Category Archives: 2010s songs

The best 500 songs from the 2010s. Lyrics, meanings and interpretations from your favorite musicians. Adele, Halsey, Sara Bareilles, Grouplove, Sia, The 1975, Harry Styles. Find out our highest ranked music acts of the 2010 decade. It was a great decade for music.

#411 Jar of Hearts- Christina Perri

Who do you think you are?
Runnin’ ’round leaving scars…

In “Jar of Hearts” Perry writes about an ex-boyfriend who seems to be trying to get back into her life. Her opinion on him has changed quite a bit. She used to love him (it appears), but she has seen how has treated other women lately and it is a big turn-off to her. How has he treated them? Kind of like notches on a bedpost.

Jar Of Hearts Meaning
Christina Perri

Perri uses the term “collecting a jar of hearts” in a similar way to “notches on a bedpost”. It is kind of the same. There are guys (and girls) who love it when people fall in love with them. And they let others do it—and they encourage it—knowing that they don’t feel the same way. Well, if you act like that, don’t come back around here hitting me up.

The song works best in the beginning, as her vocal is more restrained. This part always sounds moving, whenever I hear it. The vocal sections that are louder evoked a lot more emotion the first time I heard them, but now they don’t. I would like to see a slightly longer buildup before we blow into full diva mode. Admittedly, Perri’s “full-diva mode” is much less offensive than some of her peers.

Jar of Hearts Lyrics

I know I can’t take one more step towards you
‘Cause all that’s waiting is regret
Don’t you know I’m not your ghost anymore
You lost the love I loved the most

I learned to live, half alive
And now you want me one more time

Who do you think you are?
Runnin’ ’round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
And tearing love apart
You’re gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
So don’t come back for me
Who do you think you are?

I hear you’re asking all around
If I am anywhere to be found
But I have grown too strong
To ever fall back in your arms

I’ve learned to live, half alive
And now you want me one more time

Who do you think you are?
Runnin’ ’round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
And tearing love apart
You’re gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
So don’t come back for me
Who do you think you are?

It took so long just to feel alright
Remember how to put back the light in my eyes
I wish I had missed the first time that we kissed
‘Cause you broke all your promises
And now you’re back
You don’t get to get me back

Who do you think you are?
Runnin’ ’round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
And tearing love apart
You’re gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
Don’t come back for me
Don’t come back at all

Who do you think you are?
Runnin’ ’round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
Tearing love apart
You’re gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
Don’t come back for me
Don’t come back at all
Who do you think you are?
Who do you think you are?

Songwriters: Barrett Noubar Yeretsian / Christina Judith Perri / Drew Lawrence

#392 Begin Again- Taylor Swift

I’ve been spending the last eight months/
Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end/
But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again.

“Begin Again” is a story of a woman on a first date. The narrator’s inner-dialogue is great, as she navigates potential dating minefields like bringing up the exes name too much and her inner insecurities. She still carries baggage from breaking up with her ex-boyfriend.

Overall, the song is hopeful about the future without being overbearing. We feel that the narrator will recover from her heartbreak. Maybe with this guy, maybe not. She’s telling you where she is on her journey and she’s out of the valley and things are looking better. This song shows that Swift can write with the best of them. The theme, lyrics and melody are great.

Begin Again Meaning
Taylor

The arraignment of Swift’s “Begin Again” feels slightly off. It sounds too country. Caitlyn Hart & Madilyn Bailey deliver a cover that sounds contemporary and something like you would hear in a coffeehouse-which is the subject of the song.

I would love to hear Swift perform an arrangement like this. Dylan said that after he heard Hendrix play All Along the Watchtower, he copied Hendrix’s version. No shame in that.

Begin Again Lyrics

Took a deep breath in the mirror,
He didn’t like it when I wore high heels, but I do.
Turned the lock and put my headphones on,
He always said he didn’t get this song but I do, I do.

Walked in expecting you’d be late,
But you got here early and you stand and wait,
I walk to you.
You pull my chair out and help me in,
And you don’t know how nice that is, but I do.

And you throw your head back laughing like a little kid,
I think it’s strange that you think I’m funny ’cause he never did.
I’ve been spending the last eight months thinking all love ever does
Is break, and burn, and end.
But on a Wednesday in a café I watched it begin again.

You said you never met one girl who
Had as many James Taylor records as you, but I do.
We tell stories and you don’t know why
I’m coming off a little shy, but I do.

But you throw your head back laughing like a little kid,
I think it’s strange that you think I’m funny ’cause he never did.
I’ve been spending the last eight months thinking all love ever does
Is break, and burn, and end.
But on a Wednesday in a café I watched it begin again.

And we walk down the block to my car,
And I almost brought him up.
But you start to talk about the movies,
That your family watches
Every single Christmas and I won’t
Talk about that.
And for the first time,
What’s past is past.

‘Cause you throw your head back laughing like a little kid,
I think it’s strange that you think I’m funny ’cause he never did.
I’ve been spending the last eight months thinking all love ever does
Is break, and burn, and end.
Then on a Wednesday in a café I watched it begin again.
Then on a Wednesday in a café I watched it begin again.

Songwriters: Taylor Swift

#391 Rise Up- Andra Day

I’ll rise like the day/
I’ll rise up/
I’ll rise unafraid.

Andra Day’s “Rise Up” has a beautiful verse and recognizable chorus. This is an anthem of hope-and a bit of a modern day protest song- and in Day’s capable hands it doesn’t feel too contrived or forced like some anthem-y songs can; it feels inspired and sincere. She demonstrates incredible vocal range in this song and uses good taste on her runs.

Rise Up Greatest Songs Meaning
Andra Day

The difference between good and bad vocal runs is that good ones feel necessary and inherent to the sound of the song. Without them, the vocal would feel too flat. Bad runs are things like what Mariah Carey does…just altering the vocal pitch to try to show off what a great range she has or adding unnecessary vibrato in an attempt to simulate feeling. Though I wouldn’t mind if Day’s vibrato was turned down 10%.

andra day
andra day

“Rise Up’s” lyrics are somewhat ambiguous. What exactly does “rising up” mean in this context? I think it is twofold. One is the traditional way–like an uprising. But more interestingly,  she describes it it is almost like the struggle to get up for work every morning. For a historically oppressed people, perhaps that is what everyday feels like. Perhaps the struggle to achieve equal rights is a long one that is fought by achieving a million small victories rather than one large one. That requires rising every day as your best self, ready to take on the world.

Rise Up Lyrics & Meaning

You’re broken down and tired
Of living life on a merry go round
And you can’t find the fighter
But I see it in you so we gonna walk it out
And move mountains

We gonna walk it out
And move mountains
And I’ll rise up
I’ll rise like the day
I’ll rise up
I’ll rise unafraid
I’ll rise up
And I’ll do it a thousand times again
And I’ll rise up
High like the waves
I’ll rise up
In spite of the ache
I’ll rise up
And I’ll do it a thousands times again
For you
For you
For you
For you

When the silence isn’t quiet
And it feels like it’s getting hard to breathe
And I know you feel like dying
But I promise we’ll take the world to its feet
And move mountains
We’ll take it to its feet
And move mountains

And I’ll rise up
I’ll rise like the day
I’ll rise up
I’ll rise unafraid
I’ll rise up
And I’ll do it a thousand times again
For you
For you
For you
For you

All we need, all we need is hope
And for that we have each other
And for that we have each other
We will rise
We will rise
We’ll rise, oh oh
We’ll rise

I’ll rise up
Rise like the day
I’ll rise up
In spite of the ache
I will rise a thousands times again
And we’ll rise up
Rise like the waves
We’ll rise up
In spite of the ache
We’ll rise up
And we’ll do it a thousands times again
For you oh oh oh oh oh
For you oh oh oh oh oh
For you oh oh oh oh oh
For you

Songwriters: Cassandra Monique Batie / Jennifer Decilveo