On Earphone III

We're back with a special report on what is happening in the car. We have always allocated space in the disc changer for some of those kids cd's that alleviate the continual questioning and occasional whining. A great phenomena really turn on some music and bring on the sing-a-long and restored balance to your moving vehicle. You've probably got your own favorites so I won't bore you with the details of ours except to say they haven't left the car in years but now we're moving on, making space for some new tunes. Going to miss a few classic like "Say Hello"--did you know "in Vietnam its CHOW BANG that means hello to you" but not the ones that sound like records playing too fast, annoying. Anyway, for whatever reason William is enthralled with music and I have been rebuffed from my usual muses(He responded to a story on NPR recently saying "Is that happening in our World? That's not good".

The progression into proper music has been fascinating specifically as it relates to the song selection. So it is that in the catalog of great Wilco songs that Candy Floss strikes a chord, who knows why. Similarly, Coldplay's "Viva la Veda" and Andrew Bird's "Fake Palindromes" plus those songs picked up at school such as Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" and "Rockin Robin" learned specifically for the unattended Spring Show a tribute to MJ. So it is that the moment we are all strapped in and I make a play for the radio he says can we listen to the sheep song--Andrew Bird(a reference to the album cover). More than one tear has been shed when my song gets to play first or we sit in the car in the driveway waiting for a song to finish. I do my best to introduce a new tune I think might interest him generally to no avail. Finally, what makes listening to the same song over again and again? The hilarious recital not of the actual lyrics but what a five year old has glimmered them to be which is to say nothing that even remotely resembles any words in the English dictionary except the odd word or two. Of course that and the increasing dancing, like when we pass a saxophonist at the airport and any other time music can be heard, make it all a good laugh.

On to the playlist....As usual the first track is always the toughest to set but the primary consideration is always a feel good song. The rest fall into place more or less arbitrarily....

Up from Below--Edward Sharpe and the Manetic Zeros
Float On--Modest Mouse
Kind of Blue--Miles Davis for lazy sunny rides
James-Camera Obscura
The High Road--Broken Bells could be any number of songs album is awesome
With God on Our Side---Bob Dylan
Poisoning Pigeons in the Park---Tom Lehrer, musical satire at its best
March of the Zapotec--Beirut
Stars of Leo--M Ward
Hallelujah--Jeff Buckley--because Buckley's is better than that guy who won American Idol and now it is on top of Itunes chart
A Feel Good Song--Patrick Gronholm & Matthew Gronholm--It's a feel good song
The Usual Mistakes debut album Feel This