In the hours of Joji’s new song release “Run“, I’ve curated a playlist that will make you want to take a road trip to your special someone you can’t live without, or can you? They left you, but you can’t get over your feelings for them in spite of the hurt. Through this roller coaster, the uncertainty of the lyrics all align at one point: Running.

• Run // Joji
• People, I’ve Been Sad // Christine and The Queens
• I Call Your Name // The Beatles
• Go Where You Wanna Go // The Mama’s And The Papa’s
• I Don’t Wanna Wait // Remington Super 60
• California Dreamin’ // The Mama’s And The Papa’s

Starting with the foundation of this playlist, or course, is Run by Joji.

Vastly different from his ‘traditional indie’ type of style, in this new release we can hear some Hozier aspects and I can even relate it to The Weekend. However, it is unmistakably Joji, and I personally love this new genre just as much as his last. Run features more of his vocals than reverb and I think that is something we can all appreciate. The lyrics pull at your mental reasoning. He knows that she is with another, and that she runs from commitment, but he is committed, and he will follow her no matter where she runs. However it is taking a toll on him. We then are blessed with a guitar solo ad we are saddened by the reality of our heart numbing our mind.

Next, People, I’ve Been Sad by Christine and The Queens.

Keeping up with the modern sounding beat, People, I’ve Been Sad accurately represents being left behind, and trying to be fine. The lyrics behind the boosting rhythm convey falling at the seams at the thought of being left behind. I added this right after I heard it because both Run and People, I’ve Been Sad gave me the same feeling of falling, and not the dreamy kind. The french verses add to uncertainty and indecision: What do I really want? You have to decide to climb out of the ditch you were left in and run with your heart or to kick it in the opposite direction once you reach the surface.

Kicking it back to the era I’ve come to be comfortable, Call Your Name by the Beatles is up next.

I originally found this song as a cover from The Mama’s And The Papa’s, but decided to stick with the original version, as there are actually two more songs by TMATP in this playlist. Differing from the cover, The Beatles show a more rough and vulnerable side to the lyrics. In only two minutes, the cow bell holds your attention to the ache and pain of being alone, calling out for the girl you’ve lost. The restless nature of the song is the perfect transition into leaving where you wanna go.

And so the journey begins, with Go Where You Wanna Go, by The Mama’s And The Papa’s.

This is what I’d imagine the chaser listens to while on the road, wanting her to go where she wants, just with him. She refuses, but you go where you wanna go. The chorus along with the bridge is longing and borderline desperate, not wanting to cry, but calling out her name instead. These first four songs all are built by the desperate need for that one person, masked by an uplifting beat. The ever present tambourine begs for your attention, just like the cowbell. So go where you wanna go; run towards the sunset; find her, no matter where she is.

Mellowing us out in preparation for the end, I Don’t Wanna Wait, by Remington Super 60 is next in line.

In my mind, this is the response to the rest of the songs on this playlist. She wants him, but she doesn’t want to wait for him. Desperately wanting to move on but tethered by love is what keeps her waiting, even if she says she doesn’t want to. This whole playlist is uncertain, and I feel that especially in this song. There are so many words I don’t have the capacity to put them into a page. I found this song the day I decided that I wanted to make this playlist, and I’m so thankful that I did. The soft, mellow, yet electric beat perfectly contrasts the others, where it feels almost frantic. This is her side now, and she’s holding back, but she’s accepting. And that’s exaclty what I needed for this playlist, without even realizing it until it presented itself to me.

Wrapping up our long journey, we have California Dreamin’, by The Mama’s And The Papa’s

Here is the second TMATP song you’ve been looking for, and it’s a classic. California Dreamin’ is the perfect end to a sad movie, this sad movie. While it’s not the final destination, things aren’t looking as optimistic as they could, and our wistful protagonist just wants to be there, with her, away from the sadness behind him. This song actually has a more sad rhythm to it, and is finally breaking the facade of the songs before it. It is the perfect way to rip the band-aid off from covering the truth, and now we may be even more uncertain than when we started. While it is not a perfect, mellow, slow end, it is supposed to be that way. We don’t know what happens when our lone traveler finally finds the one person he’s been chasing his whole life, we don’t know if he ever really makes it. But that is what ties it to Run; running is not a stop, it is continuous and ever lasting. It just didn’t feel right to give the playlist a definite end.

So there you have it, my interpretation of Joji’s amazing new song, Run. While most of my choices are classic 60’s and indie, I hope that the story finds itself while listening. Let me know your thoughts on any of the songs mentioned, or even on the whole playlist itself. This was my first time actually trying to make a cohesive playlist, so I agree that it may be a bit rough. But of course, that is the point of my blog, to document my adventures and experiment in things that sound interesting.

I am so excited to take you guys on a Costa Rican adventure this coming March! While we wait, please enjoy my posts every week because I have a few fun ideas in the works :D.

Until next time, Katelyn.