In Which There's Something About This Performance That Touches Me

the iTunes playlist: David Bowie

The odds of David Bowie being alive now were not great. He's like the turtle in the race, coming back in fashion every decade or so, ageless as Mick Jagger's scrotum. Enjoy his favorite songs:

"Stay With Me" - Lorraine Ellison (mp3)  

Ellison only got to record this goosebump-making classic because of a Sinatra cancellation at the recording studio. The vocal build and release on this track is galvanizing. Writer Jerry Ragovoy also wrote ‘Time Is On My Side.’ 

"El Niño: For With God Nothing Shall Be Impossible" - Deutsches Symphonieorchester Berling & Kent Nagano (mp3)

Just over a minute long and propulsive like a storm. I want to crush furniture. The emotional in search of the divine.

by geoff mccormack "Junker's Blues" - Champion Jack Dupree (mp3)

Simple, beautiful New Orleans piano. This 1941 song was the blueprint for Fats Domino’s 1949 hit ‘The Fat Man’ and probably played a part in the making of Professor Longhair’s ‘Tipitina.’    

"Nixon in China – Act I, Scene 1: Soldiers of Heaven Hold the Sky" - Edo de Waart & Orchestra of St. Luke's

Adams’ minimalism disguises the rich romanticism of his melodies. Ever ascending, rising through the clouds. You’re still cool with me, John.    

"Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)"- Scritti Politti (mp3)

Who could dislike this glistening 1984 beauty? The upside of the ’80s.

"Embroidering Pouch"- Peng Liyuan (mp3)

Hugely huge in China. Peng holds the rank of major general in the People’s Liberation Army. I have a thing about Chinese folk music, okay?

"Different Trains: I. America-Before the War" - Steve Reich (mp3)

One of the late 20th century’s most affecting works. I love the use of speech as a source for melody. But it’s so much more than a concept; it’s also impossibly moving.

"Blue Skies" - Josephine Baker (mp3)

I’m not a big Baker fan, but there’s something about this performance that touches me. I think it’s the break in her voice among all this gaiety and optimism.

"Dinner at Eight" - Rufus Wainwright (mp3)

There aren’t that many son/father songs, but is the best of them as far as I know. Rufus is just simply one of the great writers.

"Gathering Storm" - Godspeed You Black Emperor! (mp3)

GYBE is among my, erm, two favorite Montreal bands, Arcade Fire being the other. All Montreal bands have around nine members, I believe.

"Sonny's Lettah (Anti-Sus Poem)" - Linton Kwesi Johnson (mp3)

The great Kwesi Johnson at his saddest. This forceful slice of narrative is part of the continuing evolvement from griot through the Last Poets to Mos Def.

"Get Around to It" - Arthur Russell (mp3)

Quite strange but atmospheric, is what I think. The late Arthur Russell was supplying all the background effects on his electric cello.”    

"Sénégal Fast-food" - Amadou & Mariam (mp3)

Let’s dance. Saw this on Africa Channel or maybe Link last year, and I play it at least once a week. What time is it in Paradise, indeed?

You can find more iTunes playlists here.

"Starman" - Dar Williams (mp3)

"Space Oddity" - Natalie Merchant (mp3)

"Under Pressure" - The Used & My Chemical Romance (mp3)

In Which Rufus Wainwright Throws Himself Away Not Even Trying

the iTunes playlist: Rufus Wainwright

Rufus is a Mad Lib for us all to enjoy. He would have been so huge twenty or thirty years ago. He is always falling in love. You can now fall in love as well, this time with his iTunes playlist. Best wishes go out to Rufus' mom Kate who has cancer.

"My Man's Gone Now" - Nina Simone

This is a Gershwin song from Porgy & Bess. The reason I chose this piece is because I really think it is one of the most incredible piano performances ever recorded. It was instrumental in inspiring me to write songs for the piano and sing - you know, accompany myself, and be as dramatic as possible.

"Sans Souci" - Peggy Lee  

I just think it's funny because I recently wrote a song called "Sanssouci" which is on my album. My song is about the palace in Potsdam, which is near Berlin, and I think hers is more about being at some crazy party.

"Talk to Me of Mendocino" - Kate & Anna McGarrigle (mp3)

This one's by my mom. It's written about a trip she took once to a town in Northern California. It's really one of her signature works and every time I hear it, I cry and think of her and how much I love her.

"B.M.F.A." - Martha Wainwright (mp3)

There's some swear words in the title. This is by Martha Wainwright, my great sister, and it's a song that she released as a single which was very, very, very brave of her. Martha is one of the great singers of our age, and also has her own proper career, which thank God happened, otherwise we would have been killing each other.

"Hammond Song" - The Roches (mp3)

I've always loved them. It's my dad's second wife, but I'm a big Roches fan and I think their sound is really amazing and this song is one of their greatest.

"La Boheme, Act I, Che geilda manina" - Jussi Bjorling (mp3)

This is from the opera La Boheme. It's the big tenor aria and this version is by Jussi Bjorling who is probably one of greatest tenors who ever lived. This song was always played at the house when I was a child and my mother would actually sing it herself on the piano after many drinks. It's one of the greatest musical pieces ever written.

"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" - Carole King (mp3)

Carole King wrote it...the version I love is by Roberta Flack. This is something I would always play when I was extremely lonely and in need of good old fashioned romance as opposed to some sort of casual fling. This song represents wanting more out of a relationship and needing actual human contact for the sake of humanity as opposed to, you know, testosterone, so yeah...it's about love.

"Trains and Boats and Planes" - Dionne Warwick (mp3)

This song is by Burt Bacharach and sung by Dionne Warwick. One of the greatest experiences of my life was getting to play with Burt Bacharach. I got to sing with him and do a few shows with him, and, needless to say, it was the apex of this portion of my career. I felt like it was my Dusty Springfield moment and this song, 'Trains and Boats and Planes' is just one of his many classics.

"Pirate Jenny" - Lotte Lenya (mp3)

I don't know if this is the name of it, but I call it, 'Jenny the Pirate.' Jenny, the character...it's sung by Lotte Lenya and it's Jenny's main song from Threepenny Opera by Kurt Weill. I just love it so much because when I was a teenager I used to pretend to be Jenny (ha ha) and get naked in my dorm room and put pearls on, stare at myself in the mirror, and lip sync to this.

"Sanssouci (live)" - Rufus Wainwright (mp3)

"If Love Were All (live)" - Rufus Wainwright (mp3)

"Leaving for Paris No. 2 (live)" - Rufus Wainwright (mp3)

"Rules and Regulations (live)" - Rufus Wainwright (mp3)