I, you, we spend an inordinate amount of time alone. Think about it. From waking to showering to brushing our teeth, we’re alone with our thoughts. From the commute to and from work, or school, or in line at the post office or at the grocery, by and large we’re alone with ourselves and the quiet rumblings of our brains ticking along.
I started to take note of something recently in the very first moments of waking up, turning on lights, and brewing the coffee each morning: I had a tune in my head churning over and over. And each morning it was a different one and by the time I actually noticed this was occurring, I ended up whistling and singing whatever song the whole day long.
Then I’d think it was a fluke but like clockwork the next day in the very first moments of waking up, turning on lights, and brewing the coffee, a new tune would make itself known. And it’s indiscriminate…the subconscious doesn’t stick to an era or a genre and has no taste filter. (For good or bad.) Like, last Friday it was “Carry On My Wayward Son…” and over the weekend it was something else entirely, which to be fair I don’t recall, because like a dream, it seems I need to take note of it right away or its gone into the ether.
So, a little experiment while we wind things down here at TVD for the year–I’m going to keep a journal of this phenomena and post the track that makes itself known each morning, from today until January 4, 2009–the day before TVD returns for the year in the hope that we’ll end up with a mighty fine 14-track mix my subconscious has DJ’d in a little experiment we’re calling: The Subconscious Shuffle.
DECEMBER 22, 2008:
Diana Ross – Love Hangover (Mp3)
“…I got the sweetest hangover/I don’t wanna get over…”
DECEMBER 23, 2008:
Thin Lizzy – Don’t Believe A Word (Mp3)
“Don’t believe me if I tell you/That I wrote this song for you/There might be some other silly pretty girl/I’m singing it to…”
DECEMBER 24, 2008:
Todd Rundgren – Couldn’t I Just Tell You? (Mp3)
“Couldn’t I just tell you the way I feel/I can’t keep it bottled up inside/And could we pretend that it’s no big deal/And there’s really nothing left to hide…”
DECEMBER 25, 2008:
Gene Kelly – The Daughter Of Rosie O’Grady
“She’s the daughter of Rosie O’Grady/A regular old fashioned girl/She isn’t crazy for diamond rings/Silkens and satins and fancy things…”
DECEMBER 26, 2008:
Fleetwood Mac – Gypsy (Mp3)
“Lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice…”
DECEMBER 27, 2008:
The Replacements – Rock ‘N’ Roll Ghost (Mp3)
“No one here to raise a toast/Be my guest and I will be a host/To a rock ‘n’ roll ghost/To a rock ‘n’ roll ghost…”
DECEMBER 28, 2008:
Laura Nyro – Up on the Roof (Mp3)
“When this old world starts getting me down/And people are just too much for me to face…”
DECEMBER 29, 2008:
What can I say? Today: nuthin.
DECEMBER 30, 2008:
Rainbow – Since You’ve Been Gone
“I get the same old dreams, same time every night/Fall to the ground and I wake up…”
DECEMBER 31, 2008:
L.E.O. – Ya Had Me Goin’ (Mp3)
…and a cracking tune for your evening’s revelry indeed. Play as loud as I heard it in my head this morning. Happy New Year!
JANUARY 1, 2009:
Would you believe that I woke this New Year’s morning with nothing but the sound of hammering in my head? I bet you would.
JANUARY 2, 2009:
The Members – Working Girl (Mp3)
“Heeey…I’m in love with a working girl…”
JANUARY 3, 2009:
Modern English – Blue Waves (Mp3)
“I’ve got the power to stop the blue waves/That way I’m winning and it helps me through the night…”
JANUARY 4, 2009:
The Thurl Ravenscroft Singers – If I Didn’t Care (Mp3)
This was my Dad’s favorite song as done by The Ink Spots:
“If I didn’t care more than words can say/If I didn’t care would I feel this way?/If this isn’t love then why do I thrill?/And what makes my head go ’round and ’round/While my heart stands still?”
