Life Through Music:” Love Never Felt So Good” by Michael Jackson

Soooooo, I finally stepped away from the new Coldplay album this last week and started listening to other music. One of the main albums that I have been diving into is the other album that I bought at the same time as Coldplay’s new album. This album is of course the newest album from the legend himself Michael Jackson called “Xscape”. 

There is much that I can already say about this album and I have only been listening to it for a week so far. I’m not really surprised either because to me Michael as a musician made some of the most amazing music during his lifetime. His newest album is a collection of some songs that he liked very much, but for whatever reasons he had he kept them in a vault for a possible release one day.

Well, that day has come and you know what? It almost feels as though he never left even though some of the songs were recorded many years ago they feel so ahead of their time. Its so nice to have some new music from one of the greatest. This album and all the music on it just seems like it was meant to be. Like much of Michael’s work it was already timeless before we even heard it. 

When trying to pick a song for this week there was a problem. The problem came in trying to pick a song off this album for my pick of the week. What made it even worse was that when I decided to pick the song that was the first single from the album it caused another problem. See the song that I picked has three different versions on the record. So then I had to take this week to decide which version of the song that I like the most. 

On the album they give you the original version that he recorded back in the day that was tucked away in his vault. Then they have the version with the newer music production on it that has just Michael singing on it. Finally, they give you a version that has the newer music production on it with a bit more up tempo dance style to it. The last version also features one of my other favorite artists Justin Timberlake. This was not an easy decision to make, but after a week of hearing all three of them quite a bit I have made my decision.

Before I get to my choice I want to mention something about this song. See when I first heard this song on my alarm clock radio early in the morning I wasn’t a big fan of it actually. I remember my cousin Jason asking me that same day if I had heard it and I had a few words for the song that weren’t horrible, but the song didn’t feel right the first time I heard it. I mean I did hear it half asleep and on a tiny alarm clock radio. Regardless I didn’t give up on it and the more I heard it from then on I loved it. 

The version of the song that I picked was the new version with just Michael on it. This might surprise many who know how much of a fan of Justin Timberlake I am. I chose this version because I just feel like Michael by himself is quite enough for the song to be complete. I mean most people can agree that Justin Timberlake is the new version of Michael Jackson on so many levels. I feel like in the song they kind of clash because it’s too much awesome at once if that is even possible. This doesn’t mean that I don’t like that version of the song, but in the struggle to pick one of the three I had to break each song down to really find the one I liked the most. The original version is a good starting point, but it just doesn’t have the little extra from the newer versions that gives the song much more depth and makes it feel complete. Lets go now to a cool music video I found that was created for the song in which lots of different people dance to the song as they pass around a white hat. Very cool how he inspires even through after his death. 

Here are the lyrics:

"Love Never Felt So Good"

Baby, love never felt so good

And I'd die if it ever could

Not like you hold me, hold me

Oh, Baby, love never felt so fine

And I'd die if it's never mine, not like you hold me, hold me

And the nights gonna be just fine,

Gotta fly, gotta see, got to be

I can't take it,

Cause baby, everytime I love you, in and out of my life, in out baby,

Tell me, if you really love me it's in and out my life in out baby

So baby, yes, love never felt so good.

Oh, Baby, love never felt so fine

And I'd die if it ever mine

Not like you hold me, hold me

Baby, love never felt so good

And I'd die if it ever could, not like you hold me, hold me

“And the night through the thickest tears

Gotta fly, gotta see, can't believe

I can't take it, cause”

Baby everytime I love you, it's in and out my life, in out baby

Tell me, if you really love me, it's in and out my life driving me crazy

Baby, love never felt so good

And I'd die if you never mine

Not like you hold me, hold me

And I'd die if it ever could, not like you hold me, hold me

Aww baby love never felt so fine,

And I'd die if you're mine all mine

Not like you hold me, hold me

Aww baby love never felt so good, (soo good)

And I'd die if it ever could

Not like you hold me, hold me,

And the nights that feels good (feels good)

Gotta fly, gotta see, can't believe

I can't take it, cause

Baby everytime I love you it's in and out my life in out baby

Tell me, if you really love me it's in and out my life driving me crazy

'Cause baby, love never felt so good

Felt so good aw yeah,

Never felt so good,

Felt so good,

Never felt so good,

Never felt so good yeah yeah,

Never felt so good uh huh,

Never felt so good,

Alright that's fine, that's it...

It’s been so great to listen to Michael’s new album in the mix with the newest Coldplay album because MJ’s album is so much more upbeat in comparison. It’s got that awesome Michael Jackson trademark dance groove all the way through. It just makes you want to move and dance along as we Xscape into the wonderful worlds that he shows us through his music. Thank you Michael. Even from the other side you live on. 

As always I bring this to you with so much love and pure D-lite. = )

Life Through Music: "Ghost Stories" by Coldplay

I made a mistake on my last blog entry when I said, “I think you know where I will be Tuesday morning”. I was of course referring to the day that I thought Coldplay’s album was actually meant to come out. My mistake was that I had assumed that May 19th was a Tuesday. I made this assumption because it use to be that new music always came out on Tuesdays along with many other types of media. These days with downloading music instantly in so many fast and easy ways there is no need to make releasing something on a specific day of the week. That is just another example of how old I am because my mind is stuck in the old ways.

I have mentioned already that I wanted to try to stay away from picking the same artist on back to back weeks here on my blog, but I’m sorry Coldplay’s album hit me too hard to not say anything. The difference for me this week is I’m not picking a specific track from the album instead I’m picking the album as a whole. That is right I said it. In life there are very few albums that come along an impact you from the very first song on the CD to the very last song on the album. This album Ghost stories is one of those albums. 

Before I went on my Monday run that I do every week I made sure to add this album to my phones playlist. See one of the things that I always do with new albums is I have to listen to it one time through uninterrupted. What better way to do this than when I’m running up a hill in the sunshine. That is exactly what I did and boy was it amazing.

*breath in through the nose and then exhale out through the mouth*

I feel like this album is already a piece of my soul. More than that I think that this album is a tool the will help me to expanding my soul even further. Putting this album on and hearing it for the first time was like dropping in a puzzle piece that fit right into my soul.

*one stride with the right leg and then one stride with the left leg*

The music gave me a lift and a new perspective on many things. On my run it had me smiling so much more and looking at things much differently than I had before. Even the things that I have seen many times before on the path that I run on seemed so different to me. The trees were greener and brighter than before. The clouds look so much more magnificent than they ever had to me. I felt lighter and freer than I have ever felt in my entire life. Each step forward on my run seemed easier and easier. At times I felt as though at any minute I could lift off the ground and leave the planet. Sounds crazy I’m sure and really it’s hard to put what happened into words. 

*breath in through the nose and then exhale out through the mouth*

I didn’t manage to leave the planet though, but the impact of even the first play through of this album Ghost Stories was amazing. Sonically this album for me was an eargasm. The sound is so large and powerful on my different levels. Coldplay has never let me down on this part of their music. Whether you like it or not for us sound snobs this album is amazing. 

*one stride with the right leg and then one stride with the left leg*

So, the only gripe I have with the album is that it is too short, but at the same time it’s just the right length. Part of me wonders and thinks that they have purposely held back half of the music they made lately to release the other half later this year. Similar to what Justin Timberlake did with his last two albums. I say this because for me I feel this album only tells half of the story. I might be wrong and maybe their next album down the line will be the next chapter in the story. Regardless I’m enjoying this body of work from them immensely.  

*breath in through the nose and then exhale out through the mouth*

Some might think that I’m crazy or fanatical about this album from how I already talk about it, but it’s just a tool that has already helped me expand on myself and will continue to do so the more I listen to it. For that reason alone this album is already priceless to me. I’m sure that I will be mentioning this album down the line, but for now I will just be soaking the album in over and over and over again.

*one stride with the right leg and then one stride with the left leg*

As always I bring this to you with so much love and pure D-lite. = )

Life Through Music: “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay

I...can...not do it anymore. I can’t hold back the excitement I have for the release of Coldplay’s next album called “Ghost Stories”. Thankfully I don't have to wait too long since the album is due out in stores on May 19th. The first single from this album called “Magic” hit me hard and I loved that song so much because it was so in tune with where I was when it came out. The newest single, however, hit me even harder than the first sing. That is why I  had to pick it as the song of the week. The song is called “A Sky Full of Stars” and oh man is it an amazing song. To say that this song is in tune with where I am of late is kind of an understatement. 

This song right from the beginning is such an explosion of sound that set my soul on fire from the first time I heard it. Right from the beginning with a booming piano playing and just the out of this world big sound that the song has I was instantly hooked. This song lifts me and moves me in such a powerful way. I’m bursting at the seams to let my soul explode out into the world. This song is helping me get closer to making this happen. 

There are many other reasons that this song is connected to me. I know that Coldplay’s newest album was basically influenced from the break up of the lead singer Chris Martin and his wife Gwyneth Paltrow. There is many connections to the way we process death and breakups. In a way when you break up with someone that you are very invested in it is very much like letting go of them as if they have died. This song connected with me as I’m still grieving for my mother and that is why I have played it a lot recently.

I feel like Coldplay over the years that I have followed them have always captured vibes that are in line with my soul. For this I’m grateful for and I will always be along for the ride. 

Lets look at the lyrics.

"A Sky Full Of Stars"

“'Cause you're a sky, 'cause you're a sky full of stars

I'm gonna give you my heart

'Cause you're a sky, 'cause you're a sky full of stars

'Cause you light up the path”

(Yes, you were and still are such a sky full of stars. You have my heart always. I know that you will always be there to help guide me on my journey.)

“I don't care, go on and tear me apart

I don't care if you do, ooh

'Cause in a sky, 'cause in a sky full of stars

I think I saw you”

(We are often afraid to be who we are in fear of what the world will think. I will not be anymore because you have shown me a love that can never be broken. You always allowed me to be me without any judgement and so I shall carry that with me for the rest of my life. As long as I have that I will always be ok.) 

“'Cause you're a sky, 'cause you're a sky full of stars

I wanna die in your arms

'Cause you get lighter the more it gets dark

I'm gonna give you my heart”

(As great as it would be to spend the last moments of my life in your arms I would have never wished that on you. I do expect you to be waiting for me on the other side when my time comes with your arms wide open. You shine so bright for me and when I am lost it’s that light I shall look for always. You're a big part of why I shine so bright.)

I don't care, go on and tear me apart

I don't care if you do, ooh

'Cause in a sky, 'cause in a sky full of stars

I think I see you

I think I see you

You're a sky, you're a sky full of stars

Such a heavenly view

You're such a heavenly view

One of my favorite things to do is look up at the stars at night. Luckily for me stargazing is something I got to do with both my parents. However, my time looking at the stars with my mother was quite different then when my father showed me the stars. Thinking back now I know she use that time to get me to really open up to her as we talked underneath the stars. She knows me so well. I will miss having that direct connection in my life very much. 

It’s been a mix of emotions to write this blog entry because It brings a smile to my face and also makes me sad. All feelings must be felt and so it is great to have this song help me feel those feelings. I want to take a moment to say thank you to the band Coldplay for making this experience possible for me even if they never realize how much their music moved me. It goes without saying that you know where I will be on this coming Tuesday morning and I’m sure I will have this new album  on heavy rotation thought out the summer.

I hope you have moments like these in your life. Maybe it was not triggered with music like it was for myself. Maybe for you something else in life helped trigger some emotions within yourself. Regardless of what it was that did it for you we are so privileged (although at times it may not seem like it) to be able to have such depth as human beings by having emotions. I will continue to explore that depth the rest of my life and I hope you do too. 

As always I bring this to you with so much love and pure D-lite. = )

Life Through Music: “Brand New” by Pharrell Williams

I don’t normally do back to back songs of the week from the same artist, but I can’t hide the fact that I have been really feeling another song off of Pharrell Williams' newest album. The song that I picked for this week has been my morning song of late. By that I mean every morning I use this song to get me started on the right foot. This song has the right groove to do this and since lately I have been feeling brand new its a perfect fit. I have been playing the whole album during my morning routine, but this is the song from the album that gets me excited for the day. Lucky for me it’s the second track on the album so I don’t have to wait long to hear it. The song is called “Brand New” and it features one of the other artists that makes me dance in the morning quite a bit. That other artist is of course is Justin Timberlake. Speaking of playing a certain album during my morning routine JT was in heavy rotation for a long time after each of his last two albums came out. I guess it would make sense then that I would gravitate toward the song that he is featured on from Pharrell’s album. That and I’m a sucker for a good horn line. Lets get right to it and look at the lyrics:

"Brand New"

(feat. Justin Timberlake)

[Refrain x2: Pharrell]

My love

[Verse 1: Pharrell]

“A Winner never quits

And a quitter never wins”

(I like that thought. So true. Got to keep on keep on.)

“I thought about what I wanted”

(I have been thinking a lot about what I really want of late.)

And you were on my list

[Verse 2: Justin Timberlake]

Remember where I was?

In the desert with no love

No cactus's, just dust

And you swept me from above

[Refrain: Both]

[Pre-Chorus: Both]

“So I just wanna say

Thank you for this day

Cause it is so good”

(This is the a big part of the song for me. Taking the time to appreciate getting another day.)

Good Honey

[Chorus: Both]

“You got me feelin' brand new (brand new)

You got me feelin' brand new (brand new)

Like the tag's still on me

Like the tags still on me”

(I am feeling so brand new.) 

Jumpin' 'round in your bag

Jumpin' 'round in your bag

“So good morning, ooh girl

You are the feeling I'm jammin' to (brand new)

You are the feeling I'm jammin' to (brand new)

Like the tag's still on me

Got the tags still on me”

(Gooooooood mooooorning!)

[Refrain x2: Both]

[Verse 3: Pharrell]

“Life to me is easy

People make it complicated

When love is the tool

No reason we can't make it”

(Such a great part of the song. It’s so true that we humans make life so complicated. Love is always the answer.)

[Verse 4: Justin Timberlake]

“Come on, let's go, be brave

Feel somethin' at the [?]

Once we know that amaze

Then give it all away”

(Continuing with the last thought lets go out and take on the world. Try something new and take advantage of this day given to us because it is sooooo gooood.) 

[Refrain: Both]

[Pre-Chorus]

[Chorus: Both]

[Bridge: Both]

“All my life, when I describe

What I want, I've been misunderstood”

(This is very much how I feel about much of my life until now. My life today and going forward is about making it clear of exactly what I want.)

The more I try, at bein' satisfied

And didn't think that I could

But then you came along, and you made me strong

Like God said you would

[Pre-Chorus]

[Chorus: Both]

I have been listening to this song over and over even as I write this blog entry and I have had to take quite a few dance breaks because the groove is just so good. Next week I will try to take a break from this album when picking my song of the week, but there are other great songs on this album that I’m sure I will talk about in the near future.

Overall, we need to do a better job of appreciating each day that is given to us. Also, trying your hardest to set yourself up for success even if it is just a song that gets you going. Finally, have some fun with it too because that is half the fun of living life. 

As always I bring this to you with soooo much love and pure D-lite. = )