Songs for the Leo

LEO: Now is not a good time to photocopy your butt and staple it to your boss's face - oh, no. Eat a bucket of tuna flavored pudding, then wash it down with a gallon of Strawberry Quik. -Weird Al Yankovic

Let's talk about Leos this week, ya'll. These fire signs are known to be natural born leaders, and the ones that I know personally fit that description pretty well. Leos have been said to be warm, passionate, dynamic, and charismatic, but have also been accused of being possessive, egoistic, and impatient. They're usually the fun type of dramatic in that they have a flair for the fabulous, and their playlist this month reflects that. So without further ado, let's get listening.

Down to the River to Pray by Alison Krauss (traditional lyrics)

Leo musician Alison Krauss is usually pretty hit or miss with me, but this is one of her songs that I really enjoy. Featured on the soundtrack to the 2000 Coen Brothers film O Brother, Where Art Thou? (starring George Clooney and John Turturro), Krauss creates a very warm atmosphere with the song by adding on a musical layer with each verse in the form of a cappella vocal parts. It's passionate in a softer sort of way, and it's very peaceful tto listen to.

As I went down to the river to pray/Studying about that good old way/And who shall wear the starry crown/Good Lord, show me the way/Oh, sisters, let's go down/Let's go down, come on down/Oh, sisters, let's go down/Down in the river to pray

bury a friend by Billie Eilish (written by F. O'Connell, B. O'Connell)

Damn these Leos for getting my favorite Billie song on their playlist but whatever. Featured on her 2019 album WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, Eilish creates a darkly dynamic, charismatic narrative with egoistic tendencies throughout this song. The narrator, especiially in the chorus, is weaving a sort of web of mutual fascination with who she's speaking to: "What do you want from me? Why don't you run from me? What are you wondering? What do you know? Why aren't you scared of me? Why do you care for me?"

Keep you in the dark, what had you expected/Me to make you my art and make you a star and get you connected/I'll meet you in the park, I'll be calm and collected/But we knew right from the start that you'd fall apart 'cause I'm too expensive/It's probably something that shouldn't be said out loud/Honestly, I thought that I would be dead by now/Calling security, keeping my head held down/Bury the hatchet or bury a friend right now

Something in the Water by Carrie Underwood (written by B. James, C. Underwood, C. DeStefano)

I firmly believe this is one of Underwood's best songs, due largely in part to the amount of passion she puts in to the vocals and the message. Underwood has never hidden her passion for her faith from the world and it's something I've always really respected and admired about her. The final chorus where she sings over a verse of Amazing Grace gives me chills every time.

He said, "I've been where you've been before, down every hallway's a slamming door/No way out, no one to come and save me, wasting the life that the Good Lord gave me/Then somebody said what I'm saying to you, opened my eyes and told me the truth/He said, 'Just a little faith and it'll all get better,' so I followed that preacher man down to the river/And now I'm changed/And now I'm stronger/There must've been something in the water"/There must've been something in the water

I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie (written by B. Gibbard)

I've casually enjoyed Death Cab's music since I was in high school, but I hadn't heard this song before doing research for this post. Luckily, my streak of not hearing a Death Cab song that I dislike was not broken. Featured on their 2006 album Plans, it's different from the songs of theirs that I usually listen to, but definitely not in a bad way: it's a lot softer and more acoustic, which I totally dug. The narrator shows off some key Leo characteristics through the lyrics by being passionate about the person he loves, and yet possessive and impatient in that if they were to ever leave him, even permanently, he'd...you know..."follow them into the dark." (Yikes?)

Love of mine, someday, you will die/But I'll be close behind, I'll follow you into the dark/No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white/Just our hands clasped so tight, waiting for the hint of a spark/If Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied/Illuminate the No's on their Vacancy signs/If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks/Then I'll follow you into the dark

Keep Fighting by Fireflight (written by D. Lott, R. Varenkamp)

Our first personal Leo pick this week is from my sweet, fun, insightful friend Ana:

"Keep Fighting is one of those songs that whatever mood I'm in, it makes me happy. I've always been bad at listening to lyrics of actual songs and instead have focused on the melody of the song. The way a song sounds is what grabs my attention first... and then months later, I actually pay attention to the lyrics. As for this song, it was essentially the same thing. I liked the way it sounded and then later on the chorus popped out to me. Every time this song plays, it just makes me happy. It's a very upbeat song and I just can't help but smile when listening to it. The chorus part just gets me hyped and feel motivated that I can get through anything. In [my line of work], I see a ton of different cases come across my desk. A lot of times, [the people I work with] have never really had people tell them that they're proud of them and are pushing them to be the best version of themselves. I think that this is why I enjoy this song so much. It reminds me to continue to fight for those that may have thought they had lost their fight and remind them that there's someone in their life that wants to see them succeed."

I wish I could feel it all for you/If I could, I would take back all that you've been through/And I would find a safer place for you to run when you've come undone/I wish I could take the pain away/If I could, I would paint for you a brand new day/But for now, you've gotta hold on through the night, I know we'll survive/Oh, no, I'm never gonna let it go/I'll keep fighting, I'll keep fighting/Oh, no, I'm never gonna let it go/I'll keep fighting, I'll keep fighting/Nothing's gonna bring us down, nothing's gonna take us out/Nothing's gonna stop us now, nothing's gonna stop us now/Nothing's gonna bring us down, nothing's gonna take us out/Nothing's gonna stop us now, nothing's gonna stop us now

From Eden by Hozier (written by A. Hozier-Byrne)

Hozier is another artist that I casually enjoy when his music comes on, but I really need to dive in and listen to him more because I've yet to hear a song of his I don't like. Featured on his 2014 self-titled album, Hozier creates a casually upbeat song that's really easy to sway back and forth to while you listen to it. Lyrically, you can see some Leo-like hints of possessiveness and egoism, like in the final line of the chorus: "I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door."

Babe, there's something tragic about you/Something so magic about you, don't you agree/Babe, there's something lonesome about you/Something so wholesome about you, get closer to me/Honey, you're familiar, like my mirror, years ago/Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on his sword/Innocence died screaming, honey, ask me, I should know/I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door

Burnin' Up by Jonas Brothers (written by N. Jonas, J. Jonas, K. Jonas)

Ugh, Leo gets my favorite JB song, too - oh well, any excuse to listen to Burnin' Up over and over and over is good enough for me. The JoBros have their own resident Leo in tthe form of Joe, and he fits the bill to a tee: the man LOVES to be the center of attention and is always the absolute life of the party when they perform live. Featured on their 2008 album A Little Bit Longer, the lyrics showcase mainly positive Leo characteristics like warmth (lol, Burnin' Up, get it), passion, and the girl's dynamic personality, as well as a slightly possessive air of the guy wanting to get the girl for himself.

I'm hot, you're cold/You go around like you know/Who I am, but you don't/You got me on my toes/I'm slipping into the lava/And I'm trying to keep from going under/Baby, who turned the temperature hotter/'Cause I'm burning up, burning up for you, baby

Slow Burn by Kacey Musgraves (written by D. Tashan, I. Fitchuk, K. Musgraves)

Kacey is another Leo musician who lets those traits seep into the music she writes. Featured on her 2018 album Golden Hour, this song creates a warm (lol, did it again with the fire puns), cozy type of atmosphere when listening to it, and the lyrics are kind of quietly passionate about living life at your own pace and taking your time to enjoy what's going on around you.

Born in a hurry, always late/Haven't been early since '88/Texas is hot, I can be cold/Grandma cried when I pierced my nose/Good in a glass, good on green/Good when you're putting your hands all over me/I'm alright with a slow burn/Taking my time, let the world turn/I'm gonna do it my way, it'll be alright/If we burn it down and it takes all night/It's a slow burn, yeah

My Life Would Suck Without You by Kelly Clarkson (written by C. Kelly, L. Gottwald, M. Martin)

I know I said this before on tthe Kelly Clarkson appreciation post, but damn this song is a bop. Featured on her 2009 album All I Ever Wanted, it's so relatable to everyone, not just Leos: who hasn't felt this way about someone in their life at least once? While the air underneath the bubbly pop melody is one of mild impatience, the narrator is overall feeling very warmly towards the person she's speaking to and genuinely cares for them.

Maybe I was stupid for telling you goodbye/Maybe I was wrong for trying to pick a fight/I know that I've got issues, but you're pretty messed up, too/Either way, I found out I'm nothing without you/'Cause we belong together now, yeah/Forever united here somehow, yeah/You got a piece of me, and honestly/My life would suck without you

The Next Right Thing by Kristen Bell (written by K. Anderson-Lopez, R. Lopez)

Anna from the Frozen franchise is here to represent Leo for the Disney Princesses, which I think makes a lot of sense: in a world where her sister is supposed to represent cold, Anna rises to meet her with constant warmth. Her big solo from 2019's Frozen 2 felt like a perfect representation for her here. Even through she's completely broken in this moment where she feels like she's lost absolutely everything and has literally hit rock bottom, she is passionate about doing her best to move forward and carry on.

Can there be a day beyond this night/I don't know anymore what is true/I can't find my direction, I'm all alone/The only star that guided me was you/How to rise from the floor when it's not you I'm rising for/Just do the next right thing/Take a step, step again, it is all that I can do/To do the next right thing

Paparazzi by Lady Gaga (written by S. Germanotta, R. Fusari)

Paparazzi is, in my opinion, the obvious choice to represent Leo for Lady Gaga. Featured on her 2008 debut album The Fame, it's pretty evenly distributed between positive and negative traits for this sign. Both the narrator and the subject of her affection seem to be dynamic and charismatic, while the narrator is extremely possessive and impatient in getting him to notice her. Also, this may be one of her most creepily fascinating music videos ever, so watch it if you want to low-key weird yourself out.

We are the crowd, we're coming out/Got my flash on, it's true, need that picture of you/It's so magical, we'd be so fantastical/Leather and jeans, garage glamorous/Not sure what it means, but this photo of us/It don't have a price, ready for those flashing lights/'Cause you know that baby, I/I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me, papa, paparazzi/Baby, there's no other superstar, you know that I'll be your papa, paparazzi/Promise I'll be kind, but I won't stop until that boy is mine/Baby, you'll be famous, chase you down until you love me, papa, paparazzi

Love Me Like You by Little Mix (written by C. Purcell, I. James, J. Newman, S. McCutcheon)

Our second personal Leo pick comes from my boss babe, powerhouse cousin Maddie:

"So I probably change favorite songs about every week, but right now, I'm loving the song Love Me Like You by Little Mix. It's a little bit of a throwback but has resurfaced thanks to TtikTok. It's a fun, sweet, easygoing song that's become a vibey summer song! It's a put on your shades and lay back in the sun kind of song!"

He might got the biggest car/Don't mean he can drive me wild or he can go for miles/Said he got a lot of cash/Darling, he can't buy my love, it's you I'm dreaming of/They try to romance me, but you got that nasty/And that's what I want, that's what I want/So baby, baby, come and save me/Don't need those other numbers when I got my number one/Last night, I lay in bed so blue/'Cause I realized the truth, they can't love me like you/I tried to find somebody new/Baby, they ain't got a clue, can't love me like you

Always Be My Baby by Mariah Carey (written by J. Dupri, M. Seal, M. Carey)

Our third and final personal Leo pick comes from my former roommate/sorority bestie/Animal Crossing lifecoach Shelby:

"While I'm still not sure if I have an absolute favorite song, I do remember the first song that actually meant something to me. Always Be My Baby by Mariah Carey came out in 1996 and let's be honest, 25 years later it's still a bop. You can play it for my mother, my sister, or my niece and they would all know the words. Even now when it comes on the radio or on my Spotify shuffle, I will absolutely crank it up - early '90's Mariah Carey will not be skipped in this house. The reason this song means so much to me is because it's part of one of my earliest childhood memories. I can vividly remember being in my oldest sister's room looking at a poster of Mariah Carey, hairbrushes in our hands as our makeshift microphones, singing along to Always Be My Baby as loud as we popssibly could, and then doing it over and over again a few more times until my mom couldn't take it anymore. My mom has a home movie of my sister trying to shoot her own singalong music video, until my middle sister complained about working for free and got smacked with the hairbrush microphone (ah, sisterly love). TL;DR: Always Be My Baby is a timeless bop!

We are as one, babe, for a moment in time/And it seemed everlasting that you would always be mine/Now you wanna be free, so I'm letting you fly/'Cause I know in my heart, babe, our love will never die, no/You will always be a part of me/I'm a part of you indefinitely/Boy, don't you know you can't escape me/Ooh, darling, 'cause you'll always be my baby/And we'll linger on/Time can't erase a feeling this strong/No way, you're never gonna shake me/Ooh, darling, 'cause you'll always be my baby

Gotta Get a Grip by Mick Jagger (written by M. Clifford, M. Jagger)

From the description of common Leo characteristics at the beginning of this post, no one should be even remotely surprised that the most famous pair of lips in the world was born under this zodiac sign. The Rolling Stones frontman has always been dynamic and charismatic, and has also been pretty well known for his large ego and was even playfully called out by comedian John Mulaney for his impatience when they worked together on Saturday Night Live. While I've always preferred The Beatles to The Stones, this newer solo song of Jagger's that was released as a single in 2017 is actually quite a bop that I enjoyed listening to.

The world is upside down/By the lunatics and clowns/No one speaks the truth/And madhouse runs the town/Well, you gotta geta grip/Beat it with a stick

I Am Your Leader by Nicki Minaj ft. Cam'ron & Rick Ross (written by C. Giles, C. Hollis, O. Maraj, W. Roberts)

Featured on her 2012 album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, this Nicki Minaj song holds a special place in my heart due to memories of super late nights cranking this song in our sorority chapter room after formal recruitment while we set up for the next evening's festivities. Minaj isn't a Leo, but she would make a good one based on her stage personalities, especially her "alter ego" Roman Zolanski; the lyrics of this song alone show a very dynamic personality with possessive and egoistic tendencies.

Uh, look, sucker, this my gun butter/Street Fighter bitches, this the up cuuter/Nun-chucker, no time to duck-a/Sign of the cross, 'cause this is her last supper/Play with me, check who came with me/I bought a couple 9's, plus the K's with me/I breeze through the queens to check some bad bitches/I stunt so hard, assess the damages/'Cause this that aw, this is that aw/And yes, I body bitches, go get the bandages/Young yummy, f*** you got from me/I hate a phony bitch that front that chum-chummy/I'm me, top shooter, drop the top topper/Big fat p**** with icy watch/I am your leader, yes, I am your leader/You not a believer, suck a big d***

Narcissist by No Rome ft. The 1975 (written by G. Gomez, M. Healy)

Even though they're only featured on this particular song, these zodiac posts are making me quite the fan of The 1975 because they crop up quite a lot when I'm doing research. Featured on No Rome's 2018 EP RIP Indo Hisashi, this song has quite the vibe - it's super laid back and charismatic at the same time, kind of giving a sort of sparkly quality to the listening experience (not sure if that makes sense to anyone but me, but it's what I picture when I'm listening). The title and the lyrics play right into those more negative Leo stereotypes of being egotistical and narcissistic, but this song's still a fun listen for sure.

Take a picture of all my flaws, or you can take a video on your phone/And you know that I would talk, but I'm too afraid to pick you up and go home/I'm feeling dazed like a magazine, fighting my insanity/Wishing it'll all go away, now we're smoking on the balcony/You're telling me profanities, maybe it was never okay/You got me like 345, that's where we stayed/She told me I'm a narcissist, doing it again/Took a bunch of acid, and she told me not again/Now I've gotta tell her that I'm loving her friends

1901 by Phoenix (written by T. Croquet, C. Mazzalai, L. Mazzalai, F. Moulin)

Apparently I just need to listen to the entire Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix album because it seems to be full of bops like this one and Lasso (although I think I like this one better than Lasso). This is a very dynamic, hop around song that would be great to hype yourself up before a night out or even something more serious like a job interview, just to have some fun and loosen up.

Counting all different ideas drifting away, past and present, they don't matter/Now the future's sorted out, watch her move in elliptical patterns/Think it's not what you say, what you say is way too complicated/For a minute, though, I couldn't tell how to fall out/It's twenty seconds 'til the last call, calling hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey/Lie down, you know it's easy, like we did it all summer long/And I'll be anything you ask and more, going hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey/It's not a miracle we needed, no I wouldn't let you think so/Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it/Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it

Zack and Codeine by Post Malone (written by A. Post, Diego Ave, L. Bell, S. Storch)

Posty gets points for this song just for the title alone - Millennials and Gen Z'ers alike can appreciatet a good classic era Disney Channel pun. Featured on his 2018 album beerbongs & bentleys, Post creates a laid back party type atmosphere with dynamic, charismatic, and egotistical lyrics with a slight undertone of impatience at some of the people surrounding him.

I'm whipping the phone when I can't whip no Beetle/I rock that Saint Laurent over a Beetle/I like to sound like I'm Evil Knievel/But it don't mean nothing without all my people/When I step out on stage, hands up to the sky/Every little thing I do, they always analyze/Gave that bitch a little blow and then she come alive/Started dancing on the table like she had on mine/I don't f*** with nobody, yeah, you hardly know me/What you take me for, no, I can't save your soul/I don't f*** with nobody, yeah, you hardly know me/Please, just leave me alone/Man, my life so suite, I feel like Cody/I wake up, rinse my mouth with f****** codeine/Thirty bottles, yeah, the bill is on me/Been living fast, no, I can't take it slowly/Man, my life so sweet, I feel like codeine/I wake up, rinse my mouth with f****** codeine/We on a bender, we ain't getting no sleep/We turn the hotel lobby to a party

There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back by Shawn Mendes (written by G. Warburton, S. Harris, S. Mendes, T. Geiger)

Mendes has some of his Leo traits bleed through to his lyrics as well in this song from his 2017 album Illuminate. He's very passionate about this woman he's interested in to the point of impatience, since by the time in the narrative the chorus pops up there's officially nothing holding him back from going after her. I've grown to really like this song, partially due to the fact that one of my piano students wanted to learn to play it and so being exposed to it every week has gotten me to appreciate it more and more.

I wanna follow where she goes/I think about her and she knows it/I wanna let it take control/'Cause every time that she gets close here/She pulls me in enough to keep me guessing/And maybe I should stop and start confessing, confessing, yeah/Oh, I've been shaking, I love it when you go crazy/You take all my inhibitions, baby, there's nothing holding me back/You take me places that tear up my reputation/Manipulate my decisions, baby, there's nothing holding me back/There's nothing holding me back/There's nothing hold me back

Mine by Taylor Swift (written by T. Swift)

We're going Speak Now era with Taylor for the Leos. The narrator of Mine is very passionate about both her love for her partner as well as her insecurities and fears about committing to a relationship she feels is doomed to fail due to past experiences. She's also possessive of a love she feels is finally hers to keep, as well as impatient with the negative situations that keep popping up although they always get worked out. I really love this song as a whole and think it's a really sweet reminder of looking back on a relationship to see all you and your partner have overcome during your time together.

You were in college, working part-time waiting tables/Left a small town, never looked back/I was a flight risk with a fear of falling/Wondering why we bother with love if it never lasts/I say, "Can you believe it"/As we're lying on the couch/The moment I could see it/Yes, yes, I can see it now/Do you remember, we were sitting there by the water/You put your arm around me for the first time/You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter/You are the best thing that's ever been mine

A Million Dreams by Zif Zaifman, Hugh Jackman, & Michelle Williams (written by B. Pasek, J. Paul)

As the main character of The Greatest Showman, PT Barnum shows a lot of Leo stereotypes right off the bat at the beginning of the movie with this song. There's no questioning the man's passion for creating something he can call his own that will shoot him to superstardom, and he's charismatic enough to get Charity to fall in love with him early on. He does, as we all know, suffer from an enormous ego that only gets worse as the story progresses, and he's incredibly impatient with how long it takes to get his show off the ground and then with the one newspaper critic who doesn't like the show, among other things. Despite all of that, I love this song and think it's a really beautiful show of how exciting starting a life with the person you love can be.

I close my eyes, and I can see a world that's waiting up for me/That I call my own/Through the dark, through the door, through where no one's been before/But it feels like home/They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy/They can say, they can say I've lost my mind/I don't care, I don't care, so call me crazy/We can live in a world that we design/'Cause every night, I lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head/A million dreams are keeping me awake/I think of what the world could be, a vision of the one I see/A million dreams is all it's gonna take/Oh, a million dreams for the world we're gonna make

Happy Leo Season, little lions! As always, whether you subscribe to astrology or not (like me), I hope this gave you some fun new music to listen to. See ya'll next week!