It’s a Mad World

Do you have a song that just cuts you to the quick? I have a few. For various reasons. I’ll give you, oh three here.

The first one is the Donni Darko version of Mad World (originally written by Tears for Fears). When I hear this I am automatically transported back to the early 90s when I was struggling with self destruction and anger at things in my past. A huge anger and an even bigger depression. The line “The dreams I had of dying are the best I ever had,” wounds me to this day, because I felt that way for years. I can’t listen to the song often because it resurrects the spectre of that sorrowful, frightened angry young woman I used to be.

Another song that slices through the air like a scalpel through flesh is U2’s I will Follow. I’m trying to think now why that is, but the best I can tell you is it just *is* that time for me. Riding around in a caravan of convertibles to see them in Tulsa when they were still starting out. Hanging out with Laura, Lisa and Eric. Being so deep into music in a way that maybe you only can be when you are 16 or 17. I remember having to drive to Tulsa to buy this in vinyl at Starship Records. Ah the 80s.

And early gothiness. The time of sleeping in graveyards with a wee blaster and a candle. Of lascivious behaviour in the dark, young, slim and angsty. That time where everything is possible and it is time to start tasting everything life has to offer. That time I really enjoyed dating older dangerous people. I had a little trouble choosing between this one and The Caterpillar.

I guess we should go a bit more recent now. Remember I’m thinking of songs I’d like buried with me, playing me into the great beyond. Over and over, without end amen. But then my tastes run to things like the Mediaeval Baebes and Cole Porter so that might be kind of tough. I have more recent versions of Cole Porter songs –hey Blow Gabriel Blow will get me going everytime and I love Neneh Cherry’s version of I’ve got you under my skin. I like Elizabeth and the Catapult a lot recently and Meaghan Smith, but I have to wait to see which of those will make it into the crypt with me. I think the entire De-Lovely soundtrack might though.

Ok, I’m rambling. What are yours? Which songs follow you to the grave?