Day 14 - A Song That Reminds You Of Your Girlfriend (25 Songs in 25 Days)

Algebra “At This Time”

Quiet simply, it’s the greatest love song you’ve never heard.

“My arms brag to each other about how you feel…..”

“Forgive me if my hunger conflicts what you need/ I pray for moments you would only be consumed by me/ Often times, we receive and then regret/ I havent had a reason to yet…”

“Who really cares what others may say?/ They probably missed the chance on feeling this way/ about love and what I know is true/ Give them time and it can happen to them too/ The deepest feeling that you’ve ever known/ The greatest passion that’s ever been shown/ A flame that flickers and never leaves you alone…“

Maaaaaan listen…..!

Day 13 - A Song That Reminds You Of A Former Friend (25 Songs in 25 Days)

I’mma cheat for this. 2 songs came to mind and I couldn’t decide which. Sometimes friends fall off for whatever reason. Sometimes it’s for a season, and sometimes the shit is forever. But alas, I the eternal optimist, am always hopeful so here goes nothing.

Phyllis Hyman “Old Friend”

“Old friend it’s so nice to feel you hold me again/ No, it doesn’t matter where you have been/ My heart welcomes you back home again”

De La Soul “Trying People”

“We were supposed to rid the world of danger/ These days we nod heads and small talk like polite strangers/ It’s natural to fall off/ Just land close to the tree/ I’ll be there if they need me to be…”

Day 12 - The Last Song You Heard (25 Songs in 25 Days)

Taylor Dayne “I’ll Always Love You”

People sleep on Taylor when the “Blue Eyed Soul” conversation comes up. I guess because she’s mostly known for her Pop/Dance stuff, but when you get past that and hone in on the voice…….? This was her only song to chart on the R&B charts I think but she still had some joints I could get with. This is another one that takes me back to being like 10 and sitting around listening to The Quiet Storm at night. My brother usta hate me for that lol.

Day 11 - A Song On The Soundtrack Of Your Favorite Movie (25 Songs in 25 Days)

Duke Ellington & John Coltrane “In A Sentimental Mood”

This movie. This soundtrack. This song. Need I go on?

Day 10 - A Song By Your Favorite Band (25 Songs in 25 Days)

The Roots Feat. Wadud Ahmad “False Media”

I was kinda torn here. At first I thought of going with a song by Mint Condition or Klymaxx for this one. But then I figured I’d go with the band that had the most music in my itunes and so we have The Roots. I listen to them more than any other band (as in a group of people that play instruments and shit) so it seems I went in a huge circle just to end up where I started. Anyways “False Media” is the first song on my favorite Roots album, “Game Theory”. The song is dark. Hell the album is dark and gritty for that matter. But this song is the perfect opener for such an album. It’s defiant. It’s hard-hitting. It’s in your face and you cant deny it. Listen as Black Thought starts rapping from the perspective of a man with nothing to lose, then as a soldier fighting in a war of which he knows not the origin of, and finally as Big Brother. Shit is dope. Take a listen. I gotta warn you though….it’ll make you wanna overthrow the government.

Day 9 - A Song That Makes You Hopeful (25 Songs in 25 Days)

Sweetback Feat. Amel Larrieux “You Will Rise”

Amel’s voice = Honey. The lyrics : “You will rise/ The limit is the sky/ Dontcha let nobody fill your head up with their lies…”. So on those days when you find yourself questioning yourself, play this song. It’ll take you there every single time. By the way this song is totally interchangeable with Day 3’s ‘Song That Calms You Down’.

PS. I almost used India. Arie’s “There’s Hope” for this one….for obvious reasons.

Day 8 - A Song That Reminds You Of Your First Love (25 Songs in 25 Days)

Hi-Five “I Like The Way (The Kissing Game)”

“And when we’re alone/ I know we’re in love/ ‘cause I cant get enough…..” The funny thing about Puppy Love is you can’t tell the lil pups that they aren’t really in love. And who’s to say they aren’t? Almost all of the emotions of love are there, if only on a smaller scale. Hell, if anything, the love at that age is even more pure because it’s unpolluted. Anyways whenever I hear this song it instantly takes me back to 1991 and being crazy about Dana. I can still hear my brother teasing me now.

Day 7 - A Song That Reminds You Of The Past Summer (25 Songs in 25 Days)

Lalah Hathaway ”Breathe”

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Last summer was a muthafucka for me. Plain and simple. I’d been unceremoniously fired from my cushy hotel concierge job of the last 7 yrs and I had little to no savings. I’d just started subletting a friends place and unemployment was taking FOREVER to come through. Bill collectors were on my ass. I had NO income for 2 months. It was all too much I say! *exhale* So yeah last summer was a bit stressful but this song kept me sane. In hindsight, me getting fired was the best thing for me because Lord knows I was ret ta go but sometimes when the money is good it’s hard to walk away. I’m working for myself now and happy. I wouldnt have been able to be here if it werent for last summer……and this song.

Day 6 - A Song That Reminds You Of A Best Friend (25 Songs in 25 Days)

Stevie Wonder “Think Of Me As Your Soldier”

I dont have ONE best friend. Lucky me, I have a handful of them! Shout out to (BA, Dave, Dot, Meta and Jones) I also count my lovely (former) Johnson girls amongst them too. So I cant remember if Lori dedicated this to Lesley or vice versa but I do know I love how Lesley and Lori love each other. And I do know that I’m horribly pro- anything Stevland. And I also know that this song being dedicated to a friend or a loved one is lovely declarative statement. Winefest is on deck. See you soon ladies!

Day 5 - A Song That Is Often Stuck In Your Head (25 Songs in 25 Days)

V.V. Brown “Shark In The Water”

There are a million catchy songs that periodically get stuck in my head. This one I suppose is the latest and greatest. I must give a special shoutout to my dear friend @Chickenb00 b/c she corrected me when she caught me singing “Baby there’s a snake in the garden!!” (which by the way is totally interchangeable and totally works). Then we got silly with it and made up stuff like “Baby there’s a snark in the warden…!”. Anywaydoe, if you’ve never heard it, make space in your head and youtube it….because you will sing it without warning.

Day 4 - A Song That Calms You Down (25 Songs in 25 Days)

The Winans Feat. Anita Baker “Aint No Need To Worry”

Maaaaan listen. These here words? “Aint no need to worry/ What the night is gonna bring/ It’ll be all over in the morning“…. I mean, really! What else needs to be said? And then at the very end when Anita goes Penecostal on yall…. “Everyday’s a new day/ Yesterday is dead and gone/ Just take yourself home/ and just carry yourself on/ Sun’s gonna shine on your face/ Make you feel like/ like you can run this race/ and you can be the winner/ Take the prize and go home…”. I’m pretty sure she was testifying in that recording booth because they surely had to fade her vocals out to end the song.

Day 3 - A Song That Reminds You Of One Or Both Of Your Parents (25 Songs in 25 Days)

George Benson "Turn Your Love Around"

This song reminds me of my mom. I remember her playing this a lot around the crib as a kid. I think this was possibly one of her Saturday morning clean up songs. Also it reminds me of her because I stole her Best of George Benson CD with this on it. I have it to this day as a of matter of fact. It still has a sticker with her name on it too. All is fair in Love, War, and Music Collections I suppose. *insert evil laugh*

25 Songs, 25 Days. Day 2 - A Song That Reminds You Of Your Ex

Lalah Hathaway “Forever, For Always, For Love”

Imagine breaking up with someone and the for the most part, the break-up being mostly your fault. Now imagine THIS song seemingly following you around everywhere you go and weighing you down like an 80 lb monkey on your back. Turn on the radio…it’s there! Turn on the digital music channel…it’s there! Shuffle your damn ipod…it’s there! Today, I can count this song amongst my favorites. But round about the first half of 2005?….WHOOOOOOOOO! It was ROUGH I tell you.

25 Songs, 25 Days. Day 1 - A Song From Your Childhood

Prince & The Revolution “Darling Nikki”

I begged and pleaded for the “Purple Rain” album as a 7 yr old. My mom finally relented and gave it to me for Christmas BUT I was expressly forbidden from listening to ‘Track 5’. So of course the very first moment that I could, I snuck and listened to it. I just remember sitting there with a dumbstruck look on my face like “WTF does ‘masturbating with a magazine’ mean!??!!?”

25 Songs, 25 Days

I'm going in!!!!!!