Music is an integral part of any college student’s routine. Whether it accompanies them as they wake in the morning, commute to class, focus their minds before homework or study for exams, every moment has a soundtrack. It may be a modern rap track blasting in an athlete’s ears at the gym or a widely recognized pop song preparing a group of friends for a night out, regardless, music establishes the mood for all settings.
It is clear that every student has their own tastes, likes and favorites. But KCPR wanted to know: What about our professors?
This week, we asked several Cal Poly professors about their favorite songs and the stories behind their choices. KCPR has compiled a playlist of these musically diverse top picks, so press play and take a listen to some of our campus professors’ memories, feelings and passions.
Dr. Leslie Nelson, an associate professor of communication studies, shared that the first track of this curated playlist, “Laurelhurst” by Goth Babe, evokes memories of a particularly precious moment.
Nelson explained that “Laurelhurst” was the track playing when materials engineering professor, Dr. Seamus Jones, her now-husband, first told her he loved her.
This sweet sentiment is reflected through the song’s upbeat melody, with sparkling synths and a gentle acoustic guitar melody accompanying the pop rocky feel of the tune.
“It floods me with joy and allows me to viscerally relive those early days of our love story,” Nelson said in a survey.
Continuing the theme of sweet memories, “Gratitude” by the Big Red Machine was shown to Nelson by a close friend. She described listening to it 20 times in a row, trying to analyze the meaning of the “lyrically complex masterpiece.”
Spearheaded by a captivating bassline, a crescendo of ringing pings and strums of electric guitar, the experimental track is a journey to listen to. Along with these elements lie rises and falls of percussive melody and wide sonic landscapes created with intricate, almost accidental strums of guitar and fuzzy feedback.
A side project of Bon Iver (Justin Vernon) and The National (Aaron Dessner), Nelson added how the mystique of the song reminds her of “a beautifully sweet moment that captures the depth of our friendship and minds.”
The psychedelic influences and indie rock inspirations continue with Noah Lennox and Cindy Lee’s “Defense.” A driving guitar parallels the spacey chorus and harmonizing vocal performances by the duo.
The song sings to the tune of Nelson’s past and present friendships, reminding her of bygone college days when she and her friends would all collectively break out their vinyl collections and spend the night exchanging new music.
“Every time I put Panda Bear on I think of my lasting friendships, the friendships that faded away and the friendships I have gained since those vinyl nights,” she said.
Coming in with a classic on track number four, journalism professor Katya Cengel named “Let Her Go” by Passenger as a personal favorite. A song that nearly every young kid of the 2000s remembers from the radio, the nostalgia speaks volumes. Cengel, used to traveling for her work, spoke to the song’s resonance.
“I’m kind of used to being independent”, she said. “It just seems fitting with my life experiences.”
Cengel slows down with another favorite track, “Falling Slowly” by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, a beautiful, yearning folk ballad from the movie “Once.” A love story about two aspiring musicians, Cengel recalls the lasting impact the movie’s soundtrack made.
“The music is another level,” she said. “The soft fingerpicking is accompanied by the passionate performances from the two singers. The song is an anthem to loving blindly and through a raw lens.”
Cengel’s last pick is another throwback: Rihanna and Eminem’s “Love The Way You Lie.” The iconic collaboration creates a “perfect song to pump you up,” Cengel said, adding that it’s one of her favorite songs to work out to.
Professor Nick Williams, who teaches about humans’ relationships with the natural world, dipped into the intricate finger-picking styles of American Primitive guitar with John Fahey’s old folk tune, “Poor Boy Long Ways from Home.” One of his many favorites, Williams said the tune pays tribute to some of “history’s most important blues men and women.”
An adjacent to Etta James’ “One Dime Blues,” Williams shared that the old tune is one of the many songs that remind him of different moments and eras in his life.
Williams’ second pick is another instrumental masterpiece with Wes Montgomery’s “Fried Pies.” Showcasing Montgomery’s talent as a jazz guitarist, the easy-going tune includes contradicting arpeggios and the consistent fizzle of cymbals. Williams heard the song for the first time when he was 12 years old and attributes the song as his first introduction to the magical world that is jazz music.
Dr. John’s “(Everybody Wanna be Rich) Rite Away,” with its groovy bassline and old-timey trumpets, speaks to the New Orleans legend’s jazz, soul and funk influences.
Williams’ last pick has “got a great message to boot” with the chorus reciting, “Everybody wanna get rich right away/ right away,” and the bridge repeating, “If you wanna be rich and you wanna be wealthy/ I believe I’d rather be poor and healthy.”
Serving as one of Williams’ favorite collaborations between Dr. John, The Meters and Alan Toussaint, the track speaks on issues of class, ambition and greed.
Aerospace engineering professor Kira Abercromby enjoys the quirky, nerdy lyrics of “Life, in a Nutshell” by the Barenaked Ladies.
The Sixpence None The Richer-esque tune is a perfect happy-go-lucky fall tune, embellished with a sunny guitar progression and upbeat piano. The Barenaked Ladies is able to capture the feeling of movement, as groovy, percussive notes peak through the background of the song.
As an aerospace engineering professor, Abercromby’s next favorite is right on the nose. “Intergalactic” by the Beastie Boys is a mechanically and sonically charged beat.
The lyrics “Another dimension, new galaxy” encapsulate the spirit of the song, as the random whirrs and melodic beeps fill your ears, with what seems to be the voice of a robot repeating “Intergalactic.”
The title is Abercromby’s favorite part, a little personal easter egg that “just makes me smile,” she said.
The best way to keep that smile upright by the end of any playlist is through a recognized and celebrated hit. Abercromby’s last pick was none other than “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay. An allusion to King Louis of France and his final speech before his death, the song’s Spanish title inspires us to “Long, Live, Life.”
The songs that we hear are less like backdrops, but rather, forces that resonate through people. Music is intrinsically intertwined with the human spirit, acting as a sonic scrapbook that reminds us of people, places and moments of time.
No matter the genre or the artist, the differences within music help us connect to ourselves and each other. So get out of your bubble and ask a professor about a song with a compelling memory, it might even get you some extra credit on the final.
