30 Day Music Challenge: Days 26-30

It's been a while, and I haven't felt like blogging so I haven't.  I haven't been busy, just not in the mood to write.  I need to finish this series though, and figured I'd burn it off now.  I have been in the mood to play some Xbox 360 more lately, and have been rearranging stuff,  so while I haven't been busy really, I just haven't found time to blog.  Hopefully I will soon.  At any rate let's finish this challenge and see where it takes us.  I already made this list, so this isn't a half hearted attempt just to wrap it up.


Day 26: A song that makes you want to fall in love

Ingrid Michaelson- The Way I Am

I've always enjoyed Ingrid and its really because of her simple lyrics that have really deep feelings.  I think this is one of her better songs, but unfortunately, I'm not much of a fan of this video.  I should have chose a lyric video instead to be honest, and I also think this sounds different than the version I usually listen to.  Maybe its because I have news on in one ear while listening and next to a window where its very windy outside.  It's still worth a listen though.


Day 27: A song that breaks your heart

Gavin DeGraw- Not Over You

This is one of the most upbeat, saddest songs ever.  If you hear it a couple times you might start singing along and not even pay attention how sad it is.  But if you listen closer, you hear Gavin's heartache over finally admitting to himself that he's still in love with a former love.  He puts up a front when he sees her, but deep down, he knows its not true.  This song came out long after I had these feelings about someone, but it still brings back thoughts of her from time to time, and as I've said before, I'm happy for how her life turned out, it took a long time to get over her.  So much so, that when I used to write poems, one was called "Getting Over Her."

That would be the end of it, but two songs came to my mind when I thought of this one, so I declare it a tie, and will include another song.

John Michael Montgomery- I Swear

When I was in high school, this song was already a couple years old, but it was still popular.  By then All 4 One had covered it, and while some may say they did a better job with it, this version was always better to me because it was more emotional.  It also brings back memories of the same person I mentioned above, as for many years every time I heard this song, I thought of her.  I guess I still do, but not to the same level.  JMM had a few songs that really heartbreaking, another being "The Little Girl", a song that I admit that I usually shed a tear every time I hear it.  While I don't like country as much these days, I still say when they aren't so cliche and talking about drinkin' or trucks, and talk about love, they truly are some of the most emotional songs.  Especially ones from the 90's.



Day 28: A song by an artist with a voice that you love

Switchfoot- Twenty Four

The lead singer of Switchfoot is Jon Foreman.  I could listen to him singing all day, that isn't just something I'm saying, I really have listened to about 8 straight hours of Switchfoot songs and more of his solo stuff.  Switchfoot has many more popular songs, like Dare You To Move, and Meant To Live, but I chose this one because it really exposes how great Foreman's voice really is.  It is also a very underrated song on a great album called "The Beautiful Letdown".  I've largely considered my concert days over, unless its something too good to pass up and close by, but I would make an exception for Switchfoot.  I've read they have a concert with Lifehouse (another band I'd like to see) coming up in July in Iowa, and if I could find a way to go, I would.  Once I finish this, I might even turn off the radio I have on waiting for the Royals game, and listen to Switchfoot just because its been a while.


Day 29: A song that you remember from your childhood

The Escape Club- Wild Wild West

Ah, where do I begin.  First let me say this brings back so many memories and I only remember hearing it one day as a kid.  I listened to it more as I grew older, but it was more to relive those memories I had from the first time I remember hearing it.  This song was released in 1988, and it was probably in '89 or '90 when I remember this song.  I remember my sister Andrea was in the front yard of our country home and had her boombox sitting on a tree stump we had in the yard and this song was playing on one of the tape decks.  It was a cassette single, and she kept playing it over and over.  She was practicing dance routines to it as she was wanting to become a cheerleader.  I remember that I pretended to dance some to it too, but she spent a long time dancing to it.  She eventually did become a cheerleader in high school, and she loved it (for the most part), and whenever I think of my childhood I think of that day.  Andrea and I did quite a bit of stuff as kids on the farm together, and by the time we moved back into town a few years later she was in high school by then, and as kids do when they get older, they spend more time with friends.  It's those country days though that I miss a lot.  After she was diagnosed with cancer in 2011, we started to spend more time together again, and while we were never far apart from each other, some of my favorite memories with her included the times we had out on the farm.  Whenever I hear this song randomly pop up on the radio my day immediately gets better.


Day 30: A song that reminds you of yourself

Evanescence- Bring Me To Life

This was probably the hardest day to pick for many reasons, but one of them was none immediately jumped out to me.  I think it was first figuring out my thoughts about me first then how a song could relate to it.  I still don't know if I made the best choice, but its the one that I kept coming back to.  I think a lot of it has to do with how I think of myself as a perfectionist sometimes, and am very critical of myself a lot and look at my mistakes I make.  The lyric "save me from the nothing I've become" really sticks out on certain days because I look back and think I could accomplish so much more and it bogs me down.  But then I think on other days, all the things I have accomplished and done, and am proud of most of it, and am happy.  I am generally a happy person but some days I do have thoughts of "nothingness" and I think some of it does go back to breaking away from church and how I wish I would return one day.  This song does beg me to ask "BRING ME TO LIFE!"  However as I stated on a previous post, I need to go back for the right reasons, and I still need to sort it out.


So with that I wrap up the 30 day challenge.  This post was a little emotional and I'm hoping to post some card blogs again soon to bring out some happiness.  I have a few I should get around to, but keep putting them off, but who knows, maybe I'll get to them by the end of the month.  Thanks so much for reading, and sometime this feels like therapy for me and I really appreciate you guys taking the time to hear my thoughts.  I hope everyone has a great night.  If you read these music blogs, let me know what you think.  I thought about doing a weekly music related post but it won't be until I get back in the groove of writing, so if you prefer I stick to cards and such let me know.  If you want more music stuff, let me know.