Last semester I studied abroad in Newcastle, England, and had a life-changing experience, which is what most people say. For someone who had never been out of the country, let alone lived far from their parents or been on a plane before, it was definitely an adventure for me, but I’m so so glad I took the opportunity.
When I relive my study abroad experience, which seems to be every week through pictures, I am often reminded of the music I listened to while across the pond. While I have a playlist with a multitude of songs that were on constant replay from September to December, I thought for this week’s article, I would share some songs that remind me of specific moments while abroad.
Henrietta – The Fratellis
You might know The Fratellis from their very famous song ‘Chelsea Dagger’. ‘Henrietta’ is from the same album and has the same UK rock style with an upbeat and playful chorus. This memory for me is my friend’s Newcastle native flatmate showing a group of us this song when we were all playing our music and reminiscing on songs we all loved. I immediately added it to my playlists and continued to play it for the rest of my semester.
Virtual Insanity – Jamiroquai
Jamiroquai is a legend in the acid jazz and funk genre; his songs are infectious, and you can’t help but dance to his choruses. He also has another song called ‘Cosmic Girl’ which I absolutely adore. This song is one I heard constantly while at indoor minigolf, on my flatmates’ playlist while cooking in the kitchen, or out at a pub, it was constant. I was thrilled to learn that it’s the same artist who seems to have such a good discography.
The Man Who Can’t Be Moved – The Script
During our enrichment week, a friend of mine and I decided to go to Dublin for 4 days. One morning, I decided to play this song even though I didn’t really know it that well. It just seemed like the vibe that morning in our hotel. Later o,n we went to Love Lane in Dublin, which has lyrics from love songs and quotes from books. The line “I’m not broke, I’m just a broken-hearted man.” This song was there, and I thought it was a crazy coincidence. We had just sung our hearts out to that song while getting ready only a couple of hours before.
Banana Pancakes – Jack Johnson
You might know Jack Johnson if you watched Curious George with the theme song ‘Upside Down’, a classic. I somehow met a lot of guitar guys when I was abroad, and they all knew how to play this song on the guitar. This song is amazing and reminds me of trying to bear through the boredom of trying to figure out what to do that day, which wouldn’t make us spend an absurd amount of money on a meal.
Sex On Fire – Kings of Leon
A classic that many people will know, and another song that I heard everywhere. I heard it in restaurants, pubs, clubs, and grocery stores. It seemed to be on a loop the whole time I was abroad. They really like playing American classics in the UK & Ireland. You will not believe how many times I heard ‘West Virginia’ while in Ireland. I heard it everywhere from everyone, and I don’t think I have heard this song so much, even in the US.
She’s American – The 1975
I saw this song as my anthem for my time here, not only from the title, but also because of how many times I would listen to it and relate to the lyrics. I remember venturing out to the city centre in Newcastle by myself for the first time and listening to this song. The lyrics “And you know I’m in love with this city / But the green is turning brown” really stuck with me. I fell in love with Newcastle, and it was my home for three months and will always have a place in my heart.