Songs of 2010 post!
Yes I'm aware that it's July! Better late than never!
Every year for about the past 5 I've made a compilation of the Songs of the Year and posted them. This usually includes every band I've seen live, and any other stuff that I've listened to a lot. This year I didn't get around to it until March, so my memories were a bit sketchy, but this year I've been keeping a running list.
(Click the image to download the .zip
In no particular order but loosely themed by type:
1. Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
I want your ugly
I want your disease
I want your everything
As long as it’s free
I want your love
Love-love-love
I want your love
In honesty, this dates from late 2009, when dachelle came to visit. We went to North Yorkshire in my dad's car and took it in turns with our iPods, and she played me this song and even though I have issues with Gaga I do love this song, and it is really fun to car-dance to.
2. Frank Turner - Try This At Home
Cos we write love songs in C and we do politics in G
And we sing songs about our friends in E Minor
So tear down the stars now and take up your guitars:
Come on folks and try this at home
I saw Frank a bunch of times last year and he does always put on a good show, and this was one of my favourite songs from Poetry of the Deed. I even have this on a t-shirt! (And I never wear band t-shirts). I have problems with Frank's politics - inasmuch as I think he comes from a place of immense privilege sociologically, and refuses to acknowledge that - but I do still love him, and I think you can love someone while having doubts about their politics.
3. Manic Street Preachers - Some Kind of Nothingness
Remember you, stretched out in the sun
All alone forever, conclusions foregone
Will you find some kind of nothingness?
Still and lonely like an old school photograph
I saw the Manics last year for the fourth time, the first time since 2001 when they were touring Know Your Enemy. It was an amazing gig. Leeds Academy can be iffy for gigs sometimes, and it was sold out and we were rammed in the middle of tons of 30 year old blokes who all held each other and sang along with tears in their eyes, which is just the way I wanted it really. I think Postcards from a Young Man is an absolute triumph of an album and I could have chosen a few songs off it, but I loved this love. I also think it's the most Manics-esque song title in the world. "What's wrong?" "Oh, some kind of nothingness *big sigh*".
4. Lucy Wainwright Roche - Accident and Emergency
Quarter to ten at the a+e where nobody thought they would need to be
Saturday night in the old country and we come to you on our knees
Take us in will you will you with the unlucky the drunken too
Take us in will you will you
When I saw Lucy last year she told us this song was about a date she went on, and the guy got a collapsed lung and nearly died, but he's okay now, but she didn't think he knew about the song. Her debut album came out last year (after two EPs), and I really love it and listen to it a lot.
5. Dar Williams - When I Was A Boy
I was a kid that you would like, just a small boy on her bike
Riding topless, yeah, I never cared who saw.
My neighbor come outside to say, "Get your shirt,"
I said "No way, it's the last time I'm not breaking any law."
I adore Dar Williams so so so so much. So does Sam. I adore Sam and this song, just btw.
6. Belle & Sebastian - Sukie in the Graveyard
Sukie was a kid, she liked to hang out at the art school
She didn't enrol, but she wiped the floor with all the arseholes
I hadn't really ever listened to B&S, but Sam wanted me to go see them with her so we went last December and it was seriously one of the best gigs I've ever seen. They put so much of themselves into it, and let's face it Stuart is very adorable.
7. Angus & Julia Stone - Just A Boy
I bit my tongue in the awkward conversation.
I don't know why
I don't know why
I met you once and I'd fallen for your notions
I don't know why
I don't know why
Do you believe that there's treasures in the ocean
Did I say I'm just a boy?
I do love A&J but live last December they were really lacking. We were tired from 4 gigs in 5 days, Angus was ill, maybe they were tired too. I'm not sure I'll see them again but I have enjoyed seeing them, and I do like them a lot on record for quiet sleepy days
8. Adam Green - Tropical Island
Ring ding battering ram
Fool dissect the battle plan
He who sells us Percodans one day
Tropical island, whoa whoa whoa whoa
Adam Green lyrics never make sense. He was really good at the Cockpit last February. He talked a lot but we didn't really understand him; maybe this is why he and Carl get along so well.
9. Cobra Starship - Good Girls Go Bad
You were hanging in the corner
With your five best friends
You heard that I was trouble
But you couldn't resist
I didn't really like this Cobra album, but I did see them live, and I do like this song, and I love the video, so it's here.
10. We the Kings - She Takes Me High
Last nights dream
We drove your car
To the dead end of your street
And we made love where no one else could see
I saw We the Kings with evolia and we managed to get on the barrier and it was SO GOOD.
11. Amy Macdonald - Love Love
Oh love love you tear my world apart
Oh love love you always break my heart
It's been too long since you left me
It's been too long since the start
Oh love love please don't break my heart
I don't love Amy's 2nd album as much as the first, but I really love this song. It reminds me of Lee.
12. Harper Simon - Berkeley Girl
She is criminal in satin
She is leopard skin and lace
Hard to believe that she believed in me
When I was such a hopeless case
Harper is Paul Simon's son and this song may as well be called "Hey my dad was in Simon and Garfunkel don't you love how I sound like him". Saying that, it is a BEAUTIFUL song and I love it, it's so gentle and sweet. His whole album is good if you like S&G. I wish my dad was alive so that I could play him Harper, I think he would approve.
13. Laura Marling - Devil's Spoke
All of this can be broken
All of this can be broken
Hold your devil by his spoke and spin him to the ground
And root to root and tip to tip
I look at him my country drip
Leathered up by all his fears
But someone brought you close to tears
I absolutely adored this album, it was probably my most played album of last year. Sam and I saw Laura last March and it was really good, then we saw her in October and it was dreadful. You win some, you lose some.
14. Johnny Flynn - Been Listening
It's a-coming all the night long
It's a-coming all the day
Will I listen for the one you know
Will I listen, will I pray?
I adore Johnny Flynn and wish he was my boyfriend.
15. Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
And they cut me to ribbons and taught me to drive
I got your name tattooed inside of my arm
I called for my father but my father had died
While you told me fortunes, in American Slang
I adore Gaslight Anthem. Each time we see them it just gives me heart eyes. Briannnnn your faaaaaaaace.
16. Neal Casal - Chasing Her Ghost
All of my life I've been chasing her ghost
NEAL! CASAL! Formerly one of Ryan's Cardinals! Last year he came over and played some shows, and JON GRABOFF turned up on guitar! Sam and I had a really lovely conversation with Neal afterwords, I love love love love him.
17. Butch Walker & the Black Widow Spiders - She Likes Hair Bands
She likes hair bands
On satellite radio
But I was in one
So it's a little too close to home
Butch Walker & the Black Widows album is SO GOOD. I really like Pretty Melody ("You're such a pretty melody, I'm just another tattooed tragedy") and Canadian Ten, but this is my favourite. He's so funny and yet so adorable.
18. Amy Can Flyy - Doctor Doctor
Head, shoulders, knees and toes
Mended hearts and broken bones
Nothing more but sticks and stones
And words will never hurt me
I saw Amy Can Flyy (two ys) on some Sky channel that has since gone bust, and oh my god. They're so BAD but so CATCHY. They're English and very cute on Twitter so even though I KNOW that they're SHIT I can't HELP IT.
19. Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Kisses Start Wars (demo)
This one is mine
I keep it with me all the time like a crutch
But something ancient passed down from my father
Something that nobody can touch
I never thought that Ryan would release Cardinals III/IV. I never thought he'd tour again! But he's done both of those things, thus proving that Ryan is a contrary fucker. This is a beautiful songs. AND CARDINALS SEMI-COLON.
20. Mouthwash - No Fear
I swear down that I'm in it for the long haul
I'll always be there no matter what time you call
All I know is that I've felt this for a long time
And you know me, I'm too stubborn to change my mind
But people change heart with change of the seasons
If you leave then I know you've got your reasons
Girl you know I love having you here
You came into my life and made me change gear
As long as you're around me I've got no fear
As long as you're around me I've got no fear
Lee had been telling me for ages that I would like Mouthwash, but I'd seen them and wasn't very impressed, but then we saw them at the Cockpit last February and this song just hit me. It's a ska love song! It's so beautiful, it makes me want to cry. Lee plays this on the guitar for me :)
21. Carbon Leaf - Life Less Ordinary
Live a life less ordinary
Live a life extraordinary with me
Live a life less sedentary
Live a life evolutionary with me
Well I hate to be a bother,
But it's you and there's no other, I do believe
You can call me naive but...
I know me very well (at least as far as I can tell)
And I know what I need
The night you came into my life
Well it took the bones of me, took the bones of me
You blew away my storm and strife
And shook the bones of me, shook the bones of me
By the way, I do know why you stayed away...
I will keep tongue-tied next time
Last year Mango and I wrote a Mike Carden/Michael Guy Chislett/Naomi Chislett polyamory fic (you can find it on simply_fic if that floats your boat) for one of the bigbangs, and we got a really amazing mix for it ( here) and this song is just EVERYTHING that we wanted that fic to be. It's a really awesome song. If you take nothing else, take this one.
Please do ask if you need anything uploading etc.
Every year for about the past 5 I've made a compilation of the Songs of the Year and posted them. This usually includes every band I've seen live, and any other stuff that I've listened to a lot. This year I didn't get around to it until March, so my memories were a bit sketchy, but this year I've been keeping a running list.
(Click the image to download the .zip
In no particular order but loosely themed by type:
1. Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
I want your ugly
I want your disease
I want your everything
As long as it’s free
I want your love
Love-love-love
I want your love
In honesty, this dates from late 2009, when dachelle came to visit. We went to North Yorkshire in my dad's car and took it in turns with our iPods, and she played me this song and even though I have issues with Gaga I do love this song, and it is really fun to car-dance to.
2. Frank Turner - Try This At Home
Cos we write love songs in C and we do politics in G
And we sing songs about our friends in E Minor
So tear down the stars now and take up your guitars:
Come on folks and try this at home
I saw Frank a bunch of times last year and he does always put on a good show, and this was one of my favourite songs from Poetry of the Deed. I even have this on a t-shirt! (And I never wear band t-shirts). I have problems with Frank's politics - inasmuch as I think he comes from a place of immense privilege sociologically, and refuses to acknowledge that - but I do still love him, and I think you can love someone while having doubts about their politics.
3. Manic Street Preachers - Some Kind of Nothingness
Remember you, stretched out in the sun
All alone forever, conclusions foregone
Will you find some kind of nothingness?
Still and lonely like an old school photograph
I saw the Manics last year for the fourth time, the first time since 2001 when they were touring Know Your Enemy. It was an amazing gig. Leeds Academy can be iffy for gigs sometimes, and it was sold out and we were rammed in the middle of tons of 30 year old blokes who all held each other and sang along with tears in their eyes, which is just the way I wanted it really. I think Postcards from a Young Man is an absolute triumph of an album and I could have chosen a few songs off it, but I loved this love. I also think it's the most Manics-esque song title in the world. "What's wrong?" "Oh, some kind of nothingness *big sigh*".
4. Lucy Wainwright Roche - Accident and Emergency
Quarter to ten at the a+e where nobody thought they would need to be
Saturday night in the old country and we come to you on our knees
Take us in will you will you with the unlucky the drunken too
Take us in will you will you
When I saw Lucy last year she told us this song was about a date she went on, and the guy got a collapsed lung and nearly died, but he's okay now, but she didn't think he knew about the song. Her debut album came out last year (after two EPs), and I really love it and listen to it a lot.
5. Dar Williams - When I Was A Boy
I was a kid that you would like, just a small boy on her bike
Riding topless, yeah, I never cared who saw.
My neighbor come outside to say, "Get your shirt,"
I said "No way, it's the last time I'm not breaking any law."
I adore Dar Williams so so so so much. So does Sam. I adore Sam and this song, just btw.
6. Belle & Sebastian - Sukie in the Graveyard
Sukie was a kid, she liked to hang out at the art school
She didn't enrol, but she wiped the floor with all the arseholes
I hadn't really ever listened to B&S, but Sam wanted me to go see them with her so we went last December and it was seriously one of the best gigs I've ever seen. They put so much of themselves into it, and let's face it Stuart is very adorable.
7. Angus & Julia Stone - Just A Boy
I bit my tongue in the awkward conversation.
I don't know why
I don't know why
I met you once and I'd fallen for your notions
I don't know why
I don't know why
Do you believe that there's treasures in the ocean
Did I say I'm just a boy?
I do love A&J but live last December they were really lacking. We were tired from 4 gigs in 5 days, Angus was ill, maybe they were tired too. I'm not sure I'll see them again but I have enjoyed seeing them, and I do like them a lot on record for quiet sleepy days
8. Adam Green - Tropical Island
Ring ding battering ram
Fool dissect the battle plan
He who sells us Percodans one day
Tropical island, whoa whoa whoa whoa
Adam Green lyrics never make sense. He was really good at the Cockpit last February. He talked a lot but we didn't really understand him; maybe this is why he and Carl get along so well.
9. Cobra Starship - Good Girls Go Bad
You were hanging in the corner
With your five best friends
You heard that I was trouble
But you couldn't resist
I didn't really like this Cobra album, but I did see them live, and I do like this song, and I love the video, so it's here.
10. We the Kings - She Takes Me High
Last nights dream
We drove your car
To the dead end of your street
And we made love where no one else could see
I saw We the Kings with evolia and we managed to get on the barrier and it was SO GOOD.
11. Amy Macdonald - Love Love
Oh love love you tear my world apart
Oh love love you always break my heart
It's been too long since you left me
It's been too long since the start
Oh love love please don't break my heart
I don't love Amy's 2nd album as much as the first, but I really love this song. It reminds me of Lee.
12. Harper Simon - Berkeley Girl
She is criminal in satin
She is leopard skin and lace
Hard to believe that she believed in me
When I was such a hopeless case
Harper is Paul Simon's son and this song may as well be called "Hey my dad was in Simon and Garfunkel don't you love how I sound like him". Saying that, it is a BEAUTIFUL song and I love it, it's so gentle and sweet. His whole album is good if you like S&G. I wish my dad was alive so that I could play him Harper, I think he would approve.
13. Laura Marling - Devil's Spoke
All of this can be broken
All of this can be broken
Hold your devil by his spoke and spin him to the ground
And root to root and tip to tip
I look at him my country drip
Leathered up by all his fears
But someone brought you close to tears
I absolutely adored this album, it was probably my most played album of last year. Sam and I saw Laura last March and it was really good, then we saw her in October and it was dreadful. You win some, you lose some.
14. Johnny Flynn - Been Listening
It's a-coming all the night long
It's a-coming all the day
Will I listen for the one you know
Will I listen, will I pray?
I adore Johnny Flynn and wish he was my boyfriend.
15. Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
And they cut me to ribbons and taught me to drive
I got your name tattooed inside of my arm
I called for my father but my father had died
While you told me fortunes, in American Slang
I adore Gaslight Anthem. Each time we see them it just gives me heart eyes. Briannnnn your faaaaaaaace.
16. Neal Casal - Chasing Her Ghost
All of my life I've been chasing her ghost
NEAL! CASAL! Formerly one of Ryan's Cardinals! Last year he came over and played some shows, and JON GRABOFF turned up on guitar! Sam and I had a really lovely conversation with Neal afterwords, I love love love love him.
17. Butch Walker & the Black Widow Spiders - She Likes Hair Bands
She likes hair bands
On satellite radio
But I was in one
So it's a little too close to home
Butch Walker & the Black Widows album is SO GOOD. I really like Pretty Melody ("You're such a pretty melody, I'm just another tattooed tragedy") and Canadian Ten, but this is my favourite. He's so funny and yet so adorable.
18. Amy Can Flyy - Doctor Doctor
Head, shoulders, knees and toes
Mended hearts and broken bones
Nothing more but sticks and stones
And words will never hurt me
I saw Amy Can Flyy (two ys) on some Sky channel that has since gone bust, and oh my god. They're so BAD but so CATCHY. They're English and very cute on Twitter so even though I KNOW that they're SHIT I can't HELP IT.
19. Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Kisses Start Wars (demo)
This one is mine
I keep it with me all the time like a crutch
But something ancient passed down from my father
Something that nobody can touch
I never thought that Ryan would release Cardinals III/IV. I never thought he'd tour again! But he's done both of those things, thus proving that Ryan is a contrary fucker. This is a beautiful songs. AND CARDINALS SEMI-COLON.
20. Mouthwash - No Fear
I swear down that I'm in it for the long haul
I'll always be there no matter what time you call
All I know is that I've felt this for a long time
And you know me, I'm too stubborn to change my mind
But people change heart with change of the seasons
If you leave then I know you've got your reasons
Girl you know I love having you here
You came into my life and made me change gear
As long as you're around me I've got no fear
As long as you're around me I've got no fear
Lee had been telling me for ages that I would like Mouthwash, but I'd seen them and wasn't very impressed, but then we saw them at the Cockpit last February and this song just hit me. It's a ska love song! It's so beautiful, it makes me want to cry. Lee plays this on the guitar for me :)
21. Carbon Leaf - Life Less Ordinary
Live a life less ordinary
Live a life extraordinary with me
Live a life less sedentary
Live a life evolutionary with me
Well I hate to be a bother,
But it's you and there's no other, I do believe
You can call me naive but...
I know me very well (at least as far as I can tell)
And I know what I need
The night you came into my life
Well it took the bones of me, took the bones of me
You blew away my storm and strife
And shook the bones of me, shook the bones of me
By the way, I do know why you stayed away...
I will keep tongue-tied next time
Last year Mango and I wrote a Mike Carden/Michael Guy Chislett/Naomi Chislett polyamory fic (you can find it on simply_fic if that floats your boat) for one of the bigbangs, and we got a really amazing mix for it ( here) and this song is just EVERYTHING that we wanted that fic to be. It's a really awesome song. If you take nothing else, take this one.
Please do ask if you need anything uploading etc.