43: Big Huge Playlist

Ramblin' and shufflin'

This is an interstitial post, written quickly because I want to work on something else, but I like to be disciplined. Guess what’s happened? After two months of driving, always with music playing, I wore out a 600-song playlist (“Big Huge”) of music I like a lot. If I never hear those 600 songs again it’ll be too soon.

I made the first version of this playlist back when we were still burning CDs. I was travelling for work and made a lengthy CD of MP3s - selections from the thousands of songs I had on my computer, to play on shuffle, so it would sound like a really good radio station (it was called Little Big Radio). The second version was a playlist on iTunes (also called Little Big Radio) that I could transfer to my iPod for the same effect. And now this one is on Spotify, which I can download for when I’m off WiFi.

None of the playlists have worked quite like I hoped, mostly due to the computer’s remaining inability to randomize a playlist without somehow eventually favouring a handful of songs. Hasn’t mattered which platform, hasn’t mattered how many songs are involved - “shuffling” after a while feels like the radio: 40 songs are all that matter. Here’s what I’m wishing for: Dear shuffle, please never repeat a song until they’ve all had a chance. If I put a song on a 600-song playlist, I’m saying I want to hear it every 600th song.

That 600-song playlist lasted the longest, for kind of obvious reasons. I deleted songs that became overplayed and added songs whenever I stumbled across a good one. It was mostly composed of single tracks, and I tried to not overemphasize any particular bands. I also tried to leave off stuff that would annoy Marjan, as we were driving together (Rheostatics), and in return she deleted OMD tracks I’d added for her sake, but to my torment. But Big Huge still became a bore.

Confession

To be totally honest, there is one Marjan-requested track I never permit in the car, and that is nothing. I’m pretty much incapable of driving without music, and don’t love silence in general. She would describe it more harshly, and sighs pretty hard at me when she catches me watching two screens and listening to music. Once in a while she says “How about silence?”, and once in a rarer while I agree to it, and that lasts about six minutes. Five. Two. It almost never happens. I am really pushy in this way. I’m sorry.

Back to the Real Crime Here

We didn’t only listen to that playlist - we’ve spent time with about 50 other albums and collections. We’ve switched to iTunes to listen to things I have there that are not on Spotify. And we’ve listened to podcasts, and one amazing book which I want to write about in the other place.* But we played the shit out of that Big Huge playlist for two months. And we wore it out.

I took Big Huge off the phone. I have begun pushing tracks into a new, fresh playlist (“New Big List”) that will have none of those same songs, but it’s slow going - I have about ten songs on there now. I won’t listen to it until it has about 100 songs, for fear of wearing those ones out too quickly. What will happen now? Will I pick albums for the next weeks of driving each morning? Will I learn of a more excellent shuffle option? Will I get better at naming things?

Will I learn to drive in quiet?

Here’s a Coincidence

I have recommended Kirk Hamilton’s Strong Songs podcast before - I love it (and support it). He’s smart and positive, and he dissects and explores things at my level (not too high, not a noob). There aren’t any commercials. I love it. Well, this week he’s released an episode dedicated to Stop Making Sense, which I wrote about two weeks ago. It’s not an anniversary or anything - just an actual coincidence. Here’s a link to it. I’m listening to it right now. You’ll love it.

[Addendum: Hamilton’s analysis of the record is SO much smarter and more generous than mine - I have to go back and watch the film again now.]

A Different Fish

I am very excited about getting into my new newsletter, A Different Fish, about education and school and everything related (which is everything). I want to tell you about the book I’m reading and why you should read it too: The Dawn of Everything, by David Graeber and David Wengrow.

Some Art I Done

I didn’t wind up cartooning this week - I’ve been playing around with playing with photographs in Procreate... A couple of examples, and out.

In Montana

The Toy Store

Thank you for reading. I’d love it if you would share it.

xo

jep