Running through my head

Bou tagged me with another so-called meme (yeh, the link’s to a real definition of the term. So sue me. :-)). Now, I know some folks don’t like to play these blogosphere meme pool “marco polo” games, and many claim to not like playing them (they lie, but just like to grumble), but not this boy. I figure it this way: folks who really don’t wanna play are probably just taking themselves too seriously. (Besides, in this case, well, anyone who knows Bou knows only a really gnarly curmudgeon would turn her down, right?)

Hey, y’all! Lighten up.

Here’s the deal she tagged me with:

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they’re listening to.

Now, that’s not really all that easy. Have to cull the herd a bit, as it were… Besides, songs I am “into” right now are as likely to be things I’m listening to in my mind’s ear or whistling or singing or (when no one else is around to be tortured) playing as listening by means of some mechanical playback device…

So, in no particular order, although one will be pretty obvious from the sticky post at the head of twc, here are seven songs that are speaking to me a lot recently:

Shall We Dance? From The King and I, as sung by Marni Dixon (dubbed in for Debra Kerr in the 1956 movie version ). The reason for this one’s obvious. heh

All My Life’s a Circle, Harry Chapin. The lyrics are a little pseudo-profound-sophomorically silly, but the thing’s just so well-crafted musically that it’s almost hypnotic. I have sometimes, recently, had it simply looping in the background while I blogged or played a lil “Zen Freecell” (score currently stands at 7981/0–don’t ask me how, cos I dunno) to relax a bit.

There’s a piano piece by Rachmaninoff on a theme by Paganini that isn’t a song, but I can’t get the darned thing outa my head at times, recently… So it’s not a song. Whadda ya gonna do? Sue? Blood from a rock, friends. 🙂

“Lord Have Mercy” sung by David Proffitt, a setting of Psalm 136 (Thanks Romeocat for introducing me to this song.) Melodically, it’s very repetitive, but it works well for the piece, and the lush instrumental and vocal arrangement lends texture. A powerful bridge/release and an interesting turnaround/tag add a great deal of musical interest to the off-repeated hook: “Lord, have mercy.”

The “an die freude” section of Beethoven’s 9th in particular (since it’s the “choral” section), the last movement more generally and the entire Ninth as a whole. I’m not going to develop comments on this, cos if I did, the whole rst of the post would be eaten up with them. Just do yourself a favor and spend some time learning Beethoven’s musical language. Buy copies of all his symphonies, a few of his piano and other works and just listen. And again. Until you get it. It’ll change your mental musical ears forever.

(Oh, I could say the same of some other composers, but Beethoven’s a good place to start, IMO. Or Sibelius, perhaps.)

Recently, “Deportee”—a Woody Guthrie piece I hear in my mind’s ear sung by Pete Seeger—has been playing pretty regularly. Why? Not sure. It’s a remarkably strong song, structurally, lyrically and emotionally. I have little sympathy for the political viewpoint it espouses, but it’s just so darned strong a song…

“Anywhere the Wind Blows”, as sung by Melora Hardin. The lyrics are nearly babble (oh, they string together in recognizable concepts, but the concepts are mush), but the music is very good and Hardin’s voice is pure honey. She sings it much better than Lauren Christy (who wrote it and does a very creidible rendition), and really sells the song. But mostly, I just love Hardin’s voice.

That’s seven of the pieces I’m currntly listening to/hearing in my head that speak to me for one reason or another.

Now, who to hit with this?

Lyn, of Bloggin’ Outloud (Lyn, I couldn’t even begin to guess your list!)

Rick, of The Real Ugly American. (Rick: please tell me The Marine hymn is one you’re listening to right now :-))

The English Guy (cos I really wanna know!).

Diane, of Diane’s Stuff (I KNOW there’ll be some classic rock and maybe jazz in the mix, right?)

Romeocat, of Cathouse Chat (Hey! I know you’re really busy, R’Cat, and you like to pretend these meme games are a bother, but we know better, don’t we? Hmmm? :-))

Kris, of Anywhere But Here, just to distract you from the art auctions and school stuff.

Mel, of I’m Just a Girl (eclectic, I’ll bet.)

Just link here and trackback when you make your list. Then follow the yellow brick road, as per the instructions handed me by Bou, above. (Oh, and tell the folks you tag to do the same so you can enjoy their posts.)

There, that was perfectly painless for me, at least, although several pieces are twittering at me that they shoulda been picked instead…

Updte: First up with his list is The English Guy, closely followed by Romeocat. Both very interesting lists of music. Check ’em out!