Life! The Musical

Life is music, music is art... I don’t know where I’m going with this. Just read the damn article.

By Cody Quinn
Editor-in-Chief

Like so many of you Internet surfers out there, I use music to get me through otherwise uneventful days. Yes, the glory of that $300 piece of plastic I so fondly call Harley (What? You don’t name your iPod?) is truly beyond measure. Without Harley, work would be a drab experience, I might have to say, “Hello,” to people when I walk down the halls of our beloved HCC, and, worst of all, I might have an attention span somewhat longer than that of the average squirrel.

However, without the proper listening material, my iPod would be about as useful as President Bush’s diction coach. My precious Harley contains roughly 3,000 songs nestled in her tender little hard drive, with each and every song tailor fitted for all the tiny nuances of my life.

Perhaps at this point you are wondering how you can have a perfect mp3 player like I do. You may also be wondering if I will somehow find my way to giving you some handy dandy examples. Furthermore, you may be curious as to how millions of dollars in untraceable cash could be lost on the way to Iraq. If you are wondering about the last question, you are too smart for this article and must leave before your brain is irreparably harmed. You’ve been warned.

When looking for music to download on to your digital storage device, there are two, and only two, ways to go about it. The first is the easiest: take a look in the mirror. By using the handy tool known as “stereotyping”, you will be able to find music that suits you perfectly.

For example: does your hair come to a laceration-inducing point? Do you wear Che Guevara T-shirts, “Fight the Power” patches, and a jean jacket with the Union Jack on the back and have no clue what any of them symbolize? Then rock is for you. If you haven’t already, look into bands like Bad Religion (older stuff), the Sex Pistols, and the Meat Puppets just to take the edge off.

From the Sex Pistols to Mos Def, you can use any music to describe your life.
Images courtesy of www.theage.com.au and www.dustygroove.com

Can you decipher words that are spoken at roughly the speed of light? Do you believe that, “Pimpin ain’t easy,” and know that it’s hilarious for little kids to be singing, “Skeet, skeet, skeet?” Then rap is surely for you. Of course, trying to recommend rap groups/artists is like tip-toeing across a minefield of allegiances and personal tastes. Having said that, Mos Def, Immortal Technique, Common, and Kanye West are always worth a listen.

The second method of finding music is somewhat more personal: selecting music to suit your many moods. The best way to do this is to find out where your mood most commonly lies. If you’re a melancholy person, you’ll want to load up on artists like Brand New, Snow Patrol, Plain White Ts, or any other band that handles a breakup by throwing on some make-up and clumsily strumming an acoustic guitar. “Sowing Season” by Brand New and “Run” by Snow Patrol are bound to keep you sullenly content.

As in life, if you are of a generally happy temperament, you have more options. A joyous person has more genres to choose from, including 90’s alt rock, rap, and pop. The sky’s the limit for you, but some songs that will never let you down from the cloud you’re floating on are “Steal my Sunshine” by Len, “Taxi Cab” by Gym Class Heroes, and “Calculus” by 2Gether.

Finally, I know lots of you out there are uncertain when it comes to selecting music that best fits your “romantic” moods. Let’s face it: being equipped with the right song can mean the difference between playing patty cake with you partner, or giving yourself a low five. Of course, there are the old standards: “Sexual Healing” by Marvin Gaye, anything by Barry White, and for the super subtle, “Too Close” by Next.

You’re better than that, though, so consider widening your approach to more thoughtful music. Want to make a girl go weak in the knees? Try “Into the Mystic” by the Wallflowers. Ladies, want to show your man you mean business? “I Love My Sex” by Benny Benassi is perfect to let him know he’s in for the time of his life. If you want to have a song on that signifies some kind of “love,” “21 Questions” by 50 Cent is surprisingly sweet.

That is only a glimpse into the process of custom fitting the music world to your particular lifestyle. If, on the very off chance, you find my two methods ineffective in finding music, there are two outside sources that are pretty good at filling out your collection. Websites like www.pandora.com and www.lastfm.com are great for opening your mind to artists similar to the ones you already like, and learning what type of music people like you like.

With that, and to get you thinking in the right direction, here’s a sample of an average day in my life as outlined by songs from my sweet, sweet Harley.

A Day in the Life of Cody Quinn

1. Pure Morning- Placebo
2. Phenomena- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3. So Fresh and So Clean- Outkast
4. Working in a Coal Mine- Lee Dorsey
5. Joker and the Thief- Wolfmother
6. ABC- The Jackson Five
7. Orange Crush- R.E.M.
8. Don’t Stop Believing- Journey
9. Amphetamine- Everclear
10. Strawberry Wine- Deanna Carter
11. Sinnerman- Nina Simone
12. Tyler- Toadies