In Like a Lion and Out Like a Lamb: 10 Songs for the Month of March
Updated: Feb. 19, 2019
10 tunes worth adding to your playlist this month.
1. For Fearless Leaders
“Gold Lion” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Click Here to Listen Now)
This brash, grungy tune comes on with a swagger-all kick-drum and cymbal crash-and keeps up the pace for three exhilarating minutes as singer Karen O hoots, cries and conjures a spirit animal to help her see the light.
2. For Profound Regrets
“Little Lion Man” by Mumford and Sons (Click Here to Listen Now)
For all its folksy instrumentation, the first single ever released by the British roots-revivalists is a soaring, monumental wail of a song. “Weep for yourself, my man,” laments Marcus Mumford. “You’ll never be what is in your heart.”
3. For Lonely Hearts
“The Lion’s Roar” by First Aid Kit (Click Here to Listen Now)
In this creaky, gothic ballad by Swedish duo First Aid Kit, the far-off echo of a lion’s roar is a symbol of both isolation and all-consuming yearning.
4. For Giving in to Baser Instincts
“Lion’s Jaws” by Neko Case (Click Here to Listen Now)
Lions and tigers and bears run roughshod through crooner Case’s catalogue. In this doo-wop-tinged number, however, the primal activities take place between two humans in the hours between dusk and dawn.
5. For Friends with Benefits
“Lion’s Mouth” by Arthur & Yu (Click Here to Listen Now)
Who knew the gaping maw of a jungle cat was such a rich metaphor for songwriters looking to wax poetic on the birds and the bees? This sultry song by indie-folk duo Arthur and Yu could be a flipside companion piece to Neko Case’s “Lion’s Jaws”-framed as a melodic warning from a lothario to his would-be sweetheart.
6. For Righteous Babes
“Born a Lion” by Ani DiFranco (Click Here to Listen Now)
A classic track about not backing down by the feminist icon and grassroots singer-songwriter of the ’90s, this number showcases DiFranco’s lightning-fast, percussive guitar technique.
7. For Truth Tellers
“Lion Rip” by The Duke Spirit (Click Here to Listen Now)
All swirling riffs and in-your-face swagger, this seething rock ‘n’ roller is all about asking for what you want-and getting it.
8. For Primal Screamers
“Miss My Lion” by Scout Niblett (Click Here to Listen Now)
A weird, wonderful caterwaul that taps into the lingering ache that follows profound loss. (It’s not really about a lion.)
9. For People Who Can’t Get Enough of “Don’t Stop Believin'”
“Can’t Tame the Lion” by Journey (Click Here to Listen Now)
While it may not be as popular (i.e. overplayed) as Journey’s iconic tribute to small-town boys and city girls, this AM radio anthem satisfies the same voracious appetite for cheese.
10. For Unspoken Possibilities
“Came on Lion” by Sarah Harmer (Click Here to Listen Now)
The opening couplet of this tentative ballad says it all: “Closer than a girl can get to trouble, if she hasn’t yet got in it.” An implausibly pretty reflection on the murky middle ground between good and bad behaviour.
