Define your life with 3 songs

Hottentot · 03-08-12, 07:58 AM

I've been thinking this for a while now, let's see if it goes anywhere. I happened to remember this funny thread and thought that since we seem to have lots of musical people in the crew, something similar could be done with the songs.

Therefore: define your life with three songs. Not necessarily your favorite songs or ones that you even listen to very often, but three songs that have something (music, lyrics, whatever) that make you think "yeah, that's so familiar."

Mine in no particular order:

. The whole "memento mori" feeling of that song resembles one of my fundamentals, namely that you can be a total bum under the bridge or Barack Freaking Obama, and still one day you will die, be buried like the rest and your headstone will likely look pretty much the same as those of the 1,000 guys next to you. So you might as well laugh at it.

. I'm the "call this guy" of my social circles when someone needs something, but not when someone wants to go and have a drink in a bar. You know, that pleasant guy who just doesn't know how to say "no". Lately (for the last few years) I have started filtering out people who do that, but I just can't get over my nature. That might also be why I do quite a lot of volunteer work, which rarely gets praised, but often is a reward in itself.

. mostly for the laughs, but partly true. I tend to drift from one place to another and rarely form long term contacts. I don't, for example, have any idea what my best childhood friends are doing nowadays, or even most of the guys I went to high school with. After four years of university I know plenty of nice people to hang around with, but I frankly don't think we'll be in much contact after we graduate.

flatsixes · 03-08-12, 08:41 AM

"Our House" (Madness) - Grew up in a big family, surrounded by big families, and have my own big family now. It's like living in a noisy sit-com 24/7, but it's where I'm happiest.

"I've Got the World on a String" (Sinatra) - After 347 years of marriage, I'm still in love with my wife. Luckiest guy I know.

"Redemption Songs" (Marley) - Just because.

Sailor Steve · 03-08-12, 09:57 AM

Oh crud. Only three. My whole life is wrapped up in music. Thirty at least. I've written more than three songs that define my life.

Hottentot · 03-08-12, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Oh crud. Only three. My whole life is wrapped up in music.

Yeah, when I was writing the OP, I actually thought of adding to the end "P.S.: Steve doesn't count", but was afraid you might take it the wrong way.

As long as I can edit my first post, the rules are not set in stone. List away.

MothBalls · 03-08-12, 12:35 PM

CCIP · 03-08-12, 12:37 PM

Well, I might bend the rules a little and post a list of 3 actual English songs, but because I'm me, the vast majority of songs that I hold close and that define me are Russian. So my first attempt is obviously going to be Russian songs

Along with a few lines from semi-functional translations to give you an idea of what the heck that's actually about...

Akvarium - 25 to 10

Quote:

I'm an engineer, for a hundred a month
And more I will never receive
I'm 25, and I still don't know
What it is I want or believe

And it seems to me that there is no cause
To be proud of the things that I've done
But if I could ever choose my own fate,
I would choose the same one

I'm not an engineer in the late-day Soviet society, and I'm a little older now, but other than that, this one is pretty self-explanatory

Still feel that way.

DDT - Born in the USSR ( )

Quote:

At first it was evening, then came I
Yesterday - words and wind, today - into earth
At the old graveyard, where enemies rose from the dead
I understood something, when I got up off the wrong foot

Not a second without a fight, we believe in life and death
Into the eyes of your dog we're not afraid to look
Today it's victory - understand and forgive
There's nothing left for us - but we have plenty to give

Everything about my life is, for better or worse, defined by my growing up in the collapsing Soviet society. It's always an unstraightforward relationship, and as much as it got rid of the terrible and unjust regime, it has also left me permanently nation-less and coloured my thinking about the world - in particular when it comes to certainties of society. So in a weird way, I'm proud to be a living fossil from a lost civilization. It's given me a more pragmatic, more humane view of the world that I treasure.

Ilya Chort - What a Day

Quote:

[Yaaaawn]
The city's all covered in white - hard to get any work done here
Squeezing tight against the heater, I keep it warm with my body
I wait till my friends show show up, set me up with some good stuff
But my friends were struck by laziness - quite the unsuccessful day!

City - hunger, city - wretch; naked butt is on TV...
The telephone's quiet as a corpse, heart is knocking at me now
In my fridge there's not a damn... hang myself?
Nah, couldn't be bothered... [yawn]

This is actually an intro poem that precedes the song, but otherwise... describes exactly how I feel on an average day in this cold season. Lack of energy? Lack of heat? Lack of money to buy food? Don't wanna leave the comfort of my blanket? You bet

Stealhead · 03-08-12, 01:52 PM

Pink: Floyd Learning to Fly

I just like the emotion of the song.

The Clash: Career Opportunities

Because I never really knew what I wanted to in high school for a career so I let the military pick one for me.And who really truly enjoys going to work every day and loves
every aspect of their job?

George Harrison: My Sweet Lord

It matches my religious/spiritual feelings

Cream: Tales of Brave Ulysses

My mother used to tell me ancient Greek, Babylonian and Persian mythology when I was young.

Just three songs is a bit limiting to anyone who is really into music but the OP says that 3 is not set in stone.

03-08-12, 07:58 AM	#1
Hottentot Sea Lord Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: My private socialist utopia of Finland Posts: 1,918 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	Define your life with 3 songs I've been thinking this for a while now, let's see if it goes anywhere. I happened to remember this funny thread and thought that since we seem to have lots of musical people in the crew, something similar could be done with the songs. Therefore: define your life with three songs. Not necessarily your favorite songs or ones that you even listen to very often, but three songs that have something (music, lyrics, whatever) that make you think "yeah, that's so familiar." Mine in no particular order: . The whole "memento mori" feeling of that song resembles one of my fundamentals, namely that you can be a total bum under the bridge or Barack Freaking Obama, and still one day you will die, be buried like the rest and your headstone will likely look pretty much the same as those of the 1,000 guys next to you. So you might as well laugh at it. . I'm the "call this guy" of my social circles when someone needs something, but not when someone wants to go and have a drink in a bar. You know, that pleasant guy who just doesn't know how to say "no". Lately (for the last few years) I have started filtering out people who do that, but I just can't get over my nature. That might also be why I do quite a lot of volunteer work, which rarely gets praised, but often is a reward in itself. . mostly for the laughs, but partly true. I tend to drift from one place to another and rarely form long term contacts. I don't, for example, have any idea what my best childhood friends are doing nowadays, or even most of the guys I went to high school with. After four years of university I know plenty of nice people to hang around with, but I frankly don't think we'll be in much contact after we graduate. __________________ Хотели как лучше, а получилось как всегда.

03-08-12, 09:57 AM	#3
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Oh crud. Only three. My whole life is wrapped up in music. Thirty at least. I've written more than three songs that define my life. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

03-08-12, 08:41 AM	#2
flatsixes Weps Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 362 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	"Our House" (Madness) - Grew up in a big family, surrounded by big families, and have my own big family now. It's like living in a noisy sit-com 24/7, but it's where I'm happiest. "I've Got the World on a String" (Sinatra) - After 347 years of marriage, I'm still in love with my wife. Luckiest guy I know. "Redemption Songs" (Marley) - Just because.

03-08-12, 12:35 PM	#5
MothBalls Ace of the Deep Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,012 Downloads: 20 Uploads: 0

03-08-12, 01:52 PM	#7
Stealhead Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,421 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Pink: Floyd Learning to Fly I just like the emotion of the song. The Clash: Career Opportunities Because I never really knew what I wanted to in high school for a career so I let the military pick one for me.And who really truly enjoys going to work every day and loves every aspect of their job? George Harrison: My Sweet Lord It matches my religious/spiritual feelings Cream: Tales of Brave Ulysses My mother used to tell me ancient Greek, Babylonian and Persian mythology when I was young. Just three songs is a bit limiting to anyone who is really into music but the OP says that 3 is not set in stone.