“If you could go back and listen to one song for the first time again, which song would it be?”
I came across this prompt in another blog post, and it got me thinking about what song I’d like to experience that with.
The answer for me came instantly, actually: “Moby Octopad,” by Yo La Tengo, on I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One. No-brainer. It floored me the first time around and it still gives me chills.
But I spent a little more time with this question and came up with five more.
“Detroit Rock City,” original album version, Kiss. I was four or five years old when I first started listening to Kiss, and I have heard the mise-en-scene that opens the album countless times. How amazing it would be to hear it anew.
“Brown Paper Bag,” Roni Size and Reprazent. First heard on a hotel room alarm clock analog radio. Discovery is fun.
Endtroducing, DJ Shadow. Self-explanatory. Yes, that’s an album, not a song, because I can’t decide whether to list “Best Foot Forward” or “Building Steam with a Grain of Salt.” But it barely matters.
“Black Dog,” Led Zeppelin. Covered here previously. Blew my mind.
“Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Nirvana. Covered here previously. For the opposite reason.