Tagged: epic

Ida Maria – I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked (Fortress ‘Round My Heart, 2008)

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Another artist that you can thank Sam for introducing me to. It’s really very impossible for you to not like this song. It’s catchy, up beat, and infectious. Driving drums, bass line, and guitar part start off strong, and keep us rolling through out the whole song. Ida’s voice is straining and cracks in some spots, giving us the impression that she’s really yelling, face first into the mic.  And then there’s the title, which I love.

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For the most part, the lyrics aren’t really that different. They stay pretty constant, but are effective. The first verse starts us off

Oh the clever
things I should say to you
They got stuck somewhere
Stuck between me and you
Oh I’m nervous
I don’t know what to do
Light a cigarette
I only smoke when I’m with you

“Light a cigarette, I only smoke when I’m with you” is a really great line. Then we move on to the prechorus, where there are great little vocal “Whoooaaaas” That give the song a peppy rock feel. And then, the chorus it’s self, which is

‘Cuz I like you so much better when you’re naked
I like me so much better when you’re naked
I like you so much better when you’re naked
I like me so much better when you’re naked.Yeah!

In my opinion it’s really the best part of the whole song. Pounding drums, crashing guitars, male backing vocals, and Ida belting it out. I can confess, without any shame, that whenever this song comes up on my MP3 player, or stereo, I yell it out too. This has made me the victim of many a strange glance from passers-by, or people in my house.

From here on out, the song continues pretty much in a similar manner. Listen to this song once, and you’re like, “Oh yeah, this is pretty cool” By the second time, I guarantee that you’ll be belting the lyrics out too. I promise. The combination of Ida’s ernest singing style (slightly reminiscent of Feist or Ragina Spektor), backed by powerful drum, bass, and guitar, makes this song a real winner in my book.

-James Out

Savage Garden – Tears of Pearls (Savage Garden, 1997)

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Say what you will about 90′s music. I think that, as a child of the 90′s, it will always hold a special nostalgic place in my heart. Especially music from the late 90′s. I’m sure that you know a few Savage Garden songs. If you listened to the radio at all, it seems almost impossible that you didn’t hear Truly Madly Deeply, and I Want You (both appearing on their self-titled album). And while these were certainly the tracks that got the most air time, they are by no means the best. Which brings us to our current song.

It starts out with pretty dancy drum loop and a bit of a guitar part. I’m going to warn you right now, the song really doesn’t get any more complex from here on out. It changes a bit for the chorus, maybe adding in a little bit of string synth. The real genius, in my opinion, lies in the lyrics of this song. Lets take a look at the first verse.

And we stare each other down like victims in the grind
Probing all the weakness and hurt still left behind and we cry
The tears of pearls
We do it. Oh we do it.

Now if that’s not an epic lyric, then I don’t know what is! Intensity is brewing. I especially like “victims in the grind” It reminds me of the opening video for Final Fantasy 8. Then we move on to someone questioning another person views.

Is love really the tragedy the way you might describe?
Or would a thousand lovers still leave you cold inside?
Make you cry…
These tears of pearls

Man these lyrics are good. Questions about feeling scorn about relationships. Is love as bad as you say? Or is it just because of your mindset? Then we move on to the chorus. I’d like to take this opportunity to say that when I first listened to this song, all those many years ago, I used to think they were saying “Stone man Pearls” not “Stolen Pearls” Listen closely, I think you’ll see why I was confused.

All these mixed emotions we keep locked away like stolen pearls
Stolen pearl devotions we keep locked away from all the world

For some reason, the metaphor of mixed emotions being like stolen pearls is really cool to me. Very nice imagery. Moving on to the next verse, we hear a bit more of the story. The girl tried to live, but always had a bad experience. This guy tried to be the one to open up her heart, but ended up with tears of pearls.

Your kisses are like pearls, so different and so rare
But anger stole the jewels away and love has left you bare,
Made you cry…
These tears of pearls
Well I could be the tired joker pour my heart to get you in
Sacrifice my happiness just so I could win
Maybe cry…
These tears of pearls

Then, the music starts to diversify a little as we go into the bridge. Some more lyrics that are more imagery then anything else. We get through the bridge in time for a little solo, and a electric organ part that sounds like it would be more at home in a 70′s funk song. After that, we return  to the chorus a few more times.

Now see? Wasn’t that a good song? You know it was. I would encourage you to look up the rest of songs on that album. Except for Truly Madly Deeply, which really, isn’t that god of a song.

-James Out