For once, I'm actually writing about music without any other agenda other than to do just that. I received quite a few messages off people saying they'd like for me to write about songs I wish I could listen to for the first time again. To be honest, I wasn't going to write this one as I still cannot decide on just a few, I think the list is far too long and I will absolutely forget the most important ones! Still, it's good and probably helpful to keep a record of them, so I'll try my best..
I'm racking my brain wondering where to begin, and I think it's probably with Lauryn Hill.. to absolutely nobody's surprise. For me, this is divided, as I knew Doo Wop (that thing) but didn't realise it was her until I started listening to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. As you can imagine I was absolutely delighted to discover more of what made my toes tap, and hearing 'Nothing Even Matters' did just that for me. I was on a train, I think I was maybe fifteen, and it came on shuffle of some random playlist. Nothing exciting, nothing really special, but the journey was easily an hour or so, and I remember putting it on loop just to hear it all over again. I think it's so easy to listen to a song too many times, get bored and then remember it when you're older, but I can quite happily say that at least four of those songs are always in my 'on repeat' playlist on Spotify. Although that one isn't the most interesting story, I had to mention it, my friends would kill me if I didn't since I do a (probably very insulting) version of it all the time.
For my second one, I'll go for something that's been more recent, and helpful. 'Heavenly' by Cigarettes After Sex is the sort of song that you lay and stare at the ceiling to. In an ever dramatic fashion, I did just that. I was feeling a bit rubbish, and wanted to avoid feeling bad, but I stumbled across it on some instagram story and thought I'd give it a listen. It's mellow, and sad, enough that you'll think about whatever you're avoiding, but not so much that you feel like you can't get back up. I'd love to listen to it for the first time again, I think that feeling of 'Oh, maybe I can be sad and slow at the same time' was something I really needed to figure out. To be honest, it was sort of nice to not feel completely overwhelmed by something that would typically be considered as powerful.
On the other hand, I don't really want to talk about songs that have changed my perception of things or whatever, because it feels important to acknowledge that some songs are good songs, because that's what they are. It doesn't have to be deep or important, they can just be genuinely great. 'Sticky' by Ravyn Lenae is what people who like the word groovy would call groovy, I don't so we'll settle on bold, and raunchy, and maybe intimidating. I love it, and when I heard it for the first time, I immediately played the intro before I got to the end of the song. For me, that's when I know I genuinely appreciate something, because I'm already hooked. It's already got me, and there's some weird desperation to hear that part again, even though I haven't discovered all of it yet. I remember being shouted at in the car by one of my friend's, I'd played it over and over, to the point where it was probably a lot if you didn't love it. I didn't get this at the time so all I could say was 'Why though? It's good', and I like that approach. If it's good, then why not, Sticky is one of my favourites at the moment. It's so weird, and it makes you feel really confident. I fully believe hearing that made my day better, so it has to go in.
Unfortunately for me, I should probably stop typing. I hate reading long posts and it's frustrating because I always have too much to say. There will probably be a few posts like this one, I'm far too stubborn to have these as my chosen three. I'll put a playlist up at some point, take care and stay safe!!
Love and thanks,
Charl :)