Here's why I was going to respond no. Imagine you're on the International Space Station, and you wake up to the infinite vastness of space. Yes, you have a bird's eye view of the Earth, but you also can see the Universe in all its glory. And then to add insult to all of this awesome, U2's average, generic "Beautiful Day" is piped through tinny speakers. It just doesn't do the situation justice. It's so bland. So vanilla. Out of all the amazing songs to choose from, NASA picked this one. Seriously?
On the car ride home, TheGirl asked, "So what song would you have picked?" I was silent for a bit while I pondered. This is a big question for me. My brother told me once that I don't see music like everyone else. Most people just like or dislike a song. According to him, I see music like a color scale. There are variations, linkages, and nuances to it. I can also tell you exactly why I don't like something and vice versa. I've been referred to as a music snob, but what do you expect from a girl who lived in Athens, Georgia for over five years? It's one of the best college towns for music. I digress.
On the fly, I replied, "David Bowie's "Life on Mars."
It always makes me think, and if I were standing at a window looking out at the infinite that's what I'd want to hear. Between the lyrics and the sweeping orchestration of the piano I feel so isolated like I'm on the edge of space. Perfect song for waking up to the infinite.
So here's my question to you, gentle reader: what song would you like to wake up to if you were on the International Space Station, and why? There are no right or wrong answers here (unless the answer is U2).
This one:
ReplyDeleteLife's Been Good.
( http://youtu.be/063LYBBlR3c )
I only have to hear the first two notes to know it's going to be a great day.
New Order's Age of Consent.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ahU-x-4Gxw
One of my all-time favorite songs. The melody and lyrics combine to make my swoon. The thought of looking out into the universe with this song playing gives me chills.
I am always nervous answering music questions, because I always suspect I am wrong.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I've given this some thought, and if I were to wake up on the International Space Station, I'd like ELO's Mr. Blue Sky to be my wake-up call. It just seems to encompass the "holy crap I'm in space!" feeling I'd likely be experiencing.
"Life On Mars" also invokes the notion of the desire to escape the banal, much like your desire to escape U2.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I like waking up to the news and going to sleep with music. I don't appreciate anything first thing in the morning and, to be frank, if you played the same thing for me during my grumpiest hour every day then I'd probably start to hate it. That said, I'd probably want something like Beethoven's 6th symphony, which gives a sense of peace and joy while still implying an underlying power to the universe. I might even go for a waltz from the Strauss family, as cliché 2001 as that may be, just because they tend to be pretty and inspire movement without inspiring thought, which can be a painful thing that early.