Pack Up & Neon Rainbow.

For 20 year old Mandy Grainger, two songs just simply make her smile..

She explains:

"I've got loads of personal songs but Eliza Doolittle - Pack Up and (it's a bit old) The Box Tops - Neon Rainbow never fail to make me smile" :)


Thankyou for sharing your songs, Mandy! 
- Great choices!!

Make sure you check out the videos below!

xx

Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape.

For Michael Dolan, a 20 year old Drama student, Underoath's 'Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape' reminds him of his religion...

He simply adds:

"Whenever I feel out of touch with religion I listen to it. 

And feel the strength of religious beliefs again"

Again, heavily biased over here...

But I love this song ^.^


Thankyou for sharing your song, Mike! :)

Check out the song if you haven't heard it..

(I highly recommend you do!)

xx

**Picture on the left taken from here. © Ally Jade

Heal Over.

For Hana Piranha, a student studying Music, Heal Over comforts her when faced with difficult times.

"Hi, I’m Hana and I study music at Westminster University. It’s really hard to pick one particular song that really means a lot to me, as I have so many songs I love. 

However, I would say the song that has been the most useful for me in difficult and emotional situations is Heal Over by KT Tunstall. I love KT Tunstall because she’s really doing her bit for girls in the music industry – she's not only a great singer, but she's also a fantastic guitarist and songwriter. 

Heal Over was written probably for one particular person, but it applies to anyone who’s going through a hard time, letting you know that everything’s eventually going to be okay and for the meantime, KT’s here to comfort you. :) I put Heal Over on whenever I'm having guy trouble or just feeling sad and it really feels like a good mate's come over with chocolate and facemasks! It’s a really beautiful, soothing song and listening to it is just like a big warm hug."

I'm a huge fan of KT Tunstall and I love all her music.

..So I'm definitely biased when I agree and say that this song is a good choice :)

& I love your description of how the song makes you feel :)

(But again, I'm biased! Aha!)

Thankyou for sharing your song, Hana! :)

Before you go/check out the song..

 Make sure you check out Hana's blog HERE!

She's done a couple of sweet covers :)

Check out the song below...

Thanks for reading ^_^

xx

Gouge Away.

For 21 year old Commercial Music Performance student Steve Goddard, 'Gouge Away' has not only inspired him to start a band but also brings back great memories.

"I don't really have a song that saved my life, but there are a couple of songs that bring back good memories and made me start writing music etc.


I am 21 and I study Music at Westminster University, and the song that brings back the best memories for me is 'Gouge Away' by The Pixies. The reason I love this song is not only is it a really great tune, it was this song that inspired me and my two best friends to start a band. I had already been playing guitar for a year at this stage, but we were all sat at my friends house getting drunk and my 2 friends decided that we should start a band and play songs like this one. So this song always brings good thoughts and memories whenever I listen to it."

(I agree this song is such a tune!)

Thankyou Steve for sharing your song! :)

Check out the video below..

xx

Greatest.

So I had the huge privilege of seeing Lady Gaga last Friday at the O2.

She was nothing short of amazing! 

Probably one of the best performances I have ever witnessed!

Anyway, I'd just like to share a song with you that makes me smile. This song isn't featured on any of her albums or singles. As it hasn't been released before it is still 'demo quality' (so I apologize - it's not amazing).

The song is called Greatest. I have no idea nor have I been able to find the true meaning behind the song but the reason why I have chosen to include this song in my blog is because of these lyrics:

"I don't know why you hurt inside
Or what was said to make you cry
I hope that you can see you are
The Greatest thing to me

And when, you're feeling like you're not enough

I'll give you wings; I'll lift you up

I hope that you can see you are the greatest

Greatest thing to me."


These lyrics always make me feel better on a bad day :)


As cliche as the lyrics appear, they still speak to anyone who is unhappy. Because the cause of the person's distress has not been identified.


I like this initial uncertainty portrayed by Gaga as I feel the song can provide general comfort to pretty much anyone having a bad time!  

Check out the song below!

P.S Happy Christmas Everyone!
Hope you have a good'un!


& I'll be back just after the New Year to post another story!

xx

Turn It Up.

For 20 year old Fashion student Lucy Monaghan, Turn It Up is definitely one of her favorites!

"For me this song by Robots In Disguise just spells out that feeling you get when you crave the sound of good music. 

"I woke up weak today and needing your voice
Crawled into the speakers and turned up the volume
Felt so sick today but cured by your noise
My head in the speakers is drowning out volumes…"

"Cured by your noise" just shows how music can heal or cure a broken soul, or turn around a crap day. 

"Turn it up turn me on" - this part of the chorus demonstrates that music is like your best lover, who never lets you down" :)

Thank you for sharing your song Lucy!
Lucy also has her own blog. Check it out here.

I heard this song a while back and I liked it ever since! Good choice! 

Dunno if you've heard their song DIY? That's probably my favorite from them :)

Anyway, check out the video for Turn It Up below!

xx

If We Never Go Inside.

For 21 year old Ursula Sam, the song that always makes her feel better is 'If We Never Go Inside'.

She explains:

"My favorite song is by Alkaline Trio and is from their Good Mourning album. The song is called 'If We Never Go Inside.' The first time I heard this song it instantly caught my attention! Every time I hear it I always tend to smile. My favorite lyrics are:

'A train appeared in town last night. 

For some of us it changed our lives.' 

It's Simple and brilliant and also reminds me of the start of a good book!"

Check out the song below! :)

I hadn't heard this song before you brought it to my attention but I really like Alkaline Trio.
Their album 'Crimson' is definitely my favorite :)
Good choice!


xx

Sober.

For 20 year old Primary Education student Autumn Brandon, out of the long list of songs she loves - 'Sober' means the most to her.

"I have a LONG list of songs that pick me up when I am down or just bring back memories of some great times but I think a song that holds deep meaning for me at the moment is 'Sober' by Pink off of her Funhouse album.

To me it speaks about being the person everyone knows to be the life and soul of the party, always merry and up for a laugh but really deep down they surround themselves with noise and people to escape their reality - "the quiet scares me 'cause it screams the truth".

This song helped me to reflect on myself as a person and realise things about myself that I like as well as things I don't like and want to change. It has also given me strength to move onwards and upwards when life hasn't ran as smoothly as it could." :)

Thankyou Autumn for sharing your song! :)


Although I hadn't heard this song before today (shameful I know) 
I will probably be adding it to my 'bad day playlist' very soon!

Check out the video below :)

Thanks for reading :) xx

Firework. (Revisited)

So exactly a month ago I posted about the song 'Firework' by Katy Perry as it was Guy Fawkes Night. Click here to read the post.

But for 19 year old Lauren Matthews, this song has helped her a lot lately.

She explains:

"These lyrics have really helped me recently:

"Do you ever feel like a plastic bag

Drifting through the wind

 Wanting to start again

Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin

 Like a house of cards

One blow from caving in

Do you ever feel already buried deep 

Six feet under screams 

But no one seems to hear a thing

Do u know that there's still a chance for you 

Cause theres a spark in you 

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"

I still love this song and I think the lyrics are so inspirational :)

Which you can see for yourself!

Thankyou Lauren for sharing your song :)

xx

Every You Every Me.

For 20 year old Robert Jones, a 3rd year History student; Every You Every Me is his favorite song.

"I don't have much of story to tell I'm afraid, but Every You Every Me by Placebo is definitely my favorite song. I can't really describe why, I just love it. It's also helped me through a few bad breakups."

Thanks Rob for sharing your song :)

Check the video out below!

I'm not the biggest fan of Placebo, but I really like this song :)

xx

*Image on the left is taken from http://joesie.deviantart.com © Joesie.

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