By Jessica Yoffe
“My Life” by Billy Joel
Whenever I have a bad day, upset about something someone said to me, my mood always flips when I hear this song. From the very first beats lifting me, to the chorus “I don’t care what you say anymore, this is my life. Go ahead with your own life, leave me alone,” reminding me that I am living my life, not someone else’s, I shouldn’t care what others think of me. Aside from Billy Joel being the amazing artist he is, having this song as a holy grail gets me into a dancing groove while changing my perspective on everything.
“Bless The Telephone” by Labi Siffre
My favorite thing to do on my telephone is to call my friends—usually FaceTime, for a few minutes (actually hours)—I absolutely love calling friends and family. This song is about calling a loved one just for a little bit and how much that can impact your day. “Strange how a phone call can change your day, take you away from the feeling of being alone.” These lyrics are exactly how I feel about calling, catching up, and having a few laughs before I go to bed, and exactly why I love this song so much.
“Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac
Looking at old photos and videos with your family, remembering funny memories with your friends, is exactly how I feel when listening to “Landslide.” The bittersweet feeling of growing up and changing, realizing you’re becoming a whole new person, is sad and welcoming. In addition, the tune of this song makes everything feel much sadder, and I tear up every time I watch the last episode of Stranger Things and hear “Well, I’ve been afraid of changin.”
“Vienna” by Billy Joel
As a freshman in high school, I relate to this song so much, always being excited for the future and what I have ahead of me. “You’re so ambitious for a juvenile, but if you’re so smart, tell me why you are still so afraid.” The chorus always has me reflecting, if I really am excited for the future, why am I scared? Every night before I go to bed, I reminisce about what the world has planned for me, but “Vienna” calms me down, showing everything will be okay, even for someone who doesn’t have everything planned out.