I was recently challenged by David Crowder over at his blog to try a fun little game. (Check the write up here.)
The gist is to put your iPod (or other inferior music player) on shuffle for ALL songs and list the first ten songs that come up in order. The catch is that you have to be completely honest…no padding your stats.
Below is my list with some needed explanations.
1. 32 Footsteps
by They Might Be Giants
from They Might Be Giants (Self Titled) aka The Pink Album
I’m glad that a song by one of my very favorite bands of all time came up in the list…and the first song is even more perfect. This particular song is not the greatest but it is from TMBG’s first album which is cool.
2. Hold On
by The Maccabees
from 21st Century Spin
The Maccabees are a Christian band that I know very little about. I heard one of their songs, Run For Your Life, on the local Christian rock station and liked it. So when I saw their album on clearance at Mardel, I jumped on it. They have a cool, UK rock sound so it was worth the $3.
3. Longtime Sunshine
by Rivers Cuomo
from Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo
Mr. Cuomo fronts the ever popular Weezer. He seems to be a fun-loving and immensely talented artist who writes some crazy and unique music. In late 2007, he released an album of some concept songs. Some were good, some not; this one is catchy with some strange clarinet accompaniment.
4. Creep
by Radiohead remixed by Panzah Zandahz
from Me & This Army: Radiohead Remixes
I first heard one of these remixes while streaming the great KEXP out of Seattle (www.kexp.org) and absolutely had to have the album. This song features a robot playing the part of Thom Yorke.
5. Blackest Year
by Nada Surf
from The Weight Is A Gift
This one comes from one of the better albums of 2006 by a longtime Indie Rock mainstay. Too bad this song has the F bomb prominently featured in it’s chorus…it’s not indicative of the rest of the album.
6. James K. Polk
by They Might Be Giants
from Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants
I do have a lot of TMBG on my iPod but I am surprised two of their songs made the list. This song is a great history lesson about the overachieving president. And the fact that a singing saw performs the solo…perfect. This album would be a great pick up for a TMBG newbie.
7. Face to Face
by Daft Punk
from Discovery
What can I say about techno pioneers? Some would say, they are the start of techno. This song is from their second, excellent release.
8. Not To Us
by Chris Tomlin
from Passion: Sacred Revolution
This is one of my favorite worship songs of all time; an upbeat rocker with great lyrics. I’m glad worship is representing itself on this list.
9. Mercury Tears
by Chromeo
from She’s In Control
Montreal’s Chromeo brings back synth sounds of the 70s and early 80s in light-hearted and downright funny ways. This album is worth a listen if only to check the nostalgic, toe-tapping flow.
10. To Be Myself Completely
by Belle and Sebastian
from The Life Pursuit
This was a well-reviewed album by most accounts in 2007 but I much preferred their Dear Catastrophe Waitress album from a couple of years earlier.
So there you have it. So what is YOUR list…please share, I am itching to know.
By the way, I would also be interested to know how many total songs you have on your music player. This will help us all understand what percentage of total those 10 songs are.
For me, my iPod has 12,346 total songs at this point. So these 10 songs are only .08% of the total. Regardless, these 10 songs are a decent representation of my music tastes.
This will be infinitely more fun if you would respond in the comments below with your 10 songs. You don’t need comments, just list out the songs…and no embarassment allowed! Let me hear from you!
My music-loving cousin, Will, posted his list over at his blog. See it here:
http://www.willwyatt.com/node/1808
1) If It’s Magic, Stevie Wonder from “Songs In the Key Of Life”
…not embarrassed to have a Stevie song pop up first. Not at all.
2) All My Loving, The Beatles
…I wouldn’t consider The Beatles to be all that representative of my taste in music. In fact, I’d consider The Beatles to be far, far, far over-represented in my collection based on how many songs of theirs I have versus how much I love them.
3) Just For You, Sam Cooke
…Apparently, my iPod is in a retro mood. Nothing newer than 1976 has come up yet.
4) My Heart Will Go On, Celine Dion from “Titanic”
…Ouch. I was doing reasonably well, too. Yeah, I got the Titanic soundtrack. What of it? This actually is an incredibly well-written song, chest-thumping or no.
5) Uptight {Everything’s Alright}, Stevie Wonder
…Halfway through the list, I don’t think my iPod is doing a particularly great job of shuffling.
6) Calm Like A Bomb, Rage Against the Machine from “The Battle Of Los Angeles”
…Here we go. This is the kind of zig when you’re set up for a zag that I think is more truly representative of my musical tastes.
7) Separate Way {Worlds Apart}, Journey
…This one makes me laugh because I just added my Journey’s Greatest Hits cd to my iTunes like a week ago after someone playing a different kind of iPod game was upset that I didn’t have any Journey. I’ve had the cd since I stole it from my Mom, but I had never inputted it into my iPod. Makes me chuckle.
…I do like ’60s/’70s soul-funk-R&B, but not as much as my iPod would lead you to believe.
9) Peter Denies Jesus, John Debney from “The Passion Of the Christ”
…Hmm.
10) The Old Account, Johnny Cash from “God”
…my iPod apparently wanted to end things on a particularly reverent note.
Well, there you have it. Didn’t pull any punches. I don’t think my iPod gave a very accurate account of my tastes at all, but it could’ve been a lot worse considering some of the stuff I own.
I have 13,697 songs in my iPod.
Slow and Low, Beastie Boys, Licensed to Ill
A Certain Romance, Arctic Monkeys, Whatever People Say…
Moonlight in Vermont, Willie Nelson, Stardust
Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 38, III. Allegro, Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax
Who Got Some Gangsta Sh*t, Snoop Dogg, Murder Was the Case
Zora, Outkast, Idlewild
To Here Knows When, My Bloody Valentine, Loveless
Pyjamarama, Roxy Music, Best of Roxy Music
I’m Sleeping In A Submarine, Arcade Fire, Arcade Fire
Last Nite, The Strokes, The Modern Age
I LOVE IT!!!
I know your tastes Davey and that is an interesting sample. I REALLY need to get Songs in the Key of Life from you.
Jeremy…love the gangsta rap angle…I need to rawk me some Roxy Music…don’t you owe me a disc of mp3s? im just saying.
How many songs do you guys have total on you iPod?
1. Great Balls of Fire- Jerry Lee Lewis
I feel the need… the need for speed!
2. Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)- Journey
Man, I miss this band!
3. Born to Run- The Boss, of course!
In my opinion, stands the time of one of the greatest lyricists around.
4. Lay it Down- Journey
Not one of my faves, but apparently we are in Journey mode on this shuffle…
5. Blessed- Martina Mc Bride
What a voice on this lady! Great message in this song. Reminds me of my precious family.
6. That’s the Way- JoDee Messina
Another fabulous singer. This is from her Greatest Hits CD. Great collection of music!
7. Ask the Lonely- Journey
What’s up with the Journey? 2000 songs, and I get 3 Journey in my 10 song shuffle… Good song though.
8. Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)- Motley Crue
Funny.
9. Show me the Way- Styx
This song is deeply poignant to me. I so have felt his pain. A truly honest account of spiritual longing.
10. Don’t Look Back- Boston
Love this! Reminds me of growing up at SMAC… Susan Starnes, Cox, Tim… Good times.
Licensed to Ill always makes me think of jamming on that crappy old school bus on the way to Sulphur, OK. Of course, rather than jamming I was probably reading the New Republic.
Glad to see that Willie made my list. Has anyone heard his latest?
Loveless is timeless.
Murder was the Case. Ha! I long for the nihilistic days of our youth.