Ripping and Burning
Back in the day I used to make compilation tapes. It is a delicate art, as John Cusak's character said in "High Fidelity". There is something challenging and sublime, mixing and matching songs and moods, daring to juxtiposition Cole Porter with, say, Joe Jackson. Sometimes I went for themes, sometimes just whatever felt good. Big fun. Good times.
Today I was fooling around with the brainlessly simple music software on my laptop making a motivational CD. Fear not. I'm not wearing patchouli or sounding gongs. I just wanted something kicky for those times when I really need to bust a move and clean something. I don't have an iPod and haven't yet learned how to download MP3 files (or maybe just haven't decided that I'm willing to pay for the priviledge). Rifling through our collection -much of which is sorely neglected from a listening standpoint- yielded many tunes that always set me dancing. Or at least singing and making grand gestures, which is also suited to tasks like dusting and Cobweb Patrol.
I started ripping songs and had an odd flashback: seems like whenever Mom had some major homekeeping item on the docket she would crank up the show tunes. Is this strictly true? All I know is that for some reason the smell of Pledge is inextricably linked with the music of Rogers and Hammerstein.
So there I was, ripping files and burning a CD and feeling very au courant to be doing such a thing. Except, of course, nothing about our record collection is remotely au courant. The last new CD I got was the remix of "Born to Run", which I already own in vinyl and CD. I didn't even buy it; it was a birthday gift. Maybe I am more than a smidge out of touch music-wise. I had fun and now I have music to clean by.
Oh, and to what will Granny be sweeping?
"Dancing Queen" Abba
"Lady Marmelade" the version on the "Moulin Rouge" soundtrack
"There She Goes" the Sixpence None the Richer version on "Cover to Cover"
"Sledgehammer" Peter Gabriel
"Ca Plane Pour Moi" Plastic Bertrand
"Stand" REM
"London Calling" The Clash
"Sunday Bloody Sunday" U2
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" Nirvana
"Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" U2
"Every Day is a Winding Road" Cheryl Crow
"Diamond Dogs" the Beck version on the "Moulin Rouge" soundtrack
cobbled together by Moi at 3:12 PM
12 Comments:
Lovely mix my dear! I happen to be partial to every one of those songs and thus, find you entirely delightful...save that every one in the Puget Sound is a little tiny bit stinky hippie. Are you sure you aren't using Seventh Generation cleaning products? Hmmm?
Oh, to get approval from someone younger...I must not be a complete dinosaur. As for cleaning products it's all strictly Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day or Trader Joe's stuff. So I dodge the hippy bullet yet again! Ha!
I actually asked for some groovin music for Christmas this past year and got Cheryl Crow (fab) and unusual African/Pop music (unusual) from National Geographic. Cheryl is great. I must say Zydeco gets the dishes done... fast. But my most recent hoppin bands are Great Big Sea and Big Leg Emma. Might have to drop you a CD.
And so in case you have not been keeping count... there is a 62nd visitor to your lovely Blog. Now isn't this fun. I can have "coffee with Lorraine" anytime I want!
Xm Radio is pretty good on Directv but I have ripped about 60% of my collection to mp3's.
I may have to suspend reading your blog. Didn't you zap us with "Xanadu", not too long ago? Do you knw how many hours I spend in bed these days with the bits of whatever prompts I've gathered in Blogland rolling through my head? Please, not ABBA and the sanitary napkin jingle in the same mix...I am going to get ready to visit the shrink now, and Tom Waits will be playing all the way there.
Edy, I'm so sorry to be messing with your head. Such is not the intent. But I am a product of pop, it's true. (Tom Waits...due respect...must take in very small doses).
And while the whole Xanadu thing was probably unforgivable (I blame jp), the "sanitary napkin" song was a sweet little chicky pop tune 'way before it was co-opted by Madison Ave. And let's face it...many a classic rock tune has been co-opted for similar purpose. Although, I grant you, not Tom Waits.
Please forgive me. I'll try to do better.
Not a single classical offering?!!!!!! Am I going to have to come right over there and shake you?!
I know you're not a hippie because of the dyed-to-match pumps you wear with your Nigella Lawson apron whilst hoovering.
Cardinal,
I just can't get dusty and listen to Shostakovich at the same time. If it makes you feel better, I had been listening to Handel's "Water Music" just before the ripping and burning commenced.
Ah, the dyed-to-match pumps. How I love them....
Oh! And Kate, welcome aboard! It was so fun to see you last month...very fun to have you reading in. Here. Have another cup of coffee. I'll get the cream.
I am an unabashed hippie.
I use 7th Generation products.
I heart Tom Waits (and have since I first saw him live onstage in Santa Barbara when we were both in our twenties and he looked and sounded exactly as he does today). I, on the other hand, don't look, act or sound a day over ?#%*^@& (impending birthday blues ahead).
Ah, someone who appreciates the soundtrack from Moulin Rouge. Not that I own it, but I really like the movie.
Okay, I pretty much would have every one of those songs on a mix CD! I thought I was the only weirdo with such eclectic musical tastes. Glad to see I'm not alone after all! Great housecleaning tunes, Lorraine!
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