Seen Enough

I don't really watch specific things on TV. I'm not a big "Lost" fan (I think that show is over now anyway) or Grey's Anatomy or whatever else. Of course I'm a total House fanatic, but I haven't been able to view it regularly because Claire is still up when it starts. So I usually flip around on the remote and land on random stuff. I landed on Bones last week. Bones used to be on after House. I don't know what time slot it occupies now. I just never really bothered to watch it. I caught the last ten minutes of it last week at a time when I wasn't even inspired enough to channel surf. I'm glad I did, because I discovered this beautiful song by a group called Dryer...Seen Enough.

Don't Dream It's Over

We have to go back into my awkward adolescence for this one. 1987 if you must know. I refuse to believe that was 23 years ago, so don't even try to convince me.

My friends and I used to go to under 21 dances at this sports complex called Grand Slam---us teeny boppers referred to it simply as "Slam," as in, "So, like, can your mom drive us to Slam tonight? Make sure she drops us off way at the bottom of the parking lot so no one sees us getting out of her car."

I can't recollect if that was the first time I had seen Jeff Kubay. He was a friend of my brother's who was three years older than me. At the time, I was a freshman and he was a senior. That was major back in those days. I had a huge, huge crush on him (when I say huge, I mean I all but turned into Glenn Close's character in Fatal Attraction, but I digress).

The whole story goes that at first I think he dug me, but then I stalked him to the point where he couldn't stand me. Then I think once I came home from college and he was all into me again, but by then the thrill was gone.

But the story began with a slow dance. He came up to me that first night I saw him at "Slam" and asked me to dance. We danced to "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House. And though Jeff and I were not to be, my love affair with Crowded House and Neil Finn is still going strong all these years later. And every time I hear the first strain of this melody, I'm taken back to when I was 14 and the joy that first dance brought me....Don't Dream It's Over.

">

Under My Skin

I knew I wanted to add a Rachael Yamagata song here. I had "Worn Me Down" in mind first. "Worn Me Down" is so catchy...it is a convertible song...as in, put the top down, put the song on, cruise down a long stretch of highway with no traffic lights. It was also popular on the hipster shows...O.C., One Tree Hill, that kind of stuff. That's why I kind of changed my mind on posting that song, but I looooove Rachael Yamagata. She was originally introduced to me by an old friend back in 2004 when Rachael's Happenstance album was released. I love many, many women singer/songwriters. A lot of the women I do like, their voices are a bit interchangeable. But not Rachael's. I always know her voice, and I always love her songs. This is another of my favorites, Under My Skin.

">

Famous Blue Raincoat

I was introduced to Famous Blue Raincoat about 10 or 12 years ago when I was still living in Pennsylvania. I went with a friend to listen to two of her coworkers perform. The guy played guitar. The girl sang. She had a marvelous voice. Sounded a bit like Natalie Merchant. They sang a lot of Toad the Wet Sprocket and Dave Matthews Band. And then she started talking about a Leonard Cohen song that Tori Amos covered. She then started singing Famous Blue Raincoat. I fell in love right then and there with that song and the love affair continues. I have even tried to study the origins of the song, Mr. Cohen's meaning. Google it if you want...you'll find a million explanations, but no consensus. What I can tell you is that it's a letter, and it is beautiful.

">

Black Star

Please tell me what it is about this sing that keeps me from breathing until it's over? If you see me with earphones on and my face is awash with undigested emotion, blame it on the Black Star.

I love Radiohead...I especially love the acoustic version they perform of this song:

">

And probably unlike most true "music people," I actually love covers...if I like a song, the more people singing it, the better (unless Britney Spears decides to do a rendition of it; then I will just cringe).

So I was happy to hear Gillian Welch's lovely interpretation of Black Star. I like some of her music, though she tends a bit too bluegrass-y for me. But I think she captured the soul of this song perfectly.

">

Captain Jack

My love of Billy Joel comes directly from my Mom, who was a fan from way back in the day. My favorite Billy Joel music was all "pre-Christie"...before he met Christie Brinkley in the mid 80s and his music seemed to become a little puppy dog love mushy for me. Not that I still don't like him or any of that music...I just prefer his older stuff. Nylon Curtain. Cold Spring Harbor. The Stranger.

A great jukebox pick at the bar...Captain Jack...in this case, the live version.

">

Rue St. Vincent

You know when I'm writing on a Sunday that it will be with a certain solemnity. Claire's daddy brought her home from his weekend with her, and he left about a half hour ago. My child is so happy when both of her parents are with her. It's melancholy, but I think I hide it well.

Her dad and I shared a love of similar music. I like to think we introduced each other to some new favorites...from him I got Metric, Placebo, Blonde Redhead...from me he got The National and my Garden State soundtrack.

Back in the day before romance became extinct, we made each other CDs and would listen to them in the dark. There is no one more sentimental than me when it comes to someone personally choosing songs for me, so it was very special. I don't think I have that CD; at least I can't find it anywhere. But I remember many of the songs. And one of my favorites was Rue St. Vincent by Yves Montand. During those hours in the dark, I spoke of how I wanted to dance to this with him on the sand at our wedding. I still dream of that, even though a dream is just a dream...

">