After a few times focusing on such serious things as war and slefishness, it’s now time to look at some of the best additions this decade has had to help crowd the dancefloor.
But to recap, here are the first 15 songs:
1. The Killers – All These Things That I’ve Done
2. Bloc Party – This Modern Love
3. Beck – Lost Cause
4. Stars – Your Ex-Lover is Dead
5. Arcade Fire – Rebellion (Lies
6. Matthew Good – Weapon
7. Metric – Monster Hospital
8. M.I.A. – Paper Planes
9. The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army
10. Ryan Adams – New York, New York
11. Feist – 1234
12. Broken Social Scene – Cause = Time
13. Flobots – Handlebars
14. Kanye West – Jesus Walks
15. DJ Dangermouse – Encore
And now we have…
Track #16
Album: Franz Ferdinand (2004)
It’s not often that a song can cross genres while simultaneously redefining both of them, but this one can sure do that. You can confidently pump your fist to the beat and tap your toes to the rhythm. This song is both rock and dance, and everything in between.
My most vivid memory of this song was when I saw these guys perform in Belfast. They were promoting their second major album You Can Have it So Much Better. The electric guitars were put away and they said “This song is about a girl named Eleanor” and they played “Eleanor Put Your Boots On” which definitely mellowed out the raucous audience. Then the acoustics go away and calmly we hear “This song is called…Take Me Out”. The arena was sent into an absolute frenzy of anticipation as the opening chords played and we never looked back from there.
That’s what makes this song so great, it is full of anticipation. It starts out slowly, but you know there is no escape what is going to happen. It breaks into a great dance part, then you can’t wait for it to slow down. Finally it does, only to go out with a bang. Sounds to me just like the very act that the song is all about.
Favourite Lyric: “I know I won’t be leaving here, with you”
Track #17
Album: Future Sex/Love Sounds (2006)
Really, who saw this one coming? N’Sync represent so much of what is wrong about music in the late 90s, and yet one of their members can represent so much of what is right about the 00s. This song is cocky, self-assured, and unapologetic.
In an era where everyone is a celebrity, this song really makes you feel like one. When you dance to it you feel like the whole world is watching every move that you, and you alone are making as you are changing everything. It really makes you feel like everything before it was worthless, and it is the beginning of a new era. A sexy, sexy era that you are ushering in.
I find it nearly impossible to listen to this song and not bust a move in some way. Hell, I’m doing it right now as I type. A solid three years later and it still doesn’t stop. And judging from the volume of every dance floor after this song starts, I’m not alone in that one.
Favourite Lyric: “Them other boys don’t know how to act”
Track #18
Flo Rida featuring Kesha – Right Round
Album: R.O.O.T.S. (2009)
I’ll fully admit. Objectively this is by far the worst song on this list, but damnit I don’t care. I love it all the same. As usual, my connection to this song remains the context in which I heard it.
There I was in my first year of full-time teaching and I am sitting at assembly and a PowerPoint starts and with this song in the backing. I lean over at a student and ask if it is appropriate for school (taking it as a euphemism) and she answers “Uhhh I don’t think that there is any swearing in this song”. I chuckle a bit and go back to listening.
It didn’t really do much for me to be honest.
But then I couldn’t escape it. No matter how hard I try. When you work with teenagers you are stuck with their music, like it or not. Eventually this song really started to grow on me, and I found myself starting to have my head spin right round when I go down, down.
This song made me have to pay attention to what kids are listening to these days, even if I don’t like it at first.
Favourite Lyric: “That body belongs on a poster”
Track #19
Album: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003)
Could there be a more perfect song to define this decade? If there is, I sure haven’t heard it.
…seriously.
At first listen, I found yourself fixated on the hook and shaking things like a Polaroid Picture. However, at second and subsequent listens I started to want things in my Caddie. Eventually after countless listens both on and off the dance floor, the pure and total heartbreak really started to resonate with me.
Make no mistake about the joyous beat, this is a sad, sad song. And that’s what makes it such a perfect song to define this decade. Irresponsible and flighty at first, but deep and conflicted on the inside, with a pinch of promiscuity, a bit of name dropping, and a few downright lies thrown in for good measure (note: Polaroid Pictures should not be shaken) and it sounds like the past ten years to me.
It is a bucket of contradictions and not at all what it seems like at first, and lord knows its not alone in that respect this decade.
Favourite Lyrics: “You’re quick to say that ‘nothing lasts forever’/So what makes, so what makes, so what makes, love the exception?”
Track #20
Rihanna featuring Jay-Z – Umbrella
Album: Good Girl Gone Bad (2007)
When people look back to make fun of the 00s the same way we look to mock the 80s or 90s today this will be the first song that comes to mind. As strange as that sounds, that’s not meant to be an insult in anyway. It’s meant to be the highest of compliments. It probably is the most iconic and well recognized song of the decade, with a great deal of staying power.
This is the song that really made Rihanna turn from just another songstress to superstar. As she infuses every word with a sense of urgency and sexuality. The lyrics feel like a mixture of fleeting and timeless. At first they seem like they will fade like so many girl-pop songs have before, but in the end they feel like they will “be here forever”. Especially as she makes the word “rainnin’” fill your ear drum for ever.
This song has been covered and remixed countless times but it always feels like it is lacking something, and that something is the Rainman to the songstresses Little Miss Sunshine. Jay-Z’s addition to this song can’t be understated either. Often times it feels like rappers either try to steal the spotlight or make meaningless cameos that add nothing to the song. That seemingly is not the case here. He raps for only 32 seconds but he really makes it feel like the most important 32 seconds he’s ever rapped. Instead of drowning her out, she brings her up to his level in the stratosphere, well above the rain clouds.
On a personal note, in May 2008, I got to see Rihanna live at the Molson Ampitheatre, from the cheap seats (i.e. the lawn) and well it had been rainnin’, rainnin’. So when she started this song, simultaneously the whole lawn started to dance with their Umbrella-ella-ellas. Needless to say it was one of my more surreal moments of the decade that I won’t soon forget.
Favourite Lyric: “Come on let the rain pour, I’ll be all you need and more”
That does it for this edition. Tune back later in the weak for the final five songs to help reflect on the decade that was.
Until next time,
G
Tags: special songs, umbrella
