Indecent Infatuations: Set to Music

It's pretty extraordinary how much music plays a part in my everyday life without me consciously provoking it. It seems like any element of my life worthy of discussion has something to do with music - either directly or indirectly.

As usual, while being the epitome of a creepy, young girl I googled something that lead me to the lyrics of "Don't Stand So Close to Me" and "What I Go to School For" (I'm sure the more clever of you can use the context clues to figure it out). I'm probably one of the only people strange enough to look for songs pertaining to even my weirdest of obsessions. I heard "Don't Stand So Close to Me" at a bar a few months ago and whilst drunk found it incredibly endearing. That Sting definitely knows what he's talking about from the female perspective at least. I'd post the lyrics but they're slightly incriminating to my character. I have a lovely boyfriend and my indecent infatuation is on his last nerve. With the growing anticipation of classes next week, I will admit I'm out of hand. But I invite any one of you to come with me and see for yourself. It's practically a rite of passage within pop culture to be in love with at least one gorgeous prof. Funny note, my iTunes is telling me that I haven't listened to that Police song since Christmas of 2007 until now. Oh my.

Now I'm embarrassed so on to the next topic:

There are too many good songs I've been listening to lately. I was at another bar (I'm not the alcoholic I make myself out to be, I promise) the other night where the jukebox was ten times better than the usual one I frequent and it inspired me so much that I ran to the library the following day and actually PAID to download at least three of the songs I heard. On a side note, I have fully given up on free music networks like LimeWire that absolutely do not work anymore. If you're looking for a real gem, they are always impossible to find for free these days. I am so satisfied with the music I've been blasting from my headphones. I'll admit when I'm out in public, I get nervous about my music being heard by people sitting next to me on buses, at coffeehouses etc. through my headphones but when I'm listening to Edwin Starr and classic Bruce Springsteen I have nothing to fear. It's just those off days of Britney Spears' "Radar" that I have to worry about.

ANYWAY, it's these soul songs mixed with some other tunes I downloaded after people watching at an Urban Outfitters several months ago that have been reverberating off my eardrums in the past two weeks. I might have written about it at the time but the sound system was so good at UO that songs I've been hearing for the past decade finally started to take shape in my brain as really good material and I immediately dug into exploring them further. I'm talking about songs like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "One Headlight" here. I don't know where some of this stuff comes from out of nowhere. One day I'm barely listening to something on the radio and the next I'm obsessed with it. It's absolutely all about timing and speakers. Listening to my same old music on my incredible speaker system at home always makes me get up from whatever I'm doing, go to the iTunes playlist, and check out what the amazing song playing is - I'll find it's something I've heard 5 times before that I didn't recognize as great until that very minute - then suddenly I can't get enough of it. While folding clothes the other day, a whole mess of Rhett Miller came on the speakers and I was dying. How did I forget about this guy?


I was also watching part one of The Beatles Anthology tonight on VH1 and felt happier than ever that I didn't go out of the house. This documentary captured my attention for the entire two hours to the point that I was waiting to even get up to go to the bathroom even though I have DVR and could've just paused it. As mentioned previously, I've been a huge fan of George Harrison for nearly a decade now but my immense love of the band collectively didn't reach its peak until maybe five years ago. I had many of their albums before then but didn't appreciate them the way I should have. Hearing their music on this show tonight really opened my mind. I seriously couldn't tear myself away and was really bummed when it was over. If you're any level of a Beatles fan, I highly suggest the cumulative cover story on this week's Rolling Stone that truly encompasses at least a paragraph for every phase of the band. Both the story and documentary got me in the mood to listen to all of my favorite Beatles song on a loop for the rest of the night.

And now for the best part of this post, the playlist. Let's add a dash of this post, a sprinkling of recent 'Songs to Love', and a large dollop of what I've been listening to lately:

01.Edwin Starr - 25 Miles
02.Bruce Springsteen - It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City
03.The Police - Don't Stand So Close to Me
04.Stevie Nicks - Stand Back
05.Sebastien Tellier - Divine
06.The Avett Brothers - Will You Return?
07.The Wallflowers - One Headlight
08.The Clash - Spanish Bombs
09.Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine
10.Sam Cooke - You Send Me
11.Beyonce - Ego (yes, I love it, actually - oh well)
12.Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose - Too Late to Turn Back Now
13.Paolo Nutini - These Streets
14.Phoenix - 1901 (probably on another list too but I still love it - MUST LISTEN)
15.Paul McCartney - My Love
16.The Beatles - You Can't Do That
17.Desi Arnaz - Babalu
18.Eddie Floyd - But It's Alright
19.Gene Vincent - Be-Bop-A-Lula
20.INXS - By My Side

I promise this would make an awesome - if not diverse and maybe even semi-impressive - cd mix for the car or office.

Paul McCartney - July 21, 2009

I was one of the thousands - but few - lucky enough to see Paul McCartney perform earlier this week at the new Citi Field/old Shea Stadium in Flushing, Queens, the same place The Beatles made their US stadium debut practically half a century ago, and I'm still not sure what to say.

I know this sounds trite but seeing a Beatle perform so many songs from the classic Beatles catalog was mesmerizing. This was on top of witnessing the greatest stage personality I've ever seen. Paul McCartney is the definition of a consummate performer, a person who transforms an empty stage into a spectacle. It was so genuinely thrilling to see a man who has been singing some of the same songs for 50 years make them sound incredibly fresh and to add to it, seem really excited to be singing for the crowd. At one point he even stopped to "take it all in" while the audience roared with happiness at the sight of a musical giant appreciating their presence.

And you know, this could sound a little over dramatic if not for the fact that this concert was supremely dramatic on its own. I am not embarrassed to say that I cried about three separate times. Of course I didn't tear up for the same reasons the young girls did back in '65 but I cried because of the overwhelming nature of it all. The thousands upon thousands of fans that paid hundreds of dollars to see their idol, the huge stadium with larger than life flat screens displaying one of the only remaining music legends, and the sound of the music that has filled billions of ears for decades with music that will never go out of style. How does someone create that kind of music? It is so untouchable. I can't get my mind around it.


In my own life, The Beatles' music never really trumped other bands of that era and occasionally I resented how much praise they would receive when other bands seemed to be just as impressive and innovative. In the end it was George Harrison who helped me to appreciate The Beatles the way they rightfully deserved. Through Harrison's songs, I saw the epitome of what a musician should be. Songs like "Something", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Here Comes the Sun", etc. were clearly not just 'songs', they were little stories set to these eerie, dream-like sounds that were inescapable. I still don't know what Beatles song is on what album (for the most part) but they are always a solid part of a playlist and I can listen to them for hours on end without even realizing it. They're not a favorite band for me because they become part of the atmosphere - like they were always there and always belonged there.

Upon seeing McCartney, I knew this was one of those unforgettable musical moments but I didn't know how it would reach me on a personal level. His solo songs had always been hit or miss for me. I'm now a little ashamed to admit that. Every single song within the set list Tuesday night was just as good - if not better - than the next. Whether it was a Fireman song, Wings song, or Beatles song, the sound was so good and McCartney's voice was impeccable. This was not a 67 year old man rocking out for one last time, this was a musician doing his job to perfection and ready to go do 500 more shows afterwards. Not once did this man take a sip of water or falter throughout a 2 1/2 hour, 33 song set.

Some of the highlights came in the form of tributes to the fallen Beatles. "Here Today", a song written after the death of John Lennon, was not only a beautiful moment dedicated to the musical master but a standout performance that spoke of the pain that is clearly still there years later. In this and several other songs it seemed like he would get quite a bit choked up which was unbelievably touching. McCartney's solo performance of "Something" in honor of Harrison started with just a ukulele and ended with a full blown rendition of one of the most beautiful songs ever written. All along the way, McCartney would sprinkle little anecdotes about the Beatles or make facial expressions to show his disbelief at the crowd's immense enthusiasm. The guy was so humble in the face of so much acclaim that it was impossible not to fall in love with him a little.

One of my favorite moments came early in the set when he dedicated "My Love" to his late wife Linda, a New York native. Once again, the emotions were high and I couldn't believe the coziness he could bring to a 42,000 seat stadium. My other favorite - contrasting- moment had to be the flames on stage during "Live and Let Die" and the random fireworks display that shot up seemingly from nowhere. In any other concert that would've been overkill, at a Paul McCartney concert it seemed appropriate.

From the moving piano performance of "The Long and Winding Road" to the uptempo "Band on the Run" to the Beatles-only encore of audience favorites, this concert could not have been better orchestrated. It would also be unfair to not mention the incredible band that sounded fresh and natural, not at all imposter-ish.



Just look at this crazy set list:

01. Drive my Car
02. Jet
03. Only Mama Knows
04. Flaming Pie
05. Got to Get You into My Life
06. Let me Roll It/Foxy Lady
07. Highway
08. The Long and Winding Road
09. My Love
10. Blackbird
11. Here Today
12. Dance Tonight
13. Calico Skies
14. Mrs Vanderbilt
15. Eleanor Rigby
16. Sing the Changes
17. Band on the run
18. Back in the USSR
19. I'm Down
20. Something
21. I've got a Feeling
22. Paperback Writer
23. A day in the Life/Give Peace a Chance
24. Let it be
25. Live and Let Die
26. Hey Jude

1st encore
27. Day Tripper
28. Lady Madonna
29. I Saw Her Standing There

2nd encore
30. Yesterday
31. Helter Skelter
32. Get Back
33. Sgt Pepper's reprise/ The end

Very little could top that, whether you're the biggest fan or just a bystander.



All Photos courtesy of WWW.EXAMINER.COM

Summer Playlist 2009

This is probably not the 'ultimate' list for the entire summer as there's still a perfectly good August to go through but this is the start of a great, complete, playlist. Generally these songs are unforgettable personal favorites with a few new sassy ones mixed in but of course all meet the standards of a sexy, fun, breezy summer song. I think it'd make a fun mixtape.

Enjoy.








01. Will Dailey - How Can I Make You Happy
02. Michael Jackson - You Rock My World
03. Sly & the Family Stone - Hot Fun in the Summertime
04. Kings of Leon - Use Somebody
05. Gin Blossoms - Hey Jealousy
06. Mason Jennings - I Love You and Buddha Too
07. MGMT - Electric Feel
08. Sade - The Sweetest Taboo
09. Pete Yorn - Don't Wanna Cry
10. The Monks - Oh, How to Do Now
11. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero
12. Phoenix - 1901
13. Passion Pit - Sleepyhead
14. Paul McCartney - Maybe I'm Amazed
15. The Cars - Just What I Needed
16. Pharrell - Frontin'
17. The Doobie Brothers - Listen to the Music
18. K.D. Lang - Summerfling
19. M. Ward - Never Had Nobody Like You
20. Bob Marley - Is This Love

Music and Attraction Go Hand in Hand

I don't have much time now to be honest. Actually if I'm going to be honest I fled my apartment and didn't slow down until I reached the computer lab to write a little bit. I am on campus right now which I haven't entirely been since the end of last semester. I didn't realize how much I missed it. I am in love with this ridiculous school. I like being around people, having the potential to meet new friends...

Oh, hell. It's obvious I just want to see my professor. That's how much of a loser I am. Recently, I went on the class website where in the bottom left hand corner they produce a list of all the users currently logged in. Paranoid, I was thinking I would be the only user present other than the teacher but I figured that was just a case of me being overly psychotic, why would the teacher even be on at the beginning of the summer? Of course, to my dismay, I was in fact the only other person besides the teacher on the list and I not only immediately got off the website, I closed the entire internet and shut off the computer. I could tell you that I never plan on going on the site again this summer but that would be a lie. If people actually read this blog I would open up the comments to the question : Have you ever had a juvenile infatuation with a professor, either back in the day or presently?

I am way too old to be such a lunatic - and even too old to still be in school - unless it was perhaps grad school.. which it's not.

I am also a person who really goes by the books. I think it is the ultimate taboo in modern American society to like a professor. There is something so slimy about it - last semester I would walk away from class feeling like I was the most disgusting creature alive - and I never even spoke a word to him! It was just my internal thoughts that were eating away at my conscience.

I tell this story a lot but since this is a music blog, I want to find some way to tie this all together: A few years ago I had the greatest professor in the history of teaching. He taught philosophy at my old college and changed my way of thinking so much that I ended up taking three classes with him and dropping everything else I was taking. I went through a minor breakdown because I realized how much more there was in the world that I wasn't taking advantage of and suddenly decided that everything I was doing in my life was completely worthless. During this time, my professor seemed like a beacon of light. Of course it's important to mention that I thought of him the way any good student should think of a teacher, like a well respected, crazy uncle who you enjoy seeing a couple times a week. He was such an awesome older man who always had a snapple bottle on hand and a large rimmed hat. He was the coolest and smartest teacher I've ever had to this day.

ANYWAY, one day I went to his office merely to ask him what kind of music he liked. He laughed and answered with something to the effect of, "Umm, it changes a lot but right now I listen to a lot of The Eagles, Johnny Cash, and America in the car."

It made my day! Granted, I was 19 years old then and a lot braver but it was the best response I could have asked for - exactly like something I would say.

At the end of my final semester with him, I wrote him a two page letter (because I'm crazy) explaining how much he had affected my life with his intelligence and compassion. And he really had. He wrote back with some of the kindest words I've ever been fortunate enough to read. He was truly one of a kind. Just like a kooky uncle. He was even the first person I told when I decided to move to West Virginia with an old boyfriend. It's such a rare joy to find someone whose opinion you hold in the highest regard. Maybe I would be making better choices to this day if I were still seeking his advice.

So, I think I got off track but I guess my point is that when you have innocent thoughts of family-type love for a person, it's easier to express than when you google 'teacher crushes' like you're literally 12 years old and can't even speak in the presence of someone. Of course, for any other intensely crazy person who may have found this on a whim, let me state that all the google information out there is worth exploring. Most claim that young girls, which I can still characterize myself as, feel this way because they are looking for something a bit more dynamic and sophisticated than they find in the folks their own age and crave the attention of someone incredibly passionate and intellectual. Si.

To add my own hypothesis, I would say that a large dose of boredom must come into play as well. I am bored right now and don't have any great ventures to speak of. Yes, the Paul McCartney concert is coming up next month but that doesn't evoke a feeling of excitement in my soul. I like my heart to race a little.

Recently, I even considered creating a separate website dedicated to relationships. Even if you love your significant other, it's tough to feel the right way all the time when you're going through the motions and the day to day stuff together. You need something on the outside to fantasize about and get your motor running, so to speak. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Just like a great song you want to be a part of, most fantasies are purely fun and innocent. No need to feel guilty about them (which I should tell myself more often).

It's actually quite disturbing that in 2009 young people are still made to feel bad about attraction and desire. It is the most natural instinct you could possibly feel. I must be in some sort of prime right now because I have been feeling this more than ever in the past few months. It's important to me. No one is young forever and I don't want my youth wasted. It's the only precious thing I have.

Sorry this wasn't really about music but who hasn't pictured a devastatingly attractive person sitting in a room alone somewhere listening to Sade's "Sweetest Taboo" just waiting for you to enter?

Hopefully not just me.