Archive 2012

THE 20 SADDEST SONGS (MARCH)

The British newspaper, the Telegraph, recently polled readers regarding the saddest songs of all time (read article here). While I agreed with several of the selections, I found that everyone defines what makes a good tearjerker song differently. Some songs people will select as their saddest songs are overly sentimental for my taste and/or just don’t really affect me emotionally, such as Mike and the Mechanics’ “In the Living Years” and Eric Carmen’s “All By Myself” that were featured in the Telegraph list. To me the saddest songs as Telegraph music writer, Neil McCormick observes are those songs “that don’t just contain sadness within tragic lyrics but are forlorn to their core, with wretched chord sequences and desolate sonic textures” (1). Though not a prerequisite, I find that many of the saddest songs were born from the songwriter’s personal loss. These songs can touch the listener because the pain expressed is so genuine and real. So this is my list of the saddest songs, some of which I tear up writing about them, in no particular ranking but by category.

Loneliness:
Everybody Hurts- R.E.M.- Early in R.E.M.’s career, many observed about how cryptic Michael Stipe’s lyrics were. “Everybody Hurts” is probably the most straightforward song lyrically R.E.M. wrote, a song of hope for the despondent. It was voted the saddest song in the Telegraph poll. It has an uplifting message to it but the sweeping orchestration conveys the saddest many feel.
3 Hanky Lyrics: “If you're on your own in this life, the days and nights are long, when you think you've had too much of this life, hang on.”

Every Day is Like Sunday- Morrissey- I have always thought that Sunday can be one of the most depressing days of the week, especially Sunday night. Morrissey can a lot of times be a whiner but in this song he perfectly uses the metaphor of Sunday and the music to create an overall tone of loneliness.
3 Hanky Lyrics: “Every day is like Sunday, every day is silent and grey.”

Yesterday- The Beatles- Like “Everybody Hurts”, “Yesterday” has a very straight forward message to the despondent. With its simple melody of just Paul McCartney, an acoustic guitar, and string quartet, it conveyed the sadness of longing for better times after a break up.
3 Hanky lyrics: “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away, now it looks as though they’re here to stay”.

Eleanor Rigby- The Beatles- Another Beatles song featured in the Telegraph list, this song used the fictional character of Eleanor Rigby to convey a larger message regarding those who are lonely in the world. I always thought the image the song created of no one attending Eleanor Rigby’s funeral to be one of the saddest observations in a song ever.
3 Hanky Lyric: “Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name, nobody came”.

As Tears Go By- The Rolling Stones - This song is very much like “Yesterday” musically. It has the simple melody featuring only Mick Jagger, an acoustic guitar, and string arrangement, it just conveys an overall aura sadness that bums me out when I hear it.
3 Hanky Lyric: “My riches can't buy everything.”

It Can’t Rain All the Time- Jane Siberry- This song was featured in the movie, The Crow, during the closing credits. While the song has the uplifting message for the despondent with lyrics like “And though the night seems long, your tears won't fall forever”, the melody of the song is so haunting. After knowing the theme of The Crow and how Brandon Lee died while making the film, I am reduced to tears when I see the dedication “For Brandon and Eliza” at the end of the film as Siberry’s song begins to play.
3 Hanky Line: “Oh, when I'm lonely, I lie awake at night, and I wish you were here, I miss you.”

Hurt- Nine Inch Nails- Some of the best songs are those that the message is universal regardless of the performer. Original written by Trent Reznor for the 1994 album, The Downward Spiral, the stark and desolate song captured the pain and loneliness of addiction. It was later covered by Johnny Cash and was one of the last songs Cash recorded before his death. Cash perfectly conveyed the pain and loneliness of a man near death reflecting back on his life. The two versions were very different but both expressed the pain and sadness.
3 Hanky Line: “Everyone I know goes away in the end. You could have it all, my empire of dirt”.

Brick- Ben Folds Five- Many remember this song as the one about the controversial topic of abortion. Not intended to be a political commentary, Ben Folds gave a personal account of how abortion affects both men and women. Through Folds’ narrative, he creates a song that has an aura of loneliness through out.
3 Hanky Line: “6 am day after Christmas, I throw some clothes on in the dark. The smell of cold, car seat is freezing, the world is sleeping and I am numb.”

Death
Tank Park Salute- Billy Bragg- This song was written about the death of Bragg’s father. The lone piano melody creates stark musical landscape. Because the song was so personal for Bragg, it is a genuine, powerful commentary on loss.
3 Hanky Lyric: “I accepted the commiserations of all your friends and your relations but there's some things I still don't understand. You were so tall, how could you fall?”

My Immortal- Evanscence- This is one of those songs that the music is more sad than lyrics. The lone piano creates a haunting commentary on loss. 
3 Hanky Line: “I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone but though you're still with me, I've been alone all along”.

Good Day- Paul Westerberg- A very personal song for Westerberg, this was his tribute to his fallen former band mate, Bob Stinson. The message of the song is pretty uplifting coming from a cynic like Westerberg. What makes the song so sad, is knowing the back story of Bob Stinson, whose life was ruined by addiction and had truly forgotten about the good days.
3 Hanky Line: “A good day is any day that you’re alive.”

Wake Me Up When September Ends- Green Day- Like Billy Bragg’s “Tank Park Salute”, this song was written by front man, Billie Joe Armstrong, about the grief from the death of his father. Included in Green Day’s rock opera, American Idiot, about America after 9/11, the song unintentional became a more universal commentary of America’s grief as a nation after 9/11.
3 Hanky Line: “As my memory rests, but never forgets what I lost.”

Separation
Right Here Waiting- Richard Marx- I am embarrassed to admit that I was a Richard Marx fan when I was a teenager. However, there is something about songs about separation that can still get me. I still tear up at this song about being separated from loved ones.
3 Hanky Line: “If I see you next to never, how can we say forever?”

Break Ups
Torch- Alanis Morissette- Alanis Morissette has written many break up songs but this is the biggest weeper of them all. Written after the break up of her engagement to Ryan Reynolds, this song is a laundry list of things she misses about Reynolds. Even the biggest romantic cynic can’t help but tear up when Morissette laments, “I miss your warmth and the thought of us bringing up our kids”. The song is so powerful because Morissette’s pain was real and it is so effectively expressed here.
3 Hanky Line: “One step, one prayer, I soldier on, simulating moving on.”

I Can’t Make You Love Me- Bonnie Raitt- Unrequited love is one of the saddest topics of many love songs. This song is one of the saddest commentaries on love that is not reciprocated and like many songs on the list, the lone piano melody makes this song a weeper to its core.
3 Hanky Line: “I'll close my eyes then I won't see, the love you don't feel when you're holding me.”

When We Two Parted- The Afghan Whigs- The Afghan Whigs’ 1993 album, Gentlemen, features so many dark songs about break ups and was hard to chose songs for this list. Greg Dulli laid his heart out for the listener in this song about the pain that comes from a relationship that had continued much longer than it should have.
3 Hanky Line: “If I could have only once heard you scream, to feel you were alive instead of watching you abandoning yourself.”

Now You Know- The Afghan Whigs- This is another bitter break up song from Gentlemen. This one is angrier than “When We Two Parted”. However, Dulli’s gut wrenching plea at the end of the song “Baby now it’s through” makes this song tragic to its very core.
3 Hanky Line: “Baby now it’s through.”

You Don’t Love Me- Matthew Sweet- From Matthew Sweet’s 1991 album, Girlfriend, Matthew Sweet wrote this album while going through a divorce. Girlfriend so eloquently expressed every stage of an ended relationship from the happiness, to denial, to bitterness, to closure. “You Don’t Love Me” captured perfectly the emotions that come when one has started to accept that a relationship has ended.
3 Hanky Line: ”What a beautiful moment, the truth comes out at last. Once your heart would own me forever, then this passed”.

Love Will Tear Us Apart- Joy Division- Pretty much any Joy Division song could be included on this list. While Joy Division songs like “Atmosphere” are forlorn just from the atmosphere created by the music, “Love Will Tear Us Apart” is probably the saddest Joy Division song lyrically. Like the Afghan Whigs’ “When We Two Parted”, this song is about a relationship that has continued for too long and is on the verge of break up. There is also something about Joy Division front man, Ian Curtis’ suicide at 23 that make every song the band wrote a downer.
3 Hanky Line: “When routine bites hard, and ambitions are low, and resentment rides high, but emotions won't grow, and we're changing our ways, Taking different roads. Then love, love will tear us apart again.”

Nobody Calls Her Baby- Howlin Maggie- The title alone is enough to bum one out. Front man Happy Chicester gives such heart to this song by intertwining stories of unrequited love that are so identifiably to the listener. 
3 Hanky Line: "And as he walked away, a tear came to her eye, the way he saw her was not at all what she had in mind".

AXL ROSE: THE COMPLICATED DIVA & THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME (MAY)

Guns N Roses were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year.  In typical style for front man, Axl Rose, he wrote a lengthy, well written but contradicting letter (read the letter here) to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame declining his induction and was a no show at the induction ceremony.  The letter is confusing because Rose declines the induction but later graciously thanks the Rock and Roll of Hall for the induction in the same letter.  Given Axl Rose’s history and reputation, this was not surprising at all.  People in the audience were yelling “F*ck Axl!” during the ceremony.  Many wrote that Axl was no longer relevant or that he wasn’t that important to Guns N Roses.  These comments are blatant understatements of Axl Rose’s legacy in hard rock music.  Axl Rose is one of the most talented, but at the same time, biggest jerks in rock music.  He is truly a complicated diva.

Axl Rose is a talented artist and he is serious about the music he writes.  I saw the current line up of Guns N Roses in December 2011.  Axl put on a show that was almost three hours of solid rock and he spared nothing from the audience.  If there was no Axl Rose, none of those great Guns N Roses songs would exist without his songwriting skills.  I read some criticize the current line up of Guns N Roses as a Guns N Roses cover band.  Axl Rose has many talented musicians in Guns N Roses now, several who have been in Guns N Roses longer than original members.  This is an insulting statement of Axl Rose and his musicians’ talent.  This statement is probably made by people who have never seen a current Guns N Roses show.

Axl Rose has made career moves over the years that have rightfully earned criticism and have damaged goodwill with fans.  Not showing up to scheduled concerts, starting shows extremely late are not ways to win fan loyalty, no matter how talented one is.  Many have stated Axl Rose is no longer relevant because of the flop, Chinese Democracy.  Chinese Democracy was a prime example of Axl Rose’s complexity as an artist.  Chinese Democracyhas some good moments.  The major reason it was not a successful come back for Guns N Roses is because it took so damn long to make.  When an artist promises a new album for almost fifteen years, there is no way it can live up to hype built up over that long a period of time and fans lose interest.

An induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is the highest honor in the music industry.  While awards like the Grammys can be based on fleeting trends in the music industry, in order to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the artist has to be deemed relevant for at least twenty five years.  This shows longevity and influence.  In Axl Rose’s letter, he states that “the Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony doesn't appear to be somewhere I'm actually wanted or respected”.  Not just any band can be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Guns N Roses would not have been inducted if Axl Rose was not respected as an artist (though his behavior is not always respectable).  I think that most fans understand that band reunions are not always possible for various reasons.  However, the Rock and Roll of Fame Induction Ceremony should be a night to celebrate the artists’ music, and that should be for ALL artists that contributed to that music.  One of the classiest example of this was when Metallica was inducted in 2009.  Both their current bassist as well as their former bassist attended and accepted the award, along with the father of their original bassist, who is deceased.  All of these guys from various line ups of Metallica probably don’t all get along now and a reunion is not going to happen.  However, they all came together for one night to graciously accept an award for the music that they all made under the name of Metallica.  Very few bands have the honor of a Rock and Roll of Fame Induction.  Inductees should be gracious winners.  When inductee bands members refuse to show up for the induction ceremony, the award becomes an incomplete celebration the artist’s music.  It was embarrassing in 2007 watching Van Halen be inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame without the Van Halen brothers and David Lee Roth (the only scenario more embarrassing would have been if Gary Cherone was the only one to show up and accept the award).  Izzy Stradlin did not show up for the Guns N Roses’ induction along with Rose.  No matter how much people want to criticize Axl Rose, the music of Guns N Roses being honored would not have been Guns N Roses music without Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin.  Whoever  Myles Kennedy is, who perform in Axl Rose’s place at the ceremony, he is no Axl Rose.  While touring line ups of bands change, the attendees at the Rock and Roll of Fame Induction Ceremony should be representative of the inductees being honored.  The same can be said for the Faces being inducted this year without Rod Stewart and Mick Hucknall from Simply Red performing in his place.  Other famous no shows at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony  include the Beatles without Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd without Roger Waters, The Grateful Dead without Jerry Garcia, and the Supremes without Diana Ross (read further about Rock and Roll Hall of Fame no shows here).  None of the bands would have been inducted without these artists.  The artists should respectfully accept the highest honor of their career when they are inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Grand standing and boycotting the award like the Sex Pistols (one of the more questionable inductions) did in 2006 is disrespectful and an embarrassing chapter to leave on a band’s legacy.  I can understand some of Axl Rose’s reasons for not attending the ceremony, however, this just increases the perception of Axl Rose as a prima donna instead of a talented artist.  I found it interesting that Axl Rose issued a statement after the ceremony thanking fans for supporting his decision.  I haven’t read a lot of support of Axl Rose more that this was another one of his stunts.  That’s why for many fans of Guns N Roses’ music, our thoughts of Axl Rose are complicated.

REVIEW: BEN FOLDS FIVE- THE SOUND OF THE LIFE OF THE MIND (November)

It has been several months since I updated my blog but the first Ben Folds Five album in thirteen years is enough to inspire me to write again.  The last time the Ben Fold Five recorded together was on 1999’s The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner.  While that album has some classic Ben Folds Five songs on it, it never felt as accessible to the listener as 1997’s Whatever and Ever Amen, which brought the Ben Folds Five to the mainstream. Since the Ben Folds Five disbanded, Ben Folds has released several stellar solo albums.  The Sound of the Life of the Mind reunites Ben Folds with his former band mates, Robert Sledge and Darren Jessee.  

What I have always admired about Ben Folds, both in his solo work and with the Ben Folds Five, is his ability to perfectly balance humor with profound and poignant observations.  The Sound of the Life of the Mind leans more to the poignant side but it has some lighter moments.  The album opens with “Erase Me”, a pissed off rocker in the vein of “Song For the Dumped” where Ben Folds rails at an ex “Erase me, so you don't have to face me.
Put me in ground and mow the daisies.”  “Do It Anyway” is a light hearted romp where Robert Sledge and Darren Jessee cleverly echo Ben Folds with the song’s title.  

Some of the best moments on the album are the more poignant ones.  “Sky High” is one of the album’s best tracks musicially, thanks to Folds’ mesmerizing piano melody, written by drummer Darren Jessee,.  The album’s title track is a stream of conscious, chaotic observation with lyrics written by author, Nick Hornby, who collaborated with Folds on 2010’s Lonely Avenue.  Ben Folds has always had a keen observation for character studies and that is not absent from this album.  The best example of this is “On Being Frank” where a former tour manager for Frank Sinatra reminisces about his past and ponders his future.  The album’s best track is “Away When You Were Here” a reflection about the narrator’s relationship with his deceased father that includes an absolutely gorgeous strings arrangement.  Completely random but every time I hear the opening piano on “Draw a Crowd”, I think the song is Billy Joel’s “Allen Town”.  The album closes where it began, with a break up song, the quiet and stark “Thank You For Breaking My Heart”.  This track highlights what Ben Folds has not been able to do as well as a solo artist, feature the perfect, almost acapella harmonies with Sledge and Jessee.

The Sound of the Life of the Mind is a welcomed comeback for the Ben Folds Five.  The word “comeback” almost feels inaccurate because the album sounds very much like the next step in Ben Folds Five’s musical development.  It is just a step that took the band thirteen years to take.

REVIEW: GREEN DAY- UNO and DOS (December)

In this decade, Green Day has never followed the conventional rules regarding album releases. Both 2004’s American Idiot and 2009’s 21st Century Breakdown were ambitious rock operas about American youth culture, post September 11th.  Both of those releases were almost perfectly executed from start to finish and were grand concept albums that few artists have successfully released.  So how does Green Day follow that success?  By ambitiously releasing a trilogy of albums, Uno, Dos, and Tre in a three months period.  While American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdownwere societal commentaries, Uno and Dos return Green Day to their power pop and punk roots.

Uno is the most pop influenced of the two albums and will remind listeners of earlier Green Day songs like “Redundant” and “Warning”.  The album features several catchy love songs from “Stay the Night” to drummer Tre Cool’s kicking intro on “Fell For You” to the slow build up of the album’s closer, “Oh Love”.  “Sweet 16” has a sweet nostalgia when vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong sings “old days are fine, but left so far behind…’cause you will always be my sweet sixteen”.  Though not as overtly political as American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown, Uno does have some subtle politics.  The album’s opener, “Nuclear Family” addresses “the death of the nuclear family”.  The profane “Kill the DJ” is a stab at mainstream radio.  The epic youth anthem, “Carpe Diem” with its rally, “Carpe diem, a battle cry, aren’t we all too young to die” could have easily fit in the rock opera context of American Idiot or 21st Century Breakdown.  The songs of Uno are fun, catchy songs that are a very enjoyable listen.  Green Day shows with Unothat they still can write a fun bunch of songs and don’t always have to take themselves so seriously.

Green Day does start losing some steam with the second album in the trilogy, Dos. Dos has more of a punk feel, the songs are quick and loud.  Decadence is a theme throughout the album whether it be sex (“F* Time” and “Makeout Party”) or wild women (“Wild One”, “Ashley”, and “Lady Cobra”).  Many of these songs start sounding alike.  The album’s best moments are when Green Day changes up musical styles such as the stripped down opener, “See You Tonight”, and the closing tribute to Amy Winehouse, “Amy”.  “Nightlife” though lyrically follows in the party theme, the electronic feel and addition of a female vocalist, give it a unique sound from the rest of the album’s tracks.  “Lazy Bones” and “Baby Eyes” bring some of Uno’s pop sensibility to the album.  Dos is not a bad album.  However, it lacks the fun feel of Uno .  Lyrically, it is pretty shallow and musically, the songs sound too similar.  Dos is a good listen for Green Day fans but does not have the overall appeal of Uno.

THE BEST AND WORST IN MUSIC FOR 2012 (December)

2012 was a rather slow year for music for me both in terms of albums releases and concerts.  You know it was a slow year when music publications like Rolling Stone are running cover stories, like the making of Adele’s 21 album, a release from early 2011.  Here are a few music things I dug and disliked in 2012.

THE BEST

BEST ALBUMS

Ben Folds Five- The Sound of the Life of the Mind (see review in 2012 Archives)
Green Day- Uno (see review in 2012 Archives)
Sigur Ros- Valtari- I discovered the Icelandic band, Sigur Ros, this year.  Though I don’t understand the lyrics since I don’t speak Icelandic, I loved the music on this album.  The layered textures of sounds in Sigur Ros’ music are absolutely gorgeous to the ears.
Chuck Prophet- Temple Beautiful- A great rock album that is Prophet’s love letter to his home city of San Francisco.  This is the best album Prophet has recorded since 2002’s No Other Love.
Various Artists- 10 in 20- This compilation is a vinyl only release recorded by ten artists from Lexington, KY in twenty days.  This is probably the most diverse Lexington music compilation to be released.  I’ll admit that I am not as familiar with current local musicians as I am with past artists but this reminded me how much music talent we have always had in Lexington.

BEST COMEBACK- THE AFGHAN WHIGS

It was something I had dreamed of since their break up in 2001.  It started out two festival dates and became a full blown reunion tour.  The Afghan Whigs were back better and musically tighter than ever before.  It has been a whirlwind of activity from the Whigs this year.  Though sometimes overwhelming, I loved every moment of it.  I can’t wait for it to be topped off on New Year’s Eve at Bogarts in Cincinnati.

An honorable mention goes to the reunited Ben Folds Five.  Their reunion album was my favorite album of the year and their return was very exciting and welcomed as well.

BEST COVER SONG- GREG DULLI- PAPER THIN HOTEL

Though the only recorded efforts from the reunited Afghan Whigs were great covers of “See and Don’t See” and “Love Crimes”, my favorite cover was another Greg Dulli cover.  Promoting the new Leonard Cohen release, Old Ideas, Greg Dulli recorded a cover of Cohen’s “Paper Thin Hotel” for Rolling Stone.  This song was so beautiful , I cried the first time I heard it.  Check it out here.

BEST ROCK MOVIE- ROCK OF AGES

Yes, I know this movie got bad reviews and didn’t do well at the box office.  However, how can you not like a musical that was named after a Def Leppard song?  Yes, it was cheesy but it brought together everything that was wonderful about 80’s hair metal.

THE WORST

MOST OVERPLAYED SONG- TAYLOR SWIFT- WE ARE NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER
Taylor Swift has never bothered me as much in the past as other pop tarts, like Katy Perry.  Her songs are catchy to the point that I now have this song in my head from just writing about it.  I don’t really listen to mainstream radio much and I still would hear this song daily.   Can you really take this song seriously when it uses the phrase “like ever”?  Taylor Swift is too young to have this much break up experience.  I wish she would sing a song titled, “Maybe It’s Me”.

Honorable mention goes to Phillip Phillips’ “Home” (were this guy’s parents really this cruel to name him this?).  I have heard this song in several unlikely places because of its “inspiring message” (YAWN).   

Another honorable mention goes to Gotye’s “Someone that I Used to Know”, an uninspiring stab a break up song.

IT WAS RUINED FOR ME…

Until this year, though I knew who Justin Beiber was, I had never heard one of his songs.  This was ruined for me this year with the release of “Boyfriend”.    It was good while it lasted.

MUSICIANS BEHAVING BADLY, PART 1: TONY MORELLO

Really, I get it, Tony Morello is a “political artist”.  However, when vice presidential nominee, Paul Ryan, stated that he was a fan of Morello’s band, Rage Against the Machine, Morello writes a diatribe response in Rolling Stone about how he hates Ryan’s politics and Ryan is against what his band stands for.  Not everyone agrees on politics but music transcends political lines.  Morello does not have to agree with Ryan’s politics but this response to someone complimenting your art was classless.  Um, I think “thanks” would have sufficed.  

MUSICIANS BEHAVING BADLY, PART 2: AXL ROSE

An induction into the Rock and Roll of Fame is the highest honor a musician can receive.  When Guns and Roses were inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame, we all knew a reunion of the original Guns N Roses line up would happen when hell froze over.  However, Axl Rose’s usual prim donna tactics of protesting the awards ceremony were classless and embarrassing even for Rose (see my blog, “Axl Rose: The Complicated Diva in the 2012 Archives for more on this).  It was especially sad considering that the Beastie Boys were also inducted the same night. Beastie Boys member,  Adam Yauch, wrote an acceptance letter for the ceremony because he was too ill to attend.  He passed away from cancer shortly after the induction ceremony.

SPIN MAGAZINE BECOMES TOO HIP

Spin magazine has always tried to be the hip music magazine alternative to Rolling Stone.  Spin this year changed the format of their magazine to a slick bimonthly oversized publication with a lot of photographs.  The problem was that they took all of the features of a regular music magazine like music news and reviews and moved them online only.  Plus their articles and cover stories were about musicians no one has heard of.  Who in the hell are Best Coast, Wavves, and Azealia Banks to rate cover stories.  I know that print publications are struggling in the digital age but this move took a bad situation and made it much worst.  The new format went off with a resounding thud.  It is questionable now if Spin will continue to be a print format.  

HAPPY TO BE AN AMERICAN…
This year in the US had some of the ugliest political bickering over the election.  However, I am happy that we have the right in this country to bicker about the government.  I found it frightening that Russian female punk band, Pussy Riot, were thrown into jail for protesting their leader, Putin.  I am happy that in America that we have freedom of artistic expression.  FREE PUSSY RIOT!