Now I’m left where you stood
Nothing lasts forever
But I’d hoped we could
CROWLEY/AZIRAPHALE FAN SONG FOR SEASON 2 LET'S GOOOOO*! This one is a beautiful piano ballad and I have been playing it on repeat. I love how key little words in the chorus change with each repetition, tracing Crowley's heart journey. ♥ ♥ ♥
(*OG Fansong Girly Chrxlotte has one too -- Us -- but it's not pulling me in the same way)
51. Celestial -- Ed Sheeran
I see the light shinin' through the rain
A thousand colors in a brighter shade
Needed to rise from the lowest place
There's a silver lining that surrounds the grey
ED SHEERAN HAVING A LONG-AWAITED RETURN TO BEAUTIFUL NON-ANNOYING-POP MUSIC?? As I live and breathe, I thought this would never happen again.
(update: oh I didn't realize this was something for Pokemon. That both makes sense in terms of why it sucks less, and is absolutely hilarious)
52. Castles Crumbling - Taylor Swift ft. Hayley Williams
Once I had an empire in a golden age
I was held up so high, I used to be great
They used to cheer when they saw my face
Now I fear I have fallen from grace
GOOD SWEET LORD. Before I got to the end of the first minute I was metaphorically sprawled on the floor, weeping at its tragic beauty. And then I played it on loop for over an hour. None of the other bonus tracks even hold a candle by comparison.
36. The Hard Way - 3 of Hearts
Call me foolish, call me lazy, call me young, call me crazy
(Let me do it my way, it's alright, my way)
Take my heart out, pick back up and I'll decide when I'm in love
Bought a cheap random CD at a book sale (featured below), this was my favorite; I'm just obsessed with the way their voices layer in the chorus of this one. And maybe I also like it because it's one of the most pop-leaning songs.
37. Love is Enough - 3 of Hearts
We don't need the world outside, we've got all we need tonight
I mean, if the first song hooked me enough to let it play, I might as well feature it too.
CD REC: 3 of Hearts, eponymous (2001)
This is another lukewarm rec, because honestly, I bought it based on its super pop girlie music look and was flabbergasted to hear the strains of a fiddle spilling forth as soon as I put it in the car ("secret country?!"), but when I popped it in the computer intending to just rip the one that had gotten stuck in my head, I found it eminently listenable as a whole, ranging from purebred country to country-pop. Damned if I can remember how any other songs go when it's not playing, but maybe I'll highlight others later.
Anyway, then I watched the movie "Marry Me" and loved it, largely because of the music, so here are the top five faves:
38. Marry Me - Jennifer Lopez/Maluma
True love gotta ring, ring, ring
Church bells let 'em ring, ring, ring [WHY ISN'T ONE OF THESE "SING"]
You're the queen, I'll be the king, king, king
For life, for life, for life
I cannot lie, this is a bop.
39. Marry Me (Ballad Version) - Jennifer Lopez/Maluma
Take my last name, put it where your name is
Have they ever seen a love this famous?
True magic is a song that works equally well in two styles; get you a producer who can do both.
40. On My Way - Jennifer Lopez
And every heartbreak was a yellow brick road
Pointing me straight, just taking me home
MAJESTICAL ballad.
41. Love of My Life - Jennifer Lopez
I am the love of the love of my life
Even catchier than Marry Me??
42. After Love - Jennifer Lopez
Long nights in your car, mornings in your arms
From five hour calls to nothing at all
I guess I missed the signs, writing on the wall
Don't know where it all went wrong
And this is the most lyrically impressive one.
August
CD REC: Daisy Jones & the Six, "Aurora" (2023) (or 1976?? WHO CAN SAY)
It has taken me nearly six months, but I've almost finished Daisy Jones & The Six! The finale remains, but I've seen enough now to unlock the album on Spotify, and it's right up there with the Marion Raven CD as favorite of the year. Even though I don't love all the songs, I don't really hate any, and I enjoy some of them so much that I even love their acoustic demos and remixes, which I NEVER tolerate ("one version of song ONLY unless it's a cover in a different style!"). I love it as a concept, I love it for existing, DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GET IT.
43. Aurora - Daisy Jones & The Six
You're my morning sun
Did not initially love this one, mostly because I really hate the "I kinda think I wanna make this last forever" part in the middle, but the opening beats are an attention-getter (such a great album opener) that I quickly fell in love with the rest, and within a week the chorus was CONSTANTLY stuck in my head.
44. Let Me Down Easy - Daisy Jones & The Six
Don't you go and tell me that you loved me while you're leaving
If you're gonna leave me now (oh-oh)
If you're gonna let me down, let me down easy
The most classic 70s sound. And some cool lyrics ("got me lost in a daydream feeling"? love it. "every lie is true at the time, baby, that's the thrill"? AMAZING)
45. Two Against Three - Daisy Jones (solo feature)
It seems you have a choice to make
This shell is white and yours to break
Either way, it's just as well
All I need's a promise I can keep to myself
From the moment her pure and delicate voice trilled out, I was GONE. This is like, debut-album Jewel level of purity.
46. Look At Us Now (Honeycomb) - Daisy Jones & The Six
Did we unravel a long time ago?
Is there too much we don't want to know?
I wish it was easy but it isn't so
Oh, we could make a good thing bad
The classic! It demands to be used in fanvids. Also, there are some amazing guitar solos in the middle. I keep forgetting that because it starts out so soft and quiet and delicate, but it gets real fast and animated by the end.
47. Regret Me - Daisy Jones & The Six
I'm a slippage in the system and I'm perfectly ready to strike
So go ahead and regret me, but I'm not easing up on this mic
This is VERY rock and I shouldn't love it, but I really do! (except once again, I don't like the semi-spoken line of "go ahead and regret me but I'm beatin' you to it, dude" in the middle)
48. The River - Daisy Jones & The Six
If I follow you to the river
Send my blues out to the sea
Will you stay with me forever?
Will you chase me in my dreams?
Fantastic melody & harmonies. Very possibly my favorite in the set. This (maybe alongside Aurora) is particularly the one for the Fleetwood Mac fans in the audience.
49. Look Me In The Eye - The Dunne Brothers
Plus this classique, which isn't technically on the above album (except a live performance on the Deluxe version) because canon says it was recorded earlier, but it's stil super catchy! (sorry Stumbled on Sublime; can't say the same for you)
September
50. We Could - K? (kayoticLightning? this one is not about the recognizable credit...oh I see, because they borrowed the music and just set lyrics to it, makes sense)
Through the fire, through the flood
Now I’m left where you stood
Nothing lasts forever
But I’d hoped we could
CROWLEY/AZIRAPHALE FAN SONG FOR SEASON 2 LET'S GOOOOO*! This one is a beautiful piano ballad and I have been playing it on repeat. I love how key little words in the chorus change with each repetition, tracing Crowley's heart journey. ♥ ♥ ♥
(*OG Fansong Girly Chrxlotte has one too -- Us -- but it's not pulling me in the same way)
51. Celestial -- Ed Sheeran
I see the light shinin' through the rain
A thousand colors in a brighter shade
Needed to rise from the lowest place
There's a silver lining that surrounds the grey
ED SHEERAN HAVING A LONG-AWAITED RETURN TO BEAUTIFUL NON-ANNOYING-POP MUSIC?? As I live and breathe, I thought this would never happen again.
(update: oh I didn't realize this was something for Pokemon. That both makes sense in terms of why it sucks less, and is absolutely hilarious)
52. Castles Crumbling - Taylor Swift ft. Hayley Williams
Once I had an empire in a golden age
I was held up so high, I used to be great
They used to cheer when they saw my face
Now I fear I have fallen from grace
GOOD SWEET LORD. Before I got to the end of the first minute I was metaphorically sprawled on the floor, weeping at its tragic beauty. And then I played it on loop for over an hour. None of the other bonus tracks even hold a candle by comparison.