5 chill-inducing songs

There is a physical sensation I get from a really good song, or part of a song, that I refer to as "the chills". I can never figure out exactly when it's going to happen, because even with these songs it doesn't most of the time. The chills are first felt as the hairs on the back of my neck standing up, then they move down my back and the length of my upper arms. The feeling is a more extreme high then I've felt before. Sometimes I seek out this feeling, which might be part of why I rarely get interested in new music. Here are the songs which have made me feel this way more often than any others, and are most consistent in inducing chills=

-Nine inch nails, "the great below"

This is a song with an amazingly apt nautical feeling, like a cold beach at night. the songs string plucking, deliberate and delicate because of probably being done by trent reznor while on valium, is enough to give chills at first. Then, the climax lyrically, as the singer screams "as I descend from grace... in arms of undertow... I will take my place... " at this point, I typically already have light chills. Then the finish "In the great below", the music drops out, then comes back in, half-intense, before the phrase is complete. At this point, my previous chills "explode" into a deeper single chill. amazing...

-Beck, "nicotine and gravy"

What is essentially a silly song is very impressive musically. First chills might be experienced when the bass line and drums drop in, which are low and slow enough to be accompanied while performing a drive by in a car with hydraulics. The listener, at this point, feels like a total bad-ass, wether he is or not(he's probably not). The song chugs along in the same mood, unassuming, and somehow, the nonsense lyrics in falsetto climax each and every time. The nonsense actually induces chills in one particular line: "I feed you fruit, that, Dooooon't exist". This effect, along with the satisfying chug of the music and perfect length, makes this strange song on the list.

-MF doom, "figaro"

It starts off with a bassy, jazzy intro that no one would expect to drop off into a slow, shattered sample beat. The only clue that "the shit's about to go down" is MF himself humming "mmm!" satisfied right before he drops into the song. Unlike much MF doom work, this one gets off to a verbose lyrical beginning- "the rest is empty, with no brain, but the clever nerd- the best emcee with no chain you ever heard" which sets the only premise for this song- almost every syllable rhymes with another one, anywhere it fits in the beat. and it always fits on the beat. Pauses are tasteful, not lazy or just to wait, very dramatic. Just as the listener grows accustomed to the consistent and impressive lyrical deliver, it seems to launch to another planet with "not enough tracks, hot enough black? It's too hot to handle, you got blue sandals, who shot you? who got you new spots to vandal? do not stand still, boast yo skills, close but no crills, toast for po' ills post no bills, coast-to-coast Joe Shmoe's flows ill, go chill, not supposed to overdose, no Doz pills". chills again start and climax with "no doz pills" which is slightly extended. The songs could end there with no complaints, but it against impresses the listener by continuing consistently to the end, and fading out. Anyone who thinks rap isn't music ought to be forced to listen to this.

-System of a down, "soil"
This is a song which I interpret to be about a close friend committing suicide, and trying to find the sense in it. The song loops in 15/16 time, giving a rushed, confused pace that fits it well. The listener is put in a state of mild manic confusion, which is interruped by the hard chorus, and then seemingly a climax- "Don't you", "Know that", "evil", "Lives in the motherfucking skin!", repeated voer and over with no percussion at first, and then a middle-eastern sounding guitar solo. At this point, it's the length of normal song and could again fade with no objection. instead, after a brief silence, Serj Tankian's truly scary voice comes back with "Why the fuck did you take him away from us you motherFUCKER! FUCKER! FUCKER!" with the music coming back for "fucker". The anger is palpable, slightly scary, and I'm getting chills now just remembering it without listening.

-Isaac hayes, "Ain't no sunshine"(live)
I'm not sure how I ended up with this particular live version, I was downloading soul music for the sampling, and listening out of curiosity. This was an amazing experience. towards the middle of the song, the music drops and Isaac's impressive voice does a dance on it's own, across octave ranges. It seems at some point that he's just showing off, kind of silly vocalization, and then, without warning "Ain't no sunshine, it's always rain, and it's anytiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime. any tiiiiiiiiiiiiiime. any tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime, she goes(ascends in pitch), Aaaaaaaaaaaa-WAYYYYY". on "way", the music, in a manner similar to "the great below", comes back in, lightly in the background. This is the most consistent in giving me chills- and interestingly it works not because of a build up, but a surprise, and the chills all happen at once.

I feel really wierd after remembering all these songs. The thought that I might one day give another person the similar physical and emotional sensation is what keeps me wanting to make music myself.