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Song Stories

“Lights”

Interpol | 2010

Interpol lead singer and songwriter Paul Banks doesn’t know where the idea for this nebulous and slow-building "Lights" came from. “It just came out,” Banks said. “There’s many times I’m trying to get better at doing this but really unconscious composition, like your subconscious. You can get away with that kind of thing when you’re doing music — you can’t get away with that in other medium. Where there’s melody involved, ideas could just come and you can do them because you know in that moment that it’s the right thing. So, that was one of those.”

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“Take It In”
Hot Chip | 2009
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“Lonely Teardrops”
Jackie Wilson | 1958

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Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

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