Since it’s the last days of the holidays, I want to do something less serious.

So even though I’ve already done my post on the practices of the middle class, you won’t see it now. I’m going to talk about music – looking at songs which I like.

So here they are, in no particular order…

Collide – Howie Day

Whataya Want From Me – Adam Lambert

Crush – David Archuleta

Touch My Hand – David Archuleta

A little too not over you – David Archuleta

Somebody out there – David Archuleta

She Says – Howie Day

For Your Entertainment – Adam Lambert

If I had You – Adam Lambert

No Boundaries – Adam Lambert

Time For Miracles – Adam Lambert

Heartless – Kris Allen

And many others that I don’t have the time to talk about.

So let’s start.

Collide:

A beautiful song – one of the best ever released this decade. The lyrics are one thing, the music is one. I’ve got a couple of favourite lines in there:

“I found I’m scared to know I’m always on your mind;

Even the best fall down some times,
Even the stars refuse to shine,
Out of the back you fall in time,
You somehow find,
You and I, collide.”

My favourite line – “Even the stars refuse to shine”. I think it’s absolutely beautiful.

And the music – the tone is simply perfect. Matched with Day’s pure voice and extremely comfortable transitions to falsetto, the song is a phenomenon.
Whataya Want From Me:

My favourite song from Lambert, a favourite artist. The song epitomizes his personality and sheer dynamicism – from slightly slow and mellow tones to his trademark high and powerful notes. The lyrics aren’t too bad too – they do reflect the dilemmas and emotions of a homosexual artist in a rather homophobic consumer world.

Crush:

Even though Archuleta’s fame rose quite a while ago, I admit I’ve only recently picked up his songs. And I don’t regret it, because I believe he really is a great, young talented singer. I shan’t talk too much about the lyrics, which are entirely about teenage love and infatuation; but rather he uses his voice to completely hammer his message in; no one would not empathize. This song is also one he showcases his wonderful falsetto – in the chorus, the parts he breaks into his falsetto are magical.

Touch My Hand:

The next highest charted song of Archie’s, after Crush. Lyrics are once again about a painful desire and infatuation to connect with someone he sees during a concert. In this case, he exploits his awesome falsetto again; in the chorus, he uses it to show the painful desire by using his falsetto to sing “It’ll all be over and I’ll never get the chance again”. It is painfully ironic that this song is in such a cheerful major key; yet it is this use of the major key that really gives it the touch of desire and pain that is written in the lyrics.

And one epic moment in the song – when Archie hits a 2-bar long high note with his falsetto, as the climax of a build-up after his second chorus. It’s… indescribable!

A little too not over you:

A song I was surprised did not garner better results. It is perfect for Archie to sing – with long notes that he can win us over with his delightfully strained voice and magical falsetto.

Somebody out there:

Yes it’s another Archie song. I absolutely love the guitar in the background! And the chorus is… painfully beautiful. Especially when he goes “I’d give anything if only you knew it was me,” it never fails to make me tear a bit.

She Says:

Lyrics typically of Day – rooted in a relationship. It’s quite saddening, and once again it’s smooth voice and smooth and wonderful transition to falsetto that wins me over.
For Your Entertainment:

A powerful song with bondage(?) themed lyrics, by Lambert, for which he gave a rather controversial performance… but I shan’t talk too much about that. In any case, the tune is addictively catchy, and the chorus is so powerful and infective that it never fails to make you want to sing or move along. Once again Lambert exhibits his sheer vocal power.

If I Had You:

A song with a highly infective dose of energy! The drums at the star bring you right in the beat, and he starts the song fast. The tune is catchy, and Lambert is always smiling substantially when he sings this song. And I like the lyrics – happiness comes from love, instead of “money, fame and fortune”!

No Boundaries:

A song criticized for being overtly filled with clichés, and of which I agree, Lambert manages to garner some praises for his version, while Kris Allen doesn’t get anything. With his explosive vocals, he transforms this into a powerful ballad that never fails to blow me away, especially at the high parts.

Time For Miracles:

At the start, it seems like a slow song, but at the climax, the high, strong notes that Lambert belts out effortlessly are absolutely mind-blowing. His voice is almost synonymous with the electric guitar at that time, and that’s how powerful it is.

Heartless (Kris Allen cover):

A song I considerably liked, and I included it to talk about Allen’s ability to do amazing covers. This was a phenomenal cover: a lot better than Kanye West’s original rapped version. The musical rendition of the rapped parts conveys the heartbreak emotion a lot better than the original version. Allen’s cover of OneRepublic’s Apologize is also wonderful; it managed to hit me right in the heart.

These are definitely not the only songs I like; there are a few others, including those that are still done by Lambert, Day and Archuleta, of whom you would have seen by now, are my favourite artistes.

And tomorrow, all hell will resume.

So tonight I will drown myself in music before darkness in a world of silence can scream out at me again.

**

Mitch Albom (2009)

Have a Little faith

"Now, that child," he said, "reminds me of something that our sages taught. When a baby comes into the world, its hands are clenched, right? Like this?"

He made a fist.

"Why? Because a baby, not knowing any better, wants to grab everything, to say, 'The while world is mine.'

"But when an old person dies, how does he do so? With his hands open. Why? Because he has learned the lesson."

What lesson? I asked.

He stretched open his empty fingers.

"We can take nothing with us."

**

Stars refusing to shine tonight,
Apparitions in the flickering darkness of light;

Silent screams heralding an arrival,
Reincarnation of a long lost survival;

Unseen tears falling from the lone bird that flies,
Unheard words embracing a lost goodbye.