"FROM THE EDGE OF THE DEEP GREEN SEA" THE CURE (1992)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 17

I could’ve picked from dozens and dozens of different Cure songs to highlight Robert Smith’s unique ability to capture a spectrum of emotions in his lyrics like no one else. Far more complex than just doom & gloom on one end and euphoria on another, Smith understands that human emotions are much more complex and nuanced than that as the closing lines in “From The Edge of the Deep Green Sea” indicate in its feedback-soaked abyss.

“It's always the same. Wake up in the rain. Head in pain. Hung in shame. A different name. Same old game. Love in vain. And miles and miles and miles and miles and miles and miles away from home again.”

"YES I'M CHANGING" TAME IMPALA (2015)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 16

The synth-heavy instrumentation on Currents weaves in and out in a dream state. Many of the songs feel like we’ve unwillingly entered Parker’s head. Once inside, he reveals his thoughts on relationships and identity like pages out of a journal. Yet, “Yes I’m Changing” is also written like a defense statement. Assured, clarifying and maybe a touch too defensive. And I have been able to completely relate to this at different points in my life.

“I was raging, it was late. In the world my demons cultivate, I felt the strangest emotion. But it wasn't hate, for once.”

"TAME" PIXIES (1989)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 15

Ordinary bands sing their lyrics. But the Pixies is no ordinary band. The instrumentation on “Tame” is irresistible with those chunky bass lines and the industrial cacophony on guitar. But the vocals are the centerpiece. This is Black Francis, so rather than sing his lyrics, he whispers, screams and growls his way through two short verses and peaces out in just under two minutes. The words are memorable, but more significantly, it’s the way in. which he delivers them that’s truly unforgettable.

“Got hips like Cinderella. Must be having a good shame. Talking sweet about nothing. Cookie I think you're tame.”

"ALL I WANT" TOAD THE WET SPROCKET (1991)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 14

As I continue to highlight some of my favorite song lyrics this month, I feel inevitably drawn to songs that I often sing along to. Because they just might be the songs with the most powerful lyrics. In 1991, Toad The Wet Sprocket released Fear, an album where I wasn’t just a listener. I was invited in as a participant. The lyrics of “All I Want” are invigorating and liberating with every syllable from the first verse to the end chorus.

“Nothing's so loud as hearing when we lie. The truth is not kind. And you've said neither am I. But the air outside so soft is saying everything. Everything.”

"LOST CAUSE" BECK (2002)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 13

Sad, introspective songs aren’t usually the kind of songs that make you want to sing along. But that’s not the case for me with “Lost Cause” and many of the tracks on Sea Change. It’s easy to sing along to Beck’s personal and melancholy lyrics with these stripped-down, melodic songs. “Lost Cause” feels like a ride on a never-ending carousel. There’s a monotonous rhythm to the song that’s the perfect musical bed for some of Beck’s most personal songs.

“Your sorry eyes cut through the bone. They make it hard to leave you alone. Leave you here wearing your wounds. Waving your guns at somebody new.”

"ALIVE AND KICKING" SIMPLE MINDS (1985)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 12

This is one of the most uplifting songs of the era and one of my favorite Simple Minds anthems. It came on the heels of “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”, but this one was actually written by Kerr and his bandmates. There are quite a few gems on the entire Once Upon A Time album, including “All The Things She Said” and “Sanctify Yourself”, but this is the one that has had the most staying power. The height of the lyrics lies in the soulful transition between the verses and the chorus.

“What you gonna do when things go wrong? What you gonna do when it all cracks up? What you gonna do when the love burns down? What you gonna do when the flames go up? Who is gonna come and turn the tide? What's it gonna take to make a dream survive? Who's got the touch to calm the storm inside? Who's gonna save you?

"MOTHER" PINK FLOYD (1979)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 11

Of all the great Pink Floyd songs out there – and there are a lot – this is the one whose lyrics never fail to escape me. It had one-liners that had me in stitches, and it had some of The Wall’s most endearing moments. In 9th grade, I must’ve listened to The Wall and watched the movie a hundred times. I didn’t fully understand what the wall was, but the music was helping me to break down my own walls. “Mother” begins with a deep breath before settling in to a series of unforgettable questions and assurances.

“Mother should I build the wall? Mother should I run for President? Mother should I trust the government? Mother will they put me in the firing mine? Ooh ah, Is it just a waste of time?”

"TENUOUSNESS" ANDREW BIRD (2008)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 10

The whistling. The string instruments. The wit. There are many aspects to Andrew Bird’s music that draw me to the music, including his way with words. They can be complex and hard to decipher at times. Many of his songs include long, complicated words, like a modern-day “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”. I rarely can repeat the words back, but my ears are glued every single time. “Tenuousness” is one of those classics where Bird started to really play with the sounds and flow of words, not just their meanings.

“From proto-Sanskrit Minoans to Porto-centric Lisboans. Greek Cypriots and harbor sorts who hang around in ports a lot, uh huh.”

"SPACE ODDITY" DAVID BOWIE (1969)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 9

It’s right up there with the most memorable rock & roll lyrics of all time. The thing that made it stand out was that the lyrics themselves defied the established norms of rock lyrics. “Space Oddity” was brilliant because it wasn’t merely a song, it was a story whose words made us imagine Major Tom floating in space. We could actually picture it. “Space Oddity” was more like a novel or movie than a rock song.

“Take your protein pills and put your helmet on. Ground Control to Major Tom (ten, nine, eight, seven, six). Commencing countdown, engines on (five, four, three). Check ignition and may God's love be with you (two, one, liftoff).”

"MR. BRIGHTSIDE" THE KILLERS (2004)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 8

When Hot Fuss came out in 2004, I felt like I was reliving the glory of 80’s new wave all over again. I was back in heaven with those shimmery synth riffs. And Brandon Flowers’ lyrics made for anecdotes that you could really sing along to. Everyone knows the opening guitar chords to the song, but once Flowers starts singing, that’s where the magic happens. Because we join in and sing along, too.

“Jealousy, turning saints into the sea. Swimming through sick lullabies. Choking on your alibis. But it's just the price I pay. Destiny is calling me. Open up my eager eyes cause I'm Mr Brightside.”

"TIME HAS TOLD ME" NICK DRAKE (1969)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 7

For me, at least, the late blooming career of Nick Drake feels more like discovering hidden treasure on a long voyage than wondering and regretting while we didn’t reach shore earlier. His three-album catalog is a gift full of minor key melodies and wise-beyond-his-years lyrics – delivered in his rich, oaky baritone. “Time Has Told Me” is written like it came from an older, reflective man, but Nick was in his twenties when he penned it. They are words that remind us to never stop being content in the right relationship.

“Your tears they tell me there's really no way of ending your troubles with things you can say.

And time will tell you to stay by my side to keep on trying 'til there's no more to hide.”

"HEAVY METAL DRUMMER" WILCO (2002)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 6

That innocent, nostalgic and irresistible look back at a summer. Love. Music. And KISS covers. Lots and lots of KISS covers. What’s not to like? “Heavy Metal Drummer” is one of the more accessible tracks off the legendary Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but that’s not to diminish any of its merits. The lyrics, in particular, are superb. A story that puts you there on the boardwalk under the hot, scorching sun. I can picture it and I feel like I vicariously experienced it.

“Shiny, shiny pants and bleach-blond hair. A double kick drum by the river in the summer. She fell in love with the drummer. Another and another. She fell in love.”

"SYNCHRONICITY II" THE POLICE (1983)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 5

As a member of The Police, Sting was many things. A captivating frontman. An underrated bassist. And a sharp, witty lyricist. His lyrics were like poetry one moment, prose in another. The words he used in “Synchronicity II” are some of the most memorable lyrics in rock history. They have the power to make you laugh just as they’re able to keep you settled in awe.

“The secretaries pout and preen like cheap tarts in a red light street. But all he ever thinks to do is watch. But every single meeting with his so-called superior is a humiliating kick in the crotch.”

"CEMETRY GATES" THE SMITHS (1986)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 4

The Queen is Dead is one of my favorite albums of all time. The remarkable sequencing of the songs took me on a journey that I didn’t want to end. The songwriting was superb – featuring some of the best instrumentation from Marr, Joyce and Rourke – and, of course, the brilliant lyrics of Morrissey. There are so many great lines in every song, including the brilliant ode to literary greats and slam on plagiarism on “Cemetry Gates”.

“A dreaded sunny day. So let's go where we're wanted, and I meet you at the cemetry gates. Keats and Yeats are on your side. But you lose 'cause Wilde is on mine.”

"GOOD RIDDANCE (TIME OF YOUR LIFE)" GREEN DAY (1997)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 3

Billy Joe Armstrong doesn’t get the songwriting credit he deserves. I believe many music fans have written them off, mainly based off their simplistic punk-oriented instrumentation. But he’s written two rock opera albums as well as this ballad classic, demonstrating a knack for stringing the right words together.

“So take the photographs and still-frames in your mind. Hang it on a shelf and good health and good time.

Tattoo's of memories and dead skin on trial, go. For what it's worth it was worth all the while.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life.”

"HURT" NINE INCH NAILS (1994)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 2

Trent Reznor wrote from a place of anguish and isolation. The words are, above all things, real and raw. The lyrics are so powerful, they even took on a different meaning when Johnny Cash famously covered the song, proving that “Hurt” is not just Reznor’s personal memoir, it’s a song that you can make your own.

“I hurt myself today. To see if I still feel. I focus on the pain. The only thing that's real.

The needle tears a hole. The old familiar sting. Try to kill it all away. But I remember everything.”

"SUMMER, HIGHLAND FALLS" BILLY JOEL (1976)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 1

Words worthy of sentimental yearbook write-ups and tearjerker slideshows. Turnstiles is my favorite Billy Joel album – and “Summer, Highland Falls” is one of the standouts from a lyrical and piano playing perspective.

“They say that these are not the best of times But they're the only times I've ever known. And I believe there is a time for meditation in cathedrals of our own.

Now I have seen that sad surrender in my lover's eyes And I can only stand apart and sympathize For we are always what our situations hand us It's either sadness or euphoria.”

"RUNNING UP THAT HILL" KATE BUSH (1985)

One of the most powerful things about music is that it is the soundtrack of our lives. Fellow music fanatic Sharon Hepworth started a music challenge on Twitter for the month of July. Each day, fans around the world will select a song from their life and describe what it means to us. These are my songs. #SoundtrackToYourLife

Day 31

I have to end with this song. The 80’s are the most meaningful era for me musically. It was the decade that I first fell in love with music. And many of the bands from that era are just as relevant to me today as they were back then. It’s my decade. And so there’s no better song to capture what the decade has meant to me than one of my favorite Kate Bush anthems: “Running Up That Hill”, a song that has experienced a resurgence through its appearance on Stranger Things. Because, for me, the 80’s are always ripe for a resurgence in my life.

There’s a delicate beauty to much of Kate Bush’s catalog. But “Running Up That Hill” showed a brasher, more assertive side. On one level, we can simply enjoy the song’s most memorable elements like its echoey drum roll, its unusual synth hook off a Fairlight CMI and Bush’s powerful lyrics and vocals. On another level, the song’s impact on the future of music is something to behold. It’s because of Kate Bush songs like “Running Up That Hill” that we have artists like Tori Amos, St. Vincent, Bjork, Florence and countless others.

“Let me steal this moment from you now.”

"SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW" KEANE (2004)

One of the most powerful things about music is that it is the soundtrack of our lives. Fellow music fanatic Sharon Hepworth started a music challenge on Twitter for the month of July. Each day, fans around the world will select a song from their life and describe what it means to us. These are my songs. #SoundtrackToYourLife

Day 30

Hopes and Fears brings me back. A group of friends and I instantly loved this album when it first came out. We heard nothing else like it before. It was a piano-driven form of alternative rock that ascended into ecstasy with these achingly beautiful melodies. What makes “Somewhere Only We Know” more special to me these days is the fact that my oldest son also now loves this song. I will catch him singing it randomly sometimes, ever since that night he and my daughter joined their classmates in singing a beautiful rendition of the song at their spring concert. Their performance brought me right back to that year we first discovered the album.

“Somewhere Only We Know” opens triumphantly and beckons the listener in with those majestic piano chords. The verses start delicately, become more resolute, and intensify further into the chorus. It’s a gorgeous mid-tempo track. I used to wonder why my son loves this song so much compared to many other songs I’ve exposed to him over the years. I think it’s the song’s sense of permanence. Over the last 18 years, the song’s beauty has never faded or become obsolete. If anything, as more generations get to experience it, it has only become more and more beautiful.

“I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin.”

"MEDITATION" JULES MASSENET (1894)

One of the most powerful things about music is that it is the soundtrack of our lives. Fellow music fanatic Sharon Hepworth started a music challenge on Twitter for the month of July. Each day, fans around the world will select a song from their life and describe what it means to us. These are my songs. #SoundtrackToYourLife

Day 29

I grew up in a home full of music. My parents didn’t spin vinyl records, but my mom played piano and both my mom and dad sang in the church choir. My mom didn’t have the longest fingers, but she had tenacity. She would play the classics of the classical canons over and over again until she got it right. One of the pieces that I remember her playing was this one, a piece from the opera Thais by Massenet. When my mom passed away suddenly from pancreatic cancer six and a half years ago, my brother and nephew played “Meditation” together in memory of her at her wake. I was bawling. You see, this piece has given me both incredible joy and sadness.

“Meditation” is the only classical era piece to be featured in my #SoundtrackToYourLife series this month. Yet, classical music has played a significant role in my understanding of music. I studied piano for six years – which I believe eventually led to my love for synth-based music. I heard my mom play hundreds of classical pieces on the piano, but Massenet’s “Meditation”, along with Mozart’s “Moonlight Sonata” stood out for its beautiful melody and interludes. Just when I thought i heard the best part, another interlude would follow suit. It seemed to be a piece that was constantly outdoing itself movement by movement. The melody is both beautiful and somber, which, in addition to my memories of mom, might explain why I feel a wide range of emotions every time I hear it.