I'm awake and trying to divert myself enough to be able to go to sleep, and was reading Ms Rosie's latest entry about creating a list of songs as a Christmas present.
Since I'm awake and looking for something to do, here's a little something from me of songs that I'm either digging right now, or have loved forever. I am no genius of the mix CD, so these are going to be in questionable order at best. I also can't vouch that any of them are of the best quality as videos, but hope you enjoy 'em.
Jack Penate - Torn on the Platform
I kinda wish I could've put his "Run For Your Life" on here instead, but I can't find the full version of it. I substituted with this because the video is cute and clever.
Sara Bareilles - Gravity
She and I have the same range, and she sounds the way I do in my head, as opposed to thin and unsupported the way I actually sound. So, I really love her stuff because it's not total drek that I can actually sing along with. And I love the way she sings the word "down"- you'll know what I mean when you hear it.
Jim Noir - Eanie Meany
You might remember this from an Adidas commercial that ran during the last World Cup. I was so taken with it that I looked up the lyrics to find it (wouldn't it be great if commercials that borrow music had to actually say what said music was?). This song rarely fails to make me smile.
George Harrison - Give Me Love
I firmly believe that this song should be listened to at the highest possible volumes. George has sort of grown into holding the spot of my favourite Beatle because I think he's the one I might have liked best if I'd known him in real life. For this reason I know a lot about him, but I don't actually know much of his solo work.
Neil Gaiman - Instructions
Not a song, no, but a poem. And here it is being read with a wonderful and witty introduction by the author. I will heartily admit that I love Mr. Gaiman and if I should ever get to hang out with him, I will die supremely happy.
Loreena McKennitt - The Bonny Swans
This video actually used to play very late at night on PBS to fill air time after a short Dr. Who, or that sort of thing, and I was fascinated by it. I once re-wrote it as a more Grimmsian fairy tale.
Mary Hopkins - Those Were the Days
I grew up around music, but, strangely, I never cared for anything that wasn't kid songs. I was maybe four years old when I heard this song on the car radio. I remember what intersection we were stopped at. It was strange, years later, to discover that this is one of my father's favourite songs as well.
Simon and Garfunkel - For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her
And this is the second one, the song that, in sixth grade, started me on Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, Donovan, and pretty much any other "adult" music I've ever listened to.
Samuel Barber Adagio for Strings
I won't say that I have a preference for any particular director or recording, because, really, my favourite was the year my high school chamber ensemble did this for contest. They rehearsed before school, and I loved to sit in the dark at the back of the auditorium and listen to them. I wish the city's youth symphony had done this one so I could've played it. (It certainly would've made up for the number of times I've played Canon in D.)
Joe Raposo - Little Things
Joe Raposo wrote and preformed a lot of the early Sesame Street songs. This is my favourite of his songs, and possibly of all Sesame Street songs ever.
Moulin Rouge - Elephant Love MedleyThe Boy and I sing this in duet; he takes Ewan's part and I take hers. It's one of the few songs we both like that we can both sing to.
The Beatles - Hey Bulldog
This isn't my favourite Beatles song, but it's probably the lesser known song I like the best. I don't know why.
Jimi Hendrix - The Wind Cries Mary
There's something in this song, and I don't know what it is yet.
Sweeney Todd - My Friends
I like the movie version of Sweeney Todd because I don't like Angela Lansbury, but there's something about Johnny Depp (about whom I don't share the attachment to him most of the female sex has), particularly here, that I really enjoy. He's very conversational, which brings out what's so conversational about Steven Sondheim's lyrics anyway.
Lucy Knisley - Preventative Plans for the Paranormal
Upwardly rising cartoonist and ukulele playing chick singing a cute little song about what to do in case aliens invade (I think this is a high school project). I love this little ditty.
That makes for a nice round 15, and I'm getting tired and not on the right computer to look for any more that I particularly want to share. Perhaps look for a follow up later, and maybe I will actually devote one next month sometime to Christmas music.