1. Close to the Edge by Yes (https://open.spotify.com/track/47dPsSo7cEDNkvIOSB4O2k?si=BKWtedHWRcOf6N4Mmi-Tfw): Close to the Edge represents a feeling I’m sure we’ve all experienced over quarantine, which is feeling like you’re at your limit, like you’re on the edge. “Seasons will pass you by, I get up, I get down:” the song encapsulates all of the feelings I have had over quarantine, being on the edge and experiencing both highs and lows as the months pass me by.
2. Starless by King Crimson (https://open.spotify.com/track/2gLJXznQp4kGsVz8BptfHS?si=jZpoLADLRQiB2DFPMXz8DQ): Starless is a beautiful composition that encapsulates some of the depression and desolation of the pandemic. “Only see starless and bible black:” this song represents to me the bleakness and pessimism of COVID-19. As the pandemic rages on and the numbers of deaths and cases only increase, it can be hard to see the stars, the positivity in the world.
3. Sound and Vision by David Bowie (https://open.spotify.com/track/1vP2JEXRsGrFbwOZ0foOQ5?si=XmNHPY3bRXCi2MQDjf6WMw): Sound and Vision represents the feeling of being stuck inside, living in bleak solitude. With the requirements of quarantine, I’ve been able to strongly relate to the sentiment expressed by Bowie in this track: “Drifting into my solitude, over my head.”
4. Touch by Daft Punk (https://open.spotify.com/track/7oaEjLP2dTJLJsITbAxTOz?si=ThdGA8cTSfC1bc7HOq6HqQ): Touch is a magnificent song that establishes an excellent soundscape. “I remember touch, I need something more in my mind.” Touch makes me long for the days before the pandemic, but it also helps me appreciate art and the beauty of human connection.
5. Life During Wartime – Live by Talking Heads (https://open.spotify.com/track/0aRtXmOhG0zypXF6nkLi2r?si=kHMelQQIQuqmQe5KGDac3A): Life During Wartime is primarily about the Vietnam War, but the feelings expressed in it are relatable to modern America. “Heard about Houston? Heard about Detroit? Heard about Pittsburgh, P.A.?” Listening to this song, I think of the difficulties and struggles felt throughout the country, including civil injustice, riots, and protests. I chose this live version because, in my opinion, it expresses emotion much more strongly than the studio version.
6. Bulls on Parade by Rage Against The Machine (https://open.spotify.com/track/0tZ3mElWcr74OOhKEiNz1x?si=HkbhE2nQTm-xAQ0jBchg6A): Bulls on Parade represents the anger of 2020. It challenges world leaders and points out their endless corruption and evil: “The rotten sore on the face of Mother Earth gets bigger.” This song is very fitting as the evil of nearly all of our leaders is becoming more apparent, and that is an all-inclusive statement, not dividing by party or anything else.
7. The Star Room by Mac Miller (https://open.spotify.com/track/57mhgOf3SLnrCQURECf9dU?si=ssBxM7sqSkuTmZoAw4l5bQ): The Star Room represents the feelings of depression, introspection, and isolation felt in quarantine: “But me, I’m still trapped inside my head, it kinda feels like it’s a purgatory.” Mac explains these feelings in great detail through his own experiences, and I’ve found them to be very relevant during the pandemic.
8. Spaceship by Kanye West (https://open.spotify.com/track/1ko2NuvWlQdxtNRc8QQzmT?si=jY_DIdsDRIypQVGsmCbrQg): Spaceship represents the desire to escape. After 8 months of quarantine and no end in sight, I think everyone can understand this desire to be free and escape. Not only escape from quarantine, but escape from the corrupt system in which we are all trapped. “I wish I could buy me a spaceship and fly past the sky.”
9. SATELLITE FLIGHT by Kid Cudi (https://open.spotify.com/track/44TjmVC0vyrnB3anzdCEHa?si=cUX-LOOfTce78uj7Ww3ruQ): Similarly to Spaceship, this song encapsulates the desire to escape. It speaks of the comforts of escaping from Earth and moving on to a place of freedom: “Take flight to the moon, take a ride, no worries, no worries, no worries, no worries.” Although it is unrealistic, it would certainly be nice to escape the anxiety and difficulty of Earth and take a satellite flight.
10. i (Album Version) by Kendrick Lamar (https://open.spotify.com/track/3ODXRUPL44f04cCacwiCLC?si=3HfcQVu6Tf-6pqwsdgoIyg): In my opinion, i represents the need for self-love and positivity in the face of strife. “They wanna say it’s a war outside, bomb in the street, gun in the hood, mob of police:” despite the intense negativity around us, Kendrick indicates the importance of maintaining positivity. If you surrender to the negativity, you will inevitably become depressed and have great difficulty escaping. I chose the album version because I feel that it delivers a much more powerful message than the single version.
