Soundtrack to my Life

I love music. That's just a well-known fact about me. If you know me at all, you'll know any chance I get, I'll have my headphones on and have some kind of music playing, whether it's a film score or one of my favourite albums or classical music. I love recommending and being recommended songs, and just generally talking about music, so when I discovered this tag, I had to do it. Below is the soundtrack to my life.

(I love music too much to be able to only give one answer for each question, so I've given two - although there are exceptions to that rule because some of the questions were too hard to narrow down)

What song do you listen to when you're happy?

Good Vibrations // The Beach Boys
Something Good Can Work // Two Door Cinema Club

I adore the Beach Boys - is there any other band that just sounds like summer? There are so many happy and upbeat songs of theirs to choose from but I think Good Vibrations is my absolute favourite. As for Something Good Can Work - Two Door Cinema Club are an amazing band, and this song is so fast that it's incredibly satisfying to sing along to when you can keep up with the chorus. Both of these songs just make me want to dance and laugh and go on a drive with the windows down and the sun shining on my face.

What song do you listen to when you're sad?

Liability // Lorde
Laughter Lines // Bastille

I listen to a lot of music when I'm sad (I have playlists for pretty much every mood, and my 'Sad Tunez' playlist is probably the one I listen to the most) so this was hard to narrow down, but I managed to pick two (mainly because I found ways to include the other sad songs later on in this tag). Liability is a recent addition, because Lorde's new album Melodrama (please listen to it, it's amazing) has only recently come out. I listen to it a lot because I relate to it a lot, and it's nice to feel understood. Laughter Lines, however, has been on my sad playlist for a long time - it's one of my favourite Bastille songs, just because of how poignant it is and how beautiful the lyrics are.

What song will you play at your wedding?

Only Us // Dear Evan Hansen
Falling Slowly // Once

Y'all, Dear Evan Hansen's soundtrack is so dreamy. I haven't seen it, but it's coming to London in a few years, so I'll just wait like I did for Hamilton and then I'll get tickets because I love the premise so much. Only Us is one of the most adorable and pure love songs I've ever heard, and it perfectly encompasses how I view love. The same goes for Falling Slowly - what a beautiful song, made even lovelier by the storyline of Once (although once you've seen Once and know the ending, it becomes exceptionally bittersweet). Also notice how both of these are from musicals. Huh.

(side-note: if you're going to listen to Falling Slowly, I suggest listening to the 'Live from Spotify London' version - you just can't beat a live version).

What song do you dance around the house to?

September // Earth, Wind & Fire
Footloose // Kenny Loggins


They're making me dance just thinking about them. September brings back memories of being home alone with my eldest brother who was making us both bacon sandwiches, and we put this song on and danced around the kitchen. It's a small moment in the grand scheme of things but it's stuck with me because that was a true moment of happiness for me. And then Footloose. I mean... who doesn't dance to Footloose whenever it comes on?

(What You Know // Two Door Cinema Club - I didn't put this as one of the main songs because I'd already mentioned Two Door Cinema Club, but it's definitely one I've had dance parties to so I thought I'd pop it here).

What song do you listen to in your headphones when you're out and about?

The Chain // Fleetwood Mac
My Generation // The Who

Two of my all time favourite songs anyway, but they both have such good beats to walk around to (you know when you're walking and walk in-time to the music you're listening to? They're great for that). I adore Fleetwood Mac and The Who, mainly because of my dad - I have a very eclectic taste in music because when I was younger, I'd listened to music my dad listened to in his teenage years, like The Who and Fleetwood Mac and Simon & Garfunkel, as well as pop music that my brothers were listening to, and now I pick up bands from my friends, so it's a big old mess of genres. I have a lot of friends who are big fans of Fleetwood Mac so my love of them as just grown, and if any of you like the film Kingsman and have seen the trailer for the second film, you will have heard a remix of My Generation (which is a great remix).

What song do you listen to when you're angry?

Black Skinhead // Kanye West
Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time // Panic! At The Disco

Ok, so this has taken literally everyone who has ever discovered it about me by surprise but I'm a lowkey rap fan. I can rap all of Nicki Minaj's part in Monster (also by Kanye West), the Childish Gambino is a baaabbeeeee (he's also playing Lando in the Han Solo prequel film, which I am insanely excited for), Logic is amazing, and Kanye West is incredible. Life of Pablo is an amazing album (Ultralight Beam is probably my favourite from that album) but if you're looking for angry songs, Yeezus is where it's at, and Black Skinhead gets me mad pumped. As for Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time, it's not exactly angry, but it has an incredible drum beat that's perfect for an angry music-listening session (especially at full volume).

What song would you have at your funeral?

If I Die Young // The Band Perry
Songbird // Fleetwood Mac

I put the original singers for both songs, but honestly (and don't judge me for this) I prefer the Glee covers of both, because Naya Rivera, who plays Santana, sings them and she has an incredible voice. I love the original versions also, but I'm just saying, the Glee versions are beautiful. I don't really know why I want these specific songs played at my funeral. If I Die Young is pretty obvious, but Songbird I'm unsure about - I can just imagine it being played? Both beautiful songs.

What is the last song you listened to?

The Night We Met // Lord Huron
Praying // Kesha

I gave the last two songs I've listened to so it would be consistent with my answers to the other questions. I'm guessing a lot of you watched or at least know of the TV show 13 Reasons Why, and The Night We Met is the iconic song from it - it's such a lovely song and gets me incredibly emotional every time I listen to it. And just before I listened to that, I was playing Praying by Kesha oh my goodness that song is beautiful. The lyrics are beautiful and the message is so incredible, especially when you know what Kesha's been through during the last few years (google it if you're not sure what went on). Also can we talk about her vocal range?! Because that high note she hits during the climax of the song is insane. I can't even begin to comprehend how she does it.

What song will make you lose your shit at a party?

Everybody (Backstreet's Back) // Backstreet Boys
Mr Brightside // The Killers

I don't think there is a song that so perfectly encapsulates the early 00s for me the way Mr Brightside does. I can and will sing/shout the entire song if it plays at a party, as will everyone else in the room (also who doesn't love a bit o' The Killers). Backstreet Boys were mainly my brother's influence - I was born after this song's release, but it was played often enough in my house for it to become associated with my childhood. Obviously there are many songs that I'll lose my shit over, like TiK ToK by Kesha (a true classic of the late 00s) and of course Cha Cha Slide by Mr. C because oh my goodness who doesn't slide to the left and take it back now y'all when this song comes on? It's basically universal law to dance when it comes on. A classic school disco tune.

What song would you love to see live?

Yellow // Coldplay
Pompeii // Bastille

It used to be A Team by Ed Sheeran but, as I mentioned last time, I'm going to be seeing him next year, so that's off the list now. The two bands I'd love to see live the most are Coldplay and Bastille, and the songs I'd be most ecstatic to hear would be the first songs I heard of theirs, which were Yellow and Pompeii. I just can't imagine actually hearing them live, I think I'd lose my mind.

What song would you do for karaoke?

Grace Kelly // MIKA
The Winner Takes It All // ABBA

I'm not a huge fan of karaoke but if I had to, I'd sing one of those two. I already know all the words to Grace Kelly, and The Winner Takes It All is such a good song to belt out.

What song do you work out to?

Sorry Not Sorry // Demi Lovato
Send Them Off! // Bastille

Sorry Not Sorry is such. a. jam. It gets me really hyped up, so it's perfect for when I go for a run, and the same goes for Send Them Off! because it just has a great beat to run to. I'm not a huge fan of exercise but these songs make it bearable.

What song has the most memories attached?

Home // Gabrielle Aplin
We Both Reached For The Gun // Chicago

Home perfectly encapsulates for me the years 2013-2014, as does that whole album (English Rain if you want to listen to the album). I saw Gabrielle Aplin live in November 2013 (just after I created this blog) with my best friend, my first live concert. 2013-2014 were the last years I was truly happy, honestly - year 10 (2015) is when the anxiety and stressed started, and I very much miss the carefree days I was living when I was listening to Home on repeat. Looking back, Home perfectly describes how those years felt to me. As for We Both Reached For The Gun - I first watched Chicago over the summer with Anna. I was staying with her for a week, while her parents were on holiday in the Lake District. This meant, once we'd watched Chicago (what a film and what a musical) on the first night, we could listen to the soundtrack over and over, while washing up, while making breakfast, at 2am. So the whole soundtrack reminds me of that amazing week with one of my best friends, but specifically We Both Reached For The Gun (because we can sing the whole thing in time, even the really fast bit - that's true talent).

What song makes you cry?

Secret For The Mad // Dodie
Somebody Else // The 1975

I don't cry at many songs, but there is a list of about 4 or 5 that have made me cry (Liability by Lorde, which I put up there ^ under 'sad song' is one of them, and the ones which I haven't listed will have a little * next to them when they appear below) but these two that consistently make me cry. Secret For The Mad makes me ugly cry because, same as Liability by Lorde, it's so nice to feel understood. And to have someone tell me (in a beautiful singing voice) that everything will be ok. Somebody Else isn't something I can relate to, but it's a song I've listened to many many nights before I go to sleep or when I can't sleep or when I'm already crying, so I now associate crying with it. Which means I cry at it. A lot. It's the song I cry at every time, without fail. And it's also an amazing song.

What is your guilty pleasure song?

Sweet Creature // Harry Styles
New Rules // Dua Lipa

Pretty much any pop music is a guilty pleasure (Little Mix, anyone?) but ~club~ music is probably my guiltiest pleasure. Half the time it makes no sense, the other half it's derogatory in some way, but there are some gems in amongst the rubbish - like New Rules, which is such a tune. Harry Styles isn't really a guilty pleasure, and certainly is as much of one as One Direction was, because his solo music is genuinely really good. But I still feel a bit guilty about loving him as much as I do.

What is your favourite song from a musical?

Someone In The Crowd // La La Land
Electricity // Billy Elliot

Who doesn't love La La Land? Like seriously? Does a person exist who doesn't love this beautiful film? It's easily one of my favoutite musicals (even if it isn't a theatrical musical) and the soundtrack is just beautiful, so obviously I was going to put a song from it on this playlist. Billy Elliot is also one of my favourite musicals (thank you, Anna, for introducing it to me - she introduces me to a lot of musicals) so that was going to feature.

(An additional one - Satisfied from Hamilton, specifically the mix tape version by Sia featuring Queen Latifah and Miguel. Such a good song)

What is one song that you hate?

Look What You Made Me Do // Taylor Swift
Despacito // Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber

Listen. Taylor Swift is #iconic. I love her. But I don't think I had ever experienced true disappointment before the verses and bridge in Look What You Made Me Do hyped me up and then I got that chorus. Biggest anticlimax of my life. I was waiting for this giant beat drop where everyone would lose their minds. And I got Too Sexy For My Shirt 2.0. As for Despacito, my goodness has there ever been a more overplayed song. I'm so done with both of these songs.

What is your favourite song of all time?

The Fall // Imagine Dragons*
Autopilot // Kodaline*
Dreams/Little Lies // Fleetwood Mac
Somebody Else // The 1975

The hardest question you could ever ask me (along with favourite book/film/TV show) but I managed to narrow it down to 5. All of these are songs I could listen to over and over and over and over and over. If you listen to no other songs from this post, please listen to these five. They are truly breathtaking, all of them.

Honourable Mentions:

Heartbeats // Jose Gonzalez
6/10 // Dodie*
Someone That Loves You // HONNE
No. 1 Party Anthem // Arctic Monkeys
Seaside/She Moves In Her Own Way // The Kooks
Power Hungry Animals // The Apache Relay
Alone // Trampled By Turtles

I am so sorry for the awfully long post. I could talk about music all day. I'll be back next week with a (hopefully shorter) monthly favourites post. Until then!