Saturday, November 20, 2010

Songs to get you in the mood.

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As I was driving south towards Hudson today, with my iPod on shuffle, a song came on that got me thinking... Are there songs which have a Pavlovian effect on you and cause you consistently to think about, shall we say, skin-to-skin contact?  The song that pushed my mind in that direction, embarrassingly enough, is a bit of a cliche: Erotica by Madonna.  I don't think that song has that effect on me purely because of the lyrics or the groove, it's more of an accumulation of reasons, like where I was when that album came out (living in Chelsea), and what was going on in my life (newly graduated from college with a terrific sense of personal accomplishment) and the hotness that is Madonna, of course.  After listening to Erotica, (really loudly), I started mentally compiling a list of other songs that have a similar impact on me.  As an exercise which could feasibly end in seduction,* I offer you, in no particular order,  my top 20 list.** 

  1. Erotica - Madonna
  2. Glory Box - Portishead
  3. Amy, Amy, Amy - Amy Winehouse
  4. You Shook Me - BB King & Johnny Lee Hooker
  5. Crush - DMB
  6. Next Lifetime - Erykah Badu
  7. Ain't No Sunshine - Eva Cassidy
  8. Since I've Been Loving You - Led Zeppelin
  9. Justify My Love - Madonna
  10. I'll Take Care of You - Mark Lanegan
  11. The Girl from Ipanema - Nouvelle Vague
  12. Hearts and Bones - Paul Simon
  13. Sign Your Name - Sheryl Crow
  14. Can't Get You Out of My Mind - Sonya Kitchell
  15. All I Want is You - U2
  16. Fisherman's Blues - The Waterboys
  17. I'm on Fire - Bruce Springsteen
  18. I've Got You Under My Skin - Diana Krall
  19. #41 - DMB
  20. Come Undone - Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan

How about sharing your own mood music?  We could create a master play list which just may come in handy someday...

*Not of me, obviously, but feel free to try your luck with your current love interest.

** I originally thought a list of 10 would suffice, but I was wrong.

9 comments:

  1. Anything Al Green is missing from the list. A throwback for sure, but seductive nonetheless!

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  2. Agree - Al Green's "Call Me". Also Boz Scaggs "Harbor Lights", Beatles, "In My Life". Don't get me started!

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  3. @Anon - Good call on the Al Green!

    @LFox - I was considering a Beatles addition, but that song didn't occur to me...it is a great song, for sure.

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  4. the public enemy beat and madonna's vocals on justify my love do it for me....so now what?

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  5. "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner and "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak....sexaaaay!

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  6. John Legend Save Room.

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  7. Darling Nikki or When Doves Cry - Prince.

    Just...hello XD

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  8. Sometimes words get in the way, so I like a sultry instrumental.
    Santana: "Europa (Earth's Cry, Heaven's Smile)"
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg9Z8SJ7YcM

    And sometimes we need those words, so we have Jeffrey Osborne to sing what's in our hearts. Check out these lyrics:
    "Love
    I never knew that a touch
    Could mean
    So much
    What a difference
    And when we walk hand in hand
    I feel
    So real"

    And listen on LTD's 'Love Ballad.' MmmmHmmm.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f7E5PXRTmE&
    feature=fvsr

    Chills.

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