Friday, April 27, 2007

 

This Ostrich Listens to Music

Shut Up and Dance


All sorts of serious and not-as-serious things to talk about -- Virginia Tech (serious), Don Imus (whatever), rogue Episcopal parishes (redundant?), the importance of early screening for breast cancer (serious), the politicization of (pick one) the Justice Department, the FDA, the military, healthcare (all varying degrees of seriousness and ridiculousness) -- and I'm choosing tonight to ignore them all.

Instead, I'd rather write something personally revealing. Which is music. I just exported a list of all the songs on my iPod that I've given five stars to, which is the basis for my "Favorites" playlist. (Or, to be precise, my "--Favorites" playlist, so it will show up first in the list.) I figure this says a lot about me, althought not everything. There's nothing classical or liturgical in this list, and very little in the way of jazz, for that matter, even though I listen to those genres pretty frequently too -- as well as podcast editions of NPR's Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me, The Splendid Table and Speaking of Faith; To The Best of Our Knownledge; audiobooks; and more of the genre "Pop Vocals-Classic" and "New Age" than is reflected in this list.

But this list reflects my ideal playlist if I owned my own radio station for a day, as it represents 22 hours worth of music, leaving roughly enough time for commercials and promotional spots. And, for pop music, it shows my tastes as well as any other list. (With the caveat that much of these songs either have never been "popular" or were popular so long ago, there's no radio station tracked by Arbitron that still plays them.)

There's much to snicker at in here, I know. And much head scratching for someone else's head. For example, why would anyone include Blue Öyster Cult and Wayne Newton on the same list? Or, for that matter, OutKast and Nancy LaMott? (Helen Reddy and the Indigo Girls probably makes some kind of sense, actually.) And then there's all that Bruce Springsteen, but also Cher ... and the Ray Conniff Singers, for God's sake!

I also realize there are a few duplicates in here -- two versions of the same song by different artists (I Could Write a Book; All of Me; Hallelujah; How High the Moon; New York, New York; Pieces of Dreams; etc.), two versions of the same song by the SAME artist (I Got You Babe, by Sonny & Cher; Les Nuits, by Nightmares on Wax; etc.) and a ton of covers (Birdland; Downtown; Peace Piece; Sexual Healing; Walk on the Wild Side) that are far better known in their original versions, not to mention several live versions of things (such as by Bruce, The Pretenders, and others) that never got as much airtime as the studio version, but have a cool energy added with a live setting. IMHO.

In the end, it's a bizarre mess inside my head, I admit -- full of kitsch, camp, and block rockin' beats -- but no Chemical Brothers, I notice. Anyway, here's Exhibit A for my commitment hearing. I've put a few in bold noting those that I think deserve more attention than they otherwise get.
NameArtistAlbum
FaithAB+AB+
When Time Does Not WaitAB+One
Les Seigneurs (Theme )Adani & WolfSeigneurs (Episode 1)
Hand In My PocketAlanis MorissetteJagged Little Pill
You LearnAlanis MorissetteJagged Little Pill
Sexual HealingAlibi & RockefellerUltra 2007
The Lucky OneAlison Krauss & Union StationNew Favorite
Lonely BoyAndrew GoldRhino Hi-Five: Andrew Gold - EP
Águas De Março (Waters Of March)Antônio Carlos JobimVerve Jazz Masters 13
Rollin' On Chrome (Wild Motherf*cker Dub)AphrodelicsThe K&D Sessions (Disc 1)
Marching OnBallistic BrothersServe Chilled (Disc 2)
EvergreenBarbra StreisandThe Essential: Barbra Streisand
You'll Never Walk Alone (Bonus Track)Barbra StreisandThe Essential: Barbra Streisand
Somewhere In The NightBarry ManilowEven Now
Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, BabeBarry WhiteAll Time Greatest Hits
Love's ThemeBarry WhiteAll Time Greatest Hits
Honey Please, Can't Ya SeeBarry WhiteAll Time Greatest Hits
You're The First, The Last, My EverythingBarry WhiteAll Time Greatest Hits
All That JazzBeBe Neuwirth & CompanyChicago
Bye Bye BluesBenny GoodmanBenny Goodman Sextet
Brand New LoverBibicheTrick
Scenes From An Italian RestaurantBilly JoelThe Stranger
ViennaBilly JoelThe Stranger
Only The Good Die YoungBilly JoelThe Stranger
In the DeepBird YorkCrash (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Ocean Beach (Cinematic Cyberphonia Remix)Black Mighty OrchestraRendezvous Lounge
(Don't Fear) The ReaperBlue Öyster CultEntertainment Weekly Presents Killer Riffs (Disc 1)
ClementineBobby DarinThe Bobby Darin Collection (Disc 2)
Mack the KnifeBobby DarinThe Bobby Darin Collection (Disc 2)
Artificial FlowersBobby DarinThe Bobby Darin Collection (Disc 2)
Hello, Dolly!Bobby DarinThe Bobby Darin Collection (Disc 3)
Sunday in New YorkBobby DarinThe Bobby Darin Collection (Disc 3)
Beyond the SeaBobby DarinThe Bobby Darin Collection (Disc 2)
Simple Song Of Freedom [Live]Bobby DarinThe Bobby Darin Collection (Disc 4)
IndianaBobby Darin & Johnny MercerTwo Of A Kind
Finale: Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' (Reprise)Broadway CastOklahoma!
Land Of Hope And Dreams (Live)Bruce SpringsteenLive in New York City (Disc 2)
Sherry DarlingBruce SpringsteenThe River (Disc 1)
I'm On FireBruce SpringsteenBorn In The U.S.A.
No SurrenderBruce SpringsteenBorn In The U.S.A.
Racing In The StreetBruce SpringsteenDarkness On The Edge Of Town
The Promised LandBruce SpringsteenDarkness On The Edge Of Town
Man's JobBruce SpringsteenHuman Touch
Hungry HeartBruce SpringsteenThe River (Disc 1)
Atlantic CityBruce SpringsteenNebraska
Open All NightBruce SpringsteenNebraska
Reason To BelieveBruce SpringsteenNebraska
Thunder RoadBruce SpringsteenBorn To Run
Streets Of PhiladelphiaBruce SpringsteenGreatest Hits
Born To Run (Live)Bruce SpringsteenLive in New York City (Disc 1)
If I Should Fall BehindBruce SpringsteenLucky Town
My Lover ManBruce SpringsteenTracks (Disc 4)
We Shall OvercomeBruce SpringsteenWe Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
Bobby JeanBruce SpringsteenBorn In The U.S.A.
Growin' UpBruce SpringsteenGreetings From Asbury Park, N.J.
Pieces Of DreamsBuddy RichBig Band Machine
Love Will Keep Us TogetherCaptain & TennilleUltimate Collection: Captain & Tennille
MameCharles BraswellMame - 1966 Broadway
BelieveCherBelieve
Love One AnotherCherLiving Proof
Song for the LonelyCherLiving Proof
All or NothingCherThe Very Best of Cher
Different Kind of Love Song (Eclectic Version)CherLiving Proof
Saturday In The ParkChicagoGreatest Hits Vol 1
Just You 'n' MeChicagoGreatest Hits Vol 1
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It IsChicagoGreatest Hits Vol 1
Have I Told You Lately That I Love You ?Chieftains & Van MorrisonThe Long Black Veil
TubthumpingChumbawambaTubthumper
Don't PanicColdplayParachutes
OneCompany of Chorus LineThe Best Of Broadway
All Of MeCount BasieCompact Jazz - Count Basie
The Heat's OnCount BasieThe Best of the Count Basie Big Band
My 909 BluesDaniel WangFreezone 6: Fourth Person Singular
Take FiveDave BrubeckDave Brubeck's Greatest Hits
An Actor's LifeDave GrusinGRP New Magic Digital Sampler
The Best Of What's AroundDave Matthews BandUnder The Table And Dreaming
SatelliteDave Matthews BandUnder The Table And Dreaming
MarisaDave's True StoryDave's True Story (Version 2002)
I'll Never Read Trollope AgainDave's True StorySex Without Bodies
Walk On The Wild SideDave's True StorySex Without Bodies
Sequined Mermaid DressDave's True StoryDave's True Story (Version 2002)
Please Forgive MeDavid GrayWhite Ladder
BabylonDavid GrayWhite Ladder
Say Hello, Wave GoodbyeDavid GrayWhite Ladder
That's AmoreDean MartinCapitol Collector's Series
Ain't That A Kick In The HeadDean MartinCapitol Collector's Series
You Light Up My LifeDebby BooneThe Best of Debby Boone
Livin' It DownDelbert McClintonWFUV New Music Sampler
You Gotta BeDes'reeI Ain't Movin'
This Bitter EarthDinah WashingtonJazz Masters 19
Sunny Side Of The StreetDinah WashingtonComplete Dinah Washington on Mercury Vol.4, The (Disc 3)
I Could Write A BookDinah WashingtonComplete Dinah Washington on Mercury Vol.4, The (Disc 1)
There'll Be A JubileeDinah WashingtonComplete Dinah Washington on Mercury Vol.4, The (Disc 3)
If I Were A BellDinah WashingtonComplete Mercury Recordings - Vol 4 (Disc 3)
Drift AwayDobie GrayUltimate Collection: Dobie Gray
Oh Happy DayEdwin Hawkins SingersGreat Black Gospel Music (Disc 1)
Mr. Blue SkyElectric Light OrchestraElectric Light Orchestra: Greatest Hits 1973-1977
Sweet Talkin' WomanElectric Light OrchestraElectric Light Orchestra: Greatest Hits 1973-1977
Turn to StoneElectric Light OrchestraElectric Light Orchestra: Greatest Hits 1973-1977
Sweet Georgia BrownElla FitzgeraldCompact Jazz
How High The MoonElla FitzgeraldCompact Jazz
ManhattanElla FitzgeraldThe Songbooks
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On MeElton JohnGreatest Hits
Your SongElton JohnGreatest Hits
Bennie And The JetsElton JohnGreatest Hits
Don't Go Breaking My HeartElton John & Kiki DeeElton John: The Greatest Hits 1970-2002
Proper Education (Radio Edit)Eric Prydz vs. FloydProper Education
DreamweaverErin HamiltonTrick
At LastEtta JamesSweetest Peaches (1960-1966)
How Can I Keep From Singing?Eva CassidyWonderful World
We Walk The Same LineEverything But The GirlAmplified Heart
Missing (Todd Terry Remix)Everything But The GirlAmplified Heart
Troubled MindEverything But The GirlAmplified Heart
Twin CitiesEverything But The GirlWorldwide
Don't StopFleetwood MacRumours
Second Hand NewsFleetwood MacRumours
Slow Ride - FoghatFoghatEntertainment Weekly Presents Killer Riffs (Disc 1)
My Kind Of TownFrank SinatraThe Reprise Collection #2
The Lady Is A TrampFrank SinatraThe Reprise Collection #4
Stars Fell On AlabamaFrank SinatraCapitol Years-2
I'll Be Seeing YouFrank SinatraCapitol Years-3
New York, New YorkFrank SinatraThe Reprise Collection #4
All Of MeFrank SinatraCapitol Years-1
ChicagoFrank SinatraCapitol Years-2
Come Dance With MeFrank SinatraCapitol Years-3
Rainbows, Barbies and ClownsGeorge FaulknerRainbows, Barbies and Clowns
Rhinestone CowboyGlen CampbellAll the Best
I Am What I AmGloria GaynorDancing Queens
Hollaback GirlGwen StefaniLove, Angel, Music, Baby
We Are In LoveHarry Connick, Jr.We Are In Love
It Had To Be You (Big Band And Vocals)Harry Connick, Jr.When Harry Met Sally
I Could Write A BookHarry Connick, Jr.When Harry Met Sally
I've Heard That Song BeforeHarry JamesHannah And Her Sisters
Salome's Last ChanceHawkeHeatstroke
I Am WomanHelen ReddyHelen Reddy's Greatest Hits (And More)
I Don't Know How to Love HimHelen ReddyHelen Reddy's Greatest Hits (And More)
Delta DawnHelen ReddyHelen Reddy's Greatest Hits (And More)
Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)Helen ReddyHelen Reddy's Greatest Hits (And More)
You and Me Against the WorldHelen ReddyHelen Reddy's Greatest Hits (And More)
Love TrainHolly JohnsonBlast
GalileoIndigo GirlsRites of Passage (Remastered)
Theme From 'Shaft'Isaac HayesThe Best Of Isaac Hayes, Volume 1
Sleep All DayJason MrazWaiting For My Rocket To Come
Heaven Right HereJeb Loy NicholsWFUV New Music Sampler
In Your Eyes (Live)Jeffrey GainesWFUV New Music Sampler
Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)Jim CroceGreatest Hits
Photographs & MemoriesJim CroceGreatest Hits
In Too DeepJMJ & FlytronixDJ Kicks (Disc 1)
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (Live)Joan BaezJoan Baez: The Complete A&M Recordings
One Of UsJoan OsborneRelish
HallelujahJohn CaleFragments Of A Rainy Season
Have A Little Faith In MeJohn HiattFar Gone
Drive SouthJohn HiattFar Gone
Cry LoveJohn HiattWalk On
Trudy And DaveJohn HiattFar Gone
Back To YouJohn MayerRoom for Squares
Waiting On the World to ChangeJohn MayerContinuum
Your Body Is A WonderlandJohn MayerRoom for Squares
Not MyselfJohn MayerRoom for Squares
No Such ThingJohn MayerRoom for Squares
The Mission Theme (Theme for NBC News)John WilliamsAn American Journey - Winter Olympics 2002
Chances AreJohnny MathisSuper Hits
Must Be YouJosh JoplinFuture That Was
I Am Not the Only CowboyJosh JoplinFuture That Was
Wonderful OnesJosh JoplinFuture That Was
Future That WasJosh JoplinFuture That Was
BlightyJudith OwenTwelve Arrows
Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again - w/ Barbra StreisandJudy GarlandJudy Duets
Carolina In The MorningJudy GarlandRoute 66: Capitol Sings Coast To Coast
SexyBack (Pokerface Remix)Justin TimberlakeSexyTracks: The SexyBack Remixes - EP
New York, New YorkKeely SmithKeely Sings Sinatra
Palm Springs JumpKeely SmithSwing, Swing, Swing
High NoonKruder & DorfmeisterG-Stoned
DefinitionKruder & DorfmeisterG-Stoned
We Shall OvercomeLarry GoldingsQuartet
Space WalkLemon JellyLost Horizons
SoftLemon JellyNice Weather For Ducks
Nice Weather For DucksLemon JellyLost Horizons
DesperadoLinda RonstadtGreatest Hits
Blue BayouLinda RonstadtGreatest Hits
DowntownLiz CallawayThe Beat Goes On
Peace PieceLiz StorySolid Colors
Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)Looking GlassSony Music 100 Years: Pop Music - The Golden Era 1951-1975
Don't Worry About Me & I'm In The Mood For LoveLouis PrimaZooma Zooma: The Best Of Louis Prima
Angelina & Zooma Zooma (medley)Louis PrimaZooma Zooma: The Best Of Louis Prima
Blackberry TimeLuka BloomSalty Heaven
I Can't Wait To MeetchuMacy GrayOn How Life Is
I TryMacy GrayOn How Life Is
Don't Wait Too LongMadeleine PeyrouxCareless Love
Good VibrationsMarky Mark & The Funky BunchPure Party (Disc 2)
Too Busy Thinking About My BabyMarvin GayeCommand Performances-15 Greatest Hits
Gospel JohnMaynard FergusonChameleon
The Way We WereMaynard FergusonChameleon
ChameleonMaynard FergusonChameleon
Too Close For ComfortMel TormeCompact Jazz
Pieces of DreamsMichel LegrandSarah Vaughan with Michel Legrand
New York Citymoe.WFUV New Music Sampler
SuperstarMurray Head & The Trinidad SingersThe Best Of Broadway
WonderfulNacho SotomayorLa Roca
Help Is on the WayNancy LaMottBeautiful Baby
We Live on Borrowed TimeNancy LaMottWhat's Good About Goodbye?
Rhode Island Is Famous for YouNancy LaMottMy Foolish Heart
Listen to My HeartNancy LaMottListen to My Heart
Orange Colored SkyNat King ColeThe Nat King Cole Story (Disc 1)
Number One In HeavenNemesisNumber One In Heaven - Single
Les NuitsNightmares On WaxAnother Late Night
Les Nuits (album version)Nightmares On WaxServe Chilled
WonderwallOasis(What's The Story) Morning Glory?
Champagne SupernovaOasis(What's The Story) Morning Glory?
Don't Look Back in AngerOasis(What's The Story) Morning Glory?
The Best of TimesOriginal Off-Broadway Cast RecordingLa Cage Aux Folles
Hey Ya!OutKastSpeakerboxxx/The Love Below
The Way You MoveOutKast & Sleepy BrownSpeakerboxxx/The Love Below
The Night Chicago DiedPaper LaceThe Night Chicago Died - Single
Gonna MovePaul PenaNew Train
New TrainPaul PenaNew Train
KodachromePaul SimonNegotiations And Love Songs 1971-1986
Loves Me Like A RockPaul SimonNegotiations And Love Songs 1971-1986
Double DrumsPeace OrchestraPeace Orchestra
Happy HeartPetula ClarkGreatest Hits
When the Voices ComeProjekt: PMHi-Fidelity House Imprint 1
I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)Ray Conniff SingersThe Essential Ray Conniff
Georgy GirlRay Conniff SingersThis Is My Song and Other Great Hits
Theme from "A Summer Place"Ray Conniff SingersAlways in My Heart
Speak Softly Love (Love Theme from "The Godfather")Ray Conniff SingersThe Essential Ray Conniff
Baby's ArmsRobert Cray BandWFUV New Music Sampler
Feelin' Good AgainRobert Earl KeenWalking Distance
I'll Be Here For YouRobert Earl KeenWalking Distance
The First Time Ever I Saw Your FaceRoberta FlackAtlantic Rhythm And Blues 1947-1974 Volume 6 (1966-1969)
Killing Me Softly with His SongRoberta FlackKilling Me Softly
Day By DayRobin Lamont & CompanyThe Best Of Broadway
Cigarettes And Chocolate MilkRufus WainwrightPoses
HallelujahRufus WainwrightShrek
Smooth OperatorSadeDiamond Life
The Birth Of The BluesSammy Davis Jr.Sammy Davis, Jr. - Greatest Songs
The Candy ManSammy Davis Jr.Sammy Davis, Jr. - Greatest Songs
Mr BojanglesSammy Davis Jr.Sammy Davis, Jr. - Greatest Songs
SmoothSantana & Rob ThomasSupernatural
IceSarah McLachlanFumbling Towards Ecstasy
AngelSarah McLachlanSurfacing
PossessionSarah McLachlanFumbling Towards Ecstasy
Ice CreamSarah McLachlanFumbling Towards Ecstasy
Building A MysterySarah McLachlanSurfacing
Ooh What Cha Doin' To MeSarah VaughanThe Divine Sarah Vaughan - The Columbia Years 1949-1953 (Disc 2)
PerdidoSarah VaughanThe Divine Sarah Vaughan - The Columbia Years 1949-1953 (Disc 2)
Better LuckScissor SistersScissor Sisters
Take Your MamaScissor SistersScissor Sisters
I Don't Feel Like Dancin'Scissor SistersTa-Dah
She's My ManScissor SistersTa-Dah
Kiss From A RoseSealSeal
Prayer For The DyingSealSeal
Bring It OnSealSeal
Day TripperSergio Mendes & Brasil '66Brasil 66 Greatest Hits
Going Out Of My HeadSergio Mendes & Brasil '66Brasil 66 Greatest Hits
Look Of LoveSergio Mendes & Brasil '66Brasil 66 Greatest Hits
Scarborough FairSergio Mendes & Brasil '66Brasil 66 Greatest Hits
GoldfingerShirley BasseyGoldsinger. The best of Shirley Bassey
This is my lifeShirley BasseyGoldsinger. The best of Shirley Bassey
Diamonds are foreverShirley BasseyGoldsinger. The best of Shirley Bassey
Bridge Over Troubled Waters (Live)Simon & GarfunkelThe Concert In Central Park
The Sound Of Silence (Live)Simon & GarfunkelThe Concert In Central Park
The Right ThingSimply RedMen And Women
You Do Something To MeSinéad O'ConnorRed Hot + Blue: A Tribute To Cole Porter
I'm A BelieverSmash MouthShrek
United We StandSonny & CherCher and Sonny & Cher: Greatest Hits
I Got You Babe (Live in Las Vegas, 1973)Sonny & CherCher and Sonny & Cher: Greatest Hits
I Got You BabeSonny & CherThe Essentials: Sonny & Cher
The String ThingSoul AscendantsVariations
Afternoon DelightStarland Vocal BandStarland Vocal Band
Stuck in the Middle with YouStealers WheelReservoir Dogs (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
Maybe TomorrowStereophonicsMaybe Tomorrow - EP (CD 1)
This Could Be The Start Of Something BigSteve Lawrence & Eydie GorméThe Best Of Steve & Eydie
SuddenlyThe BogmenLife Begins At 40 Million
SingThe CarpentersSingles (1969-1981)
Top Of The WordThe CarpentersSingles (1969-1981)
Summertime's Calling MeThe CatalinasBeachbeat Shaggin'
Ode To My FamilyThe CranberriesNo Need To Argue
FluxusThe Dining RoomsTRE
Prigionieri Nel DesertoThe Dining RoomsTRE
Così Ti AmoThe Dining RoomsNumero Deux
Without The One You Love (Life's Not Worthwhile)The Four TopsGreatest Hits
Baby I Need Your LovingThe Four TopsGreatest Hits
It's The Same Old SongThe Four TopsGreatest Hits
Reach Out I'll Be ThereThe Four TopsGreatest Hits
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)The Four TopsGreatest Hits
Everybody Plays the FoolThe Main IngredientA Quiet Storm
How High The MoonThe Manhattan TransferBop Doo-Wopp
BirdlandThe Manhattan TransferBest Of The Manhattan Transfer
Jackie BlueThe Ozark Mountain Daredevils20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Ozark Mountain Daredevils
Come On Get HappyThe Partridge FamilyCome On Get Happy - The Very Best of The Partridge Family
I Think I Love YouThe Partridge FamilyCome On Get Happy - The Very Best of The Partridge Family
At Long Last LoveThe Porter ProjectThe Porter Project
Back On The Chain GangThe PretendersThe Isle Of View
Brass In PocketThe PretendersThe Isle Of View
On The Road To Fairfax CountyThe RochesKeep On Doing
Skin & BonesThe SundaysReading, Writing And Arithmetic
I Kicked A BoyThe SundaysReading, Writing And Arithmetic
Here's Where The Story EndsThe SundaysReading, Writing And Arithmetic
Hey Hey BabyThe Swingin' MedallionsBeachbeat Shaggin'
OneThievery CorporationSounds From The Thievery Hi-Fi
Holographic UniverseThievery CorporationThe Cosmic Game
Black and White (Single)Three Dog NightCelebrate - The Three Dog Night Story, 1965-1975
What'll I DoTierney SuttonDancing In The Dark
Here's Where I StandTiffany Taylor And The CompanyCamp
LifetimeTom BurrisFor Sale
Anyone Can WhistleTom WopatThe Still Of The Night
The Moon's A Harsh MistressTom WopatThe Still Of The Night
Gute LauneToscaDehli 9 (Disc 1)
La Vendeuse Des Chaussures Des Femmes Part 1ToscaDehli 9 (Disc 1)
Love WarriorsTuck & PattiLove Warriors
They Can't Take That Away From MeTuck & PattiLove Warriors
A Letter From HomeUlrich SchnaussA Strangely Isolated Place
... Passing ByUlrich SchnaussFar Away Trains Passing By
As If You've Never Been AwayUlrich SchnaussFar Away Trains Passing By
Les Techniques De L'amourUrsula 1000Kinda' Kinky
Did Ye Get Healed?Van MorrisonNight In San Francisco (Disc 1)
Tupelo HoneyVan MorrisonA Night In San Francisco (Disc 1)
When I Fell N Love - UBQ ProjectVarious Artists - Glasgow UndergroundSlowBurning
The Rockford Files - Post, CarpenterVarious Artists - GNP CrescendoFantastic Television
Linus And LucyVince GuaraldiCharlie Brown Christmas
Werewolves Of LondonWarren ZevonEntertainment Weekly Presents Killer Riffs (Disc 1)
Danke SchoenWayne NewtonWayne Newton: Ultra-Lounge Artists Series 4
Volare (Not Blu Di Pinto Di Blu)Wayne NewtonWayne Newton: Ultra-Lounge Artists Series 4
MoreWayne NewtonWayne Newton: Ultra-Lounge Artists Series 4
I'm In LoveWilson PickettAtlantic Rhythm And Blues 1947-1974 Volume 6 (1966-1969)
Lift Ev'ry Voice And SingWinard HarperFaith
Never Let Me GoWynton MarsalisStandard Time, Volume 3: Resolution Of Romance

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Sunday, December 03, 2006

 

My Downfall: Christmas Carols + iTunes

Dangerous Combinations


I
don't usually like to start celebrating Christmas too early. Certainly not before Thanksgiving -- it's almost an insult to the First Thanksgiving's Pilgrims and Native Americans, neither of whom, for their different reasons, believed in celebrating Christmas at all. And, really, even the day after Thanksgiving seems a rush that we could do without. Strictly-strictly speaking, "Christmas" isn't even celebrated until December 25, and for the 12 days that follow. And Advent (the season before Christmas) begins today, on December 3.

One nod to the holidays, however, was to move all my Christmas music from my PC over to my iPod. With my old 40GB iPod, I didn't have enough room for all my music, so I would have to pick and choose which genres to keep on the iPod, usually leaving the Christmas stuff off all year until December, when I'd swap out the classical stuff (5.83GB right there) for the Christmas stuff.

With the 60GB iPod I got this summer, however, I can just barely get everything on there. I know -- does anyone really need 60 gigs' worth of music? And there are admittedly some things on there I either rarely listen to or haven't gotten around to. In fact, I have a playlist I created called "Due for a listen." And, now that I check, I still have 15.8 days worth of music that iTunes says I haven't listened to yet.

Which isn't actually true. Many of those titles are songs that I just haven't listened to on either this iPod or on this PC (both of which are only a few months old at this point). Since I just added the Christmas music to the iPod, for example, that alone accounts for 2.9 days' worth of the "Due for a listen."

Yep. I have 2.9 days -- 1226 items, or 4.59GB -- of music in the genre "Christmas." Much of it came in originally with the genre of "Holiday," but some didn't, and I use the genres so much in my "smart playlists" that I have to make sure they're accurate at least insofar as my own listening is concerned.

Using the "comments" field of each song's tags (in Windows, right-click on a highlighted track or tracks and choose "Get info"), I've broken much of that down even further. For example, I have 17 hours' worth in the "Christmas-Traditional" playlist (Genre contains "Christmas"; Comment contains "traditional"; Comment does not contain "weird").

That playlist covers everything from the Philadelphia Brass Ensemble "Festival of Carols in Brass" and the Julie Andrews/André Previn album (originally a Firestone Tire release!) to things by John Tavener, Herbert Howells, and stuff sung by Chanticleer. Oh, and a Shirley Bassey singing "Ave Maria" is in there, too.

I would have expected more in this vein from my collection, but surprisingly, it's not the Christmas playlist with the most titles. That distinction goes to the playlist "Christmas-Pop," which has a full day's worth of all the Perry Como, Nat King Cole, Harry Connick, Jr., The Roches and Sarah McLachlan stuff. So it covers a wide swath, and there's obviously some overlap with both jazz -- Diana Krall shows up in both -- and traditional: the Henry Mancini Orchestra's medley of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," "Away in a Manger," and "The First Noel" is pretty traditional -- but in a 60s, easy-listenin' way. So for some reason I left him out of "traditional" but put Shirley Bassey in. Go figure.

The "Christmas-Jazz" playlist has 14.2 hours of tunes in it, but in addition to a few overlaps with "Christmas-Pop," there are also a few overlaps here with "Christmas-Piano," such as George Shearing and Liz Story.

Actually, the "Christmas-Piano" playlist is made up almost entirely of cross-listings with either "jazz" or "new age" or both -- all 9.2 hours of it.

And speaking of Liz Story, she may be the most represented on any of my Christmas playlists, which is probably appropriate, because her album The Gift is one of my all-time favorite Christmas albums. Not only does she do some thought-provoking medleys, pairing up carols and hymns that one doesn't hear often recorded ("Bring a Torch Jeanette, Isabella" and "Il Est Ne, le Divin Enfant"), she even includes some that I've never associated with Christmas at all -- but it works. "Pange Lingua," which I usually think of as a Maundy Thursday hymn, is paired with "A Hymn to the Virgin"; or "The Truth from Above" combined with something she calls "O King of Light and Splendor," which I've only ever heard as "O Sacred Head Now Wounded," a classic Good Friday hymn, but the same tune is apparently used by Bach in his Christmas Oratorio (and again in his St. Matthew Passion).

They're all good, but the best track on that album, in my opinion, is the medley of "In the Bleak Midwinter/O Sanctissima." I have the sheet music for this; someday, I'll take the time to learn it.

As I said, this album The Gift is on several of my Christmas playlists, because it crosses genres, but among those genres I have to admit includes "Christmas-New Age." I hesitate to even mention this playlist (although I do have, uh, 13.5 hours' worth of Christmas music in this category). And some is definitely better than others, but it's almost all from Windham Hill, almost all acoustic, and includes, other than Liz Story, people like George Winston, Alex De Grassi and William Ackerman. So not a Mannheim Steamroller number in the bunch. So get off my back.

Except to hear a few of these tracks here on the computer while I wrote this, I haven't yet played the Christmas music on the iPod yet. I'm just not in the mood yet this year, and not sure how much of a Christmas mood I'll be in this year anyway.

I'm taking a few days of retreat up at a convent north of New York City this week, just to clear the head. I'll take the iPod with me, but we'll see. I imagine the convent is all "decked out" for Advent -- meaning, not at all festive, since it isn't yet Christmas -- so I doubt there will be much inclination to listen to holly and jolly for a little while yet, anyway.

But thanks to iTunes's "smart playlists" and the obsessive-compulsive tendencies they enable and nurture in some of us, I'm ready, just in case that holiday spirit does hit.

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