Songs That Are Poems, Poems That Are Songs Meme

Poet With A Day Job has tagged me for a meme where I have to choose five songs that appeal to me for their poetic sensibilities, that inspire me. These are five songs that I feel really are poetry, not just lyrically, but melodically. It has taken me ages to do this because I was having arguments with myself over which songs to choose. Finally, here, they are. My Top 5 songs that represent a poetic sensibility. They inspire me because each song takes on a different form of beauty. Each song is memorable and touches me. Hope you enjoy them.

1. THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT by The Jam.

Written by Paul Weller this song appeared on the 1980 album Sound Affects. I went to see The Jam in concert in London in the early 1980s with my cousin and this song brought the house down. Rumour has it that Paul Weller wrote it in 10 minutes while waiting for the bus home one evening. For many years I firmly believed I was going to marry Paul Weller, particularly as he loved one of my favourite poets of all time – Shelley. Sadly, our union was not meant to be…..

“Waking up from bad dreams and smoking cigarettes
cuddling a warm girl and smelling stale perfume
a hot summer’s day and sticky black tarmac
feeding ducks in the park and wishing you were far away
That’s Entertainment, That’s entertainment…”

2. SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE by Bob Dylan.

I am an unashamed Dylan fan. He really is a poet. This song appeared on the 1974 album Blood On The Tracks. It is one of my favourite songs ever.

“He woke up, the room was bare
he didn’t see her anywhere
he told himself he didn’t care
pushed the window open wide
felt an emptiness inside
to which he just could not relate
brought on by a simple twist of fate.”

3. ILL WIND by Lonette McKee.

This song is a jazz standard written in 1934 by Ted Koehler and Harold Arlen but it is probably most famous for appearing in the 1984 Francis Ford Coppola film The Cotton Club where it was sung by Lonette McKee. Love it. Love it. Love it!

“You’re only misleadin’
the sunshine I’m needin’
ain’t that a shame?
It’s so hard to keep up with troubles that creep up from out of nowhere
when love’s to blame.”

4. NORTHERN SKY by Nick Drake.

We call him the Folk Master in our house. I often feel bad about his death at such a young age from an accidental antidepressants overdose. It makes his music seem even more melancholy. This song is from the 1970 album Bryter Later.

“I never felt magic crazy as this
I never saw moons, knew the meaning of the sea
I never held emotion in the palm of my hand
or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree.”

5. CANDY by Iggy Pop.

I love Iggy, who duets on this song with Kate Pierson from The B-52s which I think is a match made in heaven. This is a modern-day torch song from the 1990 album Brick By Brick.

“I’ve had a hole in my heart for so long
I’ve learned to fake it and just smile along
Down on the street, the men are all the same
I need a love, not games
Not games.”

So there you have it. That was fun.

I’d like two tag two of my favourite blogging poets, Paisley and Crafty Green Poet because I’d love to hear what songs arouse their poetic sensibilities; as well as Chris and Roshan who love their music. I would love to hear your selections. Have fun.