#281: Apply

I got this song from Urban Outfitter's free downloads, "LSTN," quite forever ago. I (rather foolishly) didn't listen to most of this when I first got it (this song is from LSTN #2), and every time I do whip out this playlist, it's AWESOME. Even though I sort of hate Urban Outfitters, they have some damn good music on these playlists. Also: they had Passion Pit before anyone else I know. I mean, my friends aren't the most up to date on current electronica music, but still. I don't know why this is Sunday's song - Sunday was spent completely indoors, sitting beneath a little blue light back stage at Harper Joy.

#280: She Moves Me

Saturday was wildly unproductive, just like most days of my life. After barely sleeping at all, I sat at a desk for four hours in the admission office with no tasks other than checking people in occasionally. I ended up learning quite a bit about Purim and watched the video of Nancy Kerrigan getting attacked by Tonya Harding's thug friend. All in all, a success.

The rest of the day: not so much. I mostly lied around and watched ANTM, and then fell asleep on top of my homework at 6 pm. And slept right through until 9 the next morning. Except at midnight, when I was woken by my roommates returning from the epic party (attended by 10% of Whitman College) I had slept through, at which point I put on my headphones to fall back asleep and listened to a little Muddy Waters. SO, really long story short, Saturday's song is "She Moves Me."

#279: She's a Rainbow

Great way to figure out if your friends read your blog: casually refer to a group of them which they may or may not be a part of (or may feel similarly about).

Anyway. If you haven't figured this out yet, I get on musical kicks quite a lot, and binge on artists (or just songs, in the case of "Bad Romance" and some other less embarrassing examples). So I've been listening to a lot of the Rolling Stones. This song is part of the quest to figure out what song I was thinking of on Sunday - but "Love in Vain" is going to stay put because it is awesome. And this will be Friday.

#278: Don't Think Twice

Full disclosure: I totally hate Bob Dylan. For many reasons. First of all, he can't sing. Second, I happen to know a LOT of people who like to make a huge deal about how obsessed they are with him. Actually those might be the only reasons. But they are both big deals! Vocals are my primary interest in a lot of music (sorry. I know this is shameful. But it's a lot easier to sell me with Freddie-level vocal improvisation than Slash-level guitar solos. Perhaps because I like to sing along so much, and interesting melodies and singers I will never be able to emulate make it way more fun for me to sing). I really despise it when people think they can just yell or grumble or moan and pass it off as singing.

The friends are a way bigger deal though. SERIOUSLY. It does NOT make you cool or peace-loving or alternative or special to be a fan of Bob Dylan. He is WIDELY considered one of the best songwriters of the last forty years, so NO, I am not impressed that you listen to him. So maybe stop telling me that you were born in the wrong generation. Because you are not a flower child.

ANYWAY. This is a Susan Tedeschi cover of "Don't Think Twice," and it is INCREDIBLE. Bob Dylan writes amazing music. That topic is not up for discussion. But I highly prefer it when other people sing his songs (another great example: Johnny Cash & June Carter singing "It Ain't Me, Babe," which is a wonderfully sassy song), and in general I just love Susan Tedeschi. So... perfect union? Yes. I got this song from Jane on accident. I loaned her my old iPod when hers broke, and when she got a new one, I plugged my old iPod back into my computer and WHAM tons of new music. This came on in the middle of a blerg-paper-writing middle of the night moment, and I fell in love with Susan Tedeschi all over again.

I just got so much sass from Football for writing about singing. Just so we're all clear, I don't know much about singing, certainly MUCH less than the PROLIFIC singer I am so BLESSED as to share a wall with, but that doesn't mean I can't have opinions about what is and is not fun for me to yell along to (very poorly) in the car. Those 7 years of being in choir and taking voice lessons do, however, make me completely unqualified to discuss any aspect of singing unrelated to personal taste.
[Yeah. Don't even TRY to out-sass me. IT CAN'T BE DONE. Ok Football will probably do it now.]

#277: Nuestra Fe

This is an electronic rock song from Soda Stereo, a kickass Argentine rock band that my host Sofi gave me when I lived in Buenos Aires the summer after freshman year. I probably hated this song then, but my taste has since expanded to include a lot more electronica. And this is electronica with sweet acoustic guitar lines, too. I recently divided all my music among two iPods and my old, almost broken one got all of my Spanish language music. I was listening to it on shuffle today and this popped up and Football made a face of maybe-approval at it.

Also today, I have listened to a bunch of country rock and have enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I might! Which means that I have SO few genres left that I don't really listen to - especially thanks to someone's insistence that I give metal a chance. In the last 5 years, I've added rap, bluegrass, jazz, electronica and blues to what must have been a VERY limited musical taste at the time. Yay pop rock!

#276: Lonely Night in Georgia

[Update: WHOA I have already changed this song because I kept listening to Carencro and it just KEPT GETTING BETTER.]

Marc Broussard is the best. This is Tuesday's song because of my rather strong claim a few posts ago that "Carencro" is one of my favorite albums of all time. In deciding, I started listening to "Carencro" and then was SHOCKED AND APPALLED to learn that this hadn't made its way onto any of my playlists yet. ANY.

#275: Ain't No Mountain High Enough

SO on Sunday, Football and I drove back to Walla Walla and had an awesome time, especially around the 5th hour or so (the 3rd hour for Harry), when we were both going a little nutso. So much so that we listened to MICHAEL MCDONALD. And it was awesome. We both whipped out hardcore Michael McDonald impressions. I told so many people about it that it was still stuck in my head on Monday - so much so that I sang it to myself (in his voice) walking home from the library - and hence ended up on my 365. In case you aren't acquainted with Mr McDonald, because several people I told the story to weren't, and thought I was crazy, here you go. And here is a terrible clip from The 40 Year Old Virgin about him. YEAH. Just imagine me trying to emulate that "husky, soulful baritone." It's great.

Also, just because it should be commemorated forever on the internet, even though it is not documented on my 365, we rocked out SO hard to "Any Way You Want It." It was an amazing 3 and a half minutes. Let me tell you, Football makes some BAD ASS road trip mixes.

Motif of this post: "so much so"

#274: Love in Vain

I think this is the song I'm thinking of? I can't remember now, I just remember that an acoustic Stones song came on and I was ecstatically happy at the time, and I made a mental note to put it on my 365. Of course, I have since forgotten which song it was. But I think it was this one. Who knows, this may change later. Regardless, I LOVE this song, so that's all I really need for it to be on my 365. I just love this whole album (Let it Bleed, in case you're woefully out of the loop). Definitely on my top 10. Along with A Night at the Opera, Who's Next, Unplugged, probably some other albums that make me totally unoriginal, Newton Faulkner's Hand Built By Robots and Marc Broussard's Carencro. YEAH. Sometimes I listen to things recorded after 1975! Not very often though.

#273: For Now

On Saturday, I got to see Avenue Q for the first time! It was INCREDIBLE and basically everything I had dreamed it would be and more. Sooo my 365 song for the day is this lovely finale with the uplifting message that everything in life (even real analysis) is temporary. There's one part where they say a bunch of things that are only for now: sex, your hair, and George Bush are the ones mentioned in the OBC recording. When we saw it, they changed Dubya to Glenn Beck, which was excellent.

SPEAKING OF, Cobbay and I watched a little Glenn Beck today on Fox News (because... why not) and holy crap. The man is insane. Or if nothing else, extremely emotional.

#272: Moskau

This song is SO ridiculous. If you don't already believe that it is hilarious, watch this and be convinced. I swapped "guilty pleasures" mixes with some excellent gentlemen in Eugene, and this is one of the gems from that trade.

#271: Put it On Me

I made a big ol' Ben Harper mix today, and it got me in a funky, folksy groove. I haven't really given this song, from Lifeline, the attention it deserves. But it is so fun!

Best. Idea. Ever.

GENIUS PLAYLIST BASED ON DELTA LADY. Oh man oh man oh man.

#270: Delta Lady

This Rock & Roll class is probably the best class I have ever taken. I can do my homework while writing my thesis, and I keep finding amazing music which I was so foolish as to not previously own. For instance, this Joe Cocker song, from our "Blue Eyed Soul: White Folks Gettin Down" listening assignment. I am way obsessed. I may or may not currently have it on repeat. It's not a shock to anyone that I love soul music (I even have "sweet soul music" in my facebook interests - not favorite music, but interests), but I am rather embarrassed to not already know about this excellent, excellent song.

In other news, TeXMaker and I are not getting along right now.

#269: The Stroll

Ok. We already know that I have a love affair with horns. But holy god, in "The Stroll," they're pure sex. Which is apropos, because I had to listen to this song by the Diamonds for my "Development of an American Youth Culture" assignment for the History and Sociology of Rock & Roll, and we're currently discussing the threat of Elvis' pelvic thrusts and sexy new dance crazes (like the stroll) which were "corrupting" American teens. Truly terrible.

#268: Take the 'A' Train

Franzia really has the best music ever. In particular, he has a plethora of excellent jazz recordings. This version of "Take the 'A' Train" by Clifford Brown and the Max Roach Quintet is so sick nasty, I can't even describe it. I would need to be way better versed in jazz to describe it. All I can say is, it's the best opening of "Take the 'A' Train" that I have ever heard, ever. I love my roommates and their far superior music taste.

#267: Peter Gunn Theme

A few weeks ago, after watching the epicly terrible movie "Waterworld," Franzia and Cobbay made a bet. If Cobbay put the line "Nothing is free in Waterworld" (check out 6:20 into that video) in his one act, Franzia would reference Maroon 5 in his philosophy writtens. They both completed their end of the bargain, so we had this epic exchange in our one act:

Phil: A coach once told me something that helped me out of a bad place. If you pick a fight with a bear in the wild, you better buy a shovel.
Irving: A shovel, Gray!
Gray: This has got to be the worst advice I have ever heard.
Phil: How about this: the great Kevin Costner once said, "Nothing is free in Waterworld!"
Irving: WATERWORLD.

SO Cobbay and I decided that we should have a cast party where we watch "Waterworld" and berate it, and that's exactly what we did on Sunday. OH MY HOLY GOD it is so terrible. For a brief moment, it features the Peter Gunn theme, by Harry Mancini, and so that is my 365 song for Valentine's Day. YES. I spent my Valentine's Day with K-Cost. Try not to be too jealous. The version I have is by the West End Orchestra, from the GREATEST MOVIE EVER, The Blues Brothers.

#266: Telephone

I'm sorry, but Lady GaGa and Beyonce together is the most magical combination I can imagine. Last night was our cast party, and when I came back home, thinking I had escaped all of the Lady GaGa, Yaner put on "Telephone." Which is sort of horrible, but whatever. It's also sort of awesome. It would be better if there was more Beyonce, I think. Yes?

Other highlights of Saturday: I watched speed skating at a bar at 4 pm while eating boatloads of french fries and fish tacos. I think this is the only way the Olympics should be enjoyed.

#265: Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To...)

I'm in this wonderful class, the History and Sociology of Rock & Roll, that I can't even believe I'm getting college credit for. We get to watch videos of Chuck Berry in class. It's amazing. Today, I wrote a paper about how "Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To...)" is representative of social conflict theory. It was not the best paper I have written, but HELL anytime I can write papers about Queen is a win.

#264: Oh Me, Oh My

I stayed up far too late working on my thesis, and listened primarily to Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet. They are seriously awesome. This song is particularly soothing at 3 in the morning, when Bertrand's Postulate seems totally unattainable.

#263: Go Go Cactus Man

Football: "How did opening night go? Tell it to me in Star Wars."
Me: "Tonight was Return of the Jedi. Last night was Episode 2."

I CANNOT BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE INCREDIBLE CAST I HAVE. Tonight was amazing. The above quote only describes their awesomeness because last night was awesome as well! As you can see from yesterday's post. But tonight was so insanely good that it made last night look like Attack of the Clones. ATTACK OF THE CLONES!

Also, I have this great boyfriend who sends me silly things like "Go Go Cactus Man" from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack. Which is the song for today.

#262: Tears in Heaven

Unplugged does it to me like nothing else. Tonight, JJ played approximately seven notes of "Tears in Heaven" to me, and I immediately had to go immerse myself in acoustic Clapton for the next hour.

ALSO today was an invited dress rehearsal, and it was a completely full house! So we pretty much opened tonight. Real opening night is tomorrow. Drama. IT WAS AMAZING THOUGH! I have the most kickass cast you will ever meet. People kept complimenting me and I was like "Dudes, I can't take credit for having an amazing cast and an amazing script. I mostly just watched." I call people dudes, don't worry about it.

#261: Bridge Over Troubled Water

Oh, super emotional drives along the Columbia River. You are so good to me. I put "Philadelphia Freedom" into Genius and then sang along to 24 of the most dramatic pop songs you have ever heard, featuring mostly Elton John and Billy Joel. It was excellent.

#260: Alone

Um... yes. Totally owning this. We listened to the Glee soundtrack the whole way down to Cape Meares, which was... ok. I love Glee, but not the soundtrack. Anyway. The one on my 365 is the original, by Heart. But this non-video is the Glee version. And it is HILARIOUSLY GREAT.

#259: Come Together

My cousins and I played Beatles Rockband in my basement, and it was way too fun. Let me just say that my eldest cousin is an epic rockband drummer.

#258: Family Affair

Ok, this is just a total cliche song for the day, but whatever. My whole family came to Portland and it was great. I listened to no music. So... Sly & the Family Stone.

#257: Trees Still Bend

After a crazy, crazy day, I left Walla Walla at 8:30 and drove in less than optimal conditions to Portland, getting in at midnightish. I listened to Girlyman the entire way. It was epic. Not in the way I usually use the word epic ("what, like a hot dog?"), but in the way Merriam Webster uses epic, "extending beyond the usual or ordinary."

#255: St. Peter's Bones

Blerg of a day. I got some terrible news from home, and decided to take MMG up on her advice from the week before to put Girlyman on shuffle, starting with this song, to feel better. Worked like a charm!

#255: Super Duper Love (Are You Diggin' On Me?)

If I could have anyone's voice, it would be Aretha Franklin's. But my second choice would probably be Joss Stone. Or Etta James. The point is, Joss Stone is amazing. This was just one that I had put on my "good stuff" playlist a few weeks ago (probably because I had like 9 songs that could've gone on my 365 that day) and then I was going back through it and realized why I had decided to categorize "Super Duper Love" as "good stuff."

#254: Forever

When it comes to dance music, nobody beats Chris Brown! (joke copyright Football, 2009)
I made my terrible playlist the preceding weekend - a cd of horrible guilty pleasures that I still totally love - and then spent all week singing them. "Forever" featured prominently. I seriously, seriously love this song. I don't even care. Say what you will.

ALSO Feb 1 was hourly comic day, and "Forever" featured in my comic!