the N10<\/u><\/p>\n
could you possibly compose a list of your ten favourite songs?<\/p>\n
now if you’ve only heard twenty songs in your life, it may be possible
\nbut if all you do is consume music — constantly — then it can be rather difficult
\ni originally decided to make a list of my ten favourite songs
\nafter a while, i decided to make it a list of one hundred
\ni ended up putting down a hundred and forty<\/p>\n
but after a lot of thinking, consideration, reflection, and continuous torture to my ear drums and the nerve-endings in my cochlea, i have by virtue of no real virtue, arrived at my ten favourite songs<\/p>\n
this is not easy folks
\ni have a collection of songs that grows by ten songs (that i like) almost everyday
\nand is standing right now at around 670 (it grew by 20 in the past 24 hours…)<\/p>\n
these songs were judged on two things, both the lyrics (the message) and the music (the medium)
\nmany of the songs in the N140<\/u> had the lyrics, but the music wasn’t that strong
\nor the lyrics were crass, but the music was amazing
\nthe songs in this list have, i think, both<\/p>\n
these are songs, composed by artists that have had some sort of an impact on me — songs that haven’t left my head once they’ve bored in
\namazing songs<\/p>\n
they’re sort of arranged in order of which i like best, i.e., as a count-down list
\nbut that’s never constant, it changes
\nthe lines are often blurred
\ntruth be said, i can’t say i like this one song the best, or that this other song is third
\nthey’re all amazing songs…<\/p>\n
so here it goes… the much awaited:<\/p>\n
N10<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n
10. song:<\/u> california dreaming<\/b>
\nartist(s):<\/u> the mamas and the papas<\/i>
\ntype:<\/u> folk
\ndescription:<\/u> it’s honest, it’s spiritual, it’s smooth, it’s melodic, it makes you reflect, it makes you want to sing along — the ingredients of a great song
\n“stopped into a church\/i passed along the way\/well i got down on my knees\/and i pretend to pray…”<\/i> — that’s a lyric that hits home, i know how it feels
\nthis song is a true classic<\/p>\n
9. song:<\/u> ask<\/b>
\nartist(s):<\/u> the smiths<\/i>
\ntype:<\/u> rock
\ndescription:<\/u> “shyness is nice and\/shyness can stop you\/from doing all the things in life you’d like to,”<\/i> it plays
\nthe message is of great encouragement countering our common fears, that prevent us from doing things that we really want to
\nthe music is great, excellent use of drums, the british accents are particularly likable, and morrissey’s vocals bring out the message of the song (and all “smiths<\/i>” songs, no doubt)<\/p>\n
8. song:<\/u> sitting<\/b>
\nartist(s):<\/u> cat stevens<\/i>
\ntype:<\/u> folk
\ndescription:<\/u> “oh, i’m on my way, i know i am\/somewhere not so far from here\/all i know is all i feel right now\/i feel a power growing in my hair.”<\/i>
\nnow i’m not particularly sure what the power in my hair has to do with much, but this song is great — as usual, the cat’s music is entirely captivating
\nthe lyrics seem to be about a soul, detached, yet surrounded, about life itself — the journey
\ncat’s vocals are painful, profound, heartfelt
\na spiritually moving song<\/p>\n
7. song:<\/u> a change is gonna come<\/b>
\nartist(s):<\/u> sam cooke<\/i>
\ntype:<\/u>
\ndescription:<\/u> this song is played during the malcolm x<\/i> movie by spike lee — one of the greatest movies ever — it’s played right before he gets assassinated
\nit’s a deeply moving song, sad, downtrodden, lamentable even
\nyet it contains hope, hope for better times
\n“it’s been a long time coming, but i know a change is gonna come…”<\/i>
\nsam cooke’s voice conveys anxiety, suffering, even na\u00ef\u00bf\u00bdvety
\n“there’ve been times when i thought i couldn’t last for long, but now i think i’m able to carry on…”
\nwe’ve all felt that way, be it as an oppressed society, or as a trouble individual
\nwe can all relate
\nthe song moves<\/p>\n
6. song:<\/u> what it’s like<\/b>
\nartist(s):<\/u> everlast<\/i>
\ntype:<\/u> rock hop
\ndescription:<\/u> it is so easy for us to take life for granted, to be where we are and say “bah, those poor people are poor because they’re too lazy to work”
\n“but God forbid you ever have to walk a mile in his shoes\/’cause then you really might know what it’s like to sing the blues…”<\/i>
\nyes, whitey ford sings the blues, and the message comes across strong and clear: you have no clue how cruel life can get, stop complaining and make something of yourself, and maybe you can help others along the ways
\neverlast’s interesting voice communicates the cynicism and criticism (of us) effectively
\n“i’ve seen a loser win\/and a sad man grin\/i’ve heard an honest man lie…”<\/i>
\nand the music is simply wonderful<\/p>\n
5. song:<\/u> peace train<\/b>
\nartist(s):<\/u> cat stevens<\/i>
\ntype:<\/u> folk-pop
\ndescription:<\/u> a protest song, a song of hope, a song of dreams, visions, a song of the quest for peace
\n“now come and join the living\/it’s not so far from you\/and it’s getting nearer\/soon it will all be true…”<\/i>
\nthe music and the chorus will get you rolling, join the peace train, board the train, get on the peace train
\n“why must we go on hating\/why can’t we live in bliss..”<\/i>
\ncat stevens gets the message across very well…
\nthere is an alternative to killing each other like barbarians, to butchery, slaughter, and our idiocy
\nit’s called peace<\/p>\n
4. song:<\/u> everybody look what’s going down<\/b>
\nartist(s):<\/u> buffalo springfield<\/i>
\ntype:<\/u> rock
\ndescription:<\/u> this song is the<\/b> protest song of protest songs
\nit strongly protests war, government propaganda, blind support
\n“it’s time we stop, children, what’s that sound\/everybody look what’s going down…”<\/i>
\ninstead we just blindly follow, we do not bother to look, we just leap
\n“there’s battle lines being drawn\/nobody’s right, if everybody’s wrong…”<\/i>
\nhow many of us realize that? instead we only accept our party line, our religious group, our national groups
\nit’s not about being right or wrong now, it’s about “us” vs. “them”
\nbut the song, with it’s amazing music that even public enemy<\/i> had to integrate into on of their songs
\nand its lyrics with an ever-fresh, ever-relevant message, instantly declares itself a classic<\/p>\n
3. song:<\/u> hajji<\/b>
\nartist(s):<\/u> divine styler<\/i>
\ntype:<\/u> hip hop
\ndescription:<\/u> “yo, it’s in you to be\/in the servitude of one true G-O-D\/comin’ like the what ya feelin’ if ya hearin it clear\/you’re gettin’ closer to the source of a man with no fear…”<\/i>
\nwith his innovative and funky, blow-your-house-down music
\nand his intellectual, stimulating rhymes of reason make the message clear:
\ni was a moron, i got saved … isn’t it about time you found some real spiritual fulfillment?
\nit sure is, and that’s what this song constantly reminds me of — the ideals described give you some concrete abstract goals to work toward
\n“what would you die for?\/Allah? or the stars and cars\/and artifical stayin’ high..?”<\/i><\/p>\n
2. song:<\/u> cat’s in the cradle<\/b>
\nartist(s):<\/u> harry chapin<\/i>
\ntype:<\/u> folk
\ndescription:<\/u> harry chapin is one of the greatest songwriters, and this is one of the greatest songs
\nit’s about our constant drive for material gain, that makes us forget the things that really matter
\ncase in point, a father forgetting his son even though the son wants to spend time with him — but the song takes it further, what goes around comes around
\nthe father is now old, he now wants to spend time with his son, but it is now his son who’s forgetting his father
\n“i called him up just the other day\/i said i’d like to see you if you don’t mind\/he said i’d love to dad if i could find the time\/you see my new job’s a hassle and the kid’s got the flu\/but it’s sure nice talking to you, dad, it’s been sure nice talking to you
\nand as i hung up the phone it occurred to me\/he’d grown up just like me\/my boy was just like me…”<\/i>
\ni simply cannot communicate to you the importance of this song, the profound message, the amazing music
\nunless i quote the song in its absolute entirety, each chorus, each note
\nchapin’s style is uniquely motivating and his voice portrays a solemn motion
\nyou must listen to this song, one of the best ever<\/p>\n
1. song:<\/u> ocean spray<\/b>
\nartist(s):<\/u> manic street preachers<\/i>
\ntype:<\/u> rock
\ndescription:<\/u> the vocals are painful, they speak of pain gathered from experience, from reality
\nthe lyrics are abstract, yet they relate a message of society’s chasng materialism, yet it also relates personal suffering
\n“it’s easy to laugh, it’s easy to cry\/to cry so, so hard, that it can’t be denied…”<\/i>
\nthe opening and the finish seem to be in a non-english tongue
\nthe profound level of this song cannot adequately be related through words
\nthe music, the lyrics, the song itself
\nit is depressing, it is shaking, it is spiritual, it is temporal, it is deeply effecting, it is superficially affecting, it is lucid, it is incomprehensible, it is amazing, it is indescribable
\nit must be heard — now with full concentration, yet not with a passing “glance”…<\/p>\n
the selection of these ten songs was nearly impossible
\nit is not surprising that there are two cat stevens songs (10% of the N140<\/u> is composed of cat stevens songs)
\nwhat is surprising is that i didn’t place a cat stevens song at first place, or that i actually got around to being able to select
\ni just wanted to put “cat stevens” rather than selecting a particular song or two — almost all of his songs have had equal impact
\nocean spray<\/b> is a rather odd song — sometimes i find it the greatest, and other times i find it average
\ni think that’s part of its spiritually mystic aura…<\/p>\n
the songs are almost all particularly enjoyable, though i think the music and stylings of a change is gonna come<\/b> may be too old for some<\/p>\n
i want opinions, let me know what y’all think…<\/p>\n
many of the people mentioned in the credits section of the N140<\/u> list have contributed greatly to this one, as well<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
the N10 could you possibly compose a list of your ten favourite songs? now if you’ve only heard twenty songs in your life, it may be possible but if all you do is consume music — constantly — then it can be rather difficult i originally decided to make a list of my ten favourite […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-comics-art"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nomes.malcolm-x.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nomes.malcolm-x.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nomes.malcolm-x.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nomes.malcolm-x.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nomes.malcolm-x.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=309"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nomes.malcolm-x.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nomes.malcolm-x.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nomes.malcolm-x.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nomes.malcolm-x.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}