CommRadio Weekly Playlist: Jan. 22

Here, members of the Arts and Entertainment Department will talk about the songs that dominated their playlists during the week and what makes them so good.

“Paradigms” - Sam Fender

Something about the cold, rainy weather that January offers just makes me want to turn on a Sam Fender track and this week it was “Paradigms” for me.

Featured on Fender’s sophomore album “Seventeen Going Under” the rock-folk song makes you feel so many emotions in just under four minutes.

Fender is known for his vulnerable and very real lyrics in his songs and “Paradigms” continues that trend. He explores themes of bullying, eating disorders and other societal pressures in this track.

The lyric, “they gave you bulimia, those marketing masterminds / happens all the time, all the time” never fails to create a pit in my stomach every time I hear it.

You can’t talk about Sam Fender and not mention his iconic Geordie accent that creates such a unique factor in his music and really sets him apart from other musicians.

His voice in “Paradigms” has such passion behind it but also hints of defeat which makes you feel like he is truly in distress over these toxic paradigms that inflict pain on people and makes the song all that more powerful. -Madison Rush

“Super Trouper” - Meryl Streep, Julie Walters and Christine Baranski

Seeing “Mamma Mia!” is a classic, teenage girl coming-of-age experience, so when I saw it for the first time last week as a twenty-year-old, I was filled with nostalgia and longing but also with love.

“Super Trouper” is my favorite from the movie, and I was wondering why, but then I realized it’s because it’s so comforting.

It’s the few seconds when the intro dies down and the broadcast is about to begin, and I’m nervous but excited at the same time, and I look across the arena/rink/stadium complex of your choice, and I’m able to spot my friends throwing up little hearts my way.

Somewhere in the crowd, they’re there, and I can pull the headset down, smile to myself and kick off the broadcast. -Adrianna Gallucci

“Copacabana” - Barry Manilow

It started on my drive to the Peach Bowl when this song came on in the car. It then proceeded to turn into the song of the trip, and I have been listening to it on repeat ever since.

I even watched the long-forgotten made-for-TV movie “Copacabana” based on the song.

Barry Manilow does an excellent job lyrically crafting the heartbreaking love story of Tony and Lola while having a stellar melody.

The basic story of the song is Tony, a bartender, and Lola, a showgirl, fall in love at a club known as the Copacabana before a man named Rico comes and causes a fight, resulting in the death of Tony.

I’ll be listening to “Copacabana” on repeat until I journey to the hottest spot north of Havana. - Ben Palillo

Madison Rush is a second-year majoring in public relations. To contact her, email mkr5957@psu.edu.

Adrianna Gallucci is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email amg7989@psu.edu.

Ben Palillo is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email bgp5079@psu.edu.