radio show for realz and with way too much commentary.
It occurred to me that, in my drunken haste to post my radio setlist last night, I didn't talk about it in any meaningful way (like I certainly would have had I had my wits about me). So here, for your reading pleasure, I present my radio set.
Background
My initial thought was that I would have one hour be my favorite songs ever in the history of ever, while the other would be newer songs that I was completely infatuated with. It didn't quite break down that neatly, and I had to skip some songs due to that nasty FCC thing. Furthermore, the rules of the station demand that you play at least 3 new songs and 1 local song per hour, which forced me to include some things I otherwise would not have. Overall, though, I think what I came up with is a decent selection of songs that I love, either for now or for ever.
Hour 1
This Tornado Loves You (Neko Case) -- I wanted to start out with a new song, and I wanted to start out with guitars. This song has been stuck on a loop in my head since the first time I heard it (to the point that I hardly know what the rest of the album sounds like, LOL), and I knew it would be one of my new songs.
Electioneering (Radiohead) -- I was going to play "Exit Music (For a Film)", because it is my favoritest of favorite Radiohead songs, but then Linds said she didn't like "Electioneering," and I decided to play it to torture her. :D (Also because it's an amazing song.)
Baptized by Fire (Spinnerette) -- I knew I wanted some Brody in here, and this is the first single from the album, so it would qualify as a new song. Without the new song requirement, this would probably have been "The Hunger" instead. ("Open sky the wave of pain the scent of you is bliss"? Yeah.)
Hail to Whatever You Found in the Sunlight That Surrounds You (Rilo Kiley) -- I knew I wanted Jenny on here, but I don't like the new album and none of the first album seemed to fit anywhere in the set. So I picked my favorite Rilo Kiley song instead.
Divine Hammer (The Breeders) -- This is here pretty much only to meet my local requirement. It's a great song, and it fits really well, with the other songs, but I could definitely have done without the Breeders. :)
Beautiful (I Guess) (Erin McKeown) -- Erin's the one person I knew 100% I would play something by. And since I couldn't play the live version of "Daisy and Prudence" on the piano that I love so much (and will probably never hear again, woe), and since I couldn't find a place for "James!"' crazy opening diminished chord with everything else I had, it was no contest. "We're such a lovely mess/hearts have left a wreck/I'm lonely, I confess/it's beautiful, I guess." ♥
Alive (Dala) -- So, when I found out I needed new songs, I went out and just started downloading new music at random, and this was one of the albums I downloaded. I had all the new songs on a playlist and was just letting them play at random, and this song came on and I couldn't get it out of my head, and I knew I had to play it. "We're alive, alive and we are fearless."
Come On (Tegan & Sara) -- I know this song isn't about sex, but it's just so sensual, with its needing and wanting and yearning. I love it.
Slowly (Oh So Slowly) (Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band) -- I couldn't play "Lover I Don't Have to Love", and I couldn't make anything from Cassadaga fit. This was new and fit with everything, so on it went.
When I Was a Boy (Dar Williams) -- I have loved this song for a v.v. long time, and it's been good to me lately. So.
The Book of Love (Magnetic Fields) -- This song has a long, long story behind it. It actually was going to be featured in a "Songs with Bittersweet Memories" post, but I kind of fizzled out with those. But it's a beautiful song, and I love it.
Come Down (Beth Amsel) -- This song breaks my heart in the best of ways. "Nobody sees what passes/in between two figures/falling, falling hard in the darkness..."
Wish I May (Ani Difranco) -- Obviously Ani would be here. (Although there were a few minutes there when she almost wasn't. I know, right?!) "Wish I May" is one of my favorite underrated Ani songs, and I just had to share it.
This Year (Mountain Goats) -- "I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me." Mostly, it was just the best one-two punch I could come up with.
Hour 2
Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife (Drive-By Truckers) -- Thus starts the "songs that are new to me and have made a big impact part of our show". One of many songs on here that I was given by Twitter/fandom friends on the loss of my beloved computer, the opening of this song is one of the most lovely things I've heard in a while.
Empty in Between (Tegan & Sara) -- Another fandom find. Because I went on a Tegan & Sara kick when I started trying to come up with songs, it's a super short song, and "love, you're breaking me/and love, you're shaking me."
Thin Line (Jurassic 5) -- I decided I wanted to have a dance party segment of the show, and this is one of my favorite slinky dancey songs.
U.N.I.T.Y. (Queen Latifah) -- The truth? Queen Latifah was at Michael Jackson's funeral celebration and was lookin' GOOD. That plus dance party plus wanting to play a song with a lot of bad words (since I couldn't have any "fuck"'s on-air) = this.
I Hate This Part (Pussycat Dolls) -- Another dance party pick, another song from the Twitter peeps. The fact that it counted as a local song (Nicole whats-her-name went to WSU!) was the icing on the WIN cake.
Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect (The Decemberists) -- Another song that made it because of its beginning. The opening of this song is so lovely I don't have words.
Spice Up Your Life (Spice Girls) -- five minutes to quiet hours dance party!! (And seriously. We danced. There's photographic evidence. Maybe someday I'll get drunk enough to share it. :P)
Paparazzi (Lady GaGa) -- Dance party continues. Also, one of my new songs. Finally, it got stuck in my head for a week and I had to play it.
My Mathematical Mind (Spoon) -- I wanted to play some Spoon, but I couldn't decide on which Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga song to play, and I couldn't make "I Summon You" work. Decision made.
Mistaken for Strangers (The National) -- This was supposed to be my local song this hour, but when I found out Pussycat Dolls worked as a local song, this was the first song to get cut when we were running out of time. Still, it was a part of the set and so shall remain.
Corduroy (Pearl Jam) -- A last-minute addition to the set, it occurred to me that it was almost criminal for me not to include some PJ, given how much of my teenage years I owe to Eddie. It was between this and "Hail, Hail"; I picked this because I've loved it longer.
We'll Live and Die in these Towns (The Enemy) -- Another Twitter song that I got stuck in my head and couldn't get rid of.
What's Mine is Yours (Sleater-Kinney) -- I wanted some Sleater-Kinney desperately, and "Modern Girl" didn't work.
My Mirror Speaks (Death Cab for Cutie) -- My last new song, my last song. This song has brilliant chords and was, you know, new Death Cab. So basically, win/win.
Other considered songs, offered for DL because I love you just that much.
Good Girls Go Bad (Cobra Starship featuring Leighton Meester) -- As soon as I realized a) I had enough new songs and b) this song was only here because of how smokin' hot Leighton was in the video, it came off.
Not a Love Song (Uh Huh Her) -- This was only considered for a moment, but NNNGH, Leisha.
Human of the Year (Regina Spektor) -- I resisted Regina Spektor for a long time, but there's something about the middle three songs of her new album (which I became familiar with again, thanks to trying to find new songs) that I just love. (I'm also a big fan of "Us", which will be immediately familiar to any of you who've seen (500) Days of Summer.)
Just Like a Woman (Charlotte Gainsbourg & Calexico) -- This is a great, great song, but combined with Charlotte Gainsbourg's voice it's magical.
So uh, there's a little music for ya. Let me know if you take any. Or, you know, not. Whatevs. :)
mwahs!
~a
ETA, 23.30: Okay. I said I wouldn't give you pics of dance party, but I feel like I should give you all SOMETHING. So, for your viewing pleasure, here is my favorite pic from Hit Shuffle, Hit Play for July 27, 2009.
Background
My initial thought was that I would have one hour be my favorite songs ever in the history of ever, while the other would be newer songs that I was completely infatuated with. It didn't quite break down that neatly, and I had to skip some songs due to that nasty FCC thing. Furthermore, the rules of the station demand that you play at least 3 new songs and 1 local song per hour, which forced me to include some things I otherwise would not have. Overall, though, I think what I came up with is a decent selection of songs that I love, either for now or for ever.
Hour 1
This Tornado Loves You (Neko Case) -- I wanted to start out with a new song, and I wanted to start out with guitars. This song has been stuck on a loop in my head since the first time I heard it (to the point that I hardly know what the rest of the album sounds like, LOL), and I knew it would be one of my new songs.
Electioneering (Radiohead) -- I was going to play "Exit Music (For a Film)", because it is my favoritest of favorite Radiohead songs, but then Linds said she didn't like "Electioneering," and I decided to play it to torture her. :D (Also because it's an amazing song.)
Baptized by Fire (Spinnerette) -- I knew I wanted some Brody in here, and this is the first single from the album, so it would qualify as a new song. Without the new song requirement, this would probably have been "The Hunger" instead. ("Open sky the wave of pain the scent of you is bliss"? Yeah.)
Hail to Whatever You Found in the Sunlight That Surrounds You (Rilo Kiley) -- I knew I wanted Jenny on here, but I don't like the new album and none of the first album seemed to fit anywhere in the set. So I picked my favorite Rilo Kiley song instead.
Divine Hammer (The Breeders) -- This is here pretty much only to meet my local requirement. It's a great song, and it fits really well, with the other songs, but I could definitely have done without the Breeders. :)
Beautiful (I Guess) (Erin McKeown) -- Erin's the one person I knew 100% I would play something by. And since I couldn't play the live version of "Daisy and Prudence" on the piano that I love so much (and will probably never hear again, woe), and since I couldn't find a place for "James!"' crazy opening diminished chord with everything else I had, it was no contest. "We're such a lovely mess/hearts have left a wreck/I'm lonely, I confess/it's beautiful, I guess." ♥
Alive (Dala) -- So, when I found out I needed new songs, I went out and just started downloading new music at random, and this was one of the albums I downloaded. I had all the new songs on a playlist and was just letting them play at random, and this song came on and I couldn't get it out of my head, and I knew I had to play it. "We're alive, alive and we are fearless."
Come On (Tegan & Sara) -- I know this song isn't about sex, but it's just so sensual, with its needing and wanting and yearning. I love it.
Slowly (Oh So Slowly) (Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band) -- I couldn't play "Lover I Don't Have to Love", and I couldn't make anything from Cassadaga fit. This was new and fit with everything, so on it went.
When I Was a Boy (Dar Williams) -- I have loved this song for a v.v. long time, and it's been good to me lately. So.
The Book of Love (Magnetic Fields) -- This song has a long, long story behind it. It actually was going to be featured in a "Songs with Bittersweet Memories" post, but I kind of fizzled out with those. But it's a beautiful song, and I love it.
Come Down (Beth Amsel) -- This song breaks my heart in the best of ways. "Nobody sees what passes/in between two figures/falling, falling hard in the darkness..."
Wish I May (Ani Difranco) -- Obviously Ani would be here. (Although there were a few minutes there when she almost wasn't. I know, right?!) "Wish I May" is one of my favorite underrated Ani songs, and I just had to share it.
This Year (Mountain Goats) -- "I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me." Mostly, it was just the best one-two punch I could come up with.
Hour 2
Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife (Drive-By Truckers) -- Thus starts the "songs that are new to me and have made a big impact part of our show". One of many songs on here that I was given by Twitter/fandom friends on the loss of my beloved computer, the opening of this song is one of the most lovely things I've heard in a while.
Empty in Between (Tegan & Sara) -- Another fandom find. Because I went on a Tegan & Sara kick when I started trying to come up with songs, it's a super short song, and "love, you're breaking me/and love, you're shaking me."
Thin Line (Jurassic 5) -- I decided I wanted to have a dance party segment of the show, and this is one of my favorite slinky dancey songs.
U.N.I.T.Y. (Queen Latifah) -- The truth? Queen Latifah was at Michael Jackson's funeral celebration and was lookin' GOOD. That plus dance party plus wanting to play a song with a lot of bad words (since I couldn't have any "fuck"'s on-air) = this.
I Hate This Part (Pussycat Dolls) -- Another dance party pick, another song from the Twitter peeps. The fact that it counted as a local song (Nicole whats-her-name went to WSU!) was the icing on the WIN cake.
Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect (The Decemberists) -- Another song that made it because of its beginning. The opening of this song is so lovely I don't have words.
Spice Up Your Life (Spice Girls) -- five minutes to quiet hours dance party!! (And seriously. We danced. There's photographic evidence. Maybe someday I'll get drunk enough to share it. :P)
Paparazzi (Lady GaGa) -- Dance party continues. Also, one of my new songs. Finally, it got stuck in my head for a week and I had to play it.
My Mathematical Mind (Spoon) -- I wanted to play some Spoon, but I couldn't decide on which Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga song to play, and I couldn't make "I Summon You" work. Decision made.
Mistaken for Strangers (The National) -- This was supposed to be my local song this hour, but when I found out Pussycat Dolls worked as a local song, this was the first song to get cut when we were running out of time. Still, it was a part of the set and so shall remain.
Corduroy (Pearl Jam) -- A last-minute addition to the set, it occurred to me that it was almost criminal for me not to include some PJ, given how much of my teenage years I owe to Eddie. It was between this and "Hail, Hail"; I picked this because I've loved it longer.
We'll Live and Die in these Towns (The Enemy) -- Another Twitter song that I got stuck in my head and couldn't get rid of.
What's Mine is Yours (Sleater-Kinney) -- I wanted some Sleater-Kinney desperately, and "Modern Girl" didn't work.
My Mirror Speaks (Death Cab for Cutie) -- My last new song, my last song. This song has brilliant chords and was, you know, new Death Cab. So basically, win/win.
Other considered songs, offered for DL because I love you just that much.
Good Girls Go Bad (Cobra Starship featuring Leighton Meester) -- As soon as I realized a) I had enough new songs and b) this song was only here because of how smokin' hot Leighton was in the video, it came off.
Not a Love Song (Uh Huh Her) -- This was only considered for a moment, but NNNGH, Leisha.
Human of the Year (Regina Spektor) -- I resisted Regina Spektor for a long time, but there's something about the middle three songs of her new album (which I became familiar with again, thanks to trying to find new songs) that I just love. (I'm also a big fan of "Us", which will be immediately familiar to any of you who've seen (500) Days of Summer.)
Just Like a Woman (Charlotte Gainsbourg & Calexico) -- This is a great, great song, but combined with Charlotte Gainsbourg's voice it's magical.
So uh, there's a little music for ya. Let me know if you take any. Or, you know, not. Whatevs. :)
mwahs!
~a
ETA, 23.30: Okay. I said I wouldn't give you pics of dance party, but I feel like I should give you all SOMETHING. So, for your viewing pleasure, here is my favorite pic from Hit Shuffle, Hit Play for July 27, 2009.