Stunning ignorance aside, with the advent of iPods*, music really can be the soundtrack of our lives. That is it can be, IF we plan out our playlists or artists according to our scheduled activities, and have a huge list of stock playlists for any unexpected moments. I'm guessing a lot of us listen to our iPods in transit or at work most of the time, so it shouldn't be too hard to soundtrack those moments. We can leave Zack Braff out of this one.
I'm would also guess that most of us have our iPods on shuffle anyway, since listening to the same Metro Mix or Shutting Out The Co-Workers playlists can get old. So much for sound tracking our lives. Still, every once in a while, I have what I call a great iPod moment. When the song that comes on shuffle is just perfect for what is going on in your life. Here are some of my favorites:
- Tuesday's Gone - Lynrd Skynrd. It came on at the end of a very long Tuesday at work, during the metro ride home. Ronnie Van Zant never sounded so good.
- Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne. Another metro moment, this time while I was waiting on a very crowded platform and we all squeezed into a train that had just arrived.
- Love Train** - The O'Jays. The last metro one, I promise. After numerous delays, our train finally stopped. It was explained we would be stopped indefinitely due to a problem several stations ahead. Everyone was visibly pissed and irritable. Then Love Train comes on, and I almost laughed out loud. I'm sure my fellow passengers would have torn me apart if I had.
- Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley. The day I mailed out my divorce papers, this was the first song that played. Besides being a great, sad song that is perfect for mourning, it was my ex-wife who introduced me to it.
- Bad Boy - Frankie Knuckles. This came on one day when I took an extra long lunch so I could work out and shop.
- You Can't Always Get What You Want - The Rolling Stones. It came on when I was going home to be with my family for Thanksgiving. No real specific connection, but it sure felt good to hear it.
I'm sure everyone has had some moments like these. If you want, share some in the comments section.
*I am aware there are other mp3 players besides the iPod, but I refuse to type "iPods and other mp3 players" every time I...well, okay, you win this round. But I'm not typing it again. iPod is to Walkman is to Kleenex is to Google. Yeah, Google, suck it.
**No, I will not explain or defend why Love Train is on my iPod. Would you really buy any excuse I came up with anyway.
4 comments:
if you love/must listen to "Hallelujah," try Brandi Carlile's version (it's on iTunes, of course)...absolutely fabu!
Buckely's is the best version, even better than Leonard Cohen's ;) I love the song. I'll check out Brandi Carlile's version, I think I heard it before during a movie or TV show. Though I might be thinking of Fionna Apple covering Across The Universe, or both...anyway, thanks!
i will give you 2000 bonus points if you get on a Metro train with an old skool boom box and play "Love Train" ... assuming you actually survive to tell the story.
Hmmm, do hospitals take bonus points? And even if they do, would 2000 be enough after what would happen to me?
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