15 August 2003
So... every so often, as I'm getting dressed in the morning, D will play a certain track from his vast and varied playlist.
It's become a sort of "theme song", if you will. If my life were a movie, that's the music that would play at that point in the soundtrack.
I have other themes, for other times - the walk to work, for example - but it just got me to wondering... is it just me that has a soundtrack for my life?
So here's the thing - do you have certain music (or certain types of music) that you play/listen to for certain situations... and if so, what?
I'll show you mine, if you show me yours!
Two summers ago, when the weather was not quite as nice as it is now but still pretty good, Bush's The Chemicals Between Us became the "right, let's go, let's go, let's go" song for me, my flatmate and our friend who pretty much lived with us on the sofa.
It was an Saturday early evening song, played before leaving the flat and getting just a little bit too drunk in Camden.
There are lots.
REM's Losing My Religion used to be a staple tune for getting ready to go out on a Friday night, back when I were a student. Long time ago, yes, thank you D.
More recently, Pulp's Different Class has become the soundtrack for almost everything, the one tape I keep going back to.
And Massive Attack's 100th Window is great for, um, snogging :D
I do have lots of music too...
Years ago, for ex, I used Soft Cell's "Soul Inside" for getting up in those moments when I was a bit down or tired, especially if I had to go out for the night.
Or any Julie London / Eartha Kitt are for those relaxing moments at home with someone dear.
While Godspeed You! Black Emperor are quite inspiring while shaving (uh... don't ask why).
And The Sounds Of Violence from Cassius has proved peculiarly uplifting in my iPod while going to work in the morning...
What she didn't mention was that I play Destiny's Child "Bootylicious" as she gets dressed, leading to lots of ass wiggling.
Guffaw. I was wondering why she hadn't named it explicitly.
Oh, well that changes everything.
Soundtrack to my life? Shiny Tight Stuff, of course.
When in a pissed off, angry mood its a bit of Marilyn Manson (or when falling asleep at work and need to wake up).
In a sexy lap dancing kind of mood its Thunder's When Love Walked in (don't ask) but believe me when i say it is great for moving the hips.
When in a sad love struck mood over a certain guy it is Def Leppards "Have you ever wanted someone so bad".
When dancing with Pix it has to be DIRRTY, wouldn't you agree D and Pix???? ;o)
Oh yeah, almost forgot, I seem to have a desire for a certain young boy band at the moment, I know its a bit different to what I have already posted but each to their own. Besides they are very sweet ;o)
Losing My Religion too, strangely enough, for when I'm feeling in a reminiscing mood. Do Anything You Wanna Do by Eddie and the Hot Rods when I'm in a "the world can go f*** itself" mood, Friday I'm In Love by The Cure if I'm in the midst of a crush on someone, I'm A Dreamer by Sandy Denny when I'm feeling sorry for myself and The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams when I'm needing complete and utter relaxation.
And about a thousand other possibilities too.
I like a bit of Gloria Gaynor to get me going. Sometimes Jimmy Somerville or the Communards... some Soft Cell and ultimately the best song ever has to be Abba's Dancing Que...
...what?
D don't worry we already know your secrets, I have seen your collection, the one that worries me is Justin Timberlake. The worst part of that is actually watching try and mimic the dancing........
I have a theme song! Like, if I was a superhero, it'd play everytime I saved the day or did something fabulous! Like the title of my blog, it's called "Une very stylish fille" by Dimitri from Paris. I love it.
My best friend and I make cds for each other that are compilations of "our" songs. He's gay and I'm, um, me so there's a lot of Madonna and gay dance music. It's good fun.
I went through a phase of reading loads of Toni Morrison and would always listen to Nina Simone while doing this - it really added to the suicidal feelings and the awful injustice of the lives of black people described in her books.
When I began my website I used to listen to Portishead's Dummy as it was chillout enough for the early hours of the morning but weird enough to keep me awake and anything by Massive Attack has a similar effect.
Happy music for me is Curtis Mayfield and Move on Up!
A few years ago it was Song 2 by Blur for getting dressed. Loud enough to wake me up and short enough to make sure I didn't dawdle. In the 2 minutes I could get dressed and be ready to leave the house, which was essential as I'd usually have spent far too long in the shower...
music for bathing:
Massive Attack, "Protection"
Henryk Gorecki, "Symphony No.3"
Red House Painters, "Mistress", "24", "Medicine Bottle"
Thomas Tallis, "Spem In Alium"
Broadcast, "Unchanging Window"
music for crushes:
the Aislers Set, "Red Door"
His Name Is Alive, "Smooth (Across the Street)"
the 6ths, "You Can't Break A Broken Heart"
Fantastic Plastic Machine, "There Must Be An Angel Playing With My Heart"
Rufus Wainwright, "The Consort"
music for walking, especially in the rain, dark, and/or cold:
Massive Attack, "Group Four"
Nick Cave, "Straight To You"
Neutral Milk Hotel, "In The Aeroplane Over the Sea"
Neko Case, "Deep Red Bells"
Low, "La La La Song", "The Last Snowstorm of the Year"
I've recently made two CDs for a special someone, along the lines of "Soundtrack for Life". It had three Rush songs (Resist, Leave that thing Alone, Everyday Glory), three U2s (Walk On, Where the Streets Have No Name, Ultraviolet), some Heart, some G N' R (Estranged), some Dire Straits, some Genesis, one Def Leppard (Two Steps Behind), some Enya...
I try to listen to anything that's out there (having worked as a DJ), but keep on going back to the basics, self-repeating. I don't like that.
Currently, I mostly listen to eRa.
... the online home and (not very) alter(ed)-ego of Ann McMeekin, a recently freelance Web Accessibility Consultant.
... passionate about many things, most of which will turn up on this site at some time or other.
... contactable via email.
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