21 Songs I Wished I'd Written

It's a given - I love music - all kinds of music. Pop, Jazz, Rock, Gospel, Reggae, Country, Blues, Motown, and on and on and on . . . .

But some songs stand out to me. You know the ones I'm talking about. The ones that make you wish you'd written them because they capture exactly how you're feeling or what you wish you could've said.

In honor of songs like that, here's a list of the 21 songs I wished I'd written.

Enjoy

1. Taylor Swift "All Too Well"
The emotion Tay-Tay was able to capture in this song is close to genius. She managed to convey the highs and lows of a relationship in just a few verses and choruses.

2. Sam Smith "Not the Only One"
Whoever broke Sam Smith's heart is a total jerk and you can practically feel Sam's pain when you hear this song. He puts his heart and soul in each lyric.

3. Miranda Lambert "The House That Built Me"
This song hits really close to home for me (no pun intended) because it reminds me of my family. You never really notice how much a place shapes who you are until you leave it.

4. Charles Johnson & the Revivers "I Believe He Died for Me"
Some people may ask: Why do people believe in Jesus Christ when they haven't seen Him in the flesh and have only heard about the extraordinary things He did? The answer is simple. Just listen to this song. It basically says that even though I didn't see Jesus crucified or heard the people who mocked and rejected Him, I believe He died for me. Simple as that.

5. Tori Kelly "Dear No One"
Can I just say Tori Kelly is the bomb.com. Not only does she have a killer voice, but she writes the most honest lyrics I've heard in a while. This song introduced me to her music and I've been a fan ever since because it's sincere.

6. Adele "Somebody Like You"
Adele had been on the music scene for a while before this song was released, but I'd never paid her much attention until I heard her sing this song. The way she sang it and the lyrics touched me. There's so much longing and going back and forth in it. It captured the feeling of loving someone but knowing that you've gotta let them go and that's what makes it relatable.

7. Sugarland "Already Gone"
Sugarland is known for their high-energy fast tunes but every once and a while they release something really heartfelt. This song is about growing up and moving on, but keeping in mind that no matter how far you go you've gotta remember where you came from.

8. The Cure "Love Song"
I don't know how a goth-punk band did it, but they managed to write one of the most beautiful love songs ever. The lyrics describe how loving someone changes you and how not only do you become a different person but you kind of become a better one.

9. Michael Jackson "Man in the Mirror"
What I love about this song is that it makes you think. It's inspirational and honest and right to the point - situations change when individuals change.

10. Nick Jonas "Critical"
This one's another song about how love changes you but it goes a step further and describes just how drastic the change can be. Nick croons that he can't eat, he can't sleep, he can't do anything now because of the change this girl's made in his life - and it's critical.

11. OneRepublic "I Lived"
Ryan Tedder said in a interview that he actually wrote this song for his son and never intended to record it, but once his family and friends heard it they persuaded him to share it with the world and it certainly paid off. People go through the motions of life every day but how many actually live? This song reminds me that I should appreciate every experience that comes my way.

12. Brad Paisley & Allison Kraus "Whiskey Lullaby"
I was in middle school the first time I heard this song and it still gives me chills when I think about it. Allison Kraus has the voice of an angel and in this song she and Brad deliver the performance of a lifetime.  

13. The Temptations "I Wish It Would Rain"
This is probably the most depressing song on my list but I absolutely love it. It's a break up song so you know it's sad from the start but the lyrics capture that feeling of loss so perfectly that I had to include it.

14. Smokie Robinson & the Miracles "Tracks of My Tears"
Sometimes you come across songwriters who are good at their craft and other times you come across Smokie Robinson. He was - and still is - a songwriting master and "Tracks of My Tears" is no exception. It's sad because it's a break up song but it's mid-tempo rhythm keeps it from being depressing.

15. Louis Armstrong "What A Wonderful World"
I don't know what it is about Louis Armstrong but his music captured my heart and has yet to let it go. The simplicity of this song always makes me want to close my eyes and picture Mayberry (and for those of you who don't know what Mayberry is watch an Andy Griffith Show rerun).

16. Coldplay "Clocks"
For as long as I can remember this song has made me think of the ocean. Weird, huh? But it's one of my all-time favorite songs so I had to include it on this list. I wish I'd have written the chord progression more than the lyrics because it's just so hauntingly beautiful.

17. Paramore "The Only Exception"
Ever feel like you can make it on your own; that you don't need anyone's help? Well, apparently Hayley Williams felt the same way - that is, until she met New Found Glory's Chad Gilbert. They fell in love and she wrote this song.

18. The Crabb Family "Through the Fire"
How many of us have ever felt overwhelmed with life? Show of hands. Yup, I have too. But this song always reminds me that I serve a God who loves me and who'll get me through my struggles.

19. Blake Shelton "Ol' Red"
Whoever wrote this song is a songwriting/story-telling master. They took three minutes of song and painted a story worthy of a movie script. It's cheeky, it's clever, and it's one of the quirkiest song I've ever heard.

20. One Direction "Little Things"
This is the song that made me a One Direction fan. It's romantic, it's sweet, and it comes from the heart. The songwriter(s) was - or still is - madly in love with someone and he channeled his feelings beautifully in this song. For me, love isn't about a dozen roses or cards on Valentine's Day, it's about the feel of their hand in yours, the way they look at you like you're the only person in the room, the little things.

21. Tracey Chapman "Give Me One Reason To Stay Here"
I love this song simply because of the sassiness in Tracey Chapman's voice as she sings it. She sounds like a woman who knows her own mind and she's not afraid to speak it. The lyrics are very blunt and to the point -  a message of empowerment that basically gives a guy an ultimatum: love me or I'm gone.

So that's my 21 songs. Now it's your turn.

What song did you wish you would've written?