Category Archives: Turning 50

HOW THE LIST WORKS

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On 27 June 2015 I’ll be turning 50, so, since my 49th birthday I’ve making a list of songs to bring with me into the future. These are songs that I have collected in my first 50 years of life, songs that in the future will make me feel alive, and give me a purpose to still dream and let my imagination fly.

Since 27 June 2014  I’ve been listening to the more than 7500 songs in my iTunes library. Every day I pick a song, whichever I like the most, or the song touches me the most on that day. If there are other songs that I like on a particular day, I place them on a “Runners Up” list. I will listen to songs on that list again after I finish listening to the songs on my library. As of 4 January, I still have approximately 200 songs left to hear.

Each song will be accompanied by a brief description of the selected piece, such as the year the song was originally published and the genre it initially cataloged. I will also include an explanation on why I’ve picked that song. Whenever available, I will incorporate a file of the song, and any other link to illustrate any point I may be trying to make.

Here’s a preview on how the list will be presented. This song is from Week 03.

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15 FRIDAY 11 JULY 2014

Cuban Pete – Desi Arnaz

015 The Best Of Desi Arnaz The Mambo King

I know you must be wondering why this one moved to the list so soon after only being on the runners up list for a few days. Well, it’s not the same version. Desi Arnaz recorded this one in 1946. The one on the runners up list is the version Desi recorded with Lucille Ball for their 1950s mega hit I Love Lucy.

Introduced by Desi himself in 1946 in the movie of the same name, Cuban Pete, along with Babalu, is closely associated with Desi Arnaz’s act.

Before moving to the United States, I only knew Desi as the one who loved Lucy. But I made a point of study him during my master’s program and was impressed by all of his accomplishments in Television. As some of you may be aware, Desi was a pioneer not only in television production, but also in the way networks do business, and distribute their shows. How many Trekkies out there? Without Desilu Productions, the company he founded with Lucille Ball, nobody would have gone where no man has gone before. Desilu produced the first year of Star Trek before Paramount Television absorbed the studio. Just saying.

Song Title: Cuban Pete – 1946   Genre: Soundtrack   Artist: Desi Arnaz   Composer: Joseph Norman (Jose Norman)   Lyricist: Joseph Norman (Jose Norman)   Album: The Best Of Desi Arnaz The Mambo King

Favourite Lyrics: Si, senorita, I know that you will like the chicky boom chick / ‘Cause it’s the dance of Latin romance / And Cuban Pete doesn’t teach you in a hurry like Arthur Murry / You’re now in Havana and there’s always mañana.

Runners Up: Long Ago and Far Away • I’ve Never Been in Love Before • Vida Mia • Where or When • All the Things You Are

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Additionally, I’ll be making a list of contenders for my Top 10 list of songs of all time.

HOW TO PACK 365 SONGS IN A SUITCASE

Let’s start packing on 6 January 2015

LET’S START PACKING NEXT WEEK

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On 27 June 2015 I’ll be turning 50. So, since my 49th birthday I’ve making a list of songs to bring with me into the future. These are songs that I have collected in my first 50 years of life, songs that in the future will make me feel alive, and give me a purpose to still dream and let my imagination fly.

Starting on 6 January 2015, I’ll publishing twice a week a list of the songs I have compiled so far. The first list will include songs that I picked between 27 June and 3 July 2014. The second week will cover songs from the following week, 4 July to 10 July; and so on until we reach the day of my 50th birthday. When appropriate I’ll tell you the reasons why I’ve picked that song and what it means to me.

WATCH THIS SPACE

LET’S START PACKING ON 6 JANUARY 2015

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HOW TO PACK 365 SONGS IN A SUITCASE

On 27 June 2015 I’ll be turning 50, so, I’m making a list of songs to bring with me into the future. These are songs that I have collected in my first 50 years of life, songs that in the future will make me feel alive, and give me a purpose to still dream and let my imagination fly.

LET’S START PACKING ON 6 JANUARY 2015

27 June 2014 was the first day of the last year in my forties. It is not as if it worries me to get old, but turning 50 is a milestone nonetheless. So, a few months ago, in preparation for my fiftieth year on earth, I started to take care of certain things, such as having a physical, organising my finances, etc. Things I did not want to deal with or worry around my 50th.

However, I was in search of something unique to do before I turn 50, something it could keep me occupied for a year, a build-up to my birthday.

Right around the time I turned 49 I was reading a book by Jane Pauley called Your Life Calling: Reimagining the Rest of Your Life. On chapter eleven, Packing for a Long Trip, Jane Pauley talks about the things that figuratively we want to pack and bring with us into the future. Things that will help us shape our future. The things that will make us look forward to being 70, 80 or even 90. Jane Pauley quotes columnist Cary Tennis from Salon.com, who, among many things, talks about having in your suitcase a song that gives you goosebumps.

I happened to read that chapter while on an elliptical machine at the gym, on the morning of my 49th birthday and thought it would be a cool little project. I was going to collect my favourite songs and make the ultimate playlist for the future.

I took the over 7500 songs in my iTunes library and organized them alphabetically by album into four playlists. The plan was to listen to the playlists during the day. Then, every night I would choose the song that for whatever reason touched me the most during the day. If there were other songs I liked, I would put them on a new playlist to be revisited after listening to the original playlists.

Now, after six months of collecting songs and writing about them, I’ve decided to share the list.

By 26 June 2015, on the eve of my 50th birthday I will have finished packing 365 songs in a suitcase that I will bring with me into the future.