Whedonesque : Comments on 19528 : Joss Whedon iTunes celebrity playlist.

"Silent All These Years" and "Top of The World" can make me cry, depending on my state of vulnerability. I've played 'em to death, as it were.

Yeah, this list is a lot like my average playlist, if you add in a bunch of Leonard Cohen & Patty Griffin, Alice in Chains & well, a lot of other stuff. But these, yeah.

Gotta love this line: "I prefer to hear pop songs about sex from women old enough to be any good at it."

; >

ETF: typos. Plural. *sigh*

[ edited by QuoterGal on 2009-03-18 07:17 ]

QuoterGal | March 18, 03:31 CET

I guess Canadians aren't allowed to know what Joss Whedon listens to. >:(

petranef | March 18, 03:38 CET

Awwwwww to Sarah McLachlan being the first dance at his wedding... I just don't get the Linkin Park but a great list other than that...

witch_kat | March 18, 03:39 CET

petranef I'm in Canada and I can see it.

witch_kat | March 18, 03:40 CET

Hope there's a Celebrity Playlist Podcast for this too. Hope, hope, hope...

ShortFatGuy | March 18, 03:40 CET

Would someone pretty please post the list here for those of us who refuse to download iTunes?

fictionfiend | March 18, 03:44 CET

Do these help?

Article

Songlist

Wilhelm | March 18, 03:52 CET

Tracklisting:

Soldier - Neil Young
Pontiac - Lyle Lovett
Silent All These Years - Tori Amos
Hands Held High - Linkin Park
Ice Cream - Sarah McLachlan
H.W.C. - Liz Phair
Wave of Mutilation - Pixies
4th of July - Aimee Mann
Unsatisfied - The Replacements
Top of the World - Dixie Chicks
Work the Wound (Live) - Passing Strange Original Broadway Cast & Stew
Black Peter - Grateful Dead
Sorry - Nerf Herder
Help Yourself - The Posies
Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days) - The Judds

CowboyGuy | March 18, 03:54 CET

For those that wanted the list...

It appears I was beaten to it. :)

There's text with all of these, too, but iTunes won't let me copy and paste.

[ edited by Meltha on 2009-03-18 03:58 ]

Meltha | March 18, 03:57 CET

Liz Phair's newer albums are indeed underrated. Glad to have confirmation of that!

will.bueche | March 18, 03:59 CET

Wow, Joss listens to Tori Amos? I knew there was a reason we clicked. ♥

Enisy | March 18, 04:01 CET

Here with text, for the iTunes impaired: http://tinyurl.com/cmkb8h

will.bueche | March 18, 04:04 CET

He should listen to Stars.

Jobo | March 18, 04:04 CET

@witch_kat
Linkin Park song is a rap against the trying times under the Bush Administration, anti-war. It says we can't just sit here and take it, but we can't disrespect those who have given their lives for our freedom. So let us use that freedom to say "We aren't going to take this." (a small poor summary)
Really good song.

I can totally see Joss leaving the set of "True Believer" and listening to this that night.

This site is the cleanest I could find with all the proper lyrics and a link to YouTube live video. The live video is softer than the album version.

Wilhelm | March 18, 04:08 CET

I like that he has Linkin Park in there. Their newest album is underrated (and I think they're underrated in general).

Aaaand thanks to Joss, now I have to go pick up some albums my collection was sorely missing. :)

LiLi | March 18, 04:10 CET

Forgot to actually comment haha. I love Joss' taste in music. Wave of Mutilation is full of win. ;)

CowboyGuy | March 18, 04:15 CET

I was surprised by how many of these I already owned. I too loved his comment about Liz Phair/older women. Never thought I'd be glad to have someone ask Joss what's on his iPod again. Awesome list.

deadbessie | March 18, 04:28 CET

I was thinking we didn't share much - and then he threw in the Pixies. Dayenu. And then "Top of the World," my favorite track from my favorite Chicks album. My Dixie cup runneth over. :-)

SoddingNancyTribe | March 18, 04:39 CET

Bought it. (Such a sycophant.)

kazzmere | March 18, 04:41 CET

Thanks to everyone who posted listy goodness.
I actually found the Nerf Herder album in a used cd store last summer. "Sorry" is also on my current playlist, 'cause--hilarious.
I believe I will have to check out the other tracks, too.

fictionfiend | March 18, 05:06 CET

Joss having the Replacements on his list just made my night.

Mal'sGal | March 18, 05:13 CET

I was kinda hoping I'd find at least one Sondheim song on the list...

floofypooh | March 18, 05:17 CET

Wave of Mutilation is in the soundtrack of Sarah Michelle Gellar's film Southland Tales.

danielgm | March 18, 05:19 CET

My Dixie cup runneth over.

Oy!

The One True b!X | March 18, 05:28 CET

I kind of like that pop music is the one area where Joss' taste and my own don't seem in sync at all - it's good to disagree with your idols, right? I do like his Pixies, Replacements, Neil Young, and Aimee Mann picks, and... that's about it.

bonzob | March 18, 05:43 CET

Neil Young and Aimee Mann = yay!

fortunateizzi | March 18, 05:55 CET

No Musicals? *Sad Tears*

Buffyactsing | March 18, 05:58 CET

Oh yay! I'm not a big Dixie Chicks fan, but Patty Griffin, who wrote "Top of the World," is my favourite musician EVER and I've always thought Joss would love her writing. I really want him to hear some of her versions of that song now. She's incredible.

My favourite version of that song is from a live show. Since several people mentioned how much they like that song, here's that version to listen to: Top of the World by Patty Griffin.

Knuckleball | March 18, 06:33 CET

Aimee Mann, Tori Amos (I hope he also is aware of Kate Bush...'cause with the awesomeness and being a big influence on Tori), and...The Pixies!

I love Joss even more, despite some of his other choices :-P

ShanshuBugaboo | March 18, 07:09 CET

Did anyone else have trouble with buying these? I bought the whole list for $14.85USD, but it failed to download either Sarah McLachlan's "Ice Cream" or Pixie's "Wave of Mutilation" - and those are the only two songs that don't have a + to the left of the $0.99 price - whatever that may mean. (I haven't bought much music from iTunes.)

They don't show up in my "purchased" list - and my "downloads" window says "2 iTunes Downloads Available" and a downward arrow, but when I click the arrow, absolutely nothing occurs. I've re-started, etc., but zilch, nada, bupkis.

I'm wondering if this is an iTunes glitch, or a QuoterGal glitch.

(Yeah, Knuckleball - Patty Griffin is absolutely The Woman! I love "Top of the World" - but I think it's "Forgiveness" that really does me in.)

QuoterGal | March 18, 07:16 CET

QuoterGal, I'm so glad to find another Patty fan here! And yeah, "Forgiveness" has everything a truly classic song needs. It's definitely one of my favourites. But I honestly couldn't even begin to narrow my list of favourite Patty songs down to one. She's the Joss Whedon of music, for me.

Knuckleball | March 18, 07:27 CET

Thank god Neil is on there. I was almost disturbed at what I had heard of Joss's music taste before. (Linkin Park and Fallout Boy??? blech) If theres on thing that defines my life more than Joss, its Neil. rest of the list was actually pretty good too. Pathetically HUGE relief.

dirtydag56 | March 18, 07:29 CET

Wave of Mutilation - Pixies

Not the UK Surf mix version?

Simon | March 18, 08:17 CET

I was thinking we didn't share much - and then he threw in the Pixies
Ditto. Wave of Mutilation almost makes up for Hands Held High :)

Let Down | March 18, 08:35 CET

I saw this and thought "Why the hell am I listening to breakfast radio?" Now it's Pixies for the way to work. :o)

I bet his collection is full of Tori, PJ, Throwing Muses, Tom Waits and other mighty good stuff. And he totally should start listening to Amanda Palmer.

curlymynci | March 18, 09:02 CET

*LOVE* Wave of Mutilation by 'The Pixies.' Could have done with some of 'The Killers' though! Naughty Joss!

vampmogs | March 18, 09:14 CET

Well, the only artist there I really like is Aimee Mann. I also think Tori Amos is pretty good, but I just can't help feel that her lyrics are not quite directed at me, so it's hard to relate. And of course there's some other nice quality work in the list (Neil Young! Pixies!), but this wouldn't quuite be my playlist.

GVH | March 18, 09:38 CET

So this list should be considered as the ultimate answer to "What's on your IPOD?"?!

missb | March 18, 09:56 CET

Thx for CowboyGuy for the list. There are a few songs that I'm actually unfamiliar with, will try to listen to them when I get a chance.

Numfar PTB | March 18, 11:34 CET

Well, Jossir made a list for us, so I made a playlist for him in return & for all y'all - because nothing says "she's using good common sense" like staying up until the wee hours of the OhMyGod. It's an UnCelebrity Playlist.

I call it "Love and Freindship" and as my playlists go, this one ain't hardly twisted a'tall, and only a leetle dreary. ; >

Enjoy, if that's the word I mean...

QuoterGal | March 18, 11:47 CET

I also think Tori Amos is pretty good, but I just can't help feel that her lyrics are not quite directed at me...

C'mon, everyone likes Cornflakes GVH ... I've missed the point of that song haven't I ?

Not a huge amount of cross-over with the sort of stuff I listen to but I suspect i'd like at least some of it (already do with Aimee Mann and Sarah Mclachlan for instance).

Saje | March 18, 12:28 CET

No Magma?

Dana5140 | March 18, 12:40 CET

pixies! wave of mutilation, about japanese business men killing themselves by drivin' their cars into the sea (i think with their families). apparently it was somewhat of a real life phenomenon

lovely song indeed

franklywarped | March 18, 13:38 CET

Not the UK Surf mix version?

No, it's the Doolittle version. Does it always have to be the UK Surf one? ;) (I remember this discussion from the thread about the Southland Tales soundtrack)

I thought that there'd be a Dead song somewhere but a little surprised by which. Looking forward to listening through the unfamiliar in both Joss and QuoterGal's lists.

dreamlogic | March 18, 13:44 CET

Wow - love the eclectic. But would expect no less from Joss. ;)

Shey | March 18, 14:08 CET

C'mon, everyone likes Cornflakes GVH ... I've missed the point of that song haven't I ?

Maybe just a tad, heh ;).

Still, I wonder how many male fans Amos has. I don't really feel all that included in most of her songs. Kind of like wandering into a lingery shop, being the only guy there and having the creeping feeling that you're intruding on something personal that's not meant for you ;).

Still: I do sympathise with the message, and Joss liking Tori Amos does make a whole lot of sense.

GVH | March 18, 14:26 CET

One of the biggest Tori Amos fans I know is a guy actually. He's also into lingerie, though, so maybe there really is a link there?

Ani DiFranco would be my musical equivalent of Joss, in that their stuff gets me in the same spot. But she's not on the list, unsurprisingly.

I loved Liz Phair's first album when I was a college student but haven't listened to any of her later stuff. Good?

catherine | March 18, 14:41 CET

Well, when you only have 15 songs you can choose out of the thousands that are awesome I guess even Ani DiFranco could fall by the way side.

Gotta admit, I've never heard of The Posies.

NYPinTA | March 18, 15:10 CET

Yeah, I've got to give The Posies a chance.

Pointy | March 18, 15:20 CET

Good playlist.

Sunfire | March 18, 15:34 CET

I'm in Canada and I can see it. -witch_kat

I get the message that "Your request could not be completed - the item you requested is not available in the Canadian store."

Kinda ironic with Neil and Sarah being on the list ; - )

Gotta say - eclectic taste much?

Ruadh | March 18, 15:38 CET

Gotta say - eclectic taste much?

But is it really? Aren't these mostly more-or-less accessible, pretty much mainstream-y, pop/rock songs? Some are a wee bit edgy and some are a bit on the softer side, sure, but it's not like this goes from Rachmaninov, through gangster rap and hardcore techno house to speed and death metal. And it's also not an eclectic mix with songs and artists from all over the world.

I'd say this is a nice, reasonably 'safe' list with some great songs and a pretty average spread in genres. Do other people really have much more specific niche tastes than Joss is exhibiting here?

GVH | March 18, 16:25 CET

It's got some nice range to it but yeah, it's not like it's crazy eclectic.

[ edited by Sunfire on 2009-03-18 16:30 ]

Sunfire | March 18, 16:30 CET

Nah, it seemed like a fairly "normal" mix of maybe slightly folky pop/rock music. Nothing wrong with that of course (the general "feel" isn't a million miles away from my own picks, if not necessarily the specific artists) but it didn't strike me as displaying unusually broad tastes. Right enough, it could be that Joss loves himself some filthy garage or is addicted to early Iron Maiden but has smoothed some of the edges off his playlist cos it's for public consumption.

I mean, it's a picked playlist of songs he likes, it's not necessarily his everyday listening (something like the AV Club approach of setting the celeb's music player to shuffle and then just seeing what pops up is probably more representative of the range of a person's tastes).

Saje | March 18, 16:39 CET

Not *hugely* eclectic from the 15 songs presented here, perhaps - and a lot of singer-songwriters included, certainly, though I could argue that The Judds to The Pixies is more of a leap than gangsta rap to hardcore house to speed metal would be - but I won't, because there's nothing more obnoxious than folks laying down rules about music tastes and who's more eclectic than whom, IMO. Believe me, I *was* that 15 year old boy, and I never want to go back there again. :-). Not that you're making those points, GVH . . . although the use of the word "safe" raises my hackles a bit, to be honest. I think most people listen or have listened to a wide variety of music, but probably devote most of their listening pleasure to a narrow band of what they know they like. The John Peels who are constantly pushing to find new artists and genres are relatively rare, in my experience.

SoddingNancyTribe | March 18, 16:43 CET

For European readers with access to Spotify, here are the links to a list with 11 out of the 15 tracks

spotify:user:andrew_tempest:playlist:02yrNWGevendVIbjR7dnKN
or
http://open.spotify.com/user/andrew_tempest/playlist/02yrNWGevendVIbjR7dnKN

[ edited by mr_waterproof on 2009-03-18 21:11 ]

[ edited by mr_waterproof on 2009-03-18 21:13 ]

mr_waterproof | March 18, 19:08 CET

I already knew Joss was listening to Linkin Park (great album.. I have loved them for ages now) but I'm happy to see the Replacements on his list - almost every artist I also love.

Country music is the music of pain... and Joss appears to be in a lot of pain. :D

BrownCoat_Tabz | March 18, 19:28 CET

GVH, I don't understand why you think it's necessary to point out that Tori Amos doesn't seem to speak to you. Men predominate in the music business, and a whole lot of their songs don't speak to my experience.

Suzie | March 19, 06:08 CET

Why shouldn't he point it out, Suzie? And clearly, to my eyes, he did so with a shrug that said "This is no surprise."
I finally decided to give Tori Amos a try - I just don't know her stuff and if both Neil Gaiman and Joss Whedon says it's good, it is clearly time to get to know her music.

Lioness | March 20, 15:02 CET

Lioness, when someone is in a minority position, I think it's bad form for the person in the majority to say they can't relate.

Suzie | March 21, 21:57 CET

I don't think minority/majority should be the determining factor in someone expressing an opinion about what art works for them and what doesn't.

The One True b!X | March 21, 22:11 CET

March 18 2009