Now, the number one thing that you should remember is that as parents, you are your child’s first teacher. Fortunately for the parents, gone are the days when they would have to rely on flash cards or some old fashioned teaching tools to develop their child’s brains at an early age.

Today, you can use books, interactive games and similar tools to harness the brain power of your child. Naturally, you would like your kids to grow smart and able to handle anything that the world puts them up for later on – so it is better if you will start training your kids yourself.

So which baby books will make your kids smart? Take a look at our top 10 list of the books that you should read if you’re a parent who would like raise brainiac kids. The first half of the list contains books which parents can read to learn how to assist with their child’s motor, physical, mental and emotional development. Meanwhile, the second half of the list consists of books which parents can read to or read with their child.

• 10. “Ten Little Ladybugs” by: Melanie Gerth

  This story by Melanie Gerth was illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith and it’s the story of the ten little ladybugs that disappear one by one. Kids will have a lot of fun feeling for the three-dimensional ladybugs – while teaching them how to count, recognize colors and name the familiar creatures in the book’s illustrations.

  So what are you waiting for? Get a hold of these top 10 books that will assist with your children’s mental development – and raise your kid to be the smartest that they can be!

• 9. “Green Eggs and Ham” by: Dr. Seuss

  Another Dr. Seuss classic is the “Green Eggs and Ham” book which has a short story with rhythms, repetitions and it’s available in lift-the-flap-book format. Babies will have a blast using their little hands to see through the flaps – so they’ll have fun reading, learning and playing all at the same time.

• 8. “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” by: Dr. Seuss

  Authored by Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel, this book has lots of rhymes to keep a child engaged. It was actually first published in the 1960’s but until now, the book is still in publication, thanks to the riddles and the imaginative way that the author teaches children how to read. Even if you have a child who is below 3 years of age, this would still be a great addition to your collection of children’s books that can be used during bath time!

• 7. “The Big Red Barn” by: Margaret Wise Brown

  Margaret Wise Brown is a bestselling author of children’s books, and what makes “The Big Red Barn” stand out is the fact that everything about it will be loved by children of all ages. The vibrant colors showcase the stark difference between day and night, the details and the writing style is impeccable – it’s a children’s book classic that will allow your babies to calmly sleep as they grow their way into being smart kids.

• 6. “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by: Eric Carle

  There’s no better book to buy for your kid than something which is already considered to be a classic. This book by Eric Carle has sold more than 12 million copies and has been translated to 20 languages. For parents who haven’t read it to their kids yet – it’s about the journey of a caterpillar who becomes a butterfly. With bright colors and simple pictures, you can have your toddler count the number of snacks that the caterpillar had.

• 5. “How to Teach Your Baby to be Physically Superb: From Birth to Age Six (The Gentle Revolution)” by: Glenn Doman, Douglas Doman and Bruce Hagy

  Another edition in the Gentle Revolution series of books is “How to Teach Your Baby to be Physically Superb: From Birth to Age Six”. What the book will teach you is that the intellectual and physical development of your child are dependent on other. Parents are given methods and exercises on how to assist the physical development of a child depending on age.

• 4. “Baby Hearts: A Guide to Giving Your Child an Emotional Head Start” by: Susan Goodwyn, Ph. D. and Linda Acredolo, Ph. D.

  Naturally, if you want your child to have a well-balanced development, you shouldn’t focus on just the mental or intellectual aspect. There’s no use raising a brainiac child if they will grow up to be emotional wrecks later on in life. With “Baby Hearts”, what you will read about is how important it is to develop a close relationship with your child so that their personality, self-esteem and understanding of others – even at such a young age – will unfold.

• 3. “Einstein Never Used Flash Cards: How Our Children Really Learn – And Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less” by: Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Ph.D; Roberta Mihnick Golinkoff, Ph.D; Diane Eyer, Ph. D

  The authors of this popular book are child psychologists and the thrust of their child-rearing principles is to prove that hurrying a child’s mental development does not necessarily pay off. One of the most interesting theories taught by the authors is how to practice the 3R’s: Reflect, Resist and Recenter – and all these can be done through simple playtime.

• 2. “How Smart Is Your Baby? Develop and Nurture Your Newborn’s Full Potential (Gentle Revolution)” by: Glenn J. Doman, Janet Doman

  Gentle Revolution is a series of books on how children can be raised to reach their full potential. This particular book from authors Glenn and Janet Doman is actually an essential guide on how to enrich the first year of your baby’s life.

  As mentioned earlier, a child’s brain becomes fully developed by the time that the first year’s birthday is celebrated, and the book offers effective tips on how to maximize a child’s developmental stage.

• 1. “Smart-Wiring Your Baby’s Brain: What You Can Do to Stimulate Your Child during the First Three Years” by: Winifred Conkling

  What makes this one of the best baby books for parents who would like to raise smart children is the fact that Winifred Conkling author uses a straightforward yet compassionate language throughout.

  It’s an all-in-one guide for parents which include readable charts and timetables, as well as tips on how to encourage the development of a child in the following aspects: speech, language, movement and motor skills.

Let’s say that you would like to renew and enrich your faith as a Christian. The best way to get a head start in this spiritual quest is by getting a hold of a really good Christian book. By doing so, you will get to enjoy the following benefits:

• Get to know more about the word of God.
• Get a clarification on the religious issues which cause you to be confused.
• To get encouragement from the example of others.

The Top 5 Christian Books which are a Must-Have

Now, if you are wondering what other Christians are reading, here is a quick look at the top 5 Christian books which are considered to be a must-have in the religious community:

• 5. “How to Read a Christian Book” by: David L. McKenna

  Before adding any title to your must-read Christian books list, the “How to Read a Christian Book” is a great way to begin your spiritual journey. Here, author David L. McKenna teaches avid readers how to choose a good Christian book. As the title of his book implies, you will learn exactly how to read a Christian book – in the true sense of the word.

  Aside from learning how to choose a good Christian book, you will also learn how to gauge the quality of a good book, how to build your very own Christian books library, and more importantly, how you can read Christian books and turn your knowledge into a spiritual discipline.

  All in all, “How to Read a Christian Book” is a definite must-have for those who are just starting to build a library for themselves – check out this title before adding any more to your Christian books library collection.

• 4. “The Problem of Pain” by C.S. Lewis

  Pain is something that everyone has experienced at one point in their lives or another. The subject of this Christian book by C.S. Lewis is an especially useful one now that the world is suffering from an economic meltdown, a flurry of diseases and a host of other problems.

  On a more personal note, however, what this Christian book aims to do is answer the question on why God allows people to suffer through pain and suffering. C.S. Lewis is a master Christian apologist who believes that pain and suffering exists because of this selfish belief that most people have – which is that living a pain-free life means that God loves you more.

  This is in reality a thin book but it will take you quite a while before reaching the third chapter because there is so much food for thought to digest. True enough, C.S. Lewis’ “The Problem of Pain” is something that every Christian must read.

• 3. “It’s Not About Me: Rescue from the Life We Thought Would Make Us Happy” by: Max Lucado

  The author of “It’s Not About Me…” is an evangelical preacher. Since Max Lucado started writing books about God, he has developed a loyal following. So what is it exactly about this particular Christian book which makes it a must-have for every American?

  The problem in today’s world is that man never seems to be contented with whatever it is that he has. Rather than looking at what it is that you have, you tend to focus on the glaring lack of money, career opportunities, a loving spouse, and not having enough leisure time. Rather than having this thinking that the world revolves around me, myself and I, the book teaches people how to be less selfish.

  Despite the fact that you are participating in a rat race of a world, you should take the time to sit back and reflect on the things that you want in life.

• 2. “The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism” by: Timothy Keller

  The author of the book is Christian Keller who uses the styles of literary classics to get his message across. Keller is a founding pastor of the Presbyterian Church in New York and among the many principles that you will learn in this must-have Christian book is that there are alternate beliefs aside from Christianity.

  “The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism” is one of the best Christian books that you can ever have because it gives you a chance to re-evaluate the belief that you have as a Christian.

• 1. “The Purpose Driven Life” By: Rick Warren

  If thousands of people are to be believed, “The Purpose Driven Life” is one of the best – if not the best – Christian books out there. Divided into 40 chapters, the author does not suggest that you go through the entire chapter all at one time. Instead, the book should be read one meaningful chapter a day so that you can reflect on the chapter that you have read.

  What this Christian book helps you out with is explaining the purpose of your existence in this life. You will also learn how to please God, you will get tips on how to overcome your weaknesses and how you can strive to have an attitude which is not unlike that of Christ’s.

  As you can see, there is a variety of Christian books that you can take advantage of. Start your Christian library collection with these five titles and after reading through them, you can select the succeeding titles on your own. This is right after learning about what makes for a good Christian book – so that you can ensure that your Christian books library collection is excellent.

Naturally, your goal should be to make the plants grow healthy as they thrive in an environment where the soil is rich and there’s plenty of water and sunlight to ‘feed’ them.

If you’re one of those who consider gardening to be a chore, you might just change your mind when you learn about the benefits of this activity, which includes the following:

• Gardening is an activity which allows both the young adults and the elderly to get some
  serious workout through the lifting, digging, sowing and pruning that they need to do
• For those who are suffering from any illnesses, you can use gardening as a therapeutic activity to cure whatever is ailing you.
• From the fresh air that you will be breathing in, to the sense of being one with nature – gardening is an activity that will calm your mind and soothe your senses.
• If you’re planting herbal plants with a medicinal purpose, herbs for cooking or fruits and vegetables that are easy to grow, you will have a regular supply of fresh greens that will keep you healthy.
• Finally, gardening is an activity which helps develop your patience. In a world where everything seems to be almost instantaneous, it’s refreshing to know that there is an activity like gardening wherein you would need to wait for quite a long time before seeing the actual fruits of your labor. But once you see that first fruit, flower or when you see that your entire garden is healthy and continuously growing, the sense of satisfaction that you will feel is priceless.

The Top 5 Best Books for Tending to Your Garden

Now that you already have an idea about the many benefits that you will enjoy from gardening as an activity, let us countdown the top 5 best books for gardening:

• 5. “The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year-Round Vegetable Production Using Deep Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses” by: Eliot Coleman

  Okay, the title of the book may be a mouthful – but every word contained in the succeeding chapters of this comprehensive gardening book is worth a read. Even homemaker goddess Martha Stewart herself has only good things to say about Eliot Coleman’s book.

  It’s chockfull of tips on how to choose locally grown organic food and grow them even during the harshest weather of the year: winter. Growing a garden may not be something that a newbie at this activity will attempt, but that’s exactly where the charm of the book comes from.

  Once you successfully manage to grow a garden in the harsh of winter, you will be able to do it during the milder seasons of the year.

• 4. “Creative Vegetable Gardening” by: Joy Larkcom

  Despite the fact that you are planning to grow a food-producing vegetable garden, there is absolutely no need to sacrifice its aesthetic beauty. That is exactly what Joy Larkcom’s “Creative Vegetable Gardening” book is all about.

  The author believes that no matter what size of a vegetable garden it is that you wish to grow, it can be as pretty as a conventional flowering garden. Like an artist, you will be able to combine beautiful textures with a slew of lovely colors in growing a gorgeous beautiful garden, without compromising the productivity of the vegetables that you will plant.

• 3. “On Guerilla Gardening: A Handbook for Gardening without Boundaries” by: Richard Reynolds

  If you live in a small apartment, you might not even consider growing a garden in your home, but reading Richard Reynold’s book might just convince you otherwise. “Let’s fight the filth with forks and flowers” is an apt description of how the author manages to convince the readers to make a pastime out of gardening other people’s plots.

  It’s literally a book about guerilla gardening which delightfully guides you through a guerilla gardening movement which was started by the likes of Mao Tse-Tung and Che Guevarra. Whether your goal is to grow food or grow plants to beautify your surroundings, you can definitely do so – and do it beautifully, no matter how shabby the place you are planning to convert into a garden.

• 2. “Salad Leaves for All Seasons: Organic Growing from Pot to Plot” by: Charles Dowding

  The cover of this book looks green and sumptuous enough to eat, but wait until you get to read its content. In “Salad Leaves for All Seasons: Organic Growing from Pot to Plot”, Charles Dowding will teach you how to live a healthy and beautiful life by eating a serving of salad a day – which you have grown yourself.

  Whether it’s a windowsill or a full-fledged garden, the book will teach you how to grow the greenest of leaves which are used for salads. There’s even a bonus of some excellent recipes so that you can truly produce and consume your own food. Dowding’s garden book deserves a spot in our list because it is well-written and the advice is as practical as you can get.

• 1. “The Garden Primer: Second Edition” by: Barbara Damroch

  It all starts with the basics – and whether you’re already an expert handling the shovel or if you haven’t touched garden soil ever before, Barbara Damroch’s “The Garden Primer” book is the best gardening book to help develop your gardening skills.

  It’s basically a gardening encyclopedia minus the fancy terms. Chicago Tribune calls Barbara Damrosch an author who “delivers the goods”, and she really does. The 820-page book tells you about the principles of landscape design, what your plants really need, which gardening gear you should be wearing and how to choose which plants to grow in your garden.

  There you have it, our top 5 list of the best books for tending your garden. These are all great reads that will make you forget the fact that you think of gardening as a chore. Instead, this almost therapeutic activity will be something that you’ll grow to love, because of the gardening skills and knowledge that you will develop along the way.

So if you want to properly raise your child, how can you educate yourself if you don’t have time to attend ‘Parenting 101’ classes? Perhaps the next best thing that you can do is educate yourself with the help of parenting books.

A Multitude of Benefits from Reading Parenting Books

Before counting down the best parenting books which are considered to be essential must-reads for all the moms and dads out there, let us first check on the advantages that you will have when reading one.

Here is a quick look at the benefits that you will get to enjoy when reading books about parenting:

• Instead of focusing on what you are doing wrong as a parent, these books will teach you how to respect the rights of your children while in turn teaching them to respect their own rights as individuals.
• You will feel more confident about how you can improve your parenting skills because these books are written by experts in the field who are parents themselves.
• Reading parenting books are a great way to invest in your personal growth as well as your child’s future.

The Top 5 Most Essential Parenting Books that Every Mom & Dad Should Buy

Whether you’re awaiting the arrival of your first baby, or if you’re already a parent of a young child who is looking for some tips on how to raise your child properly, here are the top 5 most essential parenting books that you should read:

• 5. “What Mothers Do Especially When It Looks Like Nothing” by: Naomi Stadlen

  This is not your run-of-the-mill parenting manual which teaches you how to ‘force’ an eleven-month old baby to sleep through the night. Instead, Naomi Stadlen’s book is gentle yet revolutionary in the sense that it goes beyond the basic skills that a mother should have on how to take care of her child.

  As a psychotherapist, the thrust of “What Mothers Do…” lies in the principle that it is rarely necessary to tell a mother what it is that she needs to do. It may be a slow and often difficult process, but a mother can learn how to trust her child and herself for her to naturally acquire the skills needed to care for her offspring. All in all, the book teaches parents – especially mothers – how that quality ‘quiet’ time spent with the baby is one of the best ways to match the pace by which their babies live.

• 4. “How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk” by: Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish

  Perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of a parent-child relationship is how they can effectively communicate with each other – which means that one listens while the other one talks. This is exactly what is being taught in the book “How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk” by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.

  This parenting book is actually based on a series of workshops developed by the two authors and the subject is how to improve relationships within a household. If you’re having problems connecting with your child, communicating with your child or you don’t know how to make your child actually listen to you, then this parenting book which is applicable to any relationship is jus the answer that you are looking for.

• 3. “Scream Free Parenting: The Revolutionary Approach to Raising Your Kids by Keeping Your Cool” by: Hal Runkel

  If you already have a chaotic household especially in the mornings when everyone has to prepare for work and school, how exactly do you keep your cool if one of the kids are being difficult? With this book by Hal Runkel who is a licensed family and marriage therapist, you will learn how to focus less on your child’s behavior and focus more on yours: and how you as a parent react to your child’s behavior.

  New principles like ‘judo parenting’ are taught in “Scream Free Parenting” – which basically involves going with your child’s momentum. The author shares that even at a young age, you can allow your child to make his or her own decisions and live with the consequences later on.

• 2. “Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care: 8th Edition” by: Benjamin Spock

  Your own parents and grandparents may have a copy of an older edition of a Dr. Spock parenting book – and this is the new generation’s version of it. “Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care: 8th Edition” parenting book has been fully revised and expanded for today’s parents.

  It includes everything that you need to know as a parent, from developing the basic skills that you have as a parent to complex topics like how to raise autistic children or what you need to know about international adoption. New parents will find the book especially helpful because it just plain makes parenting a lot easier.

• 1. “The Mother of All Parenting Books: The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Happy, Healthy Child from Preschool through Preteens” by: Ann Douglas

  What better way is there to cap off our list of than with “The Mother of All Parenting Books”? As the title suggests, this essential parenting book penned by Ann Douglas can serve as your ultimate guide on how to raise a happy, healthy child from preschool through their preteen years. After going through the rigors of rearing a young child, the next stage that both the child and the parents undergo is their preschool years and the more difficult teen and preteen years.

  Ann Douglas’ book is a comprehensive guide on what you need to know about kids of this age, how they usually respond to your disciplining ways and how you can choose the best course of action depending on the ‘parenting emergency’ situation that you find yourself in.

  By reading these five essential parenting books, you can arm yourself with as much knowledge as you need on how you can raise your child from being a happy and healthy baby to being a well-adjusted kid.

Aside from the classic poetry books, every year, there’s a standout collection of contemporary poems written by budding poets which are being published. Have you had a chance you to check them out? If not, read on to find out some of the most beautiful contemporary poetry books that you might have skipped out on reading.

A Collection of the Top 6 Best Contemporary Poetry Books

Here, we will take a look at some of the most beautiful contemporary poetry books which were published between 2004 and 2009, some of which you might not even have heard of but are still worth reading:

• 6. Turning to Fiction: Poems” By: Donna Masini

  Billy Collins describes Donna Masini’s poetry book as “A virtuoso conductor of the orchestra of the broken heart.” That sentence is as apt a description as you can get about the author’s poetry collection. That sex is often adulterous, that heartbreak morphs into human loss and that the loss of a lover leads Masini to Jane Eyre – these are just a few tidbits on how the lines of Masini’s poems manage to capture the heart and imagination of her readers through her poems.

• 5. “What Is This Thing Called Love: Poems” by: Kim Addonizio

  Charming and unashamed – these are the two best words to describe the modern free verse poetry of author Kim Addonizio. This is already her fourth venture in writing a collection of verses and the “What Is This Thing Called Love: Poems” is as modern as you can get.

  The subjects of the book range from the sex, to mourning, to how difficult it is to raise a daughter. As one reviewer succinctly puts it, this is probably the only book published in its year where every poem rocks.

  Going through the pages of this little treasure of a book, you would see that the poems are divided into sections: Section 1 – Sex; Section 2 – Death/Sickness/Old Age; Section 3 – Birth/Human Nature; Section 4 – Decadence; Section 5 – Writing Poetry/Creation. Smart, sassy, youthful and unapologetic, Kim Addonizio’s poetry book is as ‘rock’ as poetry gets.

• 4. “The Maverick Room: Poems” by: Thomas Sayers Ellis

  If you’re looking for a classic-sounding poetry book which has a contemporary feel to it, then you will love “The Maverick Room: Poems” by Thomas Sayers Ellis. The author already has two poetry books under his name, “Groovallegiance” and “All their Stanzas Look Alike”.

  Much like his first two attempts at writing a poetry book, the techniques used by Sayers-Ellis works – his thoughts are that of an intellectual, his language gritty. The title of the book is that of a club and you probably can’t resist the way that he wants you to participate in his prose with lines like “Raise your hands. Holler at me!”

  True enough, contemporary poetry will not be an interesting without the likes of Sayers-Ellis who manages to make you feel, taste and almost hear the sentiment behind his poems.

• 3. “Teahouse of the Almighty: Poems” by: Patricia Smith

  Published by Coffee House Press in 2006, this book is a collection of poems from a woman whose last work was released 13 years before this one came out. Ed Sanders is the man who chose the pieces for the collection and he said that he was weeping for the beauty of the author’s poetry when he reached the end of the final poem.

  “Teahouse of the Almighty: Poems” is actually a Coffee House National Poetry winner, showing just how much of an artist the author is in every sense of the word. Some of the topics that she touches on include sex and sexuality, her heritage, the ‘trouble with the blues’, the joys and pains of being a mother. The depth by which she knits languages to produce poetry in this book is such an experience that will surely touch your heart.

• 2. “National Anthem” by: Kevin Prufer

  Should politics and poetry mix? In this collection of poems by Kevin Prufer, that definitely seems to be the case. His work is almost a personal journal of his views about life, love, politics and the beauty of the world around. One of the most interesting pieces in his “National Anthem” collection is his depiction of the life in contemporary America, wherein a boy is locked in the trunk of a car, refusing to die.

  Shockingly true with gripping language and bald descriptions, “National Anthem” is a must-have book for everybody who wants to know the true place of politics in poetry.

• 1. “Collected Poems” by: Michael Donaghy

  The author of this poetry book, Michael Donaghy, may have passed away in 2004, but the beauty of his poetry lives on. His “Collected Poems” book was published about five years after his passing. According to poet-critic Sean O-Brien, Michael Donaghy is seen as one of the representative poets of the age and the publication of this book is a feat in modern literature. What you will get out of this book is a collection of his more ‘mature’ poems, full texts from his four published volumes, and a number of uncollected pieces.

  If you have missed out reading most of these poetry books, then you might want to make it a habit to update your reading list. This is especially true when it comes to poetry – because there’s always a budding poet who will manage to sneak into your heart, mind and soul through the language used in the prose.

Coldplay is an acquired taste. Their music is enjoyable to some and unpalatable to others. Some even find them downright annoying. What cannot be denied, however, is that through the quality of their music, the band’s social activism and their refusal to compromise their artistry by allowing their songs to be used by commercial groups, Coldplay has rightfully won its place in music history.

What do we consider to be the best songs that Coldplay came up with? Here is our list of nine.

• 9. “Green Eyes” (A Rush of Blood to the Head, 2002)

  A Rush of Blood to the Head, the sophomore album of Coldplay, is often argued to be one of the best compilation that the band has recorded so far. One of the prettiest songs in the album is “Green Eyes.” It is a love song delivered with the stirrings of traditional folk and country styles, reminiscent of Johnny Cash and maybe Gordon Lightfoot. The melody is simple and the lyrics straightforward, but the entire song is just trembling with longing and passion. It can haunt you as it plays through your head.

• 8. “Speed of Sound” (X&Y, 2005)

  “The Speed of Sound,” melodically speaking, is very pleasant to listen to. It is heavy on the piano and heavy on the synth, but it will definitely leave you with a lightness of feeling after listening to it. The lyrics of the song are another matter. You either love it or hate it, but rare would be the person who ever gets what it really means. It is so vague and metaphoric.

• 7. “Trouble” (Parachutes, 2000)

  “Trouble” can leave you in two minds when you listen to it. Either you hate it for going over the top in its sentimentality, or you love it for the depth and passion the song makes you feel in the pit of your gut. Or you can simply be bored to death with it. The beauty of the song, however, lies in the simplicity of the melody, with the rhythm more heavy on side of the piano and the drums than the guitar. If you do not care about the lyrics of the song, you will find yourself lulling peacefully to the instrumentals.

• 6. “Fix You” (X&Y, 2005)

  The song “Fix You” is an attempt by Coldplay to produce an inspirational and anthemic song. The lyrics revolve around the message “Lights will guide you home/And ignite your bones/And I will try to fix you.” The song was reported to be inspired by the London bombing incident in July 2005, but when he was asked about it, Chris Martin said he wrote the song as a pick-me-up for his wife, the actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

  “Fix You” can surprise you when you listen to it. It has a church-orchestra feel to it that goes quiet and slow at the first part, so slow that it can sound boring if you are just listening to the song casually. Then it starts to soar with all the sounds from the organ, the piano, the drums and the guitars all coming in.

• 5. ­“The Scientist” (A Rush of Blood to the Head, 2002)

  Again, like many of Coldplay’s songs, the melody of “The Scientist” is simple, a blending of piano and light drums and light guitar strumming. But this simplicity is more deceiving than what you may think as it tends to underscore the drama of the lyrics more than ever.

  And what are the lyrics of “The Scientist” about? You can read it in a number of ways, but it is most probably about a man deploring the loss of his love and his reflection of what he had done to make her go away. The song connects to you somehow and Chris Martin’s falsetto unfailingly brings up the image of someone crying to himself in the middle of the night.

• 4. “Violet Hill” (Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, 2008)

  “If you love me, won’t you let me know?” is the central question around which the song “Violet Hill is built. Chris Martin’s persona asks the woman he loves to be more honest about her feelings because he does not “want to be a soldier who the captain of some sinking ship would stow far below.”

  But this song is not just a simple love story. It is a protest against war, especially a war that no one really wants and where the soldiers are just forced to fight it for the sake of their leader’s twisted principles. “Violet Hill” is faster and angrier than many of Coldplay’s songs.

• 3. “Clocks” (A Rush of Blood to the Head, 2002)

  It is hard to describe “Clocks” in terms of melody. The piano riffs are simple and sparse when heard alone, but when the guitars and the drums join in, the overall sound becomes quite rich. It is quick in tempo, as if to underline the urgency conveyed in the song, but the slow parts seem to remind you of the irony of the lyrics where the persona of the singer is stuck in a place where he knows he must leave but does not have the desire to go.

• 2. “Yellow” (Parachutes, 2000)

  As it is with most of the songs in Coldplay’s debut album, “Yellow” has simple lyrics and simple melodies, but with the simplicity only underscoring the depth of the harmony of the song. What makes “Yellow” so loveable is that it is a straightforward song – the message is not confounded by metaphor. A man sings of whom he loves and how he would do anything for that person he loves.

• 1. “In My Place” (A Rush of Blood to the Head, 2002)

  If you listen to this song and you are in either a sentimental or nostalgic mood, you may find yourself crying to this song. It is not that “In My Place” is depressing to listen to; it is more like the simplicity of the melody and of the lyrics seem to underline the passion and the despair conveyed by the song.

  You can read through the lyrics anyway you please. You can be metaphorical about it and say that the song is about being lost in a society that harbors loneliness. Or you can take it down to a less complicated level and say that it is the story of a man singing his despair for a woman he loves but does not love him back.

Whatever image comes to your mind about Radiohead, one thing is clear. Despite the obscure beginning of the band, Radiohead rose up the charts to become one of Britain’s most influential alternative rock bands. They set trends that became standards for other bands to follow.

Which are Radiohead’s best songs of all time? Here is our list of nine.

• 9. “Optimistic” (Kid A, 2000)

  “Optimistic” is one of Radiohead’s commercial successes, as it is one of its three songs that reached the Top 10 on Billboard. It is also very eclectic in the way the band sampled many musical genres and combined it in one track. There is the grunge and electronic feel that you would expect from any Radiohead song, but it ends with bluesy-jazzy notes. The song is slow, though a bit more upbeat than most of Radiohead’s early work.
  

• 8. “2+2=5” (Hail to the Thief, 2003)

  “2+2=5” is a very odd song. It begins with a slow and steady melody, with vocals on how one tries to change the world. Then it suddenly changes tempo and jerks you around and around and around until you are dizzy with it. And then the song drops into silence and leaves you hanging.

• 7. “Pyramid Song” (Amnesiac, 2001)

  The “Pyramid Song” is another departure from Radiohead’s original sound – this one is more driven by piano and drums rather than guitars, and also includes an orchestral symphony. The song sounds very light and very surreal. The lyrics to the song are also very enigmatic. According to reports, Radiohead took references from the Divine Comedy written by Dante.

• 6. “Scatterbrain (As Dead as Leaves)”

  (Hail to the Thief, 2003). “Scatterbrain” sounds different from most Radiohead songs in that it makes less use of guitars and the focus is more on the experimental weavings they made with electronic. It is also reminiscent of John Lennon’s sound post-Beatles.

  Though lighter in beat and melody than many of Radiohead’s songs, “Scatterbrain” is probably one of their sadder and more sonorous tracks. The song is an elegy, a song about the death of society in general.

• 5. “Karma Police” (OK Computer, 1997)

  The song sounds reminiscently like The Beatles. This is not surprising, given that Radiohead was inspired to make the song by The Beatles’ “Sexy Sadie,” and the song even carries similar riffs.

  “Karma Police” is almost akin to classical rock but with a modern twist. It is somewhat easier to listen to compared to “Paranoid Android” or “My Iron Lung,” although it still retains the heavy beats that is signature to all Radiohead tracks. The slowness, though reminiscent of “Creep,” is not at all that mournful.

• 4. “Paranoid Android” (OK Computer, 1997)

  “Paranoid Android” is Radiohead’s highest charting track. Many music critics also believe that it is the most ambitious song that the band ever came up with. To say that it is complex is a huge understatement because the song combines four different sections in totally different tempos, the melodies rising and falling as they run along and then leaving the listener high and dry and wanting more.

  Despite the depressing lyrics and tone of the song, “Paranoid Android” is reputed to be a joke on the part of the band, probably to poke fun at the way their sound is somewhat perceived by the general public. It takes its name from Marvin the Paranoid Android in Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

• 3. “My Iron Lung” (The Bends, 1995)

  “My Iron Lung” is everything that “Creep” was not. It is abrupt, syncopated and rough compared to the slow and monotonic melody of Radiohead’s greatest hit. But this does not mean that “My Iron Lung” is not as cool as “Creep.” It is cool in a totally different way.

  What is great about “My Iron Lung” is that it marks a change in Radiohead’s musical style. Here is where they start incorporating an electronic edge into their sound, and it was done so smoothly in this song. The lyrics are also superb – an obvious expression of how Radiohead felt stifled by the success of “Creep.”

• 2. “High and Dry” (The Bends, 1995)

  Radiohead followed up their success with “Creep” with The Bends’ “High and Dry.” Though it was initially slated for the Pablo Honey album, the band decided not to put the song there because it did not fit with the rest of the songs in the album. Ironically, although “High and Dry” is one of the band’s most recognisable pop hits, the band is said to hate it and refuses to play it live.

  The attitude Radiohead has taken to this unwanted child of theirs is quite understandable. “High and Dry” is safe, comfortable and somewhat like bubblegum, but it cannot be denied that the drum-and-guitar melodies are still remarkable.

• 1. “Creep” (Pablo Honey, 1993)

  “Creep” is the song that made the band – it is Radiohead’s first single off their debut album. The song can be called a sleeper hit. It was a flop at first release in the United Kingdom because it was seen as too depressing to play, but it gained a surprise following abroad. “Creep” remains Radiohead’s most loved and biggest selling song of all time.

  The appeal of “Creep” is that it gave voice to the millions of young people out there who could not express their feelings to the ones they love out of fear and lack of self-confidence. The despair in that song, delivered in the almost monotone strumming of the guitar and rising in fevered pitches towards the chorus and the bridge of the song, is echoing and haunting.

Without further ado, here is our paltry attempt at what we think are the best of the Beatles’ songs, based on their general appeal.

• 13. “Something” (Abbey Road, 1969)

  “Something,” the first song written by George Harrison to land on the A-side of a Beatles album, is very tender and very sentimental. The voice it uses is so common that it is almost like telling your friends over a few cans of beer that there is this girl you like and you do not know how to approach her. It is also one of the most covered songs of the band, right next to “Yesterday.”

• 12. “Here, There and Everywhere” (Revolver, 1966)

  “Here, There and Everywhere” is definitely one of the most beautiful love songs ever written. Paul McCartney both wrote and sang the song. It may be quite cheerful to listen to, but it underplays the bittersweet sentimentality of the lyrics. It is like listening to your best friend, one whom you have known since childhood, tell you that he/she has been in love with you for as long as he/she remembers.

• 11. “Here Comes the Sun” (Abbey Road, 1969)

  “Here Comes the Sun” is a somewhat bubblegum-like song written by George Harrison, sometimes read as an expression of Harrison’s relief from being able to come out alive and on top during the horrible times he had in 1969. In that year, Harrison had his tonsils taken out, was made to go on leave from the band and had to go into rehab for drug abuse. The relief can be felt in the optimism and upbeat tune of the song.

• 10. “Help!” (Help! 1965)

  John Lennon was reported to have said that “Help!” was one of the two songs he ever wrote for the band that he considered to be authentic Beatles. The song may sound cheerful at first, but you will actually come to feel the frantic and desperate cry underneath that layer of cheerfulness if you listen to the song closely.

• 9. “Eight Days a Week” (Beatles for Sale, 1964)

  “Eight Days a Week” is such a fun song to listen to, with the upbeat and danceable tempo accompanied by handclaps. Though it is a love song, it may be hard to take it seriously if one is a girl. It is a fun song, but it is too cheeky to be taken as a serious declaration of love.

• 8. “The Long and Winding Road” (Let It Be, 1969)

  A song written and sung by Paul McCartney, “The Long and Winding Road” is the last single to be released by the Beatles as a band. It also has an interesting history, given that the oversealous treatment that producer Phil Specter gave the song despite McCartney’s protests was cited as one of the reasons why the band broke up. Melodically, it is another melancholy song by the Beatles that leaves you both haunted and hoping.

• 7. “Yesterday” (Help!, 1965)

  Another sentimental and nostalgic song written by Paul McCartney, it is the one Beatles song that was most covered by other artists, including the likes of Frank Sinatra, Matt Monro, Ray Charles and Elvis Presley. It is so easy to fall in love with this song because it echoes the regret felt when letting someone go, an emotion that everyone feels every once in a while.

• 6. “In My Life” (Rubber Soul, 1965)

  For quite a nostalgic and sentimental song, “In My Life” is rather upbeat and cheerful. Its happy notes are catchy and the song itself makes you think of the good times that happened in the past and of the people you shared it with.

• 5. “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (The Beatles, 1968)

  Despite the huge tensions that were ripping through the Beatles in their latter years, they managed to experiment with various genres and incorporated them in their own sound. “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” is one of those songs, a trippy attempt by the Beatles at ska, and even though John Lennon hated it, he came up with that awesome piano section at the beginning of the song.

• 4. “Day Tripper” (Past Masters, Volume Two, 1965)

  You may not care about the lyrics of this song, although they are quite good, but you cannot deny that the Beatles were at the top of their game with this song. The guitar riffs were just amasing – pure rock and pure Beatles at their best.

• 3. “I Am the Walrus” (Magic Mystery Tour, 1967)

  John Lennon’s “I Am the Walrus” is a really trippy song, not just because of the fact that it was reputed to be written partially during a couple of acid trips that Lennon had. If people thought “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” was weird and nonsensical, one wonders what they thought about “I Am the Walrus.” In this song, the Beatles managed to merge a couple of different and seemingly syncopated melodies and made it work magically.

• 2. “Whilst My Guitar Gently Weeps” (The Beatles, 1968)

  If you do not weep at this song the first time you hear it, you may have to question where your heart really is. The guitar literally weeps a haunting melody here, and the profoundness of the lyrics written by George Harrison is just amasing. The guitar solo in this song is reputed to be written and played by Eric Clapton.

• 1. “Hey, Jude” (Past Masters, Volume Two, 1968)

  An uplifting melody with so many layers to it and with many different ways of reading into it – that is what the song “Hey, Jude” is. It is very comforting and if you listen to it on a gloomy day, you can actually see the grayness lifting off you. Paul McCartney truly achieved his purpose in this song, which is to comfort young Julian Lennon when his parents John and Cynthia Lennon divorced.

So, what are the best songs the Rolling Stones have been able to dish out to us so far? Here are our picks.

• 13. “Shine a Light” (Exile on Main St., 1972)

  It is probably a huge cosmic coincidence that Mick Jagger’s surname rhymes with “swagger,” but you would not hear his usual swagger and posturing in this song. This song, done in the blues-gospel style, is clean and straightforward. Jagger’s swagger would be so out of place in this song anyhow since it is about drug addiction, specifically about the erratic behavior of a former bandmate, Brian Jones.

• 12. “Ruby Tuesday” (Flowers, 1967)

  There are many theories as to who wrote “Ruby Tuesday” and who does the song refer to. But it is another nostalgic Rolling Stones song with a simple but haunting melody. It talks about a girl that the persona of the singer cannot hold down or make her stay simply because her spirit is so free and that she does not belong to anyone.

• 11. “Wild Horses” (Sticky Fingers, 1971)

  Some say that “Wild Horses” is the best rock ballad ever sung by the Rolling Stones, though many fans of “Angie” may beg to differ. The song is slow and very sad, with the underpinnings of country and folk rhythms. The lyrics capture the pain felt by a person asking the one he/she loves to hold on to the relationship in the light of hardships and fading dreams.

• 10. “Beast of Burden” (Some Girls, 1978)

  A mellow, bluesy-jazzy song, “Beast of Burden” has a slow tempo that is quite a contrast to the other fast tunes on Slow Girls. But Mick Jagger’s vocals here are impeccable and the guitar duet between Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood is truly hair-raising. The song is about a guy begging the woman he is wooing to stop being a teasing bitch and let him love her if that is what she really wanted.

• 9. “Sympathy for the Devil” (Beggars Banquet, 1968)

  “Sympathy for the Devil” is a very danceable samba tune, with the rhythms of the guitar and the percussions blending beautifully with Mick Jagger’s pitchy falsetto. The upbeat melody acts like a mask to the darkness of the lyrics, with the band taking on the point of view of the Devil in describing some of the tragic events of the world’s history.

• 8. “Angie” (Goats Head Soup, 1973)

  The end of a love affair is always a bad one, even though the parting was mutual and done in good terms. “Angie” talks about the pain and the sadness associated with that parting, but goes on to add that the parting may be the best thing to do at that point. The lyrics are poignant and Jagger’s vocals curl around the song so much that you can feel it curling around you too.

• 7. “I’m Free” (More Hot Rocks, 1972)

  This song is literally an anthem to freedom. Aside from blatantly declaring that “I’m free to do what I want,” the Rolling Stones are playing liberally with traditional country and blues. Mick Jagger’s voice is rough and edgy, exuding that aloof and you-can’t-have-me vibe.

• 6. “Happy” (Exile on Main St., 1972)

  The title says it all. “Happy” is a really happy tune, with the drums keeping the beat and the electric guitars and the trumpets piping in at the chorus. It is a very jumpy song and it belongs to Keith Richards, both vocally and in writing.

• 5. “Start Me Up” (Tattoo You, 1981)

  Even without the sexually suggestive lyrics, “Start Me Up” is a very sexy song. It starts up hot with Keith Richards’ signature riff and just soars way up from there. By the time Mick Jagger starts growling towards the end of the song, you would already be burning. “You can make a dead man come” indeed.

• 4. “Ventilator Blues” (Exile on Main St., 1972)

  “Ventilator Blues” must be one of the most complicated tracks ever produced by the Rolling Stones. The various instruments used in the song – piano, saxophone, trumpet, guitars – come together to produce a rhythm that feels a lot like tense wire just waiting to snap. Despite the complex melodies produced by the song, it comes up in true, albeit tightly closed up, harmony and brings the Rolling Stones back to its bluesy roots.

• 3. “Moonlight Mile” (Sticky Fingers, 1971)

  In “Moonlight Mile,” the Rolling Stones give us a glimpse of the loneliness of being a rock star always on the road. You are always surrounded by strangers and so far away from everything that is familiar to you. This is Mick Jagger singing really stripped down, with a pure and raw emotion that is just sad and nostalgic altogether.

• 2. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (Hot Rocks, 1972)

  “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” is easily the most recognisable Rolling Stones song. Most people who are not that familiar with the discography of the Rolling Stones are at least aware of this song. This is Mick Jagger at one of his sexiest, all swagger and rough vocals.

• 1. “Waiting on a Friend” (Tattoo You, 1981)

  The saxophone solo in this song is simply wonderful. It is kind of hard to imagine Mick Jagger singing wistfully of friendship when he is more known for his masculine prancing, but there he is, extolling the beauty of friendship over the pleasure of being with a woman. The song, with its lighthearted and jazzy notes, is so sweet and endearing.

What makes Metallica a truly phenomenal band is the fact that its music evolves and the people that make up the band are not afraid to explore the limits of their music. Metallica’s sound in its early years was fast, aggressive and loud, typical of the thrash metal genre. However, it has long since crossed borders, focusing not just on thrash metal but also blues and hard rock.

Which songs from Metallica’s compilation can be considered as their best seven songs of all time? Here is a list we compiled.

• 7. “…And Justice for All” (…And Justice for All, 1988)

  It was 1988 and it was two years after the tragic death of Cliff Burton in an accident, when the Metallica tour bus tipped over and pinned him. It was the first album that Metallica released since the tragedy and you can feel the anger in the nihilistic lyrics of the title song. Though unconfirmed, it was said that this anger and this negative view towards the justice system was a result of the needless death of the band’s resident bass genius.

  It is also a very long and very ambitious song. Clocking in at just a few seconds under ten minutes, “…And Justice for All” features shifting moods, alternating between clean rhythms and just angry beats – a true head-banger and heart-thumper.

• 6. “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (Ride the Lightning, 1985)

  The song, a work from the early days of Metallica when the band’s original bassist Cliff Burton was still alive, is a nod to Ernest Hemingway’s novel For Whom the Bell Tolls, but the storytelling in this song is nowhere near as refined as it is in the novel.

  But you would not listen to this song for its lyrics anyhow. You would listen to it for its mad, mad riffs both at the beginning and at the end of the song. Through this song, the late Cliff Burton showed the world through this song that he is a genius when it comes to the bass guitar. Never mind the nonsense of the lyrics, just listen to your heart thump wildly as you listen to the guitar-and-drum instrumentals that start and end the song.

• 5. “Sad But True” (Metallica, 1991)

  Reportedly inspired by Anthony Hopkins’ schizophrenic character in the 1978 movie Magic, “Sad But True” is a song about someone suffering from dissociative identity disorder. The story told in that song is narrated from the point of view of an evil personality; the tale conveyed is disturbing but eerily poetic.

  Aside from the eerie poetry of the song’s lyrics, the song is made more marvelous by the tight and angry riffs created by Kirk Hammett. You get to enjoy this even more in the minute-long guitar solo that neatly divides the song into two sections.

• 4. “Nothing Else Matters” (Metallica, 1991)

  Being in love and being separated from one’s beloved is not a typical subject for any song of any heavy metal band. And yet, here is Metallica with “Nothing Else Matters,” probably the only love song in their discography. The story goes that James Hetfield was supposed to have composed it for a girlfriend and did not really want to publish the song. Nonetheless, the track made it to the Metallica album.

  It is not a trippy-happy love song, however. “Nothing Else Matters” is a rather slow and mournful song, a departure from the fast and furious melodies that are staples with Metallica’s music. It is nonetheless very stirring and very creative, a true masterwork.

• 3. “The Unforgiven” (Metallica, 1991)

  “The Unforgiven” is the first song composed by Metallica that reveals the band’s versatility and capacity to cross boundaries in genres. The basic heavy metal rhythm that is uniquely Metallica’s is still there, but one cannot say that it is a strictly heavy metal song. It has a blues feel to it, and it has a slow and heavy tempo.

  The narrative of the story in the lyrics is also exquisite. There is angst and anger – two of the emotions that define heavy metal and thrash metal – but it is more subtle and less violent. It nonetheless underlies the intensity of the emotions carried through by the song.

• 2. “Enter Sandman” (Metallica, 1991)

  This is arguably one of the most recognisable songs of Metallica. It is the band’s first foray into the mainstream, and although the band retains its heavy metal roots in the song, it is almost pop enough to be palatable to non-fans of heavy metal.

  With most of the band’s early work more oriented towards really mad guitar riffs, “Enter Sandman” marks Metallica’s slight tweaking of their original sound. With this song, the band becomes more focused on the bass and on the drums. The lyrics are also simple enough to understand with one pass, and yet they do not lose their complexity of meaning – which is about nightmares and the fear they generate.

• 1. “One” (…And Justice for All, 1988)

  Based on the novel and the movie Johnny Got His Gun, “One” must be the Metallica song where the imagery is most vivid. It tells of a person imprisoned in his own body and with his own thoughts for company, having been injured horribly so that he lost all his limbs and his capacity to see, hear, speak or even smell. All he feels is pain and he cries out to God for death.

  The song is fast, aggressive and horrific in a positive way. Most of the members of Metallica’s fandom claim this song to be the one that sticks most closely to your memory. The song also marks a lot of firsts for the band; for this song, Metallica won its first Grammy Award and its first spot on the Billboard Top 40.