Music Tuesday: A Golden Birthday

Twenty-six years ago today, John Wayne was celebrating his 75th birthday; a 7.7 magnitude earthquake rumbled in the Sea of Japan causing a tsunami that resulted in at least 104 people dead; and 28 year old woman woke up to the early signs of childbirth, got dressed, packed, swept and vacuumed her house before waking up her husband to take her to the hospital. Roughly 12 hours later, I was born.

I've said before that birthdays seem more appropriate for looking forward and back, reminiscing on past enjoyments and making new year resolutions, because this is the day when your year really does end. Sure there's an actual end to a calendar year, there's an end to a fiscal year, but these restrictions have been imposed on us from the moment our real chronology began. So on my birthday I like to look back and forward on my life, if only for a little while, to see what I can improve. The one thing I want to improve about this upcoming golden year? Anything to make it the best year of my life. Travel, work, create, love, nothing short of everything at a ten.

So with this day comes another playlist. Last year's Quarter Century list has continued to be a source of great joy for me. Whenever it's played, enjoyment ensues. It'll be tough to top for me, as I hold it as probably the most enjoyable list I've put together on this foggy blog, but here's a go, in the name of John Wayne's 101st...

Music Tuesday: Golden Year

01. Garden Walk - J. Spaceman -- off the soundtrack to the film Mister Lonely. Never ended up catching this quirky film, but it's director was cited as the source of inspiration for Mr. Spaceman (aka Jason Pierce of Spiritualized) to finally finish his latest album Songs In A & E after a tumultuous recording period which saw him actually die as a result of complications from pneumonia (his heart stopped), only to come back to the land of the living. It made for great album fodder.

02. Silent Sigh - Badly Drawn Boy -- off the soundtrack to the film About A Boy. Sensing a pattern here... The film from Nick Hornby's book continues to surprise me whenever I catch it on TV. It's funny, heavy and light, and it's got a great soundtrack provided by a man that goes by the name of Badly Drawn Boy (aka Damon Gough). Here's a lovely tune that's ripe for a morning stroll/ride.

03. Sunny Goodge Street - Donovan -- off the album Fairy Tale. It's a repeat, and not even a repeat from long ago, this song was on the last list I put up here. To be fair, I don't really care. If I were to do a list sometime in the future of my top 5 songs of all time, this would make a third appearance on the blog. I don't know what it is about this song that tugs at me. I first heard it on a compilation cd in which the tracklist was chosen by one of my favorite songwriters of all time (read: the greatest) Paul McCartney, the first time I spent time out of the country. I was studying one summer in London, the second day I picked up the Mojo magazine that contained the album and I've been in love since. It's sweet, it's haunting, it's love. I wish to find this street one day.

04. Le Poinçonneur Des Lilas - Serge Gainsbourg -- off the album The Originals. This album hooked me on Monsieur Gainsbourg and the resulting buying spree of music is soon to leave a large dent on my financial situation. Here's one of the first that hooked onto me. No idea what he's saying, just like it.

05. Ram On - Paul (and Linda) McCartney -- off the album Ram. This album within the past year or so has apparently gained a ton of popularity in the indie circles of Los Angelos, which is absolutely awesome. I picked up this album in the amazingness known as the Half Priced Books used record collection. HPB has what I consider the best collection of used stuff I've seen in a record store. I'm always in love with what I pick up there, and it's usually a quirkier find than any "true" record store. This album is the true definition of quirky pop, and could be considered one of the first "indie" albums, by way of its DIY nature. The song is pure bliss.

06. Musicbox Underwater - J. Spaceman -- off the soundtrack to the film Mister Lonely. I'll again end with an instrumental from the same man that started us off. This really out to trail off into Our glorious May 26th, as you wake, watch the sun rise, get ready for work, drive, walk, run, bike, eat, love, work and sleep.

Happy Birthday guys.