Friday, March 23, 2007

Friday Five: Five songs I cannot stop listening to*

There's a music meme going around lately, wherein you're supposed to list seven (or more, if you're Poppy) songs that you're particularly into right now. I honestly cannot think of seven songs on my must-hear list, mostly because aside from when I'm at the gym, I am primarily a radio gal, and the radio station I listen to** makes a deep and concerted effort to avoid frequent repetition of the same songs multiple times a day (or even a week). With that sort of variety, it's hard to fixate on any one thing too much. That said, however, here are five songs to which I currently cannot stop listening.


  1. Another Train (The Poozies) - I had never heard of The Poozies (They do not even have a Wikipedia page! Even my neighbor has a Wikipedia page! But that's a story for a different time...), but my good friend Guinness Girl included this song as the lead track on the famous GG mix she wrote about a while back, and I immediately fell in love with it. I have memorized all but approximately three words of the lyrics (which are awesome, by the way... not just the three words I keep forgetting, I mean, but all of the lyrics combined), and I routinely belt them out in my car, onlookers be-damned. I am a terrible singer, and yet, this is such an easy song to sing along with, I can actually fancy myself (briefly, anyway) a pitch-perfect harmonizer. Also, I cannot listen to this song just one time through. I am entirely incapable of that sort of moderation. Instead, I wait for the final note and then immediately hit the "Back" button on my CD player to start it over again. Yes, I drive alone 99% of the time. Why do you ask?

  2. Pull Shapes (The Pipettes) - This one was also on the GG mix, but it's in regular rotation on the radio now as well. Each time I hear it, I feel like teasing my hair into a bouffant and going to a sock hop, and for some reason, that makes me smile.

  3. Party Hard (Andrew W.K.) - I know. I KNOW! Andrew W.K.? Really?? Yes, really. I am not a 19-year-old frat boy, and I wouldn't ordinarily pay any attention to someone who names his album I Get Wet (Ewww!) nor who includes on that album three (yes, three!) songs with the word "Party" in the title (one of which also includes the word "Puke," no less... again, ewww). But this song? How can you listen to this song and not move your body immediately? I am not a runner... If I go for the treadmill rather than the elliptical at the gym, it's generally for a brisk walk with maybe some brief jogging intervals mixed in (no more than four minutes at a time, and no faster than 5.2 mph). With this song on my not-iPod last week, though, I made it up to 5.8 mph, just so I could pound my feet with the fast and steady beat of the song, and I kept it at that pace for the full duration of the track. This is seriously my new favorite workout song. I don't care what anyone else says. Also, the fact that I am currently in love with this ridiculous song brings me peace in some strange way... It's a song I completely forgot about, because it's included on a "Rock mix" that I stopped listening to because my ex-boyfriend made it for me. That I can now listen to that mix without any hard feelings or sad associations is progress, I believe. And the fact that Andrew W.K. is who got me thinking about this? Well, hey, maybe he is a deep and serious thinker after all.*** Who knew?

  4. How to Save a Life (The Fray) - I hadn't listened to this album in a while, but when I called it up again the other day, I found that, much like the song in #1 above, I can't listen to this track just once without immediately backing up and hearing it over again. Yes, it's a little old by now. Yes, I still love it. So what.

  5. LDN (Lily Allen) - I don't even know what the hell "LDN" means (someone fill me in, please?), but every time this song comes on when I'm at home, I have to stop whatever I'm doing and dance around my living room. And not even good dancing. Not dancing that is in any way fit for public viewing. It involves a lot of ridiculous bopping. There may even be some kicking and leaping. Remember the infamous Elaine dance on Seinfeld? Yeah, she's got nothing on me.

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    Edit: OK, apparently I should do some research before I ask questions for which the answers are readily available. LDN = London. Duh.
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OK, now it's your turn... What song do you have on constant rewind/loop these days?


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* Yes, I know I am risking having my Poppy Award revoked for ending a post title with a preposition, but we'll call it artistic license, OK? (Much like the topic itself is artistic license, as I am not literally playing any of these songs over and over with the sort of irrational insistence on repetition usually reserved for three-year-olds...)

** Oh, how I heart you, The Current. Whatever did I do before you came along? Please don't ever leave me.

*** Credit to Malia for pointing me to this in her sidebar-blog a while back.




19 comments:

3carnations said...

I won't pretend that I'm familiar with any of those other than No. 4.

The Wiggles is the main music at our house, but other than that, recently I've been listening to Rascal Flatts "Feels Like Today" (the whole CD on shuffle...I'm nothing if not random), and I recently put it Indigo Girls "Rite of Passage" because I was reminded of it by someone's blog posting. I haven't listened to that in many years...

Anonymous said...

I cannot take "Young Folks" by Peter Bjorn and John off repeat! Goddamn if it isn't the catchiest thing ever.

And for the Pipettes, I love "Pull Shapes," but I find "Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me" even catchier!

lizgwiz said...

I don't know any of those songs. I prefer to think that it's not because I'm old, but because the only radio station I listen to is NPR (not just because I'm a snob, but because most of the radio stations here suck ass), and the only music I buy is generally of the acoustic/folk genre. I suppose I should really branch out more, but I don't have time to keep up with the artists I already love--why add more? It only frustrates me.

metalia said...

Hee! I also fell in love with "Another Train" from GG's mix!

-R- said...

Andrew WK? Oh, Stefanie. That is all I have to say.

Stefanie said...

3Cs--I have to get "Rites of Passage" on CD. I have it only on tape, which means I'm not apt to listen to it, well, ever.

Nabb--They've been playing Peter Bjorn and John on The Current (my radio station) lately, but I can't recall which song. I should investigate this recommendation further...

Liz--I know what you mean. I rarely keep up on what's new anymore either, because I found my comfortable little niche years ago and never bothered to branch out. Once in a while, I feel inspired to try to remedy that, though. (For the record, #2 and #5 in this list are the only songs that I'd consider actually "current.")

Metalia--Yay! :-) Great song, right?

R--I know, I know. Didn't I qualify that one enough, though, in my explanation?? Besides that, have you heard it?? It is a fun song. If you heard it, you could not deny it. Don't be such a music snob. ;-)

3carnations said...

When I first got that CD, a friend of mine who was from Minnesota, but living in NY and a little homesick heard the song Ghost. Completely based on the line "The Mississippi's mighty; it starts in Minnesota..." she purchased it.

You Minnesotans...love to hear your state name in a song, I guess. ;)

Stefanie said...

3Cs--As yes. I'm very familiar with that line. Ever since I heard it, I've wanted to go to that "place that you can walk across [the river] with five steps down." Apparently it's in a state park a few hours north of here, and I have been trying to convince people to go camping there with me for about six summers now. Maybe THIS year! :-)

3carnations said...

I should give you my friend's number...Although since she's back in Minnesota now, she might be "over" the song. :)

Poppy said...

Well, that saves me from having to tell you what LDN means. :D Do you feel like the only person on the planet not to get that? I think it's one of those things you have to say out loud...

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness! I'd never even heard of The Pipettes before this week, but on Monday I drove 7 long hours to L.A. to see The Fratellis at the Troubadour, and The Pipettes were one of the opening bands. What a funny coincidence. If you ever get the chance to see them live, I highly recommend it. So fun! Oh, and if you ever find the Fratellis in your neck of the woods, run, don't walk, to the nearest ticket vendor. They are so, so good!

Anonymous said...

Great songs! I cannot stop listening to the entire Mat Kearney CD and I could listen to "Sounds" by Earlimart over and over. Actually, I do. Also, I agree 100% re The Fray. I have a feeling that this will go down with Sarah McLaughlin's CD (I forget the title - whatever "Possession" was on) in the History of CDs One Can Pick Up At Random Moments In The Future And Will Still Love Just As Much.

don't call me MA'AM said...

I went to all three shows of my daughter's high school musical last weekend... so the majority of songs in my head are Seussical songs. Gah. Please no more!

I was going to start listing my faves here, but you've given me a reason for a post. ;-)

Twanna A. Hines | FUNKYBROWNCHICK.com said...

Wait ... Lemme look at the list again ... Yep, just what I thought: I don't know *any* of these songs. :)

Red said...

Whee! Thanks for the music recommendations.

Stefanie said...

Poppy--I don't know if I'm the only person not to have gotten that right away, but I AM definitely ashamed of myself for not thinking to Wikipedia it!

Tiredofkim--Hi! The Pippettes do sound like they'd be fun live, and thanks for the Fratellis recommendation. I'll have to check them out.

JN--Sarah McLaughlin, for whatever reason, doesn't still hold that same power for me, but I definitely have albums that do, so I know exactly what you mean. Thanks for the other recommendations, too!

DCMM--Glad to be able to prompt a post idea. :-)

FunkyB--Hee. That's OK. I didn't know half of them on Poppy's list, either.

Red--No problem. :-)

Anonymous said...

Word on "LDN." Lily Allen is one of the best things about 2007 so far.

I have to second Nabbalicious' "Young Folks" recommendation. It started with me playing it over and over again, and then she started playing it over and over again. Some days we play our two copies right on top of each other and just stare at each other and whistle.

Stargazer said...

ok the ones that were on repeat play on my ipod before I misplaced it were:

Move along--All American Rejects

I Like What You Say--Nada Surf (found this from the surprisingly good "John Tucker Must Die soundtrack)

Sunset lover--Josh Kelly (also from JTMD soundtrack)

Work it out--Jurassic 5 featuring Dave Matthews

Various others but these were at the top of my head.

Stefanie said...

Darren--Heh. The things you two crazy kids do to amuse yourselves...

Stargazer--I never would have thought to pick up the soundtrack from that particular movie, but then, I think the soundtrack to "The Last Kiss" would be good despite the movie being sub-par, so I will have to believe you on that. :-)