This is a list of the songs that I have become obsessed with for awhile. Okay, maybe obsessed is a bit strong of an adjective. I'm referring to songs that I start to listen to over and over for a about a week. During that time the song is running through my head at work, but after a few days it becomes just another song in my collection. In order to keep a record for which songs have engrained themselves into my psyche, even if only for a few days, I'm keeping this list.

2008/05/14 - Hedwig and the Angry Inch - "Wig In a Box" - (Video) - (Lyrics)

I originally saw Hedwig and the Angry Inch several years ago. I didn't expect to like it, but the movie is spectacular. I really love this song in particular because it has such a motivational quality. Even though I'm rarely seen crossdressing I can still relate to the underlying of the song. Stephen Trask's lyrics are a perfect fit, and John Cameron Mitchell's voice really soars in the song. I like the other songs from the musical as well, especially "Origina of Love", and Tommy Gnosis' version of "Wicked Little Town", but this song is my favorite.

2008/03/19 - Goldfrapp - "A&E" - (Video) - (Lyrics)

I first heard this song being played in Barnes and Nobel and purchased the Seventh Tree album because of it. The song is named after the emergeny room abbreviation for accident and emergency, which is mentioned in the lyrics. It's seems to be about a person wondering how a relationship went from being so casual to something so intense, but now it's over and they're very sad. However, the pain is slipping away. Alison Goldfrapp's vocals are really carry the song well, and the music is slow, but upbeat with plenty of ambiance--it's wonderful.

2007/12/10 - The Fratellis - "Cigarello" - (Lyrics)

I came across this song in a large collection of random indie music. The first time I played it I wasn't really listening to it, so I only heard it as background music, but it made enough of an impression in me to warrant a replay. Even though the lyrics don't make much sense, and the vocals are difficult to understand, the energy of the music will cause even the stoic to want to get up and dance. It has a wonderful speedy tempo and a mob-mentality unrefined sound that really sucks you in.

2007/09/04 - Rilo Kiley - "15" - (Lyrics)

Who doesn't love a good song about underage sex? Although I'm not a huge fan of Rilo Kiley's latest album, this song is by far my favorite off of it. The lyrics are so suggestive that they make you think of your old high school days, "bruised like a cherry, ripe as a peach." I especially like the line, "does your daddy have a shotgun?" The brass gives some jazzy strength to the overall sound and I love Jenny's vocals in this style.

2007/05/14 - Nightwish - "Planet Hell" - (Lyrics)

While this isn't Nightwish's best song in my opinion, it is the one that I currently have stuck in my head. Much like their other music, Planet Hell is epic and powerful. It also has the standard Nightwish symbolism of mythology that is rampant in their music. "Save yourself a penny for the ferryman" is an obvious reference to Charon. Lyrics aside, the intensity of Marco's vocals give the song more power than usual and the chanting just makes it sound so titanic. I like to play it really loud with my windows down at stop lights because I'm "that guy".

2007/01/03 - Jimmy Buffett - "A Pirate Looks At Forty" - (Lyrics)

I was looking through some of the artists whose work I'm not very familiar with and I stumbled upon this gem. It is a very mellow, yet emotional, song that reminisces about the romantic times of the Caribbean pirates. Jimmy explains his fascination with the lifestyle and how he's not only too far ahead in the centuries, but also too far ahead in years. The song is very touching and it really makes you pine for those younger days and simpler times--even if you're not yet that old. Most men can relate to these lyrics; "I've done a bit of smugglin'", "I go for younger women", and "yes I am a pirate". Yes, yes, and yes.

2006/11/30 - Youth Group - "Under the Underpass" - (Lyrics)

When looking over a friend's MySpace profile I saw the band Youth Group (an Indie band from Australia) and decided to try them out. I picked up their latest album Casino Twilight Dogs and listened to it a few times. I almost immediately liked the album, and my favorite song on it is Under the Underpass. The song, like the others, is very mellow and smooth. The lyrics explain some kids who sneak out at night to hang out under an underpass. They stay up all night enjoying themselves, but in the day they have to go back to doing their lame menial shelves. It certainly makes me reminisce about the times when I would hang out with my friends and stay up far longer than I should, knowing that I had to work the next morning. The song really captures that for me.

2006/09/29 - Metallica - "The Unforgiven II" - (Video) - (Lyrics)

There are a lot of early Metallica fans who were severely disappointed with the Black Album, and even more disappointed with Reload. They wanted the speed and power of early Metallica and that certainly isn't present in their music anymore. The Unforgiven is a metal ballad that speaks of the wasted life of trying to live up to The Man, and The Unforgiven II is a sequel telling about the closed life that is the result. These songs may not have the strength in sound, but they make up for it with the power in words. The message to these songs is important and meaningful to youth. I first heard The Unforgiven II on the radio at work and felt disappointed in Metallica for not being able to come up with something new, but after actually listening to it I now adore the raw emotion it possesses.

2006/08/09 - Gamma Ray - "Heaven or Hell" - (Lyrics)

I was looking though a person's Deviant Art page and I noticed that they had some similar tastes in music. I saw the band Gamma Ray as one of their favorites, and since I hadn't heard of Gamma Ray I decided to download some of their music. The first song I heard by them was Heaven Or Hell. I was instantly impressed with the song and its fast and strong rhythm with powerful vocals and chaotic instruments. Unfortunately, the rest of their music didn't captivate me as much as this song, but I still really like this one.

2006/07/14 - Liz Phair - "Love Hate" - (Lyrics)

This is a great example of the inexperienced youth and the cynically mature. I like the fact that she explains that no matter how much you try and change things they're pretty much going to stay the same. While I disagree on the long term, I certainly agree on the short term. Sometimes impatient people want to completely alter the entire foundation of society overnight and they just don't understand the consequences. I don't care much for politics, and this song lets me relate very well. I also love the happy up-tempo sound as she bashes on liberals.

2006/06/27 - Metallica - "Whiskey In the Jar" - (Video) - (Lyrics)

I'm kind of on a Celtic binge right now, thus the song. Whiskey in the Jar is an old Irish song dating back a couple of centuries. Metallica covered the popular Thin Lizzy version of the song which differs in lyrics from the more traditional Irish versions, but the message remains the same. The powerful guitars and gruff vocals make this version really cool. I first heard Metallica's version when Garage Days came out, but I didn't actually start diggin' the song until last year.

2006/06/14 - Dropkick Murphys - "The Dirty Glass" - (Lyrics)

I love the back and forth singing between the bartender and the ex-drunk; they argue like an old couple through the whole song. The female's vocals are softly feminine, but just a little rough around the edges to make her sound tough. The rapid chorus is really fun to sing along with, and that lovely Celtic sound really makes the song beautiful.