Tell me it wasn't a little like Blues night on American Idol (not that I watch and would know - I just edit the reviews), except with better talent and the oddly placed non-blues song here or there.
That's the beauty of random play, or shuffle, or whatever you want to call it. I get everything from 1922 to present-day recordings. You never know what you're going to get. Sort of like Forrest Gump and his box of chocolates, except mine are tastier. Or something like that. Although, come to think of it, chocolate does sound mighty tasty right about now.
I'm sort of wondering if my player isn't a little possessed. I mean, look at the progression of music there. From mostly mellow to progressively heavier tunes. Could it be that the player is basing this on the time of day? The later in the day it gets, the more driving the music? I'm curious. If my media player is that intuitive, can it sing me songs of heartbreak during those lonely nights? Will it cuddle me when I'm in need of a hug? Can it see what I'm doing when I think I'm all alone? Can it track my Internet usage? Oh, the possibilities are horrifying! Or comforting, depending on the results.
It could well be that I'm over-analyzing this. I was emailing Michele Lundeen late into the night. Maybe that had something to do with my media player's omniscient selection of two three four of her songs. I'd also emailed Roy Book Binder about Little Pink (who's sort of disappeared lately). And, I was working on many Blues-related projects. Plus, I had listened to the BCRadio podcast. It just really makes me wonder about how random random play is and how much my computer knows about me.
In the end, I'm not worried as far as song selection. I'm always glad I haven't skipped a song or stuck with just one artist. What I get from the mix is something entirely unique and helps make the time pass more pleasantly. And I loved this morning's editing "soundtrack".
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Connie Phillips
Nice article, Joan! You have amazing self-control, I'm always hitting the next button on iTunes and the iPod, not necessarily because I don't like the song, but because it clashes with my mood on a given day. Drives everyone around me crazy.
Very interesting list, lots of great songs and yeah, I wonder about too about an MP3 player that can be that tuned into your moods.
2 - Mark Saleski
i can't believe she made it 40 tracks in before the Joe Bonamassa showed up! ;-)
3 - Joanie
MoodPod is more appropriate when talking about iPods. I don't have anything so fancy. Nope, I have to rely on the computer or the boombox.
I don't even have a car stereo - pathetic, isn't it? It was stolen in September of 2004 and I've been far too broke to replace it.
Mark, I don't control the random shuffle. Joe came into play when he came into play. Considering that I have a couple thousand songs on here, it's amazing that he came up at all, or that Michele Lundeen came up four times, Nathan and Ben came up twice, and Honeyboy came up twice.
Had I been thinking "Joe" a little harder, I have no doubt that he'd have popped up more.
4 - Steve
I found it curious that I had only heard of about 9 of the 40 artists/songs on your list...until you mentioned Blues music...then I realised...out of 12,000 songs in my collection, only about 50 fit into the Blues category!!!
5 - Joanie
Stick with me, Steve. I'll get you educated. First, you need to tell me what sort of music gets to you - rock? Smooth, easy-listening tunes? I can steer you in the right direction if give me some idea of what floats your boat.
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
They got to you too, Joan. I have no one left.
(Puts hands in pockets, walks outside dejectedly into the rain to the sound of one lone harmonica)
7 - Joanie
Matt, sweetie, I'll still play with you. I just had to post this one...teeny...weeny list. Promise.
8 - Steve
Well, Joanie, here are stats from my music collection - the four most popular genres of mine are -
1) Pop = 7,000 songs
2) Rock = 3,000
3) Soul & R&B = 1750
4) Dance = 1500.
I do prefer Jazz over Country music also.
On closer examination, Blues Rock and Piedmont (East Coast) Blues would be my two favorite kinds of Blues, I think, Joanie.
9 - Joanie
Okay Steve, here is your mission - go forth and discover:
And that, Steve, is your introduction to just a few of my favorites. 20 artists you can find online one way or another. If you're stumped on any of them, just let me know and I'll get the music to you.
10 - Steve
Thanks Joanie, I will look into that tomorrow.
John Lee Hooker Jr.?? Son of the late same name??
11 - Joanie
Oh, and Steve, for something completely different, you should also check out Billy Watson. I dare you to listen to "Allergy Blues" off his Numero Cinco CD without smiling and/or laughing.
12 - Mark Saleski
is Little Pink Anderson the same Pink Anderson of Pink Anderson & Floyd Council?
13 - Joanie
And, yes, John Lee Hooker, Jr. is the son of THAT John Lee Hooker. I also have a CD from JLH's daughter Zakiya Hooker. Both of these artists are as talented as their father.
14 - Joanie
Little Pink is the son of Pink Anderson...yes, indeedy. Very nice man and excellent musician.
I've seen him perform a couple times and the last time I saw him, he sang "St. James Infirmary" and dedicated it to his father and Cootie Stark.
The tears flowed. I'm not ashamed to admit that.
15 - Steve
I actually have a couple of David Gray albums and a best of Crowded House, by the way. No Eagles but some Don Henley albums and a couple of Glenn Frey tunes. Also a couple of albums by Stevie Nicks, and a couple of Tom Petty tunes, and a couple of tunes by the late lead singer of Thin Lizzy, Phil Lynott, as well as a tune by John Lee Hooker (Sr.).
16 - Steve
Re. The Hookers (ouch that doesn't sound so good out of context lol), thanks for the info, Joanie, will check out some of those artists later today.
17 - Scott Butki
Funny you should mention Liz Phair because I was just yesterday helping a woman i've been flirting with choose some songs to download from Ruckus, this free download service we get via the university I attend.
She asked if Liz Phair had anything good and I steered her toward Phair's first album and blushed as I told her to download "fuck and run" and other naughty song titles.
18 - Joanie
Phair isn't bad, nor is she one I tend to listen to a lot. However, I do like the occasional song. I just don't make it a regular thing.
19 - Rodney Welch
I bought Phair's first CD and sold it back to the store not long after. I found her voice horribly grating from the start. The CD totally contradicted my longheld belief that if a cute girl has a filthy mouth she's automatically interesting.
20 - Joanie
Rodney, you've just earned yourself the official "First Laugh of the Day" award.
Thank you!
21 - Mark Saleski
rodney, you talkin' about Exile in Guyville? dang, i think that's a great record.
though if you don't like a voice, you plain don't (just and me & dj radiohead).
22 - Rodney Welch
Thanks, Joanie and yes, Mark, I'm afraid so. The voice just set my teeth on edge -- and I never thought I was all that into voices, either.
23 - Scott Butki
I can overlook a voice that irks. Otherwise I could never listen to Dylan's music.
24 - Steve
Re. comment #9, Albert Cummings was ok, the rest of the top 5 on your list were sort of what I call stereotypical kind of blues, which doesn't really appeal to me. Am going to check the rest of your list in the order you typed them, see what I think of the rest. Doing it gradually in parts so I don't lose my typing page here lol.
25 - Steve
Re. comment #9 again, I went to a site called www.allmusic.com to hear snippets of the artists and here are the results -
John Lee Hooker Jr. - I liked his voice, just wish he was singing another genre lol.
Anthony Gomes had a good voice too...almost liked his music. Same with Nathan James.
Couldn't find any Shane Dwight, Vdelli, Ben Hernandez, Michelle Lundeen, Robin Henkel, Jake's Obsession, Eric Lindell.
Audio I found did not work for Brad Wilson, Ray Book Binder, Louisiana Red, C.C. Adcock, Honeyboy Edwards.
I liked some of Shemekia Copeland's jazzier tunes.
If you could link me to audio of any of the artists I missed, it would be appreciated.