Songs that made Me!Me!ME! Happy in 2007

December 18, 2007 by Svetlana  Send to a Friend

So, we’re doing all sorts of end-of year wrap ups (gift guides, photos, band names, and more to come) and while you can expect a pile more of these from our ever-capable contributing staff, because I can and want to, I decided to do one of my own too.

Which is made solely of songs that made me happy every time I heard them in 2007. Because you know, that’s what songs should do. In no particular (well, somewhat alphabetical) order, but all awesome (bonus: I actually heard most of these performed live this year which makes me extra happy). MP3s/streams/youtubes included when possible. Most of it is “music in dresses” kinda stuff. No GWAR here. Sorry. Judge away.

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1990s: See you at the Lights
We have been pimping 1990s all the time, and they are the only band I saw twice this year and like more each time. If I had the power to make them superfamous, I would. But I don’t have the power to do that so I’ll just open up my year wrap up with them. On an album of all good songs all the time…this one is my favorite, which is saying something. A foot stomping good time and if you don’t have enough hair to bang to it, or ass to shake, well, tough luck.

How right you are! you are my guardian you are my boogaloo You wear my favourite shoes

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Au Revoir Simone: “Fallen Snow
I personally bullied this whole site into loving them. While we were redesigning BYT I used to play this song to the boys ad nauseum. We started the whole “come early for” column because I was obsessed with Erika, Heather and Annie this springtime. Triple keyboards, no drums, crystal clear voices, wonderful girls, hooky as hell and FINALLY SEASON APPROPRIATE.

Cause nothing’s worse than seeing you worse than me And nothing hurts like seeing you hurt like me The consequence is less than the happiness you bring to me There’s more to give than what you take from me

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Bird And the Bee: I Hate Camera
Inara George crackles and pops through the electro-pop loungeness of the “Don’t take my picture” chorus. Both amazingly catchy, bitingly clever and the song that I always wanted for BYT’s theme in 2007.

I put my hands up to my face So hard for me to just embrace the lens The moment’s gone and now I’m dry
And how the camera can reply Cool babies and soft operations Holding my hand, throwing coins in my cup Twisting numbers and public relations Tell me to sit there and just shut up Don’t take Don’t take my picture Don’t don’t take my picture

mp3 available here through 3hive

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Devendra Banhart “Shabop Shalom”
Now, Devendra can do no wrong in my book. This whole album is AMAZING. His live show had us, quite literally in tears. And while Samba Vexillographica and Seahorse emerge as early winners here, it is Devendra’s (pretty hilarious) Jewish answer to “Losing Haringey” that kills me every time.

Salvation winked with he promise of a briss held at pinnacle
And a congregation of sages bunny hopping and chicken dancing to yiddish mento

listen.now:

Shabop Shalom - Devendra Banhart

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Feist “One, Two, Three, Four”
While her version of “Inside and Out” is still my favorite Feist of all time, this little number about numbers is pretty high up there. Its the kind of music that is so simple and perfect that it transcends explanation. For kids 8 to 80.
And the video kicks major major technicolor sequined bottocks too:

one, two, three, four, tell me that you love me more. sleepless, long nights. that was what my youth was for.

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Jens Lekman “Postcard for Nina”
I don’t even need to write about this one, do I? You all love it at least as much as I do, if not more.

buy the whole album if you haven’t already or download for free here

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The Long Blondes “Once and Never Again”
So, purists will say this song was actually released in 06, but the album did not come out here till this year and this song is such a cracker-jack that I both wake up to it and get ready to go out to it, and do everything in between to it. The song that is so sassy, “sassy as fuck” doesn’t even come close to describe it.

nineteen, you’re only nineteen for God’s sake, you don’t need a boyfriend

snatch free MP3 here

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Regina Spektor “Fidelity”
Now, I’ve seen Regina Spektor speak and she has this bizarre nasal voice. Its weird. To hear her sing-you would never have guessed it.
This is the song that makes you wish you were falling in love as you listen to it. 100% teenage, hug-the-pillow, write-in-my-diary action but so well done I totally forgave Regina for verging on being overplayed on VH1. If I did VH1’s programming, I’d verge on overplaying it as well.
AND THE VIDEO MAKES YOU WISH IT LASTED FOR AN HOUR. AND A HALF.

Suppose I never, ever met you Suppose we never fell in love Suppose I never, ever let you kiss me so sweet and so soft Suppose I never, ever saw you Suppose you never, ever called Suppose I kept on singing love songs just to break my own fall
Just to break my fall

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The Red Romance “Just ONe Kiss”
Red Romance is comprised of ex-members of Ambulance LTD who are a. super nice and whom b. we interviewed before they played RNR with 1990s this summer. Chances are most of you didn’t read it. Which is a shame as they put out probably my favorite EP this year: sort of 80s “Molly Ringwald dancing” nostalgia stuff that is also, somehow, really, really sexy. I know, I know. But just listen to it. All 4 songs on it are great but this one is a scorcher. Handclaps, revv ups and downs, big sweeping cheating emotions. They should come back to DC soon.

She took me into her room Yeah you know I couldn’t get there soon enough And she told me that no ones home I think she’s just trying to get caught

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Rilo Kiley “Breakin Up”
After Lush’s “Ciao” this may be my favorite break up song of all time.
And I don’t even have anyone to break up with.
Rilo Kiley and BYT had their ups and downs this year, but this “more cowbell please” song (which is the only one Jenny Lewis co-wrote with ex Blake Sennet on “Under the Blacklight”) is a definite skyhigh.
Now Go on with your bad self and put on some gold short shorts for ex exorcising purposes

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Yelle “Ce Jeu”
Nothing like some bubble gum French electronica to get your spirits up. Just try to deny it.

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Ween “Your Party”
I will just quote what I said a few months back:
I fucking love Ween.
And, no, I am not high all the time.
“We had a best time at your party”-Indeed.
If you don’t love this lounge-on-crack bit about tri-color pasta and games of chance you probably suck at life.
Follow the link above for MP3 magic.

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so, there it is (maybe I should have included Yeasayer and MGMT and Justice and Peter Bjorn and John but then…I decided against it, so lets all just deal with it)
Actually, here, have some D.A.N.C.E for the end, just because it made everyone (and not just me) happy AT SOME POINT THIS YEAR.

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