The top 500 songs from the 2000s. Lyrics, interpretations and meanings from your favorite bands. Coldplay, Christina Perri, Christina Aguilera, Death Cab for Cutie, Greenday, Arcade Fire, and all your favorite bands from the 2000s ranked.
Helen Stellar’s “Io” is a truly unique song. I’ll start off with the most obvious first. There is only one line in the song, but they sing it many different ways. I think this really makes the lyric hit home—maybe more so than a Dylanesque song—with the complicated lyrics, that requires hours to unpack.
Helen Stellar
You can imagine the background to Helen Stellar’s “Io”. I imagine a girl who screwed up her life, but is a good person at heart, and her older brother is telling her to leave this small town and go be someone different in the big city. (I expect royalties when a movie uses this).
“Io” is not just a gimmick. I am not even sure that I noticed the repeating lyrics the first time I heard it—the music and vocal was that good. I love the piano at the beginning that sounds so delicate that turns into a hardcore rock song into the end.
The addition and crescendo of drums as the song goes on really rocks. Additionally, the bass playing sixteenth notes sounds like the beat of a heart. There is so much attention to detail in the production of this song. I was an instant fan of it.
Io Lyrics
This time around, x 4
You can be anyone,
This time around,
This love of ours,
Cheer up sleepy Jean, oh, what can it mean to a/ Daydream believer and a Homecoming queen?
Admittedly, I didn’t hear “Daydream Believer” as top 500 material until I heard Mary Beth Maziarz’ cover of the song. It reminded me of what a beautifully composed song it is. The Monkeys’ version can get in the way with the goofiness. That is not really what I am looking for in a rock/pop song.
The lyrics are simple: a couple that were high-school sweethearts are looking at themselves later in life. Life is mundane and they are poor, but at least they have each other (and she used to be a homecoming queen). How bad can things be?
Mary Beth Maziarz
I think the lyrics of the song are kind of depressing, which makes the Monkey’s version that much weirder. Does a song need to match its lyrics? I think so. It makes for a better song. The melody is classic, which is why it belongs on this list. I think the Maziarz version truly captures the spirit of the song the best.
The Monkeys
Daydream Believer Lyrics
Oh, I could hide ‘neath the wings,
Of the bluebird as she sings.
The six o’clock alarm would never ring.
But six rings and I rise,
Wipe the sleep out of my eyes.
My shaving razor’s cold and it stings.
Cheer up, sleepy Jean.
Oh, what can it mean to a
Daydream believer and a
Homecoming queen?
You once thought of me
As a white knight on his steed.
Now you know how happy I can be.
Oh, our good time starts and ends,
Without dollar one spend.
But how much, baby, do we really need?
Cheer up, sleepy Jean.
Oh, what can it mean to a
Daydream believer and a
Homecoming queen?
Cheer up, sleepy Jean.
Oh, what can it mean to a
Daydream believer and a
Homecoming queen?
Cheer up, sleepy Jean.
Oh, what can it mean to a
Daydream believer and a
Homecoming queen?
Cheer up, sleepy Jean.
Oh, what can it mean to a
Daydream believer and a
Homecoming queen?
Cheer up, sleepy Jean.
We are beautiful no matter what they say/ Words won’t bring us down.
Since this is a celebration of the top 500 songs of all-time, I don’t spend much time at all critiquing the songs. I like to celebrate the strengths of the songs. Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” has a couple weaknesses that makes it difficult to ignore. One is the over-exposure. That is no fault of the song. I feel I have heard it too many times. This is minor.
aguilera
The main thing is Aguilera’s vocal. She has a great voice but her runs are SO over the top that they are distracting. If you have ever watched a singing competition on TV this is one of the worst aspects. They seem to equate “singing with emotion” with “doing a bunch of vocal runs”. This is one of the songs that inspired that trend.
Let’s talk about the good aspects of this song. Linda Perry wrote a song with a beautiful message and an even better melody. You might remember her from 4 Non-Blondes. That gives her two songs on this list. The piano is simple yet somehow is able to anchor the song.
The topic the song describes in the first verse is basically a panic attack. The narrator is feeling fine and then all of the sudden she can’t breathe—she feels ashamed and insecure. The remedy to this is to remember that she is beautiful. Awesome. I would love to hear a cover of this song.
Beautiful Lyrics
Don’t look at me…
Everyday is so wonderful,
Then suddenly,
It’s hard to breathe.
Now and then I get insecure,
From all the pain
I’m so ashamed.
I am beautiful.
No matter what they say,
Words can’t bring me down.
I am beautiful.
In every single way,
Yes words can’t bring me down.
Oh no,
So don’t you bring me down today.
To all your friends you’re delirious,
So consumed,
In all your doom, ooh.
Trying hard to fill the emptiness,
The pieces gone,
Left the puzzle undone.
Ain’t that the way it is…
You are beautiful.
No matter what they say,
Words can’t bring you down.
Oh no
You are beautiful
In every single way.
Yes words can’t bring you down
Oh no
So don’t you bring me down today.
No matter what we do (no matter what we do).
No matter what we say (no matter what we say).
We’re the song inside the tune (yeah, oh yeah).
Full of beautiful mistakes.
And everywhere we go (and everywhere we go),
The sun will always shine (the sun will always, always, shine).
And tomorrow we might awake,
On the other side.
‘Cause we are beautiful
No matter what they say,
Yes words won’t bring us down.
Oh no
We are beautiful
In every single way.
Yes words can’t bring us down.
Oh no,
So don’t you bring me down today.
Oh, oh oh
Don’t you bring me down today, yeah.
Don’t you bring me down, ooh
Today.
Songwriters: Linda Perry
The best pop, folk, punk & rock songs. Song Meanings, Lyrics, & Rankings.
