An early-afternoon deconstruction of 'On Top of the World' by Imagine Dragons. Just, you know, because...

There are certain songs that enter your head and then end up staying for much longer than you expect, and when that happens it's often worth trying to understand why because it sometimes helps explain your innermost desires, the stage of life you're at, and where you fit into the larger, cosmic scheme of things. Or, of course, it might just be simply catchy. 

This song, in my opinion, does a number of things quite well, and I have listed them more or less in the order they occur (If you do notice some variation, blame it on the giddy side-effects of listening to this on loop for five-and-a-half months.) What do you mean that's insane? 

1. Opens with clapping. Clapping is always good. I am yet to hear a song with clapping in it that's anything but happy and drenched with a wide-eyed sort of optimism. For another example of a good old clap used to good effect, check out the second half of 'Here Comes the Sun' by a little-known group from Liverpool. 
2. Intersperses aforementioned clapping with some light acoustic guitar/mandolin. Casually kicks in about 30 seconds in; gets the beat going. 
3. Has a pleasant, somewhat high-pitched California-summer lead vocal, with just the faintest hint of Scandinavia. This is a tough trick to pull off vocally, but when it works, it verks. 
4. Gets a brief lull in (backing instruments stop- clapping continues) by way of build-up to rousing chorus. 
5. Has rousing chorus. 
6. Repeats one catchy, easy-to-recall, line with about 5-6 syllables (I'm on top of the world !) about 4 times in a single chorus. 
7. Includes a good, proper shout as part of the aforementioned catchy refrain. On this occasion, it's the classic 'Hey!'. This immediately elevates a good line to another dimension where you start to involuntarily say Hey! every time you hear the song (and sometimes even when you don't, but we won't go there). Some of the most popular songs of the past three years have included this small yet powerful word, whether it's in the intro (see Little Talks), bridge, or indeed the chorus, and sometimes in all three. Side note: There's also the Lumineers who nearly got to number one just by saying 'Hey!' about 35 times in the space of two-and-a-half minutes (alongside the trusty 'Ho!', thereby discovering some sort of musical yin-yang.)
8. Has some random indecipherable static/white noise about half-way through. This is good because people can go 'but what does it mean?!' The possibilities are endless. 
9. Follows immediately with the rousing chorus-bridge-chorus (repeat 8x) 
10. Cut instruments, start to fade out to just clapping. Close the circle; job done. Boom. Goodnight.

If I could do it all over again, what would I do differently? I would go through life with a lot more confidence. I WOULD BE MORE GENEROUS. I would take my chances. I would not have quit guitar lessons the first time the skin on my fingers slit open. I would smile more. I would stick my neck out and stretch my hand out, whenever and wherever I thought it was needed, even if it was rejected. I would read more, and read faster. I WOULD BELIEVE I COULD BE A GOOD WRITER. I would not have quit piano lessons simply because I thought I could impress girls easier by playing guitar. I would have kept a diary because my memory was never going to be as good as I thought it would be, and one day it would be gone altogether. I would pray more, especially the Serenity Prayer. I would not have quit running. I would have played more sports out of sheer enjoyment, rather than just for the satisfaction of winning. I would tell my parents I loved them. EVERY SINGLE DAY. I would try and be more patient. I would try and listen more. I would take every opportunity I had to travel. I would eat less sugar. I WOULD BRUSH MY TEETH MORE OFTEN. I would work on being more spontaneous. I would value each and every moment, without being too hippy about it. I would have spent more time trying to read music. I would see the good in people before anything else. I would be more encouraging. I would have worked harder at maintaining friendships. I WOULD FORGIVE MORE EASILY. I would try to be remembered for my humility. I would keep laughing loudly; even when people said it was a bit weird. I wouldn't be in a hurry to grow up. I would try harder to find my passion/s and give myself over to it/them. I WOULD TRY EVERY DAY TO BE THE BEST I COULD BE. All of this I would have done. Most of this I still can.