And today, our song is . . .
"Just Friends" from Star vs. the Forces of Evil
Remixed/covered by CG5 (feat. Caleb Hyles)
When I discover lyrical songs that I love, I tend to go through a season of listening to that song a lot. "Just Friends" was one of those songs for me. How I found it is kind of an interesting story.
So my friend Christine (you might know her by her full name, Christine Smith, formerly blogging on Musings of an Elf but now she has her own domain and everything with a cool blog that you should check out here) mentioned on Twitter sometime this year that she was watching Star vs. the Forces of Evil and loving it. I knew CG5 had covered some songs from the show, so I was like, "I should go listen to them and see if I should share them with Christine."
When I heard "Just Friends," I instantly fell in love--which is funny, because people have described it as being the "ultimate friendzone theme." And normally, I prefer the original over the remixes or covers when it comes to music, but this is not the case for this particular song. I think CG5's musical style and Caleb Hyles's voice are just a lot more powerful and captivating than the version from the show.
And yes, the song is a bop. I dare you to listen to it and not tap to the beat or bob your head or anything. Bet you can't. What makes it so interesting, though, is that the actual lyrics are not nearly as happy as the music. When you think about it, it's kind of a sad song. I'm not sure if this is becoming a trend, having the lyrics be emotional and the music itself be upbeat (like "Happier" by Marshmello and Bastille, for example), but if it is, I don't mind . . . provided it's done right. Like anything else in the world.
I'll let you enjoy the song and its video now! What did you think of it, or of the lyrics in particular? Do you agree that it's meant to be a sad song (because the original was also upbeat), or does the music detract from that?
AAAAHHHHH YES THIS SONG!!!!! It's such a fun one! I actually think I DO like the remix better than the original! The instrumental bits have more depth to them I think.
ReplyDeleteI am kinda liking the trend of upbeat songs having, erm, not so upbeat lyrics. Or the other way around. The contrasts can make for some epic art, you know?
Annnnnd this song was absolutely meant to be HEARTRENDING because...OF REASONS. You totally need to watch the show sometime. It's so good!
It is really fun, even though it can be interpreted as a sad song. Oh, that's interesting! I wasn't sure if it was just because I'm not a fan of the show that I wouldn't care for the original as much. I totally get what you mean.
DeleteIndeed! I think it's awesome when artists can try things that are out of the norm, like having an emotional song be upbeat. It does make for a whole new pool of possibilities!
I'm sure I can figure out some of those reasons, based on the music video. I totally would, but I don't think it's on DVD, unfortunately . . .
Goodness, I wasn't expecting that much of a difference between the lyrics and the music - after I listened again, it didn't seem like such a happy song as the music implied. But I like it! It's a fun contrast, for sure.
ReplyDeleteAnd now I can't decide whether it's happy or sad, hmph.
Right? It kind of catches you off-guard, but in a good way! It's really unique and creative when artists do something unexpected like this. I think that's when art can truly shine.
DeleteBoth, I'd say. You could listen to it when you're feeling either emotion.
Nice to see you again, by the way! Hope you're doing well. ^_^
Definitely love your blog, so inspiring.
ReplyDeleteLove it, I'm excited to read more!!!
ReplyDelete