Twelve of my Favourite Songs of 2024. I came across Video Games by Lana Del Rey.

Others love the song, too. Big time.

I listen to music at home, on the train and at the gym - a reasonably broad music taste, mostly rock, indie music and alternative folk. In mid-December (2024), Spotify AI said to me.

“Hello, Christopher. Do you know how many songs you listened to in 2024? Well, you listened to 501 songs. Do you know which song you listened to most? You listened to Video Games by Lana Del Rey more than any other song.”

Then AI told me the next two most songs |I listened to.

I had an idea I listened to Video Games more than any other. Who am I to disgree with AI?

The Power of Songs

Songs reach our soul through the voice, lyrics, rhthmn and more.

Here are 12 songs, which touched this wallah’s soul this year and often sparked movement in the body. Songs mostly span last two decades.

1. Lana Del Ray. (US) Video Games.*

A haunting reflection on the fusion of pleasure with pointlessness, while the singer yearns for a deep relationship to give meaning to her life.

You can find the song on the aptly titled album, Born to Die, released in January 2012.

Prominent line. Heaven is a place on Earth with you

2. Cigarettes after Sex. Apocolypse (US)

Got the music in you, baby, tell me why.

3. Tom Petty. Wild Flowers (USA).

You belong somewhere you feel free.

4. Michael Kiwanuka. Cold Little Heart (UK)

I can live or I can die.

5. Gary Jewels. Michael Andrews. Mad World (US)

All around me are familiar faces
Worn-out places, worn-out faces

6. Nick Cave. Into My Arms (Australia)

I don’t believe in an Interventionist God
But I know, darling, that you do

7. Lusaint. Wicked Games (UK)

It's strange what desire could make foolish people do

8. Lord Huron. The Night We Met (US)

I am not the only traveler

Who has not repaid his debt

9. Dire Straights. Brothers-in-Arms (UK)

We're fools to make war on our brothers in arms

10. Mumford and Sons. I Will Wait for you (UK)

Well, you forgave and I won’t forget

11. Eddie Vedder. Society (US)

You think you have to want more than you need

12. Margaret. Lana del Rey (US)*

Prominent line. When you know, you know.

*Note to readers.

About a year ago (December 2023), I first heard of Lana Del Ray. Several months ago, I hunted on Spotify for songs/lyrics to touch the soul. I found Video Games and other songs. A few are in the list.

I did some research about the song this week.

Voted Song of the decade in 2019 in UK. More than one billion streams (yes, billion) streams have occurred on Spotify of Video Games There are 356 milllion views on YouTube of the song of her official video. She created and edited her video.

It looks like I was not the only one with the same response to Video Games!

I listen to the song while pushing the weights up to Heaven and pulling them down to Earth in the Totnes gym.

Happy Christmas and New Year.

Ensure you nourish your soul.

Lots of Love to You All

Christopher

PS. I placed the beautiful song Saturn by Sleeping at Last (US) at the top of my list of songs for 2023. Far above all other songs last year. In May 2024, I took the 90 minute train to Bristol to attend the concert of Sleeping at Last. A beautiful evening. There is an expanding love of live concerts – the energy of the collective, a meditation for ears and eyes for those who gather together to nourish the soul from Glastonbury to live music in your local pub.