Sunday, May 8, 2011

Music from Bob's Celebration of Life service . . .

Okay, so no one warned me there'd be a never-ending receiving line before and after Bob's service . . . guess I didn't get the "Memorial Service" memo . . . kept hearing over and over, all day, "You're so strong! Can't believe how strong you are!" No, I was completely and utterly taken by surprise (read: in shock) by the whole thing (and still am) and wanted to throw up for three hours straight (read: because a couple hundred people, give or take, were able to be with us, and share in the sadness, the celebration, the sorrow, the memories—about, with, for, over, because of, and any other prepositions applicable to—Bob, on such short notice), but kept swallowing, hard . . . which is why the music I had so wanted to play during the lunch that followed the service never happened . . .

Afterward, I was (and still am, and will be, till the end of time) so very sad for a million and one reasons, one being that, next to photography, music was such a big part of Bob's life, and I wanted to share at least a little part of that with everyone, too . . . I mean, it's not every day you go to a funeral and get to hear Kiss and Beethoven in the same room . . . even near the end, Bob would hold his Blackberry in his trembling hands and fumble through the apps, trying to find his Pandora station. . . I'd gently take it from his hands, find his music, hit play and fold his fingers back around his phone, so he'd have it close and could listen—to anything, from Joe Satriani to Elvis to a Mariachi band station, I am so not kidding . . .

Anyhow, I wanted to somehow, someway, get the list out to those who are music freaks like Bob was, and who might want to hear/see the playlist of some of the artists that Bob loved. This is by no means a definitive or true representation of Bob's tastes and I know I've left countless artists and songs out; his was as wide and varied as music itself. An 80's rocker at heart, his tastes ran the gamut from breathless classical to searing metal, and everything in between. Even country had a place in Bob's repertoire (Lucinda Williams, Johnny Cash . . .)

I added the playlist to Ping, a social network for music through iTunes. If you have iTunes, you have Ping, and should be able to find the list there, under my name. I am still trying to figure out Ping, so that's about all I can tell you about it right now. The list there had to be heavily edited because Ping would only allow 100 songs per playlist.

If you don't have access to Ping, here's the playlist, in its unabridged version (my version, that is. Not Bob's). The asterisked songs are the ones I had to omit from Ping (and believe me, it was like cutting an appendage off my own body, severing those songs from the list . . . and a feeling of panic, knowing that the list I did include was such a pathetic representation of what Bob himself would have chosen . . . ).

Enjoy, and remember fondly, as you listen to a song or two, the beloved man who has left a gaping, gasping, unfillable (there's one of my made-up words again) hole in my world . . . I could continue adding to this list till the end of time and never come close to filling the void . . .

Always With Me, Always With You—Joe Satriani Surfing With The Alien

Keep Me in Your Heart—Warren Zevon The Wind

I Wanna Be Sedated—­­The Ramones Rhino Hi-Five: Ramones - EP

*Wild Wild Life—Talking Heads The Best of Talking Heads

You Shook Me All Night Long—AC/DC Back In Black

Rag Doll—Aerosmith Big Ones

The Other Side—Aerosmith Big Ones

More Than Words Can Say—Billy Squier Happy Blue

Grasping For Oblivion—Billy Squier Happy Blue

Stronger—Billy Squier Hear & Now

She Goes Down—Billy Squier 16 Strokes: The Best Of Billy Squier

Everybody Wants You—Billy Squier 16 Strokes: The Best Of Billy Squier

See A Little Light—Bob Mould Workbook

Days Of Rain—Bob Mould Body Of Song

Beethoven: Symphony #6 In F, Op. 68, "Pastoral" - 3. Allegro—Bystrik Režucha: Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra The Best Of Beethoven

Bach: Concerto In C For 2 Harpsichords, BWV 1061 – Vivace—Christine Schornsheim; Raphael Alpermann: Berlin Academy For Early Music Instruments Of Classical Music - The Harpsichord

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto #5 In D, BWV 1050 - 2. Affettuoso—Christiane Jaccottet; Max Pommer: New Leipzig Collegium Musicum Instruments Of Classical Music - The Harpsichord

Mustang Sally—The Commitments The Commitments

Fire Woman—The Cult Sonic Temple

Sun King—The Cult Sonic Temple

Yankee Rose—David Lee Roth Eat 'Em And Smile

That's Life—David Lee Roth Eat 'Em And Smile

Heartbreak Hotel—Elvis Presley Elvis 30 #1 Hits

Love Me Tender—Elvis Presley Elvis 30 #1 Hits

All Shook Up—Elvis Presley Elvis 30 #1 Hits

Can't Help Falling In Love—Elvis Presley Elvis 30 #1 Hits

A Little Less Conversation—Elvis Presley Elvis 30 #1 Hits

Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World—Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Facing Future

*You Belong To Me—Jason Wade Shrek Soundtrack

Satch Boogie—Joe Satriani Surfing With The Alien

Longest Days—John Mellencamp Life, Death, Love and Freedom

Learning How to Live—Lucinda Williams

Enter Sandman—Metallica Metallica

Looks That Kill—Mötley Crüe Live: Entertainment Or Death

Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)—Mötley Crüe Live: Entertainment Or Death

I Got The Feelin'—Neil Diamond The Greatest Hits 1966-1992

Sweet Caroline—Neil Diamond The Greatest Hits 1966-1992

Cherry, Cherry—Neil Diamond The Greatest Hits 1966-1992

Mama, I'm Coming Home—Ozzy Osbourne No More Tears

Road To Nowhere—Ozzy Osbourne No More Tears

Unskinny Bop —Poison Poison's Greatest Hits 1986-1996

*Steady As She Goes—The Raconteurs Anywhere Anytime: Outdoor Conditioning

Cars (Live)—Gary Numan Super Hits of the '80s

Brass In Pocket—Pretenders The Singles

*I Fought the Law—Green Day I Fought the Law

*Tainted Love—Soft Cell The Very Best of Soft Cell

One Way or Another—Blondie The Best of Blondie

Stay Up Late—Talking Heads Little Creatures

Middle of the Road—Pretenders The Singles

*American Idiot—Green Day American Idiot

And She Was—Talking Heads The Best of Talking

My Doorbell—The White Stripes My Doorbell

Something To Believe In—Poison Poison's Greatest Hits 1986-1996

I Would Die 4 U—Prince & The Revolution Purple Rain

The Beautiful Ones—Prince & The Revolution Purple Rain

*I'm On My Way—The Proclaimers Shrek Soundtrack

Down On Him—Pursuit Of Happiness Love Junk

When The Sky Comes Falling Down—Pursuit Of Happiness Love Junk

Man's Best Friend—Pursuit Of Happiness Love Junk

Hallelujah—Rufus Wainwright Shrek Soundtrack

You Bet Your Life—Rush Roll The Bones

Dreamline—Rush Roll The Bones

Little Green Men—Steve Vai Flex-Able

The Attitude Song—Steve Vai Flex-Able

In My Dreams With You—Steve Vai Sex & Religion

Here & Now—Steve Vai Sex & Religion

Life Without You—Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble Greatest Hits

Pride And Joy—Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble Greatest Hits

The Sky Is Crying—Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble The Sky Is Crying

Empty Arms—Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble The Sky Is Crying

You and I Will Meet Again—Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Into the Great Wide Open

Philips: Galiarda Dolorosa—Ton Koopma Instruments Of Classical Music - The Harpsichord
Scarlatti (D): Sonata In E, K 380, "Cortège" —Ton Koopman Instruments Of Classical Music - The Harpsichord
*Scarlatti (D): Sonata In C, K 153—Ton Koopman Instruments Of Classical Music - The Harpsichord
Bach: Minuets 1 & 2 In G Major/Minor, BWV Ahn 114 & 115—Walter Heinz Bernstein Instruments Of Classical Music - The Harpsichord

Spam—Weird Al Yankovic The Food Album

Eat It—Weird Al Yankovic The Food Album

Shoot To Thrill—AC/DC Back In Black

*Best Years Of Our Lives—Baha Men Shrek Soundtrack

Happy Blues—Billy Squier Happy Blue

Long Way To Fall—Billy Squier Happy Blue

Don't Say You Love Me—Billy Squier Hear & Now

Tied Up—Billy Squier Hear & Now

She's A Runner—Billy Squier 16 Strokes: The Best Of Billy Squier

Don't Let Me Go—Billy Squier 16 Strokes: The Best Of Billy Squier

One Way Or Another—Blondie The Best Of Blondie

Dreaming—Blondie Greatest Hits

Missing You—Bob Mould Body Of Song

Circles—Bob Mould Body Of Song

Heartbreak A Stranger—Bob Mould Workbook

Lonely Afternoon—Bob Mould Workbook

*This Cat's On A Hot Tin Roof—The Brian Setzer Orchestra The Dirty Boogie

Jump Jive An' Wail—The Brian Setzer Orchestra The Dirty Boogie

Red Headed Woman—Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen In Concert - MTV Unplugged (Live)

*Take Me To The River—The Commitments The Commitments

*In The Midnight Hour—The Commitments The Commitments

Soldier Blue—The Cult Sonic Temple

Tobacco Road—David Lee Roth Eat 'Em And Smile

Love Me Two Times—The Doors Greatest Hits

*Love Her Madly—The Doors Greatest Hits

Burning Love—Elvis Presley Elvis 30 #1 Hits

*We'll Meet Again—Johnny Cash American IV: The Man Comes Around

*I've Been Everywhere—Johnny Cash Unchained

Nothing Else Matters —Metallica Metallica

Home Sweet Home—Mötley Crüe Live: Entertainment Or Death

Girls, Girls, Girls—Mötley Crüe Live: Entertainment Or Death

Time After Time—Ozzy Osbourne No More Tears

Ride The Wind—Poison Poison's Greatest Hits 1986-1996

Sense of Purpose—Pretenders The Isle of View (Live)

When Doves Cry—Prince & The Revolution Purple Rain

Neurotica—Rush Roll The Bones

Face Up—Rush Roll The Bones

Love Blood—Steve Vai The Elusive Light And Sound Vol. 1

The Boy-Girl Song—Steve Vai Flex-Able

Touching Tongues—Steve Vai Sex & Religion

Tightrope—Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble Greatest Hits

Taxman—Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble Greatest Hits

Close To You—Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble The Sky Is Crying

Couldn't Stand The Weather—Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble Greatest Hits

Home—Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Up From Below

*This Old House—The Brian Setzer Orchestra The Dirty Boogie

*You Got To Me—Neil Diamond The Greatest Hits 1966-1992

Jailhouse Rock—Elvis Presley Elvis 30 #1 Hits

A Big Hunk O' Love—Elvis Presley Elvis 30 #1 Hits

Detroit Rock City—3:58 Kiss Alive II

Hard Luck Woman (Live)—Kiss Alive II

Larger Than Life—Kiss Alive II

Rockin' In The USA—Kiss Alive II

All American Man—Kiss Alive II

Amazing—Aerosmith Big Ones

Call Me—Blondie The Best Of Blondie

You're The Boss—The Brian Setzer Orchestra The Dirty Boogie

*Come On Eileen—Dexy's Midnight Runners Don't Quit Music: '80s

*Whip It—Devo Devo: Greatest Hits

*Hole Hearted—Extreme The Best of Extreme: An Accidental Collocation of Atoms

*Holiday—Green Day Holiday - Single

*Bridge Over Troubled Water—Johnny Cash American IV: The Man Comes Around

Personal Jesus—Johnny Cash American IV: The Man Comes Around

*Too Shy—Kajagoogoo White Feathers

*So Alive—Love and Rockets Love and Rockets


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8 comments:

  1. coreyMay 8, 2011 at 9:41 PM

    I know I didn't know Bob as well as probably anyone else here, but after seeing so many songs on his Pandora list that are on mine, lets me know he was a good soul! Kuddos to you Jen for coming up with such an exhaustive list! I wish we could've been there this weekend. Stay strong girl.

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  2. Uschi MurphyMay 8, 2011 at 10:22 PM

    HI Jill
    I never got to meet Bob and I havent seen you in almost 20 yrs. I somehow stumbled onto your sisters FB and the onto this blog. I am so moved by every entry you put into this blog. You are so lucky to have had Bob in your life and Bob even more lucky to have had you! YOU BOTH are amazing!
    I know you were told a million time you were so strong, but I also wanted to tell you too! Keep the memories, good and bad. Someday things will get a bit easier. Sending you lots of love and hugs.

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  3. JillMay 9, 2011 at 12:13 AM

    Thank you for sharing the list, Nenni. I don't think I'll ever get into the metal, but remembering Bob sing some of the metal songs, do his air guitar, and add in other instrumentals vocally, will make me at least smile when I hear some of those songs on the radio (Jade keeps it to KQ often now, for Bob) and do my own lil' air jam for Bob. You are an amazingly strong person, Nenni, but when you don't feel that way and can't be at whatever given moment, know we're here to help you in whatever way we can get through those moments.

    We love you to the moon and back and we'll keep sending our love, strength, and prayers always to you, dear sister, and love and prayers to Bubo always, too. He hasn't left and won't leave our nightly prayers when we send up love to our guardian angels. We miss him to the moon.

    xoxoxoxo
    Jill, Jade, Amelia, and Otto

    xoxoxoxo

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  4. Kathryn CullenMay 9, 2011 at 9:38 AM

    So here's my Bob story that I couldn't get out on Friday at the Celebration Life service after Penny spoke so eloquently and sitting next to Jen, I couldn't quit crying. Bob and Jen and I had several conversations through the years about poetry and I can't recall in what context, but I knew Bob was well read and probably well versed. He studied Latin for gosh sakes, one thing I have always wanted to do. We talked about prose poetry which I wrote and rhyming poetry which I made the mistake of saying was too easy. Bob said, I bet you couldn't rhyme appilliated woodpecker. I thought for a moment and then said, a unionized auto mechanice would be an affiliated under-the-hood-checker. He smiled and said, okay, you win......When Bob was in the hospital, I wrote some poems and sent them to Jen. She shared them with Bob. He said, I didn't know your mother was a deep thinker.....I still laugh when I think of that and love it....At that time, Jen said Bob got busy writing his own poem. I sent him an email during that time. I hear you're working hard on a poem, I said. Just remember, there once was a girl from Nantucket has already been penned. Bob looked at Jen and said, your Mom is on to me. Here's Bob poem I will treasure forever.

    There once was a man from West Lakeland
    with a sarcoma on his sacrum
    he said with a grin
    in pain once again,
    if you think ive given up, you're mistaken

    I would have ended my speech that day if I could have gotten it out with a poem I wrote after walking through Afton State Park three years ago with Jen and Bob. I thought that day what an artist Bob was, so reserved in his exhibition of his skill but so refined as a photographer. I think photography is somewhat like poetry...you choose a subject, you craft a world around it, you have vision and composition. But there was something to Bob's photography that was beyond my knowledge. My kids have let me pick out a photo of Bob's for this mother's day that they will put on a canvas for me. It's a lovely lovely yellow flower in true Bob's style.

    Here's the poem I penned after walking the park with Jen and Bob:
    Descending Afton

    The long flow of gravel
    winds cooler weather
    around tendrils
    new growth

    the fabled
    incandescent dark places
    where sprites sail
    kites and shadows
    give each other
    chasing names

    there in the slender
    shifts of light
    tender shoots embrace
    tendrils of bloodreds
    the small fragrance
    of ginger escapes
    between praying
    hands

    the creek in places
    takes on the metal
    traces of human
    resistance sheds
    its purity and clarity
    for mutations that cloud
    the water that leads to us


    I leave no footprints
    no breath no purpose
    in climbing down
    the stairs of time save
    for the small want
    of the raw
    unprotected and holy

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  5. AnonymousMay 9, 2011 at 3:01 PM

    Jen, dear, please don't take this the wrong way, but the next memorial service I go to, I don't even want to think about how I recognize and listen to half the playlist (at least). I want How Great Thou Art and all of the other old hymns that people who've lived their full lives through used to listen to before I was even born ... and maybe not even Amazing Grace, especially not on bagpipes. Tom Petty is on the radio too much and people look at you strange when you're crying in the car with KQ or Cities 97 cranked up to full volume so that someone way up in heaven can hear it too. You are strong ... even strong people feel like they want to throw up now and then.

    Carol

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  6. JillMay 9, 2011 at 11:03 PM

    Love your poem, momma. Love the story of the connection you two had through poetry. xoxoxoxo
    Jilly

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  7. Jan KlassenMay 10, 2011 at 8:02 PM

    Dear Jen,
    I don't even know if you remember me, but I am so moved by your blog and by the honesty you have so freely shared with your readers. I saw the news in the Free Press and just had to come here to read. I started reading you from Kurt's Chronicles. Intense stuff. I don't have decent words to put here to let you know that I, along with many, hold you in my heart.

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  8. AnonymousMay 13, 2011 at 7:05 PM

    Jen, Thank you for sharing Bob's playlist. I have often thought about how a person's playlist tells the story of who they are, what life brings them, what they dream of and hope for. I so appreciate knowing Bob through his music and his art. You are truly evidence that love is a verb. ~Terri

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