Songs with Strings

“Something” by Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton off of Concert for George.

In keeping with Paul McCartney week, I’ve decided to post a very wonderful and very special version of my favorite Beatles song. It’s very wonderful and very special because it’s the beautiful, romantic, tear jerking “Something,” and it’s performed by Paul McCartney and, wait for it… Eric Effing Clapton. The performance was at the Concert for George and since “Something” IS Harrison’s song, McCartney and Clapton just totally bring it. I mean, McCartney pulls out a freaking ukele for God’s sake. If playing “Something” on a ukele with Eric Claption isn’t tribute enough to Harrison then I don’t know what it is.All versions aside, “Something” is just a beautiful piece of music. Its strings, lyrics, that wailing guitar that dips in and out - all of it just whooshes something up inside of the listener. Before I get too emotional on all of you, let me just ask - do you think I wrote the word, “something” enough times in this post?

Paul, if you’re out there, somewhere, anywhere - please play this song on Saturday, July 16, 2011. If you do, I may faint and consequently fall from the bandstand of Yankee Stadium but no worries, it’ll be fine.

“Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” by Paul & Linda McCartney off of Ram

Since I am seeing Paul McCartney sing his 70 year old heart out at Yankee Stadium this Saturday, I officially declare this Paul McCartney Week on Songs with Strings. I had to consult many people about instituting this proclamation (really, just myself), so yes - it’s VERY official.

Anyway as usual, I digress. To put it eloquently, “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” is just such a freaking GOOD song. I love all of its layers and the different musical paths it jams into 4 minutes and 52 seconds. It’s songs like these that help me understand where bands like Of Montreal get it from. It’s whimsy, it’s horns, it’s strings, it’s voices… all I want to do is drive in a convertible on a sunny day and wave my arms as “haaaaands across the water (water), haaaaands across the sky” plays. Actually, that’d probably be unsafe to do while driving, so I’ll settle for the passenger seat in this fantasy of mine.

“Don’t Change Your Plans” by Ben Folds Five off of The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner.

Remember when Ben Folds had two friends surrounding him as he banged away at the piano? And these friends played instruments too? And they called themselves Ben Folds Five? Don’t get me wrong I’ve cried along to “The Luckiest” just like everybody else, but there’s something about Ben Folds Five that just completely outweighs Ben Folds for me. Today I’m posting some really old school Ben Folds Five, like Ben Folds Five from ten years ago (wow, I feel sad thinking that Ben Folds might actually be old). I loved “Don’t Change Your Plans” then (I was a weird 12 year old), and I love it now. Like many other Ben Folds Five songs, “Don’t Change Your Plans” has this way of being happy and somber at the same time. For example, if you pay attention to only its music then you might start feeling really happy, maybe even do or envision yourself doing some kind of embarrassing yet enlivening jig. If you only pay attention to its lyrics… well, you might feel like you’re listening to “The Luckiest” all over again. In this case, horns make up the song’s peppy parts while the strings, doing what they do best, add to the emotional wreck aspect of the track. Don’t believe me? Try to listen to the last 30 seconds without feeling a sad twinge of some sort. Welp, I’ll leave you on that lively note…

“Thank You” by Jay-Z off of The Blueprint 3.

I bet you thought this blog was going to be all indie and hipster. You either assumed this because you know me personally (if so, hi! thanks for reading!) or because you gathered this from the songs I’ve previously posted (very good guess, if this is the case). However, I’m here to prove your assumptions wrong and draw your attention to “Thank You” byJay-Z, an artist who only sometimes ironically wears black, thick framed glasses. Now, you might not be surprised to hear that I love any rap song with strings. To me, it adds so much defiance to the track; it also classes it up a bit, proving rappers’ usual point that beneath all of their tattoos and gold, they’re all classy “mothafuckas.” “Thank You” has a great arrangement of horns and strings throughout. It’s powerful stuff and just an awesome track to listen to if you want to walk around your city and pretend you’re really boss.

“Excuses” by The Morning Benders off of Big Echo.

I’ve had the type of relationship with “Excuses” where, for a period time, it was the only song I wanted to listen to despite my iPod providing 7,214 alternatives. Not only was it the only song I wanted to listen to, it was the only song I WOULD listen to. We’ve all had this type of affair with a song before; at the time, the song is just SO good and fits you SO well, that nothing else sounds as good. I digress though. “Excuses” is beautiful and its dreaminess - in my string lovin’ opinion - has a lot to do with the strings that crescendo in the beginning and then surface again at the end.

If you like “Excuses,” then check out “Excuses (RAC remix)” off of The Morning Benders’ Japan Echo EP. It doesn’t have any strings, but it does have a lot of pep.

“Turn to Stone” by Electric Light Orchestra off of Out of the Blue.

Today’s song with strings comes from the Birmingham boys that made up the glorious rock group, Electric Light Orchestra. ELO is known for its rock songs that feature classical overtones (A much covered ditty called “Mr. Blue Sky” is one of them). “Turn to Stone,” my personal favorite ELO, has great, great strings. I love when the band sings the line: “I turn to stone,” and the strings respond. That might not make sense now, but you’ll know what I mean when you listen.

“Edge Hill” by Groove Armada off of Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub).

Today’s song with strings comes from London electronic duo Groove Armada. The track is classical meets contemporary, featuring some heavy strings backed by atmospheric music and no singing (do you like how I pretend to not know what the word “instrumental” means?). Fast forward to the three minute mark when the orchestra takes its course.

“Suburbs (Continued)” by Arcade Fire off of The Suburbs.

Why oh why can’t you be longer, “Suburbs (Continued)?” Just when this little diddy reels you in and the strings really start to swell- It just ends, stops, rips your heart out (Really, it does. I’m not being dramatic). The worst part is, once the song is overthe whole The Suburbs album is over. How cruel.

Oh well, if the only reason I hate this song is because it ends, then it’s really not that bad.