Category Archives: 2000s songs

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.

2000s songs, life is hard

#378 Keep Breathing- Ingrid Michaelson

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I want to change the world, instead I sleep.

Sometimes the world becomes so overwhelming that simply living (and breathing) becomes a worthwhile goal. A Ha had a similar theme with “Ordinary World”, as did 4 Non-Blondes with “What’s Up?”  In “Keep Breathing”,  Ingrid Michaelson wants to change the world but instead she sleeps. I am sure many of us can relate. She feels so powerless that breathing and carrying on existing seems to be the only things she knows and is capable of at this time.

Keep Breathing Meaning
Ingrid Michaelson

The reason “Keep Breathing” is so successful is due to the way Michaelson’s piano and vocals mix together. The song sounds almost upbeat, even though it is a slightly depressing message. Or is it? Perhaps that is all we can do, is keep on carrying on. Perhaps sometimes that is enough. The song is produced well; the song is performed delicately throughout until it builds to a crescendo with a somewhat powerful outro: “All we can do is keep breathing”.

Keep Breathing Lyrics

The storm is coming but I don’t mind.
People are dying, I close my blinds.
All that I know is I’m breathing now.

I want to change the world, instead I sleep.
I want to believe in more than you and me.
But all that I know is I’m breathing.
All I can do is keep breathing.
All we can do is keep breathing
Now,
Now
Now
Now

All that I know is I’m breathing.
All I can do is keep breathing
All we can do is keep breathing
All we can do is keep breathing
All we can do is keep breathing
All we can do is keep breathing
All we can do is keep breathing
All we can do is keep breathing
All we can do is keep breathing
All we can do is keep breathing
All we can do is keep breathing
Now

Songwriters: Ingrid Michaelson

2000s songs, death

#376 Wake Me Up When September Ends- Green Day

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Summer has come and passed/
The innocent can never last.
Wake me up when September ends.

Billy Joe Armstrong’s father died when he was young. Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends” tells his father’s story. One interesting aspect of this song is that Billy Joe speaks of his dad specifically from his own perspective. In the first verse it is 7 years after his father’s death, by the last verse it has been 20 years.

September is literally a sad time for the author-it is the month his dad died- and he wants to be woken up when September is over. Here it is 20 years later, and he still gets sad in September: he is still not over the death of his father. Perhaps that pain never completely leaves you. Whether he is describing his feelings now–after 20 years or remembering his feelings as a younger man, the pain is still vivid.

Wake Me Up When September Ends Meaning
Green Day

This is a softer song for Green Day, but darker. It touches on a subject that we all have to deal with (loss) and handles it in an interesting way. His vocals are strong and the instrumentation is perfect. In the beginning of the song we have a light acoustic guitar alone. Instruments are added until towards the end of the song we are in the full grunge Green Day sound that is so recognizable. This song offers a little bit of everything for the Green Day fan.

Wake Me Up When September Ends Lyrics

Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends

Like my fathers come to pass
Seven years has gone so fast
Wake me up when September ends

Here comes the rain again
Falling from the stars
Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are

As my memory rests
But never forgets what I lost
Wake me up when September ends

Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends

Ring out the bells again
Like we did when spring began
Wake me up when September ends

Here comes the rain again
Falling from the stars
Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are

As my memory rests
But never forgets what I lost
Wake me up when September ends

Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
Wake me up when September ends

Like my father’s come to pass
Twenty years has gone so fast
Wake me up when September ends
Wake me up when September ends
Wake me up when September ends

Songwriters: Michael Pritchard / Frank E. / Iii Wright / Billie Joe Armstrong

2000s songs, party songs

#375 Glitter in the Air- Pink

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Have you ever hated yourself for staring at the phone?
You’re whole life waiting on the ring to prove you’re not alone.

Pink’s “Glitter in the Air” is about letting go and being spontaneous. I guess Pink thinks throwing glitter in the air is pretty crazy. It is as good as a metaphor as anything else. Creating those special moments in life and in a relationship are things to be celebrated and to be remembered. Sometimes creating memorable moments involves risking being turned down, or not having your phone call returned, but Pink argues that it is always worth it.

Glitter in the Air Meaning
Pink

I really love the bridge of Pink’s “Glitter in the Air”. I have always thought that it sounds like something I have heard before. I have heard that Paul McCartney didn’t record Yesterday for the longest time because he could swear he heard it before and it already existed. That is how I feel with the bridge. I feel like I have heard that “Sugar” part before. It might just be that it is so iconic. It could be that I can’t place what it reminds me of. Regardless, I love that part.

Interestingly, this is the second song for Pink on this list. That means I would vote for her for Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Two songs on the top 500 and it is automatic for me. Such an achievement.

Glitter in the Air Lyrics

Have you ever fed a lover with just your hands?
Close your eyes and trust it, just trust it
Have you ever thrown a fist full of glitter in the air?
Have you ever looked fear in the face
And said I just don’t care?

And it’s only half past the point of no return
The tip of the iceberg
The sun before the burn
The thunder before the lightning
Breath before the phrase
Have you ever felt this way?

Have you ever hated yourself for staring at the phone?
You’re whole life waiting on the ring to prove you’re not alone
Have you ever been touched so gently you had to cry?
Have you ever invited a stranger to come inside?

It’s only half past the point of oblivion
The hourglass on the table
The walk before the run
The breath before the kiss
And the fear before the flames
Have you ever felt this way?

La la la la la la la la
There you are, sitting in the garden
Clutching my coffee,
Calling me sugar

You called me sugar
Have you ever wished for an endless night?
Lassoed the moon and the stars and pulled that rope tight
Have you ever held your breath and asked yourself
Will it ever get better than tonight?
Tonight

Songwriters: Alicia Moore / William Mann