Post by voidmoon on Aug 14, 2007 4:10:59 GMT -5
Last night I was thinking about how obsolete mix tapes have become. Now it's all drag and drop and click and burn, I no longer spend hours waiting for a song to come on the radio to tape it, or have to start recording all over again if I make a mistake, or spend hours painstakingly decorating the finished mixed tape. One thing remains that same though, as a music nerd, I feel I have to justify my choices with lengthy notes. Over the last decade or so I have made my fair share of mix tapes - not the 'I love you so much and these people stole how i feel about you and wrote it in a song and I need to share it with you ASAP' type, more like my evangelistic way of introducing music that I am uber-passionate about to others. If I could make a mix tape right now to take with me on a deserted island...
1. Lounge Act - Nirvana. SLTS I can get sick of, but never this song.
2. Stratford-on-guy - Liz Phair. There is a breathlessness in her voice that tumbles out and rolls out in front of her, melodic but flat. It's a song about flying which I could listen to again and again. There's something about Liz Phair's voice and sparse guitar that soothes me. Lately she's been pretending she is still in her twenties, has teamed up with the songwriters who made Avril Lavigne famous, and appeared on 'Charmed'. I won't judge, she has to keep a roof over her son's head.
3. Loneliness is Worse - Veruca Salt. I couldn't pick a single Breeders song, so I chose this song because out of all their songs, this song has the best emotional depth and the best production. I remember falling apart to this song after the end of my first relationship as a teenager and the intensity of those feelings will stay with me as will the song.
4. Free Money - Patti Smith. Patti Smith lies on the fine line of melodic rock and unsingable catastrophic noise. And I love all aspects of Patti. You can sing along nicely to this song.
5. Helter Skelter - The Beatles. "You may be a lover but you aint no dancer." That sums me up completely. I count this as one of the first grunge/punk songs. Dear Prudence comes a close second, but I reckon I'll want to rock out if I was stuck on an island, not feel love for Prudence.
6. Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones. What is shelter? Is it a roof, is it a person, is it a drug? I think it is all three. We find 'shelter' where we need it. And I need a big gospel singer blowing "Rape, murder, it's just a shot away," or my day just won't be complete and I'll find ohh yeah I'm gonna fade away. It's groovy and makes my bottom do things that look suspiciously like dancing.
7. She's Lost Control - Joy Division. It makes me goth dance. Ian Curtis made me look in the mirror and see that I was out of control. You can easily get lost in this song.
8. Sister Ray - The Velvet Underground. I'm planning to have a 90 minute tape so that I can fit this song on my tape. Someone once said that a junkie spends over half his time sitting around waiting for more junk. So true. Sister Ray always made time go quicker for me and reminds me of a place I don't ever want to go back to again, 'searching for my mainline/ I couldn't hit it sideways.' Sister Ray makes me remember, so that I'll never forget.
9. Blue - Joni Mitchell. Come on. How can you not? Blue is a masterpiece - lyrically, musically and vocally. There are notes that not even Indian singers know exist in there. Joni Mitchell deserves a billion points for being so excellent.
10. Rhinoceros - Smashing Pumpkins. I needed a big ass guitar solo in my list, unfortunately Zep couldn't beat this one, the verses are soothing, lyrically stupid, but the guitar just rocks, so you're in, Billy.
11. Gimme Danger - The Stooges. Another big ass solo, but Iggy is the shiznit, 'there's nothing left alive but a pair of glassy eyes.' No further comment.
12. The Mercy Seat - Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. Nick Cave knows that this is the best song that he has ever written. If I wrote this song I would become a minister because I would know that God has something special planned for me. It is a transcendent masterpiece.
13. Sweet Adeline - Elliott Smith. I cannot live without Elliott Smith. Sweet Adeline is my favourite song because of the melody, the coda, the guitar, the piano, the mellotron. He was the next Lennon.
14. Ain't Got No / I Got Life - Nina Simone. That terrifying tremolo. I would kill for her pipes. Yes, it's a song from Hair, but I don't care. I don't care what I haven't got or what you take away, I've got my life, I've got my freedom. Is there an any better affirmation?
15. Surf's Up - The Beach Boys. Van Dyke Parks is the shit. Van Dyke Parks and Brian Wilson together is narcotic. Park's complex poetic lyrics mixed with Wilson's impeccable vocal melodies have created the best song in the world that will chill your spine and render you helpless. Smile kicks Sgt. Pepper's ass.
16. When The Stars Go Blue - Ryan Adams. I'm just getting into Ryan Adams, this song is beautiful. I chose it over everything else because I can see myself looking at the sky at night and knowing that I made the right choice. It's the 'vibe'.
17. Doughnut Song - Tori Amos. So talented. I chose this song over Blood Roses because I am enamoured with the backing vocals in the second chorus. I was going to choose Not David Bowie, but this song is more in depth so will carry my attention longer.
18. Never Is A Promise - Fiona Apple. Ohhh, mezzo-soprano mixed with Van Dyke Parks orchestrations, lyrical beauty, tricky piano. My favourite Fiona song for so long. Not sick of it yet.
19. Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell. Ok, so I'm stuck on an island. These are probably the last songs I'll ever get to listen to. Do I want to listen to The Pussy Cat Dolls or The Black Eyed Peas or something that makes me thankful for the life I've lived so far? Joni Mitchell wins. Joni Mitchell always wins.
20. All Across The World - Silverchair. A joyous mix of psychadelic funk, strange accents, soulful voices, Van Dyke Parks, crazy blips, and children. Is Daniel Johns the next Brian Wilson? Nearly. He gets full points for pushing the envelope. This song makes me so happy, it's criminal. Thus it is the best song to finish on.
What would be on your mix tape?
1. Lounge Act - Nirvana. SLTS I can get sick of, but never this song.
2. Stratford-on-guy - Liz Phair. There is a breathlessness in her voice that tumbles out and rolls out in front of her, melodic but flat. It's a song about flying which I could listen to again and again. There's something about Liz Phair's voice and sparse guitar that soothes me. Lately she's been pretending she is still in her twenties, has teamed up with the songwriters who made Avril Lavigne famous, and appeared on 'Charmed'. I won't judge, she has to keep a roof over her son's head.
3. Loneliness is Worse - Veruca Salt. I couldn't pick a single Breeders song, so I chose this song because out of all their songs, this song has the best emotional depth and the best production. I remember falling apart to this song after the end of my first relationship as a teenager and the intensity of those feelings will stay with me as will the song.
4. Free Money - Patti Smith. Patti Smith lies on the fine line of melodic rock and unsingable catastrophic noise. And I love all aspects of Patti. You can sing along nicely to this song.
5. Helter Skelter - The Beatles. "You may be a lover but you aint no dancer." That sums me up completely. I count this as one of the first grunge/punk songs. Dear Prudence comes a close second, but I reckon I'll want to rock out if I was stuck on an island, not feel love for Prudence.
6. Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones. What is shelter? Is it a roof, is it a person, is it a drug? I think it is all three. We find 'shelter' where we need it. And I need a big gospel singer blowing "Rape, murder, it's just a shot away," or my day just won't be complete and I'll find ohh yeah I'm gonna fade away. It's groovy and makes my bottom do things that look suspiciously like dancing.
7. She's Lost Control - Joy Division. It makes me goth dance. Ian Curtis made me look in the mirror and see that I was out of control. You can easily get lost in this song.
8. Sister Ray - The Velvet Underground. I'm planning to have a 90 minute tape so that I can fit this song on my tape. Someone once said that a junkie spends over half his time sitting around waiting for more junk. So true. Sister Ray always made time go quicker for me and reminds me of a place I don't ever want to go back to again, 'searching for my mainline/ I couldn't hit it sideways.' Sister Ray makes me remember, so that I'll never forget.
9. Blue - Joni Mitchell. Come on. How can you not? Blue is a masterpiece - lyrically, musically and vocally. There are notes that not even Indian singers know exist in there. Joni Mitchell deserves a billion points for being so excellent.
10. Rhinoceros - Smashing Pumpkins. I needed a big ass guitar solo in my list, unfortunately Zep couldn't beat this one, the verses are soothing, lyrically stupid, but the guitar just rocks, so you're in, Billy.
11. Gimme Danger - The Stooges. Another big ass solo, but Iggy is the shiznit, 'there's nothing left alive but a pair of glassy eyes.' No further comment.
12. The Mercy Seat - Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. Nick Cave knows that this is the best song that he has ever written. If I wrote this song I would become a minister because I would know that God has something special planned for me. It is a transcendent masterpiece.
13. Sweet Adeline - Elliott Smith. I cannot live without Elliott Smith. Sweet Adeline is my favourite song because of the melody, the coda, the guitar, the piano, the mellotron. He was the next Lennon.
14. Ain't Got No / I Got Life - Nina Simone. That terrifying tremolo. I would kill for her pipes. Yes, it's a song from Hair, but I don't care. I don't care what I haven't got or what you take away, I've got my life, I've got my freedom. Is there an any better affirmation?
15. Surf's Up - The Beach Boys. Van Dyke Parks is the shit. Van Dyke Parks and Brian Wilson together is narcotic. Park's complex poetic lyrics mixed with Wilson's impeccable vocal melodies have created the best song in the world that will chill your spine and render you helpless. Smile kicks Sgt. Pepper's ass.
16. When The Stars Go Blue - Ryan Adams. I'm just getting into Ryan Adams, this song is beautiful. I chose it over everything else because I can see myself looking at the sky at night and knowing that I made the right choice. It's the 'vibe'.
17. Doughnut Song - Tori Amos. So talented. I chose this song over Blood Roses because I am enamoured with the backing vocals in the second chorus. I was going to choose Not David Bowie, but this song is more in depth so will carry my attention longer.
18. Never Is A Promise - Fiona Apple. Ohhh, mezzo-soprano mixed with Van Dyke Parks orchestrations, lyrical beauty, tricky piano. My favourite Fiona song for so long. Not sick of it yet.
19. Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell. Ok, so I'm stuck on an island. These are probably the last songs I'll ever get to listen to. Do I want to listen to The Pussy Cat Dolls or The Black Eyed Peas or something that makes me thankful for the life I've lived so far? Joni Mitchell wins. Joni Mitchell always wins.
20. All Across The World - Silverchair. A joyous mix of psychadelic funk, strange accents, soulful voices, Van Dyke Parks, crazy blips, and children. Is Daniel Johns the next Brian Wilson? Nearly. He gets full points for pushing the envelope. This song makes me so happy, it's criminal. Thus it is the best song to finish on.
What would be on your mix tape?
) but I will post all about one particular tape that my Dad made before I was born & literally introduced me to music & was one of the most important things music-wise to me growing up. It may not have my absolute fav songs of all time & some I think I really would edit out but the tape as a whole is so firmly etched onto my memory that I wouldn't alter in any way, it's whole is perfect to me 
One of my all time fav songs! 
)
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