The Beatles - your mother should know, 1967

"Paul McCartney began writing "Your Mother Should Know" on a harmonium at his house in St John's Wood, London, in the company of his Aunty Jin and Uncle Harry, and drew on his father's love of music hall. The conversation he had with his family members that day inspired the subject matter of the song. Its lyrical premise centres on the history of hit songs across generations. McCartney took the title from a line in the 1961 film A Taste of Honey, which tells of a white teenage girl who falls pregnant with a black man's child and withholds news of the pregnancy from her domineering mother."

Del Amitri - not where it's at, 1997

"By 2002, they couldn't find a record company that were happy enough with their sales, and still can't find anyone to distribute the album that they've done. Not only that, but Currie's bass lines are among some of the best i've heard and really drive the songs from the rhythm section on up. "Not Where It's At", in particular, really knocked me out, it's just one hook after another, that should have been lighting up the charts, not a relative minor hit. The finer mechanics of all the counterpoint parts and smaller details of songs like that still retain this magical quality to me that reminds me of when I first heard music as a kid."

The Beatles - i will, 1968

"I Will" was one of the songs composed by the Beatles and their associates while in Rishikesh, India. Although the music came together fairly easily, the words were worked on in India, and remained unfinished even as recording began back in London. McCartney recalled that while in Rishikesh he and Donovan had written a set of lyrics with a "moon" theme, but he found them inadequate and so replaced them with "very simple words, straight love-song words". Donovan could not recall writing any of the early lyrics for the song but said that he possibly assisted McCartney with the "shape of the chords", in keeping with the "descending movements" in his own melodies. McCartney also commented on "I Will": "It's still one of my favourite melodies that I've written. You just occasionally get lucky with a melody and it becomes rather complete and I think this is one of them; quite a complete tune."

Genesis - where the sour turns to sweet, 1969

"The song itself had been in the band’s repertoire for quite some time. They had already recorded it among three other songs in a one-hour session at Regent Studios in London, where many rock legends had recorded, in 1967. Jonathan King had taken them there to record a tape that was sent to Decca Records. The label had been impressed and signed them and King went into the studio with them again, this time to Advision Studios, to produce a reprise of ‘Where The Sour Turns To Sweet’ for their debut single."

John Prine - summer's end, 2018

"The Tree of Forgiveness is the eighteenth and final studio album by American country folk singer John Prine. The album was released on April 13, 2018. It is the last album released by Prine before his death on April 7, 2020." 

 Such a great song!

Etienne Daho - le grand sommeil, 1984

"Daho's collaborations and productions both on stage and in the studio with other artists have been extensive. He has worked with Brigitte Fontaine, Arthur Baker, Air, Working Week, '80's new wave bands OMD and Comateens, Jane Birkin, Marianne Faithfull, Françoise Hardy, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vanessa Paradis, Dani and more. His music has also been remixed, among others, by Air, Fischerspooner, Amon Tobin and William Orbit."

Black Box Recorder - goodnight kiss, 2000

"The closing "Goodnight Kiss" is also brimming with beauty, yet - at heart - still a song with pained regret."

Etienne Daho - quelqu'un qui m'ressemble, 1986

"Daho was born in Oran, French Algeria. He sings in a low, whispery voice somewhat akin to Leonard Cohen or Chet Baker and his music established him as a pop cult hero. He cites Serge Gainsbourg, The Velvet Underground, The Beach Boys and Syd Barrett as his musical influences. All his albums have been certified at least gold or platinum, including "Mythomane" in 1981, "La notte, la notte" in 1984, "Pop satori" in 1986, produced with a young William Orbit, "Pour nos vies martiennes" in 1988 and the double platinum "Paris ailleurs" in 1991, recorded in New York."

William Fitzsimmons - in the light, 2018

"My parents got divorced and it fucked me up a lot. And I don’t want to do this to my own kids. I need to be able to tell my kids later when they asked what I did to save the marriage that I did the best I could."

Sambassadeur - ice and snow, 2005

"In some reviews, you’ll read about Belle and Sebastian, My Bloody Valentine, the Jesus and Mary Chain, the Go-Betweens. As for me, I’d say that most of their songs are kind of close to Camera Obscura, the Aislers Set and the Radio Dept."

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - the power of love, 1984

"I always felt like 'The Power of Love' was the record that would save me in this life. There is a biblical aspect to its spirituality and passion; the fact that love is the only thing that matters in the end"

Del Amitri - be my downfall, 1992

"I was spending the whole time on tour, when I was still playing the guitar on this song, just thinking about where the plectrum was between my fingers, and when you start thinking about things like that then all the other stuff just starts falling apart."

The Lightning Seeds - all i want, 1990

"Initially, it was just him; he produced and wrote and recorded most of the first album, “Cloudcuckooland” alone. He chose the name “Lightning Seeds” after mis-hearing a Prince lyric (“The thunder hides what the lightning sees”) and also because, one day, he dreamed of forming a group. “Pure”, the first single from Cloudcuckooland, charted at number 16 and became the feel-good summer hit of 1989. The album followed to critical acclaim, followed by further singles “Joy” and “All I Want”.

The Beatles - lovely rita, 1967

"It wasn't based on a real person. I think it was more a question of coincidence … I didn't think, 'Wow, that woman gave me a ticket, I'll write a song about her.' Never happened like that."

Black Box Recorder - the facts of life, 2000

"The Facts of Life" has a reggae-like beat, while its melody was reminiscent of the one in "Thank You" (2000) by Dido. Nixey sings in staccato form, bordering on rapping, as she assumes the role of a health teacher. Overall, it evoked "Never Ever" (1997) by All Saints and "Honey to the Bee" (1999) by Billie; Carlson said the song came across as a "Stanley Kubrick-directed All Saints production. Simple, gorgeous, chart-friendly, and just plain evil."

The Radio Dept - tåget, 2002

"This guitar-centered song starts out with bird noises which continue throughout it, giving it an outdoorsy and refreshing feel, and it washes over you as you listen."

The Style Council - headstart for happiness, 1983

"When the curtain came down on The Jam in late ’82 it was undoubtedly a relief for Weller. The intensity of their message was simply weighing too heavily on his young shoulders. The music just too constrictive for his burgeoning mind. It should have perhaps come as no surprise that his next musical venture was going to be lighter in tone."

Suzanne Vega - i'll never be your maggie may, 2001

"On Songs in Red and Gray, Vega returns to her signature acoustic folk-pop sound, shedding the experiments she had done in the 1990s with her husband, record producer Mitchell Froom. New producer Rupert Hine shows some traces of his past work with '80s new wave bands by employing electronic beats, but mostly allows Vega's voice and guitar to dominate in a manner reminiscent of her debut album and its 1987 follow-up, Solitude Standing. Most of the songs, like "Widow's Walk" and "If I Were a Weapon", deal with the dissolution of Vega's marriage with Froom. Her "calm, hushed, clear singing" belies the album's "mood of heartbroken defiance". The lyrics are "the most personally revealing songs she has written" in her career."

Death Cab For Cutie - soul meets body, 2005

"Throughout the song's lyrics, Gibbard touches on transcendental themes: in the song's hook, he pleads that "if the silence takes you then I hope it takes me too." Walla summarized the song's message: "It's a declaration of desire over circumstance. It means, 'Here's where I am and here's what I want to be and how do I bridge those two things.' I think it's a beautiful articulation of love, friendships and relationships and everything you do over the course of the day."

Sufjan Stevens - futile devices doveman remix, 2017

"The song was covered by American band Rituals of Mine (then-known as Sister Crayon) in 2011. A remix of "Futile Devices" by American musician Shigeto was released on February 29, 2012. The remix incorporates "bass-clouds and IDM clicks". In 2017, a new remix of the song by American producer Doveman was commissioned for the romantic drama film Call Me by Your Name. The film's director, Luca Guadagnino, specifically asked to include the song in the film. Doveman's remix was physically released on limited edition 10-inch vinyl in February 2018 alongside the songs "Mystery of Love" and "Visions of Gideon", all three of which were featured on the Call Me by Your Name soundtrack album."

Morrissey - rebels without applause, 2022

“I don’t need to listen to the album; the review is already written”

Club 8 - she lives by the water, 2001

"The band is/are a duo from Sweden. This album, their third, came out in 2001, and they have continued to put out albums regularly since then, for a total of ten, and eight of them have four-star reviews from AllMusic."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - pandora's box it's a long long way, 1991

"These days, even though she is bedridden - in addition to osteoarthritis, she suffers from emphysema - the eyes remain unclouded. Over the phone, she sounds every bit as forthright as she is said to have been in her heyday, and she is delighted by the renewed interest in her pictures."

Pet Shop Boys - home and dry, 2002

"Home and Dry" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 18 March 2002 as the first UK single and the second US single from their eighth studio album, Release (2002). It reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and number 44 on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart. One of the B-sides, "Sexy Northener", was also released as a promotional single in the United States and peaked at number 15 on the US dance chart, but never received a commercial release. The song is known to Pet Shop Boys fans for its unusual video, directed by Wolfgang Tillmans, primarily consisting of footage of mice running across tracks and eating discarded food at Tottenham Court Road Underground station. There are occasional shots of the duo performing the song in an empty venue. The track was remixed the same year by German trance duo Blank & Jones."

Mike Oldfield - tres lunas, 2003

"Mike Oldfield has never been one to avoid diverting into different styles of music in his long career, and 2002's `Tr3S Lunas' (translating from Spanish to mean "Three Moons") is no exception. Originally conceived as the soundtrack to a multi-media video game/virtual reality crossover project, this release can probably be considered a fairly minor entry in the sizeable discography of the legendary multi-instrumentalist, but is still a collection of atmospheric and relaxing pieces that holds together rather well."

The Thrills - i came all this way, 2007

"The album was recorded in a converted morgue in one of Vancouver's most deprived neighborhoods -- at the suggestion of R.E.M. -- and the image of youthful idealism meeting cold reality is too perfect to ignore. It's a good thing too; adversity has brought out the best in the Thrills, and Teenager can stand as the group's crowning glory to date."

The Beatles - the fool on the hill, 1967

"Fool on the Hill" was mine and I think I was writing about someone like Maharishi. His detractors called him a fool. Because of his giggle, he wasn't taken too seriously. It was this idea of a fool on the hill, a guru in a cave, I was attracted to ... I was sitting at the piano at my father's house in Liverpool hitting a D 6th chord, and I made up "Fool on the Hill".

Car Seat Headrest - maud gone, 2012

"I absolutely adore this song. It reminds me of a super sad time but makes me feel so warm at the same time. Will’s vocals on this track blow me away every time."

Tilly And The Wall - you and i misbehaving, 2004

"Their name comes from the title of a children's book about a mouse who thinks the grass is always greener on the other side, and their music is hopeful, optimistic and -- at times -- a little bit childlike."

Franz Ferdinand - live alone, 2009

"Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 2002. The band's original line-up was composed of Alex Kapranos (lead vocals, lead guitar, keyboards), Nick McCarthy (rhythm guitar, keyboards, vocals), Bob Hardy (bass guitar, percussion) and Paul Thomson (drums, percussion, backing vocals). Julian Corrie (keyboards, lead guitar, backing vocals) and Dino Bardot (rhythm guitar, backing vocals) joined the band in 2017 after McCarthy left during the previous year, and Audrey Tait (drums, percussion) joined the band after Thomson left in 2021."

Enya - i want tomorrow, 1987

"In the liner notes of the album's 1992 reissue, "I Want Tomorrow" is described, simply, as "thoughts of the present"

Santana - samba pa ti, 1970

""Samba Pa Ti" was conceived in New York City on a Sunday afternoon,"..."I opened the window I saw this man in the street, he was drunk and he had a saxophone and a bottle of booze in his back pocket. And I kept looking at him because he kept struggling with himself. He couldn’t make up his mind which one to put in his mouth first, the saxophone or the bottle and I immediately heard a song"..."I wrote the whole thing right there"

Bear's Den - the love we stole, 2014

"I wrote this song around the same time as I was writing 'Sahara Pts 1&2' and 'Writing On The Wall' from our last EP. Those three/four songs originally were all one giant song and I had to split them up for the sake of the band's sanity! There's a short story by Raymond Carver called Vitamins and the final line is "Things kept falling…" That line encapsulates how you feel when it seems your life is falling apart and to an extent I was in that place when I was writing this song."

David Gilmour - short and sweet, 1978

"the song "Short and Sweet" can be seen as a musical precursor to "Run Like Hell" (also from The Wall), with its shifting chords over a D pedal point, using a flanged guitar in Drop D tuning. "Short and Sweet" was written in collaboration with Roy Harper, who recorded a version, on which Gilmour played, for his 1980 album The Unknown Soldier."

Life On Venus - stranger times, 2022

“You all know the situation damn well and you know as well that we’re not politicians and not soldiers… the only thing we know for sure is that we want to spread love and peace across the world with our music.”

El Vy - return to the moon live, 2015

"EL VY is an American indie rock duo that consists of Matt Berninger (lead vocalist of The National) and Brent Knopf (founding member of Ramona Falls and Menomena). The duo released their debut album, Return to the Moon, in October 2015."

Monaco - a life apart, 2000

"Monaco is the second studio album by rock band Monaco, a side project of New Order bassist Peter Hook. It was released in 2000 and reached No. 84 in the UK. The album was provided 2 singles. The first single is "I've Got A Feeling", but later was rejected in the UK, due to sample clearances. The second single is "See-Saw”, as a limited 12" single. When the album was recorded, their previous label Polydor Records rejected this album to be released, due to changing trends in music at the time."

Talking Heads - heaven, 1979

"Heaven has always been one of those songs that's able to be a lot of different things. Fear of Music especially is an album that exists on polar opposites. Heaven has made me cry in many different ways, from sadness to frustrations to happiness to laughter, it seems to be able to encompass it all."

The Triffids - open for you, 1987

"The Triffids’ fourth album, the brilliant Calenture, is a mostly dark affair, with even the brightest songs bearing themes of death and loss. Keyboard player and sometime vocalist Jill Birt wrote Open For You, an upbeat number with a mostly positive theme — that finds darkness around its edges."

The Housemartins - think for a minute, 1986

"Think for a Minute" is a single by The Housemartins taken from the album London 0 Hull 4. The song reached #18 in the UK Singles Chart. The single and album versions are quite different – the album track is similar to a lot of The Housemartins early tracks, being guitar, bass and drum based, while the single version is a much more produced version, with piano and trumpet (from Guy Barker)."

Chumbawamba - amnesia, 1997

"Amnesia" is the second single from English rock band Chumbawamba's eighth studio album, Tubthumper (1997). The song's lyrics address the sense of betrayal that English leftists felt during the rise of New Labour. Released on 19 January 1998 by EMI, the song was met with favorable reception from critics, who regarded the song as a highlight from Tubthumper. The song was a top-10 hit in Canada and the United Kingdom, giving the group their final top-20 entries in both countries. The song also reached number one on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100, becoming the group's final US chart entry."

The Thrills - found my rosebud, 2004

"this album was pretty much written on the road. This was in stark contrast to their debut album that had been carefully honed before recording started. Let's Bottle Bohemia was recorded straight from raw demos and they are keen to keep such spontaneity going."

Letting Up Despite Great Faults - repeating hearts, 2011

"From the opening chords of the sweet ‘Repeating hearts’ until the reverb heavy fade out of ‘Helium’ (sounds like a balloon losing its wind!), there is rhyme to these sunny, happy drenched music. It’s a good continuation of the ideas that this Los Angeles based band laid out on their début album, Letting up despite great faults."

Angelo De Augustine - twenty-seven, 2022

"Its lyrics depict dystopian and hellish landscapes painted over with age long myths, games of telephone, what it means to be evil, and how evil itself is often misunderstood."

Pet Shop Boys - give stupidity a chance, 2019

"Synth-pop duo’s Give Stupidity a Chance refers to Gove’s assertion that ‘people in this country have had enough of experts’"

Bear's Den - magdalene, 2014

"The song discusses the secretive institutions called Magdalene laundries (also known as Magdalene’s asylums), named after Catholic saint Mary Magdalene. The penitentiary work-houses were for “fallen women” and was run by Catholic nuns. Originally the institutions intended to help women out of prostitution and other bad situations, they evolved into sweatshops where women would be forced to live and work, unpaid, for the rest of their lives."

The Fiery Furnaces - waiting to know you, 2006

"The Fiery Furnaces are an American indie rock band, formed in 2000 in Brooklyn, New York. The band's primary members are Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger. The siblings are originally from Oak Park, Illinois, a near-western suburb of Chicago. They are known for their ambitious, highly conceptual releases, which have frequently divided critical opinion."

The Beatles - it's only love, 1965

"Since Lennon wrote a third more songs than McCartney, it's easy to forgive a pair of minor numbers ("It's Only Love," "Tell Me What You See"), especially since they're overshadowed by four great songs. His Dylan infatuation holds strong, particularly on the plaintive "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and the title track, where the brash arrangement disguises Lennon's desperation."

Devine And Statton - under the weather, 1989

"Singer Alison Statton, born in Cardiff,Wales, began her music career with enigmatic, new wave minimalists Young Marble Giants, which released its defining LP, Colossal Youth, in 1980. Statton's coolly unadorned vocals were one of the defining characteristics of that incomparable post-punk landmark. With her subsequent group, Weekend, Statton preempted the posh, cocktail-cool of acts such as Everything But the Girl and Sade."

Beirut - the canals of our city, 2006

"At seventeen years old, New Mexico native Zach Condon dropped out of community college and flew to Eastern/Central Europe with his brother, where he traveled with gypsy bands and studied indigenous folk cultures in the Baltics and former USSR. Upon returning, the young musician started a one-man project called “Beirut,” through which he created music in memory of his travels and in recognition of the broad European cultural milieu that is at the heart of so much conflict yet even more spirit."

Saint Etienne - jack lemmon, 1999

"A mostly instrumental album released only in Japan, The Misadventures of St. Etienne is not quite a proper St. Etienne album. Instead, it's the soundtrack of a little-seen British indie film called The Misadventures of Margaret, starring Parker Posey and Brooke Shields. Fans of Sarah Cracknell's Lulu-style vocals should be warned that she sings on only seven of the 20 tracks, and that many of the remaining songs are simple piano instrumentals and themes."

Pink Floyd - fat old sun, 1970

"Fat Old Sun" is perhaps best described as a pastoral, a hymn of praise to the countryside (as were several early Pink Floyd songs, such as "Grantchester Meadows" from Ummagumma and "Green Is the Colour" from More). The bell sounds heard at the beginning and the end of the song were later used again in "High Hopes" from their album The Division Bell and in "Surfacing" from their album The Endless River.

The Durutti Column - a little mercy, 1984

"La Belle Dame sans Merci" ("The Beautiful Lady without Mercy") is a ballad produced by the English poet John Keats in 1819. The title was derived from the title of a 15th-century poem by Alain Chartier called La Belle Dame sans Mercy. Considered an English classic, the poem is an example of Keats' poetic preoccupation with love and death. The poem is about a fairy who condemns a knight to an unpleasant fate after she seduces him with her eyes and singing."

Black Box Recorder - gift horse, 2000

"Mix Cellini is a lonely, maladjusted young man who works for a company that repairs exercise equipment, and lives in the upstairs apartment of an old Victorian house on Notting Hill. While his reclusive landlady, Gwendoline Chawcer, spends her time reading and pondering lost loves, Mix grows dangerously obsessed with serial killer John Christie and a local model, Nerissa Nash, despite the fact that she hardly even acknowledges his existence."

Coldplay - lovers in japan reign of love, 2008

"Jed Gottlieb of the Boston Herald remarked that the piano sound in "Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love" hints at the 1968 song "Lady Madonna" by The Beatles, "before taking a neo-classical, Chopin-does-Britpop route". Jeff Crawford of the City Messenger wrote, "'Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love' and 'Strawberry Swing' rank among the band's best work".

Pink Milk - river of glass, 2022

"Swedish darkwave/post punk duo Pink Milk released their sophomore album Ultraviolet in October 2021, and they return with the new track, River of Glass. The new single is a sentimental and atmospheric love ballad, about a ghost's unrequited love for a vampire. As idealized and fantastical as the song's theme is, it also sounds lush and ethereal, as it naturally portrays a haunting scene of a 1950s diner in a Lynchian world, where a cryptic song echoes from the other side. River of Glass, ideal for an alternate Twin Peaks universe, quickly unravels its own mystery and becomes utterly enthralling for the listener to be submerged in."

Bright Eyes - southern state, 2002

"The song describes an acquaintance of the narrator and their ways of dealing with depression, relationships, and alcohol abuse; all of the events of this individuals life seem to wind up leading them back to Athens."

The Beatles - things we said today, 1964

"I remember writing ‘Things We Said Today’ in one of the cabins below deck one afternoon on my acoustic guitar. I got away from the main party but it was a bit queasy downstairs; you could smell the oil and the boat was rocking a bit and I’m not the best sailor in the world, so I wrote a little bit of it downstairs and then the rest of it on the back deck where you couldn’t smell the engine. I don’t know why the engine was on, I suppose we were moving."

Genesis - supper's ready, 1972

"Frontman Peter Gabriel wrote the lyrics, which mainly describe a personal journey of scenes from the Book of Revelation and good versus evil, with several real life experiences providing further inspiration."

The New Pornographers - colosseums, 2017

“Colosseums” has echoy vocals and drums, along with “Caribbean” drums/xylophone. “Say it like a soothsayer” seems to be a deliberate self-challenge to the slight lisp that AC has."

Fazerdaze - little uneasy, 2017

“Little Uneasy” with the line “I’m still feeling my way” evokes that same restless, uncertain, unsettled transitional time where possibilities and limitations fight for ascendancy. It beefs up the sound without losing the intimacy and space and dynamics of that first EP. The instrumental passages here where the guitar picks out the melody remind me of “Before Hollywood” era Go-Betweens. Now there’s another band who could evoke an overwhelming feeling of time and place with some understated crafted guitar pop.

Club 8 - into air, 2013

"As the founder of Summersound Records, label manager at Labrador Records and the force behind three prominent indie-pop outfits, Johan Angergård has become a bit of an impresario in the underground scene in his native Sweden. A founding member of the Acid House Kings nearly two decades ago, Angergård helped define a twee brand of guitar-driven pop which inspired cardigan-clad followers such as Belle & Sebastian and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart. His three solo records under the Legends moniker have all been distinctive, impressive efforts, channeling the Jesus and Mary Chain, early albums by the Cure and Depeche Mode-flavored synth-pop, respectively. However, Angergård’s most enduring legacy may very well be his work with Karolina Komstedt as Club 8, which released its seventh full-length album, “The People’s Record,” last month. The duo’s career has led listeners on an arc away from their jangly infancy through records incorporating mellow bossa nova and chilled out drum machines."

Tindersticks - my sister, 1995

"For example, the third track, the spoken/sung “My Sister”, follows the story of the narrator’s younger sister from their childhood pillow fights in which she’d wield a Stanley knife, to her temporary blindness, to causing the death of their mother – and cat – by smoking in bed, through the scandal of moving in at 15 with a gym teacher, to becoming partially paralysed when, in a rage, he hits her over the neck with a Bullworker, finishing with her premature death at the age of 32."

Black Box Recorder - being number one, 2003

"Fantastic lines abound. Being Number One pictures the tabloids turning on a successful pop star: "Laughing all the way to the bank, a dozen illegitimate children, I guess we've got Max Clifford to thank." The New Diana is a scabrous attack on the aspirations of a would-be celebrity. "I want to be the new Diana, lying on a yacht reading photo magazines," sings Nixey as the backing vocals answer, "OK, Hello". As ever, the nasty lyrics are couched in beguiling music: chord sequences influenced by French chanson, gently plucked acoustic guitars, hazy electronics."

Tilly And The Wall - nights of the living dead, 2004

"Tilly & The Wall's roots lie in a band called Park Ave., which was one of the always-prolific Oberst's pre-Bright Eyes efforts. Park Ave. played saccharine, pointedly amateurish, yet relentlessly infectious sing-along pop, with a "My locker is stuck again!" lyrical purview that made sense, considering that its authors were actually living through such amplified teenage crises at the time, rather than exploiting them for forced pathos (cough Dashboard Confessional cough). Park Ave. also included Tilly & The Wall's Jaime Williams and Neely Jenkins, and their output, while just a hair above the Langley Schools Music Project in terms of musicianship, was ridiculously infectious, and revealed a songwriting acuity that was drastically disproportionate to its members' nominal experience."

Peter Bjorn And John - young folks, 2006

"Young Folks" is the first single from Swedish band Peter Bjorn and John's third album, Writer's Block (2006). The single features Victoria Bergsman as a guest vocalist. The song received generally positive reviews from critics and performed well in the record charts, reaching the top 40 in Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, and the United Kingdom."

Laurent Voulzy - radio collection, 2008

"Voulzy was born in Paris, France. He originally led the English-pop-influenced Le Temple de Vénus before joining Pascal Danel as guitarist from 1969 to 1974. However, he is best known for his collaborative songwriting efforts with singer-songwriter Alain Souchon and his solo singing career, which spanned several successful singles and albums."

Bear's Den - dew on the vine, 2016

"There’s an intimacy about Bear’s Den’s music that cuts deeper than most. Lead singer and songwriter Andrew Davie tends to avoid the well-traveled roads of love and romance; his introspective lyrics dive far below the surface, exploring the intricacies of human experience and the relationships that lie within. Friendship and family; life, loss, strength, and illness; memories of the past versus the present – these universal facts of life are examined with an especially personal touch to foster vivid connections between both listener and music, as well as listener and artist."

The Beatles - i'm only sleeping, 1966

"The first draft of Lennon's lyrics for "I'm Only Sleeping", written on the back of a letter from 1966, suggests that he was writing about the joys of staying in bed rather than any drug euphoria sometimes read into the lyrics. While not on tour, Lennon would usually spend his time sleeping, reading, writing or watching television, often under the influence of drugs, and would have to be woken by McCartney for their songwriting sessions. In a London Evening Standard article published on 4 March 1966, Maureen Cleave, a friend of Lennon, wrote: "He can sleep almost indefinitely, is probably the laziest person in England."

David Gilmour - there's no way out of here cover, 1978

"Stepping out of Pink Floyd’s shadow, Gilmour had championed the British folk-rock band Unicorn, around the time of Wish You Were Here, producing their very good third album Too Many Crooks (1976). One of the tracks on it, ‘No Way Out of Here’ penned by Unicorn bandleader Ken Baker, impressed Gilmour so much that he covered it for inclusion on his solo album, modifying the title to ‘There’s No Way Out of Here’, but preserving the feel, structure and tone of the original. It was even released as a single and Gilmour staged an excellent live performances to help promote it, however without the Pink Floyd ‘handle’, it flopped in the charts."

The Triffids - blinder by the hour, 1986

"It's the weight of lyrics which have been far more personal now... so intensely personal you can almost feel the pain"

Prince Far I - ten commandments, 1999

"Before the album was finished he was shot at his home in Kingston, Jamaica, during a robbery, allegedly relating to a dispute over money, and died later in hospital. Adrian Sherwood, deeply upset by the murder of his friend, took a production hiatus from his beloved reggae genre and in 1983 recorded with his group Circut and Neneh Cherry, "Dead Come Alive". Prince Far I is also referred to by The Clash in their single "Clash City Rockers" and also by The Mountain Goats in the song "Sept. 15th 1983", a reference to the date of his death."

The Radio Dept - against the tide, 2002

"The person is questioning what they’re doing in life so they want to take a risk but they’re afraid of the outcome it might have so they opt-out to “falling against the tide” which means they’re gonna stick to what they’re comfortable with and familiar with."

Pete Astor - model village, 2024

"2024 marks 40 years of Pete Astor making records, a suitable anniversary point at which to take stock and double back on songs that first appeared on records by Astor-fronted combos such as Creation Records trailblazers The Loft and The Weather Prophets and Matador recording artists The Wisdom of Harry, as well as selections from solo albums that appeared on labels such as Danceteria and Static Caravan. Astor’s motivation for Tall Stories & New Religions, his new album, which will be out on Tapete Records March 15th, 2024, is manifold: some songs are effectively re-examined in the way one might linger over a resonant picture from a box of old photographs -connecting with the essence of a younger self-, other songs are newly recast in wiser and more reflective hues, while others simply demanded exhumation from wilfully opaque, lo fi non- production."

Justice And Tame Impala - one night all night, 2024

"We wanted ['One Night/All Night'] to sound as if a dark / techno iteration of Justice had found a sample of a disco iteration of Kevin Parker. Kevin has a sense of melody that’s fascinating in the sense that he manages to write melodies that feel both simple and natural, but very peculiar at the same time. This song oscillates between pure electronic music and pure disco but you never really get the two at the same time. This very idea of switching instantly from a genre to another within a song runs through the whole record, and is maybe showcased the clearest in ‘One Night/All Night.’ [...] To us, ['Generator'] sounds like ‘Getaway’ by the Salsoul Orchestra, but with gabber and classic ’90s hardcore techno sounds. Disco / funk and electronic music at large have always been core elements of the music we make as Justice. In Hyperdrama, we make them coexist, but not in a peaceful way. We like this idea of making them fight a bit for attention."

Bee Gees - heartbreaker, 2001

"The Bee Gees' own version, with Barry Gibb on lead vocals, was recorded in 1994. It was originally planned for an album called Love Songs to be released in 1995, but was eventually released in 2001 on Their Greatest Hits: The Record.[6] "Heartbreaker" was originally recorded as a single released on the Yep Roc label in 2019. Later it was released on a full length (Walkabout) originally released in Australia to commemorate their tour of the continent. Eventually it was released for the rest of the world as well.

Black Box Recorder - the deverell twins, 2000

"In St Bartholomew's Churchyard at Lower Basildon, there is a joint tomb for two sons of Edward and Priscilla Deverell. Both boys drowned together bathing in Thames. The tombstone reads "They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided."

Tilly And The Wall - fell down the stairs, 2004

"Tilly and the Wall are an indie rock group which formed in Omaha, Nebraska, United States in 2001. The band consists of Derek Pressnall (vocals, guitar), his wife Jamie Pressnall (tap dancer), Neely Jenkins (vocals, bass), Kianna Alarid (vocals, recorder, bass) and Nick White (keyboards). The band has gained notoriety for having a tap dancer provide percussion instead of a drummer (although drums and drum machines are occasionally used on some of their recordings, and Pressnall is usually complemented by Alarid and Jenkins stomping on the floor)."

Neva Dinova - tryptophan, 2008

"Tryptophan affects brain serotonin synthesis when given orally in a purified form and is used to modify serotonin levels for research. Low brain serotonin level is induced by administration of tryptophan-poor protein in a technique called acute tryptophan depletion. Studies using this method have evaluated the effect of serotonin on mood and social behavior, finding that serotonin reduces aggression and increases agreeableness."

The Beatles - she's leaving home, 1967

“She’s Leaving Home” produced a brilliant set of lyrics addressing the impact of depression on the psyche. It tells of a young woman who tries to cope with loss of identity while finding the courage to run away from home, “leaving the note that she hoped would say more.” Resulting in confusion from the well-meaning family left behind. So often experienced when necessary moments of change arrive."

James - sound, 1991

"Doubtless this will infuriate James pop fan contingent expecting another ‘Come Home’. Instead James do the decent thing and spread their wings with a grace and elegance which – despite what people say – saves them from stadiumitis. There are stadium-guitar traits here, but thankfully, they don’t come wrapped up in the bombastic shroud widely reported of their recent live shows. Sound (even the title works on various levels) is a layered number with a nice urgent bassline and flickering guitars. Tim Booth, meantime, sounds less fraught than his ‘Gold Mother’ era, though still uncomfortable with the world in general. I like him."

The Embassy - it's always a new thing, 2013

"Melodic, beat-driven, and shiny enough to scan as commercial pop, but with wounded vocals and occasionally sloganeering lyrics that do, indeed, blur the line between innocence and a giant put-on, the Embassy inspired other artists with its iconoclastic spirit as much as its ecumenical anorak-house sound."

Damien Jurado - return to maraqopa, 2014

"The album detailed his character’s emergence from a car crash only to wander back into Maraqopa. Upon his return, the denizens of the town, all named Silver, began to allude to the character being a sort of prophet or “beacon between Heaven and Earth,” as Jurado once said."

Prefab Sprout - goodbye lucille one, 1985

"When Thomas Dolby began working with Prefab Sprout, McAloon played him a number of songs without telling him what period they belonged to. McAloon felt that because he had played the songs live so many times, he could no longer be objective about them. "Goodbye Lucille #1" is one of three songs included on Steve McQueen dating to the band's initial lineup, the others being "Faron Young" and "Bonny". According to Ian Pye of Melody Maker, "Goodbye Lucille #1" features "a beautifully haunting vocal from Wendy Smith"."

Bee Gees - holiday, 1967

"We were kids together, and teenagers. We spent the whole of our lives with each other because of our music. I can't accept that he's dead. I just imagine he's alive somewhere else."

Black Box Recorder - gsoh qed, 2003

"So exquisitely English that they make Radiohead, Coldplay and even Her Majesty the Queen seem like Bud-guzzling rednecks, Black Box Recorder are the pop project of Luke Haines, whose other band, the Auteurs, is a kind of hate-filled version of the Kinks. In this case, pop means honeyed synthesizer melodies acting as a Trojan horse for splendidly seedy lyrics about classified-ad dating, teenage lust and the horrors of the British school system."

The Smile - teleharmonic, 2024

"This is the track that sticks out the most because it can appeal to many people of different tastes. If you were to leave this review listening to only one song on this album, I would advise you to choose “Teleharmonic” because it is simply just a good song."

The Radio Dept - bachelor kisses cover, 2008

"Swedish band, The Radio Dept., recorded an exclusive cover of "Bachelor Kisses", for the August 2007 issue of the Swedish fanzine I Godan Ro. Only 10 copies of that issue were printed. The track was subsequently included in their compilation album Passive Aggressive: Singles 2002–2010."

The Cranberries - animal instinct, 1999

“It’s like a hearty song, and it’s about a hearty thing. It’s just about love that comes when you’re carrying a child, when you give birth to a child and stuff when you become a parent. It’s the animal instinct, it’s a protection feeling that you’ve never felt before for anything […] I am a different person than I was two years ago. Women are extraordinary creatures really, you know, I mean the fact that we can give birth, what the bodies can do is pretty amazing, and feed, feed children with your own body […] It’s a pretty cool thing really, and it does change you, it makes you a lot more confident and happy in yourself makes you more thankful.”

Beach House - beyond love, 2015

"It's probably Beach House's most raw and emotionally potent song. If any track were to perfectly encapsulate the essense of Depression Cherry, Beyond Love is that song."

The Lightning Seeds - bound in a nutshell, 1990

"Cloudcuckooland was an antidote to the brewing Alternative Rock / Grunge of the then new decade. It opened with the bubbly Pop of “All I Want,” which Broudie co-wrote with the similarly silky-voiced Peter Coyle – the vocalist of the classic English New Romantic band The Lotus Eaters (“The First Picture of You”). The bright mood immediately turned gloomy with the heartrending sentiments of the piano-led, jazzy Baroque/Synthpop ballad “Bound in a Nutshell,” which exuded echoes of China Crisis (“Black Man Ray”), Frazier Chorus (“Dream Kitchen”), and The Blue Nile (“Tinseltown in the Rain”). This was then followed by what has become The Lightning Seeds’ anthemic single—the candy-cane sweet and marshmallow soft “Pure,” which is a concoction of synthesized flutes, horns, and other orchestral instruments of wonder."

Camel - sanctuary, 1975

"Absolutely beautiful is the best way to describe The Snow Goose. It’s about a lonely disfigured man (Philip) who buys an abandoned lighthouse among the salt marshes of Essex, a wild but beautiful landscape. It’s here that Philip provides a sanctuary for birds who seek shelter during the winter months."

Black Box Recorder - weekend, 2000

"The Facts of Life is a new wave, synth-pop and psychedelic-lounge rock album that took elements from the works of elements from the works of Momus, Pet Shop Boys and Saint Etienne. Alongside this, the Saint Etienne comparison extended to the lyrical style and frontwoman Sarah Nixey being seen as a counterpoint to that band's Sarah Cracknell."

Mew - behind the drapes, 2002

"i love this song. mew always makes me cheer up with these lonely songs. as the title 'behind the drapes' suggests, we as individuals feel all left out. like in a stage when all the attention is on the actors on stage, the ones working hard behind the drapes don't get so much credit at all."

Jome - hollow, 2017

"Everything we’ve put out so far is fairly mellow and has lots of subtlety but there is stuff on the album that is far more aggressive and energetic."

Mew - comforting sounds, 2000

"hearing that song was demonstrably a "my-life-has-been-leading-up-to-this-moment" event. Experiencing the instrumental buildup in person was one of my all-time greatest concert experiences; I could have been liquefying and I doubt I would have noticed."

Tilly And The Wall - brave day, 2006

"There’s just nothing better than being able to travel, and I think many of our favorite moments involve seeing some new wonderful parts of the world."

Black Box Recorder - when britain refused to sing, 2003

"Singer Sarah Nixey has never regretted taking up the invitation from Luke Haines (The Auteurs) and John Moore (The Jesus and Mary Chain) to form Black Box Recorder—even if the band never achieved the level of success of some of their other turn of the millennium peers. And it’s questionable if they ever made good on the promise that “they would make her famous.”

The Lightning Seeds - a small slice of heaven, 1992

"Can't say why this wonderful Lightning Seeds song suddenly came to mind, bringing such unexpected tears. The idea of a small slice of heaven waiting for us all?"

Metronomy - right on time, 2022

"a summer/spring infused song"