Song of the Day, Day 31 (Last Day!). Josh Ritter: To the Dogs or Whoever
For the last day of "Song of the Day" for May, I leave you with this one by Josh Ritter. It was about this time last year, you put it on a mix for me. We counted down the days. Three more, then seventeen. And you changed the way I thought about June, despite the weight of the loss I experienced. In the haze of those heartbreaking days, one evening, we opened the front door, put the chairs outside, cranked up this song, cooked dinner, and laughed until we couldn't any longer. This song will always be you and those seventeen days of June.
29 May 2013
Song of the Day, Day 29. ABBA: Take A Chance On Me
Song of the Day, Day 29. ABBA: Take A Chance On Me
Don't ask, but when I walked the 45 minutes to my hair appointment today, I listened to nothing but ABBA....and it made me very, very happy.
Don't ask, but when I walked the 45 minutes to my hair appointment today, I listened to nothing but ABBA....and it made me very, very happy.
26 May 2013
Song of the Day, Day 26. Angel Olsen: If It's Alive, It Will
Song of the Day, Day 26. Angel Olsen: If It's Alive, It Will
"I've learned quite a few things since then..."
Indeed. I woke up out of sorts today. I looked at the calendar and it all made sense. Hard to believe that two years have passed. In some ways, I'm still picking up the pieces. In other ways, I hardly even think of you. Mostly, I like to remember us, like scenes from a poorly written mumblecore film, dancing in the living room, trying not to sink into the floor.
"I've learned quite a few things since then..."
Indeed. I woke up out of sorts today. I looked at the calendar and it all made sense. Hard to believe that two years have passed. In some ways, I'm still picking up the pieces. In other ways, I hardly even think of you. Mostly, I like to remember us, like scenes from a poorly written mumblecore film, dancing in the living room, trying not to sink into the floor.
24 May 2013
Song of the Day, Day 24. Caitlin Rose: Own Side.
Song of the Day, Day 24. Caitlin Rose: Own Side.
For your weekend malaise, here is Caitlin Rose. She's from Nashville. I've been meaning to see her perform for a few years. I must make this happen before I head for other ventures. This song calls out for a bottle of red wine and a breezy front porch. Too bad, I don't have either of those. In lieu, I'll continue my Arrested Development marathon and save the broodfest for another time.
For your weekend malaise, here is Caitlin Rose. She's from Nashville. I've been meaning to see her perform for a few years. I must make this happen before I head for other ventures. This song calls out for a bottle of red wine and a breezy front porch. Too bad, I don't have either of those. In lieu, I'll continue my Arrested Development marathon and save the broodfest for another time.
23 May 2013
Song of the Day, Day 23. Betty Davis: Let's Get Personal
Song of the Day, Day 23. Betty Davis: Let's Get Personal
We should be drinking and dancing and laughing right now. Instead, I'm writing about the time we danced and drank and laughed until the sun came up that one night.
We should be drinking and dancing and laughing right now. Instead, I'm writing about the time we danced and drank and laughed until the sun came up that one night.
22 May 2013
Song of the Day, Day 22. Firehorse: Fool
Song of the Day, Day 22. Firehorse: Fool
This feels good today. This feels right today. I want to listen to it all day long. It reminds me of you, keeping me safe even when I don't deserve it.
This feels good today. This feels right today. I want to listen to it all day long. It reminds me of you, keeping me safe even when I don't deserve it.
21 May 2013
Song of the Day, Day 21. Daughter: Youth.
Song of the Day, Day 21. Daughter: Youth.
We are the reckless. We are the wild youth.
Yeah, okay, some I'm not really allowed to consider myself as part of the "wild youth" anymore, am I? At least I can't really sell my wildness, since I woke up this morning at 5:15am. Regardless, there is something that still compels me about the idea of the wild youth. Maybe it was because I've been there. Maybe it is because I am nostalgic for those times that seemed more carefree and footloose (yeah, like the movie when they throw the confetti up in the air and cut a rug). For some reason, the song reminded me of one of the best compliments I have ever received in my life. One of my oldest friends, Prabir, said to me (after a particularly wild night out on the town when his band played in town), "You have more life in your little pinky finger than most people have in their entire bodies." Now, I could have read this as what it probably really means, that I'm absolutely insane and hysterically weird at times. But I think that what Prabir meant was that I don't tend to do things halfhearted. Nope, I dive in head first to everything. As some of you know, this has not always been so very good for me, but when I listen to a song like this, I can now see all of it as worth the journey. In that, I can remember being paralyzed by that scene in the movie Magnolia when the old dying man says, "Regrets. These fucking regrets." I never wanted to have regrets. And I can honestly say (at least at this point), I don't. I could launch into some sort of diatribe about living life to its fullest and embracing each day. But I won't. Because I might regret it.
Shadows settle on the place, that you left Our minds are troubled by the emptiness Destroy the middle, it's a waste of time From the perfect start to the finish line And if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones 'Cause most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs Setting fire to our insides for fun Collecting names of the lovers that went wrong The lovers that went wrong We are the reckless We are the wild youth Chasing visions of our futures One day we'll reveal the truth That one will die before he gets there And if you're still bleeding, you're the lucky ones 'Cause most of our feelings, they are dead and they are gone We're setting fire to our insides for fun Collecting pictures from the flood that wrecked our home It was a flood that wrecked this And you caused it And you caused it And you caused it Well I've lost it all, I'm just a silhouette. A lifeless face that you'll soon forget My eyes are damp from the words you left Ringing in my head, when you broke my chest Ringing in my head, when you broke my chest And if you're in love, then you are the lucky one 'Cause most of us are bitter over someone Setting fire to our insides for fun To distract our hearts from ever missing them But I'm forever missing him And you caused it.
We are the reckless. We are the wild youth.
Yeah, okay, some I'm not really allowed to consider myself as part of the "wild youth" anymore, am I? At least I can't really sell my wildness, since I woke up this morning at 5:15am. Regardless, there is something that still compels me about the idea of the wild youth. Maybe it was because I've been there. Maybe it is because I am nostalgic for those times that seemed more carefree and footloose (yeah, like the movie when they throw the confetti up in the air and cut a rug). For some reason, the song reminded me of one of the best compliments I have ever received in my life. One of my oldest friends, Prabir, said to me (after a particularly wild night out on the town when his band played in town), "You have more life in your little pinky finger than most people have in their entire bodies." Now, I could have read this as what it probably really means, that I'm absolutely insane and hysterically weird at times. But I think that what Prabir meant was that I don't tend to do things halfhearted. Nope, I dive in head first to everything. As some of you know, this has not always been so very good for me, but when I listen to a song like this, I can now see all of it as worth the journey. In that, I can remember being paralyzed by that scene in the movie Magnolia when the old dying man says, "Regrets. These fucking regrets." I never wanted to have regrets. And I can honestly say (at least at this point), I don't. I could launch into some sort of diatribe about living life to its fullest and embracing each day. But I won't. Because I might regret it.
Shadows settle on the place, that you left Our minds are troubled by the emptiness Destroy the middle, it's a waste of time From the perfect start to the finish line And if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones 'Cause most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs Setting fire to our insides for fun Collecting names of the lovers that went wrong The lovers that went wrong We are the reckless We are the wild youth Chasing visions of our futures One day we'll reveal the truth That one will die before he gets there And if you're still bleeding, you're the lucky ones 'Cause most of our feelings, they are dead and they are gone We're setting fire to our insides for fun Collecting pictures from the flood that wrecked our home It was a flood that wrecked this And you caused it And you caused it And you caused it Well I've lost it all, I'm just a silhouette. A lifeless face that you'll soon forget My eyes are damp from the words you left Ringing in my head, when you broke my chest Ringing in my head, when you broke my chest And if you're in love, then you are the lucky one 'Cause most of us are bitter over someone Setting fire to our insides for fun To distract our hearts from ever missing them But I'm forever missing him And you caused it.
20 May 2013
Song of the Day, Day 20. Fiona Apple: Paper Bag
Song of the Day, Day 20. Fiona Apple: Paper Bag
I listened to this album again for the first time in a few months. I forgot how much I loved this album when it came out. I can safely say it holds up. I still love it. It reminds me of last summer. It reminds of desperate measures. It reminds me of my dear friend Erin taking me to the show and how I ended up at Cowboy Kewl afterwards. I remember how this song in particular reminds me of how little and how much things have changed in the course of a year.
I listened to this album again for the first time in a few months. I forgot how much I loved this album when it came out. I can safely say it holds up. I still love it. It reminds me of last summer. It reminds of desperate measures. It reminds me of my dear friend Erin taking me to the show and how I ended up at Cowboy Kewl afterwards. I remember how this song in particular reminds me of how little and how much things have changed in the course of a year.
19 May 2013
Song of the Day, Day 19. The Smiths: This Charming Man
Song of the Day, Day 19. The Smiths: This Charming Man
Because I feel like dancing today....
Because I feel like dancing today....
18 May 2013
Song(s) of the Day, Day 18. The Savages: City's Full
Song(s) of the Day, Day 18. The Savages: City's Full
I've listened to The Savages a few times in the last week. I'm still on the fence. Sometimes it annoys me. Sometimes I like it. I always find myself annoyed by post-anything these days. Hmm, I suppose I feel that way about most things in my life, so I shouldn't be surprised. Regardless, this morning, I liked it. So there you have it. I also could watch the drummer for hours.
Enjoy.
I've listened to The Savages a few times in the last week. I'm still on the fence. Sometimes it annoys me. Sometimes I like it. I always find myself annoyed by post-anything these days. Hmm, I suppose I feel that way about most things in my life, so I shouldn't be surprised. Regardless, this morning, I liked it. So there you have it. I also could watch the drummer for hours.
Enjoy.
17 May 2013
Song of the Day, Day17. The National: Don't Swallow the Cap
Song of the Day, Day 17. The National: Don't Swallow the Cap
I'm in love with this new album. I saw The National with my good friends, Carlos and Art, in October of 2010 for the first time. It was absolutely tremendous. I've continued to fall in love with their music in the past three years. However, when I found out they were playing in Nashville at the Ryman again, I chose not to purchase a ticket. However, after streaming this album for the past few days...I have changed my mind. I will now be seeing The National again in the fall of 2013. I can hardly wait.
I remember someone telling me that The National pairs perfectly with rainy days. Today, it has rained all day...and so this perfectly accompanied the cloudy skies.
"Everything I love is on the table, Everything I love is out to sea...I have only two emotions, careful fear and dead devotion. I can't get the balance right. Throw my marbles in the fight..."
13 May 2013
Song of the Day, Day 13. Andrew Bird- Night Sky
Song of the Day, Day 13. Andrew Bird- Night Sky.
Yeah, that's all I have for you today.
Sound is a wave, like a wave on the ocean
Moon plays the ocean like a violin
Pushing and pulling from shore to shore
Biggest melody you never heard before
If I were the night sky, if I were the night sky
Here’s my lullaby
Lullaby to leave by If I were the night
What if we hadn’t been born at the same time?
What if you’re seventy-five and I were nine?
Would I come visit you?
Bring you cookies in an old folks home?
Would you be there alone?
And when the late summer lightning
Fires off in your arms
Will I remember to breathe?
No, I never will, no
And the fire could convince you that I mean you no harm
Just wanna show you how not to need
What if I was the night sky?
Here’s my lullaby
Lullaby to leave by if I were the night
What if we hadn’t been each other at the same time?
Would you tell me all the stories from when you were young and in your prime?
Would I rock you to sleep?
Would you tell me all the secrets you don’t need to keep?
Would I still miss you?
Oh, would you then have been mine?
Sound is a wave, like a wave on the ocean
Moon plays the ocean like a violin
Pushing and pulling from shore to shore
Biggest melody you never heard before
If I were the night sky, here's my lullaby
Lullaby to leave by, if I were the night
Yeah, that's all I have for you today.
Sound is a wave, like a wave on the ocean
Moon plays the ocean like a violin
Pushing and pulling from shore to shore
Biggest melody you never heard before
If I were the night sky, if I were the night sky
Here’s my lullaby
Lullaby to leave by If I were the night
What if we hadn’t been born at the same time?
What if you’re seventy-five and I were nine?
Would I come visit you?
Bring you cookies in an old folks home?
Would you be there alone?
And when the late summer lightning
Fires off in your arms
Will I remember to breathe?
No, I never will, no
And the fire could convince you that I mean you no harm
Just wanna show you how not to need
What if I was the night sky?
Here’s my lullaby
Lullaby to leave by if I were the night
What if we hadn’t been each other at the same time?
Would you tell me all the stories from when you were young and in your prime?
Would I rock you to sleep?
Would you tell me all the secrets you don’t need to keep?
Would I still miss you?
Oh, would you then have been mine?
Sound is a wave, like a wave on the ocean
Moon plays the ocean like a violin
Pushing and pulling from shore to shore
Biggest melody you never heard before
If I were the night sky, here's my lullaby
Lullaby to leave by, if I were the night
12 May 2013
Song of the Day, Day 12: Ferraby Lionheart: Yellow Wings
Song of the Day, Day 12: Ferraby Lionheart: Yellow Wings
For Mother's Day. All my love to my mama and my grandmama. Today, one year ago, was the last day I saw my grandmama. It still feels like yesterday that I put my arms around her and kissed her on the cheek. I remember stopping before walking out the door to look back at her. Despite how much it hurt, I knew (and I think she knew too), it would be the last time we would see each other. As the tears streamed down my face, I said, "I love you" to her and quickly turned away and left the hospital.
Here's to you, my mama and my grandmama, the most wonderful women I have ever known.
For Mother's Day. All my love to my mama and my grandmama. Today, one year ago, was the last day I saw my grandmama. It still feels like yesterday that I put my arms around her and kissed her on the cheek. I remember stopping before walking out the door to look back at her. Despite how much it hurt, I knew (and I think she knew too), it would be the last time we would see each other. As the tears streamed down my face, I said, "I love you" to her and quickly turned away and left the hospital.
Here's to you, my mama and my grandmama, the most wonderful women I have ever known.
11 May 2013
Song of the Day, May 11: Eluvium- Happiness
Song of the Day, May 11: Eluvium- Happiness
This is quite lovely. Perfect for a lazy Saturday, stuck indoors, working and drinking tea. It fits the little mess I've been cleaning in my head lately.
10 May 2013
Song of the Day, Day 10: Sugar Pie DeSanto- Soulful Dress
Song of the Day, Day 10: Sugar Pie DeSanto- Soulful Dress
For Friday, I chose one of my favorite songs. It's rather perfect for putting on your favorite dress and going out on the town. It's the weekend (and while that doesn't mean much to graduate students), I'm going to pretend it does tonight.
For Friday, I chose one of my favorite songs. It's rather perfect for putting on your favorite dress and going out on the town. It's the weekend (and while that doesn't mean much to graduate students), I'm going to pretend it does tonight.
09 May 2013
Song of the Day: Thee Oh Sees- I Come From The Mountain, Day 09
Song of the Day: Thee Oh Sees- I Come From The Mountain, Day 09
I'm obviously going through some sort of musical transition. I'm not sure what it means, but I know that right now, I crave the music to be loud. Super loud.
I want a soundtrack to fit running through the streets of the city during the summer. Yep, something, I really need to do soon.
08 May 2013
Song of the Day: Telekinesis: Empathetic People, May 08, 2013.
And I'm back....on Day 08. I thought about the shelving the project for the month, but alas, I'm still craving a new soundtrack to fit with the new days of summer.
Today, I wanted something loud, something dusty, something that blocked out all other sounds.
Apparently, this is a new video, which was written about on NPR's First Watch today too.
Enjoy.
Song of the Day: May 03-07, 2013, Days 03-07
Day 03 of the
Song-of-the-Day/May yesterday turned out to be a nightmare…yes, I had to spend
one night without the internet. Now, don’t get me wrong, every so often, I like
to go without access to the interwebs. You know, to go off the grid, to take a
break from the numerous feeds of information I track multiple times throughout
the day. This is, of course, by choice. Therefore, yesterday, after a 9 hour
day of ethical research training, the only thing I wanted to do when I arrived
home was to catch up on my Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr feeds, then put on name-of-my-latest-guilty-pleasure-television-show,
pop some popcorn and bliss out. But then, and only then, the nightmare began…
Unplug. Restart.
Unplug. Restart. Phone the cable company. Finally, the verdict was that I
needed a new modem. What?!? A technician can’t get out until Tuesday? How dare
you expect me to go from Friday to Tuesday without the interwebs? Who does
that? Luckily, a fiend offered to drive me over to the service center this
morning to swap out the modem (however, this has not fixed the problem, thus
far).
I found myself
flipping through the limited basic cable on my television. I hadn’t watched
television in I can’t remember how long…and I can report, commercials still
annoy me. After several rounds of flipping, I watched a replay from a Braves
baseball game. Or at least I thought it was simply a replay on a sports news
channel. Then I realized, this mystery channel was airing the entire game and I
caught it at the 8th inning. Wait, this was Fox Sports South
channel. How as I accessing only one premium channel out of all the channels? I
don’t even have TBS! What cable gods decided to reward me for my lack of
internet access? This random gift from the universe made my night last
night…and incidentally, my day today, since the modem does not appear to be
working either.
And thus, for May 3rd to May 7th,
there is no song of the day, but rather, the imagined sound of a baseball game.
02 May 2013
Song of the Day: Mikal Cronin: Weight, May 02, 2013
Song of the day: Mikal Cronin: Weight, May 02, 2013
I found this song today, while looking for new music to accompany my work day. In conversation in the last few months, I've mentioned my sheer boredom with most of the music in my life...whether it is an old favorite or new music coming out from favorites...I just find myself totally and completely bored. So, yes, I was pleasantly surprised with this new album by Mikal Cronin. Apparently, it is his sophomore release. I enjoyed all of the album, but this song really resonated for me. Reading about him on NPR's All Songs Considered, I read that the album is his processing the sweeping changes in his life in terms of life, love, and aging. Yep, yep, yep.
And it feels like a warm summer afternoon, sitting outside, drinking a cheap beer that is almost too warm, surrounded by friends.
I’ve been starting over for a long time
I’m not ready for another day
I feel, I feel anew
The time is right, I’m only getting older
I’m not ready for the second wave
The way you’ve seen it through
Don’t be bolder, golden life of mine
Sing for love, full force in my life
I’m not ready for the way you dance.
Tie the money, hold on for a long time
There’s an answer for another man
I’m yet to find a way
Wasting years or waiting for a savior
I’m not made up for the simple path
Don’t take it day by day
Don’t be bolder, golden life of mine
Sing for love, full force in my life
I’m not ready for the boulder
I’m not ready for the dry cut jeans
I’m not ready for the sirens
I’m not ready for the fear and shame
I’m not ready waking
Take me from myself
From myself
Holding on to something I don’t know
I’ve been starting over for a long time
I’m not ready for the second wave
The way you’ve seen me cry.
01 May 2013
Song of the Day: Waxahatchee: Bathtub, May 01, 2013
A note about Song-of-the-Day for May:
After many wonderful suggestions— planting/picking flowers, writing, cooking, I have decided to combine music and writing as an incentive to find the time this month to revisit my blog about music and memory:www.musicismemory.com
Thus, each day this month, I intend to post a song of the day. What classifies as a song of the day? Well, how should I know? There are no parameters, except to post it with a short blurb about why or what or something to that extent. So there you have it. Hopefully at the end of this month, I shall have a new soundtrack of music that doesn’t bore me, like most music these days.
Waxahatchee: Bathtub, May 01, 2013
I adore Waxahatchee. That being said, I know absolutely nothing about the band. Nothing. Perhaps I should remedy that since I’m choosing it as song of the day. But honestly, I chose it because one of my bestest and oldest friends, Matt Tomich, sent it to me yesterday via Facebook with a quick note that read, “I thought you’d love this.”
Matt has played an incredibly interesting role in my life of music. I met him many, many, many years ago when the internet was just starting (yes, it was the beginning of all time for some). We met because I joined a fan list serv for the band The Replacements that he ran. We began emailing back and forth, quite regularly. When Matt moved from Omaha, Nebraska to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, he stopped to visit me at school in Asheville, North Carolina. I arrived back in town early that evening to find a note on my door that Matt was waiting for me in my friend’s room. I forgot Matt was passing through that day. Did I also mention this was before cellular telephones (yes, I wrote out cellular just to make myself sound super duper old)?
That night, we sat up talking about music and our lives and the world. Before he left the next day to continue his journey to his new destination, he handed me a mix tape he made. Yes, yes, it was a real cassette tape. To this day, it stands out as the best mix tape I have ever received. I listened to it non-stop, not just for months, but years. I suppose that is the mark of an excellent mix, not creating a playlist of songs you like to demonstrate your good taste to others, but rather to create a playlist of songs that you think the other person will like, based on their taste. Wait, isn’t that the end of the book/film High Fidelity? Even though Matt and I are distanced by loads and loads of waves and wires, even after all of this time, he still knows me well enough to hear this song and send it to me. One day, my dear, I’ll make it to Malta for a visit.
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