Tag Archives: iPod

My iPod Has Issues – Or Maybe Not

8 Oct

This History of American Music course that I am teaching has me digging deeper into my iPod than I ever have. I knew there was a bunch of stuff in there. Heck, I downloaded it all. However, I did not realize that depths of its knowledge. When I want to play a sample for the class, I find it on my iPod. It makes me realize that the iPod does not have any issues at all. It is simply steeped in music history.iPod

In honor of this newfound respect for the iPod, I have decided to explore its inner workings and see what is there. Besides, I cannot think of anything else to write about.

“Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition

“Night Train” by Alvino Rey

“Wild World” by Cat Stevens

“America” by Neil Diamond

“Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman

“Luck Be a Lady” by Michael Civisca

“You Really Got Me” by The Kinks

“John Barleycorn” by Traffic

“Changes” by David Bowie

“When I Can Afford to Lose” by Will Hoge

“Save the Last Dance for Me” by The Drifters

“Sweet Tennessee” by Judah and the Lion

“The Road to Hell” by Chris Rea

“High Fever Blues” by Bukka White

“Don’t Cry” by Guns N’ Roses

“My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison

“All the Young Dudes” by Mott the Hoople

“Elevation” by Television

“Still” by The Commodores

“Jack and Diane” by John Mellencamp

Yeah, maybe my iPod is not as crazy as everyone thinks.

 

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My iPod Has Issues – The Problems With Furniture, DVD’s, Paper, Pencils and Maps

9 Sep

Things that happened today:

I walked into class to see that someone moved all of the furniture around. That is one of the issues with sharing rooms with teachers and others who feel the need to invade. Someone is always moving the furniture around. They could at least put it back where they found it. Oh yeah, that reminds me. They could also erase the whiteboard that they have written all over.

I got a DVD from the library only to discover that the DVD player in the room does not do what you want it to do. The remote control is missing, and the buttons on the actual player will skip through the menu.

I went to a program by a guest lecturer that we invited to campus. I offered my students a chance for extra credit, and a few of them took advantage. My rule was that they had to bring a notecard with their name on it. How many do you think showed up without a notecard or a writing instrument?Pencil

I studied the map for a friend who is going on a trip into the American West. Luckily, I know a lot of the sites by heart because the print on the map is too small to read. I reckon that means I am getting old.

In honor of the furniture; the DVD player; the sudden disappearance of paper and pencils; and the unreadable map, I have decided to relax to the soothing sounds of my iPod.

“Beautiful In My Eyes” by Joshua Kadison

“Minnie the Moocher” by Cab Calloway

“Look What You’ve Done To Me” by Boz Scaggs

“Red Shoe Tango” by George Clinton

“Bat Out of Hell” by Meat Loaf

“C.L.U.” by Daft Punk

“Soldier of Love” by Arthur Alexander

“Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone

“Walking in the Rain” by The Ronettes

“Gnik Nus” by The Beatles

“My Generation” by The Who

“Visions of Johanna” by Bob Dylan

“Chica Boo” by Lloyd Glenn

“Stand!” by Sly and the Family Stone

“The End” by The Doors

“Going Up the Country” by Canned Heat

“Wichita Lineman” by Glen Campbell

“Respect Yourself” by The Staple Singers

“Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones

“Leader of the Pack” by The Shangri-Las

Now that I am relaxed, it is time to mentally prepare for the coming day.

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My iPod Has Issues – The Semester Begins

30 Aug

Another semester has begun, and it is time to get into the swing of things. As usual, the first few days was all about going over the syllabi and explaining to the students the plan for the next couple of months. That means talking about assignments, class rules and all sorts of things.

This time I am teaching a couple of survey classes, which students have to take as part of the General Education Core. I am also teaching a class on Middle Eastern history. However, I am really looking forward to the new class on the History of American Music. With that kind of title, the course could go in many directions, but I am focusing on the 20th Century. There are some performers that college students need to know about.Rock

In honor of that class and because I need to be working on classes instead of blogging, we are going into my iPod to see what is happening. The music class is going to hear a lot of stuff that is crammed in there. Let us warm it up and get it ready for the semester.

“I’m a Man” by Bo Diddley

“Silver Wings” by Merle Haggard

“Fanfare for the Common Man” by Aaron Copland

“Cover of the Rolling Stone” by Dr. Hook

“The Lonely Man” by Tennessee Ernie Ford

“Rocky Top” by The Osborne Brothers

“Outlands” by Daft Punk

“Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley

“Comin’ Home Baby” by Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis

“Passing Zone Blues” by Coleman Wilson

“Voyager” by The Alan Parsons Project

“We Gotta Get Out Of This Place” by The Animals

“The Wanderer” by Dion

“My Heavy Load” by Big Mama Thornton

“Opening Mandelbrot” by Blue Man Group

“Volare” by Gipsy Kings

“All I Have to Do is Dream” by The Everly Brothers

“If You Don’t Know Me By Now” by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes

“Look What You’ve Done to Me” by Boz Scaggs

“L&N Special” by Christine Kittrell

In a few days, I will be introducing students to some great artists. Hopefully, it will lead them to like some good music.

 

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My iPod Has Issues – Westward Bound

4 Aug

In a few days, I will be heading to the northwest with my dad, my brother and my nephews. A couple of years ago, we went to Montana, and, this year, we have decided to go to Oregon. We will also make our way to Washington and Idaho. There really is not much of a plan – fly to Portland and drive around for a week.Northwest

As it was with the trip to Washington, D.C., I am sure this journey will inspire future blogging tales. In the meantime, I leave you with a few tunes from the “Print the Legend” playlist on the crazy old iPod. This list is a collection of songs from Westerns and other things that I consider to be western.

Now, let us hit shuffle and see what songs we can corral.

“Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan

“Ecstasy of Gold” by Ennio Morricone

“Deadwood Mountain” by Big & Rich

“Spiritlands” by John Huling

“Arriving in Deadwood” by Michael Brook

“Dances With Wolves” by Nic Raine

“Rodeo” by Aaron Copland

“The Ballad of Jet Rink” by Dimitri Tiomkin

“The Way That You Wander” by John Rubinstein and Tim McIntire

“Rio Bravo” by Dean Martin

“Wanted Dead or Alive” by Bon Jovi

“Five Card Stud” by Billy Strange

“Pecos Bill” by Sons of the Pioneers

“Banditos” by The Refreshments

“The Pledge of Allegiance” by John Wayne

“Indian Reservation” by Paul Revere and the Raiders

“Ballad of Davy Crockett” by Fess Parker

“Coyotes” by Don Edwards

“Sweet Baby James” by James Taylor

“The Cowboy Rides Away” by George Strait

 

 

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My iPod Has Issues – 1812? Are You Sure?

2 Jul

Tonight, we are going to hear the Nashville Symphony play a rousing concert of patriotism. All kinds of American composers will be featured, but the finale will be Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. Unfortunately, that piece of music has nothing to do with American patriotism. A lot of people think it commemorates the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain. Actually, it celebrates Russia’s defense against Napoleon in that year.Napoleon

Anyway, it has become a staple for symphonies around the Fourth of July.

Soon, I will have to start getting ready for our sojourn into the big city. With that in mind, I leave you with a set list from my crazy iPod. It may not be patriotic, but it will be rousing.

“It’s Been a Long Time” by New Birth

“Tender Years” by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band

“Why Can’t He Be You” by Loretta Lynn

“Mandolin Wind” by Rod Stewart

“My Old School” by Steely Dan

“Maybe” by The Chantels

“You’re Gonna Break My Heart Again” by Whitesnake

“Fake Plastic Trees” by Radiohead

“Daddy Frank” by Merle Haggard

“The Monkey Song” by Stacey Mitchhart

“Fantastic Voyage” by Lakeside

“Lyin’ Eyes” by The Eagles

“Looking for a Rainbow” by Chris Rea

“Chains of Love” by Big Joe Turner

“Longhaired Redneck” by David Allan Coe

“Tush” by ZZ Top

“The Last Pale Light in the West” by Ben Nichols

“Pinball Machine” by Lonnie Irving

“Little Red Rooster” by Big Mama Thornton

“Runaway” by Del Shannon

Now, I am to prepare for the symphony and that long-haired music.

 

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My iPod Has Issues – A Messy Mental State

20 Jun

I am seriously having a hard time coming up with something to write about. Wait, that is not accurate. There are plenty of things bouncing around in my mind that I should write about. However, the energy to write about one of them is not with me. This has been an eventful day for not much to have happened, Quite frankly, I am worn out.Worn Out

I should probably not write anything. There is nothing worse than putting up a throwaway post that has no meaning behind it. Despite that, I feel that something needs to be put on the screen, but it is going to be something easy. I thought about doing a Movie Wisdom post about Robert Duvall or Liam Neeson. Then, I decided that was not a good idea. They have both filmed a ton of movies, and looking up movie quotes takes more time than you could imagine.

Instead, we are going to delve into the mind of my iPod. Its mental state is a mess, and, embarrassingly, I let myself get into a mental state throughout the day. Since my iPod and I have a lot in common at the moment, we will shuffle it up and see what is going on in there.

I know we just did one of these, and I apologize for that.

“Da Funk” by Daft Punk

“American Roulette” by Robbie Robertson

“Rubberneckin'” by Elvis Presley

“One” by Three Dog Night

“Your Love Is Where It Ought To Be” by Big Mama Thornton

“Jesus Walks” by Kanye West

“Brown Eyed Handsome Man” by Chuck Berry

“That’ll Be the Day” by Buddy Holly and the Crickets

“Nancy Lee” by Vintage Trouble

“The Unforgiven” by Metallica

“Hit the Road Jack” by Ray Charles

“Slide It In” by Whitesnake

“Bostich” by Yello

“The High and the Mighty” by Dimitri Tiomkin

“Baby Get Lost” by B.B. King

“She’s Just Killing Me” by ZZ Top

“Toccata and Fugue in D Minor” by Johann Sebastian Bach

“How Fast Them Trucks Can Go” by Claude Gray

“She Wears My Ring” by Jimmy Bell

“Help Me” by Joni Mitchell

Yep, the old iPod is pretty messed up.

 

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My iPod Has Issues – Filling the Television Void

16 Jun

Last night, the fourth season of Game of Thrones came to an end. That means I will feel something missing over the next few Sunday nights. It is rare that I get caught up in an episodic television show. Usually, I watch sporting events or documentaries. However, I have been addicted to Game of Thrones since it first began.Game of Thrones

I, along with millions of other people, will have to wait until next year to find out what happens to our favorite characters. I reckon I could read the books to find out, but I hear that the show is deviating from the books. With that in mind, I will skip the written page and stick to the television screen. I may go back and read them once it is all over.

To fill the void, I have decided to explore the meandering mind of my iPod. For those who watch Game of Thrones, you know that a lot of crazy stuff goes on in the land of Westeros. With that in mind, it is fitting to see what crazy stuff is going on in the mind of my insane iPod.

Let us look inside and see what can be found.

“Feeling Alright?” by Traffic

“Blood and Roses” by The Smithereens

“The Ride” by David Allan Coe

“The Distance” by CAKE

“Hollywood Nights” by Bob Seger

“Strokin'” by Stacey Mitchhart

“How Forever Feels” by Kenny Chesney

“White Lightning Ballad” by Carl Bernstein

“Stairway to Heaven” by Heart

“Spill the Wine” by The Animals

“Good Golly Miss Molly” by Little Richard

“Older Women” by Ronnie McDowell

“Daniel” by Elton John

“Venus” by Bananarama

“Stand By Me” by Ben E. King

“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot

“The Grid” by Daft Punk

“Once Upon a Time in the West” by Ennio Morricone

“Gene Nobles’ Boogie” by Richard Armstrong

“Jackson” by June and Johnny Cash

Pretty crazy, huh?

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My iPod Has Issues – Being Put to Sleep

12 May

Tomorrow, I am having a procedure done, and they are going to put me to sleep. That has to be the worst term ever invented. Who came up with the idea of telling someone that they are being put to sleep? It is like being taken in front of one of those death panels and learning that you are no longer a vital part of society.Death Panel

Seriously, they could just say that they are going to knock you out. That leaves you with the impression that you will wake up. Want to know how it feels to be told that you are being put to sleep? Just ask Rover. Wait, you cannot ask Rover. He is dead.

To mark this occasion of being put to sleep, I have decided to bust out the iPod and see what it feels like playing.

“Jenny, Jenny” by Little Richard

“If Things Don’t Change” by Gene Allison

“Pipe Dreams” by Jimmy Beck and His Orchestra

“On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” by Propellerheads

“Even Trolls Love Rock and Roll” by Tony Joe White

“Honey” by Bobby Goldsboro

“Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” by Elton John

“The Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel

“Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses

“Move On Up” by Curtis Mayfield

“Angel of Harlem” by U2

“You Are Too Beautiful” by Curtis Stigers

“Pecos Bill” by Sons of the Pioneers

“Reminiscing” by Little River Band

“The Three Great Alabama Icons” by Drive-By Truckers

“Carolyn” by Merle Haggard

“Aboria (Planet of the Tree Men)” by Queen

“Jackson” by Johnny Cash

“In the Evening” by Led Zeppelin

“In the Midnight Hour” by Wilson Pickett

I hope my crazy iPod is still here when I wake up.

 

 

 

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My iPod Has Issues – Like For Real This Time

23 Apr

Some of you know about this series of posts. I write for a while about how messed up and confused state in which my iPod stays. It is filled with such an array of music that is gets confused and does not know exactly who it is. In short, it has an identity crisis.

Now, my iPod has some really serious issues. When my old laptop fell to the Blue Screen of Death, my files were trapped inside.Blue Screen

Luckily, the computer guy saved those files and brought them over to the Mac. Tests. Syllabi. Papers. Speeches. They are all here. He was also able to retrieve the music files I had uploaded from CD’s. Unfortunately, the computer guy was not able to get them back into iTunes.

You know about iTunes. They like to protect what you have purchased but have no use for what you bought in a real record store and put on the computer yourself.

Anyway, my music library is lacking. That means my iPod is in limbo. It still has the songs that were there before, but I cannot add any cool new stuff. You know, like the Jeremiah Johnson soundtrack that I bragged about the other day. Hopefully, my nephew can fix it when he comes back from college in a couple of weeks.

Until then, I will keep my iPod busy with a list of twenty random songs that can be found in its brain.

“Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers

“Rovin’ Gambler” by Mac Wiseman (who was just today inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame)

“Dark Night” by The Blasters

“Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears

“Moody Blue” by Elvis Presley

“On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” by Propellerheads

“Arriving in Deadwood” by Michael Brook

“Don’t Bring Me Down” by The Animals

“Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell

“I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That” by Elton John

“500 Nations” by Peter Buffet

“You Send Me” by Sam Cooke

“Brown Eyes Girl” by Van Morrison

“Wanted Dead or Alive” by Bon Jovi

“Love, Love, Love” by Ted Jarrett

“He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones

“Quiet Dog” by Mos Def

“Missing You” by John Waite

“Honky Tonk Women” by The Rolling Stones

“Oh Yeah” by Yello

Now, let us hurry up and get this music situation fixed.

 

 

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My iPod Has Issues – Reunited and It Feels So Good Edition

18 Mar

As you have read, I spent a few days with my parents in northwest Mississippi. At the same time, my wife and stepdaughter were in Hilton Head, South Carolina. We all had great times, but I missed them. I hope that they missed me. Heck, even Daisy Dog was somewhere completely different.Peaches

Now, the family is back together, and I do not want to spend a lot of time holed up in my office. With that in mind, I am going to take the easy way out and dig into the depths of my iPod. Remember how it goes. I put it on shuffle and list the first 20 songs that play.

“Angry Cockroaches” by Tito and Tarantula

“Round Midnight” by Thelonious Monk

“Sing Me Back Home” by Merle Haggard

“Sons and Daughters” by The Neville Brothers

“You Left a Long, Long Time Ago” by Willie Nelson

“Escape on Horseback” by Ennio Morricone

“The Jack” by AC/DC

“I Put a Spell On You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins

“Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin

“Melt Down” by Albert Collins

“Get Back” by The Beatles

“Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean” by Ruth Brown

“Sleeping Bag” by ZZ Top

“Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” by Dean Martin

“You Are Too Beautiful” by Curtis Stigers

“Too Close” by Clair Marlo

“Nobody Knows Me” by Lyle Lovett

“Cortez the Killer” by Neil Young

“Joy” by Apollo 100

“What Do You Want From Me” by Pink Floyd

Now, back to the family reunion.

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