It's Bjork's Birthday! Party Time!
Over the course of my life, there’s been only a few artists that really have affected me personally with their powerful and timeless music. I generally enjoy diverse music, including the likes of
Radiohead,
Queens of the Stone Age,
Muse,
Klaxons,
Goldfrapp,
Coldplay,
Metallica,
Arcade Fire,
múm,
Kings of Leon and even a few of
The Beatles songs. But of all the music I’ve listened to,
Björk has been the most influential on my life.
Before I had ever listened to
Björk’s music, I thought she was just another strange female artist you occasionally hear in the media. But then one day I heard
Hyperballad and that amazing music video that went with it, and I was hooked ever since. I then took the plunge, taking a risk on an unfamiliar artist, listening to more and more of her music and getting more and more hooked with each song. I then discovered that not only is she an ageless beauty, and so unique in personality, her entire life is consumed by music. And I’ve been consumed by her music ever since!
As Bjork celebrates her birthday today, I thought it’d be appropriate to list her top 100 songs of her glorious career thus far. Happy Birthday Bjork! and here's hoping to another 20 years of musical excellence. Of course this list is just my personal opinion, and some people rank songs more than others, but nonetheless:
100.
Catacea
99.
Miðvikudags
98.
Show Me Forgiveness
97.
Nattura
96.
Ruby Baby
95.
Öll Birtan
94.
Sweet Intuition
93.
Violently Happy
92.
Karvel
91.
My Juvenile
90.
Submarine
89.
Where Is the Line
88.
Frosti
87.
Pleasure Is All Mine
86.
Verandi
85.
Sidasta Eg
84.
My Spine
83.
Vertebrae By Vertebrae
82.
Aeroplane
81.
Cover Me
80.
Vokuro
79.
Nature Is Ancient
78.
In the Musicals
77.
Oxygen
76.
Ambergris March
75.
Foot Soldier
74.
Pneumonia
73.
Komid
72.
Hope
71.
Mouths Cradle
70.
Ancestors
69.
Headphones
68.
The Anchor Song
67.
There's More To Life Than This
66.
Gloomy Sunday
65.
It's Oh So Quiet
64.
Cvalda
63.
Sweet Sweet Intuition
62.
An Echo, a Stain
61.
I See Who You Are
60.
Sod Off
59.
Declare Independence
58.
Sun in My Mouth
57.
Scatterheart
56.
I Go Humble
55.
Like Someone In Love
54.
Dull Flame of Desire
53.
You've Been Flirting Again
52.
Come To Me
51.
Scary
50.
Charlene
49.
Amphibian
48.
Cocoon
47.
Enjoy
46.
One Day
45.
Immature
44.
Pluto
43.
Triumph of a Heart
42.
So Broken
41.
I've Seen It All
40.
Alarm Call
39.
Oceania
38.
Innocence
37.
5 Years
36.
Heirloom
35.
Mother Heroic
34.
Human Behaviour
33.
Army Of Me
32.
Earth Intruders
31.
Undo
30.
Isobel
29.
Hidden Place
28.
New World
27.
Crying
26.
It's Not Up to You
25.
The Modern Things
24.
All Neon Like
23.
Possibly Maybe
22.
Domestica
21.
Big Time Sensuality
20.
Play Dead
19.
Generous Palmstroke
18.
Storm
Off her Drawing Restraint 9 soundtrack, this is probably one of the most terrifying and haunting songs you’ll hear. I think this sums it up: "Björk's lone vocal soars in the chorus like the booming siren of a blue whale who suddenly realized she was the last of her species."
17.
I Remember You
An unlikely choice, seeming as it is a Bjork cover. But this is a slow moving, touching love song that hits a nerve. “When my life is through, and the angels ask me to recall, the thrill of them all, I shall tell them… I remember you.”
16.
Wanderlust
Off her most recent album, this is definitely one of her best efforts off it. Heavy Beats with some elctronic sounds combined with Bjork’s great vocals works well.
15.
I Miss You
A slightly more hip-hop type song, but Bjork pulls it off again with a catchy tune and odd lyrics. “I miss you, but I haven’t met you yet.”
14.
It's in Our Hands
“It’s in our hands, it always was”. Great track.
13.
Hunter
A brilliant use of hard drumming beats makes this song completely, and is a slight change from her other music in tempo. “I thought that I could organise freedom, how scandinavian of me.”
12.
Venus As A Boy
With a quirky xylophone beat and lush strings, mixed with Bjork’s playful lyrics this song is one of her most catchiest and upbeat songs .
11.
Harm of Will
A soft and touching song which relies on Bjork’s magnificent vocals and nice choir in the background.
10.
Pagan Poetry
A sort of Japanese sounding song with it’s intro and parts throughout the song, but mixes with some great electronic beats to make a elegant and beautiful song. “On the surface, simplicity. But the darkest part of me is Pagan Poetry."
9.
Desired Constellation
A song that you usually listen to alone, at night, or star-gazing. A moving melody background sound that was apparently made from voice loops making a bell type sound which suits the mood perfectly. It can’t be repeated, which makes this a great song along with fantastic lyrics. “With a palm full of stars - I throw them like dice, repeatedly…until the desired constellation appears...”
8.
Bachelorette
A raw, powerful song featuring violins and pounding beats mixed with Bjork’s soaring vocals is a true treat to the ears.
7.
Who Is It
A song that is beat-boxed (I didn’t even know the beats in this song were non-computer until I re-listened to it) entirely with no instruments sounds bad right? Wrong. A great song, and great lyrics. Possibly one of the strangest and cute music videos ever made which accompanies this song, which shows Bjork in a bell suit (yes you heard right) dancing with bell kids.
6.
Aurora
“Goddess sparkle.” A heartfelt song that showcases Bjork’s sweet vocals but also has great help from a fantastic choir, and combined is match made in heaven.
5.
Unison
Such a powerful song. An AMAZING use of Bjork’s vocals, as the song builds to it’s amazing climax along with the help of a beautiful choir.
4.
All Is Full of Love
The top 5 are very, very hard. This song is purely amazing and touching at the same time, with it’s electronic melody and use of instruments combined with great lyrics makes it an elegant yet beautiful song.
3.
Unravel
A song that has to be heard to be believed. “My heart comes undone, slowly unravels, in a ball of yarn”.Thom Yorke says it’s the most beautiful song he’s ever heard, and I’m not one to disagree! Strange sounding organs works brilliantly, the song is just another Bjork classic.
2.
Hyperballad
A strong but twisted song about love that’s not easily explained. It’s about waking up early in the morning, being destructive, throwing small things off a mountain, and imagining what her body would feel like slamming against rocks at the bottom of the cliff, asking “And when I land will my eyes be closed or open?”, and then finally returning to her lover's arms in the morning as if nothing’s happened.
1. Jóga
Perhaps the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard. It’s a gorgeous song which not only showcases Bjork’s vocals but just how good music can be in Bjork’s hands. A masterpiece.
So there you have it. My opinion on her best 100 songs from an amazing artist. Feel free to agree or disagree with me, or even add your own list of her favourite songs.
Note: I didn't use any The Sugarcubes songs. I highly recommend Birthday if you want to hear Bjork's vocals soar to unimaginable heights.
-Bjork performing Oceania at the 2004 Olympics.
Muse
