It’s Friday already?
Here’s a song by The New Amsterdams. It’s one of those that you tend to forget about, but then when you hear it you think, “Man. SUCH a good song.”
It sounds especially good while driving on winding roads.
And in light of recent themes and conversations, this one seems only appropriate:
Alright, it’s that time of year when the days are getting a bit longer and patches of green are starting to appear. It’s not fully spring yet (sand and gravel from the winter is still on the roadside), and although snow is still insisting on falling, we feel confident enough to declare a new season starting.
So, as in the last ’soundtrack of a season’ post, we’re putting together those songs that remind of this time of year…of daffodils and new grass and sand and gravel and riding bikes and baseball games after school. I’ll post my list and then you either post yours or e-mail me and I’ll mix them into the master list.
A Soundtrack For Early Spring:
“Mr. Jones” - Counting Crows
“When You Come Back Down” - Nickel Creek
“Dreams” - The Cranberries
“I Don’t Want To Wait” - Paula Cole
“Let Her Cry” - Hootie & The Blowfish
“Cumbersome” - Seven Mary Three
“Something More” - Sugarland
“Love Fool” - The Cardigans
“Barely Breathing” - Duncan Shiek
“Walk On The Ocean” - Toad The Wet Sprocket
“Name” - Goo Goo Dolls
“Lost” - Michael Buble
“Mayberry” - Rascal Flatts
“Tarzan Boy” - Baltimora
“John Deere Green” - Joe Diffie
“No Reigns” - Rascall Flatts
“I’ve Got the World On a String” - Michael Buble
“My Praise” - Phillips, Craig & Dean
“Bad Day” - Daniel Powter
So today is the day in Holy Week that remembers the crucifixion of Jesus, and it’s very name is the ultimate in irony: Good Friday. That is, good in the ultimate outcome of the resurrection and new creation. But at the time, for those devoted to Jesus, it was anything but.
In this somber day, we see the Messiah strung up and left to rot, for his breath to slowly dissipate from his body as people mock and animals pick and bite. Two thousand years ago there was nothing romantic, nothing glorious or wonderful about crucifixion. It was the ultimate penalty for the ultimate insurrection. And when Jesus took it upon himself and was hoisted before all as an example of what happens to “enemies of the state,” in an ironic twist, he exposed the epitome of sin and the rebellion of creatures against their Creator. Through the crucifixion the curtain was pulled back and the real substance of power, greed, lust, and corruption were revealed for what they were. Mankind’s systems and structures were outed, and the very worst we could do – steal the very life from someone — was put on display. Jesus stepped fully into it, into this “black parade” of human dysfunction and rebellion.
A mere three days after the crucifixion the entire spectacle would be reversed…but here, on this day, the future went dark for those who followed this nobody carpenter-turned-rabbi/prophet/Messiah from the podunk village of Nazareth.
For this day, the musical stylings of My Chemical Romance seem appropriate:
This week’s song is by Joe Purdy. It’s called “Canyon Joe.”
This week’s song is “Ain’t No Reason” by Brett Dennen.
So we’ve hit that time in the season where the novelty of winter has sort of worn off. The cold is cold and the snow is frozen. The days are getting longer and the light is pale and crisp. We’re no more closer to the end of the school year than we are the beginning. Sometimes this time of year feels like a sort of holding pattern, where we’re just sort of waiting for the next thing to happen.
And I don’t know about you, but there are certain songs I hear that remind me of this time of year. When they play I’m reminded of the snow being this way, and the light in the sky being this way. I’m thinking about this because I just heard one on the radio the other day and it completely brought me back.
Anyway, I’m interested in hearing from you guys what songs remind you of this late winter time of year. If you have a song or a short list, go ahead and post them and we can put together a sort of soundtrack for these dog days of winter.
There is only rule: any song listed must be at least one year old.
