2007: Year in lyrics

It’s that time of year again, and I'm not talking about the Holidays or the hordes of tourists parading through Midtown. I'm referring to everyone and their mom's "Top Albums of 2007" lists, a far more obnoxious annoyance which can't simply be ignored by avoiding certain parts of town.

I could tell you that I really dug Boxer and Person Pitch too but why would I want to when every other blog, magazine or publication has replicated identical lists ranging from 10 to 100 of the same titles? Instead, I've put together a top 10 of my favorite lyrics from 10 albums on most of those lists. (As ranked here by Pitchfork.)

10. "Tune in Tokyo" - Spoon - "Rythm and Soul" - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (#7)
Has anyone used this phrase since, like, the fifth grade? My favorite Spoon lyrics are actually the random "Yeah's," "Uh huh's" and "Oh no's" sporadically uttered by Britt Daniel but that seemed like a bit of a copout.

9. "Sticks and stones may break my bones / But words will never hurt me" - Panda Bear - "Carrots" - Person Pitch (#1)
Innovative album, undecipherable lyrics. But, if like me, you hunted them down on Noah Lennox's MySpace page; you also found gems like these. Another one that takes us back to those formative elementary school years.

8. "And a fall from you / Is a long way down / I've found a better way out - Beirut - "Cherbourg" - The Flying Cup Club (#40)
Insert smartass remark here. But wait...I don't have one. I just happen to think this is a sad, beautiful and hopeful sentiment all at once. Apparently, I do have a heart.

7. "Your life will fall apart" - The Arcade Fire - "Intervention" - Neon Bible (#27)
When Winn Butler sings "Working for the church while your life falls apart," Regine follows it with a high pitched "Your life will fall apart!!!!" It's completely dramatic yet simultaneously hilarious. I LOVE that.

6. "The other side of takeout / Is mildew on rice" - Animal Collective - "Peacebone" - Strawberry Jam (#6)
Before this, I never thought of takeout as being multi faceted. This completely changes the way I look at most takeout (Pizza remains unscathed though I believe the science could easily apply) and makes me ponder the temporary aspect of life overall. It’s deep.

5. "When I climb trees / Dem feet, dem tickle" - MIA - "Mango Pickle Down River" - Kala (#3)
A month ago, my coworker and I engaged in a heated Jamaican slang off over IM. We exchanged numerous lines of island dialogue and when my supply dried up, I took a chance with this and not only did it totally fly, but it was received with hearty laughter and a "You're funny." (Which I aim to be.) Thanks M.I.A.!

4. "Tiptoe through our shiny city / With our diamond slippers on" - The National - "Fake Empire" - Boxer (#17)
You know what I love about NYC bands? I can relate to their lyrics. This is precisely how I feel whilst prancing around town. But my all-time favorite National lyric is "Break my arms around the one I love" from “Daughters of the SoHo Riots” off of Alligator.

3. "And if the sun comes up, if the sun comes up, if the sun comes up / And I still don't wanna stagger home" - LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends" - Sound of Silver (#2)
How many summer nights does this describe? So many... Too many to count. I'm right there with you James.

2. "Physics makes us all its bitches" - Of Montreal - "Gronlandic Edit" - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (#5)
Choosing one favorite lyric from an album like this must be like trying to decide which of your kids is your favorite. Can I just say all of "The Past is a Grotesque Animal?" Even that seems unfair.

1. "You used to be alright / What happened? / Et cetera et cetera..." - Radiohead - "15 Step" - In Rainbows (#4)
Never in all my years of music listening have three short lines or eleven words described the way I feel about the artist that penned them so eloquently.

And that's it! Here's to 2008 and all the lyrical goodness that shall accompany it. We should be seeing new albums from Sia, Cat Power, Hot Chip, Mountain Goats, Goldfrapp, Autechre, M83, Portishead, Of Montreal, Death Cab for Cutie and Ladytron, just to name a few.

A Happy and safe New Year to everyone out there from the Lazy Robots crew. See you in ’08!