Hi everyone! Welcome back to Rena’s Radio, the home of my weekly song choices, the meanings behind them, and the constant chaos behind most of these picks. This week wasn’t nearly as chaotic as last week, which was a relief to me for sure. So let’s get into this week, shall we?
Rena’s Radio (Week of 2/22-2/28):
Sunday (2/22): “Stateside” (with Zara Larsson) by PinkPantheress
Yeah, after MacArthur Park made it to last week’s playlist, I’m sure quite a few people saw this choice coming as well. Alysa Liu skated to this at the Exhibition Gala at the Olympics, which I’ve linked here. I’ve been absolutely obsessed with both Liu’s free skate and her gala performance, which also leads to MacArthur Park and Stateside being my two most-played songs this week.
I don’t usually listen to Zara or PinkPantheress, but this song is so upbeat and catchy that you can’t help but bounce around to it when it comes on. It’s been a welcome change in my usual song choices, and I definitely don’t see it leaving my top 10 most-played songs for a while.
Favorite lyric: “Boots, that’s my ego boost, schedule ain’t been loose for a minute/yeah, I’m that girl, I’ve been it.”
Monday (2/23): “All These Things That I’ve Done” by The Killers
Both my dad and I are fans of The Killers, and “Mr. Brightside” has been one of my favorite songs since I was little. However, this entire album is a thing of beauty that needs to be appreciated to the end of time.
“All These Things That I’ve Done” has always been one of my favorites from “Hot Fuss,” and it started trending on TikTok this past week. I hadn’t heard it in a few years, and instantly remembered how much I love this song. I’ve always related to it, but being a full-time student while working part-time brought a whole new level of understanding for me.
The repetition of “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier” is such a punch to the gut, because sometimes, no matter how much passion and love you have for something, you feel like you just can’t do it anymore. It’s such a relatable line, because let’s be real: it’s pretty hard to find someone who has never felt like that.
Favorite lyric(s): “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier,” and “These changes ain’t changing me/the coldhearted boy I used to be.”
Tuesday (2/24): “Tear You Apart” by She Wants Revenge
I heard someone say recently that they love songs that sound evil, and man, oh man, this song fits that statement. It was literally featured in American Horror Story: Hotel. I didn’t recognize anything by She Wants Revenge until I stumbled across this song around Halloween (ironically) last year, and instantly remembered this playing on AHS.
I love darker-sounding songs, which makes sense since I grew up listening to bands like Depeche Mode, The Cult, and Bauhaus. The background instruments help lean into that haunting, eerie feeling when you listen to it, and the lyrics just take that feeling and amplify it times 1000. Since I was writing horror-based poetry on Tuesday, I thought of “Tear You Apart,” and I actually finished my poem in the time that it was playing. Very helpful, 10/10, will absolutely listen again.
Favorite lyric: “But the slip turns to terror and a crush to like.”
Wednesday (2/25): “I Wanna Be Adored” by The Stone Roses
Y’all, I genuinely cannot explain how much I love this song. The instrumental at the beginning of the song? Amazing. The repetitive lyrics, sang with more pleading and desperate tones after each instrumental break? Beautiful. The change from “I wanna” to “I gotta” at the end of the bridge? Chef’s kiss. This song is the epitome of a slow-burn, and I love it so, so, so much. Much thanks to my dad for playing this in the car Wednesday morning <3
Favorite lyric(s): “I don’t have to sell my soul/he’s already in me,” and “I wanna, I wanna, I gotta be adored.”
Thursday (2/26): “Fake Plastic Trees” by Radiohead
Shockingly, I don’t think I’ve had a Radiohead song in this playlist yet, so let’s just get this out of the way: I love Radiohead. There will be many more Radiohead songs in this playlist this year. I have spent entire days analyzing lyrics from their songs. I love them to many, many pieces.
“Fake Plastic Trees” came on in our meeting for The Record Thursday, and I added it to Rena’s Radio almost as soon as I heard the opening chords. The imagery used through the lyrics creates such a heavy feeling, and especially now in today’s society, where everything feels like it’s either an ad, AI, or, well, fake. It’s just such a beautiful song. Absolute 10/10.
Favorite lyric: “It wears,” when he drags out the word “wears”? Oh my GOD, so good.
Friday (2/27): “tv off” (ft. Lefty Gunplay) by Kendrick Lamar
If you’re invested in football and the NFL even the slightest bit, I can almost guarantee you saw at least one edit online of a football player to “tv off” last season. All the edits I saw were of Josh Allen, which makes a lot of sense (Go Bills!).
However, a few of the members of The Record did a podcast, debating who the greatest hip-hop artist of all time is, which you can watch here. I actually started thinking about that, and landed on a tie between Eminem and Kendrick Lamar (please don’t make me choose because it won’t happen). While I’m about 99% sure at least one Eminem song will end up on this playlist, Kendrick won this one out, purely because I’m still obsessed with GNX.
Favorite lyric: “This the Alpha and Omega, b***h, welcome home.”
Saturday (2/28): “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath
… *sigh*.
Favorite lyric: “Politicians hide themselves away/They only started the war/Why should they go out to fight?/They leave that role to the poor.”
Here are the links to the Apple Music and Spotify playlists for Rena’s Radio. I’ll see everyone next week!
