All posts by Philosofer

Friday Music Day

FMD: Musical Hell Is…

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... having the wrong song stuck in your head.

Yesterday was a rough day for me. Part of that was I had two different, awful, songs stuck in my head. The first was the Thomas & Friends theme. If you don't know it... you're lucky. It goes in a class with Lamb Chop's theme and Barney's song. ::shudder:: I assume the selection was commissioned by the CIA for the purpose of "data extraction."

The other one was "It's Raining Men." Unlike the Thomas theme, I can acknowledge that "It's Raining Men" is legitimately a song, and that there is a time and a place for it. I only take umbrage with that time and place being "constantly" and "in my head."

So let's talk pain. What are the worst songs to get stuck in your head? Worst times and places? That sort of thing. Random 10's also welcome!

Friday Music Day

FMD: Shake It Off

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2016, you've been a jerk. So for our last Friday Music Day of the year, we're kicking you out and sending the message that we're better off without you. To that end, I'm looking for the best "Shake It Off" songs: songs that help one cast off the old, the bad, the funk, and create a new, fresh, hopeful outlook.

There's an obvious choice here, as suggested by the title. And I do love me that song, but it just seems trivial once you get to the "my ex-man brought his new girlfriend" bit. So I'm going to make two other suggestions. Though neither is particularly "shake-y" they both work an effective reset.

First, the classic... "Take a sad song and make it better."

Second, a newer pick that might be a bit all-encompassing, but it builds so nicely:

Drop your suggestions and random lists if you're felling it.

Friday Music Day

FMD: Trying Something New

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Alright, last week was sort of the inaugural "here's a theme, pick a song for it" effort, but it was the Friday after Thanksgiving, and weak all around. I blame the post-fundraiser lull. We'd all been seeing so much of each other that we just needed space, right? Like when you talk to your kids about sex, but then need to not see them for a few days. I've lost my train of thought here... Back to the issue at hand: music.

Every year around this time The New Standards put on a holiday concert. I've never been, but I'd love to go. Largely because I adore the "standards" and, maybe even more so, the concept of "new standards." So, today I'm looking for two songs on the theme: your favorite standard, and your nomination for a new standard (preferably not one covered by The New Standards).

I'll kick us off with my favorite standard: "Mack the Knife".
I'm still working on my suggestion for a new standard... a few ideas, but they're just not quite right.

Friday Music Day

FMD: Music for Kids

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When I was a kid I listened to a whole lot of Radio AAHS. For Citizens not in the know, Radio AAHS was a station aimed at the 5 - 10 year old demographic. I'm not really sure where they gathered all the songs from, but they had a lot that really hit the sweet spot for kids.

As a parent, it strikes me that finding music for kids that isn't outright painful isn't always the easiest thing. Sometimes I'll pull up a kids' Pandora station, but it ends up grating on my nerves before too long. And of course there are plenty of mainstream songs that work for the kids, but you know they don't appreciate them like adults do. Something more on their level can be important (looking back over Radio AAHS playlists, it seems like there was a fair amount of popular music mixed in too. It took some memory jogging, but I do recall that. So I guess the mix of children-specific and children-friendly is nice.).

I'm curious what other parents in the nation do for music for their kids. There's individual groups like the Okee Dokee Brothers (SJU!) and TMBG doing children's music, but I really do regret that there isn't an easy station to tune in for kids. Or maybe there is, and I just don't know about it?

Anyway, for those parents out there, here are a few song recommendations, back from my glory days of listening to kids music. And they've mostly been tested and approved by my kids, so hopefully they hold up for your kids too.

Joe Scruggs, "Bahamas Pajamas"
Rosenshontz, "Hippopotamus Rock"
Lenny Graf, "Water"
"Broccoli & Chocolate"
Jack Pearson, "Googolplex"
Cheech Marin (yes, him), "Red, Blue, and Yellow Too"

Friday Music Day

FMD: Music To Campaign By

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I've always been interested in the song selections people use for campaigns (or walk up music for ball players, etc.), and the way some of those "don't use my music" battles play out.

There's a lot of classic rock used, it seems. Lots of yay-rah patriotism too. But I'd like to see song selections expanded, be more tongue in cheek, show some innovative policy proposals. You know, that kind of creative thinking.

So, for example, Rand Paul could campaign to The Clash's "I Fought The Law".
Billy Joel's "Great Wall Of China" seems like it might be apt for Trump.
There are certainly some campaigns focused on helping low-income workers that could just use They Might Be Giant's "Minimum Wage."

So drop your 10 and give us your creative campaign songs.