Welcome to my annual, all-important, hugely subjective list of songs that made me happy every time I heard them in 2009. Not the best songs, not the coolest songs, just the songs that made me! (me! me!) happy. I am pretty predictable in my tastes so expect mostly music you can wear a dress to and maybe a fair amount of cheese dripping off your screen. But there is no shame in my sonic game, and there never will be.
Before we start, I'd like to point out a couple of things:
1. the first half of 09 felt a little dry musical happiness wise.
2. this list would not exist without Cale and super intern Megan who would not give up on me and my musical lethargy 09.
Also if you're into nostalgia, check out:
-the musical prozac list 07
-the musical prozac list 08
OK-we're ready now. Divshares included for divsharing enjoment.
Gypsy and The Cat JONA VARK
I have no idea where Gypsy and the Cat come from or what the deal with them is or whether they'll ever put out a song again but I do know that if you're driving in a car with someone and you play this song by the time the second chorus of "Her name was Joooooooona, JONA VARK" rolls around, everyone is singing along. Even the people that really are not of the sing-along kind.
Real Estate BEACH COMBER
The most perfect summer song that most people did not hear until fall.
The Orion Experience OBSESSED WITH YOU
Everyone needs a good, upbeat stalking song.
My friends just don't understand. They don't see my point of view, things are getting out of hand-and I'm obsessed with you
You know how it is.
you have to see the video too:
Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros HOME
Magnetic Zeros put out one of my favorite records of 09 and this song (the obligatory duet) just slays me. Particularly that part when the the music dies down and him and her have this little conversation:
“Jade?”
“Alexander?”
“Do you remember that day you fell out of my window?”
“I sure do, you came jumping out after me.”
“Well, you fell on the concrete and nearly broke your ass and you were bleeding all over the place and I rushed you off to the hospital. Do you remember that?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Well, there’s something I never told you about that night.”
“What didn’t you tell me?”
“While you were sitting in the backseat smoking a cigarette you thought was going to be your last, I was falling deep, deeply in love with you and I never told you ‘til just now.”
“Now I know.”
YOU TRY AND RESIST THAT. YOU'LL FAIL
Soko I'LL KILL HER
Another Megan Burns pick (she also shoved Gypsy and the Cat down my throat). Oh Megan Burns, you know me way too well, even back when you didn't really know me. Anyway-I am pretty sure this song came out in 04 or something but the Zooey Deschanel vs. Daniel Johnston vibe is so perfect, the tone is the kind of black humor that almost deserves a movie made out of it, and while it sounds twee, it will still kick you in the balls if you call it that.
Must hear.
Yacht PSYCHIC CITY
The universe's most perfect song to cruise around (not just ride-cruise) on a bike to. I was always a little resistant to YACHT but super kudos to Cale for putting this on a mixed CD for me because I am a convert now.
Annie SONGS REMIND ME OF YOU
So, sure Kylie did not have a new song this year, and Roisin's "Orally fixated" was almost too good to actually make you feel good, and I am yet to truly like a single Lady Gaga song BUT FEAR NOT-Annie appears to be back and while this song is no "Heartbeat" (lets face it, NO song in the world is "Heartbeat", only "Heartbeat" is "Heartbeat") it is still such breathy back up vocalled pop perfection that I want to listen and dance to it 24/7. In fact, I am going to take a break from writing this now and listen to it again:
Ok, I'm back. That was fun.
Binki Shapiro and Friends KIDS SONG
Every year, there is a song that makes it on this list solely on the basis of charm and not musical merit. This year, this is that song. Binki Shapiro is in "Little Joy" and from what I understand she frolics around Silverlake all tiny and waify and perfectly dishevelled and (inexplicably) loved by musicians of all ilk ("the friends" here are members of Rilo Kiley) who participate with her in breathy little numbers like this, just because. It is the kind of (musical) existence I will never fully understand (or even want) but couple of verses in, Binki has sucked me in, and I am drinking her teeny kool-aid with the rest of them.
Ladyhawke BACK OF THE VAN
My favorite song from 1989, that somehow did not get recorded till 2009.
The Drums MAKE YOU MINE
Summertime EP is 6 songs of Teen Beat sunshine perfection but I like "Make you Mine" the most: handclaps, stripped down instrumentals, and a vaguely malicious but tempting threat that, no matter what, "you" will be "mine", so lets just not even fight it. The crackliest, snappiest, purest pop.
Girls LAURA
I almost did not include a Girls song on here because their show was so underwhelming, but then, who am I to judge a song by it's live interpretation? While some people may say "Hellhole Ratface" is the obvious choice here, I vote for "Laura" because anyone who wants to be "friends forever, friends forever" is a-ok in my book.
Bonus not from 2009:
The Records TEENARAMA
Co-co-co-cola
Is all you ever drink
The way you smile
The way you wink
Sugar candy
Is all you ever eat
You're so skinny
You're so sweet
OK, YOUR TURN NOW, lets keep this (possibly artificial, but still oh-so-good) feeling going in the comments:
God loves a cheerful giver.
I am going to get shat on for this but this song makes me so incredibly happen every time I hear it that I just wanna smile for hours...Matt & Kim's "Daylight". Shocker, huh?
Did you know that Ladyhawke has asperger's? True story.
@Sepie -- No shat from me. I absolutely loved "Daylight". Fuck the backlash.
As for songs that made me! me! me! happy I would have to include Animal Collective's "My Girls" and Taylor Swift's "You Belong To Me" (My guiltiest pleasure of '09).
*Loses indie cred for being too predictable*
Four Tet - Love Cry (Joy Orbison Remix)
Major Lazer ft. Ricky Blaze & Nina Sky - Keep It Goin' Louder (Diplo Remix)
Franz Ferdinand – No You Girls
Simian Mobile Disco - Cruel Intentions
Annie - Bad Times
Big Boi (Feat. Gucci Mane) - Shine Blockas
Metric - Gimme Sympathy
The Drums - Let's Go Surfing
Florence + The Machine - You Got The Love (The Xx Remix)
Miike Snow - In Search Of Main
La Roux - In For The Kill (Skreams Let's Get Ravey Mix)
The Very Best (w/ Ezra Koenig) - Warm Heart of Africa
HEALTH - Die Slow
Bat For Lashes - Daniel
Washed Out - Feel It All Around
Gypsy and the cat - Jona Vark
Phoenix - Love Like a Sunset Pt. 1
The Golden Filter - Solid Gold
Animal Collective - My Girls
Logan, great list-but I would not really call something like "Daniel" or anything by HEALTH as feel good? Great but not really what I would go for for the warm and fuzzies.
"My girls" was really great.
I was just skeptical about this list, too, Svets.
Aw hell. Reading comprehension fail. Well, if it's any consolation, a masochist could derive pleasure from songs of sadness and self-pity...?
No...?
I'll get me coat.
soko is kind of an actress and quit music. i always wanted to hear more from her.
Headlights - Secrets
Blakroc - Coochie
Phoenix - Lizstomania
Like an ODB sandwich with some poppy-ass bread.
Great list, Svetlana! I love love love that Orion Experience video/song so much.
Really, after going through my iTunes to pick out "feel good tunes" I have come to the conclusion I really like depressing music. Regardless, here's three that are definitely UP BEAT/FEEL GOOD/AWESOME that I think need to be mentioned:
* Friendly Fires - Jump In The Pool (will forever and ever make me think of the BYT Pool Parties)
* Free Energy - Something In Common
* The Dead Weather - Hang You From The Heavens (because sometimes having Alison Mosshart scream my angst right back at me makes me feel good, okay)
Cosmic Love by Florence and the Machine
French Navy by Camera Obscura
And umm...Lily Allen? Yeah Yeah Yeahs?
And after listening to top 40 radio during the month I was ipod-less, I really love Lady Gaga, and that Jay-Z/Alicia Keys song. There's nothing guilty about it, though.
I know it shouldn't, but Suicide-raveonettes was super catchy to me, a very weird singalong song for this guy anyway.
also all is love-karen o should be on a list
metronomy -- thing for me (breakbot remix)
floating action -- absolute sway
still flyin' -- (every song they do)
hooray! i'd also like to add:
entre rios-otra suerte, and/or frontera
shugo tokumaru-alaska (actually, everything of his is good)
total babe-shape up
annemarie-bubblegum i see
small-sunshine lover
jovenes y sexys-amor platonico, and/or el reloj
pomegranates-this land used to be my land, but now i hate this land
school of seven bells-connjur
muchuu-adventure we go
Friendly fires (esp. Paris) and "French Navy" should probably have been on the list.
Nice! It makes me happy that I'm all over your list of what makes you happy. Your inclusion of Teenarama made me happiest tho.
Friendly Fires / Paris made you happy in 2008.
Also if I haven't sent you I Felt Stupid by The Drums let me know.
You forgot Vondelpark, 59, and/or Bathazar by 1990s.
And I hope someone
calls you up on the phone, girl
I wanna hear how you talk
cause it'll drive me crazy
Your left eye, kinda lazy
I SO FORGOT BALTHAZAR
I keep waiting for someone to mention Bloodgroup's "My Arms" in one of the lists... How can this not make anyone happy?!?!
Interesting. Here's some tracks to consider for further 2009 happiness:
Jack Penate - Tonight's Today
Little Boots - Remedy
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Higher than the Stars
Amazing Baby - Bayonets
Yeasayer - Ambling Alp
Delphic - Counterpoint
Crystal Stilts - Love Is a Wave
Golden Silvers - Arrows of Eros
The Horrors - Whole New Way
The Big Pink - Dominos
Miles Fisher - This Must Be the Place
Deastro - Tree Frog