The Moody Blues - the night, 1967

“A lot of people grew up with that Days of Future Passed, along with our others, and in their own ways, they’re all fantastic.”

Moby - in my heart, 2002

“In My Heart” has a nice piano intro which is like Coldplay’s “Clocks” on acid. Tonnes of keyboards on this one and it’s quite an uplifting tune to boot. It’s definitely one of my faves."

The Flaming Lips - sunrise eyes of the young, 2017

"Coyne envisions a recreational wonderdrug from a not-so-distant future that induces a deep sleep, where the user's subconscious is transported into a fairy tale, childhood dreamscape. When they wake, they find themselves cured of life's personal and emotional problems."

Phil Collins - in the air tonight, 1981

"In the Air Tonight" remains one of Collins' best-known hits, often cited as his signature song, and is especially famous for its drum break towards the end, which has been described as "the sleekest, most melodramatic drum break in history" and one of the "101 Greatest Drumming Moments".

The New Pornographers - you tell me where, 2014

"This song was inspired by an a cappella version of Neil Young's "After The Gold Rush," by the English group Prelude, which was a hit in the early 1970s. The New Pornagraphers' A.C. Newman told Spin magazine: "It's got this thick wall of harmonies, which I kept coming back to when we were doing the song."

John Murry - things we lost in the fire, 2013

"Things We Lost in the Fire" is a track from John Murry's debut solo album, The Graceless Age, released in 2012 (UK) and 2013 (US/Australia). The song, clocking in at 6:12, is a haunting, introspective piece blending gothic country and folk elements, reflecting Murry’s struggles with substance abuse and personal loss."

Death Cab For Cutie - northern lights, 2018

"Northern Lights" is one of many tracks on Thank You for Today that coincidentally use seasons as metaphors for titles, alongside "Summer Years" and "Autumn Love". In the tune, Gibbard mentions Dyes Inlet, an inlet in western Washington, near Bremerton, where Gibbard grew up. In one live performance of the song, Gibbard dedicated the song to those living in Bremerton. In writing the track, Gibbard wanted to "write a song that was like a John Hughes movie that takes place in my hometown, about two people in this suburban wasteland with nothing to do who spend their time on this body of water, one pining for the other, yet both knowing that this place will be a temporary stop in a much longer life." The song features guest vocals from CHVRCHES vocalist Lauren Mayberry. Bassist Nick Harmer recalled that "She’s just got such great energy and her voice is incredible. She strolled into the studio one afternoon and just nailed it." Mayberry has since performed the song live with the band; their first time together was at the Anthem in Washington, D.C., on October 17, 2018."

The Style Council - when you call me live, 1986

"The Style Council was an English sophisti-pop band fronted by ex-Jam leader Paul Weller. Starting in 1983, they placed twelve songs on the UK Top 20, including “Speak Like a Child,” “Long Hot Summer,” “My Ever Changing Moods,” “Shout to the Top!,” and “The Lodgers.” Their popularity peaked with the 1984–85 Polydor albums Café Bleu and Our Favourite Shop. After their ambitious 1988 release Confessions of a Pop Group, Weller disbanded the group to launch a solo career."

Renaissance - can you understand live, 1976

"Live at Carnegie Hall is a 1976 live double album by the English progressive rock band Renaissance. It presented songs from all of the band's Annie Haslam-era studio albums thus far, including the forthcoming (at the time of the concerts) Scheherazade and Other Stories."

Red Sleeping Beauty - breaking up is easy, 2016

"Never heard of Red Sleeping Beauty before? They’re a Swedish group named after a song by 80’s Marxist band McCarthy? Still nothing? Well its little wonder, since they’ve been away for over two decades. Now they’re back after nearly 20 years with a brand new album, Kristina. Named as a tribute to band-member Kristina Borg, who has struggled with breast cancer over the past few years but is now doing well. Imagine, if you will, the fey lovelorn bittersweet male/female vocal interplay of Belle and Sebastian inter-playing with the sounds of early Pet Shop Boys and OMD, bathed in the modernist glow of Swedish sensitivity. Then you are someway to picturing the sound that Red Sleeping Beauty have concocted since their first releases in the early 90s."

Mew - introducing palace players, 2009

"Mew is a Danish alternative rock band from Copenhagen, formed in 1995. The band is made up of Jonas Bjerre (lead vocals), Johan Wohlert (bass) and Silas Utke Graae Jørgensen (drums). From 1995 to 2015, the band also featured guitarist Bo Madsen, while bassist Wohlert left the band from 2006 to 2013. The band began to receive attention with their third album Frengers (2003). Whilst their music may be classified as indie and on occasion progressive rock, former guitarist Bo Madsen said "I usually say we are 'indie stadium.' A mix between 'feelings' and 'thinking' is usually good."

The Beatles - i'm a loser live, 1964

"Anyone who is one of the best in his field - as Dylan is - is bound to influence people." This statement from John Lennon in 1964 indicated where he placed the credit for his change in songwriting style. While other songs written earlier that year touched on aspects of the Bob Dylan sound (such as the puffing harmonica on "I Should Have Known Better"), the first Lennon song that is openly credited by all sources as being musically and lyrically influenced by Bob Dylan is the second track on the British "Beatles For Sale" album, "I'm A Loser."

The Housemartins - i bit my lip, 1987

"I Bit My Lip" by The Housemartins was released as the B-side to their 1987 single "Me and the Farmer" on Go! Discs (catalog: GOD 19). It’s a jangle pop/indie pop track, consistent with their sound, featuring Paul Heaton’s socially aware lyrics about aspiration and frustration in a working-class context. The song’s lyrics, like “I bit my lip until it bled / ‘Yes please’ was all I ever said,” reflect themes of suppressed emotion and hope for a better life."

Neil Young - just singing a song, 2009

"Inspired by his long term hobby of tinkering with vintage automobiles, he and a friend decided to convert a 1959 Lincoln Continental to green fuel substitutes and then drive it across the States. In amongst the fairly uptempo, four-to-the-floor chug and dirty funk of car-related fare such as Johnny Magic (a strangely backing vocal-ed tribute to his partner in grime: Jonathan Goodwin), Get Behind The Wheel and the title track we get a few broadsides at the state of the economy (Cough Up The Bucks). Only Just Singing A Song appraoches his more pastoral side. Much like Greendale or Living With War this is Neil just following his muse because he can and screw the critics. The results may not be pretty (one suspects that despite Prairie Wind's gentle flow, Neil doesn't really like to do pretty any more). There's little of his wild fretboard explorations either. But as companion piece to greater, more focussed work like Sleeps With Angels, this rusty bit of rock buffs up quite nicely."

James - all i’m saying, 2014

"All I’m Saying is the tenth and final track on the 2014 James album La Petite Mort. A radically changed radio edit of the song was released digitally as the fourth single off the album in November 2014 and a video was directed by the Hungarian animator Péter Vácz. The song is about the death of Tim’s close friend and mentor Gabrielle Roth. He often tells the story with the song that she had kept her illness from him and other friends and he was on his way to see her in New York when she died."

The Beatles - i feel fine live at the bbc, 1964

"There are many quotes from the individual Beatles regarding the songwriting origins of "I Feel Fine." As usual, some of them are contradictory, as are John's above quote about "going into the studio one morning" with this song already written as compared to his 1974 interview where he claims "I wrote this at a recording session." Paul also claims partial credit for the song, stating in his book "Many Years From Now": "The song itself was more John's than mine. We sat down and co-wrote it with John's original idea."

The Style Council - the whole point of no return live, 1986

“I was really into the Modern Jazz Quartet. I really loved the sophistication thing they had going. They’d done a record called Place Vendôme [recorded in Paris in 1966, with The Swingle Singers]. And thought, ‘What a great idea — to take us off and go and record in Paris.’ At the time, I was thinking about doing a run of these EPs: doing an Alpine record in Switzerland… and going to different European cities. It never came about: it was a shame, really.”

Pet Shop Boys - i want a dog, 1988

"I've always found this an extremely lonely song, sung from the perspective of a narrator who considers the possibility of relying on a pet to keep him company more feasible — and perhaps more appealing — than relying on another human being. But, to be sure, this song invites a variety of other interpretations."

Dear Boy - kelly green, 2025

"With its swirling vocals and inescapable grooves, ‘Kelly Green’ weaves together shoegaze, trip-hop and ‘90s alternative into Dear Boy’s singular sound. Jangly / fuzzed-out guitars and visceral Southern California poetry. It’s the sound of a band rediscovering pure, creative joy—confident, liberated, and utterly captivating."

The Beatles - things we said today live, 1964

"McCartney wrote the song while holidaying in the United States Virgin Islands with his girlfriend, actress Jane Asher. The lyrics address the singer's love for a girl despite the distance between them. McCartney later described the song as exhibiting "future nostalgia", being "nostalgic about the moment we're living in now." The music is melodically complex, using chords more typical of classical music and jazz than pop music."

Bee Gees - i started a joke, 1968

"The melody to this one was heard aboard a British Airways Vickers Viscount about a hundred miles from Essen. It was one of those old four engine "prop" jobs, that seemed to drone the passenger into a sort of hypnotic trance, only with this it was different. The droning, after a while, appeared to take the form of a tune, which mysteriously sounded like a church choir. So it was decided! We accosted the pilot, forced him to land in the nearest village and there, in a small pub, we finished the lyrics [with Barry]. Actually, it wasn't a village, it was the city, and it wasn't a pub, it was a hotel, and we didn't force the pilot to land in a field ... but why ruin a perfectly good story?"

Turnstile - never enough, 2025

"Turnstile is an American hardcore punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2010. They have released five EPs and four studio albums. The band's third album Glow On was released in 2021 to critical and commercial success; the songs "Holiday" and "Blackout" earned the band three nominations at the 65th Grammy Awards."

Death Cab For Cutie - gold rush, 2018

"Gold Rush" originated as a demo that the band planned to discard, but was revisited at the suggestion of producer Rich Costey and combined with another demo. The song was written by lead vocalist and guitarist Ben Gibbard as "a requiem for a skyline", inspired by the rapid changes to Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, where Gibbard had lived for 20 years and some areas were "almost unrecognizable" due to the influx of workers for companies like Amazon."

The Mary Onettes - eyes open, 2025

“Eyes Open” builds upon the aftermath of themes, unraveling the emotional conflict between letting go and holding on. Maja Milner’s ethereal vocals add another layer, immersing the listener in a shimmering haze of nostalgia and longing. Soaring synths and melancholic melodies amplify the song’s emotional depth, crystallizing the internal struggle that inspired it."

The Style Council - with everything to lose live, 1986

"The album captures the band’s energetic live set, featuring Paul Weller (vocals, guitar), Mick Talbot (keyboards), Dee C. Lee (vocals), and Steve White (drums), with Billy Chapman on saxophone adding to the soulful and jazzy vibe. The performance of "With Everything to Lose" showcases the band’s sophisti-pop sound, blending soul, jazz, and pop elements, which was characteristic of their live shows during this period."

The Flaming Lips - they punctured my yolk, 1995

"The same extraordinary madness that infected the best work of Brian Wilson rears its head on the shimmering and melodic Clouds Taste Metallic, a masterful collection which completes the Flaming Lips' odyssey into the pop stratosphere. The Pet Sounds comparisons are obvious - two of the highlights are titled "This Here Giraffe" and "Christmas at the Zoo" - yet not unfair; like Brian Wilson, Wayne Coyne has refined his unique vision into something both highly personal and powerfully universal."

Strand Of Oaks - passing out, 2017

“Passing Out” is far from the psychedelic blackholes or fire-breathing rock moments on Hard Love. Rather, it’s a reflective, mellow, and bleary track that sounds like a mixture of ’80s indie and early ’90s Creation Records material. Which is to say, if you happened to spend your formative years driving through Showalter’s adopted home state listening to that type of music like I did, “Passing Out” is a familiar and welcome direction for Strand Of Oaks to be exploring, an autumnal meditation perfect for this time of year."

The Beatles - all my loving live, 1964

“Nobody ever made it in America, and we were dying to be the first.” This statement by John Lennon in September of 1964 puts in a nutshell how The Beatles felt about conquering the United States. They had truly taken over Britain and had made inroads in numerous other countries by 1963, but the US was their ultimate goal. They knew, though, that no foreign act had ever made more than a fleeting impact in the states."

The Moody Blues - a simple game justin hayward vocal mix, 2008

"A Simple Game (Justin Hayward Vocal Mix)" is a version of the song by The Moody Blues, originally written and sung by Mike Pinder as a non-album B-side to "Ride My See-Saw" from their 1968 album In Search of the Lost Chord. This mix, featuring Justin Hayward on lead vocals, was released as a bonus track on reissues of the album, notably the 2008 and 2018 editions (In Search of the Lost Chord: 50th Anniversary Edition / Deluxe). The song was produced by Tony Clarke and arranged by Arthur Greenslade, with a duration of approximately 3:32 minutes."

Etienne Daho - duel au soleil, 1986

"Let’s just get something straight here: Étienne Daho is very cool. He’s cooler than the coolest popstar you have at the top scale of cool. Better still, his voice is so good it makes every song it graces sound like the coolest song you’ve ever heard. All those styles from synthpop to surf rock, Étienne can do it all. In fact, he has done it all. But then he’s been around since the ’80s, wowing his native France, always dressed in the most effortlessly chic styles. For most popstars, new phases in their careers are greeted by a wardrobe overall. Étienne doesn’t need to do that. Leather jackets, jeans, over-sized coats, suit blazers and a smoldering cigarette has endured throughout the years, because he knows that cool is never out of style. An outsider who managed to conquer France’s mainstream, he started off his musical journey in London, back when punk was breaking. Apparently, he had to see it for himself. He felt it too, and would later jump at the chance of working with The Stinky Toys on his debut album. A great collaborator, Étienne would later appear in Saint Etienne’s He’s On The Phone, which is a repurposed version of an earlier hit Weekend A Rome. The ‘He’ the song is about? Étienne, most likely."

The Beatles - a hard day's night live, 1964

"Although the songs were recorded ahead of broadcast, allowing for retakes and occasional overdubbing, they are essentially "live in studio" performances. Most of the songs are cover versions of material from the late 1950s and early 1960s, reflecting the stage set they developed before Beatlemania."

Sintra, pôr do sol de 20 de Junho de 2025 a seis horas do solstício de Verão que vai ser a 21 de Junho de 2025, às 03h42m

The Go-Betweens - quiet heart live acoustic radio session, 1988

"At their peak, the Brisbane group featured Robert Forster, Grant McLennan, Lindy Morrison, Amanda Brown and Robert Vickers. Albums like Liberty Belle & The Black Diamond Express, Tallulah and 16 Lovers Lane are a sample of the band's brilliance."

Stevie Wonder - superstition, 1972

"Superstition" is a song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder. It was released on October 24, 1972, as the lead single from his fifteenth studio album, Talking Book (1972), by Tamla. The lyrics describe popular superstitions and their negative effects."

Fleet Foxes - wading in waist-high water, 2020

"From the opening chords, the album is a return to the sunny west coast breezy form after the brooding, moody political “Crack Up,” in 2017, which was the first Fleet Foxes album after drummer Josh Tillman went on to form Father John Misty."

The Style Council - shout to the top live, 1986

"The Style Council is rock’s most underrated band of all-time. Many of you will be scratching your heads at that statement. How in the heck can a man who grew up in Central Indiana, spent four short years in Southwestern Ohio, then moved back to his hometown, the one in which our said hero claimed to which he would never return, to raise his family, ever hear of the UK-centric and generally altogether European artist The Style Council?"

The Beatles - thank you girl live, 1963

"The writing of “Thank You Girl” can easily be narrowed down to February of 1963 during their British nationwide tour with Helen Shapiro. Since February 11th, 1963 was the date for recording of their first British album “Please Please Me,” and the song did not appear on that album, it obviously didn’t exist yet since they would have premiered the song on that day if it had. And since Lennon later confirmed in 1980, as detailed in David Sheff's book "All We Are Saying," that the song “was one of our efforts at writing a single that didn’t work,” it had to have been written before February 28th, 1963, since this was the confirmed date when their next single “From Me To You” was written. Since “Thank You Girl” ended up as the b-side to that British single, it had to have been written sometime between February 11th and 28th of 1963, using the working title "Thank You Little Girl."

Lullatone - race against the sunset, 2013

"Race Against the Sunset" is a song by Lullatone, a Nagoya, Japan-based music group known for their whimsical "pajama-pop" style, blending twee pop, indie pop, and electronica. Released on June 11, 2013, as part of the Summer Songs - EP, the track is 2:48 long and features a playful, lo-fi sound with ukulele and piano, often described as catchy and fun to sing along to."

My Morning Jacket - bermuda hwy live, 2004

"Early Recordings is a compilation album series by Louisville, Kentucky rock band My Morning Jacket. It was released in 2004 on Darla Records. The two constituent albums, called chapters, are called The Sandworm Cometh and Learning respectively. Danny Cash created the graphic design to both albums and played bass and keyboard on the second. J. Glenn performed drums for the series and Johnny Quaid played guitar. "Two-Tone" Tommy played bass for the first album, but Quaid took over for the second."

Moby - in this world, 2002

"I absolutely love the song In This World by Moby, and the video that goes with it. There’s just so much that you can take from the video and many elements that I feel that I can identify with quite a bit, and of course those aliens are super cute!"

The Style Council - walls come tumbling down live, 1986

"One song that I heard probably for the first time in 20 years was 'Walls Come Tumbling Down' (1985) by The Style Council. The Style Council lasted 1983-9, having 16 Top 40 hits but no No.1s. Interestingly they combined a somewhat at times overly polished, self-consciously snappy image with songs that were either almost like easy-listening, notably, 'Long Hot Summer' (1983), almost 'power' pop songs like 'Shout To The Top' (1984) to those like 'Walls Come Tumbling Down' which were very political. The most prominent member of the group was Paul Weller (1958-) who also wrote 'Walls Come Tumbling Down'. By the time he did, he was already very successful from his career with The Jam (1972-82; recording from 1977; 18 Top 40 hits including No. 1s in the UK) who had had a Mod style with a support for Britishness but also often challenging lyrics to social and political issues. The strength of many of their songs was carried on into some of The Style Council's work with almost classic styling that seemed to refer back to music of the 1960s referenced by The Jam's style. Saying this, the 'Sound Affects' (1980) album had almost psychaedelic elements, almost as if, like The Beatles, The Jam had evolved into this phase. The politics of The Style Council was far more apparent than even in songs like 'Eton Rifles' (1979) and 'Town Called Malice' (1982). I have been tempted however, to write how relevant I feel those songs remain recalling 1980s problems now we face so many of them again in the 2010s."

The The - slow emotion replayed, 2025

"Matt Johnson has a penchant for covering and reinventing his own songs as with ‘This Is The Day’, ‘Infected’, ‘Armageddon Days’ and others. The original version of ‘Slow Emotion Replay’, appeared on Dusk, released in 1993. This new version, ‘Slow Emotion Replayed’ was recorded in Studio Cinéola, London, featuring Matt Johnson on Omnichord and vocals, Barrie Cadogan on electric guitar and backing vocals, James Eller on bass and Gillian Glover also providing backing vocals. The B-side of this single is entitles ‘Crow Commotion Displayed’."

Sintra, 17 de Junho de 2025 a quatro dias do solstício de Verão

Nation Of Language - i'm not ready for the change, 2025

"Nation Of Language recorded Dance Called Memory with past producer Nick Millhiser, of Holy Ghost! and the current LCD Soundsystem touring lineup. “Inept Apollo” is on the album, and so is new single “I’m Not Ready For The Change.” It’s a blinky synth track with a rickety drum-machine beat and a whole lot of dreamy effects on the vocals and guitars. I’d say it fulls up a room quite pleasantly."

The Beatles - across the universe, 1970

"On 4 February 2008, at 00:00 UTC, NASA transmitted the Interstellar Message "Across the Universe" in the direction of the star Polaris, 431 light-years from Earth. The transmission was made using a 70-metre antenna in the Deep Space Network's Madrid Deep Space Communication Complex, located outside of Madrid, Spain. It was done with an "X band" transmitter, radiating into the antenna at 18 kW. This was done to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the song's recording, the 45th anniversary of the Deep Space Network (DSN), and the 50th anniversary of NASA. The idea was hatched by Beatles historian Martin Lewis, who encouraged all Beatles fans to play the track as it was beamed to the distant star. The event marked the first time a song had ever been intentionally transmitted into deep space, and was approved by McCartney, Yoko Ono, and Apple Corps."

Hibou - cityscape, 2025

"This infectious uptempo guitar track offers a bright glimpse into what we can expect from the upcoming album 'It Seems To Me’, arriving this summer via Spirit Goth Records."

The Beatles - i've just seen a face, 1965

"I've Just Seen a Face" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released in August 1965 on their album Help!, except in North America, where it appeared as the opening track on the December 1965 release Rubber Soul. Written and sung by Paul McCartney, the song is credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song is a cheerful love ballad, its lyrics discussing a love at first sight while conveying an adrenaline rush the singer experiences that makes him both enthusiastic and inarticulate."

Suede - trance state, 2025

"Later this year, the glammy Britpop greats Suede will release their album Antidepressants, which they recorded with longtime producer Ed Butler. Suede’s music has been remarkably consistently strong over the years, and it sure seems like they’ll keep the streak going with this new record."

Fait-divers by Thomas Merton

The direct existential grasp of reality in itself can be presented in a parable, a fable, or a funny story. (Thomas Merton)

Fait-divers on happiness

Suffering was temporary until we started trying to make happiness permanent.

Fait-divers on the internet

The biggest trick the internet ever played is convincing people that humor is a substitute for argument.

Fait-divers on books again and again

Communists tried to dumb down people by banning books. Capitalism, however, lets you buy them so that you put off reading them forever.

Fait-divers on books again

You read a good book, but a great book reads you.

Fait-divers on books

If you read for the purpose of education and not pleasure you'll end up with neither.

Fait-divers by Vala Afshar on time

Time doesn't wait for anyone, so don't wait for it. (Vala Afshar)

Brian Wilson - good vibrations, 2004

"As a solo artist, Wilson rerecorded "Good Vibrations" as the closing track on his 2004 album Brian Wilson Presents Smile. This extended version included lyrics by Tony Asher and a different bridge section, both originally written in 1966."

Paul McCartney - can't buy me love live, 1989

"Paul McCartney's return to the stage in 1989 for the Flowers in the Dirt tour was heavily hyped, since it was not only his first extensive tour since the '70s, but also marked the first time he incorporated large portions of the Beatles' catalog into his set list."

Fazerdaze - misread, 2017

"Morningside, the debut album from Auckland’s Fazerdaze, is a dream-pop record with both of its feet on the ground. You can let its tide-like synths and effortless guitar wash over you like a breezy, late-summer haze, or you can pull on the album’s narrative thread and follow Amelia Murray’s eminently relatable message about young life’s transitional moments."

The Style Council - the lodgers live, 1986

"Home and Abroad (styled Live! The Style Council, Home & Abroad. on its cover) is a live album by the English band The Style Council, released in 1986. It was recorded on the tour supporting the band's 1985 album Our Favourite Shop."

Fait-divers

Typos are the last gasp of individuality.

Fait-divers by Sarah Kay on authenticity

"Authenticity is something that cannot be fabricated." (Sarah Kay)

Fait-divers on blue by Rebecca Solnit

The world is blue at its edges and in its depths. This blue is the light that got lost. Light at the blue end of the spectrum does not travel the whole distance from the sun to us. It disperses among the molecules of the air, it scatters in water. Water is colorless, shallow water appears to be the color of whatever lies underneath it, but deep water is full of this scattered light, the purer the water the deeper the blue. The sky is blue for the same reason, but the blue at the horizon, the blue of land that seems to be dissolving into the sky, is a deeper, dreamier, melancholy blue, the blue at the farthest reaches of the places where you see for miles, the blue of distance. This light that does not touch us, does not travel the whole distance, the light that gets lost, gives us the beauty of the world, so much of which is in the color blue. (Rebecca Solnit)

Fait-divers by HopeJahren

There isn’t anything in the world that can’t be fixed by some combination of love and work. (Hope Jahren)

Fait-divers on information and data

The meaning of the word "information" has changed from "learning" to "data", and we with it.

Fait-divers by Vinod Khosla

“The more credentials somebody has, the more assumptions they make, the less they test them, the more likely they are to fail” (Vinod Khosla)

The Beatles - i'm looking through you, 1965

“I’m Looking Through You”, written in the most part by Paul McCartney is one of the finest songs on Rubber Soul, as it contains a typically ingenuous melody and a rather insightful lyric, and a wonderfully bizarre organ part. One of McCartney’s most mature lyrics of the period, he sings “I’m looking through you/Where did you go?/I thought I knew you/What did I know/You don’t look different but you have changed/I’m looking through you, you’re not the same”. The song also contains a wonderfully friendly melody and some great singing, especially McCartney’s lead vocal. One of the minor gems of The Beatles canon."

Fait-divers on optimism and pessimism

Optimism is a form of pessimism because it assumes that there's something to improve.

Fait-divers on faith and despair

Optimism is an alienated form of faith, pessimism an alienated form of despair.

Fait-divers

The uncomfortable luxury of changing our mind.

Hooverphonic - out of sight al stone mix, 2000

"The Belgian band Hooverphonic formed in 1995 by original members Alex Callier, Frank Duchêne, and Raymond Geerts. The three first met up and formed a band called The Love Letter Boxes in 1994. The format of music they played can best be described as "60's-inspired naive pop".

The Style Council - long hot summer twelve inch version, 1983

"In 2007, the BBC described Weller as "one of the most revered music writers and performers of the past 30 years". In 2015, Pete Naughton of The Daily Telegraph wrote, "Apart from David Bowie, it's hard to think of any British solo artist who's had as varied, long-lasting and determinedly forward-looking a career." In 2012, he was among the British notables selected by the artist Peter Blake to appear in a new version of his most famous artwork—the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover—to celebrate the British social figures of his life."

Fait-divers on books

A bad book is one you never finish reading. This is also what makes a great book.

Fait-divers by Lisa Randall on art

"Art allows us to explore the universe through a filter of human perceptions and emotions. It examines how our senses access the world and what we can learn from this interaction — highlighting how people participate in and observe the universe around us. Art is very much a function of human beings, giving us a clearer view of our intuitions and how we as people perceive the world. Unlike science, it is not seeking objective truths that transcend human interactions. Art has to do with our physical and emotional responses to the external world, bearing directly on internal experiences, needs, and capacities that science might never reach." (Lisa Randall)

Neil Young - talkin to the trees, 2025

"Neil Young has announced a new album—his first with his recently assembled touring band, the Chrome Hearts. He leads Talkin to the Trees with a reliably on-the-nose protest song, “Lets Roll Again,” rallying the American car industry to “protect our children” by manufacturing electric vehicles at a rate to match China, which is “way ahead—they’re building clean cars.” (“That’s hard to swallow!” he adds.)"

The Beatles - i'll cry instead, 1964

"I'll Cry Instead", unlikely as it may seem, was ... an unheralded slice of Lennon autobiography. The sheer admission of weakness was news in itself, but Lennon later saw the middle eight of the song – with its terror of being seen as weak, and desire to hide from the public gaze – as an honest personal statement."

Fait-divers by Kafka

"Just be quiet and patient. Let evil and unpleasantness pass quietly over you. Do not try to avoid them. On the contrary, observe them carefully. Let active understanding take the place of reflex irritation, and you will grow out of your trouble. Men can achieve greatness only by surmounting their own littleness." (Kafka)

Fait-divers on black-hole computing

"After you die, your body’s atoms will disperse and find new venues, making their way into oceans, trees and other bodies. But according to the laws of quantum mechanics, all of the information about your body’s build and function will prevail. The relations between the atoms, the uncountable particulars that made you you, will remain forever preserved, albeit in unrecognisably scrambled form – lost in practice, but immortal in principle."

Fait-divers by Alexandra Horowitz

The thing you are doing now affects the thing you see next. (Alexandra Horowitz)

The Embassy - it never entered my mind, 2002

"The Embassy is a Swedish pop duo from Gothenburg, formed in 1999 by guitarist/vocalist Fredrik Lindson and keyboardist/programmer Torbjörn Håkansson. Their music blends disco, twee pop, and pub rock, often described as "underclass disco" with a post-modernist, anti-rock aesthetic. They gained attention for their provocative live performances, including using cardboard instruments and playback, which made them both loved and loathed. Their debut album, Futile Crimes (2002), included the single “It Never Entered My Mind,” released via their label International (formerly Service). This track, part of their early work, showcases their ironic yet earnest style, influencing artists like Jens Lekman and The Tough Alliance. Other albums include Tacking (2005), Sweet Sensation (2013), White Lake (2018), and E-Numbers (2023). Their music often mixes earnest lyrics with mischievous undertones, creating a paradoxical listening experience. They’ve toured globally, including Japan and Europe, and are known for their club music influences and innovative live setups, like manipulating stage lighting."

Fait-divers: humour?

Everything has been said before. But it would be worthless if you couldn't say it again.

Fait-divers on storytelling

Storytellers are concerned with the question of how to endow experience with meaning.

Fait-divers on reality by Kafka

“Reality is never and nowhere more accessible than in the immediate moment of one’s own life. It’s only there that it can be won or lost.” (Kafka)

The Beach Boys - good vibrations, 1966

"The maestro has passed - the man was a open heart with two legs - with an ear that heard the angels. Quite literally. Love and Mercy for you and yours tonight. RIP Brian."

The Beatles - i'm happy just to dance with you, 1964

"I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and recorded in 1964 by the English rock band the Beatles for the film soundtrack to A Hard Day's Night. Lead vocals are by George Harrison, whose performance in the film marked the first mass media depiction of Harrison singing lead."

Fait-divers on empathy and compassion

"Empathy is a gateway to compassion. It’s understanding how someone feels, and trying to imagine how that might feel for you — it’s a mode of relating. Compassion takes it further. It’s feeling what that person is feeling, holding it, accepting it, and taking some kind of action. In metta or loving-kindness meditation practice, one can silently repeat phrases to others as a way of acknowledging them and our own interconnectedness. It’s easy and highly portable. When I’m on the train, I silently repeat phrases like, “May you be happy; may you be safe; may you be at ease; may you be free from suffering,” to the passengers, particularly those who look like they need it most. This plants the seeds of compassion, and we can find ourselves acting in compassionate ways that never would have occurred to us before. As it turns out, this ancient practice has some amazing scientific discoveries to give it cred."

Fait-divers by Seneca

If you would not have a man flinch when the crisis comes, train him before it comes. (Seneca)

Fait-divers on happiness, depression and sadness

The difference between happiness, sadness and depression? Happy people look sad, sad people look depressed, and depressed people look happy.

Fait-divers by Thomas Merton

We have what we seek. It is there all the time, and if we give it time, it will make itself known to us. (Thomas Merton)

Beach Vacation - i fell apart, 2020

"Initially they do a Cocteau Twins meets modern jangle-gaze vibe perfectly, with Break The Ice, I Fell Apart, Glitter Hands and the suplerlative closer, Don’t Stay Away, adding the slightest of late 80’s swirling, melodic gaze inflections to a vocal delivery that simultaenously assumes introspection and a sense of the confessional. It’s all beautifully soft and tremulous. However, the best of the album thrives on an increased sense of potent in Our Night Is Falling, If I Could Bring You Back, Mustang and Cure My Boredom. These tracks, to varying degrees, strip away the the swirling dreamy inflections and leave a crisper, more uncluttered sound, in which the jangled melodies are allowed to resonate and chime by process of spatial elimination. It’s a glorious, bombastic ying to the album’s fluffier yang."

Fait-divers by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

"Care granted to the sick, welcome offered to the banished, forgiveness itself are worth nothing without a smile enlightening the deed. We communicate in a smile beyond languages, classes, and parties. We are faithful members of the same church, you with your customs, I with mine." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

Fait-divers

We live in an age where we write and photograph everything, but read and look at nothing.

Fait-divers by Vincent Van Gogh on depression

“One feels as if one were lying bound hand and foot at the bottom of a deep dark well, utterly helpless.” (Vincent Van Gogh on depression)

Fait-divers on black holes

You wouldn’t even necessarily notice a black hole. You’d only notice when you tried to escape.

Fait-divers on pronoia and the universe

Pronoia: the universe is conspiring to help you.

Fait-divers on humility by Thomas Merton

It is almost impossible to overestimate the value of true humility. (Thomas Merton)

Fait-divers by Thomas Merton on silence

Contradictions have always existed in the soul of man. It is only when we prefer analysis to silence that they become a insoluble problem. (Thomas Merton)

Fait-divers on wholeness

Wholeness does not mean perfection: it means embracing brokenness as an integral part of life.

Fait-divers on mixing

"Neutrinos are not the only particles that exhibit mixing. Building blocks called quarks exhibit the property too. Physicists don’t yet know if mixing is an inherent property of all particles. But from what they know so far, it’s clear that mixing is fundamental to powering the universe. “Without this mixing, without these reactions, there are all sorts of critical processes in the universe that just wouldn’t happen,” McFarland says. “It seems nature likes to have that happen. And we don’t know why.”

Fait-divers on emptiness

In true emptiness, there is no I to be confused and nothing to be confused about.

Fait-divers on happiness

Happiness doesn't require an activity just like boredom doesn't require the absence of activity.