It’s Valentine’s Day. Fellow HerCampus writer Tricia and I are spending all day in the library. Pretend this is normal. Anyway, all of a sudden we hear singing coming from a few tables back. As if we needed another reminder of our single-girl lifestyle, we realize that this guy has come to surprise his girlfriend by serenading her in front of all of us. Once we got over the initial jealousy, we began discussing which song we would hypothetically want a guy to sing to us. Embarrassing? Probably. Good way to procrastinate studying? Definitely.
Next thing I know, I’m sitting there with the perfect playlist for any wedding written all over my Spanish notebook. Over the past couple of weeks this playlist has grown to over 150 songs and is basically all I find myself listening to. Again … embarrassing? Probably.
However, through doing this I have realized a lot about music; not only about how much it has changed over time, but also how much it influences our society, and particularly, the treatment of women.
Don’t get me wrong – I enjoy listening to Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Eminem, LMFAO and Notorious B.I.G. just as much as the next person. And I know there’s nothing like hearing the right song at the right time, especially when you’re out at night or trying to get through your workout. I do, however, think it is important to realize how what we are listening to on the radio characterizes our generation.
While rediscovering all of these songs filled with meaning and heart-filled messages, I couldn’t help but think about how contradictory the lyrics are compared to those found in popular music today. Instead of immediately busting out in my best JLo impression when hearing “Dance A$$” by Big Sean like usual, I listened to the words and was disturbed by the level of degradation toward women.
For example:
“How your waist anorexic and then your a$$ is colossal /
Drop that a$$, make it boomerang /
They pay me respect, they pay me in checks /
And if she look good, she pay me in sex.”
I mean, seriously? Do we want our generation to be remembered for objectifying women instead of respecting them? I think it’s about time we start understanding that what we read and what we listen to have a much greater affect on how we act than we realize.
I recently read (and highly recommend) How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World by Jordan Christy, which talks about “cultivating a culture of class, style and grace.” Christy addresses how the media decides women’s role in society. Whether it’s through music, magazines or movies – how we treat women goes far beyond the here and now. As Christy says, “Self-respect isn’t just for us, for the now. It’s also for the preservation of the dignity, class, and fabulousness of femininity for future generations of young women.”
Although I can’t blame today’s artists for wanting to have the next number one hit, I can’t help but wonder who is going to be the Stevie Wonder or Bob Dylan of our generation. This playlist is made up of songs that just make you feel good, pulled from all genres and time periods. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
“I want to go back to that time when the music made you feel like you wanted to fall in love and you wanted to drive up to lookout mountain, but still had enough mystery in it not to tell what you did when you got there. I want to go back to that time when the music was wonderful.”
— Gladys Knight, End of the Road Medley
The Greatest Love Songs Ever
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye
All My Life – K-Ci & JoJo
Always Be My Baby – Mariah Carey
Angel – Jack Johnson
Angel of Mine – Monica
Anyone Else But You – Michael Cera & Ellen Page
At Last – Etta James
Baby I Love You – Aretha Franklin
Baby, I Love Your Way – Peter Frampton
Back At One – Brian McKnight
Be Without You – Mary J. Blige
Best Days – Matt White
Best of My Love – The Emotions
Better Together – Jack Johnson
Bless the Broken Road – Rascal Flatts
Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol
Closer to You – Brandi Carlile
Come Away With Me – Norah Jones
Crash Into Me – Dave Matthews Band
Crazy For This Girl – Evan & Jaron
Crazy Girl – Eli Young Band
Crazy Love – Van Morrison
Dance So Good – Wakey!Wakey!
Dangerously in Love 2 – Beyoncé
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right – Bob Dylan
Drops of Jupiter – Train
Faithfully – Journey
Faithfully (Glee Cast Version) – Glee Cast
Fast Car – Tracy Chapman
For Once in My Life – Gladys Knight & The Pips
Give In to Me – Garrett Hedlund & Leighton Meester
God Gave Me You – Blake Shelton
(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time on You – *NSYNC
Halo – Beyoncé
Hard to Concentrate – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Harvest Moon – Neil Young
Have I Told You Lately – Rod Stewart
Have You Ever – Brandy
Here Comes The Sun – The Beatles
Hey Love – Chris O’Brien
Hold You In My Arms – Ray LaMontagne
Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Honey Bee – Blake Shelton
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) – Marvin Gaye
I Care 4 U – Aaliyah
I Just Can’t Stop Loving You – Michael Jackson
I Look to You – Whitney Houston
I Love U – Chris Brown (yes, Chris Brown. Ironic?)
I Run to You – Lady Antebellum
I Say A Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin
I Wanna Know – Joe
I Want to Hold Your Hand – The Beatles
I Want To Hold Your Hand (Glee Cast Version) – Glee Cast
I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
I’ll Be – Edwin McCain
I’ll Make Love To You – Boyz II Men
I’ll Stand By You – Pretenders
I’m In Love With You – Joy Williams
I’m So Into You – Aaliyah
If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys
Into You – Fabolous
Iris – The Goo Goo Dolls
Is This Love – Corinne Bailey Rae (Bob Marley cover)
It Would Be You – Trey Songz
Just a Kiss – Lady Antebellum
Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight – Amos Lee
Keep Me In Mind – Zac Brown Band
Kiss – Prince & The Revolution
Let’s Get Married – Jagged Edge
Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
The Light – Common
A Little More You – Little Big Town
The Little Things – Colbie Caillat
Love – Matt White
Love On Top – Beyoncé
Love You I Do – Jennifer Hudson
Love You Out Loud – Rascal Flatts
Lovesong – Adele
Magic – Colbie Caillat
Make You Feel My Love – Adele
Marry Me – Train
Marry You – Bruno Mars
Miss Independent – Ne-Yo
Moondance – Van Morrison
More Than Words – Extreme
My Girl – The Temptations
Nothing Even Matters – Lauryn Hill
On A Night Like This -Dave Barnes
On Bended Knee – Boyz II Men
On the Way Down – Ryan Cabrera
One And Only – Adele
Our Kind of Love – Lady Antebellum
Pretty Wings – Maxwell
Rather Die Young – Beyoncé
Save the Best for Last – Vanessa Williams
Save Tonight – Eagle-Eye Cherry
Seasons of Love – RENT Soundtrack
Shape Of My Heart – Backstreet Boys
She Is Love – Parachute
She’s Everything – Brad Paisley
Sleeping to Dream – Jason Mraz
Slow Dance – John Legend
Smash Into You – Beyoncé
So Beautiful – Musiq Soulchild
Some Hearts – Carrie Underwood
Somebody Like You – Keith Urban
Something – The Beatles
Something Special – Usher
Something to Talk About – Bonnie Raitt
Southern Girl – Amos Lee
Steal My Kisses – Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
Sunday Morning – Maroon 5
Sunrise – Norah Jones
The Sweetest Thing (feat. Lauryn Hill) – Refugee Camp All-Stars
Take Care (feat. Rihanna) – Drake
Tell Him – Lauryn Hill
This Will Be (An Everlasting love) – Natalie Cole
Tru Love – Faith Evans
Truly Madly Deeply – Savage Garden
Turn Me On – Norah Jones
Twilight Serenade – Jason Myles Goss
Until the End of Time – Justin Timberlake & Beyoncé
Waiting for You – Ben Harper
When a Man Loves a Woman – Percy Sledge
A Whole New World (Soundtrack Version) – Brad Kane & Lea Solanga
Will You Be There – Boyce Avenue (Michael Jackson cover)
Without You – Keith Urban
Without You (Glee Cast Version) – Glee Cast
Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
Wonderwall – Oasis
Wouldn’t It Be Nice – The Beach Boys
You – Chris Young
You and Me – Lifehouse
You Are the Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne
You Are the Sunshine of My Life – Stevie Wonder
You Da One – Rihanna
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman – Aretha Franklin
You’re Beautiful – James Blunt
You’re Still the One – Shania Twain
You’re the One – Dondria
1+1 – Beyoncé
03′ Bonnie & Clyde – Jay-Z & Beyoncé
Check out the playlist on Spotify!
What songs would you add to our playlist? Leave your comments!
Sources:
Couple with umbrella (photo): http://lifeissimplydelicious.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/love.jpg
Nicki Minaj art (photo): http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rtOUW3EQJyw/TrB5zI67NbI/AAAAAAAAB4U/NRiQKpHqj-Y/s1600/Big+Sean+%2526+Nicki+Minaj+Dance+%2528A%2524%2524%2529+cover+2.png