Jahfin Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 I think we've all read these type of articles before but this one's still worth a read. It also may make for a fun thread in regards to some of the questions they ask. Speaking of which, the first one, which asks: "What was the first song you ever bought?" has elicited some odd reactions both in the Comments section for the article and on NPR's Facebook page. Folks have responded by saying stuff like, "I'm not that young, we bought albums back when I was growing up". Well, I'm about to turn 50 but I bought 45's and albums. I guess people think that question is only referring to the younger generation who predominately buy downloads of mp3 singles. In addition to people like myself that grew up listening to 45's, what about those that grew up in the 80's that bought the lowly cassingle? Hell, I even have one or two in my collection just because of the b-sides. Anyway, here's a link to the article and here's the questions they pose: What was the first song you ever bought? What song always gets you dancing? What song takes you back to your childhood? What is your perfect love song? What song would you want at your funeral? Time for an encore. One last song that makes you, you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 What was the first song you ever bought? Impossible for me to remember exactly which 45rpm single I bought first, but it was either "Happy Together" by the Turtles or "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys. What song always gets you dancing? "Got to Give It Up" by Marvin Gaye What song takes you back to your childhood? "The Banana Splits Theme Song" What is your perfect love song? "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack What song would you want at your funeral? "If I Should Fall From Grace With God" by The Pogues Time for an encore. One last song that makes you, you. "Late Night, Maudlin Street" by Morrissey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jb126 Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 What is your perfect love song? "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack I thought about these without looking at anyone's answers and this was mine too. Just a beautiful song to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted August 10, 2012 Author Share Posted August 10, 2012 For those that may not have read the article, here's a link to a more extensive write up at The Guardian (the folks that are actually behind the project) as well as a link to the Six Songs of Me project page as well in the event that anyone here wants to take part in it. As for my own choices, a few of them came to me right away but I'm going to have to do some thinking (as well as listening) on the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 It's definitely something where the answers could change the more you think about it or depending on your mood at the time of answering the questions. Especially on questions like "what do you want played at your funeral?" or "what song makes you, you?", there were multiple candidates that I had to consider. The only questions that were relatively easy were "what was the first song you bought?" and "what is your perfect love song?" The only restrictions I put on myself were to keep my songs in the pop-rock vein, and no Led Zeppelin songs allowed...it would have been too easy to just choose Led Zeppelin songs for every answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted August 10, 2012 Author Share Posted August 10, 2012 I think if a Zep song fits I'd choose it, the same thing goes for other favorites such as R.E.M., Buffett, Dylan and the DBTs. My funeral song would be "Find the River" by R.E.M. which I think is a very fitting tune. However, I would actually want a bit a of levity at what is an obviously a very somber event so something like John Prine's "Please Don't Bury Me" would have to be in there as well. By the way, for those that have never heard it, don't let the title fool you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Love the Prine song you picked. It's also usually better if you don't dwell too long on the answer...otherwise after thinking about it your head gets full of dozens and dozens of possible answers and you almost become too paralyzed to choose just one. Sometimes your first answer is the best, most honest answer, as it comes from the gut and is probably more revealing of you on the whole. Here is my Led Zeppelin Edition of the poll: What was the first song you ever bought? The first Led Zeppelin album. What song always gets you dancing? "Immigrant Song" What song takes you back to your childhood? "Dazed and Confused" What is your perfect love song? "The Rain Song" What song would you want at your funeral? "In My Time of Dying" Time for an encore. One last song that makes you, you. "Friends" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted August 10, 2012 Author Share Posted August 10, 2012 (edited) Taking your advice and trying not to over think it, these are the first songs that came to mind: What was the first song you ever bought? Chuck Berry "My Ding-A-Ling" What song always gets you dancing? Byron Lee & the Dragonaires "Jamaica Ska" What song takes you back to your childhood? Jimmy Buffett "Life Is Just A Tire Swing" What is your perfect love song? Dire Straits "Romeo & Juliet" What song would you want at your funeral? R.E.M. "Find the River" Time for an encore. One last song that makes you, you? R.E.M. "So Fast, So Numb" If "My Ding-A-Ling" wasn't the first song I ever bought on 45 then it was either "Crocodile Rock" by Elton John or "Jive Talkin'" by the Bee Gees. I don't have a whole lot of 45's so it's not hard to narrow it down, though my instincts tell me it was Chuck Berry. I still have all of these songs by the way, as well as my entire collection of 45's (which probably comes to less than 20 all told). The second Dance song to come to mind was "Good Rockin' at Midnight" by the Honeydrippers because I simply don't see how anyone could ever remain seated if that song were to come on the jukebox. I could have gone in two different directions with the Childhood Song. I could have picked one that actually came from that time period in my life such as "Birds and the Bees" by Jewel Akens but I chose one that conjures up childhood memories instead, which is why I went with "Life Is Just A Tire Swing". For what it's worth, "Birds and the Bees" is a sentimental favorite because it's one of the first songs I ever remember hearing (as well as singing) as a little kid. "Downtown" by Petula Clark also evokes similar memories even though I've never been particularly fond of that song. Another contender would be "Be My Lover" by Alice Cooper simply because Killer was my first album purchase (at least to the best of my recollection) and it was the first song I remember learning all of the words to. The Love Song choice was a particularly tough one because there are just so many shitty ones out there and so very few really good ones. "Romeo & Juliet" may not be the best one to go with because of the obviously tragic subject matter but there's just something about the line, "I love you like the stars above, I'll love you 'til I die" that speaks to me. Not much else to say about the Funeral Song other than what I've already said but this is my first choice. I could quote the entire song but in lieu of doing that, these are the lines that really stand out to me: The river to the ocean goes, a fortune for the undertow. None of this is going my way. There is nothing left to throw of Ginger, lemon, indigo, coriander stem and rose of hay. Strength and courage overrides the privileged and weary eyes of river poet search naivete. Pick up here and chase the ride. The river empties to the tide. All of this is coming your way. The Encore Song is another difficult one and as much as I hate to go with two R.E.M. songs it stands out to me because of these lines: "Listen. This is now. This is here. This is me. This is what I wanted you to see." That's pretty soul baring but then again, that's the whole purpose in the exercise. Edited August 10, 2012 by Jahfin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virginia Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 What was the first song you ever bought? I think it was Mr. Jaws What song always gets you dancing? Hot Hot Hot by The Cure What song takes you back to your childhood? Joy to the World by Three Dog Night, and Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey by Wings What is your perfect love song? Groovy Kind of Love, the Phil Collins version (and Godspeed by the Dixie Chicks for the kids) What song would you want at your funeral? Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong Time for an encore. One last song that makes you, you? These Are Days by 10,000 Maniacs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Zep_Fan87 Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I was one of the respondents for the Guardian's "Six Songs of Me" project. These are the choices I picked: What was the first song you ever bought? Dust My Broom - Elmore James What song always gets you dancing? Down In The Bottom - Howlin' Wolf What song takes you back to your childhood? Bennett Cerf - Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet What is your perfect love song? Love of My Life - Queen What song would you want at your funeral? In My Time of Dying - Led Zeppelin Time for an encore. One last song that makes you, you? Everybody's Fool - Evanescence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) Misfire Edited August 11, 2012 by Jahfin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Zep_Fan87 Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Bennett Cerf is a Garage Rock song which will always occupy a very special place in my heart because, this happens to be the very first song I ever listened to in my life! Back in 1989, when I was barely 2 years old, my mom recorded this song directly from the radio on to a cassette tape because she thought it sounded very cool and as a baby, I used to love this tune! I still have that cassette tape even today and I always used to wonder which band came up with this tune. I found my answer on Youtube just last year with a little bit of investigating and it was really great finding about a band whose tune I really love from the time I was a baby! http://youtu.be/ZBCYSwTWCiM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share Posted August 11, 2012 Thanks, as you may have noticed I got artist and song mixed up. A friend of mine turned me onto Shadowy Men From A Shadowy Planet probably ten years ago or so when I was looking into discovering more Surf music bands. And yep, I know that there's a lot more to Shadowy Men From A Shadowy Planet than just Surf but it's a part of their sound that initially attracted me to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Zep_Fan87 Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 ^No worries Jahfin. And yep, I guess even when I was a little kid, it was their Surf music sound which made me like tunes like "Bennett Cerf" in the first place. I haven't got a chance to explore their music in depth just yet. Which album of "Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet" did you start with? Sorry for being off-topic but I just have to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Zep_Fan87 Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 It's also usually better if you don't dwell too long on the answer...otherwise after thinking about it your head gets full of dozens and dozens of possible answers and you almost become too paralyzed to choose just one. Sometimes your first answer is the best, most honest answer, as it comes from the gut and is probably more revealing of you on the whole. I agree. While trying to make my choices for the "Six Songs of Me" project, I really started over-analyzing my answers, especially with regard to the song which gets me dancing. My mind was going back and forth between various ABBA and Bee Gees songs and I even considered a few songs by The Bangles (such as "Walk Like An Egyptian" for instance) I then decided to leave things be for a while and make my choices with a clear head. I went with my gut instinct and chose "Down In The Bottom" by the Wolf and honestly, I have no regrets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) Which album of "Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet" did you start with? Sorry for being off-topic but I just have to know. This one. I still haven't done any more exploring from there. A friend of mine just saw them in Canada earlier this summer. I kind of doubt we'll ever get such a rare treat down here in the U.S. but it sure would be nice. Edited August 11, 2012 by Jahfin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jb126 Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 This thread reminded me of a Criminal Minds episode quote by character "Dr. Spencer Reid": "Our musical experiences imprint on us. Our hormonal surges as teenagers may make the choices seem more personal and passionate, and later on in life we might experiment with other musical selections. But no music ever impacts us as much as that we listen to at age 14." I found this related article. I think it's an interesting theory. http://www.nytimes.c...hajdu.html?_r=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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