Monday, September 26, 2005

Songs When You're Lost

Stuff I thought about while trying to keep awake driving to Arizona at 11pm, with over 200 miles to go, Part I:

Ever play the "Five CDs I would take if I were marooned on an island" game? That's what I was trying to figure out. Two rules: (1) No "Greatest Hits" albums. So, no Best of U2 1980-1990 or whatever; (2) Only one album per artist.

Here's mine:

New Miserable Experience, Gin Blossoms. Every song was a home run (in my opinion). Memorized every.single.line of every.single.song. Too bad they broke up soon after.

Dream of the Blue Turtles, Sting. Classic. Loved Moon Over Bourbon Street--but was he a werewolf (with the howl at the end and the title, duh) or a vampire ("you'll never see my shade" and "face of a sinner, hands of a priest")?

The Joshua Tree, U2. Running to Stand Still and Exit. I hated U2 before this album; after I heard it, I bought the entire back catalog. So thanks, JC, for lending me your U2 tapes.

Amplified Heart, Everything But The Girl. Reminds me of the time I lived in San Francisco. Lovely, angsty, depressing stuff, quite the contrast from Idlewild, which was happy pop.

and finally...

Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette. A lot of the songs here depicted events in my life circa 1995-96. From being a boonie in Chicago (Hand in My Pocket) to a messy friendship/relationship (Ironic and You Learn) to meeting the woman I married (Head Over Feet). Plus some of the best lyrics I've ever heard:

It was a slap in the face
How quickly I was replaced
Are you thinking of me
When you fuck her


and

You took me out to wine dine 69 me
But didn't hear a damn word I said


Heh. I guess she really hated Full House. So, she gets engaged to Van Wilder ten years later. Wonder what she'll write if he screws her over?

A couple that barely missed the cut:

Dulcinea, Toad the Wet Sprocket
Songs About Jane, Maroon 5
Compus Mentus, Cutting Crew (hey...it was good!)
Waterfront, Waterfront (featuring the Chester anthem Cry)
Kick, INXS, pre-Asshat
Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, Tears For Fears
Tango in the Night, Fleetwood Mac
Under the Table and Dreaming, Dave Matthews Band

2 comments:

Calai said...

Hmmm...gotta think about that one. Maybe after work. Or during my lunch break which isn't too far away. Damn rules. I NEED MY STING AND U2! But Sting wrote "Moon Over Bourbon Street" after reading "An Interview with a Vampire". If I'm not mistaken, the song is supposed to be about Lestat, although it reminds me more of Louis.

daddychoy said...

Yes...you did. Actually, I think it was "Wide Awake In America" which sold me. "Julie say something, Julie say you're sorry"...wasn't that for JR? =)