White Horse

On April 19th I sang in East Halls for the Open Mic program that was being held. I sang a simple song by Taylor Swift called White Horse. I have been in love with this song for a couple years now so being that recently sang it I decided to write about it for my blog today. The song is a simple song about a girl who has always dreamed of being a princess and living a fairy tale life with the person that she falls in love with. She falls in love with a boy and she thinks that she is going to have everything that she dreamed of. He does something to hurt her and she then realizes that she isn’t a princess and she is not living a fairy tale life. This makes her decide to let him go because she does not want to be hurt anymore. When she does break up with him, he realized what he lost and tries to get her back. Although its everything that she has ever wanted she still does not get back with him because she knows that she can find someone better than him and she does not want to provide him with a fairy tale he does not deserve. She finally lets him go and moves on to a new phase in her life leaving him in her past to find something better. This song is influential because it is very relatable. I have always dreamed out having that fairy tale life and sometimes in relationships those dreams are difficult to let go and finally face reality. Many other girls can most likely relate to this song or have experienced something very similar to it. If not I hope you listen to it and just like the song. 

Denim

This week I am going to introduce many of you to a new song. I am sure most of you have not heard the song Denim by Frank Ocean. It is a really cute song with a lot of symbolism in the lyrics. The song starts by talking about a pair of blue jeans that he cares a lot about. He hand washes them keeps the tags and never lets them drag. In the beginning of the song you would think that he is talking about a pair of jeans that he loves the most but he is actually talking about his relationship. The idea of the song is that him and his partner have a strong relationship that last like good denim would. Many of you can say that you have had that one great pair of jeans that have lasted you years and you have worn until they were completely faded and worn out. This is the type of relationship he is talking about. He describes a pair of good jeans that have a lifetime of good wear and have cuts and may be weathered out but they always seems to last and they always remain wearable. Denim is also the type of fabric that goes with anything and always looks good. He relates this to his relationship by saying that them as a couple always look good together like denim and can go anywhere together with no problem. He has no fear over the weather or if their relationship will go through any problems because he knows that like denim they can go through anything and their love with always last and always remain strong. I love the idea of this song and how someone can think that their bond with another is that strong that it will never wear. I hope you guys take the time to listen to the song and tell me your ideas. 

Countdown - Beyonce

I am sure most of you are all have heard the song Countdown by Beyonce. It is part of her new album IV (4). In the song she pretty much describes her and Jay Z’s entire relationship and how strong their bond is.  She does this in the form of a countdown. First she starts with 10 and describes how her “baby” (Jay Z) is a ten. Then she uses by saying he dressed to the 9, meaning he has a good sense of style. Next she uses 8 by saying that he picks her up at they “ate”. He makes her feel so lucky 7, like the lucky number 7. He kisses her in his 6. They’re making love in 5, as in 5 seconds.  He is still the one she does it 4 (for).  She is trying to make a 3 from that 2, meaning that she is trying to start a family with him, and ironically enough she got pregnant around the time that this song came out. Finally she uses the number one to say that he is still the one. I think that was a cute way to describe their relationship, it almost describes the 10 reasons why she loves him so much. In the verses of the song she pretty much just describes how they do fight, and although things aren’t always great she will always be in love with him and keep falling in love with him. She explains how they both don’t get tired of each other and still love everything about each other and she will do anything for him. It is also ironic how the song is a countdown starting from 10 and they have been together for 10 years. It seemed like perfect timing to make such a song. 

I Smile

So I have been in a terrible mood lately. I just cant seem to cheer myself up and I have just been really down in the dumps. I decided to listen to some music and one of the positive songs I listened to to make me feel better was “I Smile” by Kirk Franklin. Another gospels song but an extremely modern one this time. 

This song is primarily about how when the day is sad and gloomy and you think that there is nothing that can make it better a smile can take you a long way. Sometimes when you just put a smile on and try to make something into a positive it can surprisingly turn your day around. A smile can not only make you feel better but it can also make you seem more welcoming and allow others to make your day better. There is also the idea that nomatter how upset you are to just keep a smile on your face and not show how upset you are. 

This takes great strength because its so much easier to think and feel negatively than it is to do so positively. Its about knowing that something positive is coming at the end of this and that as long as you have a positive outlook on things its bound to go away. By the end of the song, the gloomy day with no happiness or sunshine turned into a bright day with tons of sunshine because of the speaker smiling and not letting the issues they were dealing with control their day.

This song is very influential to me because there are many cases where I am upset and all I have to do is smile and remember that it will be okay soon and I eventually forget about everything that bothered me. 

We Are Young

We Are Young by Fun is one of my new favorite songs. I listen to it on repeat every single day. I don’t know why but it always puts me in a fun and uplifting mood. The meaning of the song is to pretty much live carefree young life. I love this idea. Just living fearlessly and not worrying about anything. Songs like this are inspirational to me because I try to live this life every single day. When I listen to this song I think about going out and doing something adventurous that I have never done before and just living each moment like its my last.

I heard that Fun was actually here at Penn State and performed the song. I am so upset that I missed it. I would have loved to see this song performed in person. Its probably even more amazing and makes you feel even greater.

I feel like this is also the perfect song to kick off the summer. There is always that one song that reminds everyone of the summer and I feel like this is going to be it. I picture myself at the short this summer driving to the beach blasting this with the top down in my car. Lol last year my song was Good Life, and they have similar themes if you think about it. They are both about life being good and enjoying every minute of it.

I recommend that everyone listen to this song and tell me what you think. I am sure your all going to like it, I still haven’t met anyone who doesn’t. It is also very catchy, I guarantee some of you will walk out of this class singing it, and getting it stuck in other peoples heads lol I do it all of the time.

Sara Beth

I love country music! One of my favorite bands is Rascall Flatts so this week I will do my blog on one of there songs. A song that has influenced me the most is Skins (Sara Beth) by Rascall Flatts. I listened to the song multiple times but for a long time I never actually payed attention to the lyrics and recognized the true meaning of the song. There is a whole story being told in the song that I never noticed and when I finally  took note of it, it literally brought me to tears. 

The song starts with a girl named Sara Beth who is nervous at the doctor because she has been very sick and she does not seem to be getting better. She finds out that she has cancer and the doctors are assuring her that things will be fine. They tell her that although the cancer is strong they thing that they caught it and she has nothing to worry about. 

The chorus describes her dream of her dancing with not a care in the world in the arms of her true love as the wind blows through her hair. 

The second verse describes how she cries to her mother because she does not know who is going to want to take her to the prom. She has been going through cancer treatments and does not have any hair. She is embarrassed and cries in her pillow and falls asleep as she has the same dream about dancing with her true love. 

The day of her prom arrives and her date is at the door. She comes to the top of the stairs to see him and everyone is surprised to see that when he takes of his hat, his head is completely shaved. He shaved his head to make her feel more comfortable at prom and to show her that he does not care about the fact that she has no hair. By the end of the song her dream has come true and she is dancing with her true love with not a fear or care in the world. 

The concept of this song is so beautiful and touching to me, usually cancer stories are sad stories and to hear something that happy come from such a sad situation is great.

Make You Feel My Love

Adele is one of my all time favorite singers. She is a British singer and songwriter who expanded her career by bringing to the States and it became a great success. She became the first artist to sell more than 3 million copies of an album in a year in the UK. She is a very talented artist who has literally made history and become so successful at such a young age. I love every single one of her songs and I literally cant go a day without listening to her music. In class this week before class started we had a short conversation about how amazing Adele is so I decided to talk write about one of my favorite songs of hers for this week. “Make You Feel My Love” is one of my favorite songs. It is a very slow and tranquil song with only light piano music playing in the background. The song is a romantic love song that could soften anyones heart. It seems like she must have gone through a rough breakup or is falling in love with someone at the time because the main concept of the song is about how she wants this person to “feel her love.” The lyrics are about the things she would do for this person and how far she would go just for him feel how strong she feels about him. The lyrics are very exaggerated to show exactly how strong the love is. She uses examples like going hungry, going black and blue and to the ends of the earth for this person. The song is so touching because lyrics like those connect to the listeners emotional side and get them to fall just as in love with the song as she is with this person. 

This is the song if you guys would like to hear it. I recommend you listen to it. LOL it really is a great song and Id love to hear your feedback.

I Wanna Dance with Somebody

Earlier this week, Whitney Houston, one of the most influential women in the music industry passed away at the early age of 48 years old. She was the worlds best selling music artists, selling a record number of 170 million albums, singles and videos worldwide. She was also in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most awarded female act of all time. Her music has influenced many groups of people of many ages, from 90 year olds to college students like you and me today. 

One of the songs that I want to focus on for this week, that I am sure you all should be familiar with is “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” It is a a fun 80’s pop record that could make anyone probably want to get up and dance. This song won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and it was also was considered an 80’s gem. It is Whitney Houston’s second biggest hit after “I Will Always Love You.” 

I personally like this song because whenever I listen to it, it always seems to put me in a  fun and excited mood. Not only did Whitney Houston have an amazing voice but it was also very carefree which was great for the song. The song is about a girl who is looking for a fun and exciting parter to taker her breath away and show her a good time. Its just a simple song about a young women looking for a little excitement in her life.

If you have not heard the song I recommend that you do, and I hope you like it. If you don’t, thats also understandable and I would love to hear opinions as to why you don’t or a song of hers that you prefer. 

Ohh N Love

Valentines Day is coming up! As a matter fact its only four days away! In the spirit of Valentines Day and for all of those people in love or even those people who still have not found that special someone I am making this weeks song a love song. 

I recently heard this song called “Ohh N Love” by an artist named Mateo and I absolutely fell in love with it. I constantly play it on repeat and I never seem to get tired of it. The song is about a man who is wondering if he will ever fall in love again. He meets a girl and he feels as if he is falling in love with her. In the chorus he says “I want to be the song she loves and I never thought I'd say this baby.” One of the thing people fall most deeply in love with is music and throughout the song he relates her to his new favorite song. In the second verse he says “So long I've been lookin' for chances of this harmony. Now I know that she's the lyric and the tune that explains the meaning of life.

There is no music without her to give it to, yes I'm fallin' but can't seem to find the words for her yeah.” He explains how she is the lyrics and the tune that describes his whole life and how she is his favorite song that he loves to hear. 

I personally love this song because I know how much music means to me and how it influences me. I am definitely a hopeless romantic and the idea of someone loving another person the way that they love a song is pretty amazing to me. Music is a way to touch parts of people and feelings that people never knew they really had and for another person to do that is really special. 

 This is a beautiful song and it may not touch you the way it touched me, but I know there are other love songs that have and I would love to know what they are. 

More Than I Can Bear

This week has been a very stressful and difficult week for me. I have been stressing out over school work and so many exams that have been coming up. On top of all of that I am very active in school and I have so many meetings to go to, so finding time to study and relax can be very difficult. Sometimes dealing with school, extra curricular activities and my social life can be very hard to balance. Most of the time when I am stressed my way of calming down it to listen to music, preferably gospel music. One of the songs that makes me feel better is a song by Kirk Franklin called “More Than I Can Bear.” It is a song about how nomatter what you could be going through and nomatter how hard things may be, God will never put more stress or difficulties than you can bear. The lyrics are very simple and repetitive and basically state “I've gone through the fire and I've been through the flood. I've been broken into pieces, seen lightnin' flashin' from above. But through it all I remember that He loves me and He cares and He'll never put more on me than I can bear.” The lyrics are not fancy or complex, but they are very positive. Sometimes the most simple words are the words that make the biggest impact and thats what most gospel music is. It is not about making the best beat for the song and having the best singers to sing it, its is about sending out a message. I feel like this song sends out a perfect message. Many times people feel as if they can not overcome the difficult times in life and they are not as strong as they really are. They do not have to have faith and believe in God either. Songs like this are just reminders of ones abilities and they would not be facing these problems if they were not able to overcome them. 

The Worlds Greatest

Music is one of my biggest passions in life so I feel like for my Passion blog every week I will take a song and relate it to my life and the things that I have dealt with weekly. Some songs may just define my week and some songs may have helped me get through a situation.  This week Pennsylvania State University has dealt with the loss of one of the greatest coaches in college history, Joe Paterno.

Joe Paterno holds the record for the most NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) football coach with 409 and is the only FBS coach to reach 400 victories and was named the winningest coach in Division I history.  The song "The Worlds Greatest" by R.Kelly is a perfect song to describe Joe Paterno and his accomplishments. In the lyrics of the song, R.Kelly says "I am a mountain, I am a tall tree, oh, I am a swift wind, sweepin' the country, I am a river, down in the valley" implying that he is every natural landform on earth that keeps the earth stable and in a way this relates to Joe Paterno because he was everything that held Penn State together. He played a big role in making Penn State the proud family that we are today. In his song R.Kelly also says "I'm that star up in the sky" and now Joe Paterno is thought to be a star in the sky watching over Penn State and leaving the memory of all of his accomplishments and his impact on our school.