Welcome to the Solar Eclipse Monday Edition of Top 5 Music Obsessions of the Day. As to be expected, Today’s Best 5 Songs starts off with Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (how could it be anything else?). From there Ben Gibbard and Death Cab For Cutie step in with “Monday Morning”, one of my favorite “Monday Songs”. Placebo’s “Slave to the Wage” is Track 3, another Song that seems quite fitting for the start of the work week. A new-to-me Song and Band is next, Falling Joys “Lock It”, which leads in perfectly to the last Song, the Bubblegum Classic “Sugar, Sugar”, by The Archies.
Be sure to click the links above to Listen to Today’s Top 5 via Spotify and YouTube. As the week goes on you can click back to these links and hear the Songs for the week as they transpire – each day’s 5 Songs will be added as we go, until on Friday they are a full Playlist.
Top 5 Music Obsessions of the Day for 8/21/17:
1. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler
“Once upon a time I was falling in love,
now I’m only falling apart.
Nothing I can say,
a total eclipse of the heart.“
I read somewhere that Bonnie Tyler would be performing this track during the eclipse. It was the first Song I thought of waking up, knowing it was the Solar Eclipse day. Cheesy perhaps, but sometimes “cheesy” is perfect.
This video I remember vividly as a teenager, watching it play often on Mtv. Parts of it definitely fall into the horror movie genre, especially with those glowing-eyed, boarding school boys.
2. “Monday Morning” by Death Cab For Cutie
“The night is gonna fall,
and the vultures will surround you,
and when you’re looking in the mirror,
what you see is gonna astound you.
But, all these lines and grays refine,
they are the maps of our design,
Of what began on,
Monday morning.”
I made a series of days-of-the-week playlists a few years back, and the “Monday” version called “Monday Morning Commute“, started with this song. I’ve loved this song ever since discovering it for that playlist.
Lyrically, Death Cab always gets to me – in a good way. There is a vividness to them, a real human landscape of complex emotions, and a lot of peeks into what it is like within a relationship, whether it be at the start, middle, or end. They also tap on what it’s like to be an individual, as well, in all those complexities and emotional roller-coaster rides.
3. “Slave to the Wage” by Placebo
“Run away from all your boredom.
Run away from all your whoredom,
and wave your worries,
and cares,
goodbye.”
Released in 2000 as a Single from Placebo’s 3rd Studio Album, Black Market Music, the Song reached # 19 in the UK Singles Chart. The Song is said to be inspired by the drudgery of having a “9-to-5” job in the modern world and is also supposedly meant to inspire listeners to not work oneself into an early grave.
Pretty fitting for a Monday, right?
Bob Dylan’s Song “Maggie’s Farm” is also mentioned in the lyrics, as well as the sampling of the intro of “Texas Never Whispers” by Pavement in the Song, as well.
The Music Video was directed by Howard Greenhalgh and is said to be inspired by the Movie Gattaca.
4. “Lock It” by Falling Joys
“You laughed at the way I moved around.
You said my feet never hit the ground.
I look away but then I couldn’t move,
I really like you.”
How have I never heard of Falling Joys below?
This Song was part of my Weekly Discovery Playlist curated by Spotify, and I immediately fell hard for it. It reminds me a bit of The Bangles, The Sundays, and Single Gun Theory.
I want to hear more.
5. “Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies
“You are my candy girl,
and you’ve got me wanting you.”
Sometimes a Monday needs a dose of sugar sweet Bubblegum Music to get you through.
“Sugar, Sugar” never fails to put me in a good mood. It also reminds me that I still have a few unwatched episodes left of Riverdale.
I hope you enjoy Today’s Top 5 featuring Bonnie Tyler, Death Cab For Cutie, Placebo, Falling Joys, and The Archies.
Be sure to Tune in tomorrow for the next round of Top 5 Music Obsessions of the Day.
