Desert Island Playlist: Part Two

For almost four years - and sporadically before that - I used Friday and Saturday blogs to share light-hearted posts. Fridays often featured Faux Real Stories and I frequently produced a monthly music playlist. In fact, you can probably dig a bunch of the music and Faux Real Story posts up if you want root around in the archive for the Genuine Faux Farm. Use the word “playlist” or “Faux Real” as the search terms and I know you’ll find several entries.

Since today is a Friday AND I promised to finish my Desert Island Playlist in part 1, this seems like a good day to do just that.

The basic idea of this exercise is that I will try to select THE eleven songs that I would want to have access to if I was only allowed that list for an extended period of time.

Now, let’s be clear here. I like music too much to want to be limited to only eleven tunes. And I am pretty sure that eleven songs, no matter how good they are, might lose some luster if they were put on repeat for an extended period of time. So don’t ask me to actually go through with this! While I would still love these recordings, I suspect I would be unhappy to not have access to a much wider catalog!

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The Rules

So, let me start by outlining the rules, such as they are:

1. I am allowed to select only one song per artist.

And that’s it. It’s nice when it’s simple.

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Since both Tammy and I have played cello, it only makes sense that some of the music is going to feature that instrument. And, if I’m going to be stuck on a desert island, I really would like to have Tammy with me. That means I really need to pick some music that will make Tammy happy too!

That brings us to this choice by 2Cellos. Benedictus is an adaptation of part of Carl Jenkin’s The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. It was originally composed in 1999 as an orchestral peace with a mixed chorus, solo vocals, and solo cello.

I like the call and response between the two cello voices in this rendition. There are subtle differences in the the playing style and the resonance of the two different cellos that add interest. Yes, they are frequently playing in different registers, which accounts for some of that difference. But, if you listen closely, you can hear or feel differences in vibrato and one cello tends to favor a slightly raspier tone.

If you don’t hear it, that’s fine. If you hear more than I do, that’s fine. Either way, it’s on the list.

Now, I hope Tammy will go to the desert island with me.

It was about at this point that I recognized exactly how impossible this exercise has become for me. For every song I have selected so far, there are dozens that I regret not choosing. And, I only have five slots remaining. Would it be okay if I simply took my ipod and its 14,000 or so songs with us?

But, I started this project, so I’m going to finish it.

My next selection comes from the group Adam Again. Typically, I think of their funkier songs that have an infectious beat when I consider their work. But, there has to be some diversity in music style. I can’t go entirely with a bunch of bouncy tunes because there will be moments on the Desert Island where I am feeling introspective and quiet. This song, River on Fire, definitely fits the bill.

It’s a beautiful tune. And, it doesn’t hurt that there is cello. But, the real strength here is the lyrics.

It’s tempting to spend too much time exploring those lyrics here. But, I’ll stick with this.

If I could be happy and you would be miserable…

It’s a beautiful reminder that blindly chasing our own happiness might result in unhappiness… or misery… for another. Like the Cuyahoga, river on fire.

Let’s move from introspection to encouragement to be our best selves.

By now, you might have figured out that I selected multiple songs that have intelligent, but encouraging lyrics. I suppose that might make sense if you were stranded on an island and you were uncertain as to your rescue. But, that’s not necessarily unlike our daily lives. We move from moment to moment with plenty of uncertainty that leaves us looing for support.

That’s why I’ve included songs like Restore My Soul, Give Me Strength, and This is the Way Love is. None of these are deaf/blind “Rah rah everything will be fine” types of songs. They all recognize contradictions, struggles and uncertainties. Yet, they leave you feeling you can get through that to see, experience, and appreciate the good things.

Maybe they can help us to be ready to even experience the great things. Things like love and the fact you are alive today and you can do something with “now.”

This next tune will probably date me if I tell you the album by the Call with the baby in the doctor’s bag on the album cover was a big thing then. I liked that whole album then, though it was not my absolute favorite. But, over time, this one has bubbled up to the top.

Tammy and I had the opportunity, some years ago, to hear Michael Been (bassist and lead singer) perform some of the Call’s songs at an outdoor festival. The sound system went out in the middle of a song and we could still hear Michael loud and clear. This man had a BIG voice. And he didn’t seem like he was even trying.

There are two songs by the Call that show up consistently on my playlists while many others cycle on and off. This one and What Are You Made Of tickle the speakers at the Genuine Faux Farm frequently.

And, a quick note about the video. You might notice things are not quite in synch with the music. The song you will be hearing is the studio version, not the recording of the concert version that the clip is showing. While they did a decent job of lining it up, persons more sensitive to such things (like me) might do better to just listen and not let their brain try to make sense of why things aren’t entirely where they appear they should be.

I think it’s about time to go with something that’s a bit more acoustic in flavor. So, we’ll offer up Mark Heard and Love is Not the Only Thing.

I tend to view Mark Heard as an artist along the lines of Bob Zimmerman (some of you will know who that is). The style is more of a singer/songwriter feel where the vocalist’s skill is secondary to the songwriting skills they are exhibiting. That’s not to say he is a poor singer. But, he’s not going to be confused with a highly trained classical vocalist or someone who is going to pull out a bunch of ornamentation simply because they can.

But, Heard can sing with feeling. And he can write with feeling. Which makes for some really good songs.

Since my lists always go to eleven, here is my last entry for the Desert Island playlist.

I once read a review of one of the Future of Forestry (Eric Owyoung) albums where the reviewer took the artist to task for not seeming to settle on any particular style of music. I, of course, took that criticism with a grain of salt because I actually enjoy the exploration. And, FoF uses cello sometimes, which makes me more inclined to forgive shortcomings anyway.

So, of course, I selected a song that doesn’t have cello. Go figure.

The strength of Future of Forestry typically lies within the instrumentation and arrangement. Sometimes, I am surpised by how FoF songs stick with me after I listen to them once. Perhaps it was a mistake to include one of these tunes. I could just listen to them before I left for the island and play them back in my head.

But, I had to finish with this one. While we might be happy to be stuck on an island with eleven songs for a little while, we’re eventually going to be yearning for home - where there are so many more tunes I love to listen to!

And, of course, there’s no place like home.

I hope you enjoyed some of the songs in my Desert Island Playlist. If you didn’t, that’s okay! I bet you can find a way to play something you like far better than the things I’ve just selected. Or, maybe you can go listen to songbirds singing or the rustling of the trees. Perhaps you can’t hear, but you can see or taste or feel. Whatever the case may be, take a moment to enjoy something you find to be beautiful.

Have a good day everyone!