What are the most common feelings associated with the color blue? Melancholy? Sadness? Loneliness? This rich color has gotten this infamous reputation for years through different mediums. However, I would argue that blue can symbolize something, dare I say, positive.
Whenever the color blue pops up, I see something that is rich, vibrant, deep and passionate. Perhaps this passion is what is often confused with sadness, however, I think it can span across many different emotions. Regarding today's article, I have selected a few songs that evoke this color on different levels. The content of each song slightly differs from artist to artist, though the color is what ties them all together.
"Cool Girl" by Tove Lo
Let me start by saying that the electronic section in Fred Meyers is underrated. Two years ago sometime around someone's birthday, I was genuinely impressed by the products available. The elaborate display of clear flat-screen TVs, the plethora of movies meticulously organized, the latest cellphones, vinyl record players, top-notch headphones; they weren't playing around. Though what really struck me was their speaker section. As I walked past all the Bluetooth speaker glory, some that even changed color with every beat, I stopped in my worn-out Adidas when I heard this song play. The bass is what caught my attention first and everything was sealed from then on. This song was written for the Swedish singer Tove lo by herself, Jakob Jerlstrom and Ludvig Soderberg. It was released in 2016 for her second studio album titled Lady Wood. It's a twist on the narrative that women are too emotionally attached to a guy they have relations with and asserts that they are too cool to catch feelings. Regardless if you agree or not, this is a great song to jam to when you're feeling confident!
Tove Lo - Cool Girl "Audio"www.youtube.com
"Pine and Ginger" by Amindi K., Fro$t, Tessellated and Valleyz
My sophomore year in college was a full year of learning life lessons. I go into those details in my last article, but one thing I'm glad I learned about was this song! When a friend/old roommate sent this to me I was immediately taken by the fascinating title and refreshing beat. Honestly, it feels a bit more teal than a deep blue because of its light tone, however blue nonetheless. The song was released in 2017 and was produced/written by Amindi, Valleyz, and Tessellated. At the time, Amindi was eighteen years old and many described it as a creative fusion of dancehall and pop in the Los Angeles music scene. In multiple interviews, she explains how "pine and ginger" is an actual drink her mom makes around holiday time and she initially heard this track when drinking it. Though the actual content of the song grapples with coping mechanisms people have that involve alcohol and drugs, while simultaneously trying not to glamorize it. The juxtaposition of the lyrics with the beat makes for a really interesting listen!
Amindi K. Fro$t, Tessellated, & Valleyz - Pine & Gingerwww.youtube.com
"From Time" by Drake featuring Jhene Aiko
Growing up, I always heard the adults around me reminiscing about how a certain album takes them back to the good days. That just hearing a song automatically conjures up a memory. Well, Drake's "Nothing Was the Same" album and this specific song does that. It was my sophomore year in high school, and the second Jhene Aiko's calm yet direct voice started the song off, a splash of blue erupted for me. A possible reason for this could be because this was the last tangible album I bought, and that feels like it should mean something. Or because of the relatability in drake's lyrics that flutter through words spoken and unspoken to old flames. Who knows? Overall though, this is the type of relaxing song one could listen to even if they couldn't relate to the content.
Drake - From Time (Feat. Jhene Aiko)www.youtube.com
This was a short introduction of blue songs that I've gathered, but be on the lookout for volume two!
