Ingrid Michaelson - The Way I Am

I have a feeling this will be a looong post.

Music takes you through the bad as well as the good times, when you’re at home or travelling. Like doing the things you love, music makes life worth living. I know for sure that my love for discovering new music will never end. I have Move to Bremerton, a Popagandhi post on music, to thank for my latest “find” - The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson. Beautiful song.

I’ve lots of music memories. Especially remember one evening spent with friends and family at the beach in Frösakull, Sweden. A barbecue, sand beneath my feet, the sound of the sea, a light breeze, the sunset, and Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl from someome’s portable CD player. I think I was ten.

Around midnight in Frösakull another summer, the heavy rain cause everyone at the party to move into someone’s veranda. Kids my age and grown-ups sit down around a large wooden table while one guy, a real bon vivant, gets his guitar and suggests karaoke. First up, Queen’s We Will Rock You. Before the first verse, “Buddy you’re a boy make a big noise…”, we bang our hands on the table. No one misses a beat. I’ve loved that song ever since.

The same goes for Bonnie Tyler. My parents, my sister and I used to listen to her during the 9-hour drive to Åre, the small ski resort in northern Sweden where we often spent our winter holidays.

Bonnie Tyler - Have You Ever Seen The Rain

Have You Ever Seen The Rain was my favourite, eventually I knew all her songs by heart.

I didn’t know the songs by Elvis Costello, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Bryan Adams on my dad’s vinyl records that well. Sometimes I wished he would give them to me. I never bought my own LP discs, instead I put my money on CDs. When I was 14 and found Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in a record store in Stockholm, I made up my mind at once. After seeing a cover on her Can’t Take My Eyes Off You at a Swedish TV show the same year I knew I had to buy her album.

Lauryn Hill - Turn The Lights Down Low

I like nearly all Lauryn’s songs, especially the ones at her live album MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 - mostly because of the brilliant lyrics.

India Arie - Ready For Love

When I discovered India Arie and her Strenght, Courage & Wisdom, it resulted in three Chinese signs on my left ankle. Now I want another small tattoo meaning love, after Ready For Love.

Daniel Lemma - Keeps Getting Better

I will never forget the first time I heard the Swedish artist Daniel Lemma’s soulful voice, or when I heard Greek music - first at a taverna in Parga, then during a long bus drive to Meteora, on a boat from Lefkada to Kefalonia, and in my one-bedroom apartment in Zurich because the Greek family living below played loud Greek music each Friday night, every weekend. Apart from them, I suspect I was the only one in the building who actually enjoyed it.

I’m deliberately looking for songs that truly touch my heart. Almost always when meeting new people - whether it’s face-to-face or online - I ask about their music taste. Except for the chance to discover a new talent, it’s quite fun to check people’s MP3- or iPod playlists.

Otis Redding - I’ve been loving you…

Both me and my sis loves rock, but while I’m also into soul by Otis Redding, Al Green, Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, she prefers metal and emo rock. It was thanks to her I started listening to My Chemical Romance, Foo Fighters, Babyshambles and Ozzy Osbourne. Soul is better though.

The Cranberries’ songs also top my list of favourite music. I first heard this Irish band during my summer job as a personal assistant in Haverdal, Sweden, in 2003. My 24-year-old, water pipe-loving co-worker who recently got home from travelling in Israel often played her Cranberries albums at work. It was love at first hearing.

When I went to France as an au-pair the following year, I was introduced to various French artists. Five-year-old Emelie showed me her CD by Jenifer, the first winner of Star Academy - the French equivalence to American Idol. On weekdays at 7pm even Emelie’s 1-year-old sister Eléonore sat totally sticked to the TV, watching this year’s season which apperantly was a really big hit in France.

While working in Zurich in 2005 I had a Portuguese penpal who sent me a CD of Keane, and another one with so called skank. And in London two years ago when my Swedish flatmate let me copy all music from her laptop, I found 3 Doors Down.  The same year I discovered Eva Cassidy at a café in Greenwich.

After a few months in London I spent a couple of weeks at my parents house in Sweden before setting my sights on Malmö, a multicultural city in the southernmost part of the country. There I first heard the reggae singer Alpha Blondy, thanks to a guy living in the same student hall. At the same time I started to like Ben Harper and Jack Johnson more. And Matisyahu.

Last year I came across the singer Atif Aslam. I have no idea what he says, but can’t resist loving his voice.

Atif Aslam - Adaat

Listen to Adaat, Woh Lamhe and Doorie.

Music sources are everywhere… record stores, magasines, websites, ads, people, TV, film, movies.

The Lion King - Hakuna Matata

If I had to pick a cartoon, I’d have to go with the Disney hit The Lion King.

Coldplay - The Scientist

Coldplay’s The Scientist and Stereophonic’s Maybe Tomorrow from Wicker Park are also impossible not to love… at least for me.

All Saints - Pure Shores

Whenever I hear All Saint’s Pure Shores I think of that hot scene with Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Françoise (Virginie Ledoyen) in The Beach.

I also like to watch What Women Want and listen to Frank Sinatra’s Too Marvelous For Words, I Won’t Dance, and I’ve Got You Under My Skin. I love the part when Mel Gibson dances around in his Manhattan loft. The music combined with the view and Gibson’s improvised dance make a terrific scene.

And the next time you see Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, pay attention to Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word by Mary J Blige.

And, not to forget, my absolute favorites… musicals.

RENT - Out Tonight and Another Day

Rosario Dawson surely does a great performance.

Annie - You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile

I first saw the musical Annie at Oskarsteatern in Stockholm several years ago, have lost count how many times I’ve seen the film.

Dirty Dancing - Hungry Eyes

Moulin Rouge - Lady Marmalade

Sexy.

The Sound of Music - So Long, Farewell

Have loved The Sound of Music ever since I saw it in 2nd or 3rd grade. Gretl (the youngest girl) is sooo cute at the end of this song.

Irene Cara - Fame

Won’t forget Fame at the theatre Göta Lejon in Stockholm 2004. Is it possible not to love this film?

Aida - How I Know You

Beautiful melody.

Let’s return to movies…

Nonpoint - In the Air Tonight

The music in Miami Vice ranges from Nonpoint’s cover on In the Air Tonight and Sinnerman (felix da housecat’s heavenly house mix) to Auto Rock by Mogwai, Moby’s One of These Mornings, and Arranca from the sensual dance scene between Crocket (Colin Farrell) and Isabella (Li Gong). If anyone know where I can find a clip from that scene, please let me know.

And don’t forget Carlos Varela’s Una Palabra from the end scene in Man on Fire, In the Deep by Bird York from the soudtrack to Crash, or the mix of Chaiyya Chayyia by Sukhwinder Singh & Sapna Awasthi from Inside Man.

Learn Languages Through Music

I love hearing music in other languages and often listen to non-english songs to learn new words and expressions. Lately Hindi because I’ve wanted to learn the language ever since middle school when I decided I’d travel to India someday. A while ago I searched for Indian music online and found a song from the movie Salaam Namaste. It will be interesting to see if I eventually manage to understand what they say.

Per Gessle - Sommartider

In case you’re interested in learning some Swedish, you can listen to Per Gessle…

Lars Winnerbäck - Dunkla Rum

Lars Winnerbäck…

Lisa Nilsson - Himlen runt hörnet

or Lisa Nilsson.

Whatever you do, keep listening to music!