Dec 06 2008
America — where are you now?
I used the Genius feature of the latest version of iTunes to create a playlist that I posted to the store. I started from Steppenwolf’s Monster/Suicide/America, and clicked the Genius icon at the bottom of the window. I limited the playlist to 25 selections, and I didn’t phuck with it at all.
I listened to the first 5 or 6 songs and was surprised to discover that I even had them in my collection. I haven’t really started ripping the vinyl from the 60s and 70s. In fact, I haven’t really started ripping anything. Ninety-nine point ninety-nine percent of the material (some may call it content, or you could it Ray or you could call it Jay) on my main machine comes from iTunes or eMusic or NPR or CDs and DVDs we bought at retailers who sell new and used artifacts.
My main machine has 4,298 songs on it, amounting to 12.9 days of music, a mere sixth of the total storage available on the current iPod Classic. With a solar charger, I could survive for years on an island.
I have no way of knowing what the URL is for the playlist I just uploaded. Of the 25 songs that the Genius function found in my library, I think 19 are available on iTunes.
Here’s the list that the Genius picked that I am still listening to as I type this:
Monster/Suicide/America 9:16 Steppenwolf Monster Rock 3 8/23/07 10:24 AM
Deserted Cities Of The Heart 3:42 Cream The Very Best Of Cream Rock
Laugh, Laugh 2:57 The Beau Brummels Introducing the Beau Brummels Rock
Little Wing 5:35 Derek and The Dominos Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs Rock
Beware of Darkness (Bonus Track) 3:22 George Harrison All Things Must Pass (30th Anniversary Edition) [Remastered] Rock
In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed 13:06 Allman Brothers At Fillmore East. 02 Rock
I Don’t Live Today 3:55 The Jimi Hendrix Experience Are You Experienced? Rock
Perpetual Change 14:11 Yes The Yes Album Rock
Go Now! 3:12 The Moody Blues Anthology: the Moody Blues Rock
(The System of) Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether 4:21 The Alan Parsons Project Tales of Mystery and Imagination Rock 6 5/16/08 12:08 PM
Lay Down 4:32 The Strawbs 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Strawbs Rock
What Would You Do (If I Did That To You) 3:23 Steppenwolf Monster Rock
You Set The Scene 6:50 Love Forever Changes Rock
Stormy Monday 8:50 Allman Brothers At Fillmore East. 01 Rock
Ballad of a Thin Man 5:59 Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited Rock
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida 17:02 Iron Butterfly In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida Metal
For Free 4:32 Joni Mitchell Ladies of the Canyon (Remastered) Folk
Frankenstein 5:17 Edgar Winter Not a Kid Anymore (2003 Re-Record) Rock
Sky Pilot 7:31 Eric Burdon & The Animals The Best of Eric Burdon and the Animals (1966-1968) Rock
Living In The U.S.A. 4:06 Steve Miller Band Anthology Rock
(We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet 2:19 The Blues Magoos Kaliedescope Compendium - The Best of the Blues Magoos Rock
I’m So Glad 4:00 Cream The Very Best Of Cream Rock
Heaven Is In Your Mind 4:19 Traffic Mr. Fantasy Rock
7 And 7 Is 2:27 Love Love Story 1966-1972 (Disc 1) Pop 5 4/29/06 1:18 PM
God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to You 6:46 Argent The Argent Anthology - A Collection of Greatest Hits Rock
The only thing that seems a little strange about the Genius picks is that I have the Hendrix version of Little Wing in the library, and it is so much better than the D&D version that I wonder what the algorithm was thinking.
Just got the e-mail from Apple with the URL. For those who have iTunes, you can link to the playlist here.
