Tuesday, April 17, 2007

7 songs? Just 7? How 'bout 7 categories of 7.....

I used to be incredibly decisive. I am a Leo after all, and I'd make up my mind lickety-split with no hemming & hawing or regret. But 16 years living with a Libra (our first shopping excursion was for work boots and it took 3 hours. That's not 3 hours start to finish, it's 3 hours deciding over 2 different pairs of boots - if we hadn't just started dating, I might have wrapped my tiny hands around his neck and throttled him right then and there), it's rubbed off on me. I am no longer that split second decision maker that I once was. Well, I can be, if it's life or death, but over things like favorite flavors, or movies or SONGS? THOSE ARE THE MERE BACKGROUND OF MY LIFE!!! How can I be expected to choose? Thank GOD I didn't have more than one child - how would I ever pick which one I loved the most?

I've been tagged by my buddy Tracey over at More Than A Minivan Mom to come up with my favorite 7 songs. So I've decided to break it down a bit. I'm going to do 7 categories, with 7 songs each. That's 7 songs for each of my 7 personalities. I could do more (there are more personalities in there, struggling to bust free), but my most dominant personality likes order and the number 7, so she wins.

Favorite 7 songs to clean house to:
Brick House
Don't Get Weary by Adrienne Young and Little Sadie
I Feel So Good by Richard Thompson
Red Clay Halo, sung by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
1999 by Prince
Burning Down The House, Talking Heads
Rain by The Blind Boys of Alabama

Favorite 7 songs to listen to while pissed off:
Get Out of This House by Shawn Colvin, A Few Small Repairs
God Will by Lyle Lovett
Harper Valley PTA, sung by Kate Campbell
Get Back by the Beatles
American Tune by Paul Simon (when pissed off by politics in particular)
Not Ready To Make Nice by the Dixie Chicks
Work To Do by Allison Moorer

Favorite 7 love songs:
Lines Around Your Eyes by Lucinda Williams
Stewart's Coat by Ricki Lee Jones, on Traffic From Paradise. I walked down the garden path to this song at our wedding.
Valentine by Willie Nelson
Dimming of the Day by Bonnie Raitt
Fields of Gold, sung by Eva Cassidy
1952 Vincent Black Lightening by Richard Thompson. This was our "courtin' song".
Something About What Happens When We Talk by Lucinda Williams

Favorite 7 songs when you're pms-ing:
Twisted by Joni Mitchell
Psycho Killer by Talking Heads
Shotgun Down The Avalanche by Shawn Colvin (this is early Shawn Colvin, "Steady On", and every time I listen to it, still, I love every bit of it)
Let's Go Crazy by Prince (the good kind of crazy)
Deep Dark Hole, by Los Lobos, the Neighborhood
Theme Song from Speed Racer
Hear Me Lord by Bonnie Raitt

Favorite 7 songs about heartache:
Another Long One, Shawn Colvin, Steady On
More Love, sung by Tim O'Brien and Darrell Scott
Six Blocks Away by Lucinda Williams
I Can't Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt
Baby Mine, sung by Bonnie Raitt. This song is from Dumbo, and that movie KILLS me.
Round of Blues by Shawn Colvin
You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go, sung by Shawn Colvin

Favorite 7 songs to inspire:
Stand by Sounds of Blackness
Impossible Dream from Man of La Mancha, sung by Brian Stokes Mitchell
Something to Believe In, Shawn Colvin, Steady On
Walk Beside Me, Tim OBrien & Darrell Scott
Hammer and A Nail, The Indigo Girls
Two Little Feet, Greg Brown
Shed A Little Light from James Taylor Live

My favorite All time best songs (top 7)
Secret O' Life by James Taylor
The Tax Man, by the Beatles, as sung by Nickel Creek, live from the Hollywood Bowl. I don't know if they've ever recorded it, but it was soooo brilliant.
Angel from Montgomery - Bonnie Raitt and John Prine
It's Amazing by Mindy Smith - this one reminds me of Joe-Henry
Littlest Birds Sing the Prettiest Songs by The Be Good Tanyas
Polaroids by Shawn Colvin
This Must Be The Place - two versions, sung by Talking Heads AND Shawn Colvin

Must. stop. now. More personalities wanting songs....need sleep.

Anne was found rocking on the floor, eyes closed, her iPod battery is toast.

I tag Charley (in all his free time), Suttonhoo after her week is done and I'd tag Franklin, but she's already been tagged ....anyone care to jump in? Remember, it's only 7 songs. I just made it really hard on myself.

7 comments:

mrsf5 said...

Just when I think I cannot possibly love you any more, you invoke Lucinda. Crooning "Something About What Happens," no less, the song that, I always believed, no one in the world liked but me.

I mean, really. Lyle Lovett and Shawn Colvin? Bonnie Raitt singing "Baby Mine," plus James Taylor "Shed a Little Light," well: now you're just showing off.

Anonymous said...

Well, aren't we little miss overachiever? :)

And you're a Leo? Oh dear. I'm not at all sure we can still be friends. I don't tend to get along with Leos, historically. Too overbearing and grandstanding. BUT, if your Libra has rubbed off on you, then I'm sure we can make it work. I love Libras - they are the calm gentle waves in my tsunamis of angst.

And I have not even heard of 85% of your song choices (although I have heard of most of the artists. Most.) I will have to hit Itunes when I get a chance. Which should be sometime in 2010.

anniemcq said...

Oh FRANKLIN! You love Lucinda too?! Man, we can never drink alchohol together, because we'll just be cryin' into our beers! I love Something About What Happens so much, but I love Lines Around Your Eyes even more. It's not sentimental in the least. And Lyle... what can I say. I love him. I could have listed almost every one of his songs. I nearly put "That's Right (You're Not From Texas)" on there as a favorite housecleaning song, just for you and Tracey!

And Tracey - I'm not an overachiever, I was just incapacitated at the thought of limiting myself to only SEVEN. Last night after I posted, I kept thinking "but what about....???" It was torture to keep myself in bed!
And while I may grandstand on occasion, I AM NOT OVERBEARING!!! DO YOU HEAR ME?! (that's supposed to be funny. I would never talk in capital letters in real life.) I've actually had people ask me if I knew for sure I was a Leo because I didn't really act like one. So maybe there's hope for our friendship yet.
It's funny about the Libra thing, because you actually remind me a great deal of my husband, in all the good ways. (although I have no idea how you'd look in a kilt ;) )
And yes, you will definitely have to check out some of these songs. I promise you great listening. Thanks for the fun game of tag!

suttonhoo said...

I *JUST* recommended Baby Mine to a buddy who's laid up in bed for her last little while incubating twins -- but I TOTALLY forgot about Bonnie's cover -- thanks for the reminder -- LOVE that song. (and CAPS, too, apparently).

yes yes yes I'll bite -- but it'll be a little while yet. but soon.

mrsf5 said...

Okay, I'm working on my seven. Although as I told Tracey, I am STILL blocked about that stick-to-your-ribs movie challenge you issued... what, two months ago?

For future reference, the way to immobilize me almost immediately is to begin a sentence, "Tell me your favorite... " The pressure to MAKE A CHOICE, FOR PETE'S SAKE just short-circuits my brain.

So back to fawning over your list.

For the record, my top Lucinda pick is the sad little "Sweet Old World," but I also love and adore the whole darn entirety of "Car Wheels." We saw her live once in Chicago: Awe. Some.

Lyle. Oh, Lyle. You and that hair and those words and that crooked Muppet smile... you just slay me. I've met you twice and stammered like a mealy-mouthed fool each time, because I sensed that my husband might take marginal offense if I were to blurt out, "I LOVE YOU." But, you know, I do.

Allison Moorer: another choice choice. You (and I'm talking to Annie now, not Lyle) probably already knew that her sister is Shelby Lynne, right? She scares me a little, but her voice amazes me.

Cannot believe that you had Rickie Lee Jones as the soundtrack to your wedding, and especially THAT gorgeous song. Well done, Mrs. McQ!

Speed Racer? Well, you just won Mr. F5's vote for being impossibly cool.

I could happily go on and on and on and on, but these pesky kids are demanding that I LOOK at them, TALK to them and DO things with them, and I suppose they have a pretty good point. Away I go!

anne said...

I am not nearly as soulful as the rest of you, but here are my contributions:

Favorite album to clean house to:
Feet Don't Fail Me Now by Little Feat

Favorite love song(s):
-All That Heaven Will Allow from the Tunnel of Love album by Bruce Springsteen
- True Companion by Marc Cohen
- One Hand, One Heart from the West Side Story soundtrack (instrumental version played at our wedding 15 years ago next month)

Songs AnnieMcq listed that I also like:
- I Can't Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt
- Hammer and A Nail, The Indigo Girls
- Angel from Montgomery - Bonnie Raitt and John Prine (I saw a summertime show at a local ski area about 15 years ago with my friend Stephanie. On the bill: Lyle Lovett and his Large Band, AND Bonnie Raitt. What a day of music in the mountains!)

A song that ALWAYS make me crank up the radio and dance: Pink Cadillac by Bruce Springsteen

anniemcq said...

Suttonhoo: Another great song for incubating is "Slumber My Darling" sung by Allison Krauss with YoYo Ma on "Apalachian Journey" Another great collaboration between those two is "Simple Gifts"

Franklin - Sweet Old World is such a great album, as is Car Wheels. And you've met Lyle? OMG. I'd have died.

Anne - PINK CADILLAC!! I love that song so much. I'm going to load it on my iPod right now!
Love you goils!