from In A Future Age to In the Curve

Day 895, Session 147:
When/Where: Monday December 8th - Hanging around the house
First song: In A Future Age by Wilco
Last full song: In the Curve by The Avett Brothers
Progress: 2053-2072 of 6037
Total Songs Heard: 1913

Haven't deleted anything in a while, so let's do that now. Goodbye, In Deux Time by Deux Process. I just couldn't get over their constant pronunciation of the world deux like it was the word dew. It was one of those iTunes free singles of the week, so it's not like I had any real attachment to the thing.

The Wife has recently given up the coaching of the basketball dance team at her high school to concentrate full-time (well, you know, full-time after her day full of teaching) on the school flag team. For those of you who weren't nerds in high school and thus didn't spend much time around the marching band, in the fall, the flag team performs with the band at football games, but apparently in the winter, the flag team performs on their own at competitions. (I would like to note here that The Wife's school didn't even have a winter flag team until last year when she started the program by volunteering to coach it. The Wife is pretty awesome.)

Since there's no band playing with the winter team, they have to choose a piece of music to perform with. Monday night The Wife asked if I had any suggestions for songs they could use. Asking me for a musical suggestion is no simple feat. What I'm sure she was hoping would be a 10-minute conversation became a 2-hour effort to find the perfect song.

There were 2 primary criteria, the song had to be 3-4 minutes long and not too slow, and one secondary, it helped if the song told a story. Here was my tertiary criteria, the song should be pretty awesome.

After much deliberation, here are the two suggestions I came up with:
In The Aeroplane Over The Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel
When I heard this song earlier in the day I just took note of how much I love it. When the flag team discussion came up I immediately thought of it. It's fast AND I'm pretty sure it's in 6/8 time. How many other flag teams are going to be performing in 6/8? Musically it's a great jumble of buzzing bass, trumpet, AND people playing SAWS! It tells an interpretive version of the journey of life. It weighs in nicely at 3:22.

Underground - Ben Folds Five
Tempo-rific, plus there are shifts that could be used to break up different sections of the routine. The song itself is about the alienation of high school and finding a place where that alienated feeling goes away. What could be more perfect for a high school flag team?!? Just slightly long at 4:11, but the last 15 seconds or so are vampy piano bits which could be faded on.

Here is what the girls decided to go with:
Uptown Girl - Billy Joel
Don't get me wrong, I love Billy Joel and while this particular song isn't a favorite of mine, it did help him score Christy Brinkley, so it can't be all bad. But really? This is the song they wanted to go with over the other two? Bah, kids today! I just don't understand them. (Confession time: Part of the reason this picks disturbs me is because I think high schoolers today would pick this song because they find it campy and amusing. Granted, this particular song probably is, but campy and amusing aren't two words I use to describe Billy Joel in general. I fear Billy Joel is to kids today what my enjoyment of say, ELO or Styx is to me. Yeah, I like them, but I kind of view them as relics of a bygone era (as opposed to say The Beatles whose music is timeless.) Just another sign of how out of touch I am with the young.)

There's a chance I'm wrong about this, but I don't think so. Please consider all three songs and vote for which one would be best for a high school flag routine. If you've got something that will work even better, leave it in the comments.

In The Curve from The Avett Brothers was also in the ears today. This is currently my favorite sing-along-with-really-loudly-every-time-I-hear-it song. It's one of those songs that makes me think, "If I could just figure out how to play guitar, I could actually perform this one." It also speaks to the self destructive streak that runs through me. Sure I haven't finished a bottle of bourbon and then gone out for a drive, but I have finished a bottle of bourbon, which is a terrible idea by itself. I do stupid things. I make bad decisions (*cough*quitting my job with nothing else lined up*cough*) but I will walk away. Sure, right now it feels like I've been hitchhiking along the road forever, but I'm sure I'll make it Concord. Hope to see you there.

from I Can't Wait... to I Feel Like Home

Day 807, Session 136:
When/Where: Thursday September 4th - Afternoon chorefest
First song: I Can't Wait To Get Off Work by Tom Waits
Last full song: I Feel Like Home by O.A.R.
Progress: 2076-2099 of 6031
Total Songs Heard: 1736

Some days the brain just doesn't agree with the whole writing thing. This is one of those days. So instead of dragging this out here are two quick hit thoughts on the 24 songs heard:

I Crush Everything - Jonathan Coulton: I think we've all been the giant squid. Wanting something so badly that all your attempts to achieve it end up smashing everything all to hell. Just off the top of my head I can think of 3 terribly overwrought attempts to explain myself to ladies whose company I desired that ended up with me alone and realizing that my own (over-)efforts had helped contribute to sinking my chances.

I Don't Wanna Grow Up - Tom Waits: I've mentioned before that making the cd that played during dinner at the reception was one of my few contributions to the overall excellence that was my wedding. What I don't think I've mentioned is that the cd did include what was originally my last (and at that point in the evening totally belated) protest against getting married. Getting married was one more step in the ongoing process of Growing Up. I've never been much of a fan of that process. I thought about removing the song from the cd lest I seem like an immature jerk, but I had earlier realized that one of the reasons I loved The Wife was that she wasn't asking me to grow up. She already knew exactly how grown up I was (or wasn't) and she liked me just the same.

One completely non-related to me note. If you're a Ben Folds fan you should head on over to Fuel Friends. Heather is featuring the first single off of Ben's upcoming cd "Way To Normal."

from Epitaph to Every Grain

Day 399, Session 83:
When/Where: Thursday July 26th - On the train from work to home.
First song: Epitaph by Badly Drawn Boy
Last full song: Every Grain of Sand by Moxy Fruvous
Progress: 1155-1170 of 5156
Total Songs Heard: 972 (skipped 3 podcasts)

The wife told me to add this: WARNING!! THE FOLLOWING POST CONTAINS A PICTURE OF MY FOOT. YOU MAY THINK IT DISTURBING.

If I had to pick out one line of music that summed up my entire life over the last 10 years or so, I'd probably have to go with this line from Evaporated by Ben Folds Five:

Woke up way too late, feeling hung over and old...

Which isn't to say I've woke up hung over every day for the last 10 years (although there have certainly been a *few* of those days,) but more days than not I do wake up feeling old.

Of course the song stops applying the very next line:

And the sun was shining bright, And I walked barefoot down the road

See, the thing is I would never wake up and exercise first thing in the morning. And even if I was going to walk down the road, I wouldn't walk anywhere barefoot. I wear shoes everywhere. I have baby soft feet. Don't believe me? This is a picture of my foot after the last time I walked barefoot:

That blister was shockingly deep. I couldn't walk normally for a week.

So to summarize:
Hungover and old? Yes
Barefoot down the road? No

from Dog Days of August to Don't Drink the Water

Day 196, Session 69:
When/Where: Thursday January 4th - At the desk for the first hour of the work day.
First song: Dog Days of August by Garrison Keillor
Last full song: Don't Drink the Water by Dave Matthews Band
Progress: 961-973 of 4785
Total Songs Heard: 829

Let's get right down to business shall we? Lots of advice coming from these song titles, telling me what not to do. Let's break them down:

Don't - Jewel: Yes, more Jewel. Just Don't? I need a little more clarification than that. Since it's Jewel I'm assuming she means one of two things: a) Don't listen to my music, or 2) Don't keep looking at my bewbs!

Don't Ask Me I'm Only The President - Badly Drawn Boy: Wouldn't be surprised if the current president actually used this answer under oath. I'm pretty sure I agree with BDB here. Let's hope this one is the last.

Don't Ask Me Why - Billy Joel: Ok, I won't ask, I'll just point out here that Christie Brinkley is still bringing it.

Don't be afraid of the dark - Y & T: Thanks guys, I'm not 6. This isn't really a problem anymore. I'm assuming if you're still afraid of the dark Y&T must stand for Young and Terrified.

Don't Be Afraid Of Your Anger - Clem Snide: This is good advice. I am not afraid of my anger. I embrace it. Revel in it even. My goal is to make other people afraid of my anger. I think it's working. You should also know that this song contains a fantastic line:

Don't be afraid of your anger. I'll eat it with mustard and wine.

I have no idea what it means, but it's fantastic.

Don't Change Your Plans - Ben Folds Five: This is advice I did not follow.
Don't Change Your Plans (live) - Ben Folds Five: Ok, technically maybe I did follow the advice of the song, since it specifically advises to not move to LA. Of course I was never really planning on moving to LA.

Don't close your eyes - Kix: I don't know how you guys sleep, but I'm an eye closer.

Don't Drink the Water - Dave Matthews Band: I believe in good hydration and generally drink 6-8 cups of water per day, so shut up DMB.
Don't Drink The Water - Dave Matthews Band: What's that you say? There's blood in the water? Ugh, I wish you had told me that 4 cups of AB-Negative ago.

Thursday October 12th - Afternoon

Day 112, Session 37:
Location: Training home after another horrible degrading day as a mutant, er, cube farm employee.
First song: Brian Wilson by Barenaked Ladies
Last full song: Bring Some Love by Rockapella
Progress: 499-508 of 4447
Total Songs Heard: 432

3 more versions of Brian Wilson to start the day. Putting it in the lead at this point with 4 completely different versions of the same song. One from Gordon, two live recordings, one radically radio edited version of the song that is really only allowed to hang around for completeness of my BNL collection purposes. The radio edit version totally rewrites the opening of the song. The problem is I like the beginning of the song. It builds very nice and slow to the refrain where the energy really takes off. The remix version goes right into the refrain.

Following the Brian Wilson triple play were 2 versions of Brick by Ben Folds Five. It still kills me that Brick is the only real big hit that Ben Folds Five had. So much of their music is about tight harmonies, and pounding piano and bass, and fun... and their big hit is slow and practically harmony free and just about the least fun song ever. It's probably why they eventually had to break up. If they had stayed together, they would've ended up being "those guys who did that song about abortion" for the rest of their career.

There actually exists a techno version of the song. I had it in my music library at one point. Then I realized a techno version of this particular song had to be the worst idea ever. Nothing says, "let's grind on the dance floor" like lyrics about the emotional aftermath of an abortion set to a thumping techno beat.

Thursday September 28th

Day 98, Session 29:
Location: On the train, leaving work late. Why am I leaving work at 6:30?
First song: Bingo Addict Grandma by Wally Pleasant
Last full song: Bitter Boy by Truck Stop Love
Progress: 413-419 of 4413
Total Songs Heard: 359

I've updated the template around here. The last one was beginning to look a little too... blue. I think this looks cleaner and is hopefully easier on the eyes. If you have an opinion on this change, or there's something else you'd like to see on the page, please use the comments section.

Birdhouse in Your Soul, from "Flood" by They Might Be Giants is one of my all-time favorite songs. I'm not sure why exactly, the lyrics don't make a whole lot of sense. I only know that whenever I hear that song I end up feeling happier for the 3:20 it's on. Well, almost all of the 3:20. When I first got "Flood" I owned it on cassette, which meant most of the time I was listening to it in my car. Just over half way through the song, there's a car horn that plays. Every time I was listening in the car and got to that part of the song I'd hear the car horn and immediately scan all mirrors to make sure I hadn't just cut someone off or run over a kid or something. If I had been crossing the street when this song came on I would have whipped my head around nervously at the horn. Lots of time in high school was spent driving here or there, always with a destination in mind. We weren't the types to 'cruise' we just happend to be lucky enough that 2 or 3 in our group had cars which meant lots of driving around singing along to tapes.

The only thing I miss about tapes is the mix tape. There's nothing wrong with the mix cd, but the mix tape gave you more time for music, and 4 different opportunities for statement songs (the first and last of each side.) I made mix tapes very rarely, but when I made them, they were very good. I had to have a specific reason to make one (almost always meaning "I needed a girl to make them for.") I've meant to go back and attempt to recreate some of those tapes on cd, but it wouldn't be the same.

Bitches Ain't Shit by Ben Folds is part of my continued love for rap songs that aren't performed as rap songs (see also the previously mentioned Back, Baby Got by Jonathan Coulton.) I'll put together a mix cd for you once I've got enough tracks to fill it up.

Friday August 4th

Day 43, Session 17:
Location: Heading home for the weekend.
First song: Aquarius by Neutral Milk Hotel
Last full song: Ashes of American Flags by Wilco
Progress: 233-244 of 3940
Total Songs Heard: 243

Featuring multiple listens to Army by Ben Folds. Because the original tune contains a large part with a horn section, he does a great bit in concert where he divides the audience in two and has each side cover one of the horn parts. It's one of those rare occasions where I'm actually encouraged to sing loud at a show.

I freely admit that for years and years I had the terrible habit of singing along a little too loud when I would go see a show. After two or three concerts with me the wife (who at the time was just the girlfriend) pointed out that as much as she liked my singing, she didn't come to the show to hear me perform. At the time I remember feeling defensive about it. I couldn't possibly have been singing that loud... and besides, everyone sings like that at a concert.

Of course when I thought about it later, it turned out that (as would become a recurring theme for us) she was right. Now when I go to shows I'm the guy who looks like he's mumbling along with the lyrics, but you won't actually hear me unless the band asks for it.

Monday July 31st

Day 39, Session 15:
Location: Going home.
First song: Annie Waits by Ben Folds
Last full song: Answering Bell by Ryan Adams
Progress: 207-217 of 3937
Total Songs Heard: 220

The best part about Annie Waits is, as the first track on Ben Folds first post-Ben Folds Five solo release, it immediately put the rest any fear that Ben Folds would be less enjoyable without the Five.

Between Ben and Ryan came Cat. Specifically, Cat Stevens back when he was still Cat Stevens, before he went crazy, er um, converted to islam, and changed his name. Although I suppose being a dude named Cat would be enough to drive me to changing my name too.

Another Saturday Night was the Cat Stevens song in question. I remember hearing that song for the first time around the age of 10. For some reason I was absolutely convinced that the song would be theme for my life.

Another Saturday night and I ain't got nobody
I got some money cause I just got paid.
Oh how I wish I had someone to talk to,
I'm in an awful way

Of course it didn't quite turn out that way. Turns out I've very rarely had money on Saturday nights.