Playlist

In the days of iPods with more memory than the average human user can fathom, I still seem to gravitate to a mix CD length of songs that must have some sort of prevalence in life at this time. There's no other explanation as to why, out of the 4,000 songs I peruse in my pocket-sized music collection, I continue to search for the same ones. 

Here's the soundtrack to my life at the moment:

1. Jacob Miller - I Shall be Released

2. AC/DC - Gone Shootin'

3. Al Green - I Can't Get Next to You

4. Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues

5. Bob Marley - Real Situation

6. Citizen Cope - Deep

7. Curtis Mayfield - I Plan to Stay a Believer

8. David Byrne - Something Aint' Right

9. Dr. John - Everybody Wanna Get Rich

10. Led Zeppelin - Hey, Hey What Can I Do?

11. Kenny Loggins - Danny's Song

12. The Kinks - There's Nothing in this World to Stop me Worrying About that Girl

13. Leon Russel - Tight Rope

14. The Meters - Here Comes the Meter Man

15. Neil Young - Goin' Back

16. Presidents of the United States of America - Naked and Famous

17. The Raconteurs -Level 

18. A Tribe Called Quest - WordPlay

19. 2Pac - Bury Me a G

I've kept a funkified mixture of soul, roots, and hip hop and thrown a little bit of rock n roll into the melodious mix. This music is a constant companion and somewhat of a buffer between my exposure to the unknown culture and language and my complete vulnerability to it. If I've got some bluesy Bobby D harmonica lulling me to sleep on the train, I might be able to convince myself that there are those around me who could understand timeless American classics. But, alas, I am merely shielding my ears from a swarm of J Pop and perpetual Japanese jibberish.