My final 10. These are mine that I have chosen after an in depth look at my library and the music of the decade. Mostly based on my own likes. You don’t have to agree with every song on the list. Compiling this kind of list is no easy task. I sometimes wondered if it was really even necessary, which it is not. I continued because I thought it was an interesting way to look at the past ten years.
I wrote the bulk of this on the light rail on the way to the airport.
10. Someday - The Strokes - Is This It (2001)
“In many ways/ Still miss the good ole days”
Just some straight up rock n roll. The Strokes make it look effortless. It is a joy to watch the Strokes pull off that nonshalant rock n roll swagger. In a decade where every “rock” song on the radio is trying to be hard, you end up with hours and hours of power cords. That kind of music seems to have no influnce or relation to the past. At least for me I am left with a buzz that I only wish to turn off. One of the great things for me in this decade was discovering music from the past that I love from the Beatles to Dylan to Led Zeppelin to the Velvet Underground. Listening to Someday and the album Is This It I feel like the Stokes listened to, loved, and appreciated the same music I did. Then after all of that, they made that style their own. It sounds like something that could have come out decades ago, but I can never figure out who or what that might be, besides the Strokes.
9. No Cars Go - Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (2006)
Like Sufjan Stevens- Chicago and Regina Spektor - Us, No Cars Go inspires me to strive for something higher. One of the greatest thrills of my life was meeting and talking with Win Butler and the rest of Arcade Fire and being able to thank them for music like this. It may sound trite, but it was music like this that inspired me to get involved in politics in the first place, and why I will continue. Then when I told Win that this song in particular inspired me to get out there and try to make a difference I was caught off guard when he thanked me. I wasn’t expecting that at all. It is my sincere belief that great music can inspire people to do great things in all areas of life. This song is rich with that kind of inspiration. The lyrics are simple but poignant. My favorite moment of the song comes at 2:55, and makes the hairs on my neck stand on end. I can’t say anything more about this song without you thinking I’m over hyping it, so just listen to it.
8. My Girls - Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009)
Animal Collective is responsible for making music past the edge of what is known to be creative. Words that would not normally be put together in song flow with ease when AC puts them on wax. As far as the average listener is concerned Animal Collective’s approach can seem harsh and distance. On My Girls, Animal Collective hones their craft while still keeping the essense of what makes their music so great. In a decade of unrepentant excess, after the whole thing came tumbling down, in 2009 My Girls brought it all back to the really important things in life. In a time when mainstream music serves to perpetuate consumption that message resonates in a time when it is most needed. Use this song as an entry to Animal Collective. Hidden behind the infectious and wild beats are thoughtful and touching lyrics. My Girls is a perfect example of that.
7. B.O.B - Outkast - Stankonia (2000)
It’s funny when this song came out in 2000 that the title made the song sound a bit dated. Ten years later Bombs Over Baghdad sounds more relevant than ever. On B.O.B we find Outkast at a collaborative creative peaks. Speakboxxx/Love Below were great but not true Outkast projects in the same way as Outkast albums before it. B.O.B is relentless. The lyrics intelligent and introspective. Then when you think it can’t get any better the choir comes in for a roaring chorus “POWER MUSIC ELECTRIC REVIVAL,” and if that doesn’t give you goose bumps then nothing will.
6. Maps - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell (2003)
Is this the most beautiful love song of the decade? It maybe the most passionate. I have had many of these songs on repeat throughout the day, and this song is incredibly intense. I wonder how Liars frontman, Andrew Angus, felt when he heard this song. The title is an acronym for “My Angus Please Stay.” Also a reference to the distance between them while both bands would be touring. If you think about the phrase “They don’t love like I love you” that is a bold declaration. Then when you hear the passion and conviction in Karen O’s voice, the weight of her statement hits you like a ton of bricks. If Karen O’s voice doesn’t shake you to the core then prehaps the guitar or drums will.
5. The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (2005)
For me this is the number 1 one hit wonder of the decade. Off kilter? Yes. Weird? Yes. Catchy as fuck? Hell yea! Once the drum beat enters it is hard to resist. A voice as weird as the lead singer’s would be a turn off in most cases, but some how it just fits with style of song. The guitar is simple, but touching. The lyrics are extremely weird. ”You look a bit like coffee, but you taste a little like me.” I know that’s weird and in no a thing you say to a girl, but I think its sweet as hell. A lot of this song conjures up every rock n roll story of a small town kid going to the big city to make it big. It’s a coming of age story of sorts. The lyrics at close up this incredible song are some of my favorite.
“Just listen to me I won’t pretend to/ Understand the movement of the wind/Or the waves out in the ocean or how/ Like the hours I change softly slowly/ Plainly blindly oh me oh my!”
I’ll put this song on repeat just to hear that final ”oh myyyyy!!!” Currently this song sits as number 1 on my all time most played songs in my Library. Good mood? Bad mood? Put this song, turn it up, and hear amazing.
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4. All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (2007)
“We set controls for the heart of the sun/ one of the ways that we show our age”
A driving forceful piano chord… that’s how it starts. That piano drives right through the heart of the song and you just have to hold on. For those growing up in the 2000s this is the anthem to your coming of age story. If it’s not, listen, turn it up, and see for yourself. This could come on during a busy day at work and it will make me reflect on the state of my life. It could be at a party, and I will wonder where my friends with new families aren’t here. I could be in an airport wondering how I’m I am going to hold on to every moment. It could be a night at home when I am at home too busy caught up in trying to forget different aspects of life in the past 10 year. This song is the soundtrack to all of those moments. It’s pretty incredible for any song to hit on all those levels, and then I realize it’s not just me. Those who know this song love every pounding piano chord for all the same reasons.
“I know it get’s tired but its better when we pretend.”
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3. Boyz - M.I.A. - Kala (2007)
Long before Paper Planes became a global hit, this was and still is my favorite my favorite M.I.A song. On Paper Planes M.I.A. is coasting along for the ride, and showing off loads of swagger while she does it. The energy in this song is unstoppable. From the second M.I.A rattles off “How many tequilas in the place/ How many beers are in the case?/ boys there?/ how many?/ boys there? How many? many?” I find myself bouncing in my seat along to the beat.
While you are busy dancing and bobbing your head to the beat M.I.A. is offering a critique on male dominated society. “How many not many boys are crazy/ how many boyz are raw?/ how many not many boyz are rowdy/ how many start a war?” From the youngest and most immature to those in power capable of starting wars, it is all on us. No matter if you find meaning in the lyrics or not, this song is not one to be easily denied. The sound is fresh, and has a third world charm to it. Reminding all the big boy superpowers of the world that culture will not be solely dominated by the by the west. Check out the video for this song too! It’s a real trip. Very low-fi feel to it. It is MS paint on steroids or something.
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2. Idioteque - Radiohead - Kid A (2000)
As if Radiohead couldn’t be any more ahead of the curve before the 2000s they release Kid A and take their sound even further. Beyond Radiohead just being sonic visionaries the lyrical depth and concept of a song like Idioteque is incredible. A documentary film comes out in 2006 called An Inconvenient Truth. Soon Global Warming/ Global Climate Change are on the tips of everyone’s tongues. You begin to hear the subject being breached in music, although usually in passing when mentioning how bad things in the world appear to be getting. Radiohead choses not to merely mention the crisis, but bring it right to you. “Who’s in a bunker?/ Who’s in a bunker?/ Women and children first / And the children first” Citing our excess as a reason why people are running for cover. During this time and on into the new decade we are encouraged to consume, and have everything we want when ever we want.
Before the documentary film many scientists were sounding off the warnings “Ice age coming!/ Ice age coming!” Many of whom were being muted by the media and those with interests that were in conflict with what the scientists were speaking out against. Some having their careers thrown into the “Fire” for merely speaking out. Radiohead begs and pleas for you to merely listen and hear both sides. While criticizing those who merely go after the money despite the costs.
The song itself sounds like some futuristic Armageddon, but the sound is actually derived from 2 samples of 1970s experimental music, Mild und Leise by Paul Lansky and Short Piece by Arthur Kreiger. The actual development of this song is pretty interesting. People being inspired by one another and taking that to new musical heights. If I go too in depth this portion will be too long, but look it up it is interesting.
This song was not the first song I fell in love with on Kid A, but after repeated listens it is the one I continually go back to and find something new I hadn’t realized before.
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For anyone who has followed along thank you for putting up with these long ass entries. After 249 songs, here it is… my Number 1 song for the first decade of the 2000s. Enjoy.
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1. Wake Up - Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004)
From the beginning of this journey there have been some major shake ups as I have made the list. One thing as remained constant. This song. Once I made the decision to place it in the number one spot, it stayed there. Many other song made great arguments, but no other song has conjured up such a variety of emotion for me than Wake Up. The song is personal, but is also able to speak to the decade as a whole.
The album Funeral was conceived in the wake of multiple family deaths associated with the band. Those familiar with the album know that this album is far from a downer, but it is a honest celebration of life.
Reading the through the lyrics I’m not entirely sure what has filled up the author’s heart with “nothing.” I am sure it takes many forms and is something that people try to sell us every day of our lives. Hopefully we will realize what that is before it is too late. There is also call for a younger generation to correct the course that we are on “before they turn the summer into dust.”
Wake up acknowledges the power that man possesses over itself to in one way or another destroy everything in this world. “We’re just a million little gods causing rainstorms!/ Turning every good thing to rust!” The song goes on to suggest that if we continue on this path then maybe we will just have to adjust.
In spite of the subject matter Arcade Fire has an amazing way of leaving you with a hopeful feeling. There is something so uplifting about the second half of the song. The beat is more up tempo. The moment it happens I can’t help but smile. The lyrics are tender, sweet, and every chord hits home. This song makes me laugh, cry, smile, feel a sense of hope, and reminds me that we are more powerful than we think.
There is an amazing acoustic version of this song that was used in the trailer for Where the Wild Things Are. Then during Superbowl 44 Wake up was used in a NFL Promo where all the proceeds were donated to Partners in Health in Haiti.
This is my number 1, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Something filled up
My heart with nothing
Someone told me not to cry
But now that I’m older
My heart’s colder
And I can see that it’s a lie
Children, wake up
Hold your mistake up
Before they turn the summer into dust
If the children don’t grow up
Our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up
We’re just a million little gods causing rainstorms
Turning every good thing to rust
I guess we’ll just have to adjust
With my lightning bolts a-glowin’
I can see where I am going to be
When the reaper, he reaches and touches my hand
With my lightning bolts a-glowin’
I can see where I am going
With my lightning bolts a-glowin’
I can see where I am going
You better look out below!
I hope that whenever you read this list, you enjoyed it as much as I did making it. Let’s go find some new music.
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