Music Monthly: August 2021

Ella Piunti

Hello, everyone! Welcome to Music Monthly, where I put together my favorite songs from the month and share them with you. With school starting, we may start to get stressed out, so I put together a list of fun and upbeat songs. Happy beginning of the year!

  1. “Fifteen (Taylor’s Version)” – Taylor Swift
    • “When all you wanted was to be wanted, wish you could go back and tell yourself what you know now.”
    • This song is about starting your first day of freshman year, trying so hard to fit in, and worrying about being successful. As an incoming senior, I can remember the beginning of my freshman year and, just like Taylor Swift, I wish I could go back and tell myself what I know now. Back then, I wish I knew that I would soon find a great group of friends.
  2. “Brutal” – Olivia Rodrigo
    • “I’m so sick of seventeen, I’m over this teenage dream. If someone tells me one more time ‘enjoy your youth,’ I’m gonna cry.”
    • This song is so relatable as a high schooler. Your high school years are supposed to be some of the best four years of your life because you are able to have more freedom and responsibilities. This is what it seems like in the movies. However, in real life, we are often stressed out and trying to fit in.
  3. “Happier Than Ever” – Billie Eilish
    • “I could talk about every time that you showed up on time, but I’d have an empty line ’cause you never did.”
    • In this song, Billie sings about how she has fallen out of love. At first, she puts the burden on herself for losing feelings and not being able to explain why. However, as the song goes on, she eventually realizes all of the red flags in her relationship and does not feel bad anymore. This is meaningful because it teaches us to not feel bad about ending any kind of relationship, whether it be romantic or platonic, if we experience feelings of discomfort.
  4. “You” – Regard, Troye Sivan, & Tate McRae
    • “How could you ever leave me without a chance to try? How can I be sorry if I don’t know the crime?”
    • This song is about being left without being given a reason. When you are left for no specific reason, you start to assume the worst. Though this is a breakup song, its upbeat nature makes it feel happy.
  5. “Summertime in Paris (feat. Willow)” – Jaden
    • “I don’t want to go home.”
    • This song is sad but happy at the same time. It’s about having a summer love but then having to go home and go back to normal life. This song feels like the end of summer.
  6. “Silver Lining” – The Neighborhood
    • “You told ‘em they could believe in you. Now you just gotta believe it, too.”
    • Although this song can be interpreted in different ways, I take it as: if you are in a situation where you need to find a silver lining, you know it’s a bad situation, and you should probably try to get out.
  7. “Way to Go” – Empire of the Sun
    • “Doesn’t matter what’s trippin’ you out, there’s ways to go.”
    • The meaning of this song is that no matter what you are going through, there is always a way through. If you are stressed about school this year, this song can give you some confidence and a little reminder that everyone at NDP is here for you.
  8. “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” – Tame Impala
    • “Will I be in too deep? Goin’ with what I always longed for.”
    • This song is about feeling like you are having a new start, but then making the same mistakes you made before. It reminds me of the beginning of the school year. Everyone has a great attitude, feels ready to be ahead of their classwork, and hopes that they don’t fall back into the same procrastination cycle of last year.
  9. “Quarterback” – Wallows
    • “Summer’s gone.”
    • This is another song about summer being over and not being sure about your future with your summer love. This song has a great beat and a pretty fun “back to school” vibe.
  10. “get well soon” – Ariana Grande
    • “My life is so controlled by the what-ifs. Is there anybody else whose mind does this?”
    • This song is about taking time to take care of yourself and your mental health. With the stress of school, we all need to take time for ourselves and make sure we are doing OK.

I hope you all have a great school year. See you soon!

Click here to access the playlist on Spotify!