I have been wanting to do this for a long time. I actually did do it a couple of times too. But since that record is on casettes and my casette player broke down a long time ago, I can't revisit the memories. However, I did get on with the times and moved on to an iPod Touch that I can barely stay away from. It's my soul, it gives me my groove, it helps me get up in the morning and gives me a reason to actually enjoy the 2 hours of traffic each day. Yes, I know. I enjoy the traffic!
Anyways, what I will be doing here is give you a rundown of some of my most memorable songs and the memories associated with it. When it comes to documenting ALL the songs, I'll have to dust my old diaries and look through each entry. I started writing from a young age so you can imagine that I have loads of notebooks (at an average of 2-3 notebooks per year) to browse through. And like my blogposts, all my diary entries are pretty elaborate and filled with emotions, abuses, gossip, and doodles.
But I have to start somewhere. And I'll start from the earliest I can remember. Here goes my "High Fidelity".
1. Train - Drops of Jupiter
I was probably in 6th or 7th when I first heard this song on 102.8 AIR FM Rainbow. The station wasn't called Rainbow then and the frequency was also different. However, they've tried to give it a youthful vibe and I hope it's working for them. Each day, after school, I'd plant myself infront of the stereo and listen to Vandy (Vandana) do an amazing job at RJing and playing the most eclectic mix of music. When I first heard her explanation of the song, I fell in love. With her, space, and Train's unique sound.
I still keep "Drops of Jupiter" on my playlist and I kept it playing in the background when I read the whole of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series. And this way, not only was I reading about space, but my mind was also imagining it through the lyrics. The song was as much about losing yourself out there and getting back on up as each moment of life has been. It also made me a space junkie. For lack of a clear view of the sky in the city, I sufficed to reading about space in books, magazines and online.
I haven't heard any of Train's songs apart from this and two more, and I'd like to keep it that way. I'd like to not spoil my love of Train, as it was with John Mayer.
2. Coldplay - Strawberry Swing
The sheer innocence of this song melts my heart not only because of this video, but also the dreamy vocals and sounds. As I held someone's hand, I fell in love with the one who was singing this song. Though his vocals were nowhere near the pitch Chris Martin reaches, at least he got all the chords right. It was the shortest love of my life, lasting only till the drive home. With the wind in my hair and the early morning sun on my face, I prayed to "just curve away" with you. It was a perfect day.
3. The Beatles - All You Need Is Love
Some day, when we finally achieve world peace, I would like this song to be played across the globe.
Lennon's "Imagine" has this sombre tone which is good if you want to make people cry. I want people to love each other. If I'm sad, play me this song and I'll perk up.
4. Dana Fuchs & Martin McCoy - Don't Let Me Down
When I gave this song to someone special, I asked them to do exactly as the song says. I was in love and very happy with it. But it wasn't to be. They went ahead and let me down.
Though I'm not sad, this song did help me move on. The mad feeling that you acquire when you love someone that you're willing to mould your life to fit theirs, you do what pleases them, and you put yourself second. Been there, felt that pain but I'm not quitting either. The song is written with this hopelessness in love, but with a punch 'coz the writer has his guard up. I like The Beatles version too but it's just the vocals in this one that get me every time.
5. James Morrison & Nelly Furtado - Broken Strings
I haven't heard much--or any--other song of both artists except for this one. And as I said before, this ignorance has helped me preserve the memory of the song. What I love when I listen to this song is the stretch in Morrison's voice as he sings the part "The truth hurts and the lies worse/How can I give anymore?" in the first part of the song. Tugs straight at the heart strings.
6. Nada Surf - Inside of Love
The first time I heard the song on "How I Met Your Mother", I cried. I knew what having an outsider perspective of love felt like. How desperately you try to fit in with those who seem to be in love.
Now I'm never a romantic but I do believe in love and want it to prevail, not just between two people, but in the whole world. This is Nada Surf's best song, and I have heard all their songs. Their version of "All You Need Is Love" is too close to the original but one of the versions I prefer.
Just like "Drops of Jupiter", I kept this song on repeat as I read the whole of the "Percy Jackson" series onscreen. So not only was I contemplating the meaning of love, I was also imagining douchey Greek gods, Cerberus, Tartus and a livid Kronos, and other mythological creatures.
7. Jack Johnson & Eddie Vedder - Constellations
Vedder has this voice that makes me want to make love to it. All the songs of "Into the Wild" were so brilliant! I don't know how he does that. Johnson too has this beachy, Hawaiin voice that is too magical and I can feel the waves tickle my feet each time I listen to his songs. And this collaboration between both of them is just so magical.
The many versions of this song don't do it justice. Listening to this song on repeat makes me want to make love. Only I can't explain why the creator of this video included star maps.
8. Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
Do I even need to explain why this song is here?
9. Gwyneth Paltrow - Landslide
The reason why I prefer this version is because it combines the best of the Fleetwood Mac and Dixie Chicks versions. I relate to this song in so many ways. The apprehension of the future, being afraid of change, not knowing if love will ever come your way. There have been so many moments in life where this song has helped me cope. Maybe sometimes you don't need solutions to problems. Admitting that there are problems is a big enough thing. There have been so many missteps, falls, and warnings throughout my life. And all you need to make things better are classics like this.
10. Sheryl Crow - Sweet Child o' Mine
The only reason why I prefer this version to the original is because of Crow's rustic voice. I do love the original too. Reminds me of all the things that went right in life.
11. The Faces - Ooh La La
This song makes me feel like an old, wise woman.
Don't get me wrong, that isn't bad. I do like to think that when, and if, I age, I age as the granddad in the song. Having spent no time at all with my granddads before they died, I didn't think I was missing something. But when I see my parents miss them, I wonder what it really feels like to be old and miss someone when they're dead and gone. Have I really missed the experiences?
12. Papon - Naina Lagey
I thank the person who introduced me to Papon. Though we can never go back to how things were, I do wonder if things can ever be right. I've called them names, blamed them for ending relationships, and will never know if I can ever truly forgive them. But I do love Papon though. He reminds me of all the good things in the world with his rustic voice which sounds similar to early Hariharan classics.
13. Mumm-Ra - She's Got You High
"500 Days of Summer" had a brilliant soundtrack. And I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel for their works. The first time I heard this song was in the movie.
When I hear this song, I imagine running down streets, running towards something or someone. And it's not a panic-stricken run, it's a longing that I need to fulfill. And can I imagine that I'm running down the high streets of New York? Yes, man!
And now before I include 335 more songs here, I will stop. As Jeremy Clarkson said, his list of top 5 favourite songs include about 300 songs at least. This is the count of my top 5 favourite songs. Each song has a memory attached to it. Each time I listen to them, I evoke the exact moment, my state of mind, the world affairs, and how the song affected me. If I were to do this exercise again a few years down the line, I believe there will be new songs. But I also wish that at least some of the above repeat on that list. All the songs here are such an integral part of my being. They are my dreams, my hopes, my sad moments, the glad ones, and those I can never forget about.
Anyways, what I will be doing here is give you a rundown of some of my most memorable songs and the memories associated with it. When it comes to documenting ALL the songs, I'll have to dust my old diaries and look through each entry. I started writing from a young age so you can imagine that I have loads of notebooks (at an average of 2-3 notebooks per year) to browse through. And like my blogposts, all my diary entries are pretty elaborate and filled with emotions, abuses, gossip, and doodles.
But I have to start somewhere. And I'll start from the earliest I can remember. Here goes my "High Fidelity".
1. Train - Drops of Jupiter
I was probably in 6th or 7th when I first heard this song on 102.8 AIR FM Rainbow. The station wasn't called Rainbow then and the frequency was also different. However, they've tried to give it a youthful vibe and I hope it's working for them. Each day, after school, I'd plant myself infront of the stereo and listen to Vandy (Vandana) do an amazing job at RJing and playing the most eclectic mix of music. When I first heard her explanation of the song, I fell in love. With her, space, and Train's unique sound.
I still keep "Drops of Jupiter" on my playlist and I kept it playing in the background when I read the whole of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series. And this way, not only was I reading about space, but my mind was also imagining it through the lyrics. The song was as much about losing yourself out there and getting back on up as each moment of life has been. It also made me a space junkie. For lack of a clear view of the sky in the city, I sufficed to reading about space in books, magazines and online.
I haven't heard any of Train's songs apart from this and two more, and I'd like to keep it that way. I'd like to not spoil my love of Train, as it was with John Mayer.
2. Coldplay - Strawberry Swing
The sheer innocence of this song melts my heart not only because of this video, but also the dreamy vocals and sounds. As I held someone's hand, I fell in love with the one who was singing this song. Though his vocals were nowhere near the pitch Chris Martin reaches, at least he got all the chords right. It was the shortest love of my life, lasting only till the drive home. With the wind in my hair and the early morning sun on my face, I prayed to "just curve away" with you. It was a perfect day.
3. The Beatles - All You Need Is Love
Some day, when we finally achieve world peace, I would like this song to be played across the globe.
Lennon's "Imagine" has this sombre tone which is good if you want to make people cry. I want people to love each other. If I'm sad, play me this song and I'll perk up.
4. Dana Fuchs & Martin McCoy - Don't Let Me Down
When I gave this song to someone special, I asked them to do exactly as the song says. I was in love and very happy with it. But it wasn't to be. They went ahead and let me down.
5. James Morrison & Nelly Furtado - Broken Strings
I haven't heard much--or any--other song of both artists except for this one. And as I said before, this ignorance has helped me preserve the memory of the song. What I love when I listen to this song is the stretch in Morrison's voice as he sings the part "The truth hurts and the lies worse/How can I give anymore?" in the first part of the song. Tugs straight at the heart strings.
6. Nada Surf - Inside of Love
The first time I heard the song on "How I Met Your Mother", I cried. I knew what having an outsider perspective of love felt like. How desperately you try to fit in with those who seem to be in love.
Now I'm never a romantic but I do believe in love and want it to prevail, not just between two people, but in the whole world. This is Nada Surf's best song, and I have heard all their songs. Their version of "All You Need Is Love" is too close to the original but one of the versions I prefer.
Just like "Drops of Jupiter", I kept this song on repeat as I read the whole of the "Percy Jackson" series onscreen. So not only was I contemplating the meaning of love, I was also imagining douchey Greek gods, Cerberus, Tartus and a livid Kronos, and other mythological creatures.
7. Jack Johnson & Eddie Vedder - Constellations
Vedder has this voice that makes me want to make love to it. All the songs of "Into the Wild" were so brilliant! I don't know how he does that. Johnson too has this beachy, Hawaiin voice that is too magical and I can feel the waves tickle my feet each time I listen to his songs. And this collaboration between both of them is just so magical.
The many versions of this song don't do it justice. Listening to this song on repeat makes me want to make love. Only I can't explain why the creator of this video included star maps.
8. Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
Do I even need to explain why this song is here?
9. Gwyneth Paltrow - Landslide
The reason why I prefer this version is because it combines the best of the Fleetwood Mac and Dixie Chicks versions. I relate to this song in so many ways. The apprehension of the future, being afraid of change, not knowing if love will ever come your way. There have been so many moments in life where this song has helped me cope. Maybe sometimes you don't need solutions to problems. Admitting that there are problems is a big enough thing. There have been so many missteps, falls, and warnings throughout my life. And all you need to make things better are classics like this.
10. Sheryl Crow - Sweet Child o' Mine
The only reason why I prefer this version to the original is because of Crow's rustic voice. I do love the original too. Reminds me of all the things that went right in life.
11. The Faces - Ooh La La
This song makes me feel like an old, wise woman.
Don't get me wrong, that isn't bad. I do like to think that when, and if, I age, I age as the granddad in the song. Having spent no time at all with my granddads before they died, I didn't think I was missing something. But when I see my parents miss them, I wonder what it really feels like to be old and miss someone when they're dead and gone. Have I really missed the experiences?
12. Papon - Naina Lagey
I thank the person who introduced me to Papon. Though we can never go back to how things were, I do wonder if things can ever be right. I've called them names, blamed them for ending relationships, and will never know if I can ever truly forgive them. But I do love Papon though. He reminds me of all the good things in the world with his rustic voice which sounds similar to early Hariharan classics.
13. Mumm-Ra - She's Got You High
"500 Days of Summer" had a brilliant soundtrack. And I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel for their works. The first time I heard this song was in the movie.
When I hear this song, I imagine running down streets, running towards something or someone. And it's not a panic-stricken run, it's a longing that I need to fulfill. And can I imagine that I'm running down the high streets of New York? Yes, man!
And now before I include 335 more songs here, I will stop. As Jeremy Clarkson said, his list of top 5 favourite songs include about 300 songs at least. This is the count of my top 5 favourite songs. Each song has a memory attached to it. Each time I listen to them, I evoke the exact moment, my state of mind, the world affairs, and how the song affected me. If I were to do this exercise again a few years down the line, I believe there will be new songs. But I also wish that at least some of the above repeat on that list. All the songs here are such an integral part of my being. They are my dreams, my hopes, my sad moments, the glad ones, and those I can never forget about.
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