My iPod is a very precious thing.

Very precious.

When my previous iPod gave up the final whir of life there was no question in my mind that I needed another one post haste. Music calms the savage beast and I, for the duration of my NBC-life, have forever been a savage.

There are some songs that are always on the iPod. Before that, they were on the MD player. Before that, they were well-reached for and loved CDs. Some songs become a part of your mindset, no matter how little you can remember of who you are.

Some places see their own specifics-Sweden, for instance, is marked by the singer Lene Marlin (who is actually Norwegian) and music by the Manic Street Preachers (who are actually English). I played their music repeatedly there and to this day the songs make me think of Stockholm. Edwin McCain plays the soundtrack of my North Carolina days, accompanied by Far Too Jones. Texas is all over the place, but it is mostly packed with alternative music, like Beck's "Loser" (I'm a loser baybehhhh...so why don'tcha kill mehhhhhh...). I bypassed the cool Echo and the Bunnymen scene and went straight from Whale Songs to Beck. Might explain the need for therapy, really.

Here are some of mine (note, although Sarah McLachlan doesn't appear in the list, she's a given. Really.):

"Hearts"

The first CDs I ever got, upon receiving the first portable CD player I ever had at 16, consisted of a CD of Whale Songs (yes, I liked shit like that), Pink Floyd's "The Wall" (always popular amongst angsty and depressive teens) and Yes's "90125". To this day the song "Hearts" by Yes makes me think of being 16 and sitting on a brown shagpile carpet. A strange memory, but one I have all the same. The song should be sung at top volume, and you should as melodramatic as possible when it comes to the bridge:

One heart's for love
One's for giving
Two hearts are better
Than one
I hearing it
I living it
I believe in it
I loving it
Two hearts are better
Than one

Of course, the bad grammar means that today I wouldn't listen to the song, but at 16? Oh yeah. I was angsty.

"Solsbury Hill"

Petey, Petey, Petey. You're a weird bloke and you are getting old but Christ I love your music. Solsbury Hill has the ability to make me tap my toes and want to crack open a bottle of Fuller's. Your one word albums were the best-"So", "Cars", and "Us" were played endlessly but you lost the road with "Ovo". Still, I worship you and your "Solsbury Hill" always made me long to be in England.

In some ways, I guess I have you to thank then, Petey.

Please note: Sarah McLachlan, this is the one transgression you made. Make all the covers you want (I love your remake of "Unchained Melody" because it does not make me think of Tom the Poseur at all) but do not touch "Solsbury Hill" again.

"And So It Goes"

The Piano Man calms the savage beast with this song in seconds. In high school as punishment one of the teachers made us look up all the references of "We Didn't Start the Fire". I actually learnt a lot from that exercise and I became a closet back seat Joel fan. I don't have any of his albums but one, yet somehow I know many of his songs. "And So It Goes" is one to enjoy with a glass of whiskey in the hand and a winter's night outside the window.

"All I Want"

Toad the Wet Sprocket's song defies me to be calm and gloomy when it plays. My toes tap. My eyes relax. This song infuses me with light, so I play it when I need a bit of sun.

"Lightning Crashes"

Like the Toadies song "Possum Kingdom", "Lightning Crashes" by Live takes me back to the beginning of my senses, those electric days of living in Dallas. The later Dallas days are pockmarked with easier-going Collective Soul, but "Lightning Crashes" is a song that still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. When I lived in Texas and couldn't live inside my mind, I'd walk in the powerful and reckless thunderstorms that would berate Dallas every summer. I would become completely soaked in seconds but the ferocity of the storms was what I needed, what drew me. I never found myself in those storms, but this song was there for me throughout.

"Lover Lay Down"

Dave Matthews came and countered the depression of Live, and in college I stumbled onto them. "Lover Lay Down" became a sweet song that romanced me and my love at the time. I would play it on my crappy college stereo in my college apartment-which I look back on with incredible fondness-and lie down on the floor with my cat Nick, while waiting for him to show up in the evening, to spend the night with me, to be with me.

Kim and I had radically different tastes in music, but "Lover Lay Down" and Ravel's "Bolero" was where our paths merged, and those two songs sweetly remind me of him.

"If You Could Only See"

Tonic's song was played at top volume on the rooftop of the Blind Lemon in Dallas's Deep Ellum district. The night was hot. Somewhere out there was a man I used to love completely. I had a job I hated and was partying with colleagues that I didn't actually like as people. I looked out over the Dallas rooftops and wondered what happened to me, then I went downstairs to buy more alcohol, where on the TV was a pcture of a smashed up Mercedes under a Paris bridge. It was 1997 and I was dying, much like a Princess had just died.

"Wicked Game"

Cliche, yes. Chick music? Probably. The song makes me want to throw Angus to the ground and ravish him every damn time I hear it. I first heard it when I was a teenager, but ever indicative of how behind the times I was, I didn't really twig it until I was older. I still love that song.

"Frozen Charlotte"

Natalie Merchant's solo trip hit the right note with me. "Frozen Charlotte" was sweet and wistful and saw me living along for the first time in my adult life. "Frozen Charlotte" saw me in my own home, then saw me move from Texas to North Carolina. "Frozen Charlotte" saw me lose my grandfather, and saw me drive across country to say goodbye to him.

I have a memory of wearing headphones and painting a wall while listening to that song, crying. I have no idea where it was, what wall I was painting, or why I was crying. All I know is the memory is real and I wish I could hug me.

"Iris"

The Goo Goo Dolls helped me believe in love again with this song. That is all.

"At Last"

Etta James kicks a clown's ass. This song is utterly charming and makes me dream of iced tea on back porches, with fireflies surfing the hot evening air. When I hear it I dream of quilts on porch swings and bare feet placed on the lap of the one I love. It's a song that reminds me of where I am.

"I Grieve"

One more Petey mention-this song has seen rivers of tears from me. It always has, and the moment that the second refrain hits, I stop breathing and watch the world move in slow motion.

"Rudie Can't Fail"

The Clash rule. This song makes me want to dance around like a monkey, and John Cusack's inclusion of it in one of the greatest films of all time, Grosse Pointe Blank, was a stroke of genius.

"Under Pressure"

The queens of camp, David Bowie and...well...Queen, hit the right note with this song. Angus is a huge Queen fan and I like most of their stuff but this song I love. Love. And I'm not even a Bowie fan.

"You Won't Be Mine"

Matchbox 20 played this long, slow sad one. The raindrops at the end of the song catch in my throat every time. The song hurts in so many ways, not least of which is the fact that it's the last thing I remember hearing before that eventful night when I went off the rails 4 years ago. I heard it in Sweden, just before the Bleakest Night.

The latest songs tend to be quieter and gentler. I think I have listened to Sia's "Breathe Me" one hundred thousand times and still going. Joshua Radin and Snow Patrol are faves, and Rachel Fuller's "Pleasure Seeker" writes my book for me in my head. Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" makes me want to belt out the song while drinking from a bottle of rum. Fort Minor and Holly Brook's "Where'd You Go" reminds me that work is not everything and I want to make love with the sun shining on me and all the windows open, curtains blowing in the breeze when I hear "Nessum Dorma" (which should be played AT TOP VOLUME).

And when I walk around the house doing various chores, I often sing Nat King Cole's "The Very Thought of You".

And when I do, I think of Angus.

-H.

PS-as I'm rebuilding my new iPod still, song recommendations are welcome.

Posted by: Everydaystranger at 10:57 AM | Comments (27) | Add Comment
Post contains 1595 words, total size 9 kb.

1 If you like "AT Last" and Nat Cole's voice, why not explore some more of the OLD songs?

Posted by: kenju at July 13, 2006 12:03 PM (2+7OT)

2 here is a possible list... what, no links? I´ll email you then, get ready for some Motown.

Posted by: miguel at July 13, 2006 12:25 PM (BUFQl)

3 And So It Goes is a fav of mine I love singing it soulfully too. And I'm right with you on Etta and Solsbury Hill... My iPod hasn't been updated in ages... I've lost the cable... Your post has reinforced that I'm jonesing for a fix and have to go and buy a new cable rather than keep waiting for it to show up (because the last ditch effort to find it would mean tidying my room... and we can't get toooo carried away right?)

Posted by: deeleea at July 13, 2006 12:26 PM (oijpn)

4 Very good stuff here. And So It Goes is one of my favorite songs, too, well pretty much every song you mentioned is a favorite of mine too. At Last was the song my husband and I danced to at our wedding (five years ago no one used that song, now it seems everyone does, but oh well.... we were original at the time.) In fact, we knew that would be our song within about a month of dating, well before we were even engaged. Love it. Oh and Lover Lay Down reminds me of many, many, many drunk nights in college, summer of 1995.

Posted by: donna at July 13, 2006 12:47 PM (F4Yeb)

5 I won't give any 'trendy' recommendations because well, those come and go....but I will say that one artists that I keep on my Ipod...who makes me smile TIME and TIME again is Tom Petty.....particularly "You don't know how it feels" and "Free Falling"....cheesy? CHECK.....awesome? CHECK CHECK CHECK

Posted by: wn at July 13, 2006 12:53 PM (ssT4d)

6 Kenju-I LOVE the old songs-Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra? I'm there. Donna-"At Last" was the song I danced to with my ex-husband 6 years ago too. Let's be pleased we were ahead of a trend, yeah?

Posted by: Helen at July 13, 2006 01:04 PM (uf2SC)

7 wow, you managed to hit on every song I associate with a significant other in one post. weird, no? Iris - reminds me of my high school boyfriend for reasons I'm not entirely sure of. Solsbury Hill - i had heard the sarah mclachlan version in college, but my boyfriend at the time introduced me to the original Peter Gabriel version. he put it on a mix tape he made for me. then he broke my heart. If You Could Only See - my then boyfriend, now fiance, made me a mix CD when we first started dating with this song on it and we danced to it. he also saw Tonic play in London a few years before.

Posted by: geeky at July 13, 2006 01:23 PM (ziVl9)

8 My ipod is doing weird things and I'm worrying it's gone for good, too... haven't taken the time to really mess with it and see if it's salvagable or not... Diana Krall has that quality I enjoy about the "old" songs, too.

Posted by: sue at July 13, 2006 02:01 PM (WbfZD)

9 ""Kim and I had radically different tastes in music, but "Lover Lay Down" and Ravel's "Bolero" was where our paths merged, and those two songs sweetly remind me of him."" Ahh Bolero.... hehe I always get asked "Where did I hear this before?" (10) Hmm I always suggest Beethoven's 9th Symphony (3d movement) but that's me. Hmm Alice Cooper's Poison, Finch, a speedmetal band called Dragonforce I just got into (great for those moments where you want to kill someone), BOC Godzilla, One Tin Soldier, The Good ship Venus (hehe), The Theme song from Serenity (can send you the mp3 if you need). Various SF based filk songs.. (sputnik and promethious) .... err heh that's probably more then enough,, Me

Posted by: LarryConley at July 13, 2006 03:19 PM (PYxaj)

10 music soothes the savage breast, actually. no beast. (altho i've always thought savage breast offers a funny mental image.)

Posted by: cindy at July 13, 2006 03:40 PM (4dWnl)

11 Music has always been a huge part of my life. I'll send some suggestions. In fact, maybe I'll make a playlist for you on iTunes

Posted by: ~Easy at July 13, 2006 03:55 PM (CZPRx)

12 I love "At Last" (it got me through round one of American Idol auditions), but my favorite Etta song is "I'd Rather Go Blind." Snow Patrol are big with me right now, as are Keane. Pretty much anything by Janis Joplin makes me want to sing at the top of my lungs. My number one chill bump song is "Round Here" by Counting Crows. And "Wicked Game?" Who doesn't want to throw their partner down to that song? My newest happy songs are "World, Hold On" by Bob Sinclair and "Smile" by Lilly Allen (perhaps spelled differently). Okay, so I just babbled a lot.

Posted by: amy t. at July 13, 2006 04:07 PM (zPssd)

13 Lot's of similarirties on your list... Mine would also include: 'When you come back down' - Nickel Creek 'Kite' - U2 and lots' of Willy Porter, but that's probably an aquired taste. 'Watercolor', 'Rita' & 'Big Yellow Pine' to name a few...

Posted by: Clancy at July 13, 2006 06:54 PM (JxYJc)

14 "Solsbury Hill"? Yes 90125? "Wicked Game"? Finally! Someone else that loves what I love! Particularly 90125. Used to play the tape until the thing melted from sheer fatigue. No problems WHATSOEVER with your musical choices. My latest guilty pleasures (commonly played MP3's): "Romeo & Juliet" by Dire Straits. Heard the live version for the first time on my way to work the other morning and by the time the song was over, my eyes were actually WET. No way I could walk into a hyper-macho print shop environment in that state. God I'm turning into such a puss. "Bittersweet" - Big Head Todd & the Monsters "A Face In The Crowd" - Tom Petty and my signature song "Touch of Grey" by the Grateful Dead. I will get by, I will survive.

Posted by: diamond dave at July 13, 2006 08:00 PM (NvhA8)

15 "We'll Meet Again", Vera Lang. There's about 163 versions of this song, but this one from the end of Dr. Strangelove is the best. It also is one of a few songs that stops my son from crying. "Space Age Love Song" and "Wishing", A Flock of Seagulls. Strangely, I never knew these songs were theirs until recently. Good melody, somewhat mindless, and fun. "I'm Winning" Santana. Good memories. I'm totally with you on 90125, though "Leave It" is my favorite on that album. "Solibury Hill" is my favorite Petey, though "Games Without Frontiers" and "Red Rain" are close behind. "Sweet Caroline" is great to sing in groups or loudly in the car (especially the BAH Bah Bah part) Guilty 80s pleasures include Survivor, REO Speedwagon and Pat Benetar ("Shadows of the Night" was my first MTV video) And then, of course, the odd classical: "Unter Donner und Blitz -- Thunder & Lightning Polka" (186 Johann Strauss II

Posted by: Z. Hendirez at July 13, 2006 08:50 PM (otB//)

16 Oooh. I may have to e-mail you a list of some of my favorites. I love just about anything musical, so the entire list would be prohibitively long, but I do love me some 70's schlock. It'll have to be later tonight for me, though, I have to work to pay for internet connection. Heh. Love love love your list. xoxo

Posted by: Margi at July 13, 2006 09:09 PM (0BPNl)

17 My ist generation ipod died a few months back and I haven't been able to replace it yet as my Mac is 6 years old and the new ones are apparently no longer compatible with my OS (10.1.2). So I must wait to upgrade before retuning... Back in highschool, my "Holy Trinity" was Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, and Laurie Anderson. Kate's newest album is a must (double disc, Aerial: A Sea of Honey & Aerial: A Sky of Honey). From songs in which she sings the numerical value of pi to numbers in which a child's voice describes the world outside in wonder, every track takes a hold of me. As for older stuff, The Red Shoes album is also fantastic! The song Rubberband Girl can not be heard without bopping along and The Song of Solomon is an amusing version of the poem from the bible where she makes clear that YES, the poem is about SEX, not "loving" god. As for Petey, well my life would not be complete if not for his album Passion - The Last Temptation of Christ soundtrack. Played from beginning to end it embraces my senses, sends them soaring, and then gently deposits me back on earth. Especially needed when soaking in a hot tub or bubble bath at the end of a rough day. If you end up enjoying that album, try Lisa Gerrard's Immortal Memory, it's a similiar type of groove. My newest Goddess of iTunes is Kirsty MacColl and her album Tropical Brainstorm. The woman can sing! She's done a wide variety of music, but this album is a tribute to Brazil and is very dancable. I think you would especially enjoy the song "In these shoes," in which she describes various men attempting to hit on her and ends up with the English man in the end. For a taste of the truly eclectic, I absolutely love the rap song about playing croquet done by Bitch and Animal on their album Sour Juice and Rhyme (song is aptly named "Croquet"). [FYI, I am not really a rap fan. But this is different] Another recent fav that I can't help but sing along to is Flaming Lip's Yoshi Battles the Pink Robots, part 1 (from the album of the same name as the song). The rest of my iTunes varies all over the place, including much of what you listed already. But, since you asked for suggestions, here's my 2 cents.

Posted by: KG at July 13, 2006 10:24 PM (rw/2F)

18 ohmigosh... you must have (get) "karma police"... Radiohead, sigh....

Posted by: lb at July 14, 2006 05:26 AM (uuZiy)

19 "I looked out over the Dallas rooftops and wondered what happened to me, then I went downstairs to buy more alcohol, where on the TV was a pcture of a smashed up Mercedes under a Paris bridge. It was 1997 and I was dying, much like a Princess had just died." I was sitting in my tiny studio apartment in North Dallas that night waiting for SNL to come on ... I hadn't lived there long which meant I hadn't been sucked in by Deep Ellum yet. Dallas holds a lot of memories ... and when certain songs come on I am instantly swept back there. (Of course working for a radio network might have had something to do with my over exposure to music - most of it was crap - at the time) I don't hsve any suggestions for music - you've already mentioned a few of my faves. I will second Radiohead though.

Posted by: Michele at July 14, 2006 04:12 PM (5VGFA)

20 oooh, i love all this music. pg's "grieve" kills me every time... that whole album is amazing. toad the wet sprocket, sia, at last. you have an ear for the sad, soulful stuff. me too. dreary days also call me to softer counting crows, ani difranco, howie day, modest mouse...and others.

Posted by: kat at July 14, 2006 06:04 PM (y68If)

21 Thank you, Kat-you were just my 13,000th comment.

Posted by: Helen at July 14, 2006 06:09 PM (uf2SC)

22 Knowing how you feel about Angus and Gorby , I felt this song by Pierce Pettis belonged on your iPod. He is great. http://www.piercepettis.com/index.php Don't Ever Want To Be Without You --Pierce Pettis It's a blessing in my life It's a lesson I have learned Standing naked in this blinding light Where there's no such thing as too young to die There's no such thing as to old to cry I don't ever want to be without you I don't ever want to lose your touch I don't ever want to be with out you I could never stand to lose so much But you know the man in me All the inconsistencies You manage to love me anyway Everybody feels the same desire Moving closer to the fire Everybody needs this warmth to stay alive I don't ever want to be without you I don't ever want to lose your touch I don't ever want to be with out you I could never stand to lose so much If it was all left up to me I shudder at the thought Of who or what I'd be...I'd be so alone Everybody feels the same desire Moving closer to the fire Everybody needs this warmth to stay alive Where there's no such thing as too young to die There's no such thing as to old to cry I don't ever want to be without you I don't ever want to lose your touch I don't ever want to be with out you I could never stand to lose so much

Posted by: Foggy at July 14, 2006 07:06 PM (WlHuv)

23 Some of my all time faves are: "Blister in the Sun"-Violent Femmes "Laid"-James "Africa"-Toto "Don't Stop Believing"-Journey "Ring of Fire"-Johnny Cash "Everyday"-Buddy Holly "In My Life"-Beatles There are many, many more-too many to list. These few always make me happy and think of something special. Its funny, but our closeness in age means the soundtrack of your life is very close to mine. Cool.

Posted by: Teresa at July 14, 2006 08:55 PM (f+o6m)

24 wowzers, 13,000. sweet! :-)

Posted by: kat at July 16, 2006 01:58 PM (xQYHR)

25 I can't recommend Michael Franti highly enough. Anything off of 'Everyone Deserves Music', but most especially the title track, 'What I Be', 'Pray for Grace' and 'Never Too Late'. Yes, most most especially that last one.

Posted by: Jennifer at July 16, 2006 10:51 PM (CEc5z)

26 I show some age. I'm all about David Bowie...and Queen. It just doesn't get much better than Freddie Mercury...gotta go watch RFD-the rural channel now and watch all about John Deere tractors with my husband. I know you're jealous :-)

Posted by: marie at July 17, 2006 01:17 AM (uA5dw)

27 I seriously recommend Sara Bareilles. I heard one of her songs in a movie, loved it, and then went and bought the whole cd. She's AWESOME, and the emotion in her voice blows me away. She has a website, that has samples of her music. Beautiful. Been reading you for a couple years now - you still rock, by the way. C

Posted by: Christina at July 19, 2006 03:42 PM (axrWz)

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