What does your favourite SONG mean to you? (max. 500 words, can be review to)

GertGettlerGertGettler Laptop Barcelona
edited September 2019 in General Discussion Posts: 431
Hello everyone. I thought this would be a great topic to get to know each other a bit better. As you might know we already have a 'General Music' topic, in which we post countless of YouTube video's. This topic is different, as I ask everyone to post not just music, but to put some personal perspective on your favourite song. It's perhaps a difficult task for some, but by doing so we could perhaps discuss 'general music' in a more thought-provoking way. Become a bit more empathic with others, and less superficial.

So, as I am the topic starter, let me start with this song:


Review / Personal Story (303 words): Many people might find this song a ridiculous example, because it's a Eurovision song! And Eurovision we don't take seriously, do we? For me it's a different story though. 2019 has been quite a difficult year for me. As some of you might know, I left this forum last year. One of the reasons behind it, is that I am suffering from severe mental depressions (Bi-Polar, Borderline, the whole shabang). It's also one of the reasons I was fired for a 2nd time in only 9 months time. Hard moments in life indeed. But during such moments I truly find solace and joy in two of my biggest passions: James Bond 007 and Eurovision. Without them....I would not even know where to start. So for years and years one of my biggest wishes in life was The Netherlands to win Eurovision. A bucket list treat so to say :-). I never believed this could happen anytime soon. And not even with a song like this, which lyrics do represent some of the hardships I have encountered in life. The song 'Arcade' is about a woman who fell in love with a guy, but never got into a love relationship. Then this woman got terminally ill (cancer) and she died without ever having had a love relationship. 'Love is a losing game' for some apparently. From the moment I heard the song late winter, early spring of this year, the song gave me shivers, both lyrics-wise as well as due to the melody. And then...it won! It gave The Netherlands the 5th Eurovision victory. Sadness was replaced by uttermost joy. Hence for me it's a song with a meaning, a song that encapsulates my lows and highs in my life. And on top of that, I think it's a wonderfully crafted, perfectly produced song.

Now, that was my story. On to your story, or review if you would like to keep things more to yourself. I'd love this topic to become a vivid, empathic environment in which we can really get to know each other a bit better, in which we therefore can create some empathy for our music choices. And to create some respect for our diversity of personalities. Because I think music is important for all of us :-).

Comments

  • GertGettlerGertGettler Laptop Barcelona
    Posts: 431
    So what is your 'favourite' song? How would you review one of your most memorable songs? What does a particular song mean to you?
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited September 2019 Posts: 23,448
    I believe most members know that we have a music thread for these discussions, Gert. After two days with no comments, I'm afraid this thread is facing the ban.
  • GertGettlerGertGettler Laptop Barcelona
    edited September 2019 Posts: 431
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    I believe most members know that we have a music thread for these discussions, Gert. After two days with no comments, I'm afraid this thread is facing the ban.

    Can you please wait a bit longer? Obviously I know those other music threads. But there is almost no discussion in those. No context, no personal stories. Just mainly YouTube dump places. Let's see what happens. Slightly niche topic always tend to be visited less...but it doesn't mean they deserve a chance and can be of interest in a more longer term period :-).
  • BondStuBondStu Moonraker 6
    Posts: 373
    @GertGettler - go on, I'll indulge you mate.



    My first ever memory is hearing this on the radio. Took me years to discover who it was by. They ended up becoming one of my favourite ever bands and I've seen them live twice.

    There you go! :)>-
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou. I can still hear my old hound dog barkin'.
    Posts: 8,656
    I think this is a perfectly legitimate thread beyond the General Music board, @GertGettler , and I'll try to fill it with a little more life.

    I'm afraid I can't pinpoint my single favourite song. There are far too many. I probably have literally thousands that I would count among my favorites (that includes "Rosanna", @BondStu), at least 1,000 of which I know the lyrics by heart, and several hundreds of which I would be able to recall the basic guitar chords if I chose to finally pick up my instrument again which I pretty much abandoned fifteen years ago or so (and no, I couldn't play more than the chords).

    I'd just like to point out a couple of songs that touch me the most emotionally, if I ever feel the need or at least have the desire to become sentimental when the circumstances give a reason for that. Don't get me wrong, I'm not depressive, and I definitely have no death wish at all, but these are among the songs that I could imagine being played at my funeral, once it happens much as I try to postpone the event. (And even then I obviously wouldn't really care, would I?)

    My top choice would be the following one, which irritates me in fact, because I am definitely an atheist. But for all it's worth, the "master" mentioned may well be just nature and need not be divine IMO, and the lyrics show that Bob Dylan truly deserved being awarded that Nobel Prize. Emmylou Harris sang this song at Johnny Cash's funeral.


    Without trying to become truly morbid, the other one also seems to be a funeral classic, looking at the comments on Youtube...while I find the lyrics to be really optimistic.


    Hope I'm not being too sentimental/depressing/negative about this, but that instead some of you may share my feelings about those songs. I probably wouldn't wish to sing them around a campfire if I still sat around campfires strumming my guitar, but felt this thread should be about special emotions.

  • BondStuBondStu Moonraker 6
    Posts: 373
    You are a man of good taste @j_w_pepper !

    Here are two more which mean a lot to me. But I prefer the live versions to the studio ones.



    and



    I grew up a lot listening to Steely Dan cause my Dad was really into them. Here's (what I THINK is) my favourite track by them



    And this is a solo track from their lead singer Donald Fagen. I remember Dad used to play this in the car a lot.



    I'll link to some more another time.

  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou. I can still hear my old hound dog barkin'.
    Posts: 8,656
    While Pink Floyd and Genesis always work out nicely, I can't say I have a special relationship with any of their songs beyond the general feeling that they are among the greatest bands ever (by the way, I like seeing live acts when I'm there, but generally prefer studio recordings at home, and at least in the case of Floyd also have everything here). Still, a lot that I find great but nothing that "touches" me beyond that.

    I sort of missed out on Steely Dan in the 70s although I venture to say that I'm rather your father's age. It's not entirely my cup of tea, judging from your clips. Certainly no candidate for "favourite song" so far, I'm afraid.
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    Posts: 4,416


    For me it go about escaping.

    Long time before a Dutch singer and DJ make this...
    What Dancing's Like
    Clutching my keys, I have the doorknob in my hand
    But I doubt if I can really step inside
    Your every movement seems to be away from me
    I haven't seen your heart in so long

    Do you want to know what dancing without me is like?
    Maybe you'll have more balance without me
    If I have to I'll take a step back
    If that's better, if that'd be better

    Does life have more of a shine without me?
    Will love get another chance without me?
    If that's true then I'll let you go
    If that's better, if that'd be better
    Don't want to say that I won't miss you

    The front door opens and I shut down again
    Even though what I want to say is written on my face
    I can't talk with you anymore so I keep quiet
    But it feels like you don't want to fight for me

    Do you want to know what dancing without me is like?
    Maybe you'll have more balance without me
    If I have to I'll take a step back
    If that's better, if that'd be better

    Does life have more of a shine without me?
    Will love get another chance without me?
    If that's true then I'll let you go
    If that's better, if that'd be better
    Don't want to say that I won't miss you

    Just watch what dancing's like
    Just watch what dancing's like
    It's not that I don't want this, but I seem to have lost the way
    Wouldn't know which direction, which way still leads to you

    Clutching my keys, I have the doorknob in my hand

    I'm sure I'll learn what dancing without you is like
    Even though I'll miss the balance without you
    Oh, I hope I can take it without you
    If that's better, if that's better

    Just watch what dancing without me is like
    Give love another chance without me
    If I have to I'll take a step back
    If that's better, if that's better

    Just watch what dancing's like
    Just watch what dancing's like
    Do you want to know what dancing without me is like?
    Maybe you'll have more balance without me
    If I have to I'll take a step back
    If that's better, if that's be better
    Don't want to say that I won't miss you
    https://lyricstranslate.com




  • BondStuBondStu Moonraker 6
    Posts: 373
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    I sort of missed out on Steely Dan in the 70s although I venture to say that I'm rather your father's age.

    Don't be too sure my friend! My Dad would be 80 this year if he were still with us!
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou. I can still hear my old hound dog barkin'.
    Posts: 8,656
    BondStu wrote: »
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    I sort of missed out on Steely Dan in the 70s although I venture to say that I'm rather your father's age.

    Don't be too sure my friend! My Dad would be 80 this year if he were still with us!

    Yes, ok...that's about 17 years of age difference, but at least I'm close to retirement age... And I certainly was half-way aware of the things going on in the 70s.
  • GertGettlerGertGettler Laptop Barcelona
    Posts: 431
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    BondStu wrote: »
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    I sort of missed out on Steely Dan in the 70s although I venture to say that I'm rather your father's age.

    Don't be too sure my friend! My Dad would be 80 this year if he were still with us!

    Yes, ok...that's about 17 years of age difference, but at least I'm close to retirement age... And I certainly was half-way aware of the things going on in the 70s.

    I would have loved to live in the 1970's. Must have been great to visit disco's in those days. Not to mention the fact that there wasn't social media yet and the fact that we simply...listened to our teachers and journalists and were not questioning ever single bit of stuff :-).

    By the way @j_w_pepper , that song from Emmylou Harris is truly amazing. A wonderful bit of americana/neo-country if you ask me. It's kinda weird, but for me as a progressive-minded human being, I am surprised how much country music can touch me. It's one of the things the US of A is great in if you ask me. Perhaps it's because my childhood was quite troubled. I grew up in the countryside too. And how much shit can happen there, you can still indulge in the wonderful bits of quiet nature:



    And let's enhance that feeling a bit with some pictures of my parent's farm ;-):
    kXOJbQP.jpg
    htUbcoS.jpg
    1vsIVlX.jpg
    BOEwJtJ.jpg
    poS4IEJ.jpg
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