Thursday, July 9, 2009
Song / ??!! / Conflict of Interest / Zzzzzzzzzzzzz I've Done Dumber Things
Posted by Megan Seling on Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Last week, while listening to Phil Collins' "Against All Odds" for the first time in years, I made some flippant comment about how I could listen to that song forever. It's not the best song ever written, I know that, but I really loved it as a kid and that all came rushing back to me, so whatever.
Well my sister called my bluff. She said that I couldn't even listen to the song once every hour that I was awake for a week, let alone forever. Now I could've said "You're right, Sister, I can't." But instead, being the stubborn (and weird) person that I am, I've dedicated this week to proving her wrong (and I'm tracking my progress for evidence too).
I know. It's ridiculous. But I'm doing it anyway. And as of today, I'm halfway through the week. (I started Monday, my last day is Sunday.)
I'm not that tired of the song itself, really. It's the process of documenting each listen that's getting old. Still, I'm totally going to win. So it's worth it.
I'm just really glad I didn't say anything about "In the Air Tonight" or "Sussudio." That'd be impossible.
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1
Listening once an hour is one thing, watching that video once an hour would be quite another. You should have some money riding on this thing Megan!
2
I've been following this Tumblr for the entire week, and I had absolutely no idea it was you, Megan.
3
At the end of your week, you should ("should") take an entire day and listen to it on repeat for the entire time you're awake. Headphones, speakers at your desk, whatever you can do to NOT hear another song the entire day and always have this one audible. You could even have it play as your alarm in the morning.
What's the worst that could happen......?
What's the worst that could happen......?
5
Good lord. I used to think that movie was awfully sophisticated. Car chase, Jeff Bridges looking yummy, a bit of Old LA Money in the plot...
6
I clicked through to this because I assumed you were listening to it NON-STOP for a week. Listening to it once an hour is not a big deal. It's about 3.5 min long, that's less than 6% of each hour that you spend listening to the song. Which of course means less than 6% of your waking time during the week. That is not remotely intolerable, especially starting with a song you like.
If you want to attempt something impressive, put on a song you like on infinite repeat and see how long you can go before you hate it so much you have to turn it off.
If you want to attempt something impressive, put on a song you like on infinite repeat and see how long you can go before you hate it so much you have to turn it off.
7
My co-worker loves that movie and loves the song "In Too Deep" which she believes is from that movie. I don't care to correct her because it probably is on the soundtrack, but isn't that theme song. She softly sings and it lightly plays at her desk on some light station that plays the same songs every day by Sade, Chuck Mangione (sp) and right now is playing Dido.
9
How about the chorus from CSN's Jude Blue Eyes Suite on endless repeat? I think we'd all crack in less than 10 minutes of that.
11
@6 You're right. I didn't think it sounded all that difficult either, hence my trying. And so far, it's really not hard. Not hard to listen to the song, anyway. I still like it. What's a pain in the ass is remembering to listen and take a picture of the fact that I'm listening before the end of each hour.
12
Good choice!
In the mid 90s I had a roommate who freaked out and threatened to kill me if I listened to Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde one more time after having it on repeat for well over a month.
In the mid 90s I had a roommate who freaked out and threatened to kill me if I listened to Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde one more time after having it on repeat for well over a month.
15
@14 Yeah, I kinda wish I had said it about a different song. BUT! The plus side of it being "Against All Odds" is if it made me hate the song, then what am I losing, really? A power ballad from the 80s that I haven't heard since I was a kid?
Whereas with "Savory," well, that'd be a tragic loss if it turns out I could never hear the song again.
Whereas with "Savory," well, that'd be a tragic loss if it turns out I could never hear the song again.
16
This American Life did a show kind of about this a couple years ago. One of the reporters broke up with a boyfriend, and ended up writing her own break-up song. She talked to Phil Collins for advice, and he told her all about how he came to write that song, how his heart was broken, and how it all ended up making him a mega-star.
Listen here: http://audio.wbez.org/thirdcoast/08fulld…
Listen here: http://audio.wbez.org/thirdcoast/08fulld…
17
I was doing the same with "Yellow" (listening near constant, breaking for meals, showers, sleep, bathroom, etc), checking iTunes a few days in revealed I'd played it 340 times, not counting listening to it on WinAmp, and then for a few days after I didn't count. According to my math, It would have been about 1400 to listen to it all day every day for 5 days of waking hours, I probably only hit 600.
What did it do? Beat the depression out of me, I think. I was a mess when I started, somewhat better at the end. I think the repetition gives the brain something to do to take the pressure off.
What did it do? Beat the depression out of me, I think. I was a mess when I started, somewhat better at the end. I think the repetition gives the brain something to do to take the pressure off.
19
You wouldn't even have to try hard to have done this in the 1980s, when top 40 FM would have been playing some shitty Phil Collins or Phil Collins "Genesis" track, guaranteed, every hour and then some.
Why not pick a shitty song that's on Top 40 radio right now, guaranteed, at least every half hour? Say, Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" or Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow"?
Why not pick a shitty song that's on Top 40 radio right now, guaranteed, at least every half hour? Say, Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" or Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow"?
20
Ahhh yeah! Good times! I totally rocked this song in the talent show in high school back in the day! lol
21
This guy I worked with did that in our office once. He played Frankenstein by the Edgar Winter Band all day EVERY day for a week. People wanted to KILL him by about the second day.
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