Top Five Songs With "La la la" or Other Similar Phrase

Listening to the lyrics of a song is frequently a difficult task for me. Having to interpret words from different voices while they are entering my ears at a fast pace is a lot for me to keep up with. Maybe that doesn’t say a lot about me, but it’s the truth. However, some songs have made it easy for me to pick out lyrics. I’m primarily talking about songs that use lyrical phrases such as “la la la” or “na na na” or the like. Those words, if they can even be considered words, always manage to ingrain themselves in my memory pair with whatever tune accompanied them. So, this month my top five list is The Top Five Songs With “La la la” or Other Similar Phrase. This type of lyrical phrase has been used for decades and can still be seen in bands such as Everclear (“Wonderful”) and Pink (“So What”). So without further adieu….

5. “Centerfold” by The J. Geils Band: Some songs contain such stirring emotions that you can’t help but to be moved by their melody and lyrics. This is not one of those songs. This 1982 hit is nothing but light, catchy fun. I mean, the song is about a girl this guy had a crush on in high school who ended up being a centerfold in a skin mag. How serious could it possibly be? But the song had so much energy and charisma that it topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for six weeks and was rated #52 on Billboard’s All Time Top Songs. And on a personal note, I challenge you to listen to the song and not get the “na na na” part stuck in your head. Even Pam Beesly hummed it in the “Customer Survey” episode of the office (Season 5 Episode 6). Listen!

4. “Piano Man” by Billy Joel: Now to perform a complete 180 from my last pick, this is one of the saddest songs I can conjure up right now. Billy Joel’s inarguably signature song is about the regulars at a bar where Joel used to work as a piano player. These frequent customers live unhappy, depressing lives but listening to Joel play the piano allows them to forget about reality for a little while and experience a sliver of joy. This song is heartbreaking. Look at some of the subjects of the song. “Now John at the bar is a friend of mine/ He gets me my drinks for free/ And he’s quick with a joke or to light up your smoke/ But there’s someplace he’d rather be/ He says, Bill, I believe this is killing me/ As the smile ran away from his face/ Well I’m sure that I could be a movie star/ If I could get out of this place.” But he doesn’t get out; he’s stuck in his bittersweet purgatory of a bar. And it’s the tragedy of that misplaced optimism that makes me loves this song so much. Listen!

3. “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” by Steam: If I were doing this list scientifically, and I was judging purely by popularity and cultural resonance, this would top the list. The impact and reach of this 1969 hit is immeasurable. I think children in utero know this song already. It can be heard in a bevy of sports venues from baseball to hockey to the non-sport of professional wrestling (most notably during the much anticipated match between Brock Lesnar and Goldberg at Wrestlemania XX, which was without a shadow of a doubt the most disappointing face-off in the history of the business). And not only does the song embrace real life stadiums and fields, it is also widely used in sports movies, such as in “Remember the Titans.” Thanks to the tongue-ensnaring chorus, this song has been made the biggest one hit wonder of music history (kicking the stuffing out of “Macarena”). Listen!

2. “Hey Jude” by The Beatles: Here’s what I knew about “Hey Jude” before I started writing this post. First, it was by The Beatles, and second, it was very pretty sounding. That’s it. But after studying up on it, I discovered that it has a meaningful origin. See, in 1968 John Lennon was getting separated from his wife Cynthia due to John’s affair with Yoko Ono. Cynthia took her and John’s child, Julian, with her. One day Paul McCartney, who was very close to Cynthia and Julian, drove out to visit them and see how they were doing. On the way there he wrote this song, originally called “Hey Jules,” to give Julian some support during what must have been a tough time dealing with his parents’ divorce. McCartney changed the titular name to “Jude” because he felt it sounded better, but the message remained the same. Don’t let a bad situation define you. Do what you can and find happiness. Listen!

1. “Hush” by Deep Purple: Yes, I snubbed Rolling Stones’ number eight pick on the list of 500 Greatest Songs for not only a cover song (the original performer was Billy Joe Royal), but a cover song that only peaked at number four in the U.S. charts when it was released in 1967. But my lists aren’t about outright popularity. They are about what I like the most, and for this list that is this song. I like it because it reminds me of the 60s and 70s, a time in which I never existed and contain only an imagined fondness. I like it because the music and lyrics combine together to create a sound that is frantic, sensual and even a bit eerie. It’s those qualities that make this song so versatile when used in films (In “Taking Woodstock” for its nostalgia inducing capabilities and “I Know What You Did Last Summer” for its spookier effects) and why it touches me so deeply. So, if you don’t like it, then hush. Listen!