8.14.2006

Death Mix

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"For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command or faith a dictum. I am my own God. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us." ---Charles Bukowski

It may seem a bit "goth" of me to post a mix of songs dedicated to mankind's mortal enemy: death. Trust me, I don't sleep in a coffin, nor do a fantasize about worms eating me when I'm six feet under (I plan on being cremated anyway). I'm just facinated by the beauty and mystery of that one place none of us have ever been but are all destined to go to someday. What better way to express death's confusion, beauty, and horror than to explore it throught music? So here's my homage to the Grim Reaper; I tried to convey the whole range of emotions one can experience when you think about death...you might be suprised that humor is in that list (just listen to the Smog tune "Dress Sexy at My Funeral"). A little tear always finds its way to the corner of my eye when I listen to Sufjan Steven's haunting and sweet "Casimir Pulaski Day." It's about losing a friend (and possible love of his life) to bone cancer. Leadbelly's cover of the old folk tune, "In the Pines" is probably better known to you as the Nirvana cover "Where Did you Sleep Last Night" off their 1994 Unplugged album. "His head was found ina driving wheel and his body was never found" still gives me the chills. Another big highlight would be the PJ Harvey and Nick Cave duet off the album, Murder Ballads, "Henry Lee." I admit I relate to the woman's side in this song when she, after being jilted by a lover, sends him falling to his death down in a well.

So I hope you all don't think I'm some weirdo who plans out what songs I want played at my funeral like Rob Gordon does in High Fidelity, but I must admit I'd be pleased as punch if they played Jeff Buckley's entire Grace album at my wake with everyone screaming along to "Grace." I want people to celebrate my life, not sitting there bawling about something that is inevitable for everyone. I just hope I don't meet my end by a crazed psychopath or jealous lover like in a couple of these songs. That's all I ask.

Efil's God by Eels
"I'll bundle up and slip away
The count is down, and the drip is up
It's time to split this hunk of clay"

Casimir Pulaski Day by Sufjan Stevens
"In the morning when you finally go
And the nurse runs in with her head hung low
And the cardinal hits the window
In the morning in the winter shade
On the first of March on the holiday
I thought I saw you breathing"

Everywhere by Polaris
"You left your glasses behind
And somebody said you were doing fine
I play a game, but you're not there
But it's no good, because you're everywhere"

Grace by Jeff Buckley
"There's the moon asking to stay
Long enough for the clouds to fly me away
Though it's my time coming, I'm not afraid, afraid to die"

Dress Sexy At My Funeral by Smog
"Dress sexy at my funeral my good wife
And when it comes your turn to speak before the crowd
Tell them about the time we did it
On the beach with fireworks above us"

Dead and Lovely by Tom Waits
"What's more romantic than dying in the moonlight?
Now they're all watching the sea
What's lost can never be broken
Her roots were sweet but they were so shallow
And now she's dead
Forever dead
Forever dead and lovely now"

Susan by Subhumans
"With the money from insurance
The family went on holiday
Nothing left but rotting flowers
On an unattended grave
The epitaph has faded badly
No one reads it anyway"

In the Pines by Leadbelly
"Her husband, was a hard working man,
Just about a mile from here.
His head was found in a driving wheel,
But his body never was found."

Country Death Song by The Violent Femmes
"Gather round boys to this tale that I tell.
You wanna know how to take a short trip to hell?
Its guarenteed to get your own place in hell.
Just take your lovely daughter and push her in the well.
Take your lovely daughter and throw her in the well."

Henry Lee duet by PJ Harvey and Nick Cave
"Lie there, lie there, little Henry Lee
Till the flesh drops from your bones
For the girl you have in that merry green land
Can wait forever for you to come home"

The Eternal by Joy Division
"Stood by the gate at the foot of the garden,
Watching them pass like clouds in the sky,
Try to cry out in the heat of the moment,
Possessed by a fury that burns from inside."

Asleep by The Smiths
"Dont try to wake me in the morning
cause I will be gone
Dont feel bad for me
I want you to know
Deep in the cell of my heart
I will feel so glad to go"

11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very good colletion. Z.

7:09 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thrilled to see Efil's God on there. Not a song I've heard mentioned in a while.

8:08 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There must be something in the air, we were just talking about the inevitable eternal sleep during dinner earlier. We feel the same way. Thanks for the great song selection/s(not just now, but always)& what a poignant quote.

11:58 PM  
Blogger totempolezoe said...

Great quote. Upon reading it, I read a little bit more about Bubowski. It is his birthday today. Happy B-day Charles!

11:44 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good choices. Though according to Bernard Sumner, Ian Curtis wrote 'The Eternal' about "a little mongol kid who grew up near Ian. He could never come out of the house: his whole universe was the house to the garden wall.Many years later Ian moved back to Macclesfield and by chance saw he saw this kid. Ian had grown up from 5 to 22 , but the kid looked the same. His universe was still the house and the garden:.

2:42 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You have what's known, colloquially, as impeccable taste.

7:28 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great post. My addition of the top of my head would be from the now defunct Canadian band Odds.

The Last Drink.

carrying your ashes from bar to bar
i'm in a mess and you're in a mason jar
and you're under my arm like a football
i'm not ready to let go and that is all
you were never big on conversation
and that hasn't changed since your cremation

5:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It probably would've been Nick Cave overkill to have included 2 of his songs, but his duet with Kylie Minogue, "Where the Wild Roses Grow" is a really dark song about death. It's especially great b/c Kylie's 'character' gets killed!! Hehe
(from an Aussie gal who can't stand Kylie Minogue)

6:39 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice songs would recommend some others like these:

Iron & Wine - Each Coming Night
Will you say to me when I’m gone
"Your face has faded but lingers on
Because light strikes a deal with each coming night"

Modest Mouse - Ocean Breathes Salty
Your body may be gone, I'm gonna carry you in
In my head, in my heart, in my soul
And maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both live again
Well I don't know

Red House Painters - Byrd Joel
She sleeps and won't come back again
From pretty dreams that keep her
My baby won't come back again
I feel so lost without her

(Actually this song is more about a girl in a coma but still such a powerfull song similar to Sufjan Stevens)

REM - Try Not To Breathe
I will try not to breathe.
I can hold my head still with my hands at my knees.
These eyes are the eyes of the old, shiver and fold.

I will try not to breathe.
This decision is mine. I have lived a full life
and these are the eyes that I want you to remember

8:38 AM  
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1:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lovely! Years ago, I found your list and I could not agree more... Only recently began looking for your list again et voila. Merci beaucoup.

8:44 AM  

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