Sonic Sunday: Seven Random Things

A while back, I was tagged by CDP to do the "Seven Random Things" meme. In true BeckEye fashion, I promised to do it and then put it off indefinitely. Originally, I was going to tie it into a 2007 recap, but that never happened. Even though I hate getting tagged, I was still determined to keep my promise since CDP is a relatively new blog-friend who I didn't want to alienate. Plus, she wouldn't have known about my aversion to memes. I mean, let's face it, if I really had that many interesting facts to share about myself, I wouldn't be writing a pop culture blog.

Luckily, I can usually work a pop cultural or musical reference into just about any conversation, so I've decided to turn "Seven Random Things" into...

"Seven Random Tracks from the Soundtrack of My Life"

(Click any link to download the song. Mp3s are available for a limited time, so get 'em while they're hot!)

1. My favorite song when I was a kid this one by Elton John and Kiki Dee. I can't count how many times I sang this in my living room, using a pencil or hairbrush for a microphone. (Of course I only sang Kiki's parts.) It's still one of my faves.
mp3:"Don't Go Breakin' My Heart"

2. The first concert I ever saw was Rick Springfield in...1982? I think!? Unfortunately, all of my saved ticket stubs are at my Dad's house in Pittsburgh so I don't remember the exact date. But, I'm nearly positive that it was the "Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet" tour when I was 9. (This was the answer to a trivia question I posed at the end of the year, but no one ever guessed correctly. Therefore, no one ever won my Top 20 of 2007 mix CD!)
mp3: "Don't Talk To Strangers"

3. Ever since I was old enough to like boys, I've been gifted with the ability to always pick the wrong ones. When this Black Crowes song came out in the early '90s, it didn't help my love life any, but it at least provided me with the perfect "men suck, so I think I'll have another beer" song.
mp3: "Seeing Things"

4. Much of my 20s were spent hanging out at a bar called Kangaroos. It was a giant club with a dance floor and game area in one half and a smaller bar area with live music in the other half. My best friend and I usually went there to dance and meet morons, but there was one band that could pry us off the dance floor in those days: Sleeping Giants. They always kind of reminded me of Extreme, and listening to their CD again, I'm amazed by how much they really do sound like them. I guess it all sounds dated now, but they actually were a pretty good live band, and the lead singer was a really nice guy. They won a college band search in the mid-'90s (even though I think the youngest guy was probably like 30!) and got to play on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Unfortunately, that never did anything to help their career along. Neither the band nor the bar exists anymore. And, saddest of all, my 20s waved bye-bye to me a long time ago. Sigh...nothing gold can stay.
mp3: "Holes In My Pockets"

5. I can not hear this Natalie Imbruglia song and not think of college. This was a song of obsession for my then-roommate and I, along with most of our female friends. Years after graduating, I was maid of honor in her wedding and this was the last song that was played at the reception, "for the IUP girls." Then, I went from maid of honor to nothing in about a year or so, as my friend joined the world of the marrieds and stopped talking to me and returning my calls. Ah, well. That stuff happens between chicks. At least she didn't leave me lying naked on the floor.
mp3: "Torn"

6. The re-discovery of this song and further investigation into all things Bogmen started me down a path that I may have never had the balls to go down without it. I doubt I could have moved to New York without all of the friendships that came out of that chapter of my life. It's kind of a long story that you can probably piece together if you have the energy to search this blog.
mp3: "Suddenly"

7. I'm one of those very anal people (although in some ways, I'm still very much a slob) who has to alphabetize her CDs. The last CD in my collection is Neil Young's Mirror Ball. Obviously, I'm not much of a ZZ Top or Frank Zappa fan. But now I'm kind of wondering why I never bought that Zutons CD.
mp3: "Throw Your Hatred Down"

Comments

David Amulet said…
Wow. I have not heard of that Elton John/Kiki Dee song in a long, long time. Thanks for the memories!

-- david
Claire said…
That was one of my favorite songs when I was a child, and I also sang along, but only with Kiki.
Thanks for doing this!
Malcolm said…
Elton and Kiki do a really good version of "Don't Go Breakin'..." on his 2000 live CD "One Night Only". Whenever I hear "Torn", I think of the time I worked at an outlet store that sold books, music, movies, etc. The station that we usu. had it tuned to had this song in its regular rotation.
Anonymous said…
You are my twin - #1 and #2 are exactly the same things I did. Wait, I don't have multiple personalities and you are me? Do I?
Cup said…
Brilliant!
What would you do during the Elton John parts? Dance and vamp, waiting for your chance to belt out the hits?

Also, Rick Springfield is awesome. I bet he's still rolling in Spuds MacKenzie money. That dog taught me a lot about partying.
Where do you file bands like !!!, via the dewey decimal system or as a precursor to the alphabet?
The Guv'ner said…
Two small matters:

1)Torn is a great song. I hate to admit that but I like it a lot. And she looked all funky cute with her short punky hair and waif body and cargo pants.

2) If i cannot sleep tonight because my brain keeps going, "DON'T GO BREEEEEAKING MY HEEEEEART" I am coming round to your house with a baseball bat.

That is all!
Ah but Frank really is a musical genius....my vinyl is in a dewey decimal system LOL
Anonymous said…
I love Neil Young, always have, always will. Gotta love Greendale, I've seen it a thousand times.
chelene said…
Ah, Rick Springfield. He was the king of my bedroom wall photo collection back in the early 80's.
Anonymous said…
Rick Springfield, wasn't he one of the doctors on General Hospital circa 80-82? The pop star cross over brings to mind a modern day Hilary Duff or Hannah Montana ... or something like that.