ultimate bathtub

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Tuesday, June 20, 2006
So, I was thinking about mix CDs recently (as one does) and realized that most of mine have been made for The Car. Meaning, they are mostly filled with songs that are usually fast, (no sleeping!), and loud (to counteract road noise). These mixes are super fun to make, but I now have a new challenge. The Ultimate Bathtub Challenge, to be precise. Bathtub music is tricky and has to serve so many purposes -- I have to be able to read while it's playing, but it can't just be wallpaper music because sometimes I don't read and just THINK. So it has to be good for reading and thinking, and it shouldn't be too fast or too loud because that sort of defeats the relaxing purposes of a bath. I don't want it to be like those "Ultra Chill" collections either -- some of that stuff is alright, but I don't want to fall asleep and drown. (drowning in the bathtub -- not really how I want to go.) British Hippies fit the bill (Donovan, Nick Drake, Damien Rice), but American Hippies or jam bands are RIGHT OUT because they annoy the hell out of me (which seems antithetical to the soothing purposes of a bath). Hmmm, I think some Andrew Bird might work -- (maybe from Weather Systems). Some of the non-emo stuff from The OC soundtracks might work...

Anyway, if anyone has any Ultimate Bathtub suggestions please feel free to make them! If only I had Ultimate Bathtub vol. 1 done already -- I could think about what goes on vol.2 while in the tub!
21 comments on "ultimate bathtub"
  1. A little obvious, but Laura Jones....

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  2. snort! Er, correction: Norah Jones. I've had her running through my head today, don't know why.......

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  3. ha ha! I was all "who is Laura Jones?"

    I will have to think about Norah Jones. I find her to a little soporific, but maybe I just haven't found the right song yet. Thanks for the suggestion!

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  4. Funny Post. I hear you on the Mix CD. Mine are mostly driving music as well.

    Well, I don't know what you normally like but I'll suggest:

    Jack Johnson
    Bjork
    Emiliana Torini

    Also, I'd go through my Cd's and pick out the mellower tracks by my favorite artists.

    Good Luck with Ultimate Bathtub Volume One.

    Cheers!!!

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  5. How about the "original" version (whoever may have recorded it - the classic 60s version) of "The Girl from Ipanema" - particularly if you are having a bath before going out to do something fun! It always makes me feel like something is going to happen!

    Maybe you should have multiple bath mixes. I think Serge Gainsbourg could set an interesting mood to go with bubbles.

    And the Tijuana Brass!

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  6. How about some Edith Piaf? That would be nice "bath music". Even some Yma Sumac...just a thought, or two, I guess...Happy Wednesday!!!

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  7. Right on! thanks for the suggestions, everybody.

    Witchita-Lineman -- good idea to go through and look for mellower tracks from artists who are already On The List (the good list)! Jack Johnson -- I think I saw him on Austin City Limits once -- he plays barefoot which sets off my hippie alarm, but I will admit that that particular alarm is maybe overly sensitive. I will investigate further. Bjork is totally a good call. I think I even have a couple of tracks of hers in Icelandic which seem like it would be good on the Ultimate Bathtub mix. I've never even heard of Emiliana Torini, but I will look her up. Thanks for the suggestions and for stopping by!

    Anonymous (is that you, tara?) -- I don't know about the Tijuana Brass, but the Girl from Impanema is an excellent suggestion! I was just thinking earlier that some bossa nova would be a good idea. I like the Serge Gainsbourg suggestion too. You're right -- this may have to be a multi-volume set!

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  8. BBD! you posted while I was commenting.

    Edith Piaf is an excellent idea, although accordion levels would have to be monitored. I'm not even sure I know Yma Sumac. I mean, I know her name, but that's about it. Happy Wednesday to you too!

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  9. Now I have the girl from Ipanema stuck in my head!
    I would suggest Teardrop by Massive Attack, anything by Cocteau Twins, and Tori Amos has a lot of good bath music too.

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  10. Cocteau Twins is a totally good call...I would even say folk music from the 60's...Baez, the Cat, even Judy Collins...I know this might "date" me but whatever. These people help me feel all relaxy and RIGHT ON if you will. Maybe even some Roxy Music, or just Bryan Ferry? That is less old.

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  11. Yes, actually, I would like to change my vote from "anything by Cocteau Twins" to "everything by Cocteau Twins". Let me know if you need a mix of good CT bath music.
    Good call on the Roxy Music BBD!

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  12. BBD: great idea on the folk music and the roxy music!

    leslita: yes, please! also, as my personal Tori expert, which songs would you recommend?

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  13. A lot of Tori's two latest CDs (Scarlet's Walk and The Beekeeper) are very bathy - I'll add some selections to your CT CD!

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  14. I have been listening to quite a bit of Ella Fitzgerald lately and I must say that her rendition of "Dream A Little Dream of Me" w/Louis Armstrong and her solo stylings on "Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)" are amazing. I think that they would help the hardest of hearts achieve total bathiness...

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  15. leslita: ooh -- I can't wait! I can see now that Ultimate Bathtub is going to definitely have to be more than one volume.

    bbd: are you trying to say I am hard hearted? Despite my unpopular opinion that romeo and juliet were, in fact, too stupid to live, I am completely (okay, mostly) marshmallow hearted. And I LOVE Ella!! I also love her Dream a Little Dream of Me and think she swings in all the right ways with the Cole Porter songbook.

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  16. I did not mean to imply that you are hard hearted at all...I was thinking more along the lines of myself, actually. Ella and Cole are the perfect couple, musically speaking of course.

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  17. I've been thinking about my perfect bathtub mix. The bath mix is difficult. I tend to get distracted by focusing on lyrics, if I know them too well,which makes it difficult to read. This makes world music a sometimes good choice. Of course, if the melody is TOO good, I find myself wanting to sing along, and not knowing a language doesn't tend to stop me from singing my own gibberish words.

    Anyway, to the things already suggested (go Ella! - I recommend "You Won't Be Satisfied Until You Break my Heart" w/ Louis Armstrong), I would add Nina Simone, possibly Amos Lee, Lorena McKennit probably has some stuff too. Because I like classical music, I could also very easily do an all string or opera bath mix too. I use them for meditating sometimes, so I'd have to think they could slip into bath mode pretty easily. I'll have to think on it some more...

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  18. yes, let's keep these comment numbers up... you left out "I Touch Myself"?!

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  19. bbd: you are so not hard hearted. think of the love you have for julie cooper nichol!

    martina: you make a good point about lyrics, but usually if I am reading I can just block them out (or if I'm writing but I don't do that in the tub anymore since the sodden notebook incident).
    thanks for the ella song rec. I don't think I know that one! you've got some intriguing options on your list that I know little to nothing about -- world, strings, opera -- you'll have to let us know what made the cut when you come up with a playlist. (and make me a copy)

    mernitman: ha! scala choir version? I don't know.. it seems a little churchy, don't you think?

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  20. I have two words for you regarding the Ella song: wink wink

    As for the stringy and/or operatic playlists, I will think on it. It may be a while (not in a good place with the finishing projects thing at the moment!), but you'll get a copy.

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  21. I can NOT believe that I forgot about Nina Simone...she would totally rock the tub. I do LOVE Julie Cooper Nichol but that love does "border" on obsession so we should keep that under wraps?

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