Il Ragazzo Nella Bolla

On Tuesday night when I was coming home from Princeton Record Exchange, I was in the car with my dad, and this song came on. I had not heard it in years and years.

My dad is a huge Paul Simon fan, so I know Mr. Simon pretty well. I remember we wrote letters to him asking to have dinner at our house. They were never sent.

Wide-Eyed and Mystified is "The Boy In The Bubble"



The song with John Mayer:


Title: "The Boy In The Bubble" in Italian
In My Head: "The Boy In The Bubble" by Paul Simon

Mijn Geweldige Liefde

Remember in my last post how I was lonely? Yeah, that feeling has disappeared, thanks to a certain someone...

Last night, I went to see Ingrid Michaelson at the Theatre of the Living Arts in Philadelphia.
I had such a great time, I can't even say.

I met the new love of my life, Ingrid's second opener: Mr. Newton Faulkner. He is one of the most unique artists I have ever met. He opened with his set with "Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. No joke. HJ Mills is lonely no more.

I'm pretty tired because my week has been crazy, so I'm going to close with the essence of Mr. Faulkner. More on the show later.



Title: "My Great Love" in Dutch
In My Head: "Everybody" by Ingrid Michaelson

Will Mich Hinunter Bringen

Slightly deliciously melancholy am I. I say this because after observing the relationships around me, I have come to see that I am lonely en peu. Everybody gets lonely every once in a while and today is that day. Watching rom-coms instead of getting a jump start on homework, as well as lack of sleep, is probably contributing to this petite ache.

A more artitculate description of my current temperament would be a song by Ingrid Michaelson. (Huh, that's funny. I'm going to see her tomorrow. What a coincidence...)

No, seriously. "Oh What A Day" is my actual, true mood. But, since I have already written about that song, on to the next one.

Let's see...

"Gravity"

John Mayer is one of my favorite artists. I love how I already know exactly what he's saying just by hearing the first 30 seconds of a song. His emotions seep from every note that his guitar

"Gravity"doesn't lay all of the cards on the table. The definition of the song is whatever each listener needs it to say. It is like acetaminophen, accomodating whatever ails me.


Title: "Wants To Bring Me Down" in German
In My Head: "Belief" by John Mayer

*I'm seeing Ingrid Michaelson tomorrow!! I hope that my blog has exposed you enough to this lovely chica's musical brilliance. Post about the show on its way!*

Skelett, das Sie mein Freund sind

My friend, Megan, is crazy in love with this song and artist.

Try listening to it after having 4+ generous cups of 3 types of tea (blue eyes, mango green, and organic peppermint and oasis) from The Gryphon, in the car with a few chicas who can't stop making you laugh, around 9pm, when you can see the stars trying to make a good impression through the bare trees, windows down, blasting Regina Spektor and this song, attempting to spit out the words you know on que.

Kate Nash's "Skeleton Song"


Title: "Skeleton, You Are My Friend" in German
In My Head: "Be Okay" by Ingrid Michaelson

*Still no outlet for excitement...Attempting to make Jesus-related baby collages. Found out that my RA aka Megan looks like Ingrid sometimes. So funny...2 days!!*

Ridere Forte e Lungo e Chiaro

Let me tell you one thing about me...



Title: "Laugh Loud and Long and Clear" in Italian
In My Head: "Giving Up"

*I am seeing Ingrid Michaelson on Sunday night at the Theatre of the Living Arts. Like a child who can't wait for her birthday party, I can't even find a proper outlet to express my delight. I feel like frolicing. That may sound scary, but that's how much honey sweet joy I am bottling up. 3 days and counting...*

El Concierto de la Ropa Sucia Para Nadie

I sing in the laundry room. The only way that anyone could ever know this is
1) if I told you like I am now, or
2) you live in Gough and accidentally heard me from the neighboring seminar room or walked in the laundry room yourself.
I do this because the acoustics in there are stunning. A gentle, whispy echo fills the room like smoke fraught with music notes.

I only do laundry once a week, but with doing laundry comes numerous steps including the following:
1) Bring laundry and put it in washer. Wait 35 minutes.
2) Switch clothes from washer to dryer. Wait 50 minutes.
3) Pick up dry clothes and fold them. (This is the longest step)

Why did I just waste a few seconds of your life in that matter? I did this so that you can fluently understand my singing schedule. Steps 1 and 2 take mere minutes, but I stick around to finish whatever song I am fa-la-la-la-la-ing. Step 3 is the best because I turn into a dorky college student version of Snow White. Instead of whistling, I sing, but no cute little animals with big eyes enter my presence.

The track that has been echoing the off-white cinderblock walls lately has been "The Chain" by Ingrid Michaelson. My fellow ladies on my hall have actually begun to get acquainted with the words because I sing that song so darn much. Yeah, that's not even a joke. "The Chain" is so haunting that when the echo bounces gingerly against the walls, I think I sound amazing. I think I sound like her. This confidence is brief, let me tell you, but oh so lovely.

Last night, I decided to switch things up a little bit. I sang songs from the 1999 version of Alice in Wonderland. Yes, it is the one with Whoppi Goldberg, as it is apparently known. I sang "Will You, Won't You Join the Dance" and "Cherry Ripe". I believe the soundtrack won an Emmy (thank goodness; check it out because it is so creative and happy. Its filling is a handful of little ditties). I also added to my score selections from the animated Anastasia, back when I was 7. It is still one of my favorite movies to date. "Once Upon A December" and "Journey To The Past" were the two choices that humbly rang from my vocal chords.

"Once Upon The December" gives you a little snippet of my childhood...so nostalgic.



Title: "The Laundry Concert For No One" in Spanish
In My Head: "High and Low" by Greg Laswell

Ich Brauche Mehr Zulage

Where you can you find songs about wanting more allowance, murderous tofu, and lungs projecting out of one's body due to shouting?

A faux British band on a beloved '90s animated kids' series, ofcourse.

The Beets was an amazing band on the Nickelodeon show, Doug. Doug Funnie and Skeeter Valentine loved The Beets with every one of their cells. When I was little and watched that show on a daily basis, I was a passionate fan, too. I could easily sing along to ridiculous songs about nothing. I thought this love of mine dissipated...until I came across this jewel. The video is horrendous and I can't watch most of it (due to graphic animated violence). Oh well. Listen to the splendid hard rock of The Beets!!

(Yes, I am young and immature enough to still grasp that childish joy of a silly, pretend band. I'm proud of it.)




Title: "I Need More Allowance" in German
In My Head: "Cherry Ripe" from Alice In Wonderland

Ehi Penso che Lei Sia Scanalato

"Hey, I think you're groovy. Would you wanna see a movie with me?"

Hello, Backseat Goodbye. Chad Sugg is the most laid-back lyricist I have ever heard. He even confesses in "Technicolor Eyes":
"I like simple songs with pretty words
I tried poetry, but it's just no good
the pages get lost, besides I'd much rather sing to you"
I'm a little tired right now, so I'm going to let you explore his coolness on your own. I'll get back to you about Mr. Backseat Goodbye soon enough.


Title: "Hey, I Think You're Groovy" in Italian
In My Head: "The Silly Song" from Snow White

Qualcosa Di Speciale

Here's another note on William Fitzsimmons.

He did a intimate cover of Sufjan Stevens' "Casimir Pulaski Day". This cover is simply lovely and musical bliss. Mr. Fitzsimmons did an incredible job. I'm going to let William speak for himself. *Backing away slowly with a faint, quiet smile*



Title: "Something Special" in Italian
In My Head: "Be Be Your Love" by Rachel Yamagata

Les Meurtriers

The Killers.

My family despises their name. My question is have they ever heard of what they sound like...



I only have their first album, Hot Fuss, which stands alone compared to The Killers' more recent material. I remember despising the drastic constrast between Hot Fuss and Sam's Town. My attitude toward the latter has since converted. Sam's Town takes some getting used to, but will win your heart in the end. Apparently, these gentlemen have a new album that was just released. I haven't heard it, but am definitely planning on checking it out soon.

I first heard them before freshman year when they went on the radio. I knew them about six months ahead of time before they became mainstream. It's so interesting because The Killers do not sound as if they are from this time. I've said this about a few artists, I believe (at least A Fine Frenzy). I can't really describe them acurately...The Killers strangely make you revaluate what you see everyday. For example, "Read My Mind" is the script of those random bursts of thought.

"Read My Mind" is not only one of my favorite tracks by The Killers, but also claims one of the funnest videos of all time. It takes place on the streets of Tokyo, Japan. Both the song and video are exactly like Sour Patch Kids. You'll see why...


Title: "The Killers" in French
In My Head: "Love Story" by Taylor Swift (shocking, to myself)

Antiker Übertragungsweg

His voice is like an antique trunk with its leather cracking, but still smooth and soft to the touch.
William Fitzsimmons has sad eyes that you can hear. It seems as if he is telling his listeners that if they don't take him seriously, they might as well not bother listening at all, but in a sense of being humble, polite, and respectful.

He writes often of his parents' divorce, on occasion from one of their perspectives. The lines he creates paints a picture of a hazy charcoal night that leaves hollow places to saturate with your imagination that melancholy, bittersweet dispair.

I see him standing, palms facing forward, showing that there is nothing left of him to share except through his lyrics and melody. Emotionally, he is giving his all, plunging into his core.

"When You Were Young" by William Fitzsimmons


My discussion on Mr. Fitzsimmons is not over yet.

Title: "Antique Trunk" in German
In My Head: a bunch of sad songs, tentatively "I'm Not That Girl" from Wicked

Namorava O Girar

I love Coldplay passionately. I think they're lyrical and audio geniues. Those men (yes, there are other members of Coldplay besides the husband of Gwyneth) know their instruments and rhythms very well. I like Coldplay because they are the polka-dots amoungst the stripes. Coldplay creates "audio fireworks". This term is used in the description of my blog, but not referring specifically to Coldplay. The term does root in "Clocks" and "Lost!" by these British gentlemen. On the fourth of July this year, I was actually listening to Viva La Vida (Or Death And All His Friends) while my local fireworks show was taking place. Best soundtrack to eye-caffeine in my life--plan on repeating that in the future.

Here is a parody of "Viva La Vida" by Guy, Jonny, Chris and Will also known internationally as COLDPLAY!!



Title: "I Used To Woo The Whirl" in Portugese
In My Head: "All You Wanted" by Michelle Branch (nod to my selection for Karaoke Revolution this evening)

Plappern

Aloha! This week has been completely insane!! Mid-terms and guests have been flooding my head and my room for the past week.

Here are some random thoughts that I have had in my head this week that have not been expressed yet in a blog entry until now:

Joshua Radin's Simple Things album is not as good as I thought it was. Reason being that "They Bring Me To You" is not the entire album. If it was, I would give it a big, bright, glitterly gold star. But, it's not. It should have been on the wonder of Unclear Sky or We Were Here. Oh well. The disc is eh.

On a recent walk around the soccer turf, I came to the realization, that to me, "Yellow" by Coldplay could be a love song from God. I know that's bold to say, but that's my interpretation. Yellow=His love. That's my opinion.

Steve Reynolds' "Save Your Best" is really good. I'm not describing it in anyway. Try it on for size (It's very Rich Price):


"Extraordinary" by Mandy Moore (yes, off her lastest release) and "Nolita Fairytale" by Vanessa Carlton are the main theme songs of where I am in life right now. Also, "Afterglow" by Vanessa Carlon. (Hint: If you don't like V. Carlton's first disc, don't quit on her. Her sophmore and third discs are awesome ;)

The film Win A Date With Tad Hamilton has a terrible soundtrack, excluding the tracks by John Mayer and Five For Fighting. Worst song choice ever occurs at the end. It's fresh in my mind since I just saw it for the first time.

I am crazy excited, but ultra confused about the fact that the magic of Mr. Sam Beam aka Iron and Wine is on the soundtrack for a film about vampires...

"Black Balloon" by The Goo Goo Dolls is such an autumn song. That's only season that comes to mind when I hear the violins of this melody. I'm not a fan of the video, but this song is so good and has to be heard during this season.


Title: "Babble" in German
In My Head: "Ballad Of An Opportunist" by Meredith Bragg

Geel

Have you ever felt like there was a song you needed to hear subconsciously? Tonight I imported Coldplay's Parachutes into my laptop, my iTunes. I was so excited because I love Coldplay, but I just never owned their debut. "Yellow", ofcourse, is the signature off the album. That is the song is what I needed to hear.

I feel like the last time I truly drenched myself in "Yellow" was on my mission trip to West Virginia last summer. It was pretty late, and I remember sitting up front on our way to Wal-Mart blasting the melody as loud as we could. All us girls were obnoxiously singing along, with smiles like golden bananas. It was so refreshing to experience "Yellow" again, in a new setting surrounded by my numerous brothers and sisters. It was incredible.

So when I was importing the disc, I listened to "Trouble" first, then shuffle brought me back to nostalgia, back to this. I'm just sharing my petite little story about why this song is so close to my heart. That snippet memory is as precious and comforting as a dryer-fresh towel on a winter morning.

I normally detest Coldplay videos, but here is "Yellow" for your enjoyment, obviously more than mine.


Let's try the live version, shall we? From Sydney:


Coldplay is amazing, despite the opinions displayed proudly by some of my guy friends. So disappointing. Oh well--more Chris Martin and Co. pour moi =) More to come from these ol' British chaps.

Title: "Yellow" in Dutch
In My Head: "Yellow" by Coldplay and "The Chain" by Ingrid Michaelson