Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Musical Meme Deux: Seven Songs

Tim Sommer & Alexandra Scott of Hi-Fi Sky

The ever musical Beth has tagged me this time. I thought this one would be hard, but it barely took any thought - just a quick look at the Ipod and recent memories of sitting at the piano.

The exercise here is simply to discuss seven songs you are currently enjoying in your life.


* Goodbye Sarah Shu (John Vanderslice)
John is currently my boyfriend. I like his music. I like it that he's (still) small enough to play the intimate clubs. And I LOVE it that he gets upset with people who talk while he's performing. One time he stopped playing in the middle of a song and asked some people who were having a loud conversation near the stage to take it outside. I'm going to see him this week in Brooklyn.


* Dance of the Blessed Spirits from "Orfeo & Euridice" (Abbey Simon, piano)
This is a piano transcription by Abram Chasins of a beautiful melody from the Gluck opera. Mr. Simons performed this piece at a concert I attended a few years ago, and he moved the entire audience to tears. Being the inspired musician I am, the next day I tried to order a copy of the music, but sadly discovered it was out of print. So I began calling out-of-print music stores, and was repeatedly told "sorry, we don't have it."

Finally, a nice gentleman at a store in New York suggested I call Mr. Chasins' widow, who still lives in the city. He also strongly encouraged me NOT to tell Mrs. Chasins where I got her number. And I can see why; she sounded like a crabby old lady when I got her on the phone. "What, you're probably calling about that damn Gluck piece aren't you? Well I don't know if I have any more copies. I'll do what I can. Give me your address." (click.) But a few days later I did indeed receive a copy from her in the mail, free of charge. I haven't completely learned it yet, but it's a work in progress.


* Cemetery Gates (The Beautiful Mistake)
This is from a compilation cd of various artists' interpretations of songs by The Smiths. Although I've always liked this song, I particularly enjoy this version because it's the first time I understood the words "while Wilde is on mine."


* I Want to Be Buried in Your Backyard (Nightmare of You)
This is a Long Island band I discovered fairly recently. Catchy little ditties. I always think of our blogger friends Chris and Megan when I hear this particular song, because it's a guy singing to his girlfriend, Megan, about wanting to be buried in her backyard when he dies so that he can make the flowers grow for her. I thought about sharing it with them back when they got together, but it seemed kind of morbid. Cheers.


* Fuck and Run (CP on the piano, a la Liz Phair)
This will be next in my home concert series, as soon as we get a new digicam. Stay tuned.


* Belle Louisiane (Hi-Fi Sky)
This is a space-age rendition of a traditional French Cajun song. I first heard it on NPR when I was driving home in a bad mood due to hating the guts of various sales reps. It calmed my angry spirit. I also enjoyed listening to the Cajun French, which for some reason I had thought would be difficult to understand. Belle Louisiane, je chante mon coeur pour toi. Ouvre tes bras et serre ton cher enfant...


* Sad Songs & Waltzes (Cake)
A great little ditty from a great little band.

I tag: My sister. And in honor of the creepy song I am now dedicating to them, I also tag Megan and Chris.

12 comments:

Cup said...

"Sad Songs and Waltzes is my favorite Cake song, too," she squealed. "Did you know it's a Willie Nelson tune?"

Excellent, excellent list, CP. May I request "Fuck and Run" for next year's birthday (that is, if I get MTM'ed this year)?

Coaster Punchman said...

MTM is coming. Just need a little mystery. No, I did not in fact know "Sad Songs" was by Willie Nelson, but it does not surprise me.

lulu said...

Fuck and Run is one of my favorite songs. I love me some Liz Phair.

Megan said...

Ewww.

jin said...

Interesting tag!

LOVE the button! It even matches your colourscheme...I bet you did that on purpose!
;-)

Oh...am trying to vote for you...but they haven't sent me the confirmation email yet!
I will as soon as I can!

p.s.
I totally stole something from your archives to use on unplugged.
:-O

Dale said...

Love your choices and especially the story to go with Dance of the Blessed Spirits. Cake, Liz Phair, Vanderslice - and I thought you were just another pretty blogger.

Some Guy said...

Beth beat you to it, CP. It's under my adult diapers post.

Coaster Punchman said...

Then you'll be the first invited to my next house concert, Lu.

Sorry Megan. I hope it's not creeping you out. If so I can remove it. I figured enough time had passed that it would be more funny than creepy. Plus, you're the only Megan I know so any song with that name in it is going to give you that honor as far as I'm concerned!

I'm only pretty from the backside Dale, which your blog illustrates.

I figured that out the next time I visited Beth, Chris. So consider yourself tag teamed. We consider that an honor over here at CPW.

Tenacious S said...

I thank you for introducing me to John Vanderslice through your fabulous 40. It's almost always in my car, which means I listen to it a lot.

Coaster Punchman said...

Quid pro quo for the New Pornographers - I love love love them. So sorry I didn't choose that for NYE instead. A few of their songs could have been on my 7, except that I overdid them a few months ago so those songs fell out of currentness. The 7 was all about what you're doing right now.

Moderator said...

I love that version of "Cemetry Gates" and sometimes when I hear "Fuck and Run" I think it's one of the saddest songs ever recorded.

Coaster Punchman said...

Correct on both counts, Mr. Miller.