Author: Tina

2015 Mixtape, Part 3 of 3

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And this is the last part of my 2015 mixtape. Will 15 songs even fit a single tape?

To be honest, I had a hard time coming up with 15 songs, and I highly suspect it’s because of two things: there’s not a lot of feels in this year (or hugot, if I must use that word), and I don’t venture out too much from my playlists. I can’t really remedy the first one (do I need that?), but I can work on the second one. Like maybe next year, explore more playlists on Spotify (did I ever say how much I love Spotify? I looove Spotify!), and get more recommendations. So friends, if you’re reading this, throw me songs, artists, playlists for 2016 and I’ll listen to them!

Here we go, the last 5 songs for 2015. (Spotify playlist at the end of this post!)

11. Not Over You by Gavin De Graw

[youtube jEGloT8NN60]

If you ask me how I’m doing
I would say I’m doing just fine
I would lie and say that you’re not on my mind
But I go out and I sit down at a table set for two
And finally I’m forced to face the truth,
No matter what I say I’m not over you, not over you

No, no, no leftover relate feelings for this song! I was randomly jumping around artists on Spotify and found this. This screamed Faith!!! on first listen, and I just had to put it on her playlist.

12. Perfect by One Direction

[youtube Ho32Oh6b4jc]

And if you’re looking for someone to write your breakup songs about
Baby, I’m perfect
Baby, we’re perfect

So 2015 is the year I really became a Directioner, haha. Two songs in this list! But this song is pretty fun to listen to, and this pretty much spawned a lot of plot bunnies for our little romance writing group. Also, look at how good these boys look (even if Zayn is already out of the picture)! I think Niall is my favorite boy now. :P

13. Masterpiece by Andy Grammer

[youtube KYAzM6m4tH4]

One, you get one heartbeat so, take it seriously
This is your masterpiece, don’t forget to dream
And taste the colors in the air you breathe
It’s your masterpiece, go ahead and feel it all
Don’t stop till it is beautiful

I discovered Andy Grammer this year and his songs are some of my favorite cheer-up songs. And finally his album, Magazines or Novels, is already on Spotify. This is my favorite in the album, and it reminds me to really to make my life a masterpiece. (And it also helps me in my writing!)

14. Mary, Did You Know? by Pentatonix

[youtube ifCWN5pJGIE]

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?

I’ve heard of Pentatonix before, but I didn’t pay attention to them because I thought they weren’t the kind of group I would listen to. Then I came across this version of Mary, Did You Know? and I am blown away. Gosh, what a beautiful version. Plus points because I’ve always loved Christmas songs that were about the people surrounding Jesus, because it kind of helps me try to comprehend the beauty of His birth. :) (Listen to MercyMe’s Joseph’s Lullaby  and Jars of Clay’s Bethlehem Town!)

15. Hanggang Wala Nang Bukas by Ebe Dancel

[youtube G6BfuSv3BQk]

Ang makita kang malaya, at umibig ng payapa
Mabuhay sa mundong itong ligtas sa takot at gulo
At makita kang malaya ang nag-iisang panata
Yayakapin, mamahalin kita
Hanggang wala nang bukas

I have so much love for this song because I have so much love for the Heneral Luna film. The last time I felt so moved about a movie was at The Passion of the Christ, and but then I was more remorseful than angry. Heneral Luna made me so angry even at the second watch, but even so, I look forward to watching it again (hi, DVD!), and to watching the rest of the movies that they will be making based on our heroes. I think this is one of the most important movies that came out this year, and it’s really something one has to watch to understand and think and be moved by it. And this song by Ebe Dancel is just perfect for this movie.

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And that’s it for my songs for 2015. :) Here’s the playlist on Spotify – currently missing Ben Rector’s Favorite Song because it’s not on Spotify, but you can play the video, anyway! :D Till then, more songs in 2016! (Seriously, recommendations, please? :D)

 

2015 Mixtape, Part 2 of 3

Tina 1 Comment

This is a continuation of the 2015 Mixtape post, and here are the next 5 songs that I really liked/will remind me of 2015. :) I really like splitting this in several posts because I write them faster! Yay!

6. End of the Day by Shawn McDonald

[youtube WYpmM6bWAZU]

I want my heart to beat with passion
I want my motive to be pure
I want the legacy that I leave
To affect the life You gave me
In everything I do, I wanna choose

I haven’t listened to Shawn McDonald since college! I found his album on Spotify and immediately listened to it because I love the title: We Are Brave.  :) This is one of my favorite tracks (but I love almost all of them) in the album, and I love how this is all about choosing to be the person that God wants you to be. :)

7. Shut Up and Dance by Walk the Moon

[youtube 6JCLY0Rlx6Q]

“Oh don’t you dare look back.
Just keep your eyes on me.”
I said, “You’re holding back, “
She said, “Shut up and dance with me!”

Oh this song is so fun! I’ve been hearing this for a while, but it only really got to me during a friend’s wedding. This song never fails to make me smile when I listen to it. :)

8. Your Heart is a Muscle by Carly Rae Jepsen

[youtube VX3k9xwEMRc]

You say love’s a fragile thing
Made of glass
But I think
Your heart is a muscle
Your heart is a muscle
You gotta work it out
Make it stronger

This song reminds me a bit of 2012, and this post. I remember writing something about how some things can feel like an uphill climb, but these things are good for the heart. Like this song, I have to remember that my heart is a muscle, literally and figuratively, and for it to grow stronger, I have to use it. Good reminder. :)

9. Favorite Song by Ben Rector

[youtube lQXa51joR7E]

Well call me crazy or you can call me anytime you want
Or call me maybe cuz I kinda love that song
Be my Madonna or Steven Tyler in my dreams
Cuz when I’m with you yea, well I don’t wanna miss a thing

So, so happy that Ben released a new album this year! I really, really like this song, which is funny because it’s a song that has titles of all other songs in it! But it’s really catchy and it makes me smile while I hum along to “You feel like my favorite song!” part. Also, plot bunny!

10. Paano Ba Ang Magmahal by Sarah Geronimo and Piolo Pascual

[youtube Yl-CMUAzGBk]

Kailan ba, ang tamang panahon
Kailan ba, magkakataong malaya na
Ang puso mo, at puso ko.

This song is a part of The Breakup Playlist movie that I dragged my friends to watch with me. Haha. If you watched the movie, you’ll know how this song will be your LSS for the next days. But this is a pretty good song, and I didn’t mind listening to this over and over again after I watched the movie. :)

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And that is it for this part! :) I should probably make a Spotify playlist for this, right?

 

 

2015 Mixtape, Part 1 of 3

Tina Leave a comment

When December rolled around, I started writing some of my recap posts for 2015 in a notebook because I’m pretty sure I would forget things, and I didn’t really want to struggle to remember them while writing the post. Then as I was writing them, I realized that if I follow the format of the previous years’ posts, I’m going to end up with really long posts that people probably would just glaze over. So I decided to break them up into several parts, which makes it also a way for me to pay for all those days I was too busy to post anything.

So first on the recap posts is the first part of the 2015 soundtrack! I’m trying to figure out a theme for each year’s soundtrack, and I think this year is the most…theme-less, I guess? 2012 was pretty sweet, 2013 hurts, and 2014 was all challenges. This year, most of these songs are just songs I happen to like listening to over and over again. Some of them may mean a bit something, but it wasn’t as…I dunno, heavy as 2013. Not less feelings, but maybe more detached? Could be I’m just getting older. :)

1. Fall Like Rain by Courtney Cole

[youtube 1yFkTobR5wQ]

My heart on my sleeve but now it’s stained red
It’s too late to hold back now
Gonna open up the clouds and let it fall like rain
Fall like rain

Only because the song shares a title with my book. :) This doesn’t relate much to Rain’s story, though, but I’m putting it here for 2015 anyway because Fall Like Rain was the only book I released this year (and I promise to catch up next year)!

2. Dahil Mahal na Mahal Kita by Roselle Nava

[youtube wKiH0pi9rSI]

Dahil mahal mahal na mahal kita
Hindi ako matatakot, mahihiya
Anuman ang sabihin nila

Again, not because I can relate to this (good God, no), but because my friends and I attended a Juan Miguel Severo event last February and we played this game Bingo ng Tanga. This song was featured there, and we had a ton of laughs while playing the game (and guess who ended up being the most tanga for love in our little group?).

Power Rangers vs. Pag-Ibig: Hulaan sino ang pinaka-tanga XD #intersections

A photo posted by Tina Matanguihan (@storiestotell) on

3. Don’t Forget Where You Belong by One Direction

[youtube 4LXzCtPQVVA]

Don’t forget where you belong–home.
If you ever feel alone–don’t.
You were never on your own.
And the proof is in this song.

Possibly my most favorite song in their concert in Manila. I didn’t appreciate it until that night. And yeah, my friend and I watched the concert, but as I always told people – it was the second night, I didn’t even have to line up to get the tickets. We just decided to watch, I bought online and there we go. We got rained on, we were surrounded by youth(s), but we had a really great time singing along. And we totally understood why everyone was screaming for Harry. :P

4. Rather Be by Clean Bandit feat Jess Glynne

[youtube m-M1AtrxztU]

If you gave me a chance I would take it
It’s a shot in the dark but I’ll make it
Know with all of your heart, you can’t shake me
When I am with you, there’s no place I’d rather be

I’ve heard this song several times in the gym, I think, but of course I didn’t know the title until I decided to listen to Spotify’s Mood Booster playlist. What a fun, fun song to listen to! A real mood booster. :) Plus it reminds me of my other (more popular) character, Meah!

5. Break Free by Ariana Grande

[youtube L8eRzOYhLuw]

I only wanna die alive
Never by the hands of a broken heart

Okay, who would have thought that I’d actually like an Ariana Grande song. I didn’t even know anything from her until I found a jogging playlist in Spotify. This was so catchy, and also a bit right at a certain part of this year (Heh). I now selectively listen to Ariana Grande’s songs, especially when I exercise, because they’re pretty good workout music.

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Next five songs in the next post tomorrow (maybe)! :)