11.07.2006

My Life as a Soundtrack

Don't normally do memes, but this one struck a chord with me, mostly because it's about music, and also because when I started to go through the songs for each stage of my life, some amazing coincidences occurred. Too coincidental for me not to share you all. For what it's worth, I didn't cheat -- these songs actually came up in the order shown below. Here goes:

If your life were a soundtrack, what would the music be?

Here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, winamp, media player, iPod).
2. Put it on shuffle.
3. Press play.
4. For every question, type the song that's playing.
5. New question-- press the next button.
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool.


Opening credits:
"Night of the Living Baseheads" Public Enemy

Waking up:
"Going Out West" Tom Waits

First day at school:
"Love and Peace or Else" U2

Falling in love:
"Run" Soul Position
(Pretty much sums up my love life during my early years.)

Breaking up:
"Dignity & Shame" Crooked Fingers
(What a wild coincidence here! Again -- all too telling.)

Prom:
"Babalu" Yma Sumac

Life's okay:
"Everything Is Everything" Lauryn Hill

Mental breakdown:
"Raspberry Beret (extended version)" Prince & the Revolution
(Nothing like a little Prince to get me through any sort of mental state I'm currently in.)

Driving:
"Feelin' Alright" Traffic
(I mean, c'mon -- TRAFFIC? For the "Driving" section? This was just too creepy for me!)

Flashback:
"Downtown" Petula Clark
(Ha! Nothing like a flashback song for a flashback.)

Getting back together:
"Paint It Black" Rolling Stones
(Hmmm...more truth being told here?)

Wedding:
"Fool Says" M. Ward
(Let's hope this isn't true. After 12 years it's been a pretty good run so far.)

Birth of child:
"Naked As We Came" Iron & Wine
(Yeah. This was what came up. I'm not kidding. I know. I'm freaking out too.)

Final battle:
"Valentine Heart" Tanita Takiram
(Very anti-climatic. Oh well. Can't win them all.)

Death scene:
"Elvis Presley & America" U2

Funeral song:
"Do Right Woman Do Right Man" Aretha Franklin
(Well, I have to say that Aretha singing for my funeral isn't all bad.)

End credits:
"Relax" Frankie Goes to Hollywood
(Nothing like a little retro 80's to take people out of the auditorium.)

So there ya go. Something fun for this cold, rainy day. I'd love to see what comes up for your life soundtrack. Post them in the comments and share with us. In the meantime, I'm tagging three: Jared (because he's got an nothing better to do), Johnny (because of the same reason), and Sister Amy (because she needs to get her head out of her daily novel writin'). Get to it, guys!

Be sure to check out wifey's, too.

14 comments:

  1. What the hell do you do if you're an old fart without an ipod? I guess I could just toss some CD's in the air and whatever lands on my head...ah, nuts!

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  2. You're so old skool! Well, do you have some music in your computer? Try that. No? Oh, well. I dunno. Sorry.

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  3. Ha ha neat game... The Life of Steve Below

    Opening credits:
    A change is gonna come soon - Sam Cooke

    Waking up:
    Reprise and Farewell - Rocky and His Friends (<-- classic kiddie record!)

    First day at school:
    Prison Food - Ben Folds
    (ha ha i did hate school!)

    Falling in love:
    Horn Intro - Modest Mouse
    (...er...)

    Breaking Up:
    When We're alone - Harry James
    (oh! fittin!)

    Prom:
    Take Five - Dave Brubeck Quarrtet

    Life's okay:
    Winding Stream - Johnny Cash

    Mental breakdown:
    Nightingale - Nora Jones

    Driving:
    Do I Hear You Saying "I Love You"? - Vincent Lopez & His Casa Lopez Orchestra

    Flashback:
    Playing Love - Ennio Morricone

    Getting back together:
    Sing Me A Baby Song - Sam Lanin & His Famous Players

    Wedding:
    Artistry in Rhythm - Stan Kenton

    Birth of child:
    Heaven's Just a Sin Away - The Kendalls
    (ha ha...)

    Final battle:
    You'll never walk alone - Frank Sinatra
    (this would be a very interesting song for a final battle)

    Death scene:
    Oh Good Grief - Vince Guaraldi
    (... rats...)

    Funeral song:
    Southern Anthem - Iron & Wine

    End credits:
    My Ideal - Jackie Gleason
    (have a stiff drink pal, it's all over)

    Best,
    Steve

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  4. not bad exercise.

    Here's the Life of Andre C.

    Opening credits:
    Rex Garvin And The Mighty Cravers - Strange Happenings
    (from David Holmes' mix album Come Get It I Got It) Not bad as Holmes is one of my favorite film contemporary film composers. good way to start my "soundtrack"

    Waking up:
    Hit the Floor - Breakestra
    (if i was looking for an energetic beginning to a day this would be it. a nice throw back to my early west coast hip hop-loving days)

    First day at school:
    Hotel California - The Eagles
    (fells like this would be best suited for a cameron crowe scene)

    Falling in love:
    Mamblues - Cal Tjader

    Breaking up:
    Groove Me - King Floyd
    (in this context the song becomes tragic)

    Prom:
    Loving You - "Various"
    (damn downloaded tracks. never filling out the proper artist info. the track is from a mix cd Thes One from People Under the Stairs made for guests at his wedding. funky track that i would have liked to have heard at my prom. didn't go though so maybe it was played. doubt it.)

    Life's okay:
    No Moon At All - Brad Mehldau Trio
    (very smooth and soothing.)

    Mental breakdown:
    The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole (from the 2046 Soundtrack)
    (umm...ok i guess christmas has led to more craziness than i'd like)

    Driving:
    Do Whatever Sets You Free - Gus Giordano

    Flashback:
    Endless Endless - Kraftwerk
    (nuff said. Kraftwerk will not be forgotten)

    Getting back together:
    Now We're One - Isaac Hayes
    (yep good match.)

    Wedding:
    Rip Rip - David Holmes (from the Out of Sight Soundtrack)
    (begins with dialogue that would probably not be appropriate at a wedding. funky track though)

    Birth of child:
    She's Lost Control - Joy Division
    (you can take whatever meaning from this you like)

    Final battle:
    The Lovecats - The Cure

    Death scene:
    Out of Reach - Mellow
    (I hope I won't be reaching this for a while. ha)

    Funeral song:
    World of Pain - Cream
    (enough said)

    End credits:
    When I Look in Your Eyes - OutKast
    (not bad end credit track. up beat and fun)

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  5. The Life of a humble Charlie Brown. Thanks this was a nice trip down through the years for me.


    Opening credits:
    “Loving her was easier” Willie Nelson
    In retrospect this song is perfect for my mother. I lost her at a early age. The song has a line that says. “I have seen the morning burning golden on the mountain in the skies
    Aching with the feeling of the freedom of an eagle when she flies” She was buried at a cemetery called Sunshine Ridge.

    Waking up:
    “Rosie” Tom Waits
    “Well I'm sitting on a windowsill, blowing my horn” sounds like something I would do.

    First day at school:
    “Because” The Beatles
    This is getting a little freaky. I really am not cheating. But this is a perfect description of how my mind must have been that first day of school.
    “Because the world is round it turns me on
    Because the world is round...aaaaaahhhhhh”

    Falling in love:
    “I shall not be moved” Johnny Cash
    Even though I was married I am not sure that I ever truly loved.
    “I shall not be moved”

    Breaking up:
    “My girls Pussy” R. Crumb and his cheap suit serenaders
    I hope that I can post the P word. Lol

    Prom:
    “Primary” The Cure
    My Prom was in 86 I guess I need to say no more.

    Life's okay:
    “Blue Turk” Alice Cooper
    My friend gave me this collection. I had never listened to this before now.
    ” I'm lazy
    You know it
    I'm ready for the second show
    Amazin
    Thing growin
    Just waitin for the juice to flow” Sounds kinda cool.

    Mental breakdown:
    “One Hundred years” The Cure
    Wow kind of eirrie. Here are some lyrics
    “It doesn't matter if we all die
    Ambition in the back of a black car
    In a high building there is so much to do
    Going home time
    A story on the radio”

    Driving:
    Blue Rock Montana/Red Headed Stranger
    I could listen to this driving through the country twilight on some old back road, smoking a cigarette.

    Flashback:
    “Watch her disappear” Tom Waits
    This song sounds like a flashback. Or an acid trip?

    Getting back together:
    “Silver and gold” U2
    I am not sure this fits very well. But looking at the times I got back together with the girls I have been with maybe it does.
    “There's a rope around my neck
    And there's a trigger in your gun
    Jesus say something
    I am someone, I am someone
    I am someone”

    Wedding:
    “Drive my car” Beatles
    Yeah baby, You can drive my car and I love you.

    Birth of child:
    “Gun” Soundgarden
    I would have wanted one of those for myself if I would have had a kid by my ex-wife.

    Final battle:
    “Lay it Down” Aerosmith
    I picture this playing in a sort of “Boondock Saints” slow motion montage.

    Death scene:
    “For The First Time” Kenny Chesney
    I swear this isn’t mine….Doesn’t sound like a bad way to go.
    “For the first time
    Lovin' blind we dove right in
    For the first time
    We gave everything and then
    For the first time
    We moved on with our lives
    For the first time”

    Funeral song:
    “JTR” Dave Matthews
    I hope that someone will think these things about me.
    “You fill my cup
    The way you laugh
    Eyes of a child
    Lean on me, you fill me up
    You make me love
    So unconditionally generous
    To me you give me love
    And break my heart
    Slip, you fall, I pick you up and dust you off
    You break my heart”

    End credits:
    “Who you are” Pearl Jam
    Pretty nice.
    “Come to send
    Not condescend
    Transcendental consequence
    Is to transcend, where we are
    Who are we? Who we are

    Trampled moss on your souls
    Changes all, you're a part
    Seen it all, not at all
    Can't defend, fuck the man

    Take me for a ride, Before we leave
    Avalance
    Falling Fast
    Guidin' winds
    Happenstance
    Off the track, in the mud
    That's the moss, in the aforementioned verse

    Just a little time, Before we leave

    Stop light plays its part
    So I would say you've got a heart
    What's your part? Who you are
    You are who, who you are”

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  6. I'm particularly digging "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood as your end credits!

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  7. I really liked this....though my soundtrack didn't always make the most sense, it wasn't me picking the songs. If that were the case, it would have been much more interesting. But here they are:

    Opening Credits
"Out of Exile" - Audioslave (...welcome to the world!)

    Waking Up
"Before You Accuse Me" - Eric Clapton (...at least let me have a coffee first)

    First Day of School
"Blood Milk & Sky (Miss September Mix)" - White Zombie (...well, school does start in September, right?)

    Falling in Love
"The Smell of Springtime" - Carl Prey (...the next song would have been more appropriate here, but like I said, I wasn't pickin' 'em)

    Breaking Up
"Crush" - Dave Matthews Band (...or maybe the weight of breaking up is like being crushed?)

    Prom
"Hoochie Coochie Man" - Eric Clapton (....prom? prom? who went to prom?)

    Life’s Okay
"Truth" - Janet Jackson (...have the album, but never listened to the whole thing)

    Mental Breakdown
"My Place" - Coldplay

    Driving
"One Day I Walk" - k.d. lang (weirdly appropriate)

    Flashback
"Let Me Tell You About Her" - Elvis Costello (...thinking back on lost loves, life, etc....let me tell you about....)

    Getting Back Together
"F-Stop Blues" - Jack Johnson

    Wedding
"Morning Has Broken" - Cat Stevens (...wow - how sweet and cheesy)

    Birth of a Child
"Together Alone" - Crowded House (...as I await the birth of my first child, I wonder how isolating my new life is going to be -- will we be together alone?)

    Final Battle
"Dry Lightning" - Bruce Springsteen (...if the final battle is gently giving up, giving in and giving over to life)

    Death Scene
"It's Still Rock & Roll To Me" - Billy Joel (...huh?)

    Funeral Song
"Across the Universe" - Rufus Wainwright (...really, really apropos)

    End Credits
"I Am So Ordinary" - Paula Cole (...aren't we all, when it comes to the end, just ordinary?)

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  8. I just wanted to thank you again. This is very interesting and inadvertently telling about the individuals that posted. I really enjoyed reading everyone’s postings. All the posters seem very eclectic. It is so great and world expanding to see the differences and similarities we have with all of our fellow humans. It humbles me when we can make a connection of some sort in this, some times crazy and confusing, world.

    Truly, Charlie a.k.a The Witchking of Angmar

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  9. Opening credits:
    "One Of These Days" The Men Of Porn(covering Pink Floyd)

    Waking up:
    "Indeifference" Pearl Jam

    First day at school:
    "Squeegee Nigth In Canada" The Dayglo Abortions

    Falling in love:
    "Godpills" Kalas

    Breaking up:
    "Deuce" Kiss

    Prom:
    "Midnight From The Inside Out" The Black Crowes

    Life's okay:
    "Night Of The Shape" Electric Wizard

    Mental breakdown:
    "The Enemy Inside" Sodom

    Driving:
    "Live Wire Touches Wet Blanket" Wetnurse

    Flashback:
    "In My Head" Black Flag

    Getting back together:
    "Another Day In The Life" The Toilet Boys

    Wedding:
    "Introduction" Boris

    Birth of child:
    "Killing Is My Business" Megadeth

    Final battle:
    "Dazed & Confused" Led Zeppelin

    Death scene:
    "I Won't Stick Any Of You Unless And Until I Can Stick All Of You!" Black Flag

    Funeral song:
    "Engorged With Unborn Gore" Lair Of The Minotaur

    End credits:
    "Speak To Me" Pink Floyd



    that was pretty funny the way that worked out...

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  10. Wow, that was fun. And some good coincidences too! I know I'm late in the game but here's how it happened...

    Opening credits:
    Queue Music from the Disneyland ride "Indiana Jones Adventure"
    (It's not John Williams' theme, but still adventurous sounding)

    Waking up:
    'Do you Remember Rock and Roll Radio' by the Ramones
    (Has the line "Do you remember lying in bed...")

    First day at school:
    'Vision of Division' by the Strokes

    Falling in love:
    'Playboys' by Mono
    (How embarrassing for me)

    Breaking up:
    'Screw on the Loose' by Tony Lowry
    (Perfect fit! and they played it in Ren & Stimpy)

    Prom:
    'Nostrand' by Ratatat
    (nothing this cool was playing at my prom)

    Life's okay:
    'Rockin' Chair' by Louis Armstrong
    (Perfect. I think "Louis Armstrong" translates to "Life's Okay" in some cultures)

    Mental breakdown:
    'In an 18th Century Drawing Room' by Raymond Scott
    (More perfection considering Scott's Looney Tunes connection!)

    Driving:
    Coke Corner (disneyland environmental sounds)
    (I have too much Disney theme park music.
    This is actually fitting since it's ragtime piano and it reminds me of those old films of Model T's crashing.)

    Flashback:
    'Voce E Eu' by Walter Wanderley
    (A nice fit because it's dreamy 50s organ music)

    Getting back together:
    'Roladex Propaganda' by At the Drive-In
    (I guess it's energetic, like you feel when you get back together.)

    Wedding:
    'Long December' by Counting Crows
    (what a depressing wedding that would be)

    Birth of child:
    'Que Onda Guero' by Beck
    (As I listen to it I think it would represent my son's first appearance quite well)

    Final battle:
    'The Beat Generation' by Bob McFadden and Dor
    (Maybe if my life were West Side Story)

    Death scene:
    'Tidal wave' by Longwave
    (first line is "take me down in a tidal wave")

    Funeral song:
    'My Kind of Trouble is You' by Helen Carr
    (Might work if my wife killed me)

    End credits: Tomorrowland Area Music (the monorail song)
    (now I really want a life story movie just so I can have this music in it)

    Thanks for the game. 'Twas fun for a Friday morning. Now it's time for me to go secure the rights to all this stuff!

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  11. Opening credits:
    Lovestoned – Justin Timberlake

    Waking up:
    Destroy Rock’n’Roll – Mylo

    First day at school:
    Monoid – Umek

    Falling in love:
    The Dogs – Bassbin Twins

    Breaking up:
    House of Fun – Madness

    Prom:
    Uranium – Adam Freeland

    Life's okay:
    Room – Simple Minds

    Mental breakdown:
    No Complaints – Beck

    Driving:
    Mindfuckpsychedelic – Elite Force

    Flashback:
    We Can Build You – Company Flow

    Getting back together:
    Right Thing – DJ Shadow

    Wedding:
    It Doesn’t Make It Alright – Stiff Little Fingers

    Birth of child:
    Marijuana Boogie – Manu Chao

    Final battle:
    Plastic Nation – Public Enemy

    Death scene:
    Speedfreak – Koma + Bones (Crystal Method)

    Funeral song:
    Smack My Bitch Up – Richard Cheese

    End credits:
    Bound Too Long – Crystal Method

    Anton: Jersualem
    This was fun!

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  12. Well, let's just say, i had great moments in my life:
    OPENING CREDITS: Breaking my heart - aqualung
    WAKING UP: Mes Vacances a Rio - Rinocerose
    FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL: track 26 Phantom Phorce(Kurt Stern)- Superfurry Animals
    FALLING IN LOVE: River Song - Bebel Gilberto Remixes
    BREAKING UP: Sing it Back - Moloko
    PROM: Teenage Sensation - Gus Gus
    LIFE'S OK: Lámour a 3 - Stereo Total
    MENTAL BREAKDOWN: Variation V A 1 Overo 2 Clavier- Goldberg Variations - Bach(Glenn Gould)
    FLASHBACK: Harder Better Faster Stronger - Daft Punk
    GETTING BACK TOGETHER: Just A Ride - Jem
    WEDDING: Sure Know Something - KISS
    BIRTH OF CHILD : Simply Because - Rooney
    FINAL BATTLE: Cruisin - Gwyneth Paltrow - Huey Lewis
    DEATH SCENE: Guilt is a Useless Emotion - New Order
    FUNERAL SONG: The Urban theme - Maxwell
    END CREDITS: Le Monde - Thievery Corporation

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  13. Ok 3 years late but I'll give it a go.... The Life of Cian Cunniffe

    Opening credits:
    Story of a Broken Heart - Johnny Cash (lets hope not lol)

    Waking up:
    Go Down Easy - John Martyn

    First day at school:
    Bark at the moon - Ozzy Osbourne (probably pretty fitting)

    Falling in love:
    Thats Entertainment - The Jam
    (Nothing like a bit of irony)

    Breaking Up:
    You're so pretty, we're so pretty - The Charlatans

    Prom:
    This is not a test - She & Him
    (nice fit)

    Life's Okay:
    Live and let die - Paul McCartney
    (How true)

    Mental Breakdown:
    I wanna be sedated - The Ramones
    (I kid you not)

    Driving:
    Rainy Night In Soho - The Pogues
    (Perfect cus driving is where I sort my head out)

    Flashback:
    Tentative Decisions - Talking Heads

    Getting Back Together:
    Missing - Bruce Springsteen

    Wedding:
    Sara - Bob Dylan
    (So thats what her name will be lol)

    Birth of a Child:
    Enter Sandman - Metallica

    Final Battle:
    Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton

    Death Scene:
    The Fall of Troy - Tom Waits
    (very poignant)

    Funeral Song:
    Hash Pipe - Weezer
    (hmmm?)

    End Credits:
    If I Needed You - Townes Van Zandt

    Some very good, some questionable.

    ReplyDelete