8.27.2008

Exhibit 12.1

So I had some time to think about this while at the dentist today: did contemporary pop radio stop introducing new songs after 9/11? Did the Station Manager General for Clear Channel just decided that America needed "Meet Virginia" more than ever? Will we ever get new songs back?

I have some experience here. From the time I was 13, I worked summers at a campground where I mostly listened to such music while chewing purloined beef jerky. This continued until I started college in the fall of 2001. Naturally I assumed that these awful, awful radio stations continued to add awful, awful songs that I, thankfully, never encountered. Hell, I assumed Randy Bachman didn't stop at the production of Tal Bachman and had an army of other kids out there singing in falsetto.

So today the dentist is piping in a station similar, if not identical, to the one I listened to as a boy and I'm trying to focus on it--rather than, you know, the searing pain--only they're playing "Drops of Jupiter." This is a different kind of pain.

Fine, I think.

Then they play "Here's to the Night" by Eve 6.

I decide that if they play "Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Deep Blue Something that I'm going to end my life with the hook-looking scrapy thing. While pondering what this instrument is actually called, they play "Smooth" by Rob Thomas and Santana.

At this point I blackout and wake up in my car. I'm pretty sure I have a memory of hearing some Maroon 5 (who I think they got an exemption from FCC) but it could have been Eagle Eye Cherry.

I don't know who I'm kidding. I love those songs. If I'd heard anything by the New Radicals, I never would have left that dentist's office. I can fake a toothache.

Oh, or "Lullaby" by Shawn Mullins. That song is awesome/awful.

8 comments:

julee said...

Thanks for that flashback. I used to hate Richard Buckner because I thought he was indie Shawn Mullins. Then someone said to listen to his low production stuff, and I was saved.

Don't go to the dentist's office in October. I hear all the receptionists go nuts and turn on the all Christmas music stations.

carlinthemarlin said...

"Breakfast At Tiffany's" by Deep Blue Something is the favorite song of 11 year old Carlin Mackie. This is not something to be proud of, but it is a historical fact.

Pete said...

There is a great post on the avclub blog about music from this time period. Going to find it...

...Ah, yes, here it is:

http://www.avclub.com/content/blog/where_have_you_gone_eagle_eye

You are all welcome.

Pete said...

Let's try that again.

http://www.avclub.com/content/blog/where_have_you_gone_eagle_eye

Pete said...

gone_eagle_eye

sorry about that.

A. Peterson said...

Here it is all clickable and whatnot.

Yeah, that's a very solid list. Soon I might have to post some videos of additional tracks. One to ponder: "Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me for Me)" by Blessid Union of Souls. Oh yeah, that's the good stuff.

Mathias Svalina said...

i think i think 11-year carlin sucks, sorry 20-something carlin

carlinthemarlin said...

23 year old Carlin, and yes, he does. Just a huge asshole.