By Danielle Modica | April 13, 2021
The UAlbany Instagram recently updated students that the beloved campus fountain is shut off for the remainder of the Spring semester due to a leak. According to the update, it will not reopen anytime soon. What’s a spring semester without the fountain? Here at the ASP, we’re sad about it too. Below are some standout songs from the playlist to help you remember the good times, and cope with our loss.
UAlbany fountain lit with purple lights at night
Sinéad O'Connor - “Nothing Compares 2 U”
This iconic and emotional power-ballad is sure to make your eyes water. Originally written and recorded by Prince in 1984, band The Family used it in their self-titled album but did not reach notable success. O'Connor covered the song shortly after, releasing it in her 1990 album “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got.” The song expresses intense longing for an ex-lover and evokes the feelings of heartbreak. It was an immediate success, spending four weeks at number one on the U.S. charts and is now her highest streamed song.
TLC- “Waterfalls”
TLC is a 90’s R&B group, made up of members Lisa Lopes, Rozonda Thomas, Tionne Watkins and Crystal Jones, best known for their hit song “No Scrubs.” But, you may also know them for their second most popular song, “Waterfalls.” “Waterfalls” is a track discussing chasing unrealistic dreams, and the deep lyrics’ strike a chord with listeners. The lyrics and music video are also broken down to discuss the important issue of safe sex and STDs, as the main character in the video is presumed to have died from HIV or AIDS. TLC was known for promoting safe sex, commonly using condoms as outfit accessories to make a statement.
FINNEAS - “I Lost a Friend”
“I Lost a Friend” is a somber ballad of loss, written by Grammy-Award-Winning music producer Finneas O’Connell. FINNEAS is also musician Billie Eilish’s brother and producer. According to him in a Rolling Stone interview, the song draws inspiration from exactly what the title says, losing a long-time friend. Unlike Eilish’s heavy reliance on electronic beats, FINNEAS’s “I Lost a Friend” uses isolated vocals with an echo-effect and piano melody. He uses a light electronic backing track to make the song airy, and other electronic details that match the increasing intensity of the song.
Mark Ronson Ft. Miley Cyrus - “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart”
Mark Ronson, known for hits like Bruno Mars’s “Uptown Funk” and Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie,” collaborated with singer Miley Cyrus to create this tear-jerker. Cyrus’s powerful, folky voice backed by strings and a drum beat makes the song a catchy foot-tapper. “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” is another track based on loss, which fans are left to decipher each reference in the lyrics and music video. Some inspirations to the song include a nod to Colin Kaepernick’s NFL kneeling, gun violence, and relationship disloyalty.
Coldplay - “Fix You”
“Fix You” is one of the most agonizing songs on the list - by the chorus you’ll be inconsolable. Lead singer Chris Martin’s high notes bring upon a melancholy vibe, and then comes the acoustic guitar and piano melody that makes the song even more daintily somber. All of the emotions of the song build up until the instrumental breakdown, the feeling can only be described as like sticking up through a car sunroof in a tunnel like in the film Perks of Being a Wallflower. If you really want to get in your feels, the live version at full blast is exceptional.
Pink Floyd - “Wish You Were Here”
Pink Floyd, an English prog rock band from the 1960s, is best characterized by their psychedelic and experimental tracks. “Wish You Were Here” is a great track to represent that. It’s also good to disassociate to after a long day, and once again discusses a longing for an old friend. Pink Floyd lyricist Roger Waters’s poetic song-writing gives this song an extra level of melancholy. Waters’ inspiration is drawn from missing his friend and ex-bandmate Syd Barrett, who had left the band in 1968 due to addiction. Barrett struggled with a mental breakdown after two unsuccessful solo albums, and the members of Pink Floyd realized the spark of their musically genius friend had sizzled out. The lyrics are applicable to everyone who has experienced any type of loss.
Check out the rest of the playlists with our new ASP Official Spotify!
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