Oooh, I wasn't going to mention them, but does anyone remember the band of the same name? I saw them in a damp marquee at Reading '98.
They were truly awful. The lead singer was an enormous guy who shouted his way through about ten songs before throwing his fists skywards as if expecting to be hailed as the crowd's new deity. He scuttled from the stage, throwing his fists up with less and less energy as the crowd lost interest.
Anyway.
We've covered the choices for books, clothes and music, which is fine. I think I've got some seriously judicious packing to do, but I think I'll be okay.
We have serious business to discuss.
The first time I saw New York I was a couple of thousand feet above it. From my window seat I had been glued to the perspex for an hour, looking down on the snowy landscapes of Canada and the North US, but when the graphic on the screen in front of me showed us leaving Connecticut airspace all that was below was cloud. There was an occasional shimmer of light on grey water, far below, but that was all I could see. Then the cloud disappeared and I was looking down on a small greyish island and the coast stretched out ahead of us. I was pleased. This way I'd be able to see the city when we reached it. But one of the smaller islands had something green in the middle; copper green.
There was a brief, yawning gap where my mind tried to catch up with what my eyes were showing it, and perspective clicked in, hard. I remember the first time I saw the Isle of Wight from an airliner - I didn't recognise it. It was all skewed, and so small. This was worse. I looked back at the small grey island and as I focussed I realised that there were buildings down there, enormous buildings...hundreds of them...
A minute or so later we banked around on the downwind leg of the approach to JFK and all I could see was ocean, with the white wakes of a couple of ships spreading in tiny tight v-shapes amongst impossibly small waves.
On the short, final leg of the landing approach my side of the plane was facing Manhattan again and I could see skyscrapers in the distance across the flat landscape of Long Island as we slid downwards and the marshes around JFK became real and the huge expanse of houses around the airport sprang into focus and we thumped softly down and the plane began to brake noisily. Mounds of ploughed snow sat on verges, pools of snowmelt on the tarmac rilled in a gentle wind. The baggage handlers who drove up to the plane were dressed in arctic weather gear. I could see the clouds to the North, but the sky was a pale, washed out blue and the air as we stepped off the plane was brisk and sharp.
I walked along a gangway past an enormous white wall sculpture and into customs, feeling tired but very, very happy. I didn't know it, but I would meet my future wife for the first time in about two hours.
Now.
You can't choose the weather on the evening of the 7th of October, but what we can do, and I'd like your input on this, is decide which song I will be listening to as New York hoves into view.
Think about it.
The second that plane touches down at that airport, I will be there to meet the love of my life, who will be waiting patiently...well...waiting, anyway, behind a bank of immgration officials, and I'll be starting a whole new life in New. York. City.
There's got to be a song that can pipe that in with some style, right?
What should it be?
Isn't it obvious?
"Eye of the Tiger"
You're serious, aren't you.
Of course I am. You think I'm going to suggest something by Celion?
Who?
Do you mean Celine Dion?
Well, no. In fact I'm grateful you didn't.
Um yes. Her of Titanic fame.
You won't catch me at the front of the plane with my arms in the air and my legs wrapped around the co-pilot's neck.
No sir.
So Eye of the Tiger then?
NO!
It's a fight song!
Exactly, aren't you getting married, or have I misunderstood?
krissa's contribution to the Uborka mix, by They Might Be Giants, would be good.
I don't know, Adrian might be onto something. Something STRANGE, but something.
Of course I'm onto something. They don't call me "Adrian's-always-onto-something-Sevitz" for nothing.
Eye of the tiger.
I second (or is it third, now) that e-motion.
I'd clear my head of music, personally - sounds of airplane and the people around, keep the moment as it is alive and in mind rather than defined by the "false association" of music, though whether any of that is true is a question of philosophical outlook...
Plenty of time for New York moments to music later.
Come on...out of the entire sphere of musical endeavour we come up with Eye of the Tiger?
What about something jazzy?
What about something funky?
What about something rocking?
What about something good?
EotT is Jazzy.
EotT is Funky.
EotT is Rocking.
I don't see how it can not be Eye of the Tiger, now. I mean, even if you choose something else, you know what will be in your head...
You've ruined this comments thread completely now. I wanted people all to suggest lots of songs and now you've fixated them all with Eye of the Tiger.
I'm going to sulk for at least a month.
I like the They Might Be Giants idea myself. Though EOTT has a certain ring to it...
The power of the sevitz comment.
1 comment was all it took.
Hate the comment, not the man.
Well if you sulk for a month you'll have already passed your landing in New York to spend the rest of your life with your love....so in the spirit of helping out...how about Richard and Linda Thompson's "The Dimming Of The Day".
Or Eye of the Tiger would be good too.
"The Lark Ascending: A Romance for Violin and Orchestra" by Ralph Vaughn Williams. There is an two-minute sample at http://www.aguava.com/listen.html It is full of hope and beauty.
gotta be U2's "Angel of Harlem"
I vote for uber sappy --"a whole new world"
I vote for uber sappy --"a whole new world"
I vote for uber sappy --"a whole new world"
sorry for the multiple posts
*&$# computer*
i agree, angel of harlem (not a u2 fan but it makes sense) and change it to "angel of brooklyn". so everytime they say harlem you can sing out loud "brooooklyyn" and annoy/amuse fellow passengers.
I'm old, I grew up on Eye of the Tiger (go Frankie Stallone, baby, you rock indeed), and U2 is swell. I'm also a nobody here. Still, all that said, may I suggest New York State of Mind by Billy Joel. Jazzy, romantic, quite long, and very NYC. Gets me every time.
Just a thought.
carmen: excellent idea! (except for the small problem in that krissa's actually living in queens...but soon we'll pull her into the brooklyn web and you will be spot on!)
Hi kids...sorry about the slowness leading to multiple comment posting - MT Blacklist is getting mighty long, and it's checking 2225 URLs each time someone comments (or something).
Who's Frankie Stallone? Is that Sly's brother?
Any more suggestions, anyone? So far (apart from a certain 1980s boxing-related tune) most of the suggestions are included in 'Cupcakes and Vodka - The Ultimate New York Mix' (a K+S production 2004) which I happen to have a copy of...
Why bother, you know it's going to be "Eye of the Tiger"
Well for obvious reasons, I'd have to suggest Brighter than Sunshine.
Also, despite it being cheesier than gorgonzola in cheeseland, I'd suggest Arthur's Theme (lyrics: http://users.cis.net/sammy/arthur.htm) because it seems appropriate.
(I do actually kinda like the Eye of the Tiger thing too tho'...)
Re: TSOOL: I dunno, I thought "Instant Repeater 99" wasn't bad. Especially listened to well after 1999, for nostalgic value along the lines of Modest Mouse singing "1996, 1997, 1998, we're all waiting for the year 2000."
Anyway. Er, what about Cat Stevens's "I Think I See the Light"? Good song and possibly the only way he'll get through passport control these days.
TSOOL?
Qué?
I've just done a double take...well, a triple take.
akaellen...do you mean the song from Aladdin?
Cor. Yes. Uber sappy.
i completely fucking veto songs by men only wearing pants and turbans. wait... does that leave out anyone good?
Just...er...uhmmmm...not sure.
Did MC Hammer ever wear a turban? Oh, good, right.
No, I think we're clear.
TSOOL, darling. the title of your post.
Oh, right.
Thank you dear.
Oh...how about The Stooges doing "I Wanna Be Your Dog"...uber New York!
I'VE GOT IT.
I've never posted here before, and I don't know you, but I really think this would be perfect:
"The Only Living Boy in New York" by Simon and Garfunkel. Happy, a little melancholy-sounding, but lovely lyrics. Here's a sample:
Hey, I’ve got nothing to do today but smile.
Da-n-da-da-n-da-da-n-da-da here I am
The only living boy in new york
Half of the time we’re gone but we don’t know where,
And we don’t know here.
Tom, get your plane right on time.
I know you’ve been eager to fly now.
Hey let your honesty shine, shine, shine
Da-n-da-da-n-da-da-n-da-da
Like it shines on me
The only living boy in new york,
The only living boy in new york.
As a bonus, pick up the soundtrack to the movie "Garden State" that just came out (disclaimer: I have no association to this film) that this song appears on - it's a great soundtrack, too.
Good luck!
Never been here before, but I would second Simon and Garfunkel's "Only Living Boy in New York", and also recommend Harry Nielsen "I Guess the Lord must be in NYC" - I live in NY but still get goosebumps hearing them on while descending.
That single from the 90s with the really distinctive girl's voice, singing something like "it's going to be a fine night tonight, it's going to be a fine day tomorrow"... Jane somebody?
If you want the NYC link, then The Cult's "New YOrk City" (from Sonic Temple) is surely a winner, given that it's still less cringe-worthy that "EotT".
If they could see me now - Sammy Davis Jr.
A great feel good song about starting anew. If they could see your face when you spot that tiny little island from 30,000 feet again. Your face will ache you'll be smiling so much.
either that or some McFly!
Cheers everyone! I'll check these out.
BDM: McFly, huh.
I was obviously being oh-so-ironic with McFly.
busted are much better!
Yeah Aladdin. Hey, when you are in lurrve you can justify uber sappy.