Whussa Meme?

First people have strange cartoon versions of themselves. Then they start throwing around weird web-speak like LMAO and IAWTC. Now I've been 'tagged' by Cupcake, an online game where I have to list seven songs I'm digging right now. I would be very angry except this means I am wildly popular...on the Internet!

It also affords me the chance to discuss the music I'm listening to, second only to lymph nodes on the list of uninteresting things I won't shut up about. Let's hit it.

1) Ode to Joy with banjos and yodelling, care of the Raising Arizona soundtrack. I never thought of this as a song to listen to sans movie. That is, until my friends at Tiki Bar TV made this brilliant video homage.

As a side note, this weekend I played Nicole the original "Ode to Joy" and asked her to name the tune. She said, "It's that Beethoven song, what's it called? Oh yeah...Brotherhood!" She gets confused.

2) Run by Snow Patrol. The Belligerent Intellectual recently told a funny tale about how he felt like an epic god when this song crescendoed while he was peeing. So I downloaded the tune and wasn't initially impressed. It sounded too much like a song from a hokey movie trailer or a teenager's life. But it's infectious and now I definitely have had moments where I've played it 3 or 4 times in a row. So don't sweat it, Mr. Kitten. A man is more than the sum of his crappy music taste.

3) Five songs by Arcade Fire. One of my lame Friendsters told me this band is derivative of Modest Mouse and Pavement. I told her she is derivative of dirt. The songs are Headlights, Wake Up, Rebellion Lies, Neighborhood 1 and Neighborhood 3.

4) 54-46 (That's My Number) by Toots and the Maytals. Nicole never wants to hear me play reggae music. She's so uptight, always trying to interfere with my hang-loose lifestyle. She'd chill out if she'd just get a bit more irie.

5) Bring it on Home by Sam Cooke. I downloaded this one after I heard a subway musician belting it out. Then I played it very loudly in my living room about 12 or 13 times. I'm still afraid my roommate C-Smoove may have thought it was a mating call.

6) The Postman by american analog set. I'm still mad I skipped out on this dreamy space-pop band (kinda sounds like the Postal Service) when they came to T.T. the Bears last month. I was too grumpy to attend. This guy was too.

7) Breathe by Sia. This is the unhip song that finished Six Feet Under forever. Nicole and I bawled like babies throughout the whole closing montage and now I fall apart every time I hear this pop gem.

Today, for instance, I listened to it four times in a row on the T. Everything, from the discarded Metros on the ground to the swaggering bravado of two teenage thugs, seemed inordinately beautiful and bittersweet. And I tell ya, when the little old couple got off the train at Downtown Crossing, I almost started blubbering like a menopausal mom. Everyone dies someday.

Now I have to tag seven people. Jomilkman, Jack-o Grammy, Griff (eat music today,) Race, Kaysea, Praha, Erin and Amy. Now you have to list seven songs you're into. Get to work.