Folkie

After perusing my most recent playlist at the gym this morning I realized that I can no longer claim that bluegrass is my favorite music. I am officially a Folkie, aka a folk music fan.

Basically I make these mixes by adding a song to them when I realize I'm in love with it. I fall in love. A lot. With songs that is. They are my favorite thing in the whole wide world. One of the hardest things about living abroad is finding and discovering music. Thankfully I've managed to discover 8-tracks, and I have the best brother in the whole wide world who add music to my drop-box for me at the most needed times. The following songs are my favorites on my Indonesia mix, which is a work in progress, still after 5 months.

This is my most recent love. My brother dropped it in my box 2 days ago and I know all of the lyrics. My roommate even recognizes it. Put it on repeat right?
Quotable:
"As I sit on the edge of this dirty old bar
Trying to work some things out and not getting too far
As I drown out the voices that are keeping me down
There's a muse all alone on the other side of town
And if I was thinking I'd be thinking thank God, whoever you are
For all the whiskey in this dirty old bar.
The times like these, so sad and so true
Thinkins the last thing that you want to do."
Sometimes I just wish I could get out of my head and enjoy things as they come. I tend to way over-analyze everything. Incredible moments happen and I feel like I'm on the brink of discovering something about myself, but I just can't grasp it. Maybe I need to drink more whiskey or find some dirtier bars.

I have days dedicated to Bob Dylan now. I always enjoyed his music, but since moving to Indonesia I have been falling in love with songs all the time. This song is the ultimate break-up song, and while I haven't broken up with anyone in a very long time, I truly feel the lyrics of this song now.
Quotable: "Well it ain't no use to sit and wonder why babe."
               "I'm walking down that long and lonesome road babe.
                Where I'm bound I just can't tell."

Last year, post Christmas trip I listened to one Willy tea song on repeat 76 times without a break. I was obsessed. I finally purchased an album upon my arrival here. My mix currently has 3 Willy Tea songs on it.
Quotable: "I ain't perfect you can tell by my songs."

Sufjan is probably one of the best artists ever. When I listen to his music, I always have to pause what I'm doing and just feel it. And I always seem to find lyrics I want to get tattooed on my body. Dang!
Quotable: "Trusting things beyond mistake."

For the Love of Harmonica

After a long day at work today I headed to the gym. After remembering that the summer party at the Larvae Lounge was this weekend I decided to put on on the roses. For those of you who have no idea let me clue you in. The roses is a mix my brother and his friends created back home, based on meticulous requirements. It consisted mainly of old song by very well known song writers, mostly songs about heartbreak. Back in Albania I couldn't get through more than 3 songs on the playlist without crying. It made me more homesick than anything. Tonight, I listened to at least 7 and didn't feel sad. sure, it makes me miss my 3B's: My beer, my boys, and my live bands, but overall I still managed to smile through my workout. Then I realized why a girl needs whiskey:

So she can quit analyzing the lyrics, and trying to find some sort of meaning in them. She needs to stop feeling like the song was written for her. She needs to stop analyzing the past, stop contemplating the questions of the present, and stop wondering about the future. Whiskey allows her to drown out the lyrics and let the simple melody fill her soul with the feeling that everything will be alright, and all she has to do is live. And maybe dance.

I need some harmonica in my life. This song took me back to my brothers wonderful piano version in Switzerland. There is just something about it.