Monday, May 18, 2015

My Own Inspired High Fidelity Top 5 Lists



"What came first, the music or the misery?  People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over.  Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain misery and loss.  Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable?  Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?
- Rob

Music geeks are no strangers to developing their own top 5, 10, or 50 "best of" music-related lists.  In this particular day in age, Internet consumers are accustomed to Buzzfeed inspired listicles.  Today, I decided to merge both trends by personalizing some of my favorite High Fidelity "top five" lists.  I have included my preferences for the following "top 5" lists featured in the book and adapted film. 

Perhaps many of these albums and tracks have molded me into the person I am today; while others have functioned as a sort of companion in times of need.  Go ahead and include your own "top 5" albums....you know, when you aren't reorganizing your records in autobiographical order.  


Desert Island Albums

1.  Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys
2.  Want One - Rufus Wainwright
3.  The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding ("Do you have soul?"  "That all depends.")
4.  I'm Your Man - Leonard Cohen
5.  Actor - St. Vincent

Bonus:

A Love Supreme - John Coltrane
Blonde on Blonde - Bob Dylan  ("Don't tell anyone you don't have Blonde on Blonde.  It's going to be ok.")  
Innervisions - Stevie Wonder
A Ghost Is Born - Wilco
Rain Dogs - Tom Waits
Glory Box - Portishead
The Low End Theory - A Tribe Called Quest
Greatest Hits - Al Green
Stop Making Sense - Talking Heads
Back To Mono - Phil Spector
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club - The Beatles
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes


Top 5 Songs About Death

1.  There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths
2.  Knocking On Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan
3.  About To Die - The Dirty Projectors
4.  Bottom Of Everything- Bright Eyes
5.  King's Crossing - Elliott Smith

Dream Jobs

1.  Music Supervisor
2.  Public Radio Music Director
3.  Music Critic
4.  Musician
5.  SNL Cast Member

Songs For My Funeral

1.  In My Arms - Nick Cave
2.  Wake Up - The Arcade Fire
3.  Do You Realize - The Flaming Lips
4.  Free At Last - The Blind Boys of Alabama
5.  We'll Meet Again - Vera Lynn

Side One Track Ones

1.  Devil's Haircut - Beck
2.  Don't Stop Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson
3.  Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush
4.  Airbag - Radiohead
5.  Alone Again Or - Love





8 comments:

  1. YOU KNOW I LOVE THIS POST. Good on you for keeping with the actual top 5 lists in the book/movie. I'm going to have listen to all these because I just love top 5 lists! (I am a HF addict, of course).

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    1. P.S. what is your twitter username?

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    2. @Lady_Lisa_85 (I should be following you already.)

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  2. Making Top 5 lists are so terribly difficult for me....because they usually keep changing in time the more I discover new and old gems. Thank goodness I didn't have to build a top 5 albums and singles of "all time" list. I would probably pull out my hair! In the meantime, you have to contribute your own lists (!!)

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    1. OH GOSH, I can attempt to do such a post, but AHHHHH!! I commend you for choosing 5!

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    2. Haha...and I'm already questioning my choices. Nick told me I was cheating by adding bonus albums. But I told him that this is my blog post, so I can do whatever I please. ;) Good luck on your journey towards creating the perfect top 5 list.

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  3. I feel like I should rip off this post. So many lists I could respond to with my own. Ha. I know I've done the side one track ones and songs for my funeral, although let's face it, done today they would probable be completely different. When I see your desert island top five I can see the White Light/White Heat scene ... "Pet Sounds ... that would be on mine" and in my best Barry "though not on mine".

    Anyway, great post!

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    1. Feel free to produce your own rendition and include those side one track ones and the songs for your funeral! As much as I hate to admit it, I think my list would vary every couple of years. Ohhhh Barry....I'm sure his list would include Katrina and the Waves.

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