Thursday, May 22, 2014

May Flowers

As the saying goes: April showers bring May flowers. I may have missed out on the April showers part (definitely a playlist idea for another time!), but I have created a bouquet of songs for your listening pleasure! I'm always surprised by what I find in my search for the perfect songs to put together, and this time I couldn't believe how many songs there are out there about roses! Here are some that were not included in my list: Kiss From a Rose by Seal, Desert Rose by Sting, Every Rose Has Its Thorn by Poison, My Wild Irish Rose, The Rose by Bette Midler, and Roses by Outkast among many others.

Playlist
May Flowers

Highlights
Track 9/ Poppy by Zee Avi
Although this song is more concerned with the recreational use and abuse of this plant, the approach is sweet and a little jazzy. In this simple and snappy song, Zee Avi's voice floats along and makes you feel okay about her boyfriend becoming a drug addict. Her self-titled album is one of the only CDs I keep in my car (along with Regina Spektor's Fidelity and Mariah Carey's Greatest Hits) and play on repeat when I just can't handle the radio anymore! 

Track 10/ Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls
It's hard for me to answer when people ask me for my favorite singer or band, but I have been able to identify a handful of songs that are my all-time favorites! Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls is definitely one of these. I have been in love with this song for half of my life. It's a self-deprecating love song, with epic string accompaniment and melancholy guitar picking. There's an honest desperation in lyrics, which I think is an important component found in most of the best songs.

Track 16/ La Vie en Rose by Edith Piaf
A classic that absolutely HAD to be included in my list, Edith Piaf beautifully gargles out one of the most famous French songs. This song is also on my absolute-favorites-of-all-time list, and has been covered by many artists. (I particularly adore Sophie Milman's version.) But nothing compares to the original because of the emotion and pain behind Edith Piaf's performance- I mean, have you SEEN the movie about her life with Marion Cotillard?! That has to be the most depressing movie I have ever seen in my life. The interesting thing is that this song is not about roses, but instead looking at life through rose colored glasses (our American version of the saying), but more importantly the pain hiding behind this outward attitude. 



Thanks for listening (florally)!
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