Liner notes | Essential objects | Personal spaces
Liner notes
Here are pieces of music that mean something to me, in random order. Ever the optimist, I tend to like happy music (warning: those of you who think Shakespeare's comedies have no literary value can leave this page right now). That's not to say I don't appreciate music that is born out of strong (even negative) emotion—but personally I dance rather than brood, and my tendencies are reflected in what you see below.
P.S. Mozart, Chopin, Bach, Beethoven, and my favorite Indian composers are deliberately left out because I wouldn't be able to pick particular pieces.
P.P.S. You'll also notice that I have an affinity for songs I hear in sappy commercials. My latest craze is "20th Century Boy" by Marc Bolan & T. Rex. Blame Mitsubishi for that one.
Bizet, Carmen (arrangement: Carmen Without Words)
This is my good luck operatic score. I was listening to this the day I got admitted to Yale. I listened to it again on the day I found out I'd been selected to give the senior address in high school, and on the day I found out I'd been selected to be graduation speaker for the College, when I was an undergrad at Penn. I like this particular arrangement because I prefer listening to opera music without the actual lyrics. Carmen is sensual and strident and makes me feel like wearing a red dress with a plunging neckline and fishnet thigh-highs. Rrrrr.
Tracy Chapman, "Give Me One Reason"
Spunky, teasing yet firm. Everything one aspires to be but never quite achieves...
Elvis Costello, "She"
Notting Hill is a great warm-and-fuzzy flick, but this song crowns it.
Bob Dylan, "Just Like a Woman"
Master songwriter. Great song. Now about the whining... J
Ryan Adams, "Firecracker"
(Not to be confused with Bryan Adams.) Singer-songwriter Ryan Adams has been compared to Neil Young, Dylan, the Stones...heck, who hasn't influenced him? Gold is a great album, but in true contrarian fashion I love the critic-panned "Firecracker" because it's (I think) slightly funny in its I-don't-know-if-I'm-optimistic-or-pessimistic ambivalence.
Indigo Girls, "Galileo"
I have a sound picture with this—was in the car with someone driving back to Center City Philadelphia, and this song came on the radio as we were passing 30th Street Station. Of course it makes me think of the Bertolt Brecht play, too.
Sting, "Brand New Day"
Simone put this on the mix she made me on the other side of the soundtrack to American Beauty. As I recall, she labeled that side 'More Beauty, and Not All American' J
David Bowie, "Ziggy Stardust"
Also on the mix described above. Fascinating in its own indescribable way.
Louis Armstrong, "A Kiss to Build a Dream On"
Everyone knows that When Harry Met Sally beats Sleepless in Seattle and its ilk to a pulp. But my friend Adam in college used to (attempt to) sing this, and it's a good song to have dinner to. Pan-seared Asian fusion, anyone?
Tammy Wynette, "Stand by Your Man"
They are, after all, just men. Stand by them; they know not what they do.
The Beatles, "Revolution"
Last day of school at Penn—I think when I was at Wharton—someone was blasting this in Superblock (oh, excuse me, 'Hamilton Village') at 2 a.m. People leaned out of their windows and sang along. Imagine.
George Michael, "Kissing a Fool"
One night, in college, I ended up listening to this about 20 times in a row—it was set to loop on my roommate's CD player. It's one of those songs whose lyrics and melody are, I think, completely at odds with each other. But that's what makes it cooler than, say, "Faith."
Madonna, "Don't Tell Me"
Me, alone in a hotel room in Stockholm. My only company? MTV. Ten reruns of this video later, I was hooked on it. Yes, there are other Madonna songs I grew up with, and yes, I love dancing to "Express Yourself" and "Vogue"—but listening to her croon in a cowgirl outfit when one is in the land of pickled herring? That's culture.
Mary Chapin Carpenter, "Passionate Kisses"
"Shouldn't I have this? / Shouldn't I have this? / Shouldn't I / have all of this, and / passionate kisses / from yooooou." Amen. Really, are we asking too much? Shouldn't we, truly, all have this, and passionate kisses, to boot?
Benny Goodman, "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)"
If you haven't danced to this, you haven't danced at all. Goodman is the king of the genre, and this is the standard-bearer for the entire slow-slow-quick-quick revolution. That swingin' store chain? Heck, it wasn't even a BabyGap when all this got started.
Yves Duteil, J'ai La Guitare Qui Me Demange
This strummin', hummin' troubadour was introduced to me by my French teacher, Mme (Dr.) Rollin, in high school. It's just him and a guitar, and his ballads are sweet and caring, often quite witty.
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)"
Love the whole soundtrack to The Full Monty but this one is just great fun. Always think of Maurice, Tatyana and me playing Scrabble in my room on my tatami mat, since we were listening to it.
George Winston, Linus & Lucy: The Music of Vince Guaraldi
Vince Guaraldi is best known as the man whose music was used for the televised versions of Charles Schulz's Peanuts comic strip. When I was an editor at United Media, it was our telephone hold music (United Media owned the license for Peanuts) so I associate this with one of the best work experiences I've ever had. The George Winston solo piano arrangement is lovely—always makes me think of the night skyline of a city.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), "Talking Loud and Clear"
For my Sweet Sixteen, my friends bought me a box full of Victoria's Secret stuff, and nestled among the soaps and sachets was a Best of tape of OMD. I like just about every techno-poppy song on it, but this track in particular is so quiet and precise.
They Might Be Giants, Flood
Someone brought this to my party and played it, so it became the Official Soundtrack to Suma's Sweet Sixteen. It's absurd and so darn funny.
Yanni, In My Time and Passion
Groan all you want to. But Grace bought me his Live at the Acropolis video for my 21st birthday, and some of my loveliest memories had In My Time as ambient music...
"Hungry Eyes" from Dirty Dancin' (and the rest of the soundtrack)
Pure lust. This song says it all. The eyes have it.
New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle"
The theme song of my high school years. Getting ready for a date, a dance, whatever...this would be on my stereo. Total peppy adrenalin rush. Could dance to stuff like this all night long.
Mark Williams & Tara Morice, "Time After Time"
They played this on the ice rink all the time when I was in elementary school. So of course I love skating to this. And it perfectly expresses the idea that love is about infinite patience and forgiveness and second chances. I always feel like they're literally holding each other when singing this.
Elton John, "Your Song" and "Rocket Man"
Okay, I confess. I fell for "Rocket Man" after that heartstring-tugging AT&T commercial kept being aired over and over again. I first listened to "Your Song" on a mix tape that Amy, Gillian, Debbie and I played on our senior-year road trip to Atlanta, and it flew promptly to the top of my charts.
U2, "All I Want Is You," "Wild Honey," "Beautiful Day," and "With or Without You"
This, of course, barely skims the surface of U2. I probably first listened to "With or Without You" when someone skated to it. Although "Reality Bites" isn't one of my all-time fave movies, that's where I first heard "All I Want Is You," which is just achingly beautiful. Maurice gave me All That You Can't Leave Behind for Christmas; and "Wild Honey" is perfect for dreaming about the tropics. "Beautiful Day" is the first track on that album; it's played fairly often in restaurants where I've been and has been a beacon through some difficult times.
The Cure, "Just Like Heaven"
I didn't own many albums (okay, I didn't own any albums) back in the day, so during high school I resorted to taping swaths of radio station airplay just so I'd hopefully catch stuff like this. Also like "Friday I'm in Love" (but then, their songs all sound sorta the same...)
Don Henley, "End of the Innocence"
Mmmmm. Hair, spill, grass... Didn't really listen to the lyrics the first time around. Or the second. Or the third. Or the fourth...
The Proclaimers, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"
Oh, these two bros are so cute, I'd walk 500 miles for them any day.
Tuck & Patti, "Take My Breath Away"
First heard this in that little shop Garland of Letters on South Street. Amy bought the whole CD; I just liked the one song.
ABBA, "Take a Chance on Me"
Ah, the Swedes. Infectious, happy, clangy music to dance to. Always played this at Rita's parties in high school, at Grace & Sajini's request. (Those of you who look down upon my choice of ABBA: Pick your battles. I could have chosen Bjork.)
Simon & Garfunkel, Bridge Over Troubled Water
A classic; can't really pick one song out of the album. Love 'em all.
Billy Joel, "Piano Man"
Saw him live when he came to Penn. Like his quieter pieces a lot better than stuff like Storm Front.
Johann Strauss, "The Blue Danube"
Overplayed and overused, but still perfect.
Puccini, "O Mio Babbino Caro" from Gianni Scicchi
Hated Room With a View. Bought the soundtrack just to hear Kiri Te Kanawa sing this again.
Pachelbel, "Canon in D"
Predictable? Yes. Who cares? Some melodies can transcend the critics. George Winston's version is lovely.
Aaron Copland, "Fanfare for the Common Man"
Those who know me know that I like farmers. When I hear this, I see farmers (and that meat commercial, yes... but mostly farmers). (Aside: Was it "Beef: It's What's for Dinner" or "Pork: The Other White Meat" that used Copland's "Rodeo"? Ans: Beef.)
Gabriel Fauré, "Cantique de Jean Racine"
Sang this with the Alliance Francaise choir in Philadelphia. This is perhaps the most beautiful choral piece I've sung.
Ravel, "Bolero"
Who can resist the vision of Torvill & Dean performing their gold-medal ice-dancing routine to this hypnotic, maddeningly circular piece?
Enya, "Orinoco Flow"
On performing & visual arts society day in high school, a group performed a modern dance choreographed to this. I like her other pieces, too, from Watermark and Shepherd Moons, but this is still the best.
Chris de Burgh, "Lady in Red"
Wore the most beautiful red dress to the senior formal in college. This song epitomises that night.
Erasure, "A Little Respect," "Oh L'Amour," and "Chains of Love"
High school standards. These are the songs I grew up with. Small wonder I turned out the way I did.
Wham!, "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"
Played this at the end of the night at high school parties. Also loved dancing to this in college.
Natalie Merchant/10,000 Maniacs, "Like the Weather"
One of two songs that were in my head before my trip to London. (The other was Savage Garden's "The Animal Song"). London is all about gray-colored skies, so it's quite appropriate.
Starland Vocal Band, "Afternoon Delight"
There's always a happy ending to my stories, and watching Matt Damon drive off at the close of Good Will Hunting is just...so...uplifting. (Why does this song always remind me of "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds"?)
Soundtrack to The Sound of Music
Best movie ever, say I (and several other women). Classic soundtrack to sing along to.
Soundtrack to My Fair Lady
Best movie ever, says my dad (and several other men). 'Nuff said.
Essential objects: Six things I can't live without
> Fluffy comforter from Ahlens in Stockholm
> Pilot V Razor Point Extra Fine pens in various colors
> Bamboo trivets from Ruka in Philadelphia
> Woven grass beach mat from Pearl River Mart on Canal Street, NYC
> Pablo, my pen tablet
> Cherry wood copy stand from Levenger
Personal spaces: A portrait of my evolving apartment
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