Popular Music Mayhem

  (If you liked this song I definitely recommend "I Won't Share You") Finally! We're in the 80s! This means I get to talk about one of my favorite bands: The Smiths. I've been listening to The Smiths since I was little and this 80s band has forever held a special place in my heart. The Rock/Alternative Rock genre is one of my favorites and they are just one of the many groups who reside within it but to me, they are a special band within the genre. Their music is one of a kind and when you listen to their music with the lead singer Morrissey on vocals and Johnny Marr on guitar, I don't know how you're not expected to fall in love. The Smiths are considered one of the most important bands to come from the British music scene and many Americans who were listening to music at that time know who they are. One of the most iconic and unique characteristics of the band is the way many of their songs have very upbeat musical instrumentation while the lyrics themse

  Another blog, another chance to just take advantage of this assignment to rant about artists and music that I enjoy. Bob Marley, the king of reggae: this man was a freaking legend as well as one of the wackiest artists ever. Still love the guy, but he definitely had an interesting journey when he was alive. Pretty sure he founded a whole religion too? Not really sure and it's late so I'm not looking it up. Anyway, the man is a legend and he made some pretty legendary music too. "I Shot the Sheriff" is such an iconic song and literally just screams reggae with its backup female vocalists and twangy instrumentation. I love that song, but I decided to go with "Is This Love" because it's one of my favorite Bob Marley songs and it's still in the respective timeline we're in. The song immediately starts off with a super rhythmic drum beat, organ/piano chord progression, and twangy guitar. Seriously, it feels like I'm bouncing up and down when I l

  Ah, Pink Floyd: one of the greatest rock bands to ever exist. Let me just start off by fangirling about the entirety of the album The Dark Side of the Moon.  The album is based on the concept of madness and how people are driven into its clutches, and this is one of my favorite concept albums ever. Listening to it from start to finish all the way through without stopping, it honestly feels like you're listening to one really long song. The songs melt and bleed together, giving you that feeling of madness and not knowing when things start or finish or where you are in the album unless you look at the title. Another one of my favorite things is how this album syncs almost perfectly with the movie The Wizard of Oz  when played at a specific moment. It really just adds to the psychedelic rock vibes this album already gives on its own. Breathe is probably one of my favorite songs on the album just because it makes me feel like I'm floating on air or drifting through it in a haze w

  As a huge fan of the doors, I'm super excited to do this week's blog post on them! I actually didn't even expect to see them on this week's list so when I did I decided to do another one of their songs which I think is much better than the one given. One of the reasons I like The Doors so much is because of Jim Morrison's lyrical genius and the one-of-the-kind pianist Ray Manzarek whose skill on the keyboard can be heard quite clearly in this song, People are Strange. After the begging of the first verse of lyrics, the keyboard comes in and instantly makes the song a great and catchy one. I feel like it's the keys of the lyrics that are the best part of this song because they're both so unique and instantly recognizable. As I said before, one of the best things about The Doors is their lyrics and that is all due to Jim Morrison, the band's lead singer, songwriter, and poet. Jim Morrison actually went to UCLA, earned a degree, and was even recorded to h

  I actually listened to this song many times before this class, so as soon as I saw it on the list for this week's blog post I immediately chose it. It's Not for Me to Say is such a lovely song, with Mathis' vocals definitely being the best part of it. However, that doesn't mean it's the only good part about the song. The piano, slow bass and guitar, and strings that introduce the song really set it apart as well. In fact, If I were to hear just two seconds of the piano intro I would immediately know what song was playing. It has such a nostalgic and perhaps even melancholy feel to it, especially with the message in the lyrics. He sings about how he can't say whether the person he loves shares his love and wants to stay because he doesn't know what the future holds; they may never meet again but, it's not for him to say what's going to happen so he's going to enjoy it while it lasts. This song deserves to be heard and appreciated by all ages bec

 I am so glad we're talking about Nat "King" Cole! Thanks to my parents, I've been introduced to King since I was younger and always enjoyed his music. As one of the most popular crooners of his era, he certainly has many amazing songs that allowed him to earn his reputation, but Unforgettable is probably one of his most popular other than L-O-V-E which was released after the time period we're in at the moment. Nevertheless, Unforgettable is still quite, unforgettable. Pun intended. It begins with its instantly recognizable piano intro followed by King's soft, smooth vocals that are backed up by beautiful strings throughout the whole song, giving it a sort of dreamy feel.  My favorite part of this song is King's voice and the lyrics. He sings about how unforgettable the person he loves is, like a catchy love song that clings to him, the mere thought of them stirring his emotions. The best part of the lyrics, however, is when he says that the person he love