As I work to construct a new set of six MP3 disks for the six-CD changer in my car (an annual chore), I am going through my iTunes library and culling the songs I don’t like, adding new songs, and thinking about what I’ll like in the future. Each disk will hold about 700MB of data, which is about 140 or so songs. The six disks make up the core of my musical listening in my car, and I can add new stuff just by plugging an MP3 player into the “aux” jack on the front panel. But it’s nice to have those 800 or so songs on board, ready for my listening pleasure.
As I listen and edit, I think about my favorite songs, today, last week, last year, in college, and so on. So, here are some top lists for movies and songs. (I worked on this entry for close to two weeks, and finally just decided it would never really be finished.)
Some of the songs I am listening to this year, not in any order:
- Spinning (extended version), Balligomingo
- Sharp Knife, Third Eye Blind
- Life in Mono, Mono
- Too Late, M83
- Like Her, Mandalay
- Satellite, BT
- Beautiful, Mandalay
- Hide and Seek, Imogen Heap
- Into the Fire, Thirteen Senses
- Red Star, Third Eye Blind
- Center of the Sun, Conjure One
Top all time songs, not in any order:
- Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd
- Ten Years Gone, Led Zeppelin
- Crystal Baller, Third Eye Blind
- Is that what Everybody Wants, Cliff Martinez
- Of the Backworldsmen, Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 – 02. Von Den Hinterweltlern, Richard Strauss
- Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You, Stevie Nicks
- Wild Horses, The Sundays
- Don’t Go Away, Toad the Wet Sprocket
- Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning), Vertical Horizon
- America, Simon and Garfunkel
- I’m In You, Peter Frampton
- To Wish Impossible Things, The Cure
- Late October, Brian Eno
My favorite song by a band you’ve never heard because it’s just a buddy of mine in Austin and a couple of his friends, but it kicks ass:
- How to Choke, Hallelujah Crowd
Favorite movies, not in any order:
- Black Hawk Down
- Stardust Memories
- Interiors
- High Fidelity
- Fight Club
- Andromeda Strain
- No Country for Old Men
- Brokeback Mountain
- Altered States
- The Breakfast Club
- Gandhi
- Schindler’s List
- Unforgiven
- Lawrence of Arabia
- The Right Stuff
- The Age of Innocence
- Love and Death
- Natural Born Killers
- Apocalypse Now
- Allegro non Troppo
- Pink Floyd’s The Wall
- Vanishing Point
- Reds
Okay, Richard, what’s up? No Beatles songs, no Star Wars movies?
Making lists like these is a little like making a tape for girl you’re trying to impress.
Great images (especially the guitar), but that is to be expected from Richard Barron. The failure to include “A Mighty Wind” on your short list of favorite movies, ESPECIALLY from a guy who played clarinet (never mind that the clarinet was not a “folky” instrument) does, however, come as a surprise.
I will happily admit (and make no apology for the fact) that my taste in movies is strongly skewed toward the comedic side of life, and I realize that a mock-umentary may not be as “highbrow” as some of the movies on your list, but “A Mighty Wind” delivers new delights every time I watch it. The script, the sets, the subtle nuances delivered by a SUPERB cast, keeps this DVD close to the top of my collection at all times.
I own a copy of ‘Vanishing Point,’ thanks to your recommendation. Check out ‘Warm Water Under a Red Bridge’ sometime if you get a chance, it’s one of my all-time favorites.
Speaking of the Hallelujah Crowd, Jer’s new band is called She, Sir. Really, really good stuff. They have myspace/facebook/ect. pages if you’d like to hear ’em.