Spotify - Jimin Playlist

Jimin - A Playlist

This week it is Mr Park Jimin's turn to have his own playlist in our 7 part series. These are the songs that remind us of Jimin, whether it be through his vocals in a particular verse or his part in the MV.

Which songs remind you of Jimin? Let us know on Twitter @BTSRadioUK

Pied Piper chosen by ARMY

Charlie - It seems that the Muster performance must still be fresh in everyone’s minds, due to the impression that the members left when they performed this. Pied Piper is such a fun song to listen to as it calls out ARMYs for spending too much time watching BTS content rather than studying, with teasing (and very true) lines such as “I’m taking over you”. It’s like BTS are making fun of us, with lyrics such as these compared with such seductive choreography (that Jimin pulls off effortlessly, as expected). The looping “ooh-ooh-ooh” melody of the chorus is sung beautifully, and Jimin’s vocals are breathy, tempting and beautiful, luring us in like the Pied Piper himself. 

Michayla - I suspected that Pied Piper would win this weeks poll after the very hot performance at this years Muster. This is a great song where BTS encourage you to pay more attention to your work and studies and less time on them. They refer to themselves as the Pied Piper with ARMY following them. It is a song about being self aware which is no less than we would expect from BTS. 

However, their performance of Pied Piper at 5th Muster was extremely alluring and dangerous, I’m sure most of us struggled to tear ourselves away.

Onomey - When I listen to Pied Piper I tend to forget about its actual meaning because somehow the boys managed to make the story of the Pied Piper into a song whilst still making it about BTS and Army which is a stroke of genius. I enjoy the cleverness of getting the vocal line to sing in falsetto because they’re acting as the Pied Piper by singing higher and almost acting as an angelic type which is shown through the meaning of the lyrics.

The back and forth between Jimin and Jungkook vocally highlights how strong their voices are in falsetto, its relaxing and almost therapeutic to hear how easily Jimin sings in falsetto. I think the reason why this song won out of the poll is that a lot of us tend to associate Jimin with the high notes and we have a good reason to because his vocal range is amazing. 

‘Follow the sound of the flute

Follow this song

It may be a little dangerous but I’m very sweet’.

Cheryl - So, Pied Piper won the poll for Jimin.

I have been reading the lyrics and they all appear to be so personal as if they are “just” for the person listening to the song and them alone.

BTS sing about taking over “you” and that you / we “the person listening” need to tune their ears because they are our paradise and that we are not being punished, this song is a gift from them to us. We can throw a fit, which I believe means to protest against them but it will be of no use - so don’t reject them. They are our guilty pleasure.

They also say to stop trying to interpret their video as before long it won’t be a day we’ve lost but a year.  How very true, being an Army is definitely like following the Pied Piper, where time disappears and paradise begins and what Army would want to escape this pleasure?

Source: BTS Official - Facebook 

Home - Charlie

‘Home’ is the wildly popular track from BTS’ latest album, Map of the Soul: Persona. It is a beautiful song dedicated to ARMY, about how the members feel that ARMY are their home. The lyrics so comforting and positive, about how one can find their home in the presence of someone else, seem so fitting for someone as caring and wholesome as Jimin. 

“It's comfortable even as you say nothing

It became my home because you were there

You know I want that

Home

You know you got that

Home”

The first time I heard this song, I was struck by how Jimin’s voice had evolved. Ever since the release of ‘Promise’, there is a different, more elegant quality to Jimin’s voice. It sounds different, like he has well and truly discovered how to use his voice and how he wants it to sound. It is therefore little wonder that when BTS sang this at their 5th Muster, everyone was gushing over how pretty Jimin’s voice sounded. 

“In this excitement that's driving me crazy

I wasn't even able to greet you (yeah, right)

Yeah I ́m going out baby

The whole world is my home”

What sets ‘Home’ apart from many other recent BTS songs is that it’s wonderfully easy listening, in the sense that I can listen to it without being overwhelmed with emotion, despite its touching lyrics. It is a positive song that ARMY can find comfort in, which I think is the secret to its popularity. It also has such an endearing chorus which includes really cute phrases such as “With you imma feel rich!” and “mi casa”. It’s such a downright enjoyable song, and the refrain at the end is one of my favourite parts due to how coy and sweet it sounds. 

“Your love your love your love (I miss that)

Your love your love your love (I want that)

Your touch your touch your touch (I need that)

La la la la la la la la la la I love it”

Source: BANGTANTV 

Lie - Onomey

There are plenty of songs that remind me of Jimin as his voice is very distinct in the kpop world, or even the world of music in general. I am yet to come across a male vocalist that has a similar vocal tone as him which just goes to show how lucky we are as Army to hear his special vocals as part of BTS.

With that being said, I chose to write about ‘Lie’ which is from the album ‘Wings’. I love that this song starts with orchestral strings as these instruments aren’t seen much in mainstream music, plus it makes you think the song is going to be a very slow ballad then suddenly it switches by added trap like drum beats to the song.

The delivery of the vocals throughout this song is amazing, I like the development the song makes from the verse to the chorus and so on. It seems to me that the song is trying to show us the development of emotions within this song. For example, the strings in the verses are played in a very staccato rhythm, which creates a detached and almost awkward sound which Jimin does throughout the song vocally at times too like when he says ‘I want to get away’ in the first verse. 

Jimins vocals change in the pre-chorus to a breathy tone to demonstrate that his wanting to get away from something and is running out of breath in the process. In the choreography during this part, Jimin adds hand gestures to show that he is saying no more, get away from me and then makes hand grabbing movements so it looks like he is waiting for someone to grab his hand to save him. 

‘(Ah woo woo) 

Get away away away from me 

Get away away from me

(Ah woo woo)

Whoever it may be, save me, me

Save me

It continues even when I run away

I am caught in a lie’.

During the chorus is where Jimin can show his vocal abilities when it comes to how long he can hold a note, it is sung with a lot of emotion and relief that he can tell us about what is happening to him. I find it interesting that despite the chorus sounding like it is happy in a way, the reality is that the chorus is very dark lyrically. 

‘Caught in a lie

Find me when I was pure

I can’t be free from this lie

Give me back my smile

Caught in a lie

Pull me from this hell

I can’t be free from this pain

Save me, I am being punished’.

I could go on and on about this song but I won’t. We all know how amazingly talented Jimin is and I love watching him tune into his inner modern dancer and get lost in the music and interpreting it so well. His creative mind is so amazing and special and I’m glad we get to reap the benefits from it at work.

Source: YouTube 

Cheryl - Dope

There is just something so dynamic about this song.

It has such a confident vibe and tone, considering how early it was in their career - released in 2015. 

RM opens the song with such style and is so confident and this just continues throughout the whole song. He starts with “Welcome, first time with BTS?”

Jungkook states how different he/they are with their style, which in my mind could relate to their clothes, hair and songs.

Jimin then reiterates Jungkook by stating that whilst others are out clubbing he/they are working every day and night  - so don’t be surprised, I think he means they deserve to be successful because they are so dedicated.

The chorus is, I have a feeling that I’m kind of sick, which I believe means very good or amazing (American slang).

J-Hope sings about the smell of sweat in their studio, which implies how hard they work on the choreography and when you watch either the Dance Practice or the video for Dope their dance moves are incredible and BTS make it look so effortless. He also criticises others calling them cry babies, losers and idiots - I am assuming he means others that do not put the amount of effort and work in, that they do. 

Suga sings about being sick from head to toe, being sick due to working and being sick in the studio and that their youth may rot away.  Here I believe sick means unwell and that they have been ill and not enjoying their youth like others their age. He then mentions how due to all their hard work they are running towards success and he mentions that the girls scream louder.

The chorus is so passionate and sounds so exciting - about not wanting to say yes (which I feel is, that they do not want to conform by saying yes), feeling like they are on fire and then Jin sings “I gotta make it”

Once again the positivity shines through as they say they will reject rejection and to follow them for it will be amazing.

RM mentions that media and adults say they have no willpower and they condemn BTS and that they are being killed off before they can even try.

Suga then sings Enemy Enemy Enemy

RM then asks Why are you accepting it?

Suga replies Energy Energy Energy

Then there is more positivity 'Do not ever give up, you know you’re not alone. Our dawn is prettier than the day.  Wake your sleeping youth.'

'This is the Bangtan style, different from the lying wack jobs.  Everyday is about the hustle life. I gotta make it fire.'

I like the play on the word sick - either meaning extraordinary or amazing and actually feeling sick from the amount of work and effort they put in - more than their peers would do at their age (out clubbing)

I personally, do hope they realise that older people do appreciate the amount of work they put into their careers and admire their dedication!

I also feel that this applies to their extended break at the moment - trying to enjoy the lives of “normal” people their age.

Source: 1theK 

Serendipity - Marsha

This song is the epitome of Jimin's sweet nature:

"You're my penicillium, saving me, saving me

My angel, my world

I'm your Calico cat, here to see you

Love me now, touch me now"

This song speaks about how the person in reference is a life saver, an angel from up above who came and saved him and filled his life with love and happiness.

"Since the creation of the universe

Everything was destined

Just let me love you (let me love, let me love you)

Just let me love you (let me love, let me love you)"

This song is so sweet and pure in its sentiment and I see this as a reflection of Jimin's personality and traits. The melody is so light and airy and fills you with happiness.

This really showcases Jimin's talents as a vocalist through range and some runs. Overall this song is beautiful and calming, just like Park Jimin.

Source: ibighit 

Answer: Love Myself - Michayla

Choosing to write about this song seemed like such a good idea at the time and I really wanted to do it justice because it means so much after seeing BTS perform it at the O2 in October 2018. I struggled to listen to Answer: Love Myself for ages after October because of the overwhelming emotion it provoked as they ended their Love Yourself concerts with it. My memory of this song is standing with my daughter on both nights, arms around each other, tears streaming down our faces and swaying as BTS said goodbye, after having 2 of the best nights of our lives.

This is a beautiful song and it really does make me think of Jimin because not only did he tell the whole of the O2 that we were ‘lovely’ during it but also during 5th Muster this year, it was the song that he chose during the part where the members were choosing songs. 

Answer: Love Myself is the final song on the repackaged album ‘Love Yourself: Answer’ and to a certain extent it ties up the whole Love Yourself series. It is a gentle song which begins with a piano and the first voice we hear is Jimin’s. 

BTS have always spoken about self love being important and so many lines in this song speak about how they personally feel about it. Yoongi’s lines struck a particular chord with me and I found myself nodding in agreement when I read the first part of his verse:

‘Loving myself might be harder

Than loving someone else

Let’s admit it

The standards I made are more strict for myself’

It is always easier to love someone or something than it is to love yourself. To look at yourself in a positive light is sometimes so difficult because we are always naturally harder on ourselves, thinking we could ‘do better’ and many of us find it easier to pick faults in the things that we do. 

The pre-chorus also has great meaning and a fantastic message that many forget in their quest to love themselves:

‘From the very beginning

To the very end

There’s only one answer, ey

Why do you keep trying to hide under your mask (hey)

Even all the scars from your mistakes make up your constellation (ey)’

Many of us wear a ‘mask’ and this is something BTS have referenced in many songs and MV’s, e.g. Fake Love and Singularity. They have also spoken about wearing masks themselves and having different versions of themselves because of their personal self and stage self, always being a battle. A lot of us choose to hide behind a mask as that is often the safer option because looking into our true self can be difficult.

The last line of that verse, sung by Jin, Jimin and Jungkook is so very important and something, I think we all need to remember. Mistakes are important, sometimes they are hard to accept and we, as humans, put a lot of pressure on ourselves but it is those mistakes we make that teach us the most. The line is reminding us that our mistakes all go towards making us who we are and we shouldn’t forget that.

The chorus, sang by the vocal line is poignant because in my opinion it is a message to ARMY. BTS have often spoken of how they draw strength from us and it is through the love we have for them that they also learn to love themselves:

‘You’ve shown me I have reasons

I should love myself

(I’m learning how to love myself, oh)

I’ll answer with my breath, my path’

Answer: Love Myself is one of those songs that evokes so much emotion for so many reasons and Jimin is a huge part of that. His vocals are beautiful, as always and the fact that this was his song choice at Muster means that it holds a special place in his heart.

Source: ibighit.com 

You can hear the full list of songs that highlight Jimin's vocals by clicking on the following Spotify link: Jimin - A Playlist