‘White Lightning’ by George Jones There are numerous songs about beer and whiskey, but there aren’t many about moonshine. The only thing I can think of is this. Mountain Dew drinkers may be wearing one-strap overalls and have the same number of teeth as those who don’t. George Jones’ 1959 No. 1 single, ‘White Lightning,’ … Read more
“Changes” by David Bowie There aren’t many David Bowie songs that can be taken at face value, and this isn’t one of them. To be honest, there are a lot of angles from which to approach this track. Bowie himself has reinvented himself several times throughout his career, thus this is a song about the … Read more
“Crucify” by Tori Amos Amos’ lyrical, personal lyrics can be interpreted in a variety of ways, but if you suffer from social anxiety, “Crucify” may resonate with you. If you’ve ever entered a place feeling self-conscious, only to feel as if a spotlight has suddenly flicked on to highlight you further, the opening lines, “Every … Read more
“Closer” by Nine Inch Nails “Closer” is more than a vintage relic from a parallel steampunk universe; it’s an industrial sex machine that can retract its claws. The song features X-rated lyrics and a fluttering heartbeat-like sound that invites listeners to let their lizard brains go. This song, despite the fact that Nine Inch Nails … Read more
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: “Carry On” As seen by their song “Carry On,” David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young found out how to get maximum brightness from their combined vocals. For those of us who enjoy a good dose of gloom and doom, “to sing the blues you’ve got to live … Read more
‘Blister in the Sun’ by Violent Femmes In 1983, Violent Femmes released their self-titled debut album. It was written by Gordan Gano, a 19-year-old at the time. “The strung up sensation that comes from drug misuse,” says Gano in an interview with Village Voice. This is what the song is about. The song “Blister in … Read more
J. Holiday “Bed” J. Holiday uses the classic Burger King tagline, “Have It Your Way,” in the song’s opening bars. A song co-written by The-Dream will have you shouting, “Let me obtain an, uhhh, orgasm. Actually, there are two. Super-sized.” —Jordan Beyoncé, “Rocket” “Have It Your Way” is an old Burger King tagline that J. … Read more
“Don’t Talk About Him, Tina” by The Pistol Annies Whenever you are having a bad day because of someone who has hurt your heart, you can always count on your closest friends in “Don’t Talk About Him, Tina.” “Sister Oh Sister” by Rosanne Cash Taking your sister to a club or stealing a car at … Read more
“Fooled Around and Fell in Love” by Elvin Bishop Even though cheating is referred to as “fooling around” in the song, the perspective of a serial player informs the song’s lyrics. During the song, he sings, “I used to bring out my book and jot down her name/Ah, but when the grass became a bit … Read more
“Breathe Deeper” by Tame Impala Tame Impala, the psychedelic pop band from Melbourne, Australia, delivers a song for the year 2020 with a message. Throughout the song, the narrator expresses confidence in his ability to regulate his own emotions. When he’s nervous, he adds, he takes a deep breath to calm himself down. Afterwards, he … Read more