My I-Pod is a Scary Place

I like to do this every once in a while--document the sequence of songs my i-pod plays on shuffle and note how it kind of relates to stuff; or not. Yeah, it's totally random, but if I can't amuse myself, then what's the point?!

Yesterday afternoon, I was listening to some old school Mariah Carey from her first CD back in 1990. I loved her then, as opposed to now, when I fast-forwarded through her SNL performances this week. My favorite song has to be "Vanishing", which was not a single, so allow me to share it with you. No one can deny this woman has, or at least had, killer pipes.



So, when I headed for the car and hit shuffle, I was thrilled to first hear one of my all-time favorite Stevie Wonder songs, "As (Always)", which was a good segue out of Mariah. When the next song was 'I Write the Songs" by Barry Manilow, I just knew I had to play my little game, because, as the title says, my i-pod is a scary place. Here's what followed:

"The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" by XTC. Sure, that's a natural transition! A seriously great band.

"Welcome Back" by John Sebastian. Clearly, my i-pod has been watching NBC promos for the return of Thursday comedies. (And it wants to impress EJ, too.)

"I Learned From the Best" by Whitney Houston. This is a little more recent Whitney, when she was probably big into the crack, but she's still awesome when she goes to town on these power ballads.

"Little Tiny Song" by Barenaked Ladies. And it is only one minute long, thank goodness. One of the dumbest things ever on a BNL CD, and I have all but one of them.

"The River" by Garth Brooks. Now, I am not a country fan, but I love Garth Brooks. It probably has a lot to do with him being at his zenith when I was in college, which I attended in Southern Ohio, where people speak with accents as if they are in the actual south, for some reason. But Garth does transcend his genre.

"Three Hits" by Indigo Girls. Gimme a pair of birkenstocks, stat! One of the best bands ever, especially when it comes to their lyrics. Don't argue with me.

"Walking in Memphis" by Mark Cohen. I am partial to Mark because he is from Cleveland, like me, and mentions places I've been, like parks and streets, in his lyrics. My husband and I also danced to his song "True Companion" at our wedding. While I listened, I decided if given the chance, Michael Johns should totally sing this song on American Idol.

"Watching the Wheels" by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Basically, another Idol-centric thought, although I hope no one attempts to sing this tonight...

"Fake Your Way to the Top" (from Dreamgirls) by Eddie Murphy. Man, was he robbed of that Oscar. The scene where he shot heroin after everyone tried to get him not to? No matter what other weird shit Eddie gets into, he acted his ass off in that movie. Period.

"Calling Baton Rouge" by Garth Brooks. Apparently, the i-pod was feeling a little bit country. Now, this tune is super twangy, but I love it. Don't ask me to explain these things. I also love that it's about the guy stopping to call a chick in Louisiana as he drives...somewhere else, probably in an eighteen wheeler. The funny part is that he needs money for the pay phone. How quickly things change.

Hope you've enjoyed this window into my warped little mind!