Yearlong Song Challenge, Day 175: Allison

Prompt: "A song that you would gift to someone else in Song Challenge if you picked their name for the Song Challenge Secret Santa"

Allison is Secret Santa for:

Maeve

"Thief"

Ansel Elgort

single, 2017

Secret Santas can be tricky to the chronic over-thinker. Do you play it safe, easy, middle of the road; here's a gift card to Dunkin, who doesn't like coffee? Do you go with the sure-fire gift, something you know they'll like? Or do you think outside the box, take a risk, something new and exciting? I spent more time than I care to admit, hemming and hawing over a song even though I knew deep down in my heart what it should be. For Maeve, for Christmas, I'm going with the first-thought-best-thought approach. 

I'm honestly SHOCKED this song hasn't appeared on the blog yet. This song is... an absolute bop. And thank god, because the music video is an unmitigated cringe-fest. I'm not entirely familiar with the lore behind this song. It seems like it's been floating around the friend group since it came out in 2017. I'm sure I've heard it in Maeve's apartment during late-night, post-party YouTube sessions stuck in between Tony Awards performances and 2010s pop-punk hits. But I think I first heard it at Maeve's 30th birthday party when a friend of ours (who might be lurking in the comments?) recreated the music video for the surprise video slideshow. The image of him pulling a turtleneck over his head is burned into my brain. It's weird what you remember. A real, live, legitimate 76er came to that party, and I remember this music video. That's the best thing about a classic Maeve-hang: there's always something for everyone.

Merry Christmas, Maeve! For extra credit, I wrote this while watching White Christmas while it was snowing!