10 Songs I’ve Heard A Lot

Why do you like the songs you like? Why doesn’t everyone like the songs you like? What even is a good song? Who has the authority and objectivity to declare that?

I think songs are like people. You know very quickly whether you like them, or not. If you get along with someone, you’re going to talk to them more. If you like a certain song, you’re going to listen to it more.

Whether we realize it or not, we’re constantly in the filtration business. Such is life. We are what we like. And what we like, we keep around. The rest gets filtered out because we don’t have time to waste time.

That is why we all like different songs. That is why friendship groups exist.

That’s it for my sermon. Go forth and prosper, or something.

Two days ago, I wrote a post where I forced myself to listen to the Top 10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 List, and gave my old man thoughts on each one.

Today, I’m sharing the 10 songs I’ve listened to the most on iTunes.

Note: Some of these songs would not fall in the category of “my favourites” and are merely here because of longevity.

Give them a listen if you’re curious.

1. Sleeping Sickness – City and Colour

This song, man.

One of the first times I heard it was in 2009, when it was used in the NHL Playoffs video montage. There’s just something about montages that get me every time.

This song was with me during my university years and there were so many times when I stayed up all night working on an essay and had this song playing in the background, as I typed out words and took 10 minutes “naps” at the top of every hour.

It kept me company and I can still experience all five senses if I close my eyes and think about it.

A part of me really likes minimalistic songs where it’s just a guitar (or just a piano, or a mix of drums and ____) and the person singing, so this checks that box.

Lyric I like (besides all of them):
And I’m afraid, to sleep because of what haunts me
Such as, living with the uncertainty
That I’ll never find the words to say
Which would completely explain, just how I’m breaking down

2. Everlong – Foo Fighters 

Again, I’m a sucker for video montages.

In 2015, David Letterman hosted his final Late Show and had the Foo Fighters on to sing, Everlong. I’ve linked their performance above and you can hear why Letterman chose them and this song.

I don’t know if this is the intention of the song, but it always makes me think of the fun times I’ve had in my life and if I’ll be able to find things in the future that measure up.

Does that make sense?

Lyric I like: If everything could ever feel this real forever/If anything could ever be this good again

3. Tall Tall Shadow – Basia Bulat

This song was sent to me in 2013, by my best friend Chris, who most of you know as the guy who writes poetry.

One big hiccup in our friendship at the time was that we had completely opposite tastes in music. I think the only song we both liked was, Runaround Sue, which is a major banger.

Did I say that correctly?

Tall Tall Shadow is a song that almost feels like a shadow is slowly creeping up on you, as it starts soft and slow, and then BANG you’re in the middle of it.

Oh, and the sports connection is that it was the song in the opening montage for Hockey Night in Canada in December 2013.

Lyric I like: There is no lie that you can live in/Tear it apart/Your own confession made in the dark

4. The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows – Brand New

This song was on the soundtrack for NHL 2004 and brings me back to the days where I could just play video games with a breeze coming in the window, and not worry about anything else.

I’ve always liked the title of the song because I feel like we all have something that we don’t really share with others.

The meaning of the song is quite sad, which I didn’t realize until last year, but I’ll never get tired of listening to it.

Lyric I like: I contemplate the day we wed/Your friends are boring me to death/Your veil is ruined in the rain

Other lyric I like: Wasting words on lowercases and capitals

5. 45 – The Gaslight Anthem

Sometimes you just need to get your head stuck in a door to see what’s on the other side. That was the case with this one.

For years, (the aforementioned) Chris had been telling me about The Gaslight Anthem but I brushed it off. And then this song appeared in NHL 13 and it opened my eyes to their collection of brilliance.

It’s a really good, upbeat song, You should listen.

Lyric I like: And I dance with your ghost/Oh, but that ain’t the way/I can’t move on and I can’t stay the same

6. Closer – Tegan and Sara

This song came out at the end of 2012. I’m a bit surprised it’s so high on this list, but then again, I have memories of using this song as a nap song.

What is a nap song? A nap song is a song I played on repeat, as I laid on my bed after a filling meal, or exhausting day morning.

I don’t really listen to this song anymore, but back then it was in circulation a lot.

Lyric I like (mainly because it sounds like a weather report): The doors are open, the wind is really blow 

7. Hurricane – 30 Seconds To Mars

April 2011 was a bittersweet time for me and that’s when I discovered a band called, 30 Seconds To Mars. I still remember listening to one of their songs, liking it, and then clicking on the YouTube recommendation of another one of their songs, and like it as well.

Their music helped get me through.

I wouldn’t say this is my favourite 30 STM song, but I do like a lot, even though it is an exhausting 6 minutes and 20 seconds.

Lyric I like: There is a fire inside of this heart and a riot about to explode into flames

8. Shot At The Night – The Killers

For most of my life, I thought The Killers were a British band. They aren’t. Somehow.

One of my friends posted this on Facebook many years ago and I gave it a listen and liked it.

Pretty sure it was used as a theme song for March Madness, one year.

80% of the time, there’s a sports connection all the time.

It’s hard for me to pick a “lyric I like” because most of the lyrics are just, “Give me a shot at the night”, so…

9. Never Too Late – Three Days Grace

You can take the lyrics of this song to mean a bunch of different things, but to me, the song leads my mind down the rabbit hole to two quotes.

“It’s not too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” – Tao Lao Tzu

Simple as that, for me.

Lyric I like: The world we knew/Won’t come back

10. Freaks – The Hawk in Paris

I heard this song on Pretty Little Liars.

I’ve said too much. We’re done here.

Lyric I like: N/A

Looking back, maybe this post should’ve been a list of my favourite songs, but I’m kind of glad it’s not.

To me, songs are merely the label on a big file folder. They’re a symbol that represents something bigger – memories, thoughts, a moment in time.

It’s never just the song; it’s everything the song makes me think about.

Is that weird? Maybe. But that’s me and you can see it reflected in the songs I listen to.

Thanks for reading!

I encourage you to do a post like this. Pick ten songs you enjoy and write about what comes to mind when you listen to them. You might surprise yourself.

Have you heard any of these songs before? Why do you like the songs you like?