this afternoon, i challenged my students to nominate the best song of the past five years...the reason being that i'm pretty sure it's justin t-lakes' "sexyback." i once got into an argument with a man at a dinner party who posited that "the district sleeps alone" is the best song of the 21st century. the man wasn't to be trusted; he didn't like donald hall. only, later i sort of agreed.
unfortunately, my students are 74 year-olds disguised as kids. while they were born in--wait for it--1992, they love old school music. they still speak of hip-hop in tupac/west biggie/east terminology. they're old school. one even requested a yo yo ma song. you know. the cellist. but just when i thought they were perfect, just when i had opened up the panel to "best song of all time," just when they threw out U2's "bloody sunday" and "come fly with me" and "eleonor rigby" and flaming lips' "the wand," a young woman said:
who is joni mitchell?
who is joni mitchell. i nearly fainted.
anyway, this is a call for submissions. best song of the 21st century. anything KORN doesn't count. just like charles bukowski doesn't count when i say "pick any poet you want."
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14 comments:
1. There are no stupid questions.
2. Insert silent defense of CB as poet who counts.
3. "Dare" by Gorillaz.
does not count. my blog. i win.
jewel, it might interest you to know, also doesn't count.
yeah. that dare song's not so bad. but why are those people so into anime? kills me.
Who is Joni Mitchell!? I'm shocked and dismayed.
i know, i know. it was tragic. i mean, "i could drink a case of you and still be on my feet?"
hope charleston is treating you well, dear.
Dido's "Thank You" or Madonna’s remake of “American Pie.”
Geez, I can't even type the names of those two songs with a straight face. Did you know Dido’s real name is Florian Cloud de Bounevialle Armstrong?
This question of best song of the 21st century is an impossibility. Sort of like me selling my house in this economic temperature, which effects my emotional temperature. And come on, songs? Lists? Top Tens? I expect more from you Mamie.
Huggs and Kisses.
i hate you, eric. i always expect more from you and what do i get? what? status updates about your body pump/body groove/body flow/spin classes.
oh god. i wish you were in a spin class. my old instructor was hot, but he used to sing along to usher's "yeah," which i found really alarming.
"She Sends Kisses" by the Wrens.
Born in 1992? Wow, I have some jeans older than your students.
yeah, but tk, that song makes me want to hart crane off the side of a ship.
my student wynne just came in for a song conference. the clash, she says. london calling, she says.
and "temptation," by new order...
bloody sunday?? i'm thinking we'll talk about this once you're feeling better.
it puts my back up PUTS MY BACK UP AGAINST THE WALL.
what hannah? i'm perfectly well...
as usual, i'm a million years behind everyone in getting to the blog.
because i have no sense of context or history, and any song i heard and liked yesterday becomes the best song ever, "sunday afternoons" by rachel yamagata is the best song of the last five years.
tomorrow it will be different.
and i suppose i could concur that jewel in the last five years doesn't count, but PREVIOUS jewel -- important. pieces of you? c'mon mamie. heartbreaking.
oh, don't get me wrong, sal: i used to cry my eyes out to jewel when boys broke up with me in high school.
i meant as a poet. she doesn't count as a poet.
okay. i can concede that point. though that title, what was it? the dark night without armor?
heartbreaking.
You're real South Ca'lina, ain'tcha?
Good luck with that, winner.
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