Six years after stumbling into my life, this song still thrills me… once is never enough. It’s also on my jogging playlist, and if it comes up on shuffle during the end of my run, I’ll just keep going, which has made me late for things. Additionally, the lyrics are an ode to the leader of a slave rebellion. I wish more songwriters would tackle the subject of “heroes” in a non-schlocky way.
Jorge Ben Jor, “Zumbi”
Bonus material: a more recent song that I am transfixed by: Okkervil River’s “Rider,” even though it’s a little more bombastic than I usually like.
#1 (Intro/Favorite Cover Version)
#2 (Favorite Love Song)
#3 (Favorite Movie Song
#4 (Favorite Breakup Song)
#5 (A Song You Hear Shopping)
Singer-songwriter and American Songwriter contributor Paula Carino lives in Brooklyn, NY. Her latest album, Open On Sunday, is available at paulacarino.com.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: Kelly Hansen of Foreigner performs onstage during The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis 39th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner on September 29, 2025 at the New York Hilton Midtown raised millions of dollars to support the pioneering work of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a designated Center of Excellence at the University of Miamiโs Miller School of Medicine and the worldโs premier research center targeting spinal cord and brain injury and other neurological disorders and diseases. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for The Buoniconti Fund To Cure Paralysis)







