Friday on My Mind: Songs About Falling

It’s time again for Friday on My Mind. Our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5 News.

I’m somewhat sad to inform you that Fall is officially arriving next Tuesday. The first day of the equinox fluctuates from year to year between the 22nd and 23rd of September since the Earth takes 365.25 days to motor completely around the sun. Of course, here in Seattle, as soon as the rains return, we all pack away our sandals and smiles and take out those Autumnal grays. I’ve been seeing them all over already. Come on, Seattle, don’t let the darkness win! Slug another espresso and infuse a little color into your day! But back to this equinox thing...

And now in honor of “Fall” here are some favorite Songs about Falling...Phantogram - Fall in Love (LIVE on KEXP)

KEXP loves Phantogram. We were behind them from the very beginning when we had them on the Morning Show from The Cutting Room Studios NYC during October 2009. They’ve performed on KEXP three times since, including a special VIP performance at the Triple Door back in October 2013. Their most recent album, Voices, is one of my top albums of this year. I was lucky enough to interview them again very recently when they stopped in to promote the new album. Here is their KEXP performance of “Fall in Love”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hpPTx86yT8

R.E.M. - Fall on Me (Unplugged)

One of many honors and accomplishments that R.E.M. can tout, is that they were the only band to ever appear on MTV’s Unplugged twice. Their first appearance took place in 1991 hot off the heels of their mega hit album, Out of Time. and their second in 2001. The band has since called it quits, but earlier this year in celebration of Record Store Day, they released both of the Unplugged sessions on vinyl. And now from 1991, here is their unplugged version of “Fall on Me”:

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (The Swell Season) - Falling Slowly

Our third song about falling comes from the musical duo of Glen Hansard of The Frames and Marketa Irglova, known as The Swell Season. In 2007, the duo were the stars of the Irish indie film Once, which led to the Hansard and Irglova winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The film was recently adapted into a Broadway musical, and just snagged a whopping 8 Tony Awards. Now here is their Oscar winning ballad, “Falling Slowly”...

Honorable Mentions:

The Fall - Mr. Pharmacist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56dxJjXbnjg

Crowded House - Fall At Your Feet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBixWtkxztI

New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uEBuqkkQRk

The Beatles - If I Fell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPJRt75TSHA

The Pogues - If I Should Fall From the Grace of God

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn18kl29F6w