I’ve been running around like a harpy with its head cut off for at least a week, and I’ll try to sustain that for at least another week, and probably all they way through Thanksgiving, which seems simultaneously light years away and practically tomorrow.
It’s job- and post-doc-application season. Since late last month, I’ve sent out 12 bloated application packages, and I’ve got at least another 12 to work on. For the moment, I’m trying to ignore the odds that I know are stacked against me and just get shit done.
It’s grading season. I have a stack of nearly 40 papers that want my attention.
It’s also turn-a-dissertation-chapter-into-an-article season, and run-an experimental-pedagogy-workshop-for-a-bunch-of-strangers-no-pressure! season.
For the moment, I’m keeping it together LIKE A BOSS (or at least LIKE A BOSS’S ADEPT PERSONAL ASSISTANT), but I’ve noticed that I’m developing a hump over my left shoulder. Part of how I’m keeping it together is with regular internal application of ethyl alcohol, in the form of A Beer After Dinner. Another part is my soundtrack. NPR is not going to cut it right now (and if I hear any more ignorant shit about Penn State, I’m going to explode). Neither is mope-rock, singer-songwriter stuff, or jaunty American Songbook classics, all of which I like at times. I need POP, preferably ’80s pop with a dose of synth, like our friend George up there. If I’m cleaning house, it’s The Mamas and The Papas and other folkies (a legacy from MamaDork), but I want it nice and fluffy when I’m pushing paper.
I usually don’t listen to music while I’m writing, so I’m leery of distractions. I want something light yet propulsive, but not too intrusive. It may not be great music, but it helps me do great stuff. Or stuff that is in great need of doing. After George, I’ll be heading down Pat Benatar highways and up Erasure lanes.
So, my busy bees, today’s FFT is about the music you use to help you Take Care of Business. No shame, no snobbery here. What’s on your iPod, stereo, or Spotify playlist when it’s time for you to be a BAMF?
There’s a little shame here – it’s loud 80s music here. The Footloose soundtrack is the music of Getting Things Done in my life. Unless I’m depressed or mad at the patriarchy, in which case it’s Tori Amos’ eponymous album.
Eminem’s Lose Yourself is perfect for exercise, but I don’t find it helpful for getting other stuff done.
And THANK YOU for calling out NPR. On Wednesday, Talk of the Nation kept calling the Penn State thing a sex scandal and I almost scarred my children for life screaming at the radio. Yesterday I noticed All Things Considered was calling it a child abuse scandal, so I’m at least a little calmer.
80s synth pop? Look no further than The Cars: Just What I Needed, My Best Friend’s Girl.
My BAMF music is anything with a strong beat and bass. This is a particularly shameful confession, but I have a horrible weakness for reggae-lite of the late 90s: like Shy Guy by Diana King and (oh god can’t believe I’m saying this) Boom-shak-a-lak by Apache Indian. It makes me happy, what can I say?
Also love women R&B groups from 90s like En Vogue and SWV.
And when I really, really need to be a BAMF, anything extremely aggressive with lots of swearing and threats of violence. DMX, Ludacris, Wu-Tang etc.
Jess, I adore The Cars. Even when I’m not TCB.
And although I don’t work out if I can help it, I totally get needing a different type of BAMFy exercise music.
This sounds very familiar. For me, it’s Apply for Post-Docs, Write Dissertation Chapters, Grade Papers, Write Workshop Proposal, Schedule Defense, and Help Friend with Fieldwork Season. I’ve been writing like a mofo for months, and that’s going to continue until my defense in late March, at least.
I’m already exhausted, and the only thing that keeps me going – even, nay especially, when writing – is music with a fast, pounding beat. Right now it’s Pandora’s Smashing Pumpkins channel. At the gym it’s a mix of reggaeton, salsa, merengue, grunge, and techno. At home it’s my local community radio station, especially during the brass band hours, though I’m going to have to upgrade to something faster and louder soon. No NPR – that shit just pisses me off too much!
Between that and NPR covering the Cain harassment story by describing one of the victims, I am Not Pleased with them of late. Some liberal shill organization they are. *looks disgruntled*
When I cook Thanksgiving and Passover dinners, my Zen is a key prep tool. Nothing is better than ’60′s music-Beatles, British Invasion, Motown, Beach Boys…that stuff still rocks. From now, Girl Talk is always high energy and great fun. I like MIA too, and the Beasties. The New Pornographers, the Shins, and Vampire Weekend have lots of uptempo songs. I still love lots of ’80′s bands too.
My current guilty pleasure is “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People, which is lyrically pretty sobering but irresistibly hook-y.
Dorkie, you think George Michael is a BAMF? You must live in a very well-behaved neighborhood.
I’m with you all. It has been a tough year, so I’ve limited my pop intake to light pop of the 80s, 90s and 00s. Coldplay; some Katie Perry – yes, really; The Cars; One Republic; Fatboy Slim; early Madonna; Men Without Hats; 90s club music; Weezer; Cake; The Presidents of the United States of America (esp. Peaches); DeeLite; etc. Same with movies: it needs to be happy, funny, dreamy, fantastic, sci-fi, romantic, or have big explosions – preferably all in one.
last summer i discovered the joy of “Don’t Turn Out the Lights” by NKOTBSB. (Don’t judge me!) Great for driving, working, cleaning, hauling my gimpy butt all over (way to big) campus, whatever. It has 3x the plays of any other song on the album. I think i had it on repeat for a solid hour of driving.
I have really gotten into a pop-club-techno-pointless-lyrics music kick lately. Lots of “I can’t believe I’m listening to and ENJOYING this music” music. But when I need to hunker in the bunker and Get Shit Done, for the pas year at least, I’ve turned to new age and classical. Go figure.
Cover songs. Bad ass punk or heavy metal groups covering 80s songs. Like Marilyn Manson’s version of Sweet Dreams, KMFDM doing Material Girl, Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm, Paint it Black by GOB…I think you get the idea.
And weird electronic trance stuff like Brainbug.
I also really like editing to Dead Can Dance.
I have more than one long playlist labeled “My Pleasure”. DePhazz takes up a lot of that.
For work the background music I prefer is in whatever language I don’t understand. Lyrics distract me more than instrumentals. So, specifically, I love the Skatalites, Rachid Taha (all but especially Made in Medina) and Tinariwen.
I actually have a playlist for music that gets me going like a boss and I will share it with you. Some of it is horrible.
Arcade Fire – Rebellion (Lies)
Foster the People – Helena Beat
Ring My Bell – Anita Ward
Lovers In a Dangerous Time – BNL version
Hot Mess – Chromeo
Tommy Gun – The Clash
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger – Daft Punk
Ghosts N Stuff – Deadmau5
Voulez Vous – Abba (don’t judge me)
Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
Cosmic Love – Florence and the Machine
Dog Days Are Over – Florence and the Machine
You Got The Love – Florence and the Machine
Jealous of Your Cigarette – Hawksley Workman
Everlong – Foo Fighters
Number of the Beast – Iron Maiden
Cherry Bomb – The Runaways
Le Disko – Shiny Toy Guns
Incense and Peppermints – Strawberry Alarm Clock
The Good In Everyone – Sloan
Rock Lobster – B-52s
Moment of Weakness – Bif Naked
Suffragette City – David Bowie
Golden Years – David Bowie
Whip It – Devo
Last Dance – Donna Summers
Crazy on You – Heart
It’s a mix…..
@ elibard: YES!!
mm: George Michael isn’t so much a BAMF (although I certainly thought him one in 1987), as his album helps me be one.
Other players on Friday (and subsequently, as I continue to plow through piles of junk): New Order, Devo, and Kraftwerk.