For this week’s playlist, I wanted to do a collection of songs that feel like stories to me. Music is my favorite thing and the writing has always been my favorite part of it. I like songs that have the most random names and places thrown into them. Ones that are, maybe, not entirely relatable at all, but still seem really personal because of how specific the songwriting is. Stories that talk about running away to Mexico, being the metaphorical killer in a relationship or even the most mundane love sounding like the most romantic one. Maybe you know someone named Johnny. Maybe you desperately want to leave Ohio. Maybe you’re Taylor Swift’s boyfriend humming in the kitchen (probably the least likely). If not, these stories are still so specific that they demand your attention. These songs are like poems to me, with writing at the forefront and musical backdrops that are often the underrated gems of the album they’re on. Obviously, every song is basically a story, anyways, but these are some of my personal favorites. Bonus points if the song itself directly mentions poetry or any writing, in general. See: “Writer in the Dark.”
“Poison Oak” by Bright Eyes
“Writer in the Dark” by Lorde
“Killer” by Phoebe Bridgers
“Mortals” by Tommy Lefroy
“Hiatus” by Maya Hawke
“Too In Love To Die” by Julia Jacklin
“Acolyte” by Slaughter Beach, Dog
“Hounds of Love” by Kate Bush
“Age Difference” by Christian Lee Hutson
“Creator, Destroyer” by Angel Olsen
“Anything” by Adrienne Lenker
“Happy Birthday, Johnny” by St. Vincent
“Hot and Heavy” by Lucy Dacus
“Sweet Nothing” by Taylor Swift
“Kill Her Freak Out” by Samia
