Category Archives: Song of the Day

Song of the Day: Information High (by Yoko Kanno)

Posted on by Arleigh

“Information High,” by Yoko Kanno for Macross Plus, is a track that’s as electrifying as it is fitting for the anime’s sleek, futuristic vibe. From the moment it kicks in, you get caught up in its propulsive beat and layered electronic sounds that perfectly capture the sense of speed and technological buzz that define the series. It doesn’t just sit in the background but actively drives the energy forward, mirroring the fast-paced aerial dogfights and the intense emotions swirling underneath the sci-fi setting. There’s a hypnotic quality to it — like the perfect soundtrack for a world where human experience and digital overload collide.

What really strikes about “Information High” is how it balances mechanical precision with a playful, almost funky undertone. It’s not simply cold or robotic; Kanno brings in just enough warmth and groove to humanize the electronic pulse, making the song feel alive and vibrant rather than sterile. This duality works beautifully with Macross Plus’s themes—characters caught between their human desires and the artificial worlds they navigate. The track feels like a bridge between those realities, capturing both the exhilaration and the subtle unease of living in an over-connected, data-saturated future.

Beyond its role as a background piece, “Information High” stands on its own as a distinctive expression of Kanno’s genius. It’s got that catchy, infectious energy that sticks with you, yet never feels repetitive or shallow. It’s clear that Kanno tailored this song to complement not just the visuals but the emotional currents of the show, subtly enhancing moments without overpowering them. For anyone familiar with Kanno’s work, this track is a perfect example of her skill in blending genres and moods into a cohesive whole that elevates the experience of the anime itself.

Information High

You know how to get eternal life
In the center of the lightning-speed waltz
Feel your soul cut by a rusty knife
As you head down for the self-destructive edge

Our satori is just floating in the core
Where we can spiritually go through the door
We’ll know how to get eternal life
While we catch the pulse from unknown satellites

If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we are really free
To fly high
In space

We know how to get eternal high
In the center of the lightning-speed waltz
See our soul struggling to survive
As we head down for the self-destructive edge

Sayonara to intrusive noise
No more childish play and no more toys
We know how to get eternal life
While we feel and sense mother nature’s strong might

If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we are really free
To fly high
In space

If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we’ll feel the info high
If we get the transient facts
Then we are really free
To fly high
In space

Song of the Day: Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones)

Posted on by Arleigh

You ever notice how “Paint It Black” doesn’t really start so much as it unfolds—that strange sitar riff creeping in like a bad dream you can’t quite shake? The Stones captured something that feels less like heartbreak and more like a total emotional blackout. The sound is restless, paranoid even, like someone pacing around inside their own thoughts at 3 a.m. That’s what makes it such a sharp symbol of depression: it’s not just sadness, it’s this all-consuming fog where color, joy, and even meaning itself disappear.

The thing that always strikes me is how the song turns that private darkness into a worldview. The singer doesn’t only feel grief—he wants the whole world to match how he feels inside. That line between self and everything else completely breaks down. You can hear it in the drumming, that pounding rhythm chasing itself in circles, or the sitar’s looping melody that never resolves. It’s like he’s trapped in motion, unable to stop thinking or feeling, stuck in a spiral that makes sense only to him. It’s haunting because it sounds familiar to anyone who’s been that low.

And that’s why, even decades later, “Paint It Black” still feels so alive—so uncomfortably modern. Underneath the 60s cool, it taps into that quiet nihilism a lot of people still wrestle with today: the idea that maybe there’s nothing left worth looking at, so you might as well black it all out. But there’s something cathartic in that honesty. The song doesn’t try to fix anything or offer redemption; it just sits in the darkness. And sometimes, that’s what makes it hit harder than any happy ending could.

Paint It Black

I see a red door
And I want it painted black
No colors anymore
I want them to turn black

I see the girls walk by
Dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head
Until my darkness goes

I see a line of cars
And they’re all painted black
With flowers and my love
Both never to come back

I’ve seen people turn their heads
And quickly look away
Like a newborn baby
It just happens everyday

I look inside myself
And see my heart is black
I see my red door
I must have it painted black

Maybe then, I’ll fade away
And not have to face the facts
It’s not easy facing up
When your whole world is black

No more will my green sea
Go turn a deeper blue
I could not foresee this thing
Happening to you

If I look hard enough
Into the setting sun
My love will laugh with me
Before the morning comes

I see a red door
And I want it painted black
No colors anymore
I want them to turn black

I see the girls walk by
Dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head
Until my darkness goes

I wanna see it painted
Painted black
Black as night
Black as coal
I wanna see the sun
Blotted out from the sky
I wanna see it painted, painted, painted
Painted black, yeah

Song of the Day: El Chacal by Ola Fresca

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

There’s always been something very annoying about the cult surrounding Che Guevara.  Because his face looked good on a poster and his execution was probably carried out by the CIA, a lot of people have deified a shallow-minded rich kid whose main accomplishment was executing several of his fellow countrymen and then totally failing in his attempts to overthrow the government of Bolivia.

Thankfully, there’s a song that tells the truth.  From Ola Fresca, here is El Chacal.

 

Song of the Day: Fell on Black Days (by Soundgarden)

Posted on by Arleigh

As the latest “Song of the Day,” Soundgarden’s Fell on Black Days stands out as one of Chris Cornell’s most hauntingly introspective songs. It captures that quiet terror of realizing, almost suddenly, that life has slipped into a dark space without a clear cause. The lyrics don’t dramatize depression or despair—they circle it, giving voice to numb reflection rather than clear tragedy. Cornell doesn’t sing from a place of theatrical pain but introspective confusion, which makes it all the more relatable: that sense of waking up one day and finding that something within has gone dim.

Cornell’s vocal performance is the emotional backbone of the song. His delivery is restrained at first, almost conversational, carrying that familiar mix of grit and vulnerability that made his voice so magnetic. As the song builds, the tension burns through his tone—he never screams, but you feel the anguish vibrating at the edges. It’s that ability to stay melodic while channeling raw feeling that separates him from many of his grunge-era peers. You can hear both power and exhaustion inhabiting the same breath.

Musically, Fell on Black Days moves with a slow, uneasy groove that fits the song’s mood of quiet dread. Instead of following a typical rock rhythm, it flows a little off-kilter, giving it that feeling of imbalance Cornell describes in the lyrics. The guitars are thick and moody but not overly heavy, letting the vocals breathe. Thayil’s riffing feels more like a shadow behind the melody, while the bass and drums give it a tired, rolling heartbeat. It’s less about flashy playing and more about atmosphere—a sound that matches the weight of realizing your life has turned darker without you noticing.

Fell on Black Days

Whatsoever I’ve feared has come to life
And whatsoever I’ve fought off became my life
Just when everyday seemed to greet me with a smile
Sunspots have faded and now I’m doing time

Now I’m doing time
‘Cause I fell on black days
I fell on black days

Whomsoever I’ve cured I’ve sickened now
And whomsoever I’ve cradled I’ve put you down
I’m a search light soul they say
But I can’t see it in the night
I’m only faking when I get it right
When I get it right
‘Cause I fell on black days
I fell on black days

How would I know
That this could be my fate
How would I know
That this could be my fate, uh yeah

What you wanted to see good has made you blind
And what you wanted to be yours has made it mine
So don’t you lock up something that you wanted to see fly
Hands are for shaking not tying

No, not tying
I sure don’t mind a change
I sure don’t mind a change
Yeah, I sure don’t mind
Sure don’t mind a change
I sure don’t mind a change

‘Cause I fell on black days
I fell on black days

How would I know
That this could be my fate
How would I know
That this could be my fate

How would I know
That this could be my fate
How would I know
That this could be my fate

I sure don’t mind a change

Brad’s Song of the Day – “Look at Me” from 10 TO MIDNIGHT (1983)! Happy Birthday, Charlie!!

Posted on by Bradley Crain

10 TO MIDNIGHT is probably Charles Bronson’s best film from the infamous Cannon Films. It’s a solid police procedural with a slasher twist. It also has a good soundtrack from Robert O. Ragland. When we meet the creepy killer Warren Stacy (Gene Davis) at the beginning of the film, “Look at Me” plays on the soundtrack as he checks himself out in the mirror and goes through the crime in his mind. On Charles Bronson’s 104th birthday, I’ve chosen this as my song of the day!

Song of the Day: Changes by David Bowie

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Here’s David Bowie with Changes!

Still don’t know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild, a million dead-end streets and
Every time I thought I’d got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet

So I turned myself to face me
But I’ve never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I’m much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
(Don’t want to be a richer man)

Ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
(Just gonna have to be a different man)

Time may change me
But I can’t trace time

I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream of warm impermanence and
So the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same

And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They’re quite aware of what they’re going through

Ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
(Don’t tell them to grow up and out of it)

Ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
(Where’s your shame, you’ve left us up to our necks in it)

Time may change me
But you can’t trace time

Strange fascination, fascinating me
Ah changes are taking the pace I’m going through

Ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
(Oh, look out you rock ‘n rollers)

Ch-ch-changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
(Pretty soon now you’re gonna get older)

Time may change me
But I can’t trace time

I said that time may change me
But I can’t trace time

Songwriters: David Bowie

Horror Song of the Day: Monster (by Irene & Seulgi)

Posted on by Arleigh

“Monster” by Irene & Seulgi (sub-unit of the K-pop girl group Red Velvet) dives into a dark and captivating space, blending eerie visuals with a sound that really sticks with you. The music video channels the vibe of classic sapphic vampire films, especially those atmospheric, haunting works by Jean Rollin. Irene takes on the role of a succubus-like figure, this hypnotic presence who seems to dominate Seulgi both visually and emotionally. Their movements, cold doll-like expressions, and the green light symbolizing possession all come together to paint a picture of seduction as a form of power struggle, where desire and control are beautifully intertwined.

Sonically, the song pushes boundaries with a mix of dark pop, industrial beats, and dubstep textures. The production is sharp, with synths that cut through like shadows and a bassline that grabs hold and won’t let go. Irene and Seulgi’s vocals glide between whispery softness and fierce intensity, capturing the delicate balance of temptation and danger that drives the song’s energy. The repetitive hook has a spell-like quality, reinforcing the feeling of being caught by this irresistible “monster.”

What really makes “Monster” stand out is how the song and video come together to create a seamless fusion of horror and sensuality. This isn’t just spooky imagery matched with a dark sound—it’s a fully immersive experience that captures the intoxicating mix of fear and desire. The supernatural themes of possession and seduction fit perfectly with the song’s hypnotic beats and evocative vocal delivery. “Monster” tells a story framed in shadows and light, a stylish journey where eroticism and horror enhance each other, pulling the listener deeper into its mesmerizing hold.

Monster

My move is unique
Not ordinary
1 2 5 to 7
I’m a dancer in the darkness
I’ll crack every joint in my body
And come close to your bed
I’ll horribly steal your heart
And dominate you

Under a single lighting, why are there two shadows?
I guess something else woke up inside me
I’m a little monster, be scared of me
I’m bothering you making you dream only about me
I’ll dance and play as I cast a spell
On your body in a nightmare
I’m a little monster
I’m a little monster

I rose from
The ashes in the cold ground
From dusk to dawn
I still exist
I don’t hate this madness
I’m having fun
You can’t get out
Don’t run away, you’ll get hurt
I save you and tease you again
Oh I’m perfect and messed up again

I’m a little monster, be scared of me
I’m bothering you making you dream only about me
I’ll dance and play as I cast a spell
On your body in a nightmare
I’m a little monster
I’m a little monster

See, I’m just playing
No bad intentions
I’m small but dangerous
Who would refuse me?
It’s time for the red sun to rise at dawn
Now that you are relieved
You try to come out of the dream
But monster lives forever

I’m a little monster, be scared of me
I’m bothering you making you dream only about me
I’ll dance and play as I cast a spell
On your body in a nightmare
I’m a little monster
I’m a little monster
I’m a little monster