Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets

by Izzy Sat Aug 22nd, 2009 at 05:23:23 PM EST

It used to be you had to know someone pretty well before you were able to paw through their music collections. Now, with the popularity of the iPod, you can carry the whole thing in your pocket. It's all right there for the most casual acquaintance to comment on and it's had a delightful side-effect -- the advent of the guilty iPod lunge.

I see people all the time, standing around outside of nightclubs peering at iPods -- excitedly sharing some new find, settling an arcane lyrical dispute, or doing the iPod one-up to see who has the most or coolest stuff.

And then it happens. Something the owner finds embarrassing shuffles on and there's that dive for the forward button, the hurried, defensive explanations. Or, even more amusing, the flat-out denial -- "I don't know how that got on there."

This has led me to believe that everyone, no matter how confident and cool, bold or brazen, has some bit of music they feel requires an explanation. Even me. Follow me over the jump and I'll show you mine, if you show me yours...

I don't know why it is, but in a collection that consists largely of punk and noise, I feel no need to excuse or explain Sinatra or the Cabaret soundtrack, or other things I feel don't really fit with the general tone. Maybe it's that I can't really explain to myself why I like it. Or maybe it's because it is of a 'type' of music I usually actively dislike.

In any case, I present my iPod guilty secret: Meatloaf.

Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets | 48 comments (48 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 0)

And remember -- Abba doesn't count! They're everyone's guilty secret.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Aug 22nd, 2009 at 05:25:07 PM EST

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 1)

Except for McCain, for whom it's not a secret. He actually admitted it - and then blamed it on the Vietnamese.

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 09:39:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 0)

lol - omg, how had I missed that?

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 02:54:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (4.00 / 2)

Scooter.

Some yerps probably know who they are.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Sat Aug 22nd, 2009 at 06:22:16 PM EST

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 0)

I'd never heard of them, but found them on youtube I think.

And I can see it. Of course, I have a high tolerance for that sort of thing. I like listening to this when I'm cleaning house. Which is basically this song, over and over.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Aug 22nd, 2009 at 07:34:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

We Put Some Energy Into This Place! (none / 1)

KMFDM reminds me of my first days on the web and Newgrounds. But it definitely isn't uncool, whereas Scooter is (older Scooter stuff, like Hyper, Hyper has crossed into being cult, though).

I completely adore happy hardcore, but I don't consider that embarassing. It's still some of the best dumb party music ever made.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sat Aug 22nd, 2009 at 08:58:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: We Put Some Energy Into This Place! (none / 1)

Well, sure, in some circles it might be considered cool, but one could argue that it's intrinsically uncool to listen to a whole cd of remixes of the same song, no matter the music.

Besides, in the US, there's a much lower techno embarrassment threshold. SNL has pretty much ruined dance beats for us:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zlViU5PBPY

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 12:27:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: We Put Some Energy Into This Place! (none / 1)

It is the wrongness of the dance music that makes it fun. Take Boten Anna, you can hardly get any more wrong than that, but it's brilliant fun.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 04:30:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: We Put Some Energy Into This Place! (none / 0)

Well, I find Meatloaf's Paradise by the Dashboard Light to be defiantly cool. Sort of a rock opera performance piece. Perhaps some would consider the male vocalist to be visually challenged. But he is what he is. He could probably loose 60 lbs and still have the build of a Spanish peasant--as wide as he is tall. But the piece is brilliantly conceived and performed. I had heard of Meatloaf, but never actually, knowingly heard them. Thanks.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Tue Aug 25th, 2009 at 05:35:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (4.00 / 2)

Good back story to the Bat Out of Hell album.

Don't have an iPod but if I did I suppose Night Wind's cover of "Over the Hills and Far Away" would be my guilty secret.

Fairly standard, heard it all before, 'Heavy Mental' until the operatically trained Tarja Turunen starts to sing and - WHAM - she takes it to a whole 'nudder level. Unfortunately during her operatic training she took and received high honors in the 'Diva Course' and she was bounced by the other members of the band.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Sat Aug 22nd, 2009 at 06:23:45 PM EST

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 1)

Good one! I like the cringe-factor involved in the metal/opera mix, as well as the little keyboard part that makes you think the guy from Riverdance is going to come tapping across the screen. A perfect choice!

When I was sick I watched one of those VH1 shows about Bat Out of Hell and ended up feeling really bad for Meatloaf.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Aug 22nd, 2009 at 07:19:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (4.00 / 2)

I don't even pretend that my ipod music is cool. In fact MOST of my music would probably be cringe inducing in a non-geek. Where to start? My collection of musicals? The Carpenters? My highland bagpipe music? Doris Day? Or the collection of kid songs (mostly nursery rhymes) that I made my dad transfer from vinyl to cd so I could load them on my ipod.

I long ago accepted my uncoolness.

by Maryb2004 on Sat Aug 22nd, 2009 at 08:26:59 PM EST

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 0)

Oh, c'mon, Maryb -- uncoolness is its own coolness.

The way to reveal your guilty secret to yourself is to imagine your iPod shuffling with guests in the house. Anything you'd let play without comment is eliminated. It'd be the ones that prompt you to explain. Going by your comment, I'm sensing it'll be somewhere in the kid songs - you've halfway explained it already!

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Aug 22nd, 2009 at 08:42:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 0)

btw, I also have bagpipe music!

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sat Aug 22nd, 2009 at 08:43:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

How can Paradise by the Dashboard Light ... (none / 1)

... be a dirty little secret? It rocks.

There's no dirty secrets in eclectic musical tastes ... wait a minute, how did that one get in my Music Islands playlist? Nothing to see here, move on ...

... the guitars, I swear it was the guitars ...

Oh well, as long as its beautiful, its fine.

I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Sat Aug 22nd, 2009 at 10:35:32 PM EST

Re: How can Paradise by the Dashboard Light ... (none / 0)

Well, 'good' and 'cool' are subjective... well, so's 'dirty' for that matter, but it's beside the point... you just may have hit the nail on the head! Generally speaking, my iPod does not rock! Or rawk, as the case may be... plus, I find the lyrics somewhat offensive.

As for YOURS -- you know the island picks are for listening, not viewing, right??? (confession: I have that song by Madonna)

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 12:17:06 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: How can Paradise by the Dashboard Light ... (none / 1)

Actually, I prefer Alizee's cover to Madonna's original, so there's a dirty secret twice.

As for whether the island picks are for listening or viewing ... since its my playlist, I would say that is for me to know, and for you to find out. -_-

I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 10:44:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: How can Paradise by the Dashboard Light ... (none / 1)

Mmmm. Bongos.

I'm pretty sure I have a copy of this somewhere on the iPod.

How epically uncool is that?

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 10:19:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: How can Paradise by the Dashboard Light ... (none / 1)

That's a pretty little song. I can imagine sitting down on the porch with an evening breeze after a hard day of work with a beer and that song playing as I turn my brain off for a while.

I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 12:18:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (4.00 / 2)

Kraftwerk anyone?

We all bleed the same color.

by budr on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 02:18:15 AM EST

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 1)

Omg, guilty? about Kraftwerk? We must have very different iPods! Kraftwerk has pride of place in mine and, in fact, I've been known to be a little obnoxiously braggy about having seen them in 1981.

Coincidentally, I've had this song stuck in my head all day:

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 02:50:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (4.00 / 3)

Oh NO!

Kraftwerk is uncool? :-(

We can no longer fahren, fahren, fahren auf dem Autobahn?

I was at one of their concerts in Santa Monica in the late 70s. The audience was equally divided between Electrical Engineers and Computer Programmers, ranging in age from mid-20s to mid-50s and 14 year old girls. The former spent most of their time telling the latter to shut-up, sit down, and stop screaming so they could listen.

Since I'm not a girl ...

LOL

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 11:49:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 0)

Omg, I'm pretty sure that was the show I was at! They played LA in 1975 -- the show at the Santa Monica Civic was 1981, was that the one? The description sounds right, but I was 17 and didn't scream.

In fact, I admit to being rather bored and spent most of the show chit-chatting. I love Kraftwerk, but they're not the most engaging live performers, even though people got all excited about the 'robots' and the crazy stage 'moves' like whipping out the calculators...

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 03:23:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 1)

Yeah, it was the Civic and quickly checking through Google it would have been in '81.

This is getting beyond weird and into the freaky.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 06:32:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 0)

Wow - we were both there! Small world...

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 07:45:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

this was around then... (none / 1)

... do I look familiar?

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 08:02:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: this was around then... (none / 0)

Sorry ... doesn't ring a bell.

The license plate on the van does, however. Faint memories of seeing it around and being amused by it.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 09:20:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: this was around then... (none / 1)

lol - you should've knocked and introduced yourself. Half the time we were living in it.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 09:39:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: this was around then... (none / 0)

H'mmmm.

A long haired, scruffy-bearded biker introducing himself - out of the blue - to ~~jailbait~~ female high school students. In Long Beach circa 1980-ish.

Oh yeah. That would have gone done well.

LOL

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Mon Aug 24th, 2009 at 02:14:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: this was around then... (none / 0)

"done" s/b down

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Mon Aug 24th, 2009 at 02:15:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 1)

No, wait, stop...

I'm not guilty about Kraftwerk, I actually liked them a lot. Or at least I liked Autobahn a lot. Their other works never quite grabbed me the same way. But out here in redneck country I used to get some funny looks when I played them.

We all bleed the same color.

by budr on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 02:41:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (4.00 / 2)

Oh come on - where else are you going to play Kraftwerk for maximum effect?

Not Europe, surely?

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 03:58:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

How on earth...? (none / 1)

I don't know how this got onto my iRiver but it does remind me of an awesome wedding I went to.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 04:34:01 AM EST

Re: How on earth...? (none / 0)

If you can remember it, then it can't have been that awesome.... :-)

Awesome is when you reconstruct what happened on other people's videos and photos....on which note my boys are telling me I must see "The Hangover"

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson

by ChrisCook (cojockathotmaildotcom) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 04:45:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: How on earth...? (none / 0)

I've only ever lost my memory once when drinking, but for many people it seems to be a regular thing.

I have also heard that The Hangover should be watched.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 05:04:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 1)

My theory of embarassing music is that the things you found profound as a teenager are the most embarassing (some of the usual fare for me, Forever Young, Dust in the Wind, Piano Man). So the music I'm most likely to be embarassed by is... sentimental ballads. Like Adia. Or Show Me Heaven.

Ah, plus a Tom Cruise movie. Genius.

Now, whereas Maria McKee had some of the most egregious '80s ballad production, also note the hideous altrock production on Sarah McLachlan. Plus I see that Avril Lavigne has covered Adia, which might make it worsest. There's just no way whatsoever to make such music cool. Still, I love the songs.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 05:32:38 AM EST

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 1)

I guess I'm weird. The closest I can find in my iTunes library is Vanessa Carlton, but I don't find that terribly embarrassing.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 12:06:37 PM EST

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (4.00 / 2)

Umm, I don't have an iPod. That's my not-so-guilty secret.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 01:54:48 PM EST

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 0)

That's no excuse for not playing! Don't make us come over there and rummage through your CDs, or... vinyl? surely not 8 tracks!

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 03:27:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 1)

8 tracks !! I don't know how it played elsewhere but they were only associated with car fetishists here. And I am not one of those.

Question is; what is a dodgy choice ? After all, in local Essex mainstream culture the mere act of me liking something rendered it automatically sad. Genesis, Yes (especially solo albums), King Crimson. Sad, bad and pathetic to know.

I'm quite sure I liked a lot of stuff that was well dodgy. It's just that, over the years I've culled so much there's almost nothing left. Now about all I've got is All Saints. and that's not it.
.
Um. climie fisher ??

then Jerico ??

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 04:13:51 PM EST
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Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 1)

That Then Jerico song is glorious. The first one definitely makes the cut, though. Sticky sweet rhymery.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 04:28:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 0)

8 tracks !! I don't know how it played elsewhere but they were only associated with car fetishists here.

Ah, being from LA I didn't notice.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 04:53:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 1)

I'm not at all embarrassed to have this on my ipod, as i was already 111 years old when i first heard this. I must admit, i have no idea why it's there, as i only use it as a joke when discussing the fine points of teliolithic testosterone trauma.

Since it's already been played twice according to the internal stats, i'll have to admit to it. In my defense, i will only say there are a coupla other tunes there as well.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 02:27:28 PM EST

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 0)

Right. Purely for illustrative academic purposes. I get that.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Aug 23rd, 2009 at 03:28:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Sorry... (none / 1)

I don't have an iPod and I don't do guilt...

I have no problem saying I listen with pleasure to both this:

and this:

while loving this:

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Mon Aug 24th, 2009 at 05:31:24 AM EST

Re: Music OT: iPod Guilty Secrets (none / 0)

Better late than never?

I don't have and iPod and I'm creepily proud of my bad music after decades of getting heat for it. So I openly own The Carpenters and Abba. In fact, I secretly judge people who don't like The Carpenters and Abba. :) And Cher. And Burt Bacharach.

What music do I feel the need to excuse/explain? Are we talking about things that we honestly like but are afraid to admit? Or stuff we have and really don't like? Or just Guilt? The former, I'll admit anything. I think I still have a Whitney Houston tape from the 6th grade. I haven't listenned to it since the 6th grade, so if probably doesn't count. I like Bauhaus but would be weirded out if my current friends were over and that came on - I mean that could be awkward. Pure guilt? I absolutely love this song. I know it's meant to be ironic, but it's my guilty pleasure.

"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.