I want to do the ten songs on your ipod in shuffle mode meme, even though I haven't been tagged to do so  1. "Jimmy Jazz" by The Clash from London Calling Ah, what's not to love about this barely intelligible tale of the gangster named "J-A-Zed-Zed"? I like songs that tell random stories, and this is a great one. I think Joe had fun with the lyrics; at least, he sang like he did. Every once in a while, his delivery of "What a relief!" from this song will pop into my head at opportune times.
Police came in they said "Now, where's Jimmy Jazz?" I said "Hmm, he was here but, uh, he said he went out." Who is it they're lookin for? Jimmy Jazz, Jazz, Jazz, Jazz
2. "A Place Called Home" by PJ Harvey from Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
This is from what is considered PJ's most accessible album; it won her the Mercury Prize in 2001. It's full of beautiful, lush songs, and this is one of my favorites. The imagery of looking and believing in finding a place out there where you belong was and still is evocative to me, and her voice is gorgeous throughout. I walk and I wade / Through full lands and lonely / I stumble, I stumble / With you I wait to be born again / With love comes the day / Just hold on to me 3. "Starchild" by Jamiroquai from Dynamite I think it's obvious that this song is about Jesus, or at least the idea of a god-like savior, and Jay Kay is challenging him to show himself to the world. It's pretty funky and upbeat considering the subject matter! This is a great song to listen to while working out, but just try not to think too hard about the lyrics  Somewhere in the world tonight / There's a fire blazing bright / Keeping warm the superman / Sent to us to save the land / Somewhere in the world today / A hungry one will kneel to pray / Wishing all the while to see / Starchild 4. "Summersong" by Decemberists from The Crane Wife Fwahhhh oh my goodness I love this song. The lyrics, music, and Colin's voice are so beautiful and melancholy. It paints a clear picture in my mind of the fickleness of youth and time and how it all gets whisks away so quickly. But not before leaving behind some lovely imagery!
My girl, linen and curls / Lips parting like a flag all unfurled / She's grand, the bend of her hand / Digging deep into the sweep of the sand / Summer arrives with a length of lights / Summer blows away / And quietly gets swallowed by a wave 5. "Stoppin' the Love" by KT Tunstall from Eye to the Telescope
Eh, this is one of the least interesting songs from this album, in my opinion. It's a pretty average song about the guy who turns the girl's world upside down. So yeah, it's not great, but it's not bad. I should probably take it off my ipod! You got me looking up / Even when I'm falling down / You got me crawling out of my skin / You got me wondering why / I am underneath this big old sky / Stopping the loving getting in 6. "For the Price of a Cup of Tea" by Belle & Sebastian from The Life Pursuit I have a soft spot for this little character study of a girl in a new place, determined to fit in as a cooler version of herself in her new city of residence. What girl can't relate to that? Also, it's a very catchy tune. She took her winter coat from her plastic wrapper / Pushed back her fringe, see her birthmark / She can finally be the person she wanted to be 7. "You Could Have It So Much Better" by Franz Ferdinand from You Could Have It So Much Better It's no secret that I love FF to an embarrassing degree, and this song is one of the many things I love about them. Alex has said that it's a retort to the "you never had it so good" attitude of the 80's. I listen to it when I need to remind myself to stop being self-indulgent. The opening lyrics of the song is the best part (lyrically) in my opinion; they're not as clever as the rest of the song, but I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to say something similar to people who don't know me very well and think I'm sad all the time: The last message you sent / Said I looked pretty down / That I oughtta come over / And talk about it / Well, I wasn't down / I just wasn't smiling at you 8. "Compliments" by Bloc Party from Silent Alarm I really don't have anything to say about this song. It's my least favorite on Silent Alarm. I don't know why it's on my ipod. I love Bloc Party, but, uhm, just not this song. It's kinda whiny. We sit and we sigh / And nothing gets done / So right, so clued up / We just get old 9. "Some Unholy War" by Amy Winehouse from Back to Black This is one of the few songs on Back to Black that doesn't have a major emotional effect on me! I'm pretty sure it's about a mutually physically abusive relationship, which is not something that I can understand. Still, the tone of self-destructiveness that runs through it can be heart-wrenching. But I have to stop feeling bad for Amy Winehouse...one of these days. It's you I'm fighting for / He can't lose with me in tow / I refuse to let him go / At his side and drunk on pride / We wait for the blow 10. "Tentang Cita" by White Shoes & The Couples Company from White Shoes & The Couples Company This is my #1 happy song at the moment. The music bloggers have been all over WS&TCC since their album came out in the US last month, even though only a few of their songs are in English. The rest are in the Jakarta-based band's native Indonesian. I have no idea what this song is about, but damn if it doesn't always put a smile on my face  I can't find the lyrics online--not that it matters since you wouldn't be able to understand them! | 
