anatomy of a playlist

emily has had this project for quite some time to make a list of ten favorite songs which encapsulate her being in a cd case. my list (in random order):

1. Tiny Dancer (Elton John cover), Dave Grohl
   
2. Here She Comes Now (Velvet Underground cover), Nirvana
   
3. Shine a Light, Wolf Parade
   
4. All the Small Things, Blink 182
   
5. If you want to sing out, sing out, Cat Stevens
   
6. The Origin of Love, Hedwig and the Angry Inch Soundtrack
   
7. Just Like Honey, The Jesus and Mary Chain
   
8. Modern Romance, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
   
9. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Leadbelly cover), Nirvana
   
10. Maps, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
    

winnowing down the list was surprisingly easy. the nirvana/dave grohl covers speak to my complicated and obsessive relationship with nirvana, and through them an entire musical genealogy. wolf parade and blink 182 never fail to recall that rush of adolescence and bright lights. cat stevens, the jesus and mary chain, and hedwig comprise the scores of my favorite movies (harold and maude, lost in translation, and the eponymous hedwig and the angry inch respectively). the yeah yeah yeahs, while painfully obvious, sonically represent everything i want to aesthetically realize. at the very least, they are all songs about love.