(no subject)
1. Konayuki - Remioromen
I cannot understand the lyrics to this Japanese song, but it is nevertheless a joy to listen to. The singer's voice has this beautiful flatness to it that I haven't often heard, and it's just such a soothing, relaxing listen.
2. Pregnant For The Last Time - Colin Meloy
Tiny striped socks for the last time
Pokes and prods for the last time
And the doctor said
"Don't nod your head until June!"
I just found out today that this song is originally by Morrisey, so I'm going to have to check out his version later. For now, I want you to give a listen to Colin Meloy's cover. Colin Meloy is the singer for The Decemberists, an incredibly clever band. This song is a great description of pregnancy, and it tells an interesting, if rather vague, story.
3. Pennyroyal Tea - Nirvana
Sit and drink Pennyroyal Tea
Distill the life that's inside of me
Sit and drink Pennyroyal Tea
I'm anemic royalty
And here, in slight contrast to the previous song, is a song about abortion. I didn't actually know it was about abortion at first--I thought it was about suicide or drug abuse. I love how this song is so open to interpretation, and I love the way Kurt Cobain's voice sounds.
4. Mary Jane - Alanis Morisette
What's the matter Mary Jane, you had a hard day
As you place the don't disturb sign on the door
You lost your place in line again, what a pity
You never seem to want to dance anymore
This song is tortuously beautiful. I need to stop listening to it or I swear, I'm going to cry. I highly recommend it, though. I like Alanis Morisette, but aside from Not The Doctor this is the first time I've truly loved one of her songs.
5. Out There - Little Kuriboh
I who spank you whip you flay you beat you
I who fill you Playstation with beer
Why are you so bitchy when I gave you a Playstation?
Stay down here because it's nice
This song may not be amusing if you aren't familiar with LittleKuriboh's Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged series, but I thought it was funny enough to pass along. It's a parody of Out There from the Disney movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and the new lyrics are about the Yu-Gi-Oh character Marik. I've probably heard this song about fifty times since I discovered it, and I still crack up every time.
6. Judy And The Dream Of Horses - Belle & Sebastian
Judy got a book at school
She went under the cover with her torch
She fell asleep till it was morning
She dreamt about the girl who stole a horse
Judy never felt so good except when she was sleeping
I love the lyrics to this song, and I love how tender the singer's voice is, and how much he seems to care about his subject. It's a rather laid-back song that can easily be listened to over and over again.
7. Oasis - Amanda Palmer
Oh, oh, I've seen better days but I don't care
Oasis got my letter in the mail
Oh my god, this song. It's about a teenage girl who has a lot of truly terrible things happen to her, but is able to brush them off because Oasis (the band) wrote to her. In some ways it's quite disturbing, but in other ways it's a pretty accurate portrait of certain kinds of psychological processes. Also it's just really bouncy and fun to listen to, which is oddly befitting to the subject matter.
8. Down - The Midnight Beast
Do what a man would and show off your manhood
They'll never know your trousers just fell down!
This is a parody of Down by Jay Sean, by a British comedy trio who I'm somewhat enamored with. This song, instead of being about love or whatever, is about trying to keep one's pants from falling down. This song is absolutely hilarious, I cannot even begin to explain it. You'll have to listen for yourself!
9. Space Sonic - Ellegarden
Spaceship
Go fuck the stars
When the night falls down they shine on me
Have you ever felt this way
Like you are the worst mankind on the planet earth?
I love Ellegarden. They're a Japanese band that doesn't know English, but thinks that they do and sings in it all the time anyway. Their lyrics are sometimes clever--when they sing in Japanese they're damn brilliant--and sometimes ridiculous, but either way they never fail to make me smile--even when the lyrics are as depressing as those of Space Sonic.
10. Blister In The Sun - Nouvelle Vague
Body and beats I stain my sheets
I don't even know why
My girlfriend she's at the end
She is starting to cry
I'm not usually a fan of Nouvelle Vague's covers. I like the concept of what they do--I think a cover serves little purpose unless it's completely different from the original--but for the most part I don't like the way they sound. This song, however, has got my attention. The vocals are charming, the music is bouncy, the whole thing is ear candy. Definitely worth giving it a listen.
I cannot understand the lyrics to this Japanese song, but it is nevertheless a joy to listen to. The singer's voice has this beautiful flatness to it that I haven't often heard, and it's just such a soothing, relaxing listen.
2. Pregnant For The Last Time - Colin Meloy
Tiny striped socks for the last time
Pokes and prods for the last time
And the doctor said
"Don't nod your head until June!"
I just found out today that this song is originally by Morrisey, so I'm going to have to check out his version later. For now, I want you to give a listen to Colin Meloy's cover. Colin Meloy is the singer for The Decemberists, an incredibly clever band. This song is a great description of pregnancy, and it tells an interesting, if rather vague, story.
3. Pennyroyal Tea - Nirvana
Sit and drink Pennyroyal Tea
Distill the life that's inside of me
Sit and drink Pennyroyal Tea
I'm anemic royalty
And here, in slight contrast to the previous song, is a song about abortion. I didn't actually know it was about abortion at first--I thought it was about suicide or drug abuse. I love how this song is so open to interpretation, and I love the way Kurt Cobain's voice sounds.
4. Mary Jane - Alanis Morisette
What's the matter Mary Jane, you had a hard day
As you place the don't disturb sign on the door
You lost your place in line again, what a pity
You never seem to want to dance anymore
This song is tortuously beautiful. I need to stop listening to it or I swear, I'm going to cry. I highly recommend it, though. I like Alanis Morisette, but aside from Not The Doctor this is the first time I've truly loved one of her songs.
5. Out There - Little Kuriboh
I who spank you whip you flay you beat you
I who fill you Playstation with beer
Why are you so bitchy when I gave you a Playstation?
Stay down here because it's nice
This song may not be amusing if you aren't familiar with LittleKuriboh's Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged series, but I thought it was funny enough to pass along. It's a parody of Out There from the Disney movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and the new lyrics are about the Yu-Gi-Oh character Marik. I've probably heard this song about fifty times since I discovered it, and I still crack up every time.
6. Judy And The Dream Of Horses - Belle & Sebastian
Judy got a book at school
She went under the cover with her torch
She fell asleep till it was morning
She dreamt about the girl who stole a horse
Judy never felt so good except when she was sleeping
I love the lyrics to this song, and I love how tender the singer's voice is, and how much he seems to care about his subject. It's a rather laid-back song that can easily be listened to over and over again.
7. Oasis - Amanda Palmer
Oh, oh, I've seen better days but I don't care
Oasis got my letter in the mail
Oh my god, this song. It's about a teenage girl who has a lot of truly terrible things happen to her, but is able to brush them off because Oasis (the band) wrote to her. In some ways it's quite disturbing, but in other ways it's a pretty accurate portrait of certain kinds of psychological processes. Also it's just really bouncy and fun to listen to, which is oddly befitting to the subject matter.
8. Down - The Midnight Beast
Do what a man would and show off your manhood
They'll never know your trousers just fell down!
This is a parody of Down by Jay Sean, by a British comedy trio who I'm somewhat enamored with. This song, instead of being about love or whatever, is about trying to keep one's pants from falling down. This song is absolutely hilarious, I cannot even begin to explain it. You'll have to listen for yourself!
9. Space Sonic - Ellegarden
Spaceship
Go fuck the stars
When the night falls down they shine on me
Have you ever felt this way
Like you are the worst mankind on the planet earth?
I love Ellegarden. They're a Japanese band that doesn't know English, but thinks that they do and sings in it all the time anyway. Their lyrics are sometimes clever--when they sing in Japanese they're damn brilliant--and sometimes ridiculous, but either way they never fail to make me smile--even when the lyrics are as depressing as those of Space Sonic.
10. Blister In The Sun - Nouvelle Vague
Body and beats I stain my sheets
I don't even know why
My girlfriend she's at the end
She is starting to cry
I'm not usually a fan of Nouvelle Vague's covers. I like the concept of what they do--I think a cover serves little purpose unless it's completely different from the original--but for the most part I don't like the way they sound. This song, however, has got my attention. The vocals are charming, the music is bouncy, the whole thing is ear candy. Definitely worth giving it a listen.