Top 10 Lists

Favorite:

1. Cohen, Leonard. Buckley, Jeff. (1984). (1994). "Hallelujah". Various Positions. Grace. The transcendence of the songs lyrics, from religion to relationships captures the audience through applicability. Although the specific situations incorporated into "Hallelujah" are not universal the concepts and accompanying syntax are breathtakingly beautiful. Paired with the lyrics, the musical composition creates an almost addicting atmosphere.

2. Parton, Dolly. (1974). "Jolene". Jolene. Combining admiration with jealousy, pure emotion is evoked through a story of insecurity and longing. The song’s introduction gives no preview to the song’s content, creating a sort of dichotomy between lyrics and tone. Though admittedly not universal, the song is effective in it’s audience reaction, and leaves lingering, residual consideration.

3. Clyro, Biffy. (2010). "God and Satan". Only Revolutions. Assuming the role of agnostic, Biffy Clyro juxtaposes what is desired with what is taboo. In his certainly that "someone is watching...from up or down", Clyro accepts the likelihoods of supernatural being, but not a wholly good or wholly evil one. The vaguely freethinking lyrics matched with his occasionally accented voice and the light, acoustic instrumental produces a lovely, soothing song that I intend to continue listening to.
4. Massive Attack. (2010). "Paradise Circus". Heligoland. A beautiful composition of music and meaning, I consider this song a piece of art. It is captivating and alluring. The song, because of it's sound and structure, is hard to listen to just once.
5. Bright Eyes. (2002). "Lover I Don't Have to Love". Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground. The effectively encompassed complication of relationships and love are illuminated throughout the song's course. The ambiguity in the lyrics lead the listener to insert their own preferences and experiences, and prompt the audience do draw their own conclusions. Though seemingly straight forward, the song covers many alternate realities and exceeds superficial content.
6. Mumford and Sons. (2009). "Winter Winds". Sigh No More. The initial dissonance between the lyric "as the winter winds little London with lonely hearts" with the upbeat, romanticized music provides a sense of confusion indicative of the lyrical content. An allusion of hesitant desire is portrayed through the partnership of the lyrics and music. The song's catchy hook adds to the my affection for the song.
7. A Fine Frenzy. (2007). "Almost Lover". One Cell in the Sea. Evoking a sense of nostalgia through a tale of lost love, the song depicts a wistful recollection of a "luckless romance", that, although caused heartbreak, seems coveted. The "sweet sadness" of the song is touching, to say the least.
8. Blunt, James. (2005). "You're Beautiful". Back to Bedlam. As a popular (and popularly mocked) song, I cannot deny the appeal of the sweet tune and the cheesy lyrics.
9. Jagger, Mick. Richards, Keith. (1974). "Fool to Cry". Black and Blue. 
10. Hy Zaret. The Righteous Brothers. (1955). (1965). "Unchained Melody". Just Once in My Life. 

Best:

1.    Book of Love, Peter Gabriel

2.    Angel, Jimi Hendrix

3.    Angie, Rolling Stones

4.    Hotel California, The Eagles

5.    Landslide, Fleetwood Mac

6.    White Rabbit, Jefferson Airplane

7.    Free Fallin’, Tom Petty

8.    In Bloom, Nirvana

9.    Lola, The Kinks

10.  Gun Shy, 10,000 Maniacs

Savior

She spoke softly in her sleep. Words I couldn’t make out about things she would never give me a chance to understand. The words weren’t for me anyways. Her body was spread across a stranger’s couch, her legs dangled over, her hair covered in vomit. Whose, I didn’t know. She’d had too much to drink tonight, and she’d seen too much in her nineteen years. She was trying to feel something, anything. She was trying to fill a gap, and I was there trying to save her. I knew she wouldn’t save herself. She didn’t care if she lived or died. She was godless, restless, fearless. She was a drifter and I was her shadow. Nobody meant anything to her, but she meant everything to me.

She spent her nights with people she didn’t know, trying to find someone to connect with, but never staying long enough for a connection to be established. She danced until she couldn’t stand, until she couldn’t move. She only spoke in riddles. Her voice was sweet, and her thoughts beautiful, though always fogged by her latest experiment. She was sure every compliment ever paid to her was plagued with insincerity and the only label she put on herself was jaded. She was too happy in her discontent, and I tried too hard to open her eyes.

I don’t know if she knew about me, about what I did for her. I kept her from overdosing, and when she overdosed anyway, I kept her from dying. I fought off people so she didn’t have to. I kept her from being taken advantage of, from being abused, raped. I knew she didn’t mind the promiscuity, but she didn’t understand. I held her when she cried, almost every day.  I fed her when she was convinced she wasn’t thin enough. I carried her when she couldn’t walk. I was putting her back together piece by piece. I don’t think she knows what I did for her, I don’t think it matters. To her, I was a ghost, a phantom, a figment of her imagination.

As I watched from the corner, another background character in her life, she retched in her sleep, rolled over and sighed. I could tell by the way her ribs rose and fell. I’d seen it so many times before. I stepped forward, but stopped. I looked at her and I looked at her and I thought. What if I didn’t? What if I just didn’t anymore? What would happen then? Would she even notice? Would it even matter? She can take care of herself, I’m sure. Probably, maybe. What if, what if. But then I went to her, and I lifted that tiny frame and took her to that stranger’s bathroom. I lay her body down in the bathtub and I wet a towel to wash her face. Then her hair. When I finished, I lifted her again, and took her to my car. On the way there, she reached for someone in her sleep but I knew it wasn’t for me. It never would be.