The Jukebox #2

Alright, there probably are more than a few smarter, more necessary and more urgent things I could do right now; but here I am writing my second Jukebox entry. If you are in a good mood or feel that you are content with your life, you may wish to stay away from this particular set of songs.

DISCLAIMER: I claim no responsibility whatsoever for ruined happinesses and darkened nights that may result from listening to one or more of the songs in the following list.

Meh, of course I'm not (fully, absolutely, Margaret Thatcheresquely)serious. Listen to these songs, I think each and every one is quite amazing.

1) David Gray -- Babylon

"If you want it/come and get it/crying out loud/the love that I was/giving you was/never in doubt"

How can anyone possibly express that particularly exquisite and complex human emotion more simply and accurately?

2) Flight Facilities ft. Giselle -- Crave You

I find most of the lyrics quite obnoxious; but there are some golden ones like Where can I keep you safe as my own/My moment I have you the next you're gone! and in fact this song is here not because of what it says but how it says what it says: A musical triumph.

3) Frank Sinatra -- My Way

A classic, of course. A great song in every way, I know. It's almost cocky of me to think the song needs sharing on my humble blog, I know. But I also know I sometimes need to be reminded just how important doing it and feeling it my way is. Maybe you do, too. Try some of the live versions on youtube for even more of a treat.

4) Franz Ferdinand -- Well That Was Easy

I still wonder how they managed to pull off a beautifully painful song containing both of the following sets of lyrics: "I watched you clean the filth of your phone dial/swallowing the things your fingers picked up/tongue, your tongue/I watched your tongue lick it up/ Eeew!" and "So come, come on come/ Come on, kill me now/ Kill me now, 'cuz I'm leaving you now/ That was easy, how I miss you/ That was easy, I still miss you! That was easy, how I miss you now!"

5) Hans Zimmer&John Powell -- Shifu's Flute

Yes, I am addicted to Hans Zimmer's movie soundtracks and Far-Eastern music. If this simple melody doesn't break your heart and make you long for something(whatever it is), I suspect anything can.

6) Hans Zimmer&John Powell -- Oogway Ascends

Another one from the Kung Fu Panda soundtrack. I often really want to simply ascend and get above and beyond all the pain like Oogway does--mostly right before I feel a mad urge to jump back into the fray and let some more marrow to be drunk out of my soon-to-be-broken bones. Yes, I just alluded to myself.

7) Sakura(Cherry Blossom) -- Japanese Folk Song

Many different versions of this sad song are quite easy to find on youtube; but my favourite rendition is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK51LblcEOw&feature=related

8) Spanish-Arabic Fusion Music

Any given piece will do as long as it contains a guitar and an oud. This one just destroys and rebuilds me from 1:30 onwards, though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDOGSh9kgyA&feature=related

9) The Mamas and the Papas -- California Dreaming

Sit back and let Cass Elliot take you to California or your California right now.

10)Özkan Uğur -- Olduramadım

Sometimes I wish life made me say "Ambalayeee ambaleyyo oooeeeeyyaaa" and "OLDURAMAADIIIM" a wee bit less often; but oh well, the potentially existent almighty divine being must be having some fun.

Heavy load of Leonard Cohen songs incoming now; you have been warned.

11) Leonard Cohen -- Avalanche

Possibly the most poetic, darkest and most haunting song I ever listened to. Extremely poetically complex, too: I've been listening Cohen's music and this particular song rather extensively for quite some time now; and I don't claim ever being able to get under the infinitely many emotional layers of this song and reach its core meaning.The version you want to listen is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emP2LkF7WjI

12) Leonard Cohen -- Suzanne

"And you touch her perfect body/with your mind"

Hasn't been my case; but I know there will be at least two people reading this who found one with the perfect mind and the perfect body and can touch that perfect mind but not the perfect body. The two people I am thinking of as I post Suzanne will know themselves as they read this; but I think this song makes sense and evokes yearning universally.

13) Leonard Cohen -- I Can't Forget

Dear friends, the lines "I can't forget/I can't forget/I can't forget but I don't remember what/I can't forget/I can't forget/I can't forget but I don't remember whom" in this song sum up the psychological state I wish and wish and wish and wish and wish to enter. Sadly, the song also contains the lines that sort of summarize the dark(and prominent) side of my present psychological state: "I got out of bed/ I got ready for the struggle/ I smoked a cigarette/ I tightened up my guts/ I said this can't be me, must be my double."

14)EXTRA: Any and all of the songs from the upcoming musical "HAREM" at Robert College of Istanbul. Mr. Demirkapı has done a miraculous, unbelievable, incomparable work with the composition of the music for HAREM. Come and see the show on December 14th(Wednesday) at 3:30 PM or/and December 15th(Thursday)at 7:00 PM or/and December 16th(Friday)at 7:00 PM. Need an invitation? Need more info? Let me know through the comments!

And you do want to see a particular blog writer as the most outrageously effeminate and silly harem eunuch, don't you?