Sometimes I get a little distracted by music with lyrics (or at least lyrics I understand, so I end up playing lots of opera or classical) when I'm reading, but yesterday and today I can't help myself. While finishing up the Native American history section on my comps list, I reacquainted myself with a great song that was highly appropriate -- Chief. Patty Griffin is so, so good. I started listening to her years ago in New York, while working at the now non-existent Time Cafe, and I love rediscovering her every year or so and re-listening to all her music. This morning I found a song that I actually didn't already have -- I think it was only recently put on Itunes -- My Dear Old Friend. Beautiful, sad, haunting, for some reason it also goes well with the current crop of readings. Rather hard to listen to 80s pop while reading this stuff, but something appropriately melancholy, with a touch of the tough survivor, is perfect. She has a new album coming out in a few weeks, which I want right now. I love how narrative her music is, every song is a self-contained story, like Mother of God, or Long Ride Home, or Mary, or Making Pies, or Sweet Lorraine, or Florida, or Top of the World. OK, I'll stop. It doesn't hurt that 90% of her music is about the experience of being working-class or poor and female in the U.S. Basically, it's about "throwaway people" as S. would say, gay teenage boys or white trash girls or older people (lots and lots of songs about older people). Right -- back to the books.
What music do you listen to while reading?
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2 comments:
I also tend to the non-vocal when working (which ranges from Rachmaninov to Gershwin).
Recently I've been experimenting with Latin (Ibrahim Ferrer) and "Alternative" (Paris Combo, "Living Room") only when I don't have to commit 100% attention to my work.
I've found that having music to listen is very useful for breaking up the utter silence of my work life. I imagine in your office, it works the opposite.
i don't. Too distracting. I play music when I am cleaning or doing something I REALLY don't want to be doing so I can sing along and the time goes by faster. Problem is, I sing along to the opera or classical music too, only I'm usually singing along to the horn line. Band geek out. :)
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