In keeping with our policy of staying on the cutting edge of technology, Kayne has begun using a newfangled gadget called an iPod.Perhaps you’ve heard of it.
As near as I can figure, hers has the capacity to hold pretty much all the music recorded since 1927. She has been endeavoring to stock it with songs from our own collection, supplemented by borrowings from the local library. Today I notice that includes the soundtrack of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
I gave her the iPod. Now, I’m envious. I want my own. And my own, separate iTunes library.
Because while there is some overlap in our taste (Prine, Hiatt, Clapton and Delbert, among others), there are also significant departures. My iPod will not include Depeche Mode or Abba, for example. Hers will not include Conway Twitty or Ricky Nelson.
Nor do I need as much capacity. But even a relatively modest 8 gig version has room for 2,000 songs. And after the requisite 200 or so Beatle songs, my must-haves tail off.
So I started making a list of potential others: Dave Clark 5. Elvis. Kinks. Doors. Simon & Garfunkel. Amy Winehouse. (Hey, I’m not all retro.) Linda Ronstadt. Animals. Byrds. Everly Brothers. Sam Cooke. Cat Stevens. Carole King. Bob Marley. Who. Police. Robert Palmer. (O.K., I’m almost all retro.)
Might I be the only guy who would have the Monkees, but no Stones? Herman’s Hermits, but no Springsteen? Gary Lewis and the Playboys, but no Dylan?
O.K., maybe some Dylan.
And if I feel obliged to fill to capacity, where do I draw the line? Would Three Dog Night make my cut? Grand Funk? The Grass Roots? Bloodrock? How deep would I have to go before including the Indigo Girls? What in the world could qualify as my 1,975th favorite song, for Pete’s sake? Something by Neil Sedaka? Paul Revere and the Raiders? Devo?
Somehow I suspect I’ll find out. Just as Kayne may be on her way to deciding what is her 19,750th favorite song.
And I don’t think Judy Collins will make either list.
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Excellent taste, Joe.
ReplyDeleteRemember to add some podcasts, too. I subscribe to a couple of philosophy sites - worth checking out - and you can also download speeches, audio books, etc.
And you gotta have some Dylan.
Hi Joe, please tell my friend Kayne that there is a sad fact of life about iPods when you get to my age (and I am maybe a few years older than she is). You suddenly discover the sheer folly of a 20GB hard drive. Even if in your long life you have amassed enough good taste in music to fill such impressive storage space, it would take you years of your life - and perhaps a few weeks after your own demise - to actually listen to the contents of an entirely filled iPod of such magnitude.
ReplyDeleteSort of puts a whole new spin on mortality, eh?
Joe, worked with you for years and never knew you were a Ricky Nelson fan. Good taste! I gotta ask -- what's your favorite hit, and your favorite "deep catalog" obscurity?
ReplyDeleteI only go "deep catalog" for the Beatles ("Soldier of Love" is one favorite). I'm a standard Ricky fan, can't help singing along with "Travelin' Man," "Poor Little Fool" and "Lonesome Town," to name a few. But it's "Hello Mary Lou" that actually makes me wish I could dance.
ReplyDeleteObviously my list STARTS with Devo...but then, you probably knew that!
ReplyDelete