Defining Songs in My Life
By: Amna Faheem
I listen to music religiously, all day from dawn until dusk. My Spotify Wrapped reported over 200,000 minutes of listening this past year. With that being said, I have a bad habit of finding songs that I love and playing them on repeat. My hyper-fixations last a few weeks until my mind gets sick of the song, and I find a new one to entertain me. I like the predictability of knowing all the words and being able to sing along as I drive down the streets of my hometown, or go for a stroll in the city.
I am a firm believer that music holds memories. While I like to branch out now and then and discover a new artist or vibe of music, there are certain bands like Cigarettes After Sex and Egyptian band Cairokee that I will always go back to.
My music taste is nothing special. I love indie and what could be described as ‘sad music.’ Rarely do I listen to rap music, except for Baby Keem and Future, with Travis Scott making an occasional appearance. I naturally gravitate towards slow music like that of Montell Fish and Mac Demarco. I tend to make playlists based on the feelings the music gives, not so much the artists themselves.
With all that being said, I would be very content listening to the same six songs until my last days.
“Neaady El Sharea Sawa” and “Kol Haga Betaady” by Cairokee
My favorite band ever is Cairokee, an Egyptian indie rock band that my father showed me. We bonded over their songs as he drove me to track practices. It was our thing; he showed me new Egyptian songs all the time and we talked about them. I am very proud to say I have attended five of their concerts in the past three years. Their song “Neaady El Sharea Sawa,” holds a special place in my heart. The slow lyrics depicting a quiet love between two friends and the peaceful melody telling the story of deep warmth between people bring tears to my eyes. I’ve never been in love, not romantically anyway, but the song makes me feel as close to it as possible.
“This too shall pass,” is one of my favorite quotes. It has gotten me through so much. The song “Kol Haga Betaady,” from their fifth album means just that; everything passes. I listen to it and I feel a sense of hope and faith.
“Slipping Through My Fingers” from “Mamma Mia”
Another sad song about love that I listen to, sometimes just to cry, is “Slipping Through My Fingers” by Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried from the first “Mamma Mia” movie. My mother is most dear to me, and as a college student soon to graduate, it’s hard not to reflect on being young and how much I’ve grown up in the past years. This song represents me and my mom, our love, and how she will always be with me.
“Sunsetz” and “John Wayne” by Cigarettes After Sex
Cigarettes After Sex has been shuffling through my playlists since I was a high school sophomore. I was lucky to see them in concert in September and I am not ashamed to say that I cried. All of their songs hit a spot in my heart, but two, in particular, have a special corner in my heart. The summer before my freshman year of college, I went to a small beach village. Every morning, I woke up to watch the sunrise, and the song “Sunsetz” played each time. Since then, I have associated the feeling of peace and serenity with that song. When it comes on, I feel like I’m back on the beach.
“John Wayne” was the first song I listened to by Cigarettes After Sex. It was the beginning of the Covid lockdown and my Spotify was constantly playing music. I discovered this song by chance and started shuffling the album whenever my friends would come over. It reminds me of the simplicity of life and all the memories I have with my close friends. It’s so slow and bittersweet, I almost feel the heartbreak through the lyrics myself.
“Lens” by Frank Ocean
Frank Ocean is a household favorite. I have loved him since he first became famous. Last summer, my friend from home had a Lamborghini convertible, and we drove to the beach every weekend. The top was down, the summer wind blew in our hair, and I played “Lens” by Frank Ocean every time, without fail. To me, the song is about me and my friends and the beauty of a quiet summer in the suburbs.
Music to me is therapeutic. There is nothing more exciting to me than putting on my noise-canceling headphones or connecting to my Google Home and just listening to my songs. I believe that without music, life would not be as beautiful as it is now.