Certainly this song is pretty much written about a toxic relationship between two people. It tells the tale of someone holding power over someone else for some time, though the narrator eventually realizes that it's time to break free of this control. I love the message behind this song, and use it as a great motivational workout song. In the case of pushing yourself during your session, the "enemy" is the pain or soreness you feel when you are exercising. There are many instances when you try to tell yourself that you've done enough, that you can cut your workout short. That's when you have to decided that you're not going to let that "power" hold you anymore. My favorite lyric in this song goes "Pain, just synapses firing." If you can remember that, then you can remind yourself that you have the ability to overcome your own doubts. You can hold the "Power."
Canadian Christian Rock band Thousand Foot Krutch has been another one of my favorite bands for awhile now. I actually discovered this song on EA Sports' NHL '10 (that should give you an idea of how long I've liked this song), which led me to the discovery of the band itself. If you'd really like to feel old, Thousand Foot Krutch has been making music since 1995, so only two years less than I've been alive! "Fire It Up" is one those songs that can really get your blood pumping from start to finish. For me, the intro sets the mood, and then the guitars really kick in and make you want to jam out. Somebody needs to fire it up according to the chorus, and in the sense of working out, you're trying to fire yourself up. It's not the easiest thing in the world to motivate yourself sometimes, so having a song that's setting the mood for your workout session can be a big help. So, if you need a little extra motivation, let Thousand Foot Krutch fire you up for your next workout!
Hey y'all! Obviously, this blog got neglected over the last few months. I had a lot of changes going on: a new job which meant moving to a new state. I now feel settled in from all these changes, and am ready to get back to posting about great music!
I have recommitted myself to focusing on my personal health by getting back into the gym and losing weight. In honor of this, I have decided to dedicate this upcoming month to songs off of my workout playlist! I know that everyone has their own way of getting themselves hyped up to workout, music included. However, I hope that you may find one or two of my songs good enough to add to your sessions!
Imagine Dragons is a band that I first discovered (as I'm sure everyone did) by their first hit single "Radioactive" (which is also on my playlist). I'm a proud owner of the Night Visions album, and that allowed me to find what I consider to be a hidden gem: "Tiptoe". It follows right after "Radioactive" on the album, and, in my opinion, fits perfectly into the track listing there. This was one of the many songs that I played on repeat, which is why it probably found its way onto my workout playlist. According to the Genius description, "Tiptoe" is supposed to be a song about the narrator scoring a "victory over something momentous, despite not being recognized by others." I think this is a great description if you really analyze the lyrics. The narrator is "tiptoeing higher", sneaking past the competition. There's also multiple mentions of flying off the radar. The part of the song that really gets me going is the bridge, when he repeats "nobody else can take me higher." It's great motivation while pushing yourself that nobody else is going to get you to your workout goals, whatever they may be. You have to be the one to get yourself there. Maybe you'll decide "Tiptoe" will help motivate you to tiptoe past your exercise goals.
Another icon film series is Rocky. Everyone knows the story of Sylvester Stallone playing the famed fictional boxer, always facing some new adversity with each movie. While Rocky III was not the most successful film in the series, it did provide us with a few iconic items, including today's song selection. The soundtrack to the film reached #15 on the Billboard 200. "Eye of the Tiger" was the main featured song on the soundtrack, and was the theme song for the third installment of this series. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards. As far as charts are concerned, it reached the top spot of the Billboard 100, as well as #1 in 8 other countries. It finished on the year end chart in the U.S. at #2. It still appears on various international and digital charts today, proving that its popularity has not dwindled all that much. One other side note about the movie in general is that his was the Rocky film that gave us the statue that resides in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum. I hope you'll enjoy today's selection.
If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here
There seems to be few things the filmmakers in Hollywood love more than to imagine all the potential doomsday scenarios out there. Whether they're realistic or unrealistic, they never miss a chance to destroy the earth in all sorts of ways. Armageddon is one of those movies. It was directed by Michael Bay, who has a reputation of producing blockbuster films with lots of action. While it is not the most scientifically accurate film in terms of a catastrophe like this, it was still the highest grossing film of 1998. The soundtrack featured a few well known bands, including today's selection. "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" was written by Aerosmith specifically for this film. It reached the top of both the American and Canadian album charts during 1998. Aerosmith was selected to record this song after Steven Tyler's daughter, Liv, was selected as a cast member for the film. It was Aerosmith's first #1 hit, and remained atop the charts for four weeks. Hopefully you don't miss a thing today with this post.
If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here
I am confident to say that most of you have probably seen or at least heard of the movie Forrest Gump. It's one of my favorite films, and it's regarded as a classic by most in the cinema industry. The soundtrack is one that does a great job of choosing songs that go along with the times or events featured in the movie. It reached #2 on the Billboard 200, and ended at 88 on the Billboard 200 chart of the decade. There seems to be something about soundtracks that primarily use old songs that bring out a bit of nostalgia. I feel like it allows people to rediscover their love for songs they had forgotten about. We've seen this with the Guardians of the Galaxy series, and Forrest Gump is similar. "Fortunate Son" specifically is the poster child protest song of the Vietnam War Era. It is in the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress as being historically and culturally relevant. Today's post is a perfect combination of a classic movie with a classic song.
If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here
Top Gun is another movie from the 1980s that is beloved by many. "Danger Zone" is a song that almost everyone recognizes, and it is thanks to the movie. The soundtrack to the movie was #1 on Billboard's chart for 5 weeks, and was the best selling soundtrack of 1986. With four songs breaking into Billboard's Top 100 chart that year, it makes sense. "Danger Zone" peaked at #2 on the chart, while "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin made it to #1. "Take My Breath Away" won Best Original Song both at the Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards. An interesting fact about today's song is that multiple other musical artists were approached to do "Danger Zone." All declined for various reasons, before it was decided that Kenny Loggins would be the one to do it. The song was in the top 15 of seven worldwide charts, and finished at #42 on Billboard's year end chart for 1986. The music video, according to MuchMusic network, was described by the U.S. Navy as "one of the best recruiting tools ever." I can guarantee that most of you have probably felt yourself naturally singing this song when you feel as though you're doing something dangerous. Take the time to step into the "Danger Zone" today.
If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here
Purple Rain, the film, was a semi autobiographical film with Prince as the main character. The album of the same name was the soundtrack for the movie, and is considered not only the greatest work created by Prince, but also one of the greatest albums of all time. It had two songs reach #1 on the charts, including today's song selection. The soundtrack has been certified platinum 13 times, and as of 2008, was the third best selling soundtrack album of all time. Following Prince's death, the album ascended back up to #2 on the Billboard 200. Previously, it had stayed atop the charts for 24 weeks straight back when it was released, and stayed in the top 10 for a total of 32 straight weeks. "When Doves Cry" is noted for its lack of bass. According to Genius, this was a choice of Prince, as to make it sound "like something's missing." The song itself was inspired by his relationship with Vanity 6 member Susan Moonsie. Enjoy one of the more popular Prince songs of all time, off of the most popular Prince album of all time.
If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here
Today we take a trip to Mexico to profile one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Carlos Santana. Santana has been showcasing his guitar talent with his band for over four decades. He started out playing in legendary places such as The Fillmore, and even performed at the legendary Woodstock Festival in 1969. He's the winner of 10 Grammy Awards, including 9 for a single project, Supernatural, which is where today's classic song comes from. 1998 brought their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH. With the release of an album in 2014, he became just one of two Billboard artists to produce a top 10 album for 6 consecutive decades. I could go on and on with all of the prestigious awards and honors that Santana has collected throughout his career. However, I think his music speaks for itself. A lot of his songs, no matter which decade they are from, are well known and recognizable fairly quickly. Aside from a fantastic music career, Santana has also been an active philanthropist, especially in donating to various children's foundations. Santana has emerged as both a legendary musician and a wonderful human being, and I encourage you to take the time to listen to some of his classics.
If you're looking for a band to really rock out to, than may I introduce you to Kaleo. They are a rock band with a blues sound hailing from Iceland. Their debut album A/B showcases their unique sound. According to the band's website, this album is inspired by vinyl records of old, where there were two sides to the record. Each side of of the vinyl allowed the artist to put on display different sides of their musical talent. Kaleo approaches their album the same way, with the front half filled with that blues rock sound, while the back half is filled with softer ballads. "No Good" is a representation of that blues rock sound, and it is also the opener to the album. It's a great way to start off a pretty great album. I did get to see Kaleo in person at the Firefly Music festival last summer, and they are just as impressive live. I highly encourage you to check out this group from Iceland.
If you want to learn more about them, check out their website
I'm sure most people would recognize Queen for a few other more famous hits. However, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" was actually on top of the US charts for a period of time in the early 1980s. According to Genius, it's a tribute to Elvis Presley and the "Rockabilly" era of rock and roll. The chords and the feel of the rhythm certainly reflect that. Based on the lyrics, the narrator of this song has this girl that he has feelings for. He's convinced himself he's just not ready for it yet, "hitchin' a ride on his motorbike until he's ready for it." The title is most appropriate because love is crazy in the sense that it can come out of nowhere and make us do lots of things we may never thought we would. Enjoy this hit track from the 80s!
This seems like the classic romantic moment. A musician likes you so much that he or she decides to write a song about you. There are only a few romantic acts that would top that in my opinion. Unfortunately, there is no happy ending for "Hey There Delilah." While it is certainly a cute love song about loving someone, even if it's a long distance relationship, the singer and the girl do not actually get together. According to Genius, Delilah DiCrescenzo is for whom this song is written. She met the lead singer of Plain White T's (Tom Higgenson) while home on break from school in New York City. Higgenson told her he would write a song about her, and showed up a few months later with a CD that included the track "Hey There Delilah." The song was so popular that it was nominated for a Grammy, although it lost. And, while the world now knows that this love song did not work in terms of getting the girl, that doesn't necessarily mean it can't work for you. Enjoy today's selection!
One of the most famous faces of the music industry, "The King" will certainly never fade away so long as music exists. I think I would be remiss if I didn't include "Can't Help Falling In Love" within this month's selections. According to Billboard magazine, this is the 50th most popular wedding song of all time. This soft, smooth ballad is a simple song about not resisting the fact that you're falling in love with someone. Elvis has plenty of popular and well known songs, but this one is one of, if not the most romantic of them. Since this song came off of the album Blue Hawaii, there are nice accompanying Hawaiian rhythms here as well. I encourage you to take the time to sit back and enjoy a classic song from a classic artist, and, if able to, maybe even do a nice slow dance with the object of your affection on this one.
Doing the research for this song brought to light a debate over this song's meaning. Death Cab For Cutie themselves said that this song is essentially about a stalker. However, there are plenty of other people who make the argument that it is just an elegant love song, and that the lyrics have deeper meanings. That side argues that it's essentially a song that is only professing a true, heartfelt love for someone who just needs to give the narrator a chance. However, from the stalker side of it, there is certainly some argument for that given lyrics like "passing outside your window." Some of those lyrics imply that the narrator is simply living in this fantasy inside his own head, one that will never come true. So, why don't you go ahead and give today's song a listen and decide for yourself.
Twin Atlantic is a British alt rock group, and I personally love this song. There are no gimmicks or deep seated meanings in this song. It's pretty straightforward when it comes to talking about someone special. The song talks about "owning the lock and the key to the window of my soul," which is about as romantic as I think it can get. Still, it's a nice, upbeat song and actually not a bad one to jam out to. The music video has a lot going on, yet I find it oddly interesting all the same. Here's to hoping you enjoy this song, and that you may have someone to open your "Heart and Soul" to in February. (Also, enjoy the heavy Scottish accent throughout the whole song!)
Maybe it's cheesy, but with Valentine's Day in the month of February, I figured I would feature a month's worth of love songs. From some old classics, to some newer ballads, love songs have been getting created for decades. Today we start with alt rock band New Politics. They're a group out of Denmark, and tend to be a guilty pleasure of mine. They're song "Tonight You're Perfect" is about that feeling of falling in love. There's some doubt in what you're feeling, but you can't deny it when it becomes strong. To me, that's kind of how this song plays out. In the first verse, the main character isn't sure what to do with these feelings. But, in the second verse, there's no doubt that what he's feeling is real. And that is when he comes to this conclusion that in that moment, his love is perfect. And, hopefully you'll find some perfection in this song too. Happy February, and enjoy!
P.S. I've decided to start posting links to the lyrics of the posted songs. I'll continue to use Genius.com as that website often provides some meanings behind the lyrics.
Hands Like Houses is a band that I discovered at my first Warped Tour in 2013. I've been hooked ever since. At my third Warped Tour, I had the pleasure of not only hearing them again, but getting to meet them. They're a great group of guys, and my signed poster is one of my prized possessions. I first heard "I Am" while I was in London, and immediately loved it. It also left me not so patiently anticipating their next album. To me, the lyrics to this song are all about taking action, especially in your life and in this world. The song talks of those people who don't try to make a difference when they easily could. Then there's the narrator, who vows to do more than just sit idly by. I've always kind of viewed myself of someone of action. I'm a big believer that if you're going to do something, do it yourself and mean it. I also strive to make an impact on others. I believe I'm a genuine person who says what I mean and tries to put action behind that. I think this song speaks on that more than anything, which, aside from the fantastic instrument play of this song, is probably why I love it so much. I hope you'll enjoy it too.
Since my childhood music taste was often influenced by my sister, it's no surprise that I first heard "Sugar, We're Going Down" while listening with her. Fall Out Boy was another one of those bands she saw at Warped Tour right as they started to gain fame (lucky her). "From Under the Cork Tree" was one of the albums she purchased there, and I swear she listened to it all summer. With "Sugar, We're Going Down" being their first smash hit, I got a double dose of it between that album and the radios. I didn't get tired of it though, and I can't help but think back to those times riding in the car with my sis whenever I hear this song come on. I encourage you to go ahead and jam out to this classic.
Ever since I've heard this song, I've felt like it kind of describes my generation fairly well. So many of us are glued to our phones these days, or any other type of media outlet in general. We live our lives through social media and the images we've created of ourselves on there. I mean, there's a whole TV show about finding people who create fake profiles and live vicariously through them. I've seen plenty of examples where someone forgets how to actually interact with other people when there isn't some sort of screen in front of them. The lyrics of this Young The Giant song describe this scenario perfectly. The characters in the song are too distracted by their phone to generate any sort of serious connection. The line, "Even though we sit together, you feel so alone," feels like an accurate description of a lot of human interaction tends to be now. That, quite frankly, does break my heart that society has become this way, because I believe there's a lot of value in having a genuine conversation with someone. It's a lot of work to talk and get to know someone, but it's also extremely rewarding. "It's such a tragedy when people hardly speak," but I hope maybe this song will change your mind.
While I don't listen to as much hardcore stuff as I used to, there are still a few bands that I like from that genre. Palisades is one of those bands, and their cover of "Happy" by Pharrell is one of my all time favorites. The Punk Goes Pop series that releases every few years or so is pretty fantastic in its own right. Some of the covers done by those bands are just as solid as the originals. This particular cover is one that I turn the speakers all the way up to in the car, just to enjoy the instrumental aspect of this song. Even if you aren't into hard rock, I think you just may enjoy this cover by Palisades.
