Music has always left an indelible mark on me, and certain songs act as markers for key events or periods in my life. So even years after I first heard the song, listening to it again will trigger a flood of memories, feelings - sometimes happy, others, not so much.
Britney Spears will always have a special place in my heart, but probably not for the right reasons. I still recall in Secondary One, in a burst of showmanship, a classmate broke out into "Baby, One More Time." Except, she didn't know the lyrics and instead of "Oh Baby, Baby...", she sang lustily "Oh maiden, maiden..."
Ahh the sweet joy of studying at a cheena school.
Jay Chou is also my childhood sweetheart and Chinese tutor. I would spend hours pouring over his lyrics, trying to decipher the meanings, learning all the words by heart. It was this same love that made me struggle through KTV sessions, blindly attempting to follow the lyrics on the screen. I would always credit Jay Chou and Chinese manga for my amazing Chinese results for the O Levels. A2 for exam and DISTINCTION for oral ok! I know, I think I cheated too. Or showed too much leg to the examiner.
And I also associate certain songs with my relationship with F. We both shared a love for pop music, top 40s and whatnot. It was one of the things we had in common. When we became a couple after 6 months of just friends, the 98 degrees song "why are we still friends" was playing on the radio.
Not a big hit, and terrible cheesy, but it seemed to sum up our feelings at that time.
And when we broke up, I still remember F posting Kelly Clarkson's "Already Gone" on his Facebook wall. The lyrics seemed to describe our relationship, or the end of it, perfectly. That was the same song that finally caused me to cry. When I heard the lyrics "remember when the poison set in", it nearly set me over the edge. For a few months, I couldn't stand to listen to that song. And till this day, I still feel a tinge of sadness hearing the song.
ZW and I do not share the same musical tastes. He's more of a J-pop and classical music type, while I'm still firmly entrenched in pop music.
But with his killer pipes, he once seranaded me with Jacky Cheung's 如果，爱. Of course I fell madly and insanely in love. And that will always be my courtship song.
And during the first few months of our relationship, when things were a blur and I was constantly bogged down by guilt, ZW never pushed me. He just kept trying to lift me out of the gloom that I chose to surround myself with, the guilt that was eating away at me. And that's when I heard Beyonce's "Halo". The soaring choruses, her etheral pipes... made me think just how supportive he was.
Of course, another of her song also comes onto my playlist when I'm frustrated with ZW. While I do not quite face the same issues as in her song "If I Were A Boy", the intention is there. The lack of understanding, the pigheadedness of malehood, the stupidity of the men.
So why this sudden walk down musical memory lane?
Cos I'm facing hell at work, and sometimes, the only thing keeping me going is Demi Lovato's "Skyscraper". Her vocals aren't great, but her backstory is. A former chronic cutter and bulimic, the former Disney teen star checked herself into rehab when she realised her downward spiral. She recorded the song when she was still in rehab. After she recovered, she re-recorded the song, but it didn't have the same haunting feeling to it. And she also went public with her struggles.
And right now, I'm identifying with her pain.
Skies are crying, I am watching
Catching teardrops in my hands
Only silence, as it's ending,
like we never had a chance.
Do you have to, make me feel like there is nothing left of me?
[Chorus]
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
As the smoke clears I awaken,
and untangle you from me
Would it make you, feel better
to watch me while I bleed?
All my windows, still are broken
But I'm standing on my feet
[Chorus]
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
[Bridge]
Go run, run, run
I'm gonna stay right here
Watch you disappear, yeah
Go run, run, run
Yeah it's a long way down
But I am closer to the clouds up here
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like i'm made of glass
Like i'm made of paper,
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
Britney Spears will always have a special place in my heart, but probably not for the right reasons. I still recall in Secondary One, in a burst of showmanship, a classmate broke out into "Baby, One More Time." Except, she didn't know the lyrics and instead of "Oh Baby, Baby...", she sang lustily "Oh maiden, maiden..."
Ahh the sweet joy of studying at a cheena school.
Jay Chou is also my childhood sweetheart and Chinese tutor. I would spend hours pouring over his lyrics, trying to decipher the meanings, learning all the words by heart. It was this same love that made me struggle through KTV sessions, blindly attempting to follow the lyrics on the screen. I would always credit Jay Chou and Chinese manga for my amazing Chinese results for the O Levels. A2 for exam and DISTINCTION for oral ok! I know, I think I cheated too. Or showed too much leg to the examiner.
And I also associate certain songs with my relationship with F. We both shared a love for pop music, top 40s and whatnot. It was one of the things we had in common. When we became a couple after 6 months of just friends, the 98 degrees song "why are we still friends" was playing on the radio.
Not a big hit, and terrible cheesy, but it seemed to sum up our feelings at that time.
And when we broke up, I still remember F posting Kelly Clarkson's "Already Gone" on his Facebook wall. The lyrics seemed to describe our relationship, or the end of it, perfectly. That was the same song that finally caused me to cry. When I heard the lyrics "remember when the poison set in", it nearly set me over the edge. For a few months, I couldn't stand to listen to that song. And till this day, I still feel a tinge of sadness hearing the song.
ZW and I do not share the same musical tastes. He's more of a J-pop and classical music type, while I'm still firmly entrenched in pop music.
But with his killer pipes, he once seranaded me with Jacky Cheung's 如果，爱. Of course I fell madly and insanely in love. And that will always be my courtship song.
And during the first few months of our relationship, when things were a blur and I was constantly bogged down by guilt, ZW never pushed me. He just kept trying to lift me out of the gloom that I chose to surround myself with, the guilt that was eating away at me. And that's when I heard Beyonce's "Halo". The soaring choruses, her etheral pipes... made me think just how supportive he was.
Of course, another of her song also comes onto my playlist when I'm frustrated with ZW. While I do not quite face the same issues as in her song "If I Were A Boy", the intention is there. The lack of understanding, the pigheadedness of malehood, the stupidity of the men.
So why this sudden walk down musical memory lane?
Cos I'm facing hell at work, and sometimes, the only thing keeping me going is Demi Lovato's "Skyscraper". Her vocals aren't great, but her backstory is. A former chronic cutter and bulimic, the former Disney teen star checked herself into rehab when she realised her downward spiral. She recorded the song when she was still in rehab. After she recovered, she re-recorded the song, but it didn't have the same haunting feeling to it. And she also went public with her struggles.
And right now, I'm identifying with her pain.
Skies are crying, I am watching
Catching teardrops in my hands
Only silence, as it's ending,
like we never had a chance.
Do you have to, make me feel like there is nothing left of me?
[Chorus]
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
As the smoke clears I awaken,
and untangle you from me
Would it make you, feel better
to watch me while I bleed?
All my windows, still are broken
But I'm standing on my feet
[Chorus]
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
[Bridge]
Go run, run, run
I'm gonna stay right here
Watch you disappear, yeah
Go run, run, run
Yeah it's a long way down
But I am closer to the clouds up here
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like i'm made of glass
Like i'm made of paper,
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
Like a skyscraper
