Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Who cares?

Someone sent me a text asking if I feel better. I immediately thought, "Oh no... what do they need me to do?" I stopped myself, I hate it when my first response to something is negative... but it often is. I felt bad for having such a pessimistic response to someone who may just want to know how I'm feeling.

I text back that I feel better and thanks for asking. They then reply that they are glad and sorry I had been sick. I put the phone down and smiled, happy to know I was wrong. Sometimes people just care.

5 seconds latter a text comes from the same person. "Call me so we can talk". Ah ha. I call... they do need something.

This person has every right to ask me to do the job I was given, but I resent that they seemingly masked it in to caring if I was still sick. Again the nice side of me thinks, "They at least wanted to see that I was better before putting me to work"

...the other side of me? Well it thinks, "Yeah, people only care depending on what you can do for them."

Does this make me a pessimistic person? Or realistic? I try so had to assume good intent in people, but what if their intend isnt good! Someone sent me a text asking if I feel better. I immediately thought, "Oh no... what do they need me to do?" I stopped myself, I hate it when my first response to something to negative... but it often is. I felt bad for having such a pessimistic response to someone who may just want to know how I'm feeling.

I text back that I feel better and thanks for asking, then they reply that they are glad and sorry I had been sick. I put the phone down and smiled happy to know I was wrong. Sometimes people just care.

5 seconds latter a text comes from the same person. "Call me so we can talk". Ah ha. I call... they do need something. This person has every right to ask me to do the job I was given, but I resent that they seemingly masked it in seeming to care if I was still sick.

The nice side of me thinks, "They at least wanted to see that I was better before putting me to work"

...The other side of me? Well it thinks, "Yeah, people only care depending on what you can do for them."

I try so hard to assume good intent in people, but what if their intent isn't good? Does this make me a pessimistic person? Or realistic? What do you think?

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

My Top 25 Cover Songs

So I was inspired by Paste Magazine’s list of Indie artist covering main stream songs and decided to do my own list. These aren’t all Indie artist they are just musicians I love covering songs that I love. Enjoy!

25. William Fitzsimmons - I Kissed A Girl (Katy Perry)
While I do love Katy Perry (despite it going against my indie music infatuation) I don’t really like this song, until I heard it covered by William Fitzsimmons. Just beautiful.

24. Marié Digby - What I've Done (Lincoln Park)
My Brother Caleb is always telling me what great lyrics Lincoln Park and bands like it have. That they don’t just have a great rock beat, but thoughtful words. It took me hearing Marié Digby singing Lincoln Park’s words to make me realized how right he was.

23. Regina Spektor - Real Love (John Lennon)
Regina Spektor is magical, I love her so much I mostly just want her to sing her own songs, but I guess if she wants to cover the legendary John Lennon that works for me.


22. Switchfoot - Sorrow (Bad Religion)
I love Switchfoot singing this song because it is so simple and striped down you can really hear how great Jon Foreman’s voice is.

21. Yael Naim - Toxic (Brittney Spears)
There are almost as many covers of this song as there are of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, but I like this version because it is Yael Naim’s lovely voice and charming accent.

20 Ellie Goulding - Your Song (Elton John)
British singer Ellie Goulding has such a sweet light voice that it works perfectly with Elton John’s touching words. I like this even better than the Moulin Rouge version.

19. FF5 - Bulletproof (La Roux)
Family Force 5 doing a La Roux song is such an obviously perfect match that this cover sounds very close to the original, but FF5 puts their own touch to it, be prepared to get crunk.


18 Nikki & Rich – Uprising (Muse)
When I listen to this song on repeat (which really is the only way to listen to it) I feel like going out and protest something… which isn’t anything I’ve ever actually done, but still.


17. Rufus Wainwright – Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen)
I wasn’t going to post this cover of Hallelujah, I was going to use the Kate Voegele version instead because Rufus’ version has been heard so much people don’t even know it is a cover, they think it is the original. In the end though I had to use this one because it is just so marvelous.


16 Chris Colfer - I Want Hold Your Hand (Beatles)
Okay, I wasn’t going to post any Glee songs because it feels like cheating, plus most of their covers sound so much like the original it isn’t even any fun. However Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel) singing I Want to Hold Your Hand is beautiful. You don’t have to like Glee to get goosebumps over this song.


15. P!ink - Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)
Yes, out of all the songs P!nk could covered Queen’s epic song is the most genius choice ever. Plus I was able to see her perform this live during her Funhouse Tour (best concert I have ever been to).


14. Coldplay - Billie Jean (Micheal Jackson)
While almost every music group out there has done a cover of Coldplay’s Viva La Vida I’m more interested in what Coldplay is covering, they do versions of both Ring of Fire and Barbie Girl, but my favorite is their cover of Billie Jean.


13. OwlCity - In Christ Alone (Stuart Townend)
While most worship songs get covered and recovered by numerous bands I love OwlCity doing In Christ Alone because here is a secularly famous artist bold enough to sing about Christ. And he does it so well.


12. Adam Lambert - Mad World (Tears for Fears)
This is the song that I always remember Adam Lambert for because when he sang it on American Idol he blew us all away. I’m still not sure why he didn’t win that season… not that is has hurt his career!


11. Paloma Faith - Sexy Chick (David Guetta)
I love pop and R&B songs that are broken down to a good old piano doo-wop feel. Paloma’s sassy style really does justice to this cover.


10. Iron & Wine - Such Great Heights (The Postal Service)
Here is a cover that I think out does the original. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy The Postal Service, but when they sing this song I always feel like telling them to slow it down. Iron & Wine does just that.


9. Vampire Weekend - I'm Going Down (Bruce Springsteen)
Oh Vampire Weekend. I love you. And I love this Springsteen cover and the fact that you get a good feel of Ezra Koenig vocals from it.


8. Mindy Smith - Jolene (Dolly Parton)
I can’t say I really listen to Dolly Parton music, but Mindy Smith’s folk version of this classic Parton song is perfect. I love the music video and cameo by Miss Parton.


7. Florence + The Machine - Oh Darling (Beatles)
I’m going to pretend that you aren’t all aware of how obsessed I am with Florence + The Machine and just casually tell you that this song is friggin’ awesome! Okay. That is all.


6. Ingrid Michaelson - I Can't Help Falling In Love With You (Elvis Presley)
I can’t help falling in love with this song (I know, cheesy) but really it is hard to top the King of Rock & Roll, but I think Ingrid may do it here.


5. Sara Bareilles - Single Ladies (Beyoncé)
Some piano and vocal styling amazingness by Sara Bareilles. Sara keeps the feisty feeling Beyoncé originally gave to this song while bringing R&B back to its doo-wop roots.

4. Joshua Radin – Sunny Days (Sesame Street)
This wasn’t originally so high up on my list, but the more I listened to it the more I loved it. Never have I ever wanted to go to Sesame Street, until now.


3. David Crowder - Deliver Me (Origanlly The Beloved, best known from Sarah Brightman)
I love how David takes a secular song and so easily sings it in a way that I can’t imagine it ever referring to anything but how much we need Christ to save us. Brilliant. I also love the hymn lyrics he adds in there.


2. Adele - Make You Feel My Love (Bob Dylan)
This song is what first made my fall in love with Adele’s music. Every time I hear it I want to stop what I’m doing and go learn to play the piano just so I can sing this song. Truly stunning.


1. Mumford and Suns - Cousins (Vampire Weekend)
I already enjoyed Mumford & Sons and then they stole my heart with their Grammy performance and now they are cover a Vampire Weekend song? Be still my heart. Seriously though, I love the original but hearing Mumford & Sons play it you’d think the song was made for them.