Break Through to Better Music

In no particular order (except for the first one) . . . .

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers – "Under the Bridge"

This song, to me, embodies the joy of life, the pain of loneliness, love for friends (especially my dad. He played this song often when I was little, so it reminds me of him), healing (especially healing from any sort of addiction – the lyrics are about Kiedis’ {the vocalist} drug addiction. “Under the bridge downtown,” Kiedis repeatedly injected himself with some mind-altering substance or another. Realizing that he “gave [his] life away” in so doing, this song was the beginning of a long journey toward sobriety {info is from Kiedis’ autobiography, Scar Tissue}), the power of memory, and wonder at the beauty of nature all at once. The whole song, but particularly the ending, never fails to create in me a sense of awe, and I marvel at the miracle of life, love, and existence in general. As far as I know, no band has topped the Peppers in creating such a powerful emotional atmosphere.

2. Limp Bizkit – “The One”

I’m definitely not a big Limp Bizkit fan, but this song is “the one” – their greatest accomplishment by far. I’ve been hard-pressed to find a rhythm as striking and appealing as this; therefore, it is also one of my favorite songs to dance to. The “sub-song” included at the end (a song within a song) also has an excellent beat. The vocalist’s peculiar style might seem listless or even whiny in any other genre, but here it fits perfectly, even gracefully. As for the lyrics, most people can relate. Who isn’t looking (or hasn’t looked) for “the one,” that real or imagined “soul mate” who would share your heart’s desires, understand you, challenge you, love you, and blow you away?

3. Audioslave – “Like A Stone”

A good song to sing along to (but only when I’m alone, so no one must bear with my incoherent squeaking :-) ). Listening for the first time to this potent mixture of a forceful beat, powerful vocals, and intense, chameleon-esque (the chords just slide in there so well, adapting to whatever vocal “environment” has been established) bass and lead guitar, you won’t know what hit you. I’d sum it up in one word: deep. Play it loud, and it creates not only a pleasant emotional but also physical reaction – it will make you shiver in amazement. You can feel it in your bones. It uproots you, lifts you up and brings you down, shatters you and puts you back together.

The lyrics are somewhat ambiguous, and could be interpreted in countless different ways. For instance, it could be a love song; but it could also be, well, a hate song. Is he waiting patiently and lovingly for someone to return to him, or is he expressing resentment at having to wait (supported further by these lines: “The sky was bruised / The wine was bled / And there you led me on,” as if he were fooled or manipulated rather than fairly judged)? Or perhaps he is not referring to a former lover, but a friend, his past identity, or God, to name a few.

4. Sneaker Pimps – “Ten To Twenty”

It *slides*; how else can one describe this song? For whatever reason (perhaps just because the word “snow” is included in the lyrics – that is, “So fall like the snow / Too much too slow . . .”), it has always created an image in my mind of a blizzard, complete with giant snowflakes, harsh winds, thick layers of ice on the ground, and icicles hanging from the edges of rooftops. I vote this as the best beat of any song I’ve ever heard – and that’s saying a lot, considering that I’m a music addict and add, on average, maybe twenty new songs per day to my list of favorites. Like “The One,” this is ideal for dancing.

Also, more so than any other song, it is difficult to describe why I like it. Something about the harmony of vocals, beat, and synthetics just clicks with my personality.

5. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Transcending”

No “top 10” list is complete without at least two numbers by the Peppers. I have plenty of fantastic childhood memories involving my dad, brother, and “Transcending” (the same goes for “Under the Bridge,” and pretty much any song from either of those two RHCP albums: Blood Sugar Sex Magik and One Hot Minute). Then and now, the song creates a sensation of adventure, of hunting for some sweeter, deeper part of the soul that needs to express itself, as well as an immense appreciation for nature. The lyrics make connections between human nature and nature in general; e.g., “Choices are for one and all / All we are are leaves that fall,” and “F*ck the magazines / F*ck the green machine / See the human being / In a loving stream”.

6. Jem – “It’s Amazing”

The piano intro lets you know right off the bat that you are in for a treat. Then you are dropped abruptly into the pleasant atmosphere of a good beat and engaging feminine vocals. As with most songs, it is most powerful the first time you hear it. Complementing the lyrics’ message about a transition from fear to faith, the song creates a sense of empowerment and hope in the listener, reminiscent of the introduction to Depeche Mode’s “Useless.”

This is a song of endless possibility. Passion and creativity can take you anywhere and everywhere. Truly, “It’s amazing / All that you can do,” and “Nothing can compare to deserving your dreams.”

7. De/Vision – “Unputdownable”

Pure joy. This song makes my imagination soar. About forty seconds in, the stronger notes begin curling upward like smoke, and more than thirty seconds after that the chorus bursts even higher, lifting spirits, shooting like a comet through the night sky, unstoppable and genuinely “unputdownable.” It is a universal sensation; who does not know, at least some of the time, what it is like to be “filled with love / From far above”? It may sound like a cliché, but there is greater depth here than in any bout of the painful emotions mentioned (“Arrogance and anger”). The latter “lead into the night”; but then, there are always the stars.

8. Janet Jackson – “Rhythm Nation”

Few songs begin this powerfully. I would include it in the top ten for its introduction alone. Constructed around a theme of unity, Jackson’s message is equally powerful. It is primarily a song of hope and motivation. If we want to change our social and even global circumstances, we need to “work together / To improve our way of life.” Just as an individual human being must set his full and undivided attention on a goal in order to improve his own life, so must a society unite in order to progress, expand, and promote health rather than fear. Whatever our problems are, we can solve them collectively with positive intentions and the courage to carry them out. Of course, it’s not always easy. “No struggle, no progress.” We need to take the time not only to find out what exactly is wrong, but also to *do* something about it. A little apathy can put an end to it all.

9. Incubus – “Drive”

Another “one-hit wonder” on my list (like Limp Bizkit). I’m not too fond of Incubus (in a general sense), but “Drive” is beautiful. Like “Rhythm Nation,” it’s full of hope. Every time I hear it, it inspires me to take better control of my life. It’s easy to sit back and watch the world flow by; that attitude “seems to have a vague, haunting mass appeal.” Few are willing to stand out and accept personal responsibility for our present circumstances (e.g., great philosophers, talented poets, and well-educated environmentalists). But, in the end, it is up to each one of us to “hold the wheel and drive,” and those who fail to face up to the task now will pay for it later.

10. Public Symphony – “Breakthrough”

More hope! Every moment of our lives is an opportunity to break through and reach something higher and better. How do we seize those opportunities? Public Symphony has four suggestions for us: “Generate this transformation / Stimulate rejuvenation / Elevate this inspiration / Animate our resurrection.” In other words, begin (gotta start somewhere), renew (refresh your true nature and emotions), enhance (whatever you have, make it better), and enliven (dedicate your whole heart and mind to renewal, spontaneity, change, etc.). When we make mistakes and fail to live up to our dreams, that’s no cause for despair. “In our breakdown must we lose / Or could we look for new breakthroughs?” No dog is too old to learn new tricks.