Would you believe me if I said that Clarity tagged me? Well, she did! She must have 267 people in her favorites, yet she tagged the likes of me! I'm hon... Oh, no! Wait! This is bad. Now I have to reveal my excessively eclectic musical tastes to the world. I guess that means I've been honored and "exposed" at the same time. Soon, you'll all know why I tried to keep my tastes a secret. Thanks a lot, Clarity. :-)
Believe it or not, I've been debating on whether or not to do another music survey for the past week, but I couldn't make up my mind. Now, since being tagged, I have decided to include both surveys in the same entry, so you can get a more complete picture of my musical tastes (which still amounts to only 10 percent of my overall tastes).
Clarity's forwarded survey comes first. I encourage her and everyone else to do the second one, if you are of a mind to do so. Based on a Google search, the second survey appears to have been making the rounds of DiaryLand and other journal sites. I simply cannot remember who I got it from, though (I found it while eavesdropping on strange DiaryLanders that I don't know).
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Survey Number One
1. What is the total amount of music files on your computer?
My iTunes counter says "575," but I have a few more songs that are not listed in iTunes; therefore, I don't know the exact number (less than 600, though).
2. The last CD you bought is?
I believe it was Leo Kottke's Dreams and All That Stuff (1974).
3. What is the last song you listened to?
An oldies instrumental that I can only categorize as a combination of rock, folk, jazz, bluegrass, New Orleans funeral blues and lighthearted pop. It's title is Washington Square by The Village Stompers (a No. 2 hit in November 1963). I had heard this song a few times over the years on oldies stations, and I absolutely loved it (I'm a nut for certain types of instrumental music). I just found a copy of it the other day, so the "newness" has not yet worn off (and it never will). It's one of those "dance-around-the-house-when-no-one-is-looking" songs, or at least it is for me. I do this in a subdued, mature manner, of course. :-)
After writing the previous paragraph, I looked in the book, Billboard's Top Pop Singles, 1955-1993, by Joel Whitburn. He says of The Village Stompers: "Greenwich, New York Dixieland-styled band." That partially explains the eclectic nature of their "sound." If you click on the links, you can read what others have said about The Village Stompers. I only went there after writing this section, so it was a pleasure to see that I am not alone in my opinion. The group was much more than just a pop-fluff band.
4. Five songs you listen to a lot or mean a lot to you?
I don't like listening to the same songs over and over. My brother used to do that when we were growing up, and it drove me crazy; although lately, with the convenience of iTunes, I'm starting to listen to certain songs on a more regular basis than would previously have been the case. As for songs that mean a lot to me, there are so many, and they all fit into different categories, so I cannot designate any five above any other five -- at least not without picking arbitrarily; but I'm going to do so anyway, "for the sake of this survey."
The following songs mean a lot to me both philosophically and emotionally. Four of them are oldies because the musical world seems to have abandoned me in recent years; or maybe I've abandoned it...? Nah, it abandoned me. :-) These songs are extremely random (and in no order) and could easily be replaced by any combination of other songs.
1.) "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas (1978) - One of the ultimate philosophical songs. I don't listen to it a lot though (even by my strict standards), because I have to be in the perfect mood to appreciate it fully. Those of you with degrees in English might be interested to know that one or more of the members of Kansas received their degrees in English before forming the band, hence the excellent lyrics.
2.) Louise by Leo Kottke (1972) - No Kottke song has ever been released as a single. You have to listen to his albums to hear his music. Kottke's deep voice may or may not be an acquired taste (he's chiefly an instrumentalist), but it doesn't take very long if you are willing to try, and it is definitely worth the effort (but not in every case). "Louise" and "Tiny Island," both of which are found on the excellent Greenhouse album, are just indescribably addictive (at least to me). It took me a while to become addicted to them, but I'm very glad I did. Click on his linked name to read the very long list of cities on his present concert tour. He still has millions of dedicated fans.
3.) Midnight in Moscow by Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen (1962) - If I had listed these songs in order with my favorite of the five in the No. 1 spot, this would probably be it. "Midnight In Moscow" is very much like "Washington Square" (see question 3 above). For me, this is one of the greatest feel-good songs of all time. [After clicking on the link, Read Steve Rumley's customer review. It's the third one in the list. He describes the song and the group perfectly.]
4.) Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer (1998) - filled with uncharacteristically poetic lyrics, as well as a "happy" sound, that has been almost nonexistent in the music world in recent years.
5.) Same Old Lang Syne by Dan Fogelberg (1981) - This song was playing on the radio once as I neared the town where my Iranian girlfriend and I had found one another -- and where she was unexpectedly living again. Our relationship had ended a few months earlier, and the final lines of this song almost got the better of me as I approached the city limits. No song has ever done that to me before or since.
5. Who are you going to pass this stick to? and why?
"Stick"? Why is it called a stick?
Since my list of favorites is too short to pick and choose, I will simply "tag" everyone therein who has not already done it.
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Survey Number Two
1. A song whose lyrics you thought you knew in the past, but about which you later learned you were incorrect.
There are several such songs, and I cannot think of any of them at this time. However, just to throw something out there, how about 99 Luft Balloons by Nena (1983) (the German version)? Hahahahahaha
2. Your least favorite song on one of your favorite albums of all time.
This question is too strange. I don't have any idea.
3. A song you like by someone you find physically unattractive or otherwise repellent.
I'll pass on this one, because, with my luck, the person I named would probably some day accidentally click on this entry. If you've read my One in a Billion entry, you would agree that the prudent thing for a person with my luck to do is to say nothing. Ha? Ha?
4. Your favorite song with the name of a city in the title or text.
Another oldie: The City of New Orleans by Arlo Guthrie (1972).
5. A song you've listened to repeatedly when you were depressed at some point in your life.
It is amazing how this answer took on a life of its own, and I even deleted a bunch of it.
As I say in the first survey, I cannot stand listening to any song repeatedly, unless I am bound and determined to make myself hate it (and why would I ever want to do that?). A couple of years ago, during a particularly bad period of time, I listened to a relatively small selection of songs (by a variety of artists) over and over (this was when I first started grasping the significance of iTunes and mp3s); however, Leo Kottke's "Greenhouse" album (1972) is particularly well suited to repeated listening, although no more than a few times in a given month. If you are into acoustic-guitar solos by one of the greatest guitarists on earth, then this is the album for you.
That bad period of time was also when I developed a taste for some of the more obscure oldies that are referred to in some parts of this entry. By about 2001-2002, I had grown sick to death of listening to the same "Top 40" and "alternative" music every day. I could go on and on about why this is so, but I don't want to do that (at least not in this entry). I also can no longer stand listening to the same 200 or 500 stereotypical oldies songs that are played in an endless loop on most automated "oldies" stations. Those songs have long since lost any meaning or feeling that they may have had; so there is no escape there either.
YET I LOVE MUSIC PASSIONATELY. In fact, I need music. So what was I to do? I had no idea. Then, one day after having heard an obscure and beautiful oldie on an internet radio station (I think that was the case), I decided I would search for as many songs as I could find that fit that category. They would have to be songs that I had heard very few times in my life. That way, they would be both "new" and different, and I could then be excited about music again. At the same time, and seemingly contradictorily, these songs also had to have a certain feeling of nostalgia about them, and a certain "clarity of sound" (for lack of a better term). It has been a lot of fun researching and finding these old songs, which is no easy task since I don't always know the names of the songs or the artists that I am searching for. I love doing investigative work, though.
Has it worked to focus my attention on obscure oldies? Definitely. Can't you tell?
Finally, now that I have rambled on for four paragraphs, I have suddenly remembered one song that I used to listen to almost on a nightly basis: The Great Wheel by James Asher (1989). I always listened to it when I went to bed, especially if I my mind was racing, and I couldn't get to sleep. This is one of the few songs that I can listen to it over and over because it is not a typical song. Instead, it is a 30-minute-long, soft instrumental that is intentionally designed for relaxation (no, it's not one of those ridiculous "crickets-and-birds-chirping-above-the-peaceful-ocean-surf productions -- gag!). It may not suit everyone's tastes, though.
6. Ever buy an entire album just for one song and wind up disliking everything but that song? Gimme that song.
Oh, yes. Many times. Luckily, though, I bought most of my music collection in second-hand stores, so I never lost too much money when I made such mistakes. One example: Several years ago, I bought Duane Eddy's Greatest Hits for a dollar or two. Eddy became famous for his excellent 1958 hit, "Rebel Rouser" (a rock-guitar instrumental). How could I possibly go wrong buying an album full of his best songs? Well, I definitely went wrong. I didn't like any of the other songs, not even one and not even a little bit.
7. Your favorite song that has expletives in it that's not by Liz Phair.
Cinderella by Firefall (1977). - An absolutely beautiful song, though. But it is merely a favorite song, not my only favorite.
8. A song that sounds as if it's by someone British but isn't.
No idea. What kind of silly question is this?
9. A song you like (possibly from your past) that took you forever to finally locate a copy of.
Twisting By the Pool - Dire Straits (1983) - I couldn't find it anywhere. Finally, about a year ago my oddball neighbor (a member of a local rock band) threw out a whole bunch of albums because he was moving. I found them shortly thereafter in our shared dumpster when I was emptying my own garbage. In order not to look like an indigent, I waited until dark and then went out to the dumpster and "rescued" them. :-) The album containing "Twisting by the Pool" was in the collection.
10. A song that reminds you of spring but doesn't mention spring at all.
Hands down, without a doubt: Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra (1978), the unedited version. - This is one of the greatest "feel-good" songs of all time. Some of the lyrics go as follows: "Mornin'! Today's forecast calls for blue skies. -- Sun is shinin' in the sky. There ain't a cloud in sight. It's stopped rainin'. Everybody's in the play, and don't you know, it's a beautiful new day..."
I highly, highly recommend it to anyone who wants to celebrate life for a few minutes. Even if you hate life, you will be unable to resist celebrating it while this song is playing.
11. A song that sounds to you like being happy feels.
Once again, "Mr. Blue Sky." However, if you need another one: Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer (1998). That song is almost in a tie with "Mr. Blue Sky" in this category. Actually, I could name quite a few songs.
12. Your favorite song from a non-soundtrack compilation album.
This is the kind of question that I can imagine was written by a college student with an overly analytical mind, who foolishly stayed home one Saturday night to write this survey instead of going to the bar. :-)
13. A song from your past that would be considered politically incorrect now (and possibly was then).
Once again: "Cinderella" by Firefall (1977).
14. A song sung by an overweight person. White Sandy Beach by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, a Hawaiian singer (now deceased) - A friend of mine from Oklahoma loaned me one of his CDs just last night, thinking that I would like it as much as she does. I told her not to hold her breath. I like "White Sandy Beach" a lot, but the rest of it is as bad as I had imagined.
15. A song you actually like by an artist you otherwise hate.
This is just random: Every Rose Has Its Thorn by Poison (1988). I don't really hate Poison, though; I'm just not into their music.
16. A song by a band (whose members actually play instruments) that features three or more female members.
Walk Like an Egyptian by the Bangles (1986) - I assume they actually played their own instruments.
17. One of the earliest songs that you can remember listening to.
This would be one of those obscure oldies: "Love Is Blue" by Paul Mauriat (1968). According to Billboard Magazine, it was number one for five weeks that year. When I was about seven years old (a rough guess), I remember hearing it on the radio as we were driving from South Dakota to Missouri to visit relatives. I immediately loved it and lay down in the back seat and just disappeared into it. I had no idea what its name was at the time, but I never forgot that sound. I heard it very few times after that. Many years later, in college, I bought a nine-volume compilation album. Imagine my delight when I discovered that song in the collection. That might have been the first time I learned its name, too.
18. A song you've been mocked by friends for liking.
Not fully mocked; they were just surprised that I liked it: Bathwater by No Doubt (2000). - I cannot listen to that song anymore, though, because it gets stuck in my head for days afterwards. The same thing (being mocked) would probably have been true of Ugly Girl by Fleming and John (1999), but no one I know has ever heard it. I cannot listen to it anymore either, because it also gets stuck in my head.
19. A really good cover version you think no one else has heard.
Wonderland By Night" by Leo Kottke (1994). It is a cover of Bert Kaempfert's 1960 hit of the same name. Kaempfert's original was number one on the charts for three weeks in 1961 (according to Billboard). I love both versions.
20. A song that has helped cheer you up (or empowered you somehow) after a breakup or otherwise difficult situation.
There are quite a few such songs, actually, many of which are listed in this survey.
21. What was the last song you downloaded?
Live version of Seven Bridges Road by The Eagles (1980). - The most perfectly synchronized harmonies I have ever heard.
22.(a) An album you love that is flawless from start to finish (in other words no song skipping necessary)?
"Greenhouse" by Leo Kottke (1972).
22.(b) The song that made you get the album in that first place? No particular song. I got it because I had heard another Kottke album playing in a local music store. I asked the manager for the name of the artist and the album. I never bought that album though. A couple of years later, when I found "Greenhouse" in a store in another town, I debated for a month or two before buying it. I seldom ever throw caution to the wind and buy an album "sound unheard," but I kept remembering how much I had liked Kottke's other album. So I bought it and have been a huge fan ever since.
23. Give me the song title which you think best describes who you actually are. Explain
"Reality, What a Concept" by Robin Williams (1979) - Actually, that's a comedy album title, not a song title, but it sure fits my way of thinking. Haha. No, really, it does!
24. Now give me the song title which you think best describes your personality. Explain.
No. 24 is a distinction without a difference from No. 23, but: "My Feet Are Smiling" by Leo Kottke (1973) - Why? Just cuz... :-)
25. Quick – your favorite clever song lyric!
Lyrics from The Girl from Ipanema by Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto (1963):
The girl from Ipanema goes walking,
And when she passes, each one she passes goes, 'Ahhhhhhhh.'
When she walks, she's like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gently
That when she passes, each one she passes goes, 'Ahhhhhhhh.'"
26. A romantic song that is NOT cheesy & your favorite lyric from that song.
"Cheesy" is a very subjective term. I will, therefore, pick a song with beautiful lyrics and hope they aren't "cheesy." I acquired "Stardust" by accident a about two or three years ago (if I remember correctly). I didn't know what it was, but I immediately fell in love with it. The lyrics are far more beautiful when accompanied by the music.
Lyrics from Stardust by Nat King Cole (1957):
Steals across the meadows of my heart
High up in the sky the little stars climb
