From Elvis to The Rolling Stones, across time and generations, there have always been those few artists that just reach people, whose music connects with people and hits them where they're most vulnerable. British musician Frank Turner is one such artist. His music is powerful and captivating, and his lyrics are poetry at its best. Anyone can connect to his music. Whether you're a pre-teen, an adult, or an older person, Turner's music has something for everyone. Here are just a few examples of such songs created by Frank Turner:
1. "I Still Believe" - England Keep My Bones
"And I still believe / in the sound / that has the power to raise a temple and tear it down
And I still believe / in the need / for guitars and drums and desperate poetry
And I still believe / that anyone / can find a song for every time they've lost and every time they’ve won!"
My favorite song of his! Fast paced and upbeat, "I Still Believe" is an anthem for anyone whose life is powered by rock 'n' roll.
2. "Josephine" - Positive Songs for Negative People
"Come on now Josephine / Let’s pretend it’s Halloween
You come as a car crash / I’ll come as James Dean
I’m Napoleon on Elba / And you’re a hundred days in 1815
I wrote all these letters to my immortal beloved
And you’re the only one who’s ever going to know what they mean."
Another great rock song from Turner. It speaks to those moments of longing for real connection that everyone experiences, those moments of reflecting on yourself and longing for a muse to spark a change within you.
3. "Cleopatra in Brooklyn" - Positive Songs for Negative People
"You casually shed poetry like your clothes / In neat little rows
On the floor of my hotel room
You never wanted to be a princess / said you’d accept less
Holding court holed-up in your bedroom."
A slower song that resonates with those of us who see the beauty in being who you are. Whether you think of yourself or someone else while listening to this song, it will make a lasting impression.
4. "Isabel" - Poetry of the Deed
"And so the world has changed / Worse or better’s hard to tell
But my hope remains within the arms of Isabel."
A seedier chill-out song, this one is perfect for those summer nights spent laying out on a trampoline looking at the stars, or just dancing with your friends in the backyard.
5. "If Ever I Stray" - England Keep My Bones
"We all have secrets that we hold inside
Yeah, the worst little things that you never confide
And the worst one of all that you just can’t hide
Is that you’re never quite as strong as you sound."
Another nice faster song. This one is about wanting to remain grounded, and not taking anything for granted; of recognizing that life can be hard but as long as we realize our blessings and are surrounded by people who love us, we'll be alright.
6. "Recovery" - Tape Deck Heart
"Because I know you are a cynic but I think I can convince you
Yeah, ‘cuz broken people can get better if they really want to
Or at least that’s what I have to tell myself if I am hoping to survive!"
A fast song about what it's like to be in recovery. The disjointed, heartbeat-beat-beat paced music speaks to the reality of addiction and pain, and wanting to be better for someone else. It's about not going through life alone.
7. "Little Aphrodite" - Mittens
"You’re weary and you’re wise like Athena
Like Artemis, you’re wild and you’re free
You carry yourself like you’re Hera
But quietly, you’ll always be Little Aphrodite to me."
Turner wrote this song for a Greek girl he met in a bar, but sadly, it doesn't have a happy ending. The second part can be found in the song "Mittens" on the EP of the same title. This song is about the heart of what it means to be in love. It's about how when you're so in love with someone, everything about them becomes beautiful and sometimes other-worldly to you. A beautiful song.
8. "Once We Were Anarchists" - Sleep is For The Week
"Because I’m young enough to be all pissed off
But I’m old enough to be jaded
I’m of the age where I want things to change
But with age my hopes have faded
I’m young and bored of being young and bored-
If I was old I could say I’d seen it all before."
Another excellent, fast-paced angsty song. This one's about the disillusionment of revolutionary ideals that comes with aging and the tiredness that comes after realizing that everything isn't all roses and fight the power. A smart song.
9. "Get Better" - Positive Songs for Negative People
"I’m tryin’ to get better ‘cuz I haven’t been my best
She took a plain black marker, started writing on my chest
She drew a line across the middle of my broken heart
And said “Come on now, let’s fix this mess!”
We could get better ‘cuz we’re not dead yet."
Another great rock song. This one is a self-esteem anthem about being the best you can be and getting better to be that. I listen to this song when I'm driving with the windows down. It's a good one to listen to if you ever notice yourself starting to get stuck too far down in the miry pit of your depressing feelings. There's still hope to get better.
10. "The Angel Islington" - Positive Songs for Negative People
"By the waters of the Thames / I resolve to start again
To wash my feet and cleanse my sins / To lose my cobwebs on the wind
To fix the parts of me I broke / To speak out loud the things I know
I haven’t been myself."
My second favorite song of Turner's after "I Still Believe", this song is slow and honest and poetic. It's almost a conversation Turner's having with himself. A great mellow song to listen to while out walking or just relaxing in the park.
(Other honorable mentions include: Four Simple Words, Photosynthesis, Tell Tale Signs, Reasons Not To Be An Idiot, Glorious You, The Next Storm, The Amy Trilogy, The Fisher King Blues and The Way I Tend To Be. Go forth and revel in the rock music!)
