7 Things: Favorite Songs by Favorite Performers #2 – Laura Pausini

So, there may have been a phase in my life where I would peruse the shelves of a CD store and pick up CDs that were on sale and had hot womens on the cover.

Hey, I’m not proud.

Yet, I kind of am.

Because there were some phenomenal discoveries made using this method of selection. Despina Vandi. Jenifer. And, of course, Laura, who was the bestest discovery of them all.

Oddly enough, though the Despina Vandi CD was largely in Greek and the Jenifer CD was almost entirely in French, my first Laura CD was actually her only English collection From the Inside. Which is pure poppy goodness. English-singing Laura isn’t real Laura, though, and From the Inside is a far cry from the quality of her Italian and Spanish-language collection.

So, now that you all know the sordid backstory of how my relationship with La Pausini came to pass, here are seven favorites, preceded by five near favorites –

Gente – Humanity – not angels or gods or mystical heroes – changes the world. That’s what the lyrics say. And they’re damn catchy.

Resta in Ascolto – Musically, this song grabs you at the beginning and doesn’t let you go. The chorus has this fantastic near-angry desperation.

Parlami – This song is strong throughout, but, it sits high on my list of Laura songs for, literally, one musical moment. At the start of the second verse, around 1:23, there is a drum solo

Surrender – Possibly one of the most unapologetically pop love songs ever written, it’s about impossible to resist.

Do I Dare – The first line of this song is “Even now, when I see you I start to relive you.” I find that lyric delicious.

7 – Se Fue

Not a particularly profound break-up song, though it does have a few interesting lyric choices. When it comes down to it, though, it’s that damn bridge that is profoundly irresistible. And it’s super fun to stand in an audience and have everyone shouting out the same song – both Spanish and Italian-speakers – in the same language. Because this is the only Laura song that is just better in Spanish.

6 – Vivimi

Love gives you wings, it makes you free. That kind of thing. The chorus is mad powerful. Plus, there’s a lyric – pardon the translation – “You make me live without fear, even if the world’s against us” that sounds sooooo good in Italian.

5 – La mia banda suona il rock

My band plays rock. Pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It’s so much fun live. My favorite part of this song, though, may be that I’ve never seen a single online translation of this song that doesn’t translate this part “E un rock, bambino” as “It’s baby rock.” I’m fairly certain it’s supposed to be “It’s rock, Baby.”

4 – Invece No

Life doesn’t work on our timetable. What we fail to say today, we may not get a chance to say tomorrow. Do the people we love know how much we love them? Have we made the amends we need to make? Have we said the words we need to say? Maybe it’s too late… but maybe not.

3 – Io Canto

A singer’s passion for singing turned into a life metaphor about hope and appreciating the wonders, joys, and beauty all around us. The lyrics and the passion in this song are hard to ignore, but, casting them aside for just a moment, this song would still make my list based on the first 20 seconds of the music alone.

2 – Dove l’aria è polvere

War, hoo, what is it good for? Absolutely nothin’, say it again. Take that, say it with haunting music, lyrics bordering poetic, and the story of a soldier, a young boy, and the imagery of a flag with blood inside, and you get this song. You also get this lyric: “Il bambino è orfano di casa e di poesia” or “the child is an orphan of home and of poetry”. The child is an orphan of poetry… Holy crap, that is an incredible lyric.

1 – Tra te e il Mare

This song sets such a mood. It aches so good. The chorus is a total powerhouse. It’s those lead-ins to the chorus, though, especially during live performances, that earn it the top spot. Markers 1:22 and 2:30 in this live version from several years ago are perfect examples of that supreme awesomeness –> Laura and Biagio Sing Biggio