Moods For Post-Modern Girls

We’re going to get into some music here, because many of you have demanded it.

OK, that’s stretching it a little. We’re going to get into some music here, because I’m in the mood, and one reader, Ned Raggett, just emailed about my most recent entry to say, “Another music post! Keep 'em comin' ”

Now you’re talking, Ned!

Actually, I am writing this in response to a few emailers who said they were interested in seeing the tracklist to my outrageously popular (in my household) “Moods For Post-Modern Girls Mix” and/or asked if there would be any way to post the MFPMG Mix on iTunes.

I’m happy to half-oblige. My MFPMG Mix is massive and forever expanding, now up to 75 tracks and counting. That’s nearly five hours of non-stop music, which, I admit, is a little unwieldy, but I continue to hold out hope someday for the Rhino boxed set.

For right now, we'll start out with a sampler -- not so much of a best-of as a (relatively) quick 20-song teaser:

01. Children (Robert Miles): I heard this for the first time on a transgender woman’s Website a few years back and it took days to dislodge it from my head. It’s music for many moods, melancholy and hopeful at the same time. A great soundtrack for staring out the window during long car trips and train rides.

02. The World Ain't Ready (Elisabeth Withers): I was introduced to this on Wednesday morning, hooked by Wednesday afternoon and driven to blog about it by Wednesday night. Wow.

03. Talk (Coldplay): Unconscionable rip-off of Kraftwerk’s “Computer Love.” These boys should be ashamed. Still, I kinda like it.

04. This Woman’s Work (Kate Bush): For this woman, this is music to work by.

05. Heroes (David Bowie): Words that helped sustain me for more years than I can count: “We can be heroes / Just for one day / We can be us /Just for one day.”

06. Mad World (Gary Jules): I never really warmed to the Tears For Fears original, but “Donnie Darko” would not have been “Donnie Darko” without Jules setting the mood for Donnie’s nightmare visions of giant alien rabbits.

07. Running Up That Hill (Placebo): I own a pretty nifty collection of Kate Bush covers called “I Wanna Be Kate.” (Me too!) On paper, a new version of this classic sounded as pointless as ABCs’ remake of “Brian’s Song.” But this brooding rendition, trading the original’s wistfulness for abject dread, completely reinterprets the song in a way I’d never imagined.

08. Don’t Give Up (Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush): Sensational duet I first heard about 20 years ago. Against any and all conceivable odds back then, I somehow clung to their advice.

09. 21 (The Cranberries): “I don’t think / It’s going to happen anymore.” That’s not to say I didn’t have my doubts.

10. Don't Dream It's Over (Crowded House): For a long time, I thought this was an ode to the video game hero Sonic. “Hedgehog, hedgehog!” Then I listened more closely. And found a lyric sheet.

11. Frederick (Patti Smith): You know you’ve found a great song when you jump to turn up the volume every time you hear the opening chords. This passes that test with flying colors.

12. Greetings to the New Brunette (Billy Bragg): After my glorious visit to the salon last week, I am now a new blonde (as you can see by the new photo accompanying this blog). Greetings back at you, anyway!

13. Bow Down (The Housemartins): Before he took an alias and captured the world as crazed big-beat DJ Fatboy Slim, Norman Cook belonged to the 1980s English guitar band The Housemartins, who gave us the deathless song title, “The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death.”

14. Whole Wide World (Wreckless Eric): Sings Eric: “I’d go the whole wide world / I’d go the whole wide world / Just to find her.” Sounds like the first 48 years of my life.

15. Black Metallic (Catherine Wheel): My rock and roll buddy Kevin B and I have our disagreements over music. For instance, he’s a melody-first-second-and-third man. Me, I remain forever a punk rock girl. But when Kevin calls this the most majestic, awe-inspring song of the 1990s, I lose my will to argue.

16. Landslide (Smashing Pumpkins): Back in the day, punks would have suffered a thousand safety-pin stabs before admitting they liked a Fleetwood Mac song. It’s time I came clean.

17. Wake Me Up When September Ends (Green Day): I had some rough, rough years covering the Angels during the second half of the 1980s. This song reminds me why I was happy they rarely qualified to play in October back then.

18. Waiting for the Angels (The Darkside): Subtitled: “Camped Out In the Anaheim Stadium Home Clubhouse, On Deadline, Anxiously Tapping My Foot While The Players I Needed to Interview Leisurely Showered.”

19. Wait for the Blackout (The Damned): In his email, Ned also wrote, “Thinking of Joe Strummer, friend of mine recently shared some thoughts on the Clash that put them in a new light for me; I admit they're not favorites (I kinda prefer the Damned) but I'm always up for new perspectives there.” I kinda like the Damned myself.

20. Stay Free (The Clash): Ned, here are some new perspectives.

Comments

[Leah]

Hi Christine,

I wanted to add one of the songs that helped me survive and still means a lot to me post-transition:

"I'm Okay" from the album Pieces of Eight by Styx.

Leah (self-professed refugee from the 70's)

[Jami]

Thanks! I'm looking forward to the whole box set myself. Now if you wanted to provide links to 'em ...

[Sara]

Hi Christine, you are truly an inspiration. Seems that we have much in common, not only transgender but more importantly the music. I have and love over half of the songs on your list which says a lot when considering such an eclectic mix. Don't forget to mention the sheer femininity which such a big part of the post-Housemartins band, The Beautiful South. Take care, Sara

[Ned Raggett]

DAMN -- a Darkside mention! And the Damned! And more Clash recommendations! And, well, all of it, thanks! (Was thinking of Kate Bush earlier this evening, actually.) Not Coldplay, though, but what is life without friendly disagreement?

But yeah, the Darkside. I could go on. But the title is well-chosen. Now let me talk about Spacemen 3 and etc. etc.

The Placebo mention is of interest in that everyone's favorite transvestite bisexual Brian Molko is a weirdly fascinating character to me, perhaps to others (perhaps not). I still remember when the first album came out and I looked over the promo photo and thought, "Oh, right, a female-fronted trio." Oopsy. But thus I learn (a bit) not to judge by appearances. He rocked that Louise Brooks bob pretty well though. But then he started losing his hair. Poor child.

On the larger subject of music and mood -- a take like yours is good in that it reminds me that my own particular way of interpreting music is less lyrically based than yours, I'd guess (but this is just a guess). I tend to search for the heart of the song in its sound, and try to write about it in my work with reference to that potential emotional impact, though interpreting sound in word is next to impossible, without stretching one way or another. The lyrical anchor for me feels secondary most of the time, so a detailing of where it hits home for others reminds me of the power of words *as* words, if that makes sense. And the importance and impact of words in specific situations certainly hits me -- after a messy breakup some years back I found myself listening to the old classic Ray Charles country recordings, hating the sappy background singers but finding that all the words Ray himself sang were kinda turning me into a wreck. (On the flipside is something like Sparks, who are so wickedly funny and entertainingly misanthropic that they never fail to put a spring in my step.)

So anyway, we should start a music podcast or something. (He said, arrogantly.) Anyway, have a good weekend!

[Carmen]

Hey! I like the post-modern girl 'do, too! Great pic!

[Robert 'Groby' Blum]

Never said "thank you" for posting that list. Well, thank you! ;)