For a while now, I’ve been posting a song of the day on Facebook every week. Usually, the song made the biggest impression on me that day. Sometimes, the song of the day has a deeper meaning. Either way, these are songs that connected with me in some way. While I only sometimes give a lot of background info on Facebook, this site allows me to expand. Hopefully, I’ll make it a weekly feature.

vampire by Olivia Rodrigo

Ms. Rodrigo’s album has been well-reviewed; many of my students like it. I decided to put it on one day while lesson planning. Rarely does a song make me stop working, even if I want it. This song did. It’s a powerful jackhammer song. The music, lyrics, and vocals are relentless in punishing the antagonist. This older guy used his status to gaslight the singer’s character. (It may be autobiographical, but I always like to look at songs as stories.) This is a fantastic song and contender for my favorite song of the year. 

Phone Calls and Emails by Tyler Childers

One of my favorite all-time songs is Answering Machine by The Replacements (if you are new here, I write about The Replacements a lot.). It’s a song about how technological communication advancements can bring us closer or make us feel absolutely alone. Phone Calls and Emails follows this tradition. Interestingly, most people now seem to communicate through Facetime, DMs, and texts instead of the methods mentioned in the title. Still, the song’s structure is classic country, so the idea of phone calls and emails works since both are dangerously close to being considered relics of relationship communication, much like an answering machine. Still, much like the Replacements song, this is a song of yearning about being unable to communicate. This entire album is excellent, and this is a highlight. 

Roads to Moscow by Al Stewart

This song played at a critical moment in the brilliant second season of An Our Flag Means Death. It’s a deep dive, as much as a song can be, into the Russian front during WWII. I have yet to listen to the lyrics closely. Still, I read that Mr. Stewart put in the amount of research that would make a professor of a master’s seminar proud. As far as being used in the show, it matched the mood perfectly. 

(note: I only post YouTube music videos from the artist’s page. They made the song, and they should get the click$. Can’t find one for Mr. Stewart)

The Chain by Fleetwood Mac

There was no reason to post this one except that it was on the radio, and it’s my second favorite Mac song (Tusk is absolutely bonkers, so it has the top spot). Now, I’ll admit that these posts rarely get any traffic, but this one got the most likes any song of the day has had, and I’ve done this since COVID-19. It makes sense. It is a perfect song. 

Bull Believer by Wednesday

I posted this on Wednesday, which was a happy accident. I’m always trying to find new music that interests and excites me. I often refer to AnyDecentMusic.com to help find new bands. This is how I found Wednesday. Formed in 2017 in Asheville, North Carolina, Wednesday is an American indie rock band led by singer Karly Hartzman and guitarist Jake Lenderman. Their fifth album, Rat Saw God, which this song is the second track, came out in early 2023. Wednesday is known for mixing country storytelling and shoegaze textures with songs that strike the listener as autobiographical. Bull Believer is not easy to listen to, but Hartzman pulls out her heart here and will hand it to anyone who listens. 

I really like writing about music even if I’m not very good at it (I read a lot of music writing, and I know how good I am, lol). Hopefully, songs that connect with me somehow will become a weekly feature.

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