2014 is going to be my year, not of living dangerously, but musically.
I have a fair amount of music. Granted, much of it comes from soundtracks. I can’t seem to help myself. Perhaps it’s my way of reliving the movie, or as I used to do as a child, scripting my life and having my very own soundrack. Whatever the reason, I’m staring down 2336 songs, and that’s just what I allow on the iPod. There are perhaps another 1000 that don’t see the light of day except between October and December because they’re holiday songs . . . or Il Divo.
Of that 2336, I listen to about 100 regularly. A glance at my “recently played” and “most played” reads like a funeral gone majestic. With some calls for revolution thrown in for kicks.
So, here’s my challenge to myself (something similar to a New Years Resolution, but fun): queue the iPod to “all songs,” shuffled, on the way into work. That averages about 9 songs, which is great, given how many work days are left in the year. Admittedly, that is an imperfect calculation because I suck at math, but you get the idea. Each Friday, I’m going to feature the song of the week, one song of the many that I’ve rediscovered or has given something resembling meaning to my day.
I’m only doing this on the way in to work, mind. The day always starts out so hopeful, but on the way home there are going to be days I just want to listen to Florence + The Machine or Misty Mountains on repeat, challenge be damned.
This week’s favorites:
Oh, What a World, Rufus Wainwright – I forgot how much I enjoyed this song, and Rufus, and this song.
Craic was 90 on the Isle of Man, Christy Moore – I didn’t even know I had this song until it came on this morning.
The Pitch, Moulin Rouge – Because Jim Broadbent makes me smile.
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, Monty Python – Because at 6:15 in the morning, scraping the car in -4 temperatures, hearing crazy Brits sing is probably the best thing to get you through the day.
Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar), The Doors – I loved it long before I heard it in At World’s End, but now that association make it even more fun.
And the winner:
Oh, What a World, Rufus Wainwright
In other News
D: So, I get no say in this year of living musically?
A: No.
D: Not even—
A: No.
D: Sheesh, tough crowd this morning.
A: Crowd? It’s just you and me, D.
D: And the guys in your head bantering about the non-sparkly vampires, per Papi’s Prompt.
A: (Coming to a Dialogue blog near you on Saturday) . . . that still doesn’t count. Anyway . . .
D: Don’t look at me like that, woman. I’m not going to interrupt again. Now who’s slowing down the show?
A: Right. So, the wonderful Helena Hann-Basquiat, and her wicked alter-ego, Jessica B. Bell have some fantastic news: The Best Medicine and Three Cigarettes are now available on Amazon for .99 each. Check them out, buy them, devour them, review them.
D: Not only that but, Pamela at Poetry by Pamela has published a collection of her love poems, Dreams of Love. Congratulations, Pamela!
A: Indeed, Congratulations, Pamela – the book looks beautiful, and I know your poetry is lovely. Elsewhere, Green has an incredibly funny post on the joys (or is that dangers?) of being a singleton on the internet. How he deals with them is hilarious.
D: How do you deal with that kind of thing?
A: I don’t – I have yet to be accosted by fake people on the interwebs.
D: That’s just sad.
A: Right? Instead I’m accosted by fake people in my head.
D: Wow, that’s rough. . . hey, wait–
A: And on that note, I hope everyone has a fantastic day! Happy Friday!
The D/A Dialogues 
Thanks.. 🙂
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Right now I have “Everything is Awesome” from the Lego movie stuck in my head, lol. Thanks for the shout out, you really put D on the ropes there! 😀
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🙂 I haven’t heard that song (mostly because every time we sit down to watch the trailer, something else interrupts, but with a name like that, you can’t go wrong!
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Funny thing is I was singing ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ earlier today.
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Great minds, Charles! That, and it is a great song.
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Especially after a rough week.
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Oh yeah (good reminder, that… even when the only bright side is the crazy brits singing an awesome song!)
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Though some weeks seem to be determined to suck to the Nth degree.
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I love this topic! I have so many playlists on my iPod that for one particular playlist it takes about 30 seconds before it refreshes. It takes five other playlists based on ratings and creates a virtual radio station with not only my favorite music but also a couple of songs I haven’t heard in a while. It really it quite exciting!
Ooh, and I love The Pitch!!! BTW, have you heard Florence + The Machine’s Drum Song? It’s so good! I highly recommend it.
Love this Friday theme and the song, too! 🙂
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I should do that once I’m done with my challenge – just to keep me from obsessively listening to the same bloody songs! (when I write, it doesn’t count – I’m setting mood, there!)
Drumming is one of the ones on repeat! That and Seven Devils, No Light No Life and Shake it Out. There will be more, but I downloaded those to get a taste …
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Very nice! And nothing wrong with having songs on repeat. I’ve done that with the first track to Shakespeare in Love and must have heard it well over 200+ times before I reset the play count ’cause it was showing up in a lot of other playlists. Ha, but now I have a condition that looks for stuff like that on iTunes and sets them apart! Gosh, love iTunes’ Smart Playlists!!!
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Thank you for the mention D (and A)
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You are so welcome, Pam!
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Thanks for the shout out, darling! Love those songs — the only one I didn’t know was the Christy Moore one. Also, David Bowie did a fantastic cover of Alabama Song (Scary Monsters era Bowie — I think it was a B-Side)
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Ooh, I need to find that and have that (2337 and counting). I still haven’t factored in what I’m going to do when I add more songs, as I tend to do… Of course, there are worse things than insisting I listen to music all the time! 🙂
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At last count, I had (gulp) 347 Gigabytes of music in my iTunes folder. It’s beyond ridonkulous.
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I was thinking of you when I started this challenge, because I know you have a)great taste in music, b)likely an incredible selection yourself. And 347 gigabytes definitely equals incredible!
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Oh, I’d say it’s nearly an OBSCENE amount of music. Like, completely illogical. I’ll NEVER be able to listen to it all. I rationalize it by saying “yeah, but what if I ever want to listen to (insert obscure song here) — at least I know I have it. Listening to The Dream Academy today — because of an inclusion of one of their songs in Ferris Bueller’s Day off. I’m a sick sick woman and I need to be put down like a dog.
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