Anywhere I Lay My Head.

For George James, a 21 year old Politics student, 'Anywhere I Lay My Head' is the song he turns to on a bad day.

He explains:

"I’ve chosen ‘Anywhere I Lay My Head’ by Tom Waits, the last song on Rain Dogs. Waits’ performance on this song never fails to astonish me; it comes from a place somewhere between despair and madness that I think only he can reach. 

What makes this song important for me is that while it starts off anguished and tormented, it doesn’t stay there. After a harrowing first two minutes the band picks up a spirited march that puts everything before it into a new perspective. So whenever I feel at my worst I like put this song on. 

It doesn’t deny misery – in fact in a way it indulges it - but in the outro it uses that very bad feeling to help you come out the other side. Plenty of songs can reflect my mood, but Anywhere I Lay My Head can take me from one place to the other, and I really value that."

Listen to it here.

Thankyou George for sharing your song! :)

I hadn't heard this song before you brought it to my attention and I must admit the 'major march' at the end was very unexpected for such an emotional song. I think the positive ending certainly made it a better song overall for me, personally. :)

Good choice!

xx

Songs From A Festival.

Amy Wells attended her first festival this year, where she was confronted with a mixture of songs that caught her attention for different reasons..

She explains:

"I went to my first music festival this year, not caring who was playing as I knew I would just have a blast anyway. But out of all the bands I saw, there were a few songs played that really caught me from ear to heart:

You and your Hand by P!nk 

I've lost count of how many times I listened to this after an ex had just messed with my head. Click here to watch the video.

Bohemian Rhapsody by Newton Faulkner (cover)

Newton Faulkner did a Bohemian Rhapsody cover, I love the original classic (by Queen) but it's seriously the most epic feeling hearing everyone sing to a song that you all know with only the backing of Newton's guitar - it was just fantastic. Click here to listen.

The Best Is Yet To Come by Hinder

This is probably in my top ten of 'life songs', every time I go on holiday I always listen to Hinder (and admittedly Fall out boy, Blink 182 and Panic! At The Disco) and it just reminds me of how all the mistakes you make in life are all okay because the best parts of life are just waiting round the corner to come at the right time because you're going to get hurt but everything will all work out in the end no matter what happens. Click here to listen.

Some other favorites include:

Amy Macdonald's 'This is the Life' click.

& Skunk Anansie's 'Weak As I am'  click.

I've always believed that music can change people's lives and I think people should remember to try to make the most of life because it's a gift"

Thanks for sharing some of your favorites Amy :)

Also, can I just take this time to apologise for not updating in like 2 weeks!

 I've been really busy with performances, song writing and planning my dissertation..

 Anyway, I'm back now :)

Thanks for reading!

xx

You Raise Me Up.

For Margaret Smith, the song that means the most to her is 'You Raise Me Up.'

She shares her story:

"The song that can have me weeping but has such wonderful memories is Josh Groban's 'You Raise Me Up' from the album Awake. 

The first time I heard this was in my brother's car driving around Queensland, Australia with my mum. It really touched my emotions deep down to my soul. The words have a deeper meaning with regards to my Mum giving me a good standing in life and giving me the strength to being able to face up to all adversities that life throws at me.

I know it helps me sort out problems because if I am down - when I play the song it invokes those fabulous memories of my time with my Mum and makes me strong again even though it makes me cry for all sorts of reasons.

Earlier this year I attended a Westlife concert and they sung their version of it and it got right in to my soul once more but with happier notes attached if you know what I mean."

For once I don't really have much to say on the song as EVERYONE knows this song! I've heard it at almost every funeral I've been to. But I think the song itself can be interpreted in different ways - the main way being a celebration of that person who has raised you up, whether their a parent or a friend or anyone who has influenced your life for the better.

I can't say I'm the biggest fan of Josh Groban, but that aside, I AM a fan of any lyrics that can give people strength and light up their days.

Thankyou so much Margaret for sharing your song & story :)

Here's the live version of the song!

"You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains. 

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas.

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders.

You raise me up. 

To more than I can be."

xx

Let The Flames Begin.

So I went to another gig last night!

(At the O2 again aha!)

Yep. PARAMORE!

Woah. Were they amazing?

HECK . YES!

So, that was my 7th time seeing them and they've definitely gotta be my favorite band.

I've followed their music since like 2005? And I find that on bad days their music just makes me smile. (As cliche as that sounds.) If you don't know who I'm on about - they're an American pop/rock band from Franklin, Tennesse - fronted with female vocals. (Hayley Williams, who you might recognise from her recent collaboration with new rapper B.O.B on the song Airplanes).

Anyway, enough about the gig and how awesome they are ha!

I want to share my favorite song by them which I thought would fit nicely here!

It's gotta be Let The Flames Begin.

And surprisingly, I prefer the live version to the version on the album! 

You'll find it on the CD/DVD of 'The Final Riot!'

Gah it's immense!

The song is quite spiritual, as it partially references 'God' and 'Glory'.

Although the real meaning of the song is unclear to me, for me I think the general message is that there is always hope, even when something goes wrong; just have faith. You should never give up. And finally, stand up for yourself and what you believe!


These lyrics generally inspire a good mood:

"Somewhere weakness is our strength,
And I'll die searching for it.
I can't let myself regret such selfishness.
My pain and all the trouble caused,
No matter how long
I believe that there's hope
Buried beneath it all and
Hiding beneath it all, and
Growing beneath it all, and...

This is how we'll dance when,
When they try to take us down
This is how we'll sing it.
This is how we'll stand when
When they burn our houses down.
This is what will be.
Oh, glory."

Check out the video below!

P.S I'll begin posting YOUR stories again from tomorrow.
Thanks for reading!
 x X x

Leave Out All The Rest.

Just wanted to share with you another favorite song of mine.

As I went to see Linkin Park last night who were pretty amazing!

Although I'm not a fan of their new stuff...

Anyway, I just wanted to share with you one of their songs that has spoken to me on bad days and provided me with unexpected hope.

That song is Leave Out All The Rest.

I think the song is about trying to be a better person. Asking for help to be better not only for self-reassurance but also for when the time comes to leave the world, there's 'reasons to be missed.' 

The lyrics: 'I'm strong on the surface, not all the way through' are relevant to me and I wonder how many people can admit these relate to them too!

Leave out all the rest in my opinion is a term for all the negativity in the world. 

When I listen to it, I always think of it like that which tends to inspire me to be optimistic and try and make the most of life. As well as trying to be the best person I can be :)

Here's the video
& scroll down for the lyrics :)

I dreamed I was missing

You were so scared

But no one would listen

Cause no one else cared

After my dreaming
I woke with this fear
What am I leaving
When I'm done here

So if you're asking me
I want you to know

When my time comes
Forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some
Reasons to be missed

And don't resent me
And when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory

Leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest

Don't be afraid
I've taken my beating
I've shed but I made

I'm strong on the surface
Not all the way through
I've never been perfect
But neither have you

So if you're asking me
I want you to know

Forgetting
All the hurt inside
You've learned to hide so well

Pretending
Someone else can come and save me from myself
I can't be who you are

When my time comes
Forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some
Reasons to be missed

Don't resent me
And when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory

Leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest


xx

Hafsol.

Sasha Anders, a 21 year old Exams Officer finds comfort in 'Hafsol'.

"The song I have chosen is 'Hafsol' by Sigur Ros. It's a relatively new song. I could have gone for something much older and seeded deeper in my music taste, but Sigur Ros are a band that I'd see as many times as I would get the chance. I wouldn't ever get tired or bored of them. Their songs, sets and performances make me tingle, and make the hairs on my neck stand on end. The same euphoric feeling you get from seeing someone you've missed, or simply cannot live without.

I can't say this song has saved my life, but every time I hear it, it brings back a hundred happy memories." :)

The thing that I love about Sigur Ros is how they mostly sing in 'Hopelandic' - which is basically gibberish. But what this allows us as listeners to do is listen and

derive our own meanings from the unspoken words and melodies.

- And that opens the music up to a whole new level of interpretation, which I find really fascinating!

I hadn't heard this song before you brought it to my attention, but I'm sure I'm gonna have to pop it on my iPod in a bit :) 

Thankyou Sasha for sharing your song! :)

Check the song out below, all 9 minutes and 47 seconds of it!

I think it's great! & LOL at the random cats in the video (It's not the official video)

xx

Bonkers & Hospital Beds.

For 21 year old Mk Angelo King, two songs have really helped him out in the past couple of years. Them both being cover versions of 'Hospital Beds' and 'Bonkers'.

"Starting with a song that saved my life, which I just happened to find one day when my Mp3 player was on shuffle - Florence And The Machine's cover of Hospital Beds (Cold War Kids Cover). 

As I was in and out of the doctors and hospitals last year (and going into surgery soon) this song helped me pull through (and still does). The song takes me back to laying there being thrown everything you wish you'd never hear by a doctor. The guy in the cubical next to me told me it was okay and fueled me with optimism about my health - a stranger someone i didnt know really helped me out. These lyrics of the song relate to how it was:

"I've got one friend, laying across from me. 

I did not choose him, he did not choose me.

We've got no chance of recovery.

Laying in hospital, joy and misery" 

These lyrics just made me believe i could be okay. 

As well as this I believe there are people out there and of course music (in general) that can help pull you through when you have no strength!

Another song that is generally a 'Happy Song' is the King Blues' version of 'Bonkers' (Dizzee Rascal Cover). 

After I split with my ex last year, I went to the Godiva Festival and saw them there. I thoroughly enjoyed myself for the first time in months and they were great! 

And now every time I hear that song it just makes me dance, sing and just generally makes me happy" :)

Woah, I'm really liking that Florence & The Machine cover :)

It's also nice that you can identify with the cover versions and not the actual originals! 

And I'd just like to point out how once again an important song has been identified by the famous 'shuffle' on an Mp3 player - which is really interesting! 

And finally I'm glad everything is working out for you and music has helped/is helping you overcome tough times.

Thankyou Mk for sharing your story and songs :)

Make sure you check out the songs below!

xx

The Remedy.

For fellow BMUS Commercial Music Performance Student, Emmanuel Folorunso - his favorite song is 'The Remedy.'

He explains:

"This song, 'The Remedy' by Ayiesha Woods allows me to free my mind easily. When I listen to the lyrics they make sense to me and remind me what life and everything is about."

I hadn't heard this song before you brought it to my attention but I really like it!

Songs like this that provide hope really make me smile :)

Anyway, I love the lyrics from the chorus:

Free your mind 

And the peace of God will follow 

Just give yourself a little time 

Don't worry 'bout tomorrow

Thanks Emmanuel for sharing your song :)

& please check his band out on facebook HERE.

Myspace HERE & his blog HERE :)

& Check out the song below!

xx

Firework.

So it's Guyfawkes Night! - It felt appropriate to write about Katy Perry's 'Firework' :)

So we all saw the less-than-flattering performance on X Factor.. 
But I'm not going to sit here and talk about how I don't like Katy Perry or whatever most people do on the internet nowadays because to be honest I'm a bit of a fan. And not to mention that this song 'Firework', personally gets me motivated and makes me smile, (especially on a bad day). :)

Anyway, I happened to be looking through Youtube and found 'the story behind Firework' which has made me respect Katy even more.

Check it out :)

"I think that in life people are challenged to get to where they wanna be, to reach their goals. And hopefully they can hear this song and find out that those challenges aren't really difficult to get past."

          Katy Perry

The lyrics in particular are very simple yet inspiring. Not to mention the instrumentation - where the strings and quirky synths make it much more interesting than the typical happy 'pop song'.

Here are my favorite lyrics from the song:

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag?
Drifting through the wind
Wanting to start again


- - -


You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July


Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth


Boom Boom Boom
Even Brighter than the 
Moon Moon Moon


If you're unfamiliar with the song?
 I think you should listen & watch the video now :)!




Not only is this one of my favorite songs at the moment but I think it's capable of making you feel better on a bad day :)


Thanks for reading :) xx

You Can Go Your Own Way.

For 21 year old Beth Hamer, the song that really helped her through a rough time was 'You Can Go Your Own Way.'

(Wow. I want to go there)

She explains:

"A song that has really helped me is Fleetwood Mac's You Can Go Your Own Way. When my boyfriend of a year and a half split up with me, it gave me hope. I'd listen to it and it would make me feel strong. Make me feel like i could actually get through the situation."

Thankyou Beth for sharing your story! :)

I really like the lyrics / melody of the chorus:

You can go your own way

You can call it another lonely day

Not only is it really catchy but also more importantly, the emotion of the song is clearly present! :)

Check the song out below!

xx