15 June 2007

Sunshine and Rain

Being a Musical Tarot Deck in Metaphorical Weather

N.B.: I like for my mixes to be a little like a story, tying together neatly, yet meaningful on their own. This reminded me of the way that I saw the Tarot explained once, as the Fool’s journey, with each card being a step on the way to Enlightenment. Aside from how I fit them together, most of these songs have been rolling around in my head during the past two weeks, connected to the idea of you. Overall, the mix tends toward mellow and melancholy, but I hope there’s enough sweetness, too.

0 No One Takes Your Freedom 5:16

DJ Earworm - Scissor Sisters/Beatles/George Michael/Aretha Franklin (mashup)

Mash-ups are really interesting- they take these seemingly disparate songs and splice them together in a way that you couldn’t have imagined. There’s chaos, certainly, but within the chaos a counterpoint harmony emerges that keeps you moving along. Just like life, that. This card represents the foundation.

I Good Day Sunshine 2:09

The Beatles

I figured if I was going to include mashups of two Beatles’ songs, I’d better throw in a couple of originals, too. This is my song of early morning wake-up calls, with the hazy summer sun pouring in through dirty windows. It’s simple, solid, and never fails to bring a smile to my face. This card represents beginnings.

II On the Radio 3:22

Regina Spektor

Floating in the hot tub, telling you that this is how it works, that even if it does hurt, even if it does, you’ll just do it all again, putting that love you made into someone else’s heart. This card represents vulnerability.

III Falling Is Like This 3:01

Ani Difranco

This whole album is my senior year of high school, which I spent falling whenever possible, just to have one true sensation in the confusion. Yes, it does feel like reckless driving when we’re talking... but how can we fight gravity when falling is like this? I don’t think all falls end in a crash. This card represents faith.

IV King of Bohemia 3:44

Richard Thompson

It took me a while to choose another Richard Thompson song. I knew this one was just right when I heard the line “A refugee from the seraphim.” I am holding you just as much as you’re holding me, and there’s something nice about wanting to protect you, make you feel safe. This card represents comfort.

V Shy 4:45

Ani DiFranco

“Let’s not be shy,” is what I think when I remember getting comfortable with you at the beach, making contact just a little bit at a time, trying to find out if you would be having any of it, or if you were too shy to put up with me poking at you. This card represents desire.

VI West Country Girl 2:45

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds

There’s something about Nick Cave songs that make them ominous and sexy at the same time. I like this portion of this one: “poured / Into my human heart and filled me / With love, up to the brim, and killed me / And rebuilt me back anew / With something to look forward to / Well, who could ask much more than that?” This card represents passion.

VII Come Closer 4:18

DJ Zebra - NIN/Beatles (mashup)

I doubt I need to comment on the obvious reasoning behind choosing this song, but I will say that it’s a well done mashup, and it was one of the songs on my pirate party play list. Also, if I ever decided to be a stripper, I’d dance to this song. This card represents union.

VIII Jóga 5:05

Björk

This song spirals up and out for me, the sense of expansion and connection that comes in the lengthening moments that follow the last of the physical fireworks. A state of emergency, we emerge into the vast space of human life, caught like jeweled orbs upon Indra’s net. This card represents growth.

IX Fidelity 3:48

Regina Spektor

Coming back to earth means taking time to stop and think. My greatest danger is getting so caught up in speculation that I lose touch with the present moment. Getting caught up in my own head, wondering what if I’d never met you. This card represents reflection.

X I Want To Tell You 2:29

The Beatles

And what gets me out of my own mental whirlpools? When I can speak my mind and tell you, knowing that you’ll understand. I creep closer to you, letting out all that worries me, and then, suddenly, it’s all right. I’m not sure why this song ends so abruptly, but I like to imagine myself pressing Next so Björk can come along and start singing right inside your head, instead of messing about with all these words I keep forgetting how to say. This card represents communication.

XI Headphones 5:40

Björk

This track is mostly an excuse for me to get inside your ear, breathing and speaking languidly. I’m acting all sweet and slow and nice to distract you while I poke around inside your mind, figuring you out. This card represents exploration.

XII Breathless 3:13

Nick Cave

This is such a bizarrely upbeat song for Nick Cave that I had to include it. It’s pastoral and rapturous, and doesn’t mention murder or despair at any point, but in fact does reference gamboling lambs. Seriously. So still your hands, and still your heart, for I am breathless without you. This card represents adoration.

XIII Hallelujah 6:53

Jeff Buckley

You may be asking yourself why I have a lone track by Jeff Buckley here in this mix of doubles. The truth is that while I love this Leonard Cohen song (and it is quintessential Cohen), I have yet to find a satisfactorily arranged track with Cohen singing that still captures all the melancholy of the version I first heard by John Cale. I find this version to be an acceptable substitute in the meantime. This is just a beautiful song, and wraps up the humbling power of love. This card represents submission.

XIV Angel from Montgomery 5:16

Bonnie Raitt

This is one of the songs I am most likely to sing when I want something to sing. It’s so strong, so demanding, and so longing at the same time. “Just give me one thing that I can hold on to.” This is my song for singing when sadness is simply to be endured. This card represents perseverance.

XV Beeswing 5:33

Richard Thompson

Beeswing is the other song I sing when I’m melancholy, but this is the one for when I’m thinking of running. I imagine being this woman, never settling down, and think about my alternate histories, all the times I’ve stayed instead of going. This card represents escape.

XVI Suzanne 3:47

Leonard Cohen

“And just when you mean to tell her / That you have no love to give her / Then she gets you on her wavelength / And she lets the river answer / That you’ve always been her lover.” There are so many well-crafted lines in this song. Suzanne is just so ambiguous and abstract, and so full of unfettered affection. This card represents flow.

XVII Feels Like Home 4:25

Bonnie Raitt

I was hesitant to end with this song. It’s brazen in its commitment, so clear in its statement of feeling, and I cannot help but to think of your little house somewhere, full of fruit trees and cats. And everything in the song is true for me, at least for right now. So I’ll be emotionally brazen, and stand by this feeling of losing myself, in your eyes, in your arms. This card represents conclusions.

And then the playlist starts all over again, if you let it, diving right into the near cacophony of waking life again, unpredictable yet full of strange patterns.