It is incredibly satisfying to discover his band. It’s much more satisfying when you find them ahead of the curve, before they make sense. That’s how I got to know Switchfoot. It is my discovery. and I found them just before I broke the album The Beauty Letdown.
With the release of their next album, Hail Hurricane, on the books this September, I decided to check out their top 10 songs, according to popular iTunes. It was surprising how different things were, with many falling under the umbrella of the songs, and others sitting in the territory of the rocks. So there wasn’t one album that came out on top (although Learning to Breathe did come out on the bottom, with a song I didn’t mix).
10. This is your life
I actually find this to be strange. I enjoy this song, but there are others The Beauty Letdown that I would like to put on top of this one. What this song has in its essence is Switchfoot. Their sound could be encapsulated in the idea of a career sound. There is nothing to suppress the song itself, but always to push it forward, like a second watch, constantly filling the gaps with sound. Unlike the police, their noise is not empty or empty, but to increase and build on the rest of the song. “This Is Your Life” is a perfect example. Hieronymus Fontamillas composes the pauses in the drums sometimes with the sounds of the keyboards.
For me, the song goes back to the dance floor. There is no internet. When I’m struggling in my life, or when I’m taking a step to see who I’ve become, this chorus where lead singer Jon Forman screams, “Are you who you want to be?” fills the head Like any song lyric, it reverberated in my head until I found the answer.
9. Be enough
Taken from the second album, A New Way To Be Human, “Sit That Be Enough” is one of those hidden gems that never made it as a radio single, but it’s stronger than the tracks that did. The ancestors of Bono and Bob Dylan’s introspective songwriting were a major influence, and this song is a perfect example. Every time I hear this song, I hear that kid singing on the road, not wanting to be an adult, knowing that he is already one.
It moves me to come out on top of this song 10. One of New Way To Human, I can’t stop myself from stopping by the song. Maybe it’s because I also sometimes “seem so clueless” and “have no idea”. Maybe I just identify with Foreman’s vulnerability. For whatever reason, I love how this song has become so popular, even though it’s been ten years since its original release.
8. You
This song also moves me when it’s in the Top 10 iTunes downloads. Especially since it’s from the first album, Legend Chin. There wasn’t much that existed or showed what was to come with Switchfoot. The first album was released only four days after the youngest member, bassist Tim Foreman, graduated from high school. The sound of their two members, Hieronymus Fontamillas and Andreas Shirley, grew with gratitude. Their performance on stage became less cheesy and more entertaining. Foreman’s lyrics remained as introspective, but it was no longer about writing whether or not to pass his Chem 1A class. However, “You” is one of the songs that prelude their platinum-selling release and national attention through television and film.
“You” is a perfect example of Foreman’s superior lyrics saying exactly what needs to be said within the confines of the song. The chorus line fitting into the corner of the song, the closing chorus, fits perfectly. This song is not only the forerunner of Switchfoot to come, but more specifically the song “The Only Hope”.
7. He wanted to live
There are three songs that any top 10 list of Switchfoot needs to include. If they don’t make the cut, you need to at least mention them, with a good reason why they’re lower than 10. “Give You a Move” and “Sona Hope” are two; “To live” is the third. Because of this song from their fourth release Pretty Letdown, Switchfoot of the Spotlight was released. It took four albums, six years, and one label change, but seemingly overnight, from a band with a cult following to one that played Leno and had music on Fuse and MTV. This was the only release for Switchfoot’s rise, containing both crunchy guitar riffs and graphic lyrics by T.S. Eliot’s poem, “The Hollow Men.”
6. stars
Switchfoot is often referred to as the thinking hand of man. Inspired by T.S. Eliot, with this poem, Descartes, nothing surprising. Foreman said that “Stars” was the first single from Nothing Healthy written from a “Cartesian perspective”. The introspection of the first verse gives one perspective, the second verse gives a view from heaven to all at the same time.
The intro to “Stellas” is one of my favorites by Switchfoot. 45 takes a second and three turns in tempo from the drums to reach the first verse. The longest intro up to that point, the song’s progression beckons. Just as the lyrics move from the specific and small to the very stars and more universal issues, so the drums grow from a simple snare, to the addition of a bass drum and finally the full ornament. The musical growth matches the lyric.
5. Dare to move yourself
The only song he released more than one studio album, and the first song Switchfoot released more than one music for “Give You Move” is inexcusably one of the most popular songs of today. The message of getting up off the floor and continuing to move forward is a strong one that seems to resonate with people. The first release of “Dare” under the album Learning to Breathe was their third studio release. On that album, the song was more pop infused; on Pretty Letdown, the band back it up with harder instruments and vocals and a less electronic sound, giving the song a stronger anthemic feel.
4. This is the house
I don’t care about soundtracks. But when I heard that Switchfoot was writing a song for the Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspiansoundtrack, I got up. You didn’t want it. This just doesn’t happen to me. But, since the summer trip, last year, you were incredibly hungry. I just want to leave and go home. The chorus from this song has stuck with me. Those lines shouting “This is home, now I’m finally where I belong” are the ones that kept me sane during the rough times.
The first interesting thing I see is how Foreman grew up as a lyricist. In the first album, he wrote a song called “Home”, which is just as much about the other old writings. Lyrics they miss him at home, they want to find security and containment at home, but they can only do so much. by struggle Foreman no longer seeks home; found her where she is now. Each of these is made into a large and large chocolate.
3. Excitement
If this were my list, instead of one drawn from iTunes, I would put this song two slots higher. My favorite song by them, on car often, on my car often from them, I was drawn to it from the first hearing. list What cannot be said yet, if the chorus called “we awaken” is the truth confirmed or the hope deceived. Listen to the verse, it feels true. But let him hear Oh! Gravity, which reminded me that I am surrounded by materialism, false stars and deaths, I cannot help but question my sincerity, waking up? That’s probably why I love the song so much. The songs that continue to play in my playlists are always the songs that challenge me.
2. We can only hope
Given how much attention Switchfoot has gathered with prominent contributors to the A Walk To Remember soundtrack, it’s no wonder this song made it so high on the list. Not only did Mandy Moore sing it, but Switchfoot put their own version on there too. This is still one of the most requested songs at their concerts, and for many fans, whether they play this song or not determines how good the concert was. Originally, this song appeared on his second album, A New Way To Be Human.
This song is different from his ballad-like songs. I would call it a ballad, unless it’s a love song. This is how it is generally accepted, but in fact “The Only Hope” is a song written to God. What else would the singles song and laugh say if it was typical love? As a religious song, the lyrics don’t feel cheesy and churchy. The officer’s honesty, with “accidents” gives us insight into his struggles. It’s that kind of honesty going on in the song that draws me so strongly to their lyrics.
1. O! gravity
I have to be honest. This song is the top downloaded song on iTunes. I didn’t think it got much attention when it was released in late October of 2006. Whatever happens because of that, it happens to be the shortest song on the list. Like the track in Nothing is healthy, there is discontent in the lyrics: “why this tragedy, why don’t we seem to keep together?” Even the music in the first verse has an important difference. It is a song of questions without answers.
There are still questions of hope. There are tough ways to look when you are frustrated with the status quo and want to see something else. Why can’t we get along with the children of our enemies? Why does everything always fall apart? How can we change the present for a better future? This match with Switchfoot. They keep trying to point out what they don’t think about our society, but they end up pointing the finger at themselves. And we join the demonstrators as well.
Sources:
Wikipedia.com
Switchfoot.com
