Music To My Ears
Have you seen Nurse Jackie? If not, you should. Seriously, treat yourself to some Showtime or go to a friend’s house on Monday nights and watch their Showtime for free. Watch bits and pieces on YouTube or catch parts of episodes on Showtime’s web site – do what ya gotta do, people. Well, last week I was watching the show and the episode ended with Patty Griffin’s song, “When It Don’t Come Easy” and I’ve been listening to it on repeat since then. Okay, I’ve listened to a few other things in there as well but I keep coming back to that song. It is rich and real and reminds me how much I love music and why I can’t live without it. Anyway, my obsessive listening led me to wonder if other people listen to songs on repeat for hours on end. So, I had a conversation with my friend Amy over e-mail:
Vikki: If you had to guess, what is the max number of times you have listened to a song in a row?
Amy: Listen to one song over and over and over again? I am pretty sure that record (for me) occurred at your house when Barb and I were over for beers. I believe your IPod was stuck on one song and it probably played for well over an hour and, I’m guessing that means we listened to it 20 times.
Yes, she’s a smarty pants. We did listen to “Fill Me Up” by Shawn Colvin on repeat for close to an hour and a half before our friend Barb said something like, “Either Shawn Colvin’s songs are all starting to sound alike or we’ve been listening to the same one all night.” You are probably in awe of my skills as a hostess right now, aren’t you?
At various times in my life, I’ve dabbled in songwriting. I can’t say my catalogue of original music is as coveted as that of The Beatles but I have a couple that I like. Sometimes, though, I hear a song and wish that I had written it. In fact, during the summer of my discontent, I sat down to write a song and this gorgeous music started pouring out and I ran to get a pen. When I played it again, it sounded familiar and then I realized I was playing “Cry Like An Angel” by Shawn Colvin. Don’t you hate it when that happens?
In the spirit of all this music talk, I thought it would be interesting if you all answered the following:
1) Do you ever listen to individual songs on repeat? (name names, people)
2) What is your favorite song of all time?
3) What song do you wish that you had written?
4) What is your current favorite song?
I’m always looking for music so bring it on!
Posted: July 22nd, 2009 under Uncategorized.
Comments
Comment from Ethan
Time July 22, 2009 at 8:58 pm
1) Do you ever listen to individual songs on repeat? (name names, people)
Right now I’m making a music video of stop-motion animation, so i have been listening to What Are You Like? by the Indigo Girls over and over again. In general context, I can listen to Everything’s Not Lost by Coldplay on repeat.
2) What is your favorite song of all time?
Ok. Impossible to answer.
3) What song do you wish that you had written?
Let It Bleed, Rolling Stones
4) What is your current favorite song?
Also nearly impossible to answer, as I usually have a favorite song of the hour. I’ve been listening to a ridiculous amount of K’Naan lately, so I guess Fatima by K’Naan.
New music? I think we should be bringing old stuff back. There isn’t much sweeter than getting home from work and putting on an old jazz record of Aretha Franklin or a Rolling Stone record from the 60′s and listening to the crackle. That being said, K’Naan, Stereophonics, Franz Ferdinand, The Coup. All awesome!
Comment from Anthony
Time July 22, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Fun post. I know you are a deeply, deeply feeling person, and you feel things very, very deeply, so it doesn’t surprise me at all that you experience music in a very emotional way.
I also listen to music over and over again, and then I take a break from it. Here are my songs:
Songs on Repeat: “Fat-Bottomed Girls” (Queen); “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” (Stones); the “Blue” album (Joni Mitchell); the soundtrack from “Shortbus”
Favorite All-Time Song: oh, boy. this is tough. “All The Way” as sung by Billie Holliday. “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” (Elton John). “Hallelujah” (versions by Leonard Cohen and k.d. lang)
Song I Wish I Had Written: “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” (Billy Joel)
Current Favorite: Andrew Bird-almost everything by him. Sufjan Stevens-almost everything by him.
Sorry I couldn’t be more specific, but specificity is not my strong suit this evening. I look forward to reading the other responses. I always like to know about new music and find out about music that might have otherwise escaped my notice.
Comment from Amy
Time July 23, 2009 at 1:31 am
1. I listened to Dave Matthews Band’s “Pig” nonstop during an eleven-hour drive to Florida. I do the same with many of their other songs, Shannon Worrell’s “Vodka mouth,” Jane’s Addiction’s “I would for you,” Sinead O’Connor’s “Troy,” as well as Mazzy Starr, the Breeders, I could go on and on…
2. Dave Matthews Band’s “#41″
3. Skipping this question because I feel the need to reiterate that I do listen to music other than Dave Matthews Band.
4. Tie between Dave Matthews Band’s Squirm and Seven [hangs head in shame]
Comment from Amy
Time July 23, 2009 at 1:32 am
Oh, and Nurse Jackie is genius. My new favorite show ever.
Comment from lula
Time July 23, 2009 at 3:31 am
1) Of course, that’s who they created the repeat function/button for in the first place. I’ve been doing repeat since my first walkman, and since I wore out the rewind button on it… I would say that Wendy and Lisa’s Waterfall (remixed) would be one of the repeaters, as well as Madonna’s Jump when I’m cleaning…
2) What is your favorite song of all time?
Django Reinhardt’s Undecided, I think. I’m sure there are others, but it’s the only one I can think of at the moment.
3) What song do you wish that you had written?
Wow, I never thought of myself in songwriter terms.
4) What is your current favorite song?
I’m back into Jackson 5 and early Michael Jackson territory at the moment, and A.J. Rahman’s Chan Chan from the soundtrack of Water. Not to be confused with the Cuban Chan Chan.
Comment from Vikki
Time July 23, 2009 at 7:44 am
I definitely have songs that I associate with certain periods in my life.
Comment from Amy
Time July 23, 2009 at 8:35 am
I think I have the same answer to all four questions: Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.”
Comment from Meredith
Time July 23, 2009 at 9:43 am
Great post topic!
I am going to pretend I am not forced to listen to Kidz Bop, Miley Cyrus and The Cars Movie Soundtrack in a constant loop in the car with the kids, and remember that there is music I actually LIKE to listen to. So without further ado:
1) Yes. Often. The most I ever listened to a song on repeat was “Maggie May” by Rod Stewart, on a jukebox, in a bar which no longer exists with a boy who did not stick around.
I’ve kept on repeat various songs from U2, REM, Bruce Hornsby, Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple, The Smiths, The Beatles, The Stones, Elvis, INXS, The The, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, The Pretenders, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Squeeze…..
2) There are far too many to name.
3) I’ve never wished to be a songwriter but I have wished I could compose music. Start with “Tusk” by Fleetwood Mac, end with “Layla” and fill the space between with all my favorite songs.
4) My current favorite songs are: “Are We Human” by The Killers (because it reminds me of the 80′s) and “It’s Not Fair” by Lily Allen (because it’s a fun rodeo tune sung with an English accent. Yee Haw!)
Comment from Esther
Time July 23, 2009 at 10:23 am
I listen to this song by MGMT called “time to….” (something or another). I also listen to a steve miller song that i am too embarrassed to note repeatedly.
Comment from Katherine
Time July 23, 2009 at 2:35 pm
1) Do you ever listen to individual songs on repeat? (name names, people)
“Hurt”-both Nine Inch Nails and Johnny Cash, “Like a Prayer”-Madonna, “Devil Inside”-INXS, “Lies”-Fleetwood Mac, “Man of the world”-Fleetwood Mac, “April Come She Will”- Simon and Garfunkel
2) What is your favorite song of all time?
I could never answer this question.
3) What song do you wish that you had written?
Homeward Bound
4) What is your current favorite song?
“Day ‘N’ Nite”-Kid Cudi
“Meow Mix”- sung by Maddi
Comment from Shelly
Time July 23, 2009 at 2:50 pm
1) Do you ever listen to individual songs on repeat? Yes, and often! Going way back, I recall listening to “Yes It Is” by the Beatles (OK, this was in the late 80′s, I’m not that old) again, and again, and again. I. Love. That. Song. I also listened to Elton John’s “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”, repeatedly…Same with Stephanie Mills singing “Home” from the Broadway production of The Wiz. More recent, “All I Ask” by Crowded House (“All I ask, is to live each moment, free from the last”…gorgeous) and another Crowded House right before that, “Better Be Home Soon”. Sinead O’Connor “Mandinka” and also, any number of up-tempo REM songs, and The Hives “Tick Tick Boom!” Later Squeeze songs were great–from the Play album. Indigo Girls “Little Perennials” (got to the rest of that album about a month after buying it), and the most beautiful song, EVAH, which is Justin Currie singing “Sleep Instead of Teardrops” (“Like everyone else will do, I’m gonna lie to you, and say that life is cruel, but, someday you’re gonna wake up, with sleep instead of teardrops in your eyes…” Effing brilliant, is all…it’s actually a Del Amitri song, but he did it solo on his tour in the States last year–YouTube it, seriously–or check my FB, I have it there! lol). Another Justin composition, “Be My Downfall” from a Del Amitri album way back, was another repeater–I bought a cassette copy of it, and drove around in my car just rewinding it over and over–not sure why I didn’t go home and just listen to it there…!
2) What is your favorite song of all time? Sleep Instead of Teardrops is high on the list, but I believe that Justin Currie is the GREATEST songwriter, EVER, and a lot of his songs rotate in and out of that spot from time to time.
3) What song do you wish that you had written? A lot of them! HA! If I picture myself singing them, and singing them in front of a particular person, then I generally wish it was mine. I covet unabashedly, even though I don’t actually write music…
4) What is your current favorite song? Impossible to call!
Comment from Katherine
Time July 23, 2009 at 3:52 pm
This is not good for my work. I’m listening to everyone’s music on youtube instead of looking at neurons.
Comment from kimberly
Time July 22, 2009 at 8:44 pm
umm, this post was made for me… i always listen to my favourite songs on repeat! in fact, i do it so much that the song in question becomes ingrained in my mind as a snapshot of that period of time in my life. for example, for a couple of weeks before leaving on an epic trip to the middle east i couldn’t stop listening to oren lavie’s ‘her morning elegance’ (the song has nothing to do with the trip, i just happened upon it one day and couldn’t stop watching the video on youtube/listening to the song). so now whenever i listen to that song i feel like it’s snowing out, i’m packing and anticipating my trip and feeling the imminent loneliness of leaving behind my partner for several weeks.
honestly, i couldn’t say what my favourite song is, ’cause that’d be too difficult… but i love love love ‘reckoner’ by radiohead. thom yorke’s voice is so beautiful on that track. i listened to it on repeat last summer while my mom was getting intensive cancer treatments, and every time i hear it, it fills me with so much hope and so much fear. it sounds strange to want to hear something that gives me such a strange feeling, but the intensity of my emotions at that time are still not fully worked out, and when i hear the song i guess it makes me feel a little bit more connected with what i went through. plus, it was one of the only songs that had me singing or dancing at that time…