At first glance I would have picked my 5 favourite songs and extolled their virtues boisterously to no end. In that path lies a couple of obstacles, first of which is that I have no favourite songs. I love music with a passion so fierce it seems a betrayal to single out any one(s) over the other(s).
Of course there are certain genres I prefer to others, certain artistes or bands I prefer to others, certain albums I dig over others but I’d be hard pressed to pick favourites. The closest I come to doing such is when I put a particular song on relentless repeat, in my memory those songs end up being the soundtrack to that particular point in my life.
As I write this it dawns on me that I could as well write on those events and their corresponding musical scores… but nah, this post is not for that.
Second, I have an eclectic taste in music and I want THIS to be a reflection of that, left to my own whims I’d probably pick and write about songs of love in all its varying flavours (because Moyo is a hopeless romantic)…but nah, neither is this for this post.
To surmount these obstacles, I take inspiration from the desultory devices of the timeless gods of shuffle. To further sweeten the pot, I’ll be writing whatever these songs bring to mind in the time it takes for these songs to live and die. Along with my epiphanies are my favourite excerpts from the song lyrics. Bear with me if you see the entire lyrics there, some things are too good together to take apart. Brace yourself.
Hillsong United – Look to You
Yayy! We get an easy start! Brethren, if you’re yet to listen to a Hillsong song (chuckles) you haven’t lived. And really this is as good a place to start.
Somewhere on my virtual bucket list is going to Australia and experiencing Hillsong worship. I am truly indebted to their ministry, days when I’ve been at the fullness of my humanity, full of myself – self-pity, self-loathing- unable to see past my pains, my desires, my doubts, they’ve been the voices of God teaching me to worship, to glory in adversity, treasure and experience everything life brings to fore. Hillsong has been indescribable help in giving me an eternal perspective. I can’t begin to mention all they’ve ministered to me.And this song best shows that.
Tedashii ft. Tauren Wells – Paradise
Oh my days! I just realised Tedashii wasn’t referring to his wife when he wrote this! Probably was speaking of Jesus. Always assumed it was a love song, well a love song for the Mrs. The song has a bit of melancholy and along with its lyrical theme reminds me that despite being a recluse in the making, my happiest moments are usually as a result of human interactions. And that is sad, it irks me that I’m seldom happy on my own. Pfft!
1 Last Autograph – See Ehn
Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce you to the Nigerian Rock Music Scene! Bruh! 1 Last Autograph is frigging awesome! And for now See Ehn remains their magnum opus. I had this song on repeat for a week, so now when anyone says See Ehn to me, I always respond in a death growl.
1 Last Autograph’s Sickle Cell Amnesia EP really left me wowed, I lowered my hopes but not only was I left impressed, it left me hungry for other Nigerian rock acts. I thoroughly enjoyed the growls and in me they have a fan. Lyrical content was also impressive, embodied what I have come to expect of rock music, and it is pretty easy to identify with the theme.
The National – This Is The Last Time
The National! Yayy! *twerks in reverse*. This song gets me every time. I’d give an arm and a leg for Matt Breninger’s vocals ( Definitely not my arms or legs). It reminds me of my long walks from school home while I was serving in Jos, about 5 km. Played a lot of The National during those times, funny thing I find certain emotions get me moving. Of which when I start moving, I’m afraid to stop. Deathly frightened of no longer moving. So I usually put songs like this that can evoke such emotions on my running playlist.
Oh! I remember the day I danced from all the way home from school. Lolabonga, the looks on people’s faces was worth it. Odd though I was really bereft while I did it, and I’m glad for that it’s a great memory to have and I wouldn’t have been able to pull it off if I was happy ( by dancing I mean something between a slow shuffle and a waltz).
Nelly Furtado ft. Timbaland – Promiscuous
This song is such a jam. Hehe. Holds so many memories for me. Picture me, precocious kid whose parents just got DSTV into the house. Despite all efforts I binged on Samurai Jack and Megas XLR and co for a month.
My parents ban me off TV and I wanted to die, Fortunately they put a caveat with the ban : I can watch TV when my next door neighbour Ayomide comes around, O! what joy! But I was so naïve and I let Ayomide know the power he could wield and that’s how he became Comptroller General of the TV remote.
It took me 2 terms and some of my most cunning wiles to wrest back my power but that’s a tale for yesterday. Anyway, his first day of rule he doesn’t even let me watch Kids Next Door(It was the Battle Ready Amour episode and I had heard loads about it). Nigga changes the channel to some other stupid one called MTV Base and that was when I first heard this song. This piqued my interest in music. For this I’m grateful. Huhuhu. Good times.
This is not a song review, if it looks like it is, blame it on the unkind gods of shuffle. So maybe I took advantage of the pause button a few times.
You can click below to listen to the songs on the playlist