Music
January 19, 2011
Songs Guaranteed to Boost My Mood
Because I need a mood boost, I went looking through my music, and here's what I came up with for mood-boosting music.
1) Banditos - The Refreshments.
2) The Boys of Summer - Don Henley.
3) Centerfield - John Fogerty.
4) Chewbacca (What a Wookiieeeeee (I never spell that right)) - Supernova.
5) Control - Poe.
6) Crown Him With Many Crowns - Michael W. Smith.
7) Cult of Personality - Living Colour
8) Holding Out for a Hero - Bonnie Tyler
9) Invincible - Pat Benatar.
10) Light Cavalry - Franz Von Suppe
11) Mlada Suite - Rimsky-Korsakov
12) Mysterious Woman - Christine Lavin
13) Nemesis - Shriekback
14) New Attitude - Patti LaBelle
15) Send Me An Angel - Real Life
16) Touch My Heart - Vinx
17) The Unicorn Song - The Brobdingnagian Bards
18) Nothing - A Chorus Line
So there's today's playlist for the afternoon. May it do my bidding.
hln
July 26, 2007
Best Song From Band/Artist X
I think this is just destined to become an every 8 day thing. So be it.
Last week was John Mellencamp. For me, I like Lonely Ol' Night best. I remember that being popular when I was in upper Michigan on vacation when I was about 13 years old. Worst song? Only fair to include that, too - Cherry Bomb.
This week it's "Weird Al" Yankovic. Plenty to choose from here.
hln
July 19, 2007
Best Song From Band/Artist X
I'm a day late. What is it this week? John Cougar/John Cougar Mellencamp/John Mellencamp. Go.
hln
July 11, 2007
Best Song From Band/Artist X
Brian and I a few years back started this dialogue of one of us bringing up a band name/artist and then both of us pontificating on the best song put forth by same. Because he is who he is, he always asked questions like, "Album?" and, "Year?" I pooh-poohed these - don't leave space in my brain for such trivia.
But it might make kind of a fun weekly blog feature. So I start with naming this week's band as Metallica. In a couple of days I'll let you know my answer. But someone must comment first. Feel free to include a memory that said song invokes.
hln
January 22, 2006
August 28, 2005
Seven Songs Indeed
Dustbury has a post of seven songs you're into lately. So I'll post mine, and you can do accordingly if you'd like.
(In no order)
1) Pretty Fly for a Rabbi - Weird Al. This came on the iPod while I was housecleaning a couple of weeks ago, and I laughed out loud. Weird Al is hit or miss with me - the only other song that'll do this to me is Jurassic Park (to the tune of Macarthur Park, of course)
2) Within Each of Us - Adora. Check it out. (6th track down)
3) Studying Stones - Ani DiFranco. This song's off her latest album. She is also hit or miss with me (relationship songs rock and are full of wonderful metaphors. I wholeheartedly disagree with the woman's politics, though.)
4) Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) - Billy Joel. St. Louis has this radio station that plays a pretty wide variety of "whatever they want," as they say, called The Arch. I've always liked this song, but it brings a particular pleasure when it comes on the radio randomly while I'm driving. They stream in case you're interested.
5) Martial Law - George Clinton. This song is a surefire guarantee to put me in a good mood. Silly, but true.
6) Honestly Now (Safety's Just Danger...Out of Place) - Harry Connick Jr.
7) Night Moves - Marilyn Martin. Marilyn Martin's self-titled CD JUST came out in August, and I snapped it up that day. I've had the cassette since junior high, but the only way to get a CD was to pay upwards of $60 on eBay to get a Japanese marketed CD. No thanks. But now that I have one, this has been playing a lot. Ah, the 80's.
I could go on all day. One honorary - Extreme Ways - Moby.
hln
July 21, 2005
Cassettes to MP3s?
So I've decided to try to convert some of my cassettes to MP3s. A found a few online guides, doesn't look too difficult. Seems like I have to make .wav files then then MP3s.
Has anybody done this? How's the sound quality?
This is a project that I will undertake after I clean my office (which means, possibly, never). But I'm hoping I can use it to motivate myself to some straightening, dusting, and vacuuming. We shall see.
hln
April 19, 2004
Music to Move To
If you're in need of something new for the MP3 player or for your computer to entice you to leave the computer desk for a sweatier activity, check out Lagoona.
There isn't a single song I don't like. I have a pretty good collection back from when the music was hosted on MP3.com. Unfortunately, the majority of those songs are not available currently. If you head out to ampcast.com, though, you'll score a few.
hln
October 04, 2003
Gravedigger
I have Dave Matthews' song Gravedigger looping. I can't turn it off.
Not a radio listener, I first heard this song on MP3.com last week, probably later than the rest of you. I bought the album last night, based on it and on my big thumb's up for DM and da band's When the World Ends off of Matrix Reloaded's soundtrack album.
I had a Dave Matthews Band cassette - Under the Table and Dreaming. It was often background music while studying (grad school) or something playing behind a conversation. When I lived with Adam, we always had music on - that's his thing.
So I was somewhat surprised how much I liked these two. I played the live CD first last night - not bad, not bad at all. And then I put on Some Devil. It's been in the CD player since - probably about 5 times through now. And then at about two today, I put Gravedigger on single-song repeat, trying to isolate what it is that's tugging at me. Here we go.
First, musically, the gradual build-up of instrumentation and volume, thus the emotional swell. Nicely done without being overdone. Second, the build in emotion of the mini obituaries that Matthews is offering. First, we've got Cyrus and his legend. "Made his great-grandchildren believe you could live to 103." Nicely said. Then the equating of 103 with forever. Equally nice.
The chorus, soft the first time, then building.
Muriel. "She lost both of her babies in the Second Great War." World fits here, too, syllable wise. I'm a wordplay freak - Second Great war works beautifully - never heard it coined that way, though I often hear WWI was "the Great War," one of my favorite books being Solider of the Great War.
Then the nursery rhyme - okay, that's a pet peeve. Ani DiFranco is always off on Rockabye Baby, and that irritates me - it's usually a detriment to her work. But, here, I'm okay with it, really - the innocence, and then "ashes to ashes" - of course that's fitting.
And then the whammo. Musically, it's very loud here.
Little Mikey Parsons, 67 to 75
He rode his bike like the devil until the day he died
when he grows up he wants to be Mr. Vertigo on the flying trapeze
oh, 1940 to 1992
"Mr. Vertigo on the flying trapeze." Are you sure Dave's not been dining with Tori Amos? I really liked that - the image it put in my head. I can see and feel this man, and it seems accurate that he wants to "grow up" after he dies.
Full lyrics.
I can count on one hand the songs I'd put on a single-song loop, having done it. The list includes this song, Tori Amos' Horses, Sheryl Crow's Do What We Can, and The Church's Under the Milky Way Tonight.
They say that your demons can't go there. Indeed. Wistful.
hln
Songs Guaranteed to Boost My Mood
Because I need a mood boost, I went looking through my music, and here's what I came up with for mood-boosting music.
1) Banditos - The Refreshments.
2) The Boys of Summer - Don Henley.
3) Centerfield - John Fogerty.
4) Chewbacca (What a Wookiieeeeee (I never spell that right)) - Supernova.
5) Control - Poe.
6) Crown Him With Many Crowns - Michael W. Smith.
7) Cult of Personality - Living Colour
8) Holding Out for a Hero - Bonnie Tyler
9) Invincible - Pat Benatar.
10) Light Cavalry - Franz Von Suppe
11) Mlada Suite - Rimsky-Korsakov
12) Mysterious Woman - Christine Lavin
13) Nemesis - Shriekback
14) New Attitude - Patti LaBelle
15) Send Me An Angel - Real Life
16) Touch My Heart - Vinx
17) The Unicorn Song - The Brobdingnagian Bards
18) Nothing - A Chorus Line
So there's today's playlist for the afternoon. May it do my bidding.
hln
Best Song From Band/Artist X
I think this is just destined to become an every 8 day thing. So be it.
Last week was John Mellencamp. For me, I like Lonely Ol' Night best. I remember that being popular when I was in upper Michigan on vacation when I was about 13 years old. Worst song? Only fair to include that, too - Cherry Bomb.
This week it's "Weird Al" Yankovic. Plenty to choose from here.
hln
Best Song From Band/Artist X
I'm a day late. What is it this week? John Cougar/John Cougar Mellencamp/John Mellencamp. Go.
hln
Best Song From Band/Artist X
Brian and I a few years back started this dialogue of one of us bringing up a band name/artist and then both of us pontificating on the best song put forth by same. Because he is who he is, he always asked questions like, "Album?" and, "Year?" I pooh-poohed these - don't leave space in my brain for such trivia.
But it might make kind of a fun weekly blog feature. So I start with naming this week's band as Metallica. In a couple of days I'll let you know my answer. But someone must comment first. Feel free to include a memory that said song invokes.
hln
Seven Songs Indeed
Dustbury has a post of seven songs you're into lately. So I'll post mine, and you can do accordingly if you'd like.
(In no order)
1) Pretty Fly for a Rabbi - Weird Al. This came on the iPod while I was housecleaning a couple of weeks ago, and I laughed out loud. Weird Al is hit or miss with me - the only other song that'll do this to me is Jurassic Park (to the tune of Macarthur Park, of course)
2) Within Each of Us - Adora. Check it out. (6th track down)
3) Studying Stones - Ani DiFranco. This song's off her latest album. She is also hit or miss with me (relationship songs rock and are full of wonderful metaphors. I wholeheartedly disagree with the woman's politics, though.)
4) Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) - Billy Joel. St. Louis has this radio station that plays a pretty wide variety of "whatever they want," as they say, called The Arch. I've always liked this song, but it brings a particular pleasure when it comes on the radio randomly while I'm driving. They stream in case you're interested.
5) Martial Law - George Clinton. This song is a surefire guarantee to put me in a good mood. Silly, but true.
6) Honestly Now (Safety's Just Danger...Out of Place) - Harry Connick Jr.
7) Night Moves - Marilyn Martin. Marilyn Martin's self-titled CD JUST came out in August, and I snapped it up that day. I've had the cassette since junior high, but the only way to get a CD was to pay upwards of $60 on eBay to get a Japanese marketed CD. No thanks. But now that I have one, this has been playing a lot. Ah, the 80's.
I could go on all day. One honorary - Extreme Ways - Moby.
hln
Cassettes to MP3s?
So I've decided to try to convert some of my cassettes to MP3s. A found a few online guides, doesn't look too difficult. Seems like I have to make .wav files then then MP3s.
Has anybody done this? How's the sound quality?
This is a project that I will undertake after I clean my office (which means, possibly, never). But I'm hoping I can use it to motivate myself to some straightening, dusting, and vacuuming. We shall see.
hln
Music to Move To
If you're in need of something new for the MP3 player or for your computer to entice you to leave the computer desk for a sweatier activity, check out Lagoona.
There isn't a single song I don't like. I have a pretty good collection back from when the music was hosted on MP3.com. Unfortunately, the majority of those songs are not available currently. If you head out to ampcast.com, though, you'll score a few.
hln
Gravedigger
I have Dave Matthews' song Gravedigger looping. I can't turn it off.
Not a radio listener, I first heard this song on MP3.com last week, probably later than the rest of you. I bought the album last night, based on it and on my big thumb's up for DM and da band's When the World Ends off of Matrix Reloaded's soundtrack album.
I had a Dave Matthews Band cassette - Under the Table and Dreaming. It was often background music while studying (grad school) or something playing behind a conversation. When I lived with Adam, we always had music on - that's his thing.
So I was somewhat surprised how much I liked these two. I played the live CD first last night - not bad, not bad at all. And then I put on Some Devil. It's been in the CD player since - probably about 5 times through now. And then at about two today, I put Gravedigger on single-song repeat, trying to isolate what it is that's tugging at me. Here we go.
First, musically, the gradual build-up of instrumentation and volume, thus the emotional swell. Nicely done without being overdone. Second, the build in emotion of the mini obituaries that Matthews is offering. First, we've got Cyrus and his legend. "Made his great-grandchildren believe you could live to 103." Nicely said. Then the equating of 103 with forever. Equally nice.
The chorus, soft the first time, then building.
Muriel. "She lost both of her babies in the Second Great War." World fits here, too, syllable wise. I'm a wordplay freak - Second Great war works beautifully - never heard it coined that way, though I often hear WWI was "the Great War," one of my favorite books being Solider of the Great War.
Then the nursery rhyme - okay, that's a pet peeve. Ani DiFranco is always off on Rockabye Baby, and that irritates me - it's usually a detriment to her work. But, here, I'm okay with it, really - the innocence, and then "ashes to ashes" - of course that's fitting.
And then the whammo. Musically, it's very loud here.
-
Little Mikey Parsons, 67 to 75
He rode his bike like the devil until the day he died
when he grows up he wants to be Mr. Vertigo on the flying trapeze
oh, 1940 to 1992
Full lyrics.
I can count on one hand the songs I'd put on a single-song loop, having done it. The list includes this song, Tori Amos' Horses, Sheryl Crow's Do What We Can, and The Church's Under the Milky Way Tonight.
They say that your demons can't go there. Indeed. Wistful.
hln
