American Girl

[Photo:  dearagi.com]

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' second single from their debut album, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.  It is from 1977 and people still play it all the time.  That is when you know a song was a good one.

The chorus is only four lines, but it is sooo good:

Oh yeah, all right

Take it easy, baby

Make it last all night

She was an American girl

And along with the chorus, the second verse is astounding:

Well it was kind of cold that night,

She stood alone on her balcony

Yeah, she could hear the cars roll by,

Out on 441 like waves crashin' on the beach

And for one desperate moment

There he crept back in her memory

God it's so painful when something that's so close

Is still so far out of reach

Is that not a powerful set of lyrics?  "God it's so painful when something that's so close / Is still so far out of reach," hits home I think for everyone.  But while it is so relatable, I guess you could say it is a tiny bit depressing.  "And for one desperate moment / There he crept back in her memory."  A "desperate moment" is always a hopeless moment.

So many different feelings I feel are tackled in this song, which is partially why I think it is formidable.  The band made it an upbeat, fun-sounding song, yet they talk about a girl who stands on her balcony alone thinking about some guy who has no meaning to us as listeners.  It is like, you want to feel badly for her, but the song is so dance-worthy that you...can't.  Am I misinterpreting it?  Probably.

With A Little Help From My Friends

Happy Thanksgiving!!  We all get caught up in work, school, and everything else in our lives, that we forget about what we do have.  Today is the perfect day to say "thanks" for everything great in your life.  I always give thanks for my family, my friends, my good health, and music.  What would I do without music?  Not much, that's what!

I am thankful for all of the classic artists, as well as the new and upcoming.  There is a lot to be thankful for with the music industry.

[Source:  YouTube]

Midnight Memories

I bought One Direction's new album, Midnight Memories, yesterday and I have to say, it is different, yet very good.

Actually, I kind of want to change what I said.  It is different, but I have seen that every new release of theirs sounds different than the one before.  The only thing, is that this one sounds extremely different.

Here's the track list:

1. Best Song Ever
2. Story Of My Life
3. Diana
4. Midnight Memories
5. You & I
6. Don't Forget Where You Belong
7. Strong
8. Happily
9. Right Now
10. Little Black Dress
11. Through The Dark
12. Something Great
13. Little White Lies
14. Better Than Words
15. Why Don't We Go There*
16. Does He Know?*
17. Alive*
18. Half A Heart*

*Deluxe version

If you listen to Up All Night and then listen to this album, you will be amazed as to how the boys have matured; lyrically and musically.  Even the jump from Up All Night to Take Me Home was a pretty great one.

Louis's solos make me want to cry.  Zayn's high notes make me want to scream.  This whole album makes me want to go crazy.  Play this album on the highest volume your device allows!!!!

"Midnight Memories" is very rock 'n roll (actually a majority of the album sounds very rock 'n roll), "Little White Lies" has a BASS DROP, and "You & I" sounds a little like "Change My Mind" from Take Me Home.  This whole album has me very impressed.  Amazing job my little British and Irish lads!

You can of course purchase the album wherever CDs are sold.  

Salute

There are plenty of songs that I absolutely hate before I love.  Whether it's the rhythm, the lyrics, or the genre, sometimes all I need to do is listen to it 50 times before it is one of my favorites.

1. Little Mix - Salute - This song is off their new album Salute which is not yet available in the states.  I couldn't resist myself and I listened to all of the songs on YouTube and the second this song started playing, I immediately turned it off.  I thought it was absolute rubbish!  The beat just gave me chills.  But since I love Little Mix, I brought myself to listen to it a few times and now it is one of my favorite tracks on the album.
2. One Direction - Change My Mind - I know, I know.  How could I hate a 1D song?  I'll admit that I had never listened to the song from the beginning to the end until about four months after I got the album.  The reason?  I hated the beginning of the song.  It was not Louis, I just found the first ten seconds to be very dull and borrring.
3. Lorde - Royals - I have never heard a song played on the radio as much as this one.  I was sick of hearing it, until I listened to it on my own.  I don't love it, but I like listening to it.  I guess you could say it's one of those songs that I have to be in the mood to listen to.  

Stop the Music

A new EP by Sammy Adams was recently released and I just had the chance to listen to it.  It's called Homecoming and sounds similar yet more mature than his previous albums...not that his previous albums sounded immature.

The EP is just $4.99 (plus tax) on iTunes and features six brand new tracks...which are all explicit so I don't recommend it for children under the age of 17.

The genre, of course, is rap, but they don't sound like songs from a new Lil Wayne album.  No, no, no.  The songs sound the way Sammy Adams has always sounded, trust me.  My favorite one is called "Stop the Music" which is the first track on the EP and really does not sound like rap at all.  Here's the tune:

[Source:  YouTube]

Sammy Adams is currently on tour with Timeflies and their final show is tomorrow night in Detroit.  If you would like to find out more about Sammy, you can go here!