Year 50: 2022

 

As It Was by Harry Styles

So, I feel like this is a bit of an underwhelming end to the count-up; I can't say this is a song I feel great resonance or affection for, but when I was back home this summer and the rental car's stereo options were toggling between Top 40 stations and classic rock, I ended up hearing this song approximately 578 times, give or take. And then I realized something-as I turn 50 today, the boys turn five years old in five days.  Fast forward 10 years, when I'm 60 and they're 15 and I will likely have been subjected to a stream of the likes of Styles and his type as the boys figure out what styles and genres are most palatable to their ears. I can put up the good fight and influence as I may, but if I were to do this exercise in another 10 years, I'm guessing there would be some interesting selections chosen for a man advancing towards his golden years :-).  

Rather than doing a year by year recount, I've put these all together in a YouTube playlist, if you're so inclined.  Whether you've followed this on a daily basis or a bit more irregularly, I hope you've enjoyed the count-up.  Stick around to see what I've got cooked up when I turn 60!

Year 49: 2021

 

The Stroke by Billy Squier

Apologies to the music of 2021, but at this point in time, there hasn't been a song from that year that I've come across that speaks to me and I feel deserves a spot next to the other songs on this count up.  So, I broke one of my rules and backtracked to 1981 for this year's choice. 

During this summer in Minnesota, we were driving down I-90 when this song popped up on the classic rock station out of Rochester.  I was dumbfounded-how had I totally overlooked it in consideration for the count-up?  Perhaps it wouldn't have knocked out that year's choice (Watching the Wheels), but it was a shocking oversight given this song's role in my college experience.  

I had the good fortune while attending WSU to ally myself with friends who were known to host a small mixer or two on occasion.  Being aligned with these chums had several benefits-often times a free cup, VIP access to slip behind the bar to run the tap, and in my case, the cuing up of this song during the parties-as the song built towards the end and crescendoed with chants of "Stokes! Stokes!" in substitute of the song title's chorus, in those moments, I felt like this. *sigh* College.  

Year 48: 2020

 

Good News by Mac Miller; Starting Over by Chris Stapleton

If you followed this blog from the very beginning, you may recall that I mentioned there was one year where I couldn't narrow it down to just one song and it may surprise you that it was the year 2020 (it surprised me, actually).  It's even more astonishing for me when you consider the genres where these songs come from-one song from a genre I despised much of my life (country) and the other from a genre that didn't exist in my world when I began falling in love with music in my late elementary school years (hip hop).

So, why these two songs?  Well, they come from two extraordinary talents, one of whom (Miller) is sadly no longer with us, having died in 2018 due to a drug overdose. I'll start with him and his song.  That it was released posthumously in 2020 fit perfectly-the year of COVID lockdown, when the days became indistinguishable from each other and our collective mental health was stretched to its limit.  I listened to this song often that year and was simultaneously struck by the naked honesty of Miller's lyrics and internal struggles, while mourning his loss. Another talent lost too soon in the musical world.

Regarding Stapleton and his song, well, I can't imagine it was his intent, but it spoke to me, right down to the vein, about the now several occasions that Marianella and I have experienced in stepping into the unfamiliar, from our wedding to Peru to Bangladesh to China to parenthood to back to Peru.  She is my lucky penny and I do believe I'm her four leaf clover (I have the tattoo, after all ;-)).  

Year 47: 2019

 The Daughters by Little Big Town

Maybe it's that I'm a proud Momma's boy or that I have four strong older sisters and a host of nieces equally steadfast.  Perhaps it's the female bosses, co-workers, and friends who I've had the good fortune to work beside or befriend over the years.  Certainly Marianella needs acknowledgement here.  Also the long line of impressive young women who I've worked with as their high school counselor through the years.

I guess credit goes to so many women who have helped shape who I am through their strengths. This is another of those songs that upon first listen made me straighten up and absorb with clear precision what was being sung and its power increases with each subsequent play.  As I've aged, I have become increasingly less tolerant of the b.s. foisted upon girls and women, and this fine song takes a surgeon's scalpel to all of that so well in three and a half minutes. 

Year 46: 2018

 

I Like It by Cardi B, Bad Bunny, & J Balvin

Because sometimes you just need to shake your ass. 

Year 45: 2017

 

If We Were Vampires by Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit

Over the years, there have been two primary sources that I have relied upon to keep you up to date with what is current in music-Rolling Stone magazine and the public radio station out of Minnesota, The Current. One of my favorite activities when I have some spare time is perusing The Current's "End Of the Year" top songs list or random listener favorite lists for a particular period which leads to the discovery of a wealth of great new music for my ears.  From one particular scavenger hunt while living in Beijing, I found this song, charting rather high on the listeners' list.  

I had never listened to Isbell's music before, but I was aware of some acclaim attached to his name.  The title of the song jumped out at me too and before cuing it up, I was perplexed as to why this song was so high on the list, as I assumed it was a novelty song drifting along the re-boom of vampire pop culture.  So, I listened to the song with curiosity and middling expectations. 

There's not many songs that have produced tears on the first listen for me-upon further consideration, it may only be this one.  The great bluesman Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul to the devil in exchange for becoming a master practitioner; I'm not accusing Isbell of dabbling in the dark arts, but wow, to write something this extraordinary seems like mystic forces have to be at work.  

I adore this song so much, I'm including two versions--the one you see up top, performed in harmony with his wife Amanda Shires who Isbell has credited to saving himself from alcoholism.  The second version, attached here, provides the lyrical accompaniment.

One final note--if you've been following along, you'll recall John Prine was the artist from the year 1999 and I threw flowers at his feet for his stunning songwriting.  It turns out Prine was a mentor for Isbell, who wrote a fine obituary upon Prine's passing.  I love it when sublime talents connect. 

Year 44: 2016

 Love & Hate by Michael Kiwanuka

Clocking in at just over 8 minutes, this is the longest song on the count-up and its well worth the listen. 

Year 43: 2015

 River by Leon Bridges

Back in 2017, HBO released the initial season of the short series, Big Little Lies.  There's a lot going for the show-A list actors (Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, to mention a few), a compelling storyline, and beautiful cinematography.  My favorite part of the series was Witherspoon's character's precocious daughter who DJ'ed for her family with an eclectic and solid mix of modern songs.  This song was among those featured on the show and my introduction to Leon Bridges. 

If you've never listened to Bridges before, enjoy.  There was strong competition in '15, but the song I keep coming back to is this slow burning, meandering soul track that is languid and urgent simultaneously.  

Year 42: 2014

 

Chandelier by Sia

To this point, most of the songs chosen for particular years had some type of emotional connection for me.  Over the next few years, the run of songs aren't connected to any particular memories or nostalgia-they are just excellent and timeless songs in my estimation.

It starts with this powerhouse song from the native Australian, a deeply personal and autobiographical track drawn from her experiences with addiction and celebrity. Her vocals soar amidst the frantic lyrics that make me pull for Sia to hold it together.  

Year 41: 2013

 

Happy by Pharrell Williams

The count-up has had its fair share of songs that boost the spirit, but none wear it on their sleeve quite like this song, that states pretty clearly what its purpose is. Any song that achieves the status of #1 for its particular year translates to a song that has been overplayed--I hope the distance of nine years from when it was a hit prevents any PTSD with this song.  

Whenever I hear this song, a part of me returns to Bangladesh and specifically the school we worked at, AISD.  If I've ever engaged in conversation with you about our time in Dhaka, you will know the fondness I hold for that community.  In my wizened years, I've come to discover that no place is utopia, but AISD was a special place for us.  A tradition at the school towards the end of each year was to produce a staff video set to a popular song and in 2014, Happy was the chosen song. It's still floating out there on YouTube--I watched it last night, with a mix of sadness and joy.  We've lost some of those featured in the video but you can't help but absorb the happiness of that community when you watch it. 

Year 40: 2012

 

Emmylou by First Aid Kit

A shimmering, beautiful song from these two Swedish sisters singing about their musical heroes made all the better when viewing this clip, with Emmylou Harris in the audience. It might be my favorite musical piece on YouTube and that is saying a lot.