Maybe that Green Day song they play whenever someone dies on TV
Daniel RadoshThis month's Music Club playlist will not be all that exciting to most people, because the broad category — songs in a foreign language — meant that we were able to choose pretty much anything that struck our fancy, thereby eliminating the gameplay aspect that often makes the Club intriguing to outside observers. (But stick around to the end for something you might want in on).
Though a pleasure to listen to, this mix will also never be shared on iTunes 4.5 because, and here's the problem with iTunes in general, I'd be shocked if even three of these songs were available on it. (Upbdate: Good call. Only tracks 2 & 12 are on iTunes.)
Anyway, I'll at least claim the mantle of most obscure languages chosen for my own picks (tracks 3 &4).
1. Mariza: O Silencio da Guitarra (Portuguese)
2. Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys: J'Aimerais te Pardonner (French)
3. Alpha Blondy: Sebe Allah Y'e (Dioula)
4. Kula Shaker: Govinda (Sanskrit)
5. Quruli: March (Japanese)
6. Peter Gabriel: Eindringling (German)
7. Lhasa: El Desierto (Spanish)
8. Psi Vojaci: Russian Mystic Pop, Op. IV (Czech)
9. The Ukrainians: Batya (Bigmouth Strikes Again) (Ukranian)
10. Luna (with Laetitia Sadier): Bonnie and Clyde (French)
11. Omara Portuondo: Donde Estabas Tu? (Spanish)
12. Alcione: Sufoco (Portuguese)
13. Faudel: La Valse (French)
14. Susana Baca: Zamba Malato (Spanish)
15. Kirsty MacColl: Complainte Pour Ste. Catherine (French)
Next month's theme, against my strident protests, is songs you want played at your funeral. My problem is that I can't think of anything that's not trite (and also, I don't particularly want to spend the next month thinking about my funeral). But while this is a personal choice, maybe you can inspire me. Use the comments section to tell me what song you want playing when you're buried, scattered, or picked apart by vultures.
Comments
Iggy Pop's "your pretty face is going to hell" would be nice...
Posted by: sam smith | April 30, 2004 2:28 PM
I'd love to have "You Can't Always Have What You Want"...wait, what's that?...damn you Lawrence Kasdan, damn you to hell.
Posted by: Alex G | April 30, 2004 9:05 PM
My friend Grace and I talk about this a lot, we both ride Vespas and thus have many brushes with death, and we've both made our choices. Mine: "Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone' by Glass Tiger. Grace: "The Rockford Files Theme" by Mike Post. I think either song would add an air of levity to any funeral, and in our case, get our friends in the mood for the heavy drinking that will follow.
My wife had a very dear aunt die near Christmas, so they played Christmas songs at her funeral, so "Silent Night" makes her cry now. Please on't play Christmas songs at your funeral. Her uncle liked Kenny G a lot, but even a funeral can't add any importance to Kenny G's music as far as I'm concerned.
Posted by: bryan | May 3, 2004 10:41 AM
Hmmm... lessee... "See That My Grave is Kept Clean," by Bob Dylan, off his self-titled first album - obvious maybe given the subject, but the performance is fantastic.
"Big Day Coming" (the quiet version) by Yo La Tengo, from the album "Painful." I just love this song - it's so perfectly hopeful...
"Seagull" by Ride, from the album "Nowhere." Squealing, squalling goodness... also, "Polar Bear" from that same album would be good - a painfully slow build that crescendos into a full beat for only a minute...
"Heavy Metal Drummer," by Wilco, from "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot." Maybe a bit upbeat for a funeral, but it's nostalgic...
"Chinatown" by Luna, from the album "Penthouse." Just because...
Posted by: jrmy | May 3, 2004 3:46 PM
I'm sticking with the obvious choice here: Big Star's "Thank You Friends." Followed up, of course, with a little Boots Randolph.
Posted by: Jesse Fuchs | May 5, 2004 10:52 AM