I'm it!

So, Marlo tagged me and I have the musical baton. Cool – I’ll let you know what I have in my digital crates…

Total volume of music on my computer

Well over 1600 songs. Some of these are from CDs I bought, downloaded music from questionable sites and downloaded music from pay-per-use sites. I’ve been burned enough times over the years to not want to buy any more CDs.

Nowadays, I am very happy shelling out a few dollars for virus/spyware-free music from MSN.ca or getting the hookup from my co-worker who always seems to get new music before it’s released.

No way am I going to buy Jennifer Lopez’s entire album for Get Right. No way in hell.

Waste of cash: Last CD(s) I bought

It has been a long time since I’ve bought a CD, but like Marlo’s situation, HMV was have a two for $30 sale and I decided to buy Kanye West’s College Dropout and Jill Scott’s Beautifully Human, Vols. I & II.

Sigh.

With Mr. West’s album, I loved Jesus Walks, Through the Wire and All Falls Down – three songs that, I assumed, set the tone for the rest of the CD. Well, I made an ass outta me, ‘cause the rest of the album sucked. Maybe it didn’t suck, but it certainly wasn’t the hip hop that I’d been looking for. I loved Jill Scott’s first two CDs, so why wouldn’t I like number three? I based my purchase on that and was disappointed. I enjoyed one song, Golden, and that was that. The CD is sitting on my CD rack collecting dust.

Amerie could have been one of those sad purchases. I loved her first album All I Need, so when I heard her sophomore album, Touch, was going to drop, I wanted it. I almost bought it. Yo, when I heard it at Marlo’s place, I wasn’t impressed. Every song sounds like 1Thing – cool if you’re a Go Go fan. I, as you probably know, am not.

What sucks is that I can’t return the CDs because HMV will only let you exchange – obviously because of the thousands of thieves who will burn the CD and take it back.

So, those were the last CDs that I bought – why should Kanye make money off of me and I don’t even get a good CD out of it. This is why I will buy Omarion’s Touch online and he can keep the rest of his CD.

Song playing right now

Actually, I’m not playing anything right now – my MP3 player is sitting snugly in my handbag in my desk. But, if I were to be listening to music, today feels like a Bobby Valentino day and I’d be listening to Give Me A Chance, Bobby Valentino feat. Ludacris.

There’s something about that song that just makes me think about beaches, aquamarine water and resort life. I feel like dashing on a white bathing suit when I hear that song and strutting by the pool... unfortunately, I doubt the folks at work would take to me sitting at my desk in a bikini while I create stories for our Intranet.

Dang, I need a vacation.

Five songs I listen to a lot or mean a lot to me

I Can’t Make You Love Me – Bonnie Raitt (1991). I’ve loved this song for a dog’s age. It’s the wanting… the pining in the song that makes it just so sad, yet good. It reminds me of all the times I’ve loved off some likkle frou-frou boy only to have him not like me. High school was very much like that…

I Like the Way (The Kissing Game) – Hi Five (1992). This was my joint way back in 1992 when I was in my last year at Lachine High in Lachine, Quebec. I hated high school – no fun stories like Starfoxx – mainly pain, suffering and gnashing of teeth. But in 1992, I knew the end way nigh. I was going to get my tail the heck out of high school and go to CEGEP (our version of junior college) where I could reinvent myself. My prom was cool, ‘cause it was the first time my parents’ let me go to a school dance and they played my song. And I couldn’t wait to be finished with all those wretches from LHS.

One More Chance – Notorious B.I.G. (1994). First things, first, I, Sista, freaks all honeys, dummies, playboy bunnies, those wanting money… I know I’m a nerd. I so wanted to be in this video. My young girlfriends and I would daydream about going to the club and hanging out, just like folks in Biggie’s video did. Then, recently, I heard El Debarge’s Stay With Me and I made the connection. Both of those songs are still hot. Juicy and Big Poppa were also tight tracks – made even better when I heard the originals that were sampled.

Silver and Gold – Kirk Franklin & The Family (1993). This is one of my favourite gospel tracks. I was working at Mr. Rapps factory (the summer before my third year of university, I worked for the evil Mr. Rapps at a factory in west-end Montreal. My job was to stuff athletic knapsacks – Michigan, UNLV, Grambling – with stiff brown paper. This was a wakeup call to me that I needed to finish my degree and get the hell out of Montreal before this became my life...) and the people there were about to drive a young Urban Sista to drink. So, I pulled out my Kirk Franklin cassette and played that song all day long. Suffice it to say, I finished my degree, moved to T.O. and never stepped into Mr. Rapps factory again.

Pump Me Up – Krosfyah (mid ‘90s). This song reminds me of my beautiful island, Barbados. When I hear this song, I’m transported to Bridgetown, Barbados and I’m standing in front of Cave Shepherd watching the people go by as my sister receives no service from the disgusted salespeople in the jewellery and fragrance departments. Or, I’m chilling at my aunt’s in St. Philip, listening to my cousin’s girlfriend tell me stories about the evil steel donkey and duppies all around. I love BIM and I can’t wait to go back.

So, who to tag? I’d like to hear what Ms. Solitaire has to say about her music as well as wild child Starfoxx15. If Lady Abena checks in, I’m sure she’d have some live choices as well.