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.