Recommendation for the Week, 10/17-10/23

Let me preface this week by saying that I hate Taylor Swift. I hate how quickly she's risen to the top of the pop music world, I hate that stupid song she wrote about Kanye that she performed at the 2010 VMAs, and I hate that she's somehow still considered a country artist. Her "I'm the underdog/girl next door" image is so outplayed that it makes me sick. We get it, Taylor: you speak for kids who are normal, just like you want them to think you are. Whatever.

As much as I hate T-Swift, there is something I respect her for: the introduction of the concept of "our song." This was brought to my attention by her song "Our Song" (such an original title, right? she's so unique), which came up with the concept of a couple using a song to personify their relationship. Whether or not the couple lasts, its likely they'll think of each other whenever that song is played. Personally, I think it's just another romantic movie cliche to fill teenage girls' heads with expectations men will never (and I mean never) be able to fill, so I tried to avoid the "our song." But regardless of how bitter and jaded I am, there are still plenty of couples out there who like to do adorable things and make single people sick to their stomachs, and I have a playlist ready for those couples searching for their song, and here they are:

10. Train- "Hey, Soul Sister": There are so many reasons for people to hate this song, and there are just as many couples that love it uncontrollably. How Train were able to beat everyone to the punch and write this simple, ukulele-driven song, and took over the airwaves in early 2010 is still beyond me. Its relevance lasted long into the summer, as many couples undoubtedly sucked face for countless hours listening to "Hey, Soul Sister" on repeat. If you were single in 2010, you were likely miserable, and Train's career-solidifying smash surely didn't make matters any better.
Mushyest Line: "Your sweet moonbeam, the smell of you in every single dream I dream."

9. Paramore- "The Only Exception": While I will never be coy about my love for Hayley Williams, I will say that I thought I caught on to her songwriting technique: she loves to play the jaded girl. Whether she's singing about her hatred for boys ("Here We Go Again"), other girls ("Misery Business"), and even her own bad decisions ("That's What You Get"), Hayley's always played the angry girl who's ready to take the world by storm with her band. But on Paramore's 2009 release brand new eyes, Hayley threw us all a curveball in the form of "The Only Exception." And while there's still a hint of bitterness laced in the verses, Williams provides her most uplifting chorus of the band's young career, and united a few couples in the process.
Mushyest Line: "You are the only exception, and I'm on my way to believing it."

8. We the Kings- "Check Yes Juliet": We the Kings is one of those bands who I never saw the appeal for. To me, they've always been BoysLikeGirls's little brothers, writing songs about half as catchy and, quite frankly, half as good as those found on any BLG album. But for one shining moment, WtK rose above the shadow of BoysLikeGirls to make "Check Yes Juliet," one of the more underrated pop-rock songs to be released in the last five years. Its chorus is one of the catchiest you'll find, and it's as cute as the first batch of Beanie Babies.
Mushyest Line: "Check yes, Juliet, I'll be waiting, wishing, wanting, yours for the taking."

7. The Years Gone By- "Stay Close": You likely have no idea who The Years Gone By are, and that needs to change. The band caught a bad rep by signing to scenecore label Rise Records and didn't get the right amount of publicity for their awesome debut release Forever Comes too Soon. "Stay Close" was a standout track from that album, as it was one of many that plucked at couples' heartstrings. While other songs like "Tear Down the Stars" and "You Might as Well Be in Space" are prime cuts for "our song" material, it's "Stay Close" that has the most undeniable catchiness, and can also be used as the definitive The Years Gone By track.
Mushyest Line: "I don't ever want to wake up without you by my side. I don't ever want to have to fill those shoes. And I'll just hope you stay close."

6. Yellowcard- "Light Up the Sky": While "Ocean Avenue" has its cuteness cemented in the hearts of many, let's not forget that its a song about a lost summer romance. That's why "Light Up the Sky" is my selection for Yellowcard's best couples' song. The chorus is nearly as soaring as "Ocean Avenue," and the bridge keeps the heart in the song like no other. Yellowcard recently reformed after a few-year hiatus, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a set of theirs without "Light Up the Sky," and you'll be sure to see it on facebook statuses of boyfriends and girlfriends for a long time to come.
Mushyest Line: "How will we know if we just don't try? We won't ever know. Let me light up the sky, light it up for you."

5. This Providence- "My Beautiful Rescue": If you look over the Fueled by Ramen Records roster, you'll see the likes of Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Gym Class Heroes, and Panic! at the Disco. However, you'll also find the often-overlooked This Providence, who write some of the simplest, cutest songs this side of Colbie Callait. Only problem is, they're probably the band that has generated the least amount of revenue for the label, and therefore haven't been given the shot at the mainstream they rightfully deserve. One of the best examples of This Providence's radio-ready bubble-gum pop anthems is "My Beautiful Rescue." Driven by an acoustic guitar, the ultimate instrument of love, the song simply personifies the beginnings of a beautiful relationship, and is still a song I go back to when I'm in a good mood to this day.
Mushyest Line: "I'm falling more in love with every single word you say. I'm falling head over heels for you."

4. The Dangerous Summer- "Where I Want to Be": When you play Reach for the Sun, the debut album from The Dangerous Summer, from front to back, your ears are first blessed with "Where I Want to Be," the band's stellar proof that though The Starting Line are gone, there are plenty of bands left to carry the torch of pop-punk, and The Dangerous Summer seem to have a firm grip on the torch. "Where I Want to Be" is a bonifide single that combines heartfelt lyrics with precise musicianship and an honesty that isn't found in the pop-punk scene too often.
Mushyest Line: "You are my song, and you are where I want to be."

3. The Starting Line- "Island": There is simply no way I can mention bands who carry the torch after The Starting Line without mentioning the original torchbearers themselves. While TSL are most well-known for their smash single "Best of Me," its "Island" that gets credit for being it's best couples' song. The chorus is quick to get stuck in your head, while Kenny Vasoli's nasally voice sings the lyrics bands like Mayday Parade and Every Avenue, and maybe even Fall Out Boy wished they could have written first.
Mushyest Line: "If we survive, get out alive, I'd like to say how beautiful I think you are. Just keep a hold of me, don't let go."

2. Dashboard Confessional- "Hands Down (Acoustic)": Alright, I'm sure when the theme of the week was introduced, most people's minds automatically went to Chris Carraba's bleeding heart. Dashboard Confessional is the arena into which that bleeding heart flows, and it took a turn for the romantic on his breakthrough single "Hands Down." And while many people know about the full-band version, its the acoustic version that Carraba's emotion shines through and creates a more relatable atmosphere to the song. "Hands Down" has become the perfect first date song, and has the potential to define relationships long after Carraba stops letting us in on his deepest emotions.
Mushyest Line: "My heart is yours to fill or burst, to break or bury, whichever you prefer."

1. Amber Pacific- "Poetically Pathetic": While they parted ways with vocalist Matt Young (and all of their relevancy with him) years ago, Amber Pacific are simply the band to play to impress/flatter your partner, bringing them to tears in the best way possible. This is not an appreciation of "Poetically Pathetic," however; rather, it is a celebration of the band's many classics, like "Always You," "Summer (In B)" and "Save Me From Me." Any of those gems belonged in this list, but its "Poetically Pathetic" that shines through as the band's standout track, and couples eat it up like chocolates on Valentine's Day. It's cheesy, it's catchy, and the only way you can relate to it is if you find that special someone to share it with. You've likely seen the lyrics in a facebook status or two by now, and there are so many adorable lines that you've probably been able to piece the entire song together, but it wouldn't be fair to AmPa to not pay my respects to the cutest song I've ever heard.
Mushyest Line: "If it were you and me tonight, I would tame the stars, and save the brightest one for you."

As I make all of these recommendations each week, I start by listing all of the songs that come to my mind when I think of the certain theme. The list I made for this week's was by far the longest I've made. There were so many great songs that were left off, so many debates I had with friends as to which songs were included for which band. It's certainly a topic that's open to suggestion, and I would love it if you left your mushy, cute, and lovey-dovey songs in the comments. Let's get this love boat a-floatin'!