Thursday, December 6, 2007

More Influences

I was having a conversation with my wife the other day about music and I asked her what her favorite albums were. "Give me a Top Five," I said. She rattled them off pretty quickly. They were all current Country artists: Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks. Then she proceeded to tell me what my favorite albums were: Purple Rain, something from Pearl Jam and something from Lyle Lovett.

It didn't take much thinking on my part to realize she was right. The first two albums that came to mind were Purple Rain by Prince, and Ten by Pearl Jam. A little more thinking told me that I'd probably put the two-disc Step Inside This House by Lyle Lovett in there as well. She knows me so well. But I did surprise her when I decided on a fourth: the multi-artist A Very Special Christmas. I still haven't decided on a fifth, though. It may be something from Huey Lewis, or another from Lyle Lovett. Or maybe it's something from my past that no one else has heard of or remembers.

But what hit me was not how much my wife knew me, it was how well she knew herself. She was firmly encamped in a certain genre and was able to enumerate her favorite artists and their best albums easily. Whereas I have chosen albums of glam rock, grunge, Christmas music and East Texas balladry. There's not a through-line to be found. I don't know what that means, yet. Maybe I'll figure it out when I pick a fifth. I'll let you know.

In the meantime, what are your 5 favorite albums?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Only five? Are you crazy? I'd have to pick five in each "genre." Right now I'm into Christmas music. My top favorite isn't even by a known artist: it's a holiday piano album from Target. Top new age album? Hmmm...should it be The Sacred Fire by Nicholas Gunn or Spirit of the Rainforest by David Arkenstone. I don't think I can choose... And is it sacrilegious to pick the Beatles "Love," when it's not really a Beatle album but a remix of many Beatle albums?

Ask easier questions, willya Jared?

Anonymous said...

top 5 xmas in no particular order

1. Mariah Carey - Merry Christmas
2. Barenaked Ladies
3. Bing Crosby - Merry Christmas
4. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Soundtrack
5. A Phil Spector Christmas

Top 5 favorite albums in no particular order

1. Gavin Degraw - Chariot
2. Poison - Flesh and Blood
3. Boyz II Men - II
4. Hootie and the Blowfish - Musical Chairs
5.Motley Crue - Dr. Feelgood

Anonymous said...

totally forgot about BRYAN ADAMS!!!
wife #1