good things
I just came home from a seriously intense Thai-style massage. I *almost* had to tell her to back off when she was kneeling on the knots in my calves but I soldiered through and now I feel awfully good. She did great work in loosening up all the hip muscles, too. I suspect I will be sore later but better after that.
Last night I went to an annual CD swap that an extended circle of friends has been holding for many years now. It's a very nice tradition to have. Last year I did an elaborate theme for mine, but this year I just went with songs that make me happy. I titled the mix "Charms," and wrote this to accompany the track listing:
"There is something about each of these songs that has always made me feel better. They aren't all happy songs. Some of them are not happy at all. What that says about me, I don't know. But whether it's through words, tonal qualities, memories or perhaps most of all saudade, these are the songs that soothe."
And here's the track listing, with annotations as to why I chose the songs:
1. "Schizophrenia" by Sonic Youth. I really don't know what it is about this song that just makes me soar. I think a large part of it is the harmonics that exist for this song only. And it's also the way Kim Gordon sings "I could tuck you in/And we could talk about it."
2. "Shelter" by Congo Norvell. This is just a damn beautiful song. It always makes me think of my various ferrets and also of M when we first met. "Maybe I could roll over/Make room for you in my bed."
3. "Death is Not the End" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. This one doesn't really need explaining, does it?
4. "Agibni Kulak" from Yasmina of Cairo's album aheb masr! The title means I like everything about you, and I like everything about this song--the soulful accordion, the singer's raspy voice, his declaration that he doesn't care what anyone thinks, he is crazy about this girl. Just a love song, but one straight from the heart, and it's about my favorite style of Egyptian music.
5. "Cliquot" by Beirut. Speaking of soulful accordions, accordions have of late become one of my favorite instruments. This song I suppose technically is a depressing breakup song, but I like its hopefulness, the optimism that things could be fixed if you could only find the right music.
6. "It's Not Up to You" by Bjork. Back when Amelia was in the intensive care unit and terrorists had blown up the World Trade Center, I heard this song and in some ways it brought me real peace. I wanted to do everything I could for my ferret, and I did, and after that it wasn't up to me. I wanted to fix the world, but like everybody else, I didn't have that power. Bjork made that a little bit okay.
7. "Ana Fi Intizarak" by the Sayed Henkesh Ensemble. Another song that is technically a breakup song, but the violin playing is so breath-taking that I can't hear this song without falling into a state of rapture. Someday maybe when I am very brave I might like to dance to it. But that would be taking on a great responsibility.
8. "Dirty Old Town" by the Pogues. Ah, the lyrics just make me cry. "Spring's a girl/On the streets at night." Shane McGowan makes me cry, rotten teeth and all. Pass the whiskey and let's go roam the town at night.
9. "Nazra" by Hakim, the live version. Just a love song, one glance at her and I'm completely smitten, take pity on me girl, but its infectious energy never fails to lift me up. I love performing to this one.
10. "Rainbowarriors" by CocoRosie. Another one about hope, being able to change the future into a better place. It's very hippy burner of me but I like the collective tribe idea behind the song. Also I really like the melody.
11. "If There's a Heaven Above" by Love & Rockets. I don't know if I would have made it through senior year of high school without this song, I really don't. I've never taken it as a literally religious song, but more a metaphor for wanting to attain a state of grace for oneself. And every goth teenager needs to be told once in a while to please, throw the weight of the world off their shoulders already ;-)
12. "Rainbow Connection" by Kermit the Frog. I really don't think this one needs explaining either. And if you make fun of me for it I'll karate chop you like Miss Piggy!
13. "Paper Planes" by M.I.A. I know this song is overplayed all over the place but I love it. Lyrically it's not a very nice song at all, rather nasty even. So why does it make me feel so good? M.I.A. is always about the layered meanings, maybe that's part of it. And maybe the Clash deserve half the credit, I don't know.
14. "L.E.S. Artistes" by Santogold. To me, it's about artistic struggle to be true to yourself, to ignore all the voices around you that are trying to use you or trying to tear you down. "Tell you what/If I can shake it/I'm gonna make this/Something worth dreaming of." Plus, catchy as hell.
15. "Rain" by Tones on Tail. This song seriously can send me into a rapturous trance state. It's the music itself, it's years of rock star crush on Daniel Ash, it's knowing the song inside and out and backwards, it's the rich steady base, it's the thin reedy sound of the synths settling around you like rain, it's all that and more. "Time to crush this feeling..."
Today, website planning, then out dancing at Basha Cafe!
Last night I went to an annual CD swap that an extended circle of friends has been holding for many years now. It's a very nice tradition to have. Last year I did an elaborate theme for mine, but this year I just went with songs that make me happy. I titled the mix "Charms," and wrote this to accompany the track listing:
"There is something about each of these songs that has always made me feel better. They aren't all happy songs. Some of them are not happy at all. What that says about me, I don't know. But whether it's through words, tonal qualities, memories or perhaps most of all saudade, these are the songs that soothe."
And here's the track listing, with annotations as to why I chose the songs:
1. "Schizophrenia" by Sonic Youth. I really don't know what it is about this song that just makes me soar. I think a large part of it is the harmonics that exist for this song only. And it's also the way Kim Gordon sings "I could tuck you in/And we could talk about it."
2. "Shelter" by Congo Norvell. This is just a damn beautiful song. It always makes me think of my various ferrets and also of M when we first met. "Maybe I could roll over/Make room for you in my bed."
3. "Death is Not the End" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. This one doesn't really need explaining, does it?
4. "Agibni Kulak" from Yasmina of Cairo's album aheb masr! The title means I like everything about you, and I like everything about this song--the soulful accordion, the singer's raspy voice, his declaration that he doesn't care what anyone thinks, he is crazy about this girl. Just a love song, but one straight from the heart, and it's about my favorite style of Egyptian music.
5. "Cliquot" by Beirut. Speaking of soulful accordions, accordions have of late become one of my favorite instruments. This song I suppose technically is a depressing breakup song, but I like its hopefulness, the optimism that things could be fixed if you could only find the right music.
6. "It's Not Up to You" by Bjork. Back when Amelia was in the intensive care unit and terrorists had blown up the World Trade Center, I heard this song and in some ways it brought me real peace. I wanted to do everything I could for my ferret, and I did, and after that it wasn't up to me. I wanted to fix the world, but like everybody else, I didn't have that power. Bjork made that a little bit okay.
7. "Ana Fi Intizarak" by the Sayed Henkesh Ensemble. Another song that is technically a breakup song, but the violin playing is so breath-taking that I can't hear this song without falling into a state of rapture. Someday maybe when I am very brave I might like to dance to it. But that would be taking on a great responsibility.
8. "Dirty Old Town" by the Pogues. Ah, the lyrics just make me cry. "Spring's a girl/On the streets at night." Shane McGowan makes me cry, rotten teeth and all. Pass the whiskey and let's go roam the town at night.
9. "Nazra" by Hakim, the live version. Just a love song, one glance at her and I'm completely smitten, take pity on me girl, but its infectious energy never fails to lift me up. I love performing to this one.
10. "Rainbowarriors" by CocoRosie. Another one about hope, being able to change the future into a better place. It's very hippy burner of me but I like the collective tribe idea behind the song. Also I really like the melody.
11. "If There's a Heaven Above" by Love & Rockets. I don't know if I would have made it through senior year of high school without this song, I really don't. I've never taken it as a literally religious song, but more a metaphor for wanting to attain a state of grace for oneself. And every goth teenager needs to be told once in a while to please, throw the weight of the world off their shoulders already ;-)
12. "Rainbow Connection" by Kermit the Frog. I really don't think this one needs explaining either. And if you make fun of me for it I'll karate chop you like Miss Piggy!
13. "Paper Planes" by M.I.A. I know this song is overplayed all over the place but I love it. Lyrically it's not a very nice song at all, rather nasty even. So why does it make me feel so good? M.I.A. is always about the layered meanings, maybe that's part of it. And maybe the Clash deserve half the credit, I don't know.
14. "L.E.S. Artistes" by Santogold. To me, it's about artistic struggle to be true to yourself, to ignore all the voices around you that are trying to use you or trying to tear you down. "Tell you what/If I can shake it/I'm gonna make this/Something worth dreaming of." Plus, catchy as hell.
15. "Rain" by Tones on Tail. This song seriously can send me into a rapturous trance state. It's the music itself, it's years of rock star crush on Daniel Ash, it's knowing the song inside and out and backwards, it's the rich steady base, it's the thin reedy sound of the synths settling around you like rain, it's all that and more. "Time to crush this feeling..."
Today, website planning, then out dancing at Basha Cafe!