Random Songs, A Soundtrack In Two Volumes

The Voices In My Head, Part One

My friend Laramie posted an interesting blog about song lyrics, which made me realize that I definitely need a soundtrack to my life. (Of course, the morning I realize this, the cold prevents my car's stereo from playing the CD I wanted to hear; curses, foiled again)

So here are a few songs that I would want to have playing in the current scene in the movie version of my life, along with particular lyrics that mean the most. I'll limit myself to four at the moment, holding open the possibilities of sequels. And of course, I would love to hear from other people as to the soundtrack of their lives.

1. Dry The Rain, by The Beta Band.
I asked him time again
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
Take me in and dry the rain
The rain the rain the rain now

If there's something inside that you wanna say
Say it out loud it'll be okay
I will be your light
I will be your light
I will be your light
I will be your light

2. Fire Escape, by Fastball

Well I don't wanna be President,
Superman, or Clark Kent
I don't wanna walk 'round in their shoes

'Cause I don't know who's side I'm on
I don't know my right from wrong
I don't know where I'm going to
I don't know about you

I'll be the rain falling on your fire escape
And I may not be the man you want me to
I can be myself, how 'bout you?

3. "Long December" by Counting Crows

Drove up to Hillside Manor sometime after two a.m.
And talked a little while about the year
I guess the winter makes you laugh a little slower,
Makes you talk a little lower about the things you could
not show her

And it's been a long December and there's reason to
believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last.
I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself
to hold on to these moments as they pass

4. "In My Life" by The Beatles

There are places I'll remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all.


The Voices In My Head, Part Two: When I'm Feeling Rebellious

Okay, so last time I posted my "Wistfully Optimistic" selections. Now, a few selections for my darker, more iconoclastic moods, when I want to feel like a bit of a bad ass without actually dying in a rain-struck motorcycle crash.

So these are a bit more self-indulgent, and therefore not as reflective of who I am as the first set. At least, I hope not.

1. "The Imperial March", from The Empire Strikes Back--John Williams.

I mean, who doesn't want to be Darth Vader from time to time? And not just so you can hurl pipes and boxes at people.

2. "Seven Spanish Angels," by Ray Charles and Willie Nelson, or alternatively, Willie Nelson and Ray Charles.

"He looked down into her brown eyes,
Said, " Say a prayer for me."
She threw her arms around him,
Whispered, "God will keep us free."
They could hear the riders comin,
He said, "This is my last fight.
If they take me back to Texas,
They won't take me back alive."

That's right, I want to be a Spanish/Mexican outlaw. Also, I really don't want to go somewhere where "Quick Draw" Cheney gets away with shooting someone in the face (and why the hell did the victim apologize to Cheney this week?). So, I guess this means that pretty soon I won't want to go to D.C.

3. "Minority," by Green Day.

"I want to be the minority
I dont need your authority
down with the moral majority
'cause I want to be the minority"

Thank god for safe pop/punk commercialized rebellion. And it's catchy, too!

4. "Masters of War," by Bob Dylan (although the Eddie Vedder cover version is damned good too).

"How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead"

Speaking of "Quick Draw" . . .

Random Thoughts, News Inspired

1) The Justice Department is commencing an investigation into its own role in the wiretapping imbroglio. I am very excited about this. I can't wait for Gonzales to announce, perhaps while choking back a tear, that he has no choice but to press charges against his predecessor, John Ashcroft.

Ha. I slay me.

2) Yahoo is such a rich vein of material. Here's this headline and first paragraph:
Cheney Says He Has Power to Declassify Info

Vice President Dick Cheney disclosed Wednesday that he has the power to declassify sensitive government information, authority that could set up a criminal defense for his former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

Oh, that's a relief. Now I trust "Quick Draw" completely!

3) From The BBC:

New research is saying that Alzheimer's progresses more rapidly the more education you have.

So I should stop now while I'm ahead, I guess.

4) From Yahoo again:

A newfound type of rotating star played peek-a-boo with astronomers, appearing and disappearing a few times each day.

Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight . . . wait, damn, where'd you go?

What happens if you have only recited a part of your wish? That could be disastrous (get it? disastrous? "bad star?" Oops. So much for escaping Alzheimers).

5) From Yahoo: Tom and Katie deny breakup rumors.

Oh, that's a relief. Now I trust "Couch Jumper" completely!

Random Birthday Thoughts, In Two Parts

Part I. Random Thoughts, Having Nothing To Do With Hearts, Except The Heart Cheney Nearly Stopped.

1. They say the fellow hunter shot by Dick Cheney is in "very stable" condition. Something bothers me about this. How can you be "very" stable? I thought the whole idea of stability was to avoid extremes such as "very"? Isn't this like calling someone "extraordinarily average?"

And no, I wasn't bothered by the fact that Cheney shot someone; I have come to expect this.

2. You know what my new favorite word is? Scuttle, as in, "After scuttling his ship, the captain scuttled away to the lifeboat. He scuttled, because he was Captain Claw, half-man, half-crab."

3. The big news from Hamilton: we have a Perkins. Also, Hardees closed down. First Dairy Queen, now Hardees. Damn you, McDonalds!

Seriously, this town needs to do something cool fast, or I might just get fed up.

4. Is there anything cooler than holding a hunk of snow beneath the water at a hot springs and watching it dissolve, air bubble by air bubble? Or holding it beneath the pipe where the water cascades into the pool and watching it disintegrate, vanishing completely within seconds?

5. Penguins are inherently amusing. You can make any story sound enigmatic and funny by referring to a "Penguin Incident."


Part II. Random Thought, Indirectly Dealing With Hearts, As It Vivisects Valentine's Day


I have often--especially of late--called Valentine's Day my nemesis. I have shared with several people my theory that the Valentine's Day Massacre was actually motivated by Al Capone's feelings of rejection after one of his molls left him for a man with a bigger tommy-gun. I have long touted Singles' Awareness Day as an alternative.

Clearly, I have long been full of sour grapes.

Nevertheless, I felt fully justified using my newly-stolen phrase, "Valentine's Day is against my religion," when I read the following headline on Yahoo! today: Valentine's Day boon for spies tracking infidelity.

Here is an excerpt from the story:

But for detective agencies across the United States, the romantic holiday is a boon for business as it is the ideal time for a spouse to catch a cheating mate.

"Valentine's Day is the biggest day of the year for private investigators," Tony Delorenzo, of Private Detectives of America, a New Jersey-based company, told AFP.

"This year we're doing surveillance Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday because if somebody has a lover it will be on one of those days to catch him."

Delorenzo and several other sleuths contacted said that in the run-up to the February 14 holiday, they had been overwhelmed with appeals by men and women seeking to find out whether their partner was unfaithful.


Aww. How . . . touching.