June is here. The world feels out of control right now, more so than it did at the start of May, more so than it did even just a week ago. We’ve been quarantined and now LA is under a curfew. Violence, brutality, racism, hate. When will it end? The naive part of me hoped that by the whole world going through lockdowns and sheltering in place that maybe we’d start appreciating the world and all the people in it. That perhaps as we start to open back up we would do so with more care, more gratitude, more consideration. I want to wrap my arms around so many people, and yet I can’t. Now I want to wrap them around so many more. When will it end? When will we be kind to each other, and to the world?

June is here and I’m trying to be hopeful. I’m trying to hold on to the people I love, to the things that make life better, to the world that I hope we can all share together. But sometimes my heart hurts so much. I want better for us. I want better for my children. I want better for those just being born. We all need to work on being better.

For now, for today, for June 1st, let’s have some music. Let’s turn it up and sing-a-long and hope together for a better tomorrow.

Top 5 Music Obsessions – Monday, June 1, 2020

Follow along with June’s Top 5 Obsessions on Spotify and YouTube

1. “June” by Pete Yorn
from the album, musicforthemorningafter (2001)

“It’s alright if I was older.
It’s ok to lose your age.
And I,
want to follow you,
I do,
I do.”

I think it’s now become mandatory for me to listen to “June” by Pete Yorn on June 1st. Not that I don’t listen to it other times. How can I not? It is one of my forever favorites of his. But on June 1st, it just feels like a music-obsessive-given.

Today the lyric “it’s okay to lose your age” resonates strongly with me. What age do I feel like? Lately, it’s varied throughout a single day. I think it is a good thing – sometimes – to lose your age. To be immature, or youthful, or older than your years, or maybe some mix-up of all of it. Be ageless.

2. “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” by Nina Simone
from the album, Silk & Soul (1967)

“I wish I knew how,
it would feel to be free.
I wish I could break,
all the chains holding me.
I wish I could say,
all the things that I should say –
say ’em loud, say ’em clear –
for the whole round world to hear.”

Right now, today, I think we all could use this song and some Nina Simone. Yes, yes I do.

3. “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke
from the album, Ain’t That Good News (1964)

“There have been times that I thought I couldn’t last for long,
but now I think I’m able to carry on.
It’s been a long, a long time coming,
but I know,
a change is gonna come,
oh yes, it will.”

I hope so, Sam. I really, really do. One of my favorite voices singing another song I think we all could use right now. I have hit repeat on this one six times in a row, and already want to hear it again.

4. “About a Girl” by Bully
from the single, “About a Girl/Turn To Hate” (2020)

“I need an easy friend.
I do, with an ear to lend.
I don’t think you fit this shoe.
I do, won’t you have a clue.”

I love a good cover song. I love a good gender switch cover song, too. This one does both good. I’m into it.

Also, I really dig when women cover Nirvana for some reason. The same goes for when women cover Bruce Springsteen. Both are my jam.

5. “Boy” by Book Of Love
from the album, Book Of Love (1986)

“It’s not my fault,
that I’m not a boy.”

This song came on after I played The Psychedelic Furs’ track “The Ghost In You”. I don’t think I’d heard it since the ’80s. My first thought was that this song is so terribly underrated. Turn it up and have a listen, I think you’ll see hear what I mean.

I think I need to dive deeper into Book Of Love’s discography and see if there are any other underrated gems that I need to hear.

Let me know if there’s one you’d recommend.

Top 5 Music Obsessions – June 2020