Monday, January 24, 2011

Top Ten Countdown - Music Blogfest!

When I first saw that Alex was holding this blog fest I told him that I couldn't take part. I didn't want to weird out any of my readers with my strange taste in music. But, he talked me into it, so here is my entry into the Top Ten Songs Music Blogfest. These aren't necessarily my favorite ten songs of all time, but they are the first ten that came into my head.

Please make sure to visit Alex's blog, to see the list of all other entrants, so that you can visit them as well.

These are in no particular order:

The Pharcyde - Runnin

Phish - If I Could

The Squeeze - Goodbye Girl

Bob Marley and the Wailers - One Drop

Tribe of Issachar - Junglist

Smith and Wesson - Sound Bwoy Burriel Remix

Lupe Fiasco - The Instrumental

Sublime - Scarlet Begonias

No Doubt - Runnin

Krinjah - Angel


I tried to put some descriptions in with the songs, but the videos got in the way. So I'll just give them each a little bit of a breakdown here:

The Pharcyde - Runnin: To me this is a hip-hop song about growing up and becoming a man. I love The Pharcyde because they rhymed about stuff like this, instead of how many guns they had, or how many drugs they sold, or how many bitches they pimped. Remember that other song by them? "She Keeps Passin me By?" These are both young adult songs.

Phish - If I Could: I don't even know exactly what this song is about, but the music is so beautiful. When that female vocal drops I just float away . . .

The Squeeze - Goodbye Girl: This one takes me back to my youth. I think I was like eleven or twelve when I got my first stereo. I owned two cassette tapes, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Legend, and The Squeeze, The Singles, 45s and Under.

Bob Marley and The Wailers - One Drop: This song isn't from that album, Legend, but it's still my favorite Bob Marley song. A lot of people think of Bob Marley and they think of Marijuana, and sure, he did sing about that a lot, certainly smoked a lot of it too, but Bob Marley also did a lot in the world to spread peace and to end racism.

Tribe of Issachar - Junglist: This is Jungle Music. Most people are going to find it disturbing or at least annoying to listen to. I get that. I'm okay with it. But, when I was in my early twenties this was all I listened to. I do love the chorus of this song. To me it's about being yourself, and standing up for others who do the same.

Smith and Wesson - Sound Bwoy Burriel: This one's kind of funny. This hip-hip duo got sued by the gun manufacturer and had to change their name to the Cocoa Brovaz, whatever that means. This track dropped before all of that happened. This song is a great mix of hip-hop and dancehall.

Lupe Fiasco - The Instumental: This one is interesting. I discovered Lupe Fiasco on the Madden Football Video Game of all places. I've loved him ever since. This song is a poem. It's incredibly deep and is a beautiful essay on society and materialism.

Sublime - Scarlet Begonias: This is obviously a crazy remix of the Grateful Dead original. I love it. It's nuts, but it's a lot of fun. RIP Brad.

No Doubt - Runnin: I've always loved No Doubt, and not just because Gwen Stefani is one of the most beautiful women to have ever lived. To me this song is about relationships, and about how love is hard work, and sometimes you have to go through thick and thin together before you truly get to know each other. This is our song.

Krinjah - Angel: This is more deep rollin, hard stepping, jump up Jungle Music. This is a different kind of love song. Most people won't get it.

63 comments:

Jessica Bell said...

Wow. The only ones I know are Sublime and No Doubt. I thought I'd be more familiar with your picks .. hmm ...

Jeremy [Retro] said...

great loop-tee-loop list... some i have heard and some are new... thank you!

Shannon said...

Great eclectic taste! I know the Bob Marley, Sublime and No Doubt songs. Need to check out the others.

Thanks for sharing this, Matt. You *are* cooler than a penguin.

Jess said...

I discovered Phish in late high school/college. Love that song. Thanks for sharing your list!

Stina said...

I don't know any of them. :P

At least I knew most of the one's on Sheri Larsen's list. But then she picked ones mostly from the 80's.

DEZMOND said...

he he I'm with Stina, I don't know any of them :) But I bet you don't know half of the songs in my list either :)))

Emily White said...

I hadn't heard any of them, either! But I guess that's the great thing about this blogfest! :) Great selections, Matt!

Anonymous said...

I see a lot of new bands here. Sublime and No Doubt I'm familiar with. And Bob Marley of course! I'll check out a couple of the others.

Old Kitty said...

I recognise Bob Marley and draw blanks with the others! LOL!! I can't watch these as I'm at work!!! But their names and titles are fab!! Take care
x

Unknown said...

Great list. Love it.

Laura Pauling said...

I love all sorts of different kinds of music but can never remember names of artists or groups! I'm just a listener! I'd heard of several of your choices.

JE said...

I was a huge No Doubt fan, and I'd never heard that song. Great explanation of it, though. As for the others? They are all new to me ... but good!

~JD

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I know many of those. See, it's not such a weird list. Check out some of the others, you'll feel better.
Glad I talked you into participating!

vic caswell said...

i haven't heard of any of these either! but allison kraus has such an angelic voice! that phish song was nice!

Tara said...

Very eclectic. I only knew a handful. I don't know how No Doubt didn't make my list. Gwen's one of the best song writers out there.

Chris Phillips said...

love the hip-hop songs on your list.

LTM said...

nice--goodbye girl! I love the story in that song and the rhymes... Speaking of, is that Big Boi on the horse in the beg of that Pharcyde video? really like the sax in that one~

DL Hammons said...

You walk on the same unbeaten path that Alex does. :)

Hannah said...

Argh! I totally forgot Sublime and Bob Marley! Blast! My list is not definitive so...they're still on there. ;P

Bryan Russell said...

After the Marley I want to go back to the Carribean. Some steel drums, a nice drink, a beach, a sunset...

Candyland said...

I don't know any of these! Yay me!

Jeff Beesler said...

Now see Matthew, if Alex hadn't talked you into doing this blogfest, I might've unwittingly made an inappropriate No Doubt joke in your presence. Then the friendship would've dissolved, ocean liners would sink, the earth would plummet into the sun, and Sarah Palin would kick Mickey Mouse out of Disneyland.

Thank goodness I found out about needing to respect your fondness for Gwen Stefani just in time!

Ted Cross said...

Why would it weird someone out to have different taste? I don't know any of those songs, but it doesn't make me look down on you. Okay, I'm lying -- you should love all of the songs on my list far more than these ones! ;)

Anonymous said...

I love how you included videos as well as what the songs mean to you! Nice!

Anonymous said...

I love how you included videos as well as what the songs mean to you! Nice!

Kelly Polark said...

I'm glad you participated, Matthew! I've heard of most of these artists but not all the songs. I'll be back to check them out. And I LOVE "Runnin' by No Doubt and most of No Doubt's songs. They are recording a new album right now. Yay!

Steve MC said...

I have two of those songs, but have heard of just three more of the bands, so yeah, definitely an eclectic selection.

Will listen to them a bit later and get properly weirded out. =)

M Pax said...

I love reggae. Great list. :)

Paul Joseph said...

I love that you have such a diverse appreciation for music. Even more, I love that you appreciate No Doubt the same way I do. If I remember correctly, that was one of the first CD's I actually saved up for and went to buy on my own (before that they all came from Santa). And Sublime! Good stuff man!!

VR Barkowski said...

Hanging my head in shame because Bob Marley didn't make my list. It would have been Redemption Song, but still...

Ishta Mercurio said...

These are some GREAT tunes! Eclectic taste in music is a sign of a creative spirit. Hold your head high. And thanks for exposing me to some great music that I would never have otherwise encountered.

Lindsay said...

I'm not familiar with most of the songs, but I like that you included videos. I'd have been a bit lost otherwise. LOL. :)

Sarah Ahiers said...

you know, i thought i'd see more Sublime on people's lists, but your the first one i've seen. Weird. Then again, they're not on my list so i must be part of the problem

Christina Lee said...

wow wow wow great selection!!! Love No Doubt and Sublime (off to lsiten to others)...

adam.purple said...

But not Black Coffee in Bed?

Wendy Tyler Ryan said...

I only know a few but I love that you put the music on so we can hear it. You never know where your next fav song might come from.

Tracy said...

When you say Runnin is "your" song. Are you speaking of you & Gwen Stefani? Speaking of beautiful people . . . Gavin Rossdal *sigh*

Gotta admit, this list is nothing like I would have expected out of you.

Oh, and thanks for calling me out on the making a post out of a non-post. ;o)

Arlee Bird said...

Your list is not that weird. I really like Phish and Allison Krause. Squeeze wrote some of the best crafted top forty sounding songs ever.

Lee
Make sure you check my Wednesday post!
Tossing It Out

CA Heaven said...

Unknown titles to me (except Marley), but I recognized some of the songs from my son's iPod (he's usually connecting it to the car stereo when we're driving)

Cold As Heaven

Talli Roland said...

Interesting mix of music! Must admit, I don't know quite a few of them...

Ellie Garratt said...

A lot I don't know but looks like a great list. Bob Marley. Say no more!

My Top Ten Songs

Melissa said...

This is a really interesting mix! I love it

Dempsey Sanders said...

great selections, so glad to see Marley made someones list!

Jennie Bailey said...

I haven't heard Runnin' is so long. I forgot how cool that song is. I love it. Great list!

Gregg Metcalf said...

I haven't heard of any of these. I heard of Phish last time we did one of these but haven't heard any of their songs. Thanks for sharing, this is what this is for to expose ourselves to new things.

Unknown said...

I'm impressed! You have my other favourite No Doubt song here and Bob Marley and Squeezes's Good Bye Girl - Glenn has just sent an invite to a select few to attend his tiny East End gig tomorrow night - guess where I'll be ;)

Lydia Kang said...

Ah, I only know a few of these songs. I love Squeeze!

David P. King said...

You know, your taste isn't all that weird, man. You got some goods, there. Great post, man.

I gave you an award on my blog, that is, unless you already have this one? You should, because your blog has "style" :)

Vicki Rocho said...

I haven't thought about the Squeeze in a hundred years. Loving this blogfest!

Abby Minard said...

Glad Alex was able to convince you- I don't think I've heard any of those, except the No Doubt one. I love seeing everyone's songs and how they touch them in some way.

Colene Murphy said...

WWWWEEEIRD! ;) No, Phish and Sublim are great choices and so is some Marley!! Glad you joined in!

Jemi Fraser said...

I don't know a lot of these - but the snippets I listened to were fun! :)

Unknown said...

What a brilliant, exciting list. Sublime is wicked cool, they have such an edge. Krinjah has a real elemental vibe, I love it. I wish I would have put Marley on my list. No Woman No Cry and Buffalo Soldier are my faves.

Carolina M. Valdez Schneider said...

Wow, now this is music I don't really know at all! Aside from No Doubt! But I'm always up for some new music! What a huge difference between No Doubt and Krinjah!

dolorah said...

I really liked that Lupe Fiasco, and Junglist was pretty cool too. Most of these made me smile, and feel my feet tapping.

Sublime is one of the groups my kids and I both enjoy.

......dhole

ali cross said...

What an interesting and varied list! I didn't know most of them. Thanks for introducing me to them!

Karen M. Peterson said...

Now, see. Your list isn't COMPLETELY weird. :-)

Trisha said...

I don't know most of these, but I LOVE to hear new music so I'm glad you posted your list :)

Anonymous said...

I love Bob Marley and No Doubt! You have some awesome choices here :-)

Elizabeth Mueller said...

It's hard to narrow everything down to 10 favs--you did a great job!

♥.•*¨ Elizabeth ¨*•.♥

Jamie Gibbs said...

Nice; with the exception of The Wailers and No Doubt, I've not a clue what the rest of the tracks are. Time for me to get some schooling!

Deniz Bevan said...

Neat, some of these are new to me! This blogfest has been great fun for discovering new music.

Unknown said...

I love me some 90's music. I haven't phish'd in, well, ages.

I'll be listening to my ska collections all day today, thanks to you.

I hope you're proud of yourself.