Ever since I've been writing this blog I've gotten scores of e-mails from people thanking me for my funny and insightful posts. But they always wanted to know more about who I am as a person, for example, what kind of music I like. Ok, so that is a big fat lie. Unless you count a couple of spammers, I've never gotten an e-mail from anyone. In fact, besides my mother (hi mom!), I'm not sure that anyone actually regularly reads this blog. It's also probably quite likely no one really gives two hoots what my music taste is, but what the hay? Afterall, this is my blog. I recently put together a playlist on YouTube of my top fifteen songs for 2010 which I thought I'd share with you tonight as well as the reason I chose each song. Play them in order if you want to get a feel for what I listen to while I'm doing the dishes.Song Number One: Little Green Apples, Roger Miller
*Because Roger Miller is most famous for wacky hits like King of the Road, but he also wrote a lot of touching ballads like this one*
Song Number Two: Waltz for Debby, Bill Evans
*Because I love Bill Evans. Love, love, love.*
Song Number Three: Attraction, Paris Combo
*Because Paris Combo is oh-so-much fun and I wish I was at the seaside where they shot the video right now...*
Song Number Four: Im 80. Stockwerk, Hildegard Knef
*Because, although this German actress mainly sang Schlager, she had a bad-ass, killer voice.*
Song Number Five: Jimmy, Moriarty
*Because how can you not like French/American folk?*
Song Number Six: Se tu m'ami, Pergolesi (Cecelia Bartoli)
*Because the Italian Art Songs are the fare of all beginning classical singers meaning you forget how beautiful they really are. Thank you, Cecelia Bartoli for reminding us with this recording you made towards the beginning of your career.*
Song Number Seven: There Stand The Glass, sung by Jake Generalli
*Because I had to move to another continent before I realized how cool classic country can be. This country song is sung by the unsigned singer Jake Generalli who lives in Portland (hence the rain in the background...)*
Song Number Eight: Casta Diva from the opera Norma, Bellini (Maria Callas)
*Because, even though I'm not a soprano, I have to admit this is one of the best arias ever written (and very difficult to sing) performed by one of the greatest divas ever.*
Song Number Nine: La Noyee, Serge Gainsbourg
*Because Serge Gainsbourg had that amazing French way of being totally sexy even though he wasn't actually all that attractive. This song is also apparently un track rare.*
Song Number Ten: Wayfaring Stranger, (Roy Hynes)
*Because although the video is amazingly cheesy and I've never heard of Roy Hynes (though apparently he's quite big in Newfoundland), this spirtual folk song is amazingly moving.*
Song Number Eleven: Bei Mir Bist Du Schön, (Zarah Leander)
*Because Zarah Leander, a German film star sings this yiddish song in her native tongue, Swedish.*
Song Number Twelve: Oo-De-Lally, Roger Miller
*Because I seem to be having a Roger Miller thing these days.*
Song Number Thirteen: Sixteen Tons, Tenessee Ernie Ford
*Because my dad used to sing this song to us when we were kids. Even though he passed away almost two years ago, I still think of him every day.*
Song Number Fourteen: Gnossienne N0. 3, Erik Satie
*Because Satie will always be one of my favorite composers.*
Song Number Fifteen: Ein Hotdog Unter Am Hafen, Element of Crime
*Because, in general, I don't really like any German bands but Element of Crime is an exception.*
If you have your own list, please do send it my way (you could even send me an e-mail. ;) ) It's always great to discover new music.
4 comments:
Hello! New to your blog. Actually, I'm new to my own blog. Yeah, there is another one I use for family stuff, but Neptune Blue is supposed to be just for me in the new year. Hmm... I'll see how that goes.
I thought Paris Combo was indeed FUN! Hoping to stop back again and visit, if that's alright.
Great! Thanks for stopping by and definitely do come back. :) I'll also take a look at your blog.
I loved the Hildegarde song so much I just bought it off itunes as I'm visiting Berlin for the weekend in a couple of weeks and fancied it for the theme tune to my stay. Thanks for sharing your eclectic choices - I really enjoyed them. What does Schlager mean?
Have been trawling your Berlin guide for ideas of places to visit and I wanted to thank you for the massive effort; it's really great to have tips from an 'insider'. Deborah
I'm glad you liked the guide. I really had fun writing it. As to what Schlager is, it's sort of hard to explain. Sort of like folk/country/pop with canned background music. The Schlager they had in the 60s was sometimes pretty good (something like the Monkees would be the English language equivalent of the better stuff). Now it's pretty cheesy. Girls in dirndls singing in a thin voice while walking in the Black Forest, that kind of thing. Maybe I'll see if I can find some good videos and then write a post on it. :)
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