I have an old friend from high school who dated a guy in a band shortly after we graduated college.� He and his band-mates graduated a few years ahead of us in high school, and by the time we finished college they were still in the same band, still passionate about music, and still trying to make it.� (They never made it.)
One night we were all getting to know each other after one of their “awesome sets” at the local brewery. As it is with people who live, breathe, and die music, the bass player, a guy who bore a remarkable resemblance to Ric Ocasek, asked me to name my favorite type of music. Now, I like music as much as the next person. In fact, I took piano lessons for well over ten years and can still play some pieces from memory. That said, in no way am I passionate about music. I don’t spend hours on itunes hunting for the next great band and my ipod isn’t bursting with obscure music or indie acoustic recordings made in the back of a refurbished school bus. That’s my youngest brother, Paul. Me? My taste runs downright ordinary.� In other words, I like a little bit of everything. So, that’s what I said.
“I like a little bit of everything.”
This type of blithe answer really bothers music people.
“Really? You like everything?” Please try to imagine his fist-sized Adam’s apple furiously working its way up and down his throat.
“Yup. I like a little bit of everything.”
“Well, do you like Didgeridoo instrumental?”
A snicker from the guy my friend liked. The so called “lead singer.”
“Do you like to rock out to the Polka?� How about a hardcore Gregarian chants?� Do you like those, too?”� He continued naming random music, affronted I would answer such an important, life defining question with such a poorly thought out answer.� For shame!
I learned to never again be so vague when confronted by a music person.� I know now that I need to define as accurately as possible my taste in music. So, when the following question popped up in my formspring account, I knew exactly how to answer.
What kind of music do you like? What song(s) will you never get tired of?
Let’s start with the first question.� I like anything that is commercial or pedestrian, preferably both. In fact, I’ve written about my abysmal taste in music before. Click this link at your own risk.
The second question is a bit harder.� Since I rarely update my ipod or buy music, I can almost say I don’t get tired of any of the songs on my ipod because they are the same ones I have been listening to for years.� But, I’m going to try.� Be prepared to be astounded by the whackadoo variety in genres.
Hip-Hop
I should probably start off by saying that I rarely like a song because of the beat.� The lyrics are almost always what draw me in first.� The exception to this rule is Ignition Remix by R. Kelly. Because, really, the only way to objectify women is with a good beat.
Rock
For almost the entire year that I was writing the posts for The Bright Side Project (did you hear the news?) I listened to one song on repeat. I do that. I try to find a song that is similar to the mood I have to be in to write in a particular style. For some reason, Good Arms v. Bad Arms by Frightened Rabbit is what I like to listen to when I am writing short, press-related content.
Alternative
Speaking of bright sides, Mikey, Nicholas, The Mister, and I all love Mr. Brightside by The Killers.
Country
That’s as Close as I’ll Get to Loving You by Aaron Tippin is one of those songs I may have liked but not loved had the lyrics not unfolded so well. (My favorite songs are always those that I can picture in my mind like a movie reel.)� It’s a song about unrequited love, so nothing new there, but I love the lyric “I may never reach across your body and kill the light while you’re asleep.” It’s intimate without once mentioning genitalia. How about that, Hip-Hop?
I’m not the only one who likes the lyrics to this song. If you look at the career bios of the song writers, this song is always mentioned. (I’m a nerd, so I researched the writers to see what other songs they had to their credit.)� My only quibble is with the video, which is early 90s-awful.� It was bad when it came out, so you can imagine how it appears almost 15 years later.� Mercy.� If I could find a way to embed just the music I would because I think the video takes well written/performed lyrics and turns it into an episode of late night T.V.� Also, nice glasses, dude.
Bonus Round
If there was ever a song that defined my personality and everything my long suffering husband has to put up with, The Cowboy in Me by Tim McGraw would be it. Minus the western hat, wife-beater tank top, and testicles, of course. I’ll never stop loving this song because it reminds me of The Mister and how lucky I am. (When he isn’t getting on my nerves.)
Whew! That took a while. Care to share what songs you will never tire of?
Hi,
I’m writing from Italy and I know your site only since January.
I like very much this post because I’ve the same problem when I’ve to answer a question about music.
I want to share my never-miss-on-ipod song: “My immortal” from Evanescence : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6cZZgwFBX4
Bye!
I had to laugh about your listening to the same song on repeat while writing; I do the same thing! I never received anything less than a B on my college papers and I credit this to the fact that I always listened to U2’s “Achtung, Baby” on repeat during my all-nighters. I still do this on big editorial projects. I find “The Fly” particularly motivating. After nearly 15 years I have yet to tire of listening to this album!
I’m the same … okay, I’m worse. I love a whole assortment of music from classical to gospel, but typically pay no attention to artists. Yeah, it’s pitiful. At the moment, songs on repeat: You Belong to Me by Carla Bruni, The Luckiest by Ben Folds, Answer by Sarah McLachlan, and Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat. I’ve found that I must play instrumental for writing – my favorite being Beautiful Hollywood. Love. *sigh* I’ve tried music with lyrics … but end up daydreaming, singing, or dancing … and that’s just not helpful when penning the All American.
I must say that I find this list quite shocking. I never would have expected you to have not one but two country songs on your list! {Not that I know you so well that I should be shocked by your taste in music but it’s a bit surprising all the same.}
I guess I’m in trouble because I answer the music question the same way: a little bit of everything. Thanks for warning me about “music people”!
Sara Jane–I used to be a big country music fan in college. I even saw Dwight Yoakam in concert, and I hate going to concerts. Really, I’ve been a fan of everything.
Maybe not Didgeredoo music.
Right now I listen to a lot of Christian/Gospel/Inspiration music (I think that’s what the genre is called). I don’t know most of the artists or song names, though.
Just curious–what did you expect me to listen to?
I’ll never tire of the song “I’ll Remember” from Madonna off the With Honors soundtrack. LOVE IT. I also love any of the oldies from Janet Jackson, like Escapade, Love Will Never Do, If, etc. Great post! And I love the picture at the top too!
Ha! This weekend, I heard the Ignition Remix while in the car with my husband. I had totally forgotten how much I shamefully loved that song. I spent the rest of the day humming along…”it’s the freakin’ weekend…”all the way to the Phil Vassar concert we went to that evening
:)
This must be the place by the talking heads.
This live version is awesome; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG2NL72DhqA&feature=related
For me Country music needs to be vocally driven, not pop. I like Randy Travis (Shopping for Dresses!), George Jones and Cash : )
Saw Randy at the Houston livestock show and Rodeo. really.
@Heidi–Janet Jackson reminds me of my 8th grade best friend, Mia. She loved Rhythm Nation. I really like that picture, too! I took it at an antique store this weekend. I went in on a whim because I needed pictures of purple and I was shocked to see how big and well stocked it was. I need to go back. On my flickr page you can see the full perspective of that picture. The books are resting in a skirt frame of a mannequin. Kinda creepy.
@ Meg–It is shameful to like that song.
@Becky–I can’t imagine you like country. I can absolutely imagine you liking Talking Heads. The first country song I ever liked was Randy Travis’ Forever and Ever Amen.
My best girlfriend friend loves Country. The things you do ….. and my husband is from Texas- you knew that right? Can take the boy out of the country, but can’t beat the country out of the boy. Or something like that.
I’m listening to old school Queen Latifa and Public Enemy this week : )
You’ll have to file this one away since you can’t read blogs for a little while longer, but I just did a blog post about my favorite tunes as well!
http://www.theiheartblog.com/2010/03/musiclifelovehappy/
The best part was getting to listen to them over and over again while I was trying to make widgets on grooveshark of them.
I, too, love R. Kelly’s Ignition Remix. There is something so sleazy about loving *any* R. Kelly song, isn’t there?
The one song on my ipod that I rarely skip (and that I used to listen to when I was sweating my arse off on my elliptical, 30 pounds ago…) is “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. I have such respect for him as a wordsmith, he’s incredibly talented, but the intent behind that song is pretty awesome, too.
I can’t even tell you how many times I’ll play a song over and over again as I’m driving just so I can sing it :)!! I have so many songs that I can’t get enough of. I’m completely into the Raconteurs right now so pretty much anything of theirs is good for a repeat!! I love indie and alternative music but really am open to anything that’s good! (which btw, my husband is a HUGE music head…we currently have over 1500 cd’s!) needless to say, sometimes I don’t even know what’s in our collection!!
I’m not sure what I expected. Maybe some 80’s stuff?
Ps. SUPER jealous that you saw Dwight Yoakam. I love him!
Outstanding how similar we are, love the lyrics;) I really like Weezer at work because it’s alternative enough for it to be played in the showroom but catchy enough for me to feel better about my day. Also Bebel Giberto, she’s Brazilian, very ‘loungey’ + lovely. When I am writing press releases I like hair band music:)
xo,
t.
@ Sara Jane–GAH! NO 80s music. The Mister LOVES 80s music. He and my dad have a game they play. My dad will turn the T.V. to 80s music and let him hear a few beats of the song and then see if he can guess it. The Mister gets it right every.single.time. Dwight Yoakam was AMAZING. So good. This was in the 90s, of course. Everything happened for me in the 90s, it seems.
@Miss B–I LOVE Weezer! Thanks for reminding me of them. They’re worth going to itunes…I doubt I’ll be able to find my old Weezer CDs.
this is my most favorite love song ever:
http://www.ilike.com/artist/Ben+Folds/track/The+Luckiest
the lyrics are so, so beautiful. and it’ll be the song that i and my ross-a-tron dance to at our wedding.
enjoy. :)
xoxo,
laura
Thanks for the music tips! I am in complete agreement with you about the lyrics thing–especially regarding country music. (I’ve often wondered if the attraction to lyrics over music is a outgrowth of my being wordy). I’d never heard the Aaron Tippin song and I do think the lyrics are great…but, WOW! that video is something. Not only is there Glasses Dude and Robe Lady, the unrequited singer/lover looks like he’s straight out of a ’70’s gay bathhouse! I really can’t imagine that such a look was ever in vogue in the ’90’s country music world. :-)
Aaahahahaha! YES. OMG, YES. I didn’t want to say it, but he ABSOLUTELY look 70s bathhouse gay. That’s actually the first thing I thought when I watched the video again (after a 15 year hiatus)…the guy looks like one of the Village People or Freddie Mercury.
I’ve been a lurker for the past few months, but this post got me laughing so I had to comment. You totally lost me, as books & music have equal importance in my life, country music is the one genre I detest, and not only do I frequently rearrange my ipod/playlists, I also organize my cd collection by what mood category I’d assign the music, . . . but props for making it funny! My personal motto is that you can get away with anything as long as you say it with snark.
This is embarrassing, but I never tire of any Madonna from the 90s.
Well I just about fell off the couch laughing when I read the Digeridoo thing. Who was this hopeless girl who hung out with these music nazis?
That would be your feminine alter ego, Cecil. ;)
This post is so funny because I’M that music snob. I get annoyed when people say “a little bit of everything”. Currently, I’m burying my head in shame.. BUT! To take up for all us music nerds out there, before blurting out your answer next time take a second to actually think about what you like, and say it proudly and whole-heartedly!
Since you were kind enough to introduce me to the awesomeness that is Frightened Rabbit, I thought I might repay the favour by suggesting Mumford and Sons (assuming, of course, that you aren’t already familiar with them). They’re folksy, beat-driven Brits, and I find their music as equally addictive as Frightened Rabbit. Their music is laced with Shakespeare and Steinbeck references. My particular faves:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLJf9qJHR3E (f-word warning) Their first US single