The infinity rotation
I can't tell you how many times I've heard a song for the first time, liked it and played it to death. Here is Midnight Sunner Duffster with a guest column about what he calls the Infinity Rotation:
Do you ever hear a song that is so unbelievably awesome that you play it over and over and over again and you can never get sick of it? I mean ever.
That doesn't mean that you can listen to it incessantly for a week or two and then discard it because it's old. These are lifetime-adders. Songs that you will look to play and will have no problem playing years from now. Songs that you know exactly where they are on your iPod and probably go there first before you play anything else, unless there's some hot new album you've got to hear first, but you know once you get sick of that album you'll just go back to your old standards.
That seems to happen to me about once every three months. I'll add a new song to the lifetime list. I call it my "Infinity Rotation." ...
I had a recent Infinity song with Yeasayer's new single, "Ambling Alp," which is on their yet-to-be-released "Odd Blood." But you can't put that song in that upper echelon until some time has passed. Are you still going to one particular track first? Still, after a month? You need more listens, I think.
In my maybe 15 years of seriously listening to music that is not the stuff my dad listened to in the car – and from there about eight years of being a complete music nazi – I don't know how many songs I can say bear the "Infinity Rotation" standard. I can name a few for your enjoyment. In no particular order:
Talking Heads, "Nothing But Flowers"
311, "Taiyed"
Bruce Springsteen, "Thunder Road"
My Morning Jacket, "One Big Holiday"
The White Stripes (pictured), "My Doorbell"
Van Morrison, "Tupelo Honey" and "Caravan"
The Band, “The Weight”
The Strokes, "Reptilia"
Pearl Jam, "Release Me"
Smashing Pumpkins, "Snail"
James Taylor, "Carolina in My Mind"
Sublime, "Greatest Hits"
There are many others. I could go on.
So, I encourage you to post what would be on your Infinity Rotation in the comments. And, of course, disparage my taste in Infinity songs. Love them or hate them, I won’t ever stop listening.
(Photo courtesy of Press Here Publicity)
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Meat Loaf - 'Paradise by the Dasboard Light'
Posted by: Allan | February 15, 2010 9:21 AM
I'm a fan of most of the bands listed here.
Here's a few songs that for whatever reason I can listen to and never get sick of:
White Stripes "Fell In Love with a Girl"
Coldplay "Clocks"
Lit "My Own Worst Enemy" I always think of Dewey Beach when I hear this song and it puts me in a good mood.
Social Distortion "Story of My Life"
The Killers "Read My Mind"
There are probably more but those are the ones off the top of my head.
Posted by: Cardwell | February 15, 2010 11:03 AM
Love that somebody else knows "Taiyed". That song was probably on every mix cd that my friends and I made in high school. Perfect when jammin' on the beach.
Phish's "You Enjoy Myself" is one of mine. I could see them every night of one of their tours and if that popped up on every setlist I would be a happy person.
The Beatles "In My Life" & "Blackbird"
Flaming Lips "Buggin"
More recently my heavy rotation tunes have been:
Vampire Weekend "Giving Up The Gun"
The Temper Trap "Sweet Disposition"
Passion Pit "Sleepyhead"
Lotus "Bellweather"
Posted by: Tyler | February 15, 2010 1:18 PM
Some of my infinity songs:
Ben Harper, Alone Again
Flaming Lips, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Rolling Stones, Paint It Black
Eagle Eye Cherry, When Mermaids Cry
Brand New, The Quiet Things That no one Ever Knows
Bob Dylan, Dirge
Posted by: Patti | February 15, 2010 3:25 PM
I guess making an entire cassette of one song over and over so I didn't have to go back and keep moving the needle qualifies, right? (Am I aging myself?)
-- "Indian Prayer," Richie Havens from Mixed Bag 2
-- "Mad, Mad Me" by Maria Muldaur
-- "Country Living" by the Mighty Diamonds (reggae cover of an old Stylistics tune, B-side to "You Are Everything")
More recently (as in not on vinyl):
-- "Via Con Me" by Paolo Conte
-- "My Heart With You" by the Rescues
-- "Josephine" by Teitur
-- "Thirteen" by Big Star
-- "I'm Not Over You" and "Cupid Complained to Venus" by Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers
-- "Driving Me Mad" by Neil Finn
By the way, huge huge thanks for playing Dana Wells' "Evergreen" on Baltimore Unsigned last week. Can't begin to tell you how awesome it was to hear it on WTMD :)
Posted by: Lisa | February 16, 2010 12:29 PM