Five Song Friday: Zombies and Squirrels
This Week: Fake Breaking, People Eaters and Love, Love Me Do
I don’t mean to brag, but I didn’t watch one minute of the Super Bowl this year.
Zero commercials and not a single down.
I didn’t do it for political reasons. I wasn’t making a statement against big business.
And, as far as I know, Rihanna and I are not currently beefing.
I just needed a rest.
I wanted to sip from a quiet waterhole instead of lining up at the communal firehose to quench my thirst.
A big deal televised event like that is so noisy and needy. There are a million things trying to get into my brain at once.
I wasn’t up for four straight hours of jump cuts, jingles, visual effects and slow motion replays. I don’t drink Pepsi. I don’t drink beer. I don’t even care that much about football if I’m being honest.
The draw of the Super Bowl for me has always been the moment. Everybody is watching. We can all do this thing together.
But every year that I sit through it to “be part of the moment,” I’m left feeling worse at the end. Overfull and empty at the same time.
This year I opted out and everything turned out okay.
The internet let me know what happened. All the $7 million spots were up on YouTube. I got a look at the Ri-Ri baby bump.
Best of all, I woke up clear headed and optimistic.
Was it the long-heralded dawn of a new era of simplicity, clarity and focus? Had I finally broken the curse of my bloodlust for popular culture?
Nope.
In the days after, I gorged on social media. Ordered second and third helpings of binge-worthy TV. And went back to my routine of keeping 27 tabs open on three different monitors all day long.
Because that’s the world we live in right now.
A world of zombies and squirrels.
Mindlessly consuming and chasing and never stopping for a breath.
Look at this! Now that! Hey! Read this! Over here! You want a treat? Go get your ball!
Click me! Play me! Watch me! If you like that you’ll LOVE this!
I’m still in it like a sucker. Soldiering on like a true Gen-X weirdo by making relentless fun of the thing that I am fully and un-ironically participating in.
But I continue to try and make space for my brain to breathe.
Yesterday I deleted Facebook, Twitter and Instagram from my phone. Again.
I listen to meditation and hypnosis at night to remind me that there is a whole big body down there past my neck.
I’m walking and listening to birds instead of podcasts.
And for the most part, in little ways, it’s working.
I’m not sure what my big takeaway is here. Maybe I don’t even have one.
But here’s what I did this year that was different.
I realized that I could curate my own attention.
I was working the door and could let in whomever I wished.
And just like that, my brain went from a Best Buy on Black Friday to an exclusive, members-only club. No noise. No ads. No Adam Driver.
It’s really nice in here.
I’d invite you some time, but it’s not really that kind of club.
We listen to white noise… do crosswords… take a shit ton of naps.
And Tuesdays are taco night.
Sincerely,
DJ CrankyPete
Very Special Important Notice
Today marks the one year birthday of Five Song Friday!
To celebrate, I have decided to do absolutely nothing.
But I would like to share this link to a Spotify playlist of all 260 songs in chronological order. Makes a great roadtrip playlist or soundtrack for your next high tea.
Thank you so much for subscribing, reading and tolerating my nonsense. You are the literal best.
Five Song Friday: Year One Playlist
Five Song Friday 052
“Tanaka” - Joey Valence & Brae
If you were to tell me that I’m too old to be listening to rap songs that name drop Godzilla, Pop-Tarts, John Wick and Rambo? I’d say you were probably right. But also, WHO are you to tell me what I should be listening to? Sometimes a homie just needs to turn that cap backwards and fake breakdance like nobody’s watching!
(Please God let nobody be watching).
“Bite My Hip” - Bauhaus
It turns out that Peter Murphy and company do more than pout around in vampire clothes and moan about death and darkness. They also make upbeat songs for dancing! This is a catchy groover that can really get you moving if you let it. Just don’t dwell on the cannibalism theme because that makes it weird.
“Black History Month” - Death From Above 1979
I fell for this song hard because I absolutely cannot resist its one-two punch of riff and lyrics. First, the music sucked me in and then lines like “Do you remember when this pool was / A great place for waterwings and cannonballs / A nice place for astrologists and blow up dolls” knocked me out. Are you kidding? You rhyme “cannonballs” and “blow up dolls” and I’m all yours.
“Ninety Five” - Holy Fuck
No words, just three and a half minutes of beautiful noise from a Canadian band with a very naughty name.
“Shout Me Out” - TV On The Radio
I like to use the word “transcendent” when I recall seeing TV On The Radio live for the first (and only) time. It felt like I floated for a minute during “Halfway Home” and “Wolf Like Me” had me screaming like one of those Beatles girls. Love these guys. Miss them. Wish they would return my calls.
Listen on Spotify
Listen on YouTube Music
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading!
“Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.” - Sergei Rachmaninov