{"id":2096,"date":"2007-11-04T00:15:14","date_gmt":"2007-11-04T00:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sunpig.com\/mt-entry-2096.html"},"modified":"2007-11-04T02:29:34","modified_gmt":"2007-11-04T02:29:34","slug":"the-three","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sunpig.com\/martin\/2007\/11\/04\/the-three\/","title":{"rendered":"THE THREE"},"content":{"rendered":"

About four and a half years ago–on the plane to Boston for our 2003 Toad The Wet Sprocket Road Trip<\/a>, to be precise–my brother Scott asked me a question:<\/p>\n

“If you were going to be stranded on an island for the rest of your life, and you could only bring three songs with you, what would they be?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The question is similar to the classic Desert Island Discs<\/a><\/i> poser, but limited to three songs instead of eight “pieces of music”. Does this make the decision any more difficult? I’m not sure, because I had never considered the question before then, and in the FOUR AND A HALF YEARS since then, my brain has not been able to get past figuring out what those three songs would be. Seriously, I don’t think a month as gone by without me lining up a couple of tentative “THREE” playlists to see how they felt.<\/p>\n

At work, I have a reputation for being a “completionist<\/a>.” I have no idea why.<\/p>\n

I have had so much trouble finding the (or at least, “a”<\/em>) right answer because I live on a diet of new music. I have bought or downloaded 67 CDs so far this year (yay for eMusic<\/a>). I don’t consider myself a “muso”, but I love variety, and I love falling in love with new sounds and new bands. Being limited to just three tracks for the rest of my life<\/em> would be a kind of Hell. (Worse than being stuck with nothing but Dutch<\/a> radio<\/a>, even.)<\/p>\n

So the three tracks have to be really spectacular — songs that I never grow tired of, no matter how often I hear them. Songs that consistently bring a smile to my face, get my blood moving, make me tap my feet and bash the air drums. Tracks with bite, texture, and enough complexity that I still find new things in them even after hundreds of listens. Songs that in thirty years’ time I won’t be cursing my younger self for selecting.<\/p>\n

It’s this long-lasting<\/em> criterion that has made it difficult for me to trust the staying power of recent songs. In fact, the first two tracks I have finally chosen are both from 1971: they’re older than me<\/em>. I have never known a world without these two tracks in it, and they still sound great. Earlier this year I decided that they were definitely part of THE THREE.<\/p>\n

The third track worries me because it’s from 2004 — only three years old. But I really have listened to it over and over again since it was released, and it never<\/em> sounds anything less than awesome. After all this time dithering over the perfect track list, do I dare commit myself to a lifetime of it? I think I’m finally ready to say yes.<\/p>\n

THE THREE<\/h4>\n
    \n
  1. Isaac Hayes – Theme From Shaft<\/i><\/li>\n
  2. The Who – Won’t Get Fooled Again<\/i><\/li>\n
  3. Ash – Orpheus<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Do I really need to comment on numbers 1 and 2? They’re timeless classics. There is no better funk groove than Shaft<\/em>, and there has never been a better rock scream than Roger Daltrey’s. But does Ash really stand up there with these greats? I think so.<\/p>\n

    The sheer energy and joy that pours out of every moment in Orpheus<\/i> is energizing and infectious. Rick’s drumming is driving and furious, Tim’s yells of “go” and “yeah” launch the second half of the bridge like a starter’s pistol, and Charlotte’s cascading “ooh-ooh-aah-aah” backing vocals give me shivers every time. Crashing guitars, memorable melodic hooks, and possibly best of all for the Desert Island scenario: a sense of escape and freedom.<\/p>\n

    This is the song that would keep up my hopes of some day getting away<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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    About four and a half years ago–on the plane to Boston for our 2003 Toad The Wet Sprocket Road Trip, to be precise–my brother Scott asked me a question: “If you were going to be stranded on an island for the rest of your life, and you could only bring three songs with you, what … <\/p>\n

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