Turn on any mainstream pop station or playlist, and you might come to the conclusion that quite a few of today's top hits had their lyrics written by four-year-olds. By sleep-talking four-year-olds. If you don't have a problem with this state of affairs, and merely want a fun beat going on in the background, that's fine, but this article is not for you. But if you find yourself bored with the type of song that largely consists of 78 repetitions of the word "work," then you're in luck. Here are six of my favorite songs with something to say:
"San Quentin"
By: Nahko and Medicine for the People
What it's about: Nahko Bear is the front man of the multicultural, message-heavy indie outfit Nahko and Medicine for the People. Their powerful, exuberant song "San Quentin" details his real-life journey to the San Quentin penitentiary to forgive the man who killed his father.
Memorable quote:
I may be a stranger, but I come as a brother
We are not so different from one another
The man that you become and the child that you are
Your anger be the strength, but it only goes so far.
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
A life for a life, I give mine to you."
"Adoration"
By: The Ragbirds
What it's about: A sweet, reverent love song for God, by Ann Arbor's own folk-rockers, The Ragbirds, frees the inner child. The song breaches impressive emotional terrain, from longing, shyness, and confession to pure trust affection.
Memorable quote:
I want to go to your house, God,
And climb in your window,
I want to find you in your room,
And cry on your shoulder.
I want to hide in your blankets, God,
And keep you up all night talking.
I want to wake at the dawn with you,
The quiet of your breathing.
"Savages"
By: Marina and the Diamonds
What it's about: Marina Diamandis proves she knows more than just "How to be a Heartbreaker." The Welsh chanteuse serves up a bouncy alt-pop bop that sounds like it's about original sin.
Memorable quote:
Another day, another tale of rape
Another ticking bomb to bury deep and detonate
I'm not the only one who finds it hard to understand
I'm not afraid of God
I'm afraid of Man
"Take its Own Time"
By: Katharine Polwart
What it's about: Scottish singer-songwriter Katharine Polwart's ode to unhurried living sounds just like a meandering river.
Memorable Quote:
Well, you don't move too fast, you make it all last
You encounter each moment before it is past
And you say, "Walking slow in this world is no crime"
You just let it all hang out and take its own time...
"Après Moi"
By: Regina Spektor
What it's about: Just as you'd expect, Spektor's deadpan delivery of ominous lyrics hits hard. She switches between English, French and Russian, layering meaning onto King Louis the XV's well-known quote.
Memorable Quote:
Be afraid of the lame; they'll inherit your legs.
Be afraid of the old; they'll inherit your souls.
Be afraid of the cold, they'll inherit your blood.
Apres moi, le deluge.
After me comes the flood.
"The Village Green Preservation Society"
By: The Kinks
What it's about: This classic is a fetchingly quaint anthem for anyone who loves the old ways.
Memorable Quote:
We are the Skyscraper condemnation Affiliate
God save tudor houses, antique tables and billiards
Preserving the old ways from being abused
Protecting the new ways for me and for you
What more can we do
God save the Village Green.
Meaningful songs are good for much more than Instagram captions. They remind us that we are creative, thinking beings, able to communicate with each other through the power of music. So next time you feel tired of what the Twenty-One Pilots call “lyrics that mean nothing, but we’re gifted with thought,” turn on an artist that speaks to your soul. Or, better yet, write some lyrics of your own!
