I love music. All kinds, but not every kind. I know it is very controversial, but I do not like classical or jazz music. They are both too erratic and make me anxious. My go-to music is rock or Americana, but I also love bluegrass and Chris Stapleton. Notice I mentioned Chris Stapleton by name as I do not like most country. I consider Chris more bluesy.
At 53 years of age, I’ve heard a lot of music and songs. There are a core few that are my favorite and define who I am. If I were pressed to list my top five favorite songs, they would be as follows.
- Tweeter and the Monkey Man by the Traveling Wilburys. This is a perfect song. In my opinion, it is the best song ever written. I never tire of it. I always get excited when it comes on. Tom Petty’s live version from New York City is epic. It makes me so happy.
- Under Pressure by David Bowie and Queen. Here we have two of the greatest voices of a generation just rocking it out in a totally epic way. I feel this song to my bones. I’m the world’s worst singer, but I will belt this one out with David and Freddie like I’m Annie Fucking Lennox. As soon as I hear the first two beats of this song, I’m totally in.
- Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits. I also love the Indigo Girls version as much as I do the Dire Straits version. They are both absolute perfection in their own way. I was lucky enough to see the Indigo Girls do it live about a year ago. It was life-changing. I will never forget it.
- The Story, written by Phil Hanseroth for Brandi Carlile. Oh, this song and Brandi’s voice. I will belt this one like I wrote it my own damn self. It makes me cry and is liberating all at the same time. Now, that is good music. Brandi’s The Joke should also receive an honorable mention in this category. Shew. That gal can sing.
- Because the Night by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith. Patti first recorded the song. Her version is fantastic, but truth be told, I love the 10,000 Maniacs version. Natalie Merchant has the voice of an angel. Bruce’s live version is also a delight. I love that The Boss helped pen this, but it was women who really gave it a powerful voice.Â
There are a dozen more songs that speak directly to my heart, but this is a blog, not a novel. I will throw out a few honorable mentions, though. Black Dog by Led Zeppelin, Alive by Pearl Jam, Fade Into You by Mazzy Star, Little Feathered Indians by Tyler Childers, Cold by Chris Stapleton, Nothing Compares to You by Prince (any version of this song gives me chills) and anything on Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall or Tom Petty’s Wildflowers album all rock my world!
I could list dozens more songs that I love and if I wrote this tomorrow my top five would probably be different—except for Tweeter and the Monkey Man. That will always be my favorite song.
Music is such a damn gift. It gets us through the hardest of times and helps us celebrate the best of times. It truly defines who we are as people. Never trust someone who says they don’t like music. I mean, WTF!? I’m so grateful for all the talented musicians out there. They give me life and I thank them. I’m also sorry I destroy their works of art by singing along.
Angela Traver
What is this blog about? Well, it's a general blog, but it is also a very specific blog. If you get that reference, you get a gold star! I have been a public relations professional and writer of press releases for more than 20 years—primarily in the booze biz. I decided to do some writing for fun and embrace the humor that gets me through most days. Hopefully it will make you chuckle—or at least smile. I’m a certified crazy magnet, and more than a little nutty myself, so buckle up. Also, I have two vices—profanity and red wine/whiskey. You’ve been warned. It should also be noted, that I’m a HUGE Bob & Sheri fan. I’ve been a listener for more than 20 years. This opportunity is a dream come true and it may have made me cry. That being said, I cry at everything. If you are into booze, dogs, food and/or knitting, hit me up on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter (although I’m terrible at Twitter and it scares me) @kyspiritsgal. You can also find all my previous blog posts at www.kyspiritsgal.com.
