Lee had asked me to make a mix (for his site) of my all time favorite songs of "grave songs" (songs you'd want to hear before you die) -- a daunting and nearly impossible task. It got me to thinking. What better way to reflect on my life (if I'm about to die anyway) than to dip my toes into the waters of my past and take a journey on the songs I loved throughout my life (the whole "grave songs" pitch was added after I had already done this mix, and I'm lazy so I wasn't about to start over -- big whoop; wanna fight about it?).
Duration: 1:18:09
- 1) Along Comes Mary
One of the bands that my dad used to listen to when I was in elementary school. I can distinctly remember being in the back seat of our Buick singing gibberish (because who knows what he's saying) and then saying "sweet - as - the - punch". (Watch the Video)
- 2) Same Old Lang Syne
Another elementary school favorite (via my father). I recall sitting in our mustard yellow lounge chair with the "Princess Leia" headphones staring at this record cover and feeling sad and somber (and I also remember my mom making my dad turn down the volume when says "hell")
- 3) Living a Boy's Adventure Tale
1985 was a pivotal year. We was turning 13 and we were moving to Kansas, after my whole life spent on the east coast (Delaware). But, in moving to Kansas we got cable, and MTV, and I saw what is still considered one of the greatest videos of all time -- Take on Me by a-Ha. My sister bought the tape, and we listened for hours on end. My favorite was always Living a Boy's Adventure Tale (and still is).
- 4) Changes
Unfortunately I couldn't put on the many other songs that shaped my life in elementary school and early middle school (Tears for Fears, U2, etc), but there is little room and time to move on.
My sister went to college (while I was in high school) and came back with a plethora of classic rock bands that would shape my ears for years. 90125 was complex, robust rock and I loved it. Changes still has a place in my heart. (Watch the video)
- 5) On The Turning Away
I can remember reading "Watership Down" on the way to the Rockies to ski and listening to Momentary Lapse of Reason over and over on my Walkman -- somehow that book and that album fit perfectly. Pink Floyd made me feel like an adult, like I graduated from merely a radio listener, to a discerning music enthusiast. (Watch the video)
- 6) Photograph
I could not have been of a Def Leppard fan. I would call MTV to make sure they were the number band of the day for more than a year. I had posters, every album, magazines, t-shirts, I played all their songs on the drums. Hysteria is still a solid "heavy metal" album, but Photograph is by far their best song ever. (Watch the video)
- 7) Bron-Yr-Aur
There is hardly a band that I consider more necessary to my musical tastes than Led Zeppelin (the other is Radiohead). I was 14 and I bought a Tama Swingstar drumset and I played Bonham till my fingers calloused (much to my family's consternation). But it wasn't the hard rock songs that shaped me, but the nuianced brilliance of their musical rage. They could play anything, and play it well. Bron-Yr-Aur is my all time favorite Zeppelin song, and its purely acoustic -- and brilliant.
- 8) Mindbender
So, we moved to Cincinnati my senior year of high school. That was a tough time, but turned out to be a huge time my life. One of my friends (Paul) introduced me to some hardcore (Christian) thrash bands - Believer, Mortification, Torniquet, Scatrd Few and my most favorite The Crucified. It may seem out of place, but it was all I listened to for a year or so of my life.
- 9) It's Love
My graduation from the "classic rock" (and while listening the hardcore thrash) brought me to the natural maturation of that movement -- progressive rock. King's X was a great 3 piece band, with incredible song structure, fluid harmonies and just solid rock songs. Faith Hope and Love was a pivotal album for me, and brought me an added appreciation for music (that Pink Floyd first introduced me to).
- 10) Jacksie
Over The Rhine was the first "girl" band that I really liked; and not simply because they were a hometown band. They were (and are) very talented. Jacksie is haunting, and Karen has the one of the best voices on the planet. During my college years Over The Rhine was way back home.
- 11) When The Sun Hits
I don't even know where to start with Slowdive. They are, to me, the essense of the entire shoegaze movement (not My Bloody Valentine). Never had a band name been so descriptive and fitting. Slowdive introduced me to all ranges of Brit-pop mixed with noise rock and ambient sounds. I could (and should) add Catherine Wheel into the mix as a band that added to my cauldron of growing musicial diversions. (Watch live video)
- 12) Goodbye
At first I hated The Sundays, but as I listened to the music I couldn't resist. "Goodbye" is easily my favorite song by The Sundays; and they helped introduce me to one of my all time favorite bands, The Smiths (Watch the video)
- 13) This Charming Man
I know many people that hate Morrissey's voice (whiny, abrassive, et al). I was apart of that crowd, but my roommate my sophomore year ingrained into me the brillance of The Smiths. Johnny Marr was impeccable, subtle and complex. Morrissey is witty, intelligent, bitter and somber. Together they were one of the best British bands (ever). (Watch the video)
- 14) Say Yes
Sonya and I saw "Good Will Hunting" while we lived in Colorado Springs. I can remember listening to Elliott Smith singing and wondering "who sings this? I have to find this guy". Now we have a son named Elliott. I was never a huge "folk", acoustic sort of guy, but Elliott Smith was a renagade (and introduced me to Nick Drake and Iron & Wine)
- 15) Let Down
I had already been a fan of Radiohead since "Pablo Honey" but when "Ok Computer" can out, I was altered. I had to listen to it over and over and over again to catch all that is was. I had no heard anything like it, since perhaps Momentary Lapse of Reason. Every chord and note was powerful and meaningful. Radiohead catipulted to legend. (Watch the video)
- 16) Yellow
Yeah, call me Mr Sensitive Pony-Tail man. I love "Yellow". Sonya and I had a new born and we were stuck at home, a lot. One time I caught this video and had to hear the song -- over and over and over. I went out and bought the CD (even though we really had no money) without having heard another song; and I do not regret it. (Watch the video)
- 17) Pot Kettle Black
Hello alt-country rock. I loathed anything even remotely linked to country music, and when I heard people talking about Wilco I completely ignored them. Bu I heard one song (this one) and thought very differently. Gone was the twang and redneck idiocy that I had conjured, and I was able to enjoy one of the best albums of the this decade.
- 18) Hold On
It was hard to concede to even listen to Tom Waits. I had many friends proclaim his brilliance and I could never get past the god-awful growl. But Mule Variations crept in on me like a virus. I had the mp3s and whenever they came on I didn't skip. I listened. And listened. And the ugly veneer peeled away and I saw the unpolished beauty that is Tom Waits. (Watch the video)