In light of that, I have been compiling a pretty amazing study playlist. During any all nighter, music is crucial. Especially when studying. The music needs to be enlightening without being too distracting. Sort of background music, but too good to be lumped in with that category. Without further adue, here are 10 of my favorite songs to listen to while studying.
10. Bob Dylan - Boots of Spanish Leather
Bob Dylan is the most influential musician of the past 100 years. No questions asked. In the future, I will have to do a full post exclusive to Bob; his music deserves it. It's the type of music you can listen to for 10 years (I would say longer but I'd be guessing) and it keeps on feeling brand new.
This song, Boots of Spanish Leather, is in my top 10 favorite Dylan songs. Released in 1964 on his The Times They Are A-Changin' album, this song is an old ballad you have heard many times. The classic tale of two-lovers separated from each other. Critics say that it is about Dylan's past girlfriend Suze Rotolo and when she left him to live in Italy. The song plays out as an incredibly heartfelt dialogue between the man and woman. It's relaxing as music gets. If you're not trying to listen to music to keep you awake, I'd assume that you would have other things like coffee for that ; ), than give this a listen. It blends in well with the background while you're trying to concentrate on something else.
9. John Cale - Big White Cloud
John Cale was part of the Velvet Underground, one of the greatest bands ever, in the 60s. After Lou Reed and Nico, Cale was the third most famous person in the band. Meaning he wasn't really 'that' famous. But his music is great. This song, Big White Cloud, is just great. I've been addicted to it for the past month now. From the music I've heard of Cale, it seems like he loves talking about being outside during a beautiful day, which is cool with me.
This popped up on youtube while I was searching, pretty cool, give it a listen. It's the 'trippy' version of Big White Cloud, which is already pretty trippy.
8. Nujabes - Feather (Featuring Cise Starr & Akin from CYNE), Aruarian Dance, and Counting Stars
Last week I found out that Japanese producer Nujabes, real name Jun Seba, died in a car accident earlier this year. I had no idea. A friend casually lamented his death while we were listening to one of his songs and I simply couldn't believe it. Seeing him live was up there in my list of things to do before I die. It sucks how something like that can one day just become impossible. He died in a traffic accident while getting off the Metro in Japan. It's so sad, and just seems to random to happen to such a genius. I guess that's just life being a bitch. He gets my vote for favorite hip-hop producer, if you can even call him that. His music is nothing short of amazing, incredible, spectacular. There are no words, which might be why he didn't use any either. Nujabes fused jazz and hip hop seemlessly and created his own style. A style I haven't heard anywhere else. It was something more than hip-hop. It's more than music, it's art. I'd go so far as to say that it's philosophical. At some point during my all nighters one Nujabes record always gets played through. Feather is the song that got me hooked, but it's not his best (though I'd still listen to it first if I were you). His music has an essence of redemption that you just can't understand until you listen to it.
On another note, I just saw under the 'Counting Stars' comments that one person said "Nujabes ain't dead, just push play". Amen to that.
RIP Nujabes, you will be missed.
Feather
Aruarian Dance
Counting Stars
7. Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
Van is my pick for greatest singer of all time. Sweet Thing, which is on his album Astral Weeks, definitely one of the ten greatest albums of all time, is one of my favorite Van songs. He's an Irish alcoholic with the most soulful voice I've ever heard. His music has feeling, and you can tell he's going through a rollercoaster of emotion when he's singing. If all you think of is Brown Eyed Girl when you think of Van Morrison, you need to give him a listen. I'll definitely have a Van post up in the future, don't worry.
6. Mayer Hawthorne - Just Ain't Gonna Work Out
Mayer Hawthorne is coming up and starting to get big. He just played at the Black Cat in DC and I'm really mad that I missed it. This song is probably my favorite of his. He's one of those musicians who stuns you after seeing a picture of what they look like. I'm also amazed at how recent his music is, it sounds like it was made in the 70s. This is also a really well shot video. The black and white fits well with Mayer's nostalgic sound. Give it a listen.
5. The Morning Benders - Mother and Child Reunion
I saw the Morning Benders open for Broken Bells, and even though we got there late, had a terrible spot, and were dead sober, it was a really great concert. This song is from there album The Bedroom Covers, which is obviously an album of covers. Mother and Child Reunion is originally a Paul Simon song, and it's probably my favorite of all the Simon and Garfunkel covers (even though it's not a Garfunkel song).
(sorry, there's no video on youtube of this song)
http://hypem.com/track/1110489/The+Morning+Benders+-+Mother+and+Child+Reunion+Paul+Simon+Cover+
4. Claude Debussy - Clair de Lune
I know that people don't listen to classical music these days, but some of it is really good. Like possibly best music ever good. There's something special about a song that holds your attention without any vocals. I'm partial to classical piano because my parents forced all of us to learn it on the piano, and I'm really glad that they did. Immediately after hearing this song I learned how to play it. After hearing this I started listening to a lot of Debussy and he's rediculous. Unless you're one of those people who's already decided that instrumental music sucks, it's pretty much impossible to not like this song.
3. Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (Drop Out Orchestra Dub)
Another instrumental song. This time to a beat that you already know and love. It's pretty awesome and further proves Rick Astley's awesomeness. I don't know much about Drop Out Orchestra but after hearing this they seem pretty good.
2. The Action - Brain
The Action were a 1960s Brit pop/rock band that started their career along with other similar British bands like The Beatles (the greatest band of all time). They were also signed to EMI, the Beatles label in the mid 60s, and were hoped to ride the British Music invasion wave that the Beatles dominated, except they never charted a single during the two years they were with EMI. Which amazes me, because Brain is one of my favorite Classic Rock songs. I love the lyrics
Hang your brain up in the sky
Hang it up, hang it high.
Remember me, remember me
'Cause I'm the one who made you see.
Grab your brain and give it a listen.
1. Bob Marley & The Wailers - African Herbsman
Bob Marley is great everything music. Great for partying, great for chilling, great for long drives, and especially great for studying or just thinking in general. I went to Jamaica for spring break my sophomore year and it was probably the best vacation I've ever been on. Bob Marley there is like George Washington here. He's the only musician like that in the world. His music is so good, that every other musician doesn't bother playing reggae cause they know that it would never even compare and that people would just go back to listening to Bob. This song is one of his lesser known ones, a hidden gem.
I completely agree about van the man being the best greatest singer and about astral weeks being one of the greatest albums. I also love veedon fleece and hard nose the highway.
ReplyDelete