Monday, November 06, 2006

Sing, Sing a Song

I’ve wanted to write a post about music for a while, but I’ve struggled with how to make it engaging. I just wasn’t sure that anyone would be all that interested in typical topics like “best driving songs” or “songs you’re embarrassed you like”. On the other hand, I have written extensively about Lionel Richie on this blog, and I’m sure that no one has been even remotely interested in that, so I’m not sure what my hang up is.

Anyway, today I was over at Kristi’s blog, and I was inspired by her idea – which she also got from someone else – to write my own personal list of the “Greatest Song Parts”. So this is a lineup– in no particular order – of some pieces of songs which I think are really fabulous.

Here it goes.

You Had Time, Ani DiFranco

“Cause you are a china shop, and I am a bull. You are really good food, and I am full.”

The amount of longing – the desire to be what someone else needs you to be – in this line and throughout the entire song is simply overwhelming. I feel this way every day in my marriage. (Just kidding, SRH).


At This Point in My Life, Traci Chapman

“At this point in my life, I’d like to live as if only love matters. As if redemption was inside. As if the search to live honestly, is all that anyone needs. No matter if you find it.”

Completely sappy, I know, but this song is so how I felt when I knew that SRH was going to propose, and this line sums up how I knew that I could marry him.

(Truly, I am deep and tortured. I just hide it behind a "cute" facade.)


Starfish and Coffee, Prince

“Starfish and coffee. Maple syrup and jam. Butterscotch clouds and a tangerine. And a side order of ham. If you set your mind free, baby. Maybe you’d understand.”

I adore this man because of lines like this. It’s nonsensical, beautiful, and provocative.


Black, Pearl Jam

“I know someday you’ll have a beautiful life. I know you’ll be a star – in somebody else’s sky. But why, why, why can’t it be, oh can’t it be mine?”

Besides being imminently doable, Eddie Vedder has a voice that reaches inside my body and speaks to my soul. Who doesn’t want to be the person he’s talking about in this song?


Ain’t to Proud to Beg, The Temptations

“I know you want to leave me, but I refuse to let you go”

Because a good stalking song should be on everybody’s list.


Down on My Knees, Trisha Yearwood

”I learned to be strong a long time ago, and I can face any wind no matter how hard it blows. But I’d have to be stronger than I want to be, if I had to live without you loving me.”

And conversely, a love song with some boundaries.


Self-evident, Ani DiFranco

“And we hold these truths to be self evident: #1 george w. bush is not president, #2 america is not a true democracy, and #3 the media is not fooling me.”

And while I avoid most things political on this blog, and I know some of you will roll your eyes at the unabashedly leftist sentiments of the song, I was at a concert where Ms. DiFranco stated this line, and I can still remember the reaction of the crowd and this particular line still moves me when I’m in my car. It had to go on the list.


I’m Bad, LL Cool J

“You try to brag you get your rhymes from a grab-bag. No good scavenger catfish vulture. My tongue's a chisel in this competition sculpture.”

I miss braggadocio rap music – and this line is the epitome of it.


Mr. Mastodon Farm, Cake

“Now due to a construct in my mind, that makes their falling and their flight, symbolic of my entire existence. It becomes important for me to get up and see their last second curves toward flight.”

SRH turned me onto this band, and I’ve become a bigger fan than he is. This song is weird, and it feels quintessentially Cake.


So I’m sure I will be kicking myself for days about what I left off this particular list, but it’s what came from the top of my head this evening.

Come on, share your favorite song parts in the comments. It’ll be fun.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Holy cow...I don't know your songs. I know everyone's songs...but I don't know your songs. I must be losing my touch. Or relevancy. Or something.

I bet they're really good, though.

(I do know Too Proud to Beg)

Anonymous said...

"although you'll always be the one in which i will confide, sometimes you're the razor on my private waterslide." ouch. i love this lyric, and this song, but i can't remember who sings it. i think it's on a bootleg from one of the guys in the band superchunk, but i'm not sure. i may have to post something similiar on my blog, because i now have so many different lyrics floating around in my head. okay, i may post another later, melissa

SRH said...

I love me some MR Mastodon Farm!

I can see their dead weight
just dropping like stones
or small loaves of bread
past my window
all the time.

Sadly I do think you out-Cake me in fandom now.

S said...

Good songs! You Had Time by Ani is one of my favorites.

Let's see, a couple of mine are:
"i used to be a superhero
no one could hurt me
not even myself" - Superhero, Ani DiFranco

"kick out the gloom
kick out the blues
tear out the pages with all the bad news
pull down the mirrors and pull down the walls
tear up the stairs and tear up the floors
oh just burn down the house!
burn down the street!
turn everything red and the dream is complete
with the sound of your world
going up in the fire
it's a perfect day to throw back your head
and kiss it all goodbye!" Doing the Unstuck, The Cure

Why Go, Pearl Jam
The entire song.

Okay, I may have to borrow your idea. I have more than a couple, it seems. Do you mind? LOL

Zany Mama said...

kristi-
I certainly would not measure your relevance by anything on this blog.

However, you should totally tune into Ani DiFranco. My music life changed when I discovered her.

Thanks for the great idea!

m-
That is some powerful imagery.

Do post it - and let me know when you do. We have such different tastes. I, for one, have never heard of superchunk. I'd love to see your list.

zingerzapper-
And one more onion layer is revealed.

srh-
Yeah, that's a good line, too. I think you should do your own list. I'd be interested to know if there are any other overlaps.

s-
Please do a list! I, of course, cannot take any credit for this idea (see Kristi above), but I am completely loving it.

Do you by chance enjoy her song Grey? My favorite lines from that one -

"And my little pink heart is on it's little brown raft, floating out to sea.
And what can I say, but I'm wired this way, and you're wired to me. And what can I do, but wallow in you, unconditionally?"

Man, I love that woman's songs.

Can't wait to see your list.

Dustin-
Let's not disparage mr. vedder or his band. We can't always bring our "A" game. He's still way hot. Um...I mean, his voice and lyrics are still profound and soul-stirring.

Anonymous said...

No eye-rolling here--I love Ani.

Frederic's Hair Design said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Zany Mama said...

Andrea -
Thanks for stopping by - and I will not embarrass us both by doing the blog equivalent of jumping up and down and screaming that I can't believe you visited my blog.

I will simply - and sedately - say that I completely would have picked you for an Ani fan.

jw-
Wha happ'n?

Frederic's Hair Design said...

Sorry 'bout my previous post zany. My link didn't link...
Anyway, what I said was, I remember braggadocio hip-hop so very well. Truly what I consider the Golden Age of the genre. (1986-1992)
My favorite lyrics are pretty much ALL of the ones contained in the song "I Ain't No Joke by the mighty mighty Eric B. and Rakim seen here
Oh, and by the way, CALIBOS? I tell ya, that SRH is a lucky, lucky man.
PEACE

Frederic's Hair Design said...

I just can't get my links to behave properly...
If you go to the link I have provided, just type Eric b and Rakim in the slot, and go to I aint no joke for the lyrics...
Sorry for the extra work, and bogging your blogging with extra stuff.
PEACE again.

S said...

I'm working on my list. :)
BTW, care if I add a link to you on my blog?

Anonymous said...

There's never been another little guy like this, so much in love with the sky like this. So buckle up tight it's a magical flight with.......Jay Jay,Jay Jat the Jet Plane.

----
I'm Rescue Pack - I've got your back.
I can turn into a parasail or a kayak.
A zip cord, a snow board -
Whatever you need.
We can do it - nothin' to it!

--Rescue Pack
Go Diego Go

B

SRH said...

Oh, B! You have got to listen to more music on your own.

Zany Mama said...

dustin-
I'm not sure one could ever get 113% better than Ten. When your first cd is genius, where do you go from there?

On the other hand, you didn't cough up any lyrics music man. Give it up.

jw-
I, too, feel like the braggadocio era was the greatest. Ah, eric b. and rakim. They don't make them like they used to.

And you're totally right - SRH is a lucky man.

s-
Over twelve hours later, my answer is of course you may link to me. As long as it doesn't come after you say something like, this lame-o did a craptastic list and I decided to make a good one. Other than that, it's fine by me.

B-
Truly. You must, must, must start listening to music that your children will not enjoy. Might I suggest Ani DiFranco?

srh-
Be nice to B - she's one of our back up babysitters should grandma and grandpa decide to go to paraguay tomorrow.

S said...

Zany, surely not!
It'd be more like this angel from heaven passed on this great idea and I was so inspired that I felt compelled to continue

(hee,hee-It's Friday and I'm feeling it!)

Zany Mama said...

s-
Ah, well that sounds delightful, then. Carry on.

belsum said...

"Starfish and Coffee" is SO my favorite Prince song. Sign o' the Times is effin' genius. Have you heard the never-released record Camille recorded during those sessions?