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.

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

It’s the terror of knowing what the world is about/
Watching some good friends screaming/
‘Let me out’.

Talk about a super-group! When David Bowie and Queen get together we expect great things—and they deliver a classic with “Under Pressure”. “Under Pressure” is about the stresses of the modern world and what it can do to you and your soul.

We hear this refrain on several other songs; from the 70s we have Staying Alive by the Bee Gees, and Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters by Elton John. Each state a careful examination of the world is terrifying. Only love is the way to conquer it—and that is fraught with perils too.

If we embrace love it causes us to change the way we think about the world around us. Next thing we know we’ll have to look at the homeless around us and deal with them, rather than step over them.  Love may sound trite and old-fashioned but it really is the only way to escape the pressure.

The introductory bass line of “Under Pressure” has to be one of the most famous of all-time, and one of the classics that every bass player learns.  How many songs are recognizable by just their bass-lines? Five? Ten max. So all bass players should love this song.

This is also one of the finest collaborations between two bands. It is interesting that this doesn’t happen more often but the muse is a fickle mistress. I think Freddie Mercury stands out more on this song than does Bowie. Specifically in his vocal riffing. It really shows how entertaining Mercury can be just singing nonsense.

Under Pressure Lyrics

Mmm num ba de
Dum bum ba be
Doo buh dum ba beh beh

Pressure pushing down on me,
Pressing down on you, no man ask for.
Under pressure that burns a building down,
Splits a family in two-
Puts people on streets.

Um ba ba be
Um ba ba be
De day da
Ee day da, that’s okay.

It’s the terror of knowing what the world is about,
Watching some good friends screaming:
“Let me out!”
Pray tomorrow gets me higher,
Pressure on people, people on streets.

Day day de mm hm
Da da da ba ba
Okay
Chipping around, kick my brains around the floor,
These are the days it never rains but it pours.
Ee do ba be
Ee da ba ba ba
Um bo bo
Be lap
People on streets,
Ee da de da de
People on streets,
Ee da de da de da de da

It’s the terror of knowing what the world is about,
Watching some good friends screaming:
‘Let me out’.
Pray tomorrow gets me higher, high,
Pressure on people, people on streets.

Turned away from it all like a blind man.
Sat on a fence but it don’t work.
Keep coming up with love but it’s so slashed and torn.
Why, why, why?
Love, love, love, love, love,
Insanity laughs under pressure we’re breaking.

Can’t we give ourselves one more chance?
Why can’t we give love that one more chance?
Why can’t we give love, give love, give love, give love,
Give love, give love, give love, give love, give love?

‘Cause love’s such an old fashioned word-
And love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night,
And love (people on streets) dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves:
This is our last dance,
This is our last dance.
This is ourselves under pressure.
Under pressure.
Pressure!

Songwriters: David Bowie / John Richard Deacon / Brian Harold May / Freddie Mercury / Roger Meddows Taylor

My riches can’t buy everything/
I want to hear the children sing.

In the Rolling Stones’ “As Tears Go By” something bad happened today; Mick Jagger doesn’t tell us what it is. It leaves him crying on a bench. Nearby there are kids playing. When he sees them, feelings of nostalgia are stirred in him–times were so much simpler. He used to play those games too. The kids are oblivious to him and he is fine with that. The kids are smiling; he isn’t.

He doesn’t expand upon his feelings, but we can interpret a lot by the soft tone of the song and using a bit of empathy. Perhaps it would be great to go back to those simpler times when playing on the playground brought such joy. We all have this thought sometimes.

This is a slightly different sound than a lot of the other Rolling Stones work. People hear “Rolling Stones” they think “Satisfaction”. However, The Stones’ “As Tears Go By” really shows off the great subtly of their songwriting and proves that they can do emotional work just as well as rock. It sounds different than most of their other work.

Jagger’s voice sounds good, but it always does. Keith Richards guitar work on the acoustic guitar coupled with the strings makes for a full and unique sound for them. Lyrically, the song is simple, but it really works well.

As Tears Go By Lyrics

It is the evening of the day
I sit and watch the children play
Smiling faces I can see
But not for me
I sit and watch
As tears go by

My riches can’t buy everything
I want to hear the children sing
All I hear is the sound
Of rain falling on the ground
I sit and watch
As tears go by

It is the evening of the day
I sit and watch the children play
Doing things I used to do
They think are new
I sit and watch
As tears go by

Songwriters: Andrew Loog Oldham / Keith Richards / Mick Jagger