Usually, we do a little intro to our artist-chosen lists, establishing what the artist has selected and why.

Not so with Trevor Powers, more famously known as Youth Lagoon. His own passion for songs about insatiable stomachs means he’s written his own, effectively putting us out of a job. Ah, well – make like us and grab yourself an enormous sandwich to enjoy as he leads us into the wonderful world of overly voracious eating, and check out his UK tour dates at the end. Go ahead, Y.L.

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Songs about gluttony are powerful. They speak to many people of different backgrounds and cultures. They are penned by authentic songwriters who want nothing more than to bask in their own piggishness. Reprehensible? Yes, definitely. But equally praiseworthy. Face down on a table, half smiling, half miserable, because we have no self control. We are pigs.

Just the other day, I ate a one pound quesadilla just because I was bored. And then I ate Doritos and piece of blueberry pie. 10 minutes later, I had to take the stage. I looked like a sick bastard, and I’m certain people were concerned about me. But in the moment, as that cheese was stuck to the roof of my mouth and sliding down my throat, I felt something special. I felt alive. I also felt like a sick slovenly hog. I guess that’s the trade-off.

Here’s five songs to serve as your personal soundtrack for overindulgence.

Tom Waits - Eggs and Sausage

Eggs and sausage and a side of toast, coffee and a roll, hash browns over easy, chilli in a bowl with burgers and fries, what kind of pie… Now that sums up how I feel right now. I’m sweating.

Hey! Elastica - Eat Your Heart Out

Never back down. Go for it. The tempo of this song alone is perfect for when you vomit, but you want to keep eating. Or if you drink too much and throw it all up, remember that it is just your body helping you make more room.

The Clash - Lost in the Supermarket

This one really speaks to me. When I was 4 years old, I remember not being able to find my mom. I wasn’t paying attention when she turned a corner, so I started looking for her. But instead of panicking, I went over to the cookie aisle and started eating everything I could find.

Fat Boys - All You Can Eat

No messing around, this song goes straight for the belly. It’s a great song because it’s not only about being a pig and embracing it, but it approaches the subject of eating in an affordable fashion in a delicate and powerful way. With enough strategy and planning, we can get stuffed to the point of feeling sick every day but still have enough coin to do it again the next day.

Jimmy Buffett - Cheeseburger in Paradise

This one goes one step beyond gluttony.. it’s Jimmy making the claim that he himself is in fact a burger. It’s an interesting argument (one that I can definitely relate to), and his points are so strong that by the end of the song, you’d be an idiot to not believe him. There’s been late nights and early mornings where I have thought the same thing. I am a cheeseburger. You are a cheeseburger. And that’s OK.

Catch Youth Lagoon on his 2016 UK Tour:
2 February – Leeds – Belgrave Music Hall
4 February – Manchester – Band on the Wall
5 February – Glasgow – King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
6 February – Dublin – Whelan’s
8 February – Bristol – Thekla
9 February – London – Village Underground
10 February – Brighton – Komedia

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