#atozchallenge: S is For...

S was another letter that prompted a whole host of songs. I’ve tried to narrow things down as much as possible, but there were about the same number again that I could’ve listed here.

Something in Red – Lorrie Morgan

Mr Click and I bought a Claire Sweeney CD in a charity shop when we were on holiday in Cornwall and this is easily my favourite song on the whole thing, I couldn't find that exact version on YouTube but is the original so it'll do. I love the words to it; it’s like little snapshots in one woman’s life. I also wrote a little story about it, expanding on the narrator’s thoughts in each verse.

Samwise the Brave – Howard Shore

I could have included all of the songs on the Lord of the Rings (and Hobbit) soundtracks, but I think I showed great restraint in just picking a few. Each time I read The Lord of the Rings I find myself drawn more and more to Samwise Gamgee, I love seeing how he grows and changes as a character. It was something that was done really well in the films as well; the change from him standing in a field stating that in one more step it’ll be the furthest he’s ever been outside the Shire, to preparing to follow Frodo into Mordor and right up to Mount Doom is done so well. I love the way the music swells here for him with the little nod back to the Shire and the danger to come; it's amazing how one piece of music can capture all that growth!

Spider’s Web – Katie Melua

Yet another song that I love for the words. I remember listening to this album whilst travelling to University, particularly as I was walking up the road to the campus from the train station. Some songs I love for the music, and some I love for the words, this one I love for both; the music and the lyrics go together beautifully. Plus it’s one of those songs that’ll make you think as well.

Seven Years – Norah Jones

I wrote a story about this one too, in fact I rediscovered it when I was emptying the last box from when we moved in. The song is about a little girl playing in a garden all alone. It made me wonder why the little girl was all alone and so one night when I couldn’t sleep I listened to it on repeat about ten times and in the course of about an hour I churned out a little story about why she might be alone. It’s not actually that bad so I might post it on here some day.

Superman – Lazlo Bane

I only know of this song through the opening credits for Scrubs, although I’ve heard a couple of other Lazlo Bane songs through other TV series and YouTube. Apparently it was Zach Braff, who plays JD in Scrubs, who suggested this as the theme song because he felt it summed up the show. I think it does capture the tone of the show. I also think it’s one of those songs that kind of sum up life sometimes; sometimes you’re just having one of those days and this is the song to blast out when you are.

Stay Stay Stay – Taylor Swift

This is a fairly recent addition to my list of my favourite songs. I’ve had both the most recent Taylor Swift albums on my phone for about a year now as well as in the car, but once I’ve discovered my favourites on an album, those tend to be the ones I listen to most often which unfortunately means that I might miss out on some others. This was one of the ones that I’d overlooked until one day about a month ago. Sometimes I stick an album on on my phone while I’m in the shower and it just happened that this song played and I finally listened to the words.

I’ve mentioned about how there’s something in many of the Taylor Swift songs that just speaks to me. Well this one made me laugh, particularly the bit about throwing the phone across the room… I may have done that several years ago.

Speak Now – Taylor Swift

And yeah, another Taylor Swift one that I like. I should add here that I’ve not been to many weddings and I’ve never felt compelled to stand up and suggest the guy should marry me instead. This one doesn’t speak to me personally so much as just makes me smile. I like the way that it paints a picture in my mind of the events, it’s like I can picture the way the music video would look, even though there isn't one.

Song of the Lonely Mountain – Neil Flynn

We went to see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in the cinema January last year. I’d been anxious about getting to see it in 3D and it seemed like every day we considered going there was bad weather, flooding affecting trains, and all sorts of other issues that prevented us from going. To be fair, it was much the same this year when we were going to see The Desolation of Smaug, but it seemed like a bigger deal last year because it was a film I’d been waiting such a long time to see.

I remember getting towards the end of it and feeling like I was utterly bursting for the loo, and then the end credits started to roll and I heard this song and I had to stay a little while longer. As soon as we got home I ordered the soundtrack on Amazon and was thrilled to be able to download it straight to my Kindle to listen to again. I just love everything about it, the words, the rhythm, the chanting, it’s perfect.