Songs One-Hundred Fourteen and Fifteen

Ah, a day off. By off, I, of course, mean that I took the kids to school, ran to the grocery store, cleaned the house, worked on the book, and then--finally--had some "me" time to watch several TIVO'd 8th & Oceans (best non-reality reality show ever!) and Gilmore Girlses. I'm also keeping an eye on an auction for a Coach briefcase. I really thought I had worked through my lust for this bag by going to the Coach store and breathing in the uber-expensive leather, but then this week, I attended a coupla days of meetings with our mayor and espied her Coach briefcase. The exact one I have always wanted. Now, like a moth to a flame, I've fallen off the Coach-wagon. Well, we'll see what develops. So, before throwing the ol' flank steak on the George Foreman, I wanted to start catching up on some tunes. Song 114 is "Nature Anthem" by Grandaddy, which I think is also on the Commercial iMix. It's a sway in your seat celebration of all things groovy. The singer would like "to walk up the side of the mountain," which I did once in Wales--quite invigorating. The song kind of accumulates activities throughout, perhaps making it a great campfire singalong. This is truly hypothetical as I am philosophically opposed to camping--though I think my grandaddy was a camper. The song is fun and fresh. Song 115 is "Bang, Bang to the Rock and Roll" by Gabin. This has a rev'd up, quasi-continental feel. Did you ever notice that almost every song with "rock and roll" in the title is from not-America? Gabin is an Italian conglomerate--though not one involving any distaff Agnellis as far as I can tell. I can picture people dancing to this whilst either clapping or snapping. The drums themselves have an artificial clap to them. The song is processed and big headphone-cool.

I also wanted to stop to pause. Now that I've listened to songs by over 100 artists, I find that a few have really stuck with me. One is the Weepies, "World Spins Madly On." I recently made it through a few trying meetings by replaying it over in my mind. I would definitely buy more of their stuff. Music really is wonderfully powerful.

250 to go.