Back to school soundtrack

Last year I blogged about the songs providing the backdrop to my summer – time has flown and now it’s ‘back to school’ time! Here are the five top tunes I’m happy to have stuck on my iPhone and in my head:

1). I’m gonna be (500 miles) by Sleeping at Last

When the bride and groom told me their first dance would be to “I would walk 500 miles” I couldn’t really picture it! But I had no need to worry about the bride attempting to march in a long white dress to the Proclaimers 80s hit – often played to rouse Scottish football fans. This beautiful ballad version set to a simple piano accompaniment is just so romantic and dreamy it makes a perfect first dance.

2). Suitcase full of sparks by Gregory Alan Isakov

I’m a big fan of crime drama and recently finished the latest series of The Blacklist. I love the show, but when this song was played as part of the soundtrack I struggled to focus on the plot. It’s a haunting tune with an amazing mix of instruments and vocal backing – I think there’s a banjo and accordion in the mix. The melody and refrain “honey I’m just trying to find my way to you” are sure to stick in your head. I can’t wait to see him supporting Passenger in November!

  

3). Carrier of a secret by Sissel

A trip to the arctic circle at Easter let me tick off an item from my bucket list – a visit to the ice hotel. During my Scandinavian trip, I was reminded of the amazing Norwegian singer Sissel. Her voice, especially for the highest notes, is as pure and clear as the river ice that forms the hotel. I listened to her songs on cassette and later CD while revising for exams at school and university and I’ve loved reacquainting myself with old favourites.

 

4). Shut up and dance with me by Walk the Moon

One of the couples whose wedding I photographed this year found a clever way to keep their party going late without disturbing the neighbours – they had a silent disco! With headphones lit in red for the bride’s playlist and blue for the groom’s it was great to see the lights change colour as different songs came on. I’m not sure whether this song was on the bride or groom’s playlist but with its strong beat it had everyone jumping around and dancing! It’s now my go-to energising song for an instant boost.

  

5). Holiday in Spain by Counting Crows

Karaoke (in a private room, not on a stage) is one of our favourite ways to spend an evening. I generally think musical ability is not really required – it’s all about passion and enthusiasm! However when a friend of a friend chose this song (which I’d never heard before) and sang it beautifully, I instantly loved it and bought the Counting Crows version there and then. I think it’s perfect and as autumn begins, it leaves me dreaming of jetting off for some sunshine.

  

So that was the soundscape to my summer. I love stumbling upon new artists or being prompted to rediscover old favourites – so please leave any recommendations!
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My summer soundtrack

When I find a song I like I become quite obsessive. It’s not unusual for me to have a handful of songs on repeat for weeks – when I find something I like, I stick with it! At the moment I have five favourite songs on repeat – a mix of rock, pop and country…

1) Homegrown by Zac Brown Band

 

I did a road trip in the states this summer and travelling through Idaho, Montana and Wyoming I decided I needed a soundtrack of American country music to accompany me. The Zac Brown Band is from Georgia on the other side of the USA but fitted perfectly for the long drive. Homegrown is my favourite from the Jekyll & Hyde album – it’s super catchy and I love the lyrics “I’ve got everything I need”.

2) Steal My Girl by One Direction 

 

We spent several days in Vancouver and at the last minute we decided we wanted to spend our final night at a gig. We googled and found One Direction were playing at BC Place – with cheap tickets left we headed there. I only knew a handful of their songs before and this was a new one for me that I bought after the show.

3) All Of Me by Jasmine Thompson

 

One of the couples whose wedding I photographed this summer chose this song for their first dance. I’d never heard it before and I love it. The incredibly talented singer Samantha Harvey performed it and Jasmine Thompson’s version is the closest I could find. It makes a great first dance, slow and intimate with beautiful lyrics: “All of me, loves all of you – love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections”.

4) Superheroes by The Script

 

I heard this on the radio the other morning and it fired me up for the day. It has a good beat for working out and will stick in your head. If you need a dose of determination then the lyrics “every day, every hour, turn the pain into power” will inspire you to keep you going!

5) Phone In A Pool by Ben Folds

Ben Folds Five was part of the soundtrack to my school days and I was very excited to see him perform at the Royal Albert Hall with YMusic last month. He’s so talented and also has a great ironic sense of humour. He told the story of how he threw his mobile in a hotel pool, and the song he wrote about this has quickly became my favourite from his new album ‘So There’ which was released a few days ago.

So that’s been my summer soundtrack – as autumn starts I’ll be looking for some warming and cheery tunes before I happily dive headfirst into my favourite Christmas songs! I love to discover different singers and bands so please leave recommendations below for me to try out.

www.hannahlarkinphotography.com