Song #24 of 9999 - Won't Say Anything by Hello, Seahorse!

Song #24 of 9999

Title: Won't Say Anything

Artist: Hello Seahorse!

Year: 2007

Album: Hoy a las Ocho

One of the great joys of listening to bands from other countries is that their naivete about the English language often results in some oddly poignant or amusing phrases. In this infectious song by the Mexican band Hello Seahorse!, we are presented with such delights as "I bite my nails even when I'm asleep...I can't believe I swallowed the city" and "Now I'm moving away, you can come & visit me when ever you need, I'll give you the biggest key..." Of course, these lyrics are made all the more whimsical when set against the blissful arrangement. The subtle classical guitar contrasted against a wafer-thin reed instrument, the handclaps and occasional spoken words all add to this fun experience. My favorite moment, however--the one that makes me smile from ear to ear--is when the drum beat changes right at the start of the first verse (around 1:06 in the video). It's a small thing but it sucks me in every time.

And I haven't even gotten to the video! This band is either having a tremendous amount of fun or they are very good actors. The outdoor setting, the color scheme, the odd accents (the paint cans, the banana, the quick kiss in the forest)--how can you not love this video? The fact that half the band is sort of...uh, doughy(?) makes them even more cute. A great discovery on "The 61" back when that was still a thing, this song remains absolutely uplifting four years later.