My latest theme CD wil be....

[dreamshark]

*drum roll*

Divine Madness (because that sounds better than "mental illness.") Given my peculiar taste in music this playlist practically makes itself. The idea hit me as I was skiing today, listening to a particularly well done version of that fine old song, "Bedlam Boys." Anybody want to join me? I can always use more songs about mental instability.

Comments

[huladavid.livejournal.com]

Do ya already have Patsy Cline's "Crazy"

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

No, but I certainly should, doncha think? I do have "Still Crazy After All These Years" and Hank Williams "Crazy Heart." Although if I can only include one Hank Williams song I think I might prefer "Howlin' at the Moon"

"Today I tried to eat a steak with a big ol' tablespoon.
You got me chasing rabbits, walkin' on my hands and howlin' at the moon."

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Hmm . . . ordinarily I'm trying to avoid mental instability. But let me give it some thought.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Some of them are really quite jolly.

I've already got more than an hour's worth in my working playlist - enough so I don't HAVE to include massive downers like ... well, anything by "The Doors" for instance.

[mle292.livejournal.com]

When you're .............


Straaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaange.

What an awesome song. :)

[mle292.livejournal.com]

Would it be okay if this was the theme for a Marscon mix disk swap?

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

OOOOhhhh, yes, of course! Actually, I was originally going to suggest it on your post about a Marscon disc swap, but:
1) I'm not actually going to Marscon, so it seemed a little silly
2) Your post was no longer showing on my LJ page (at least without scrolling down) and I was too lazy to go look for it.

Re Doors: I was actually thinking of *cough cough* The End *cough* which is so disturbing that most people don't really want to even think about it, much less listen to it regularly. Also, it's about 8 minutes long. But you've gotta admit, it definitely fits the theme of mental illness.

However, for my compilation I'm going to avoid songs about depression, suicide and murder, as I've covered those topics pretty thoroughly on some of my other collections. Did I ever give you copies of the two compilations I did to clear my mental palette after the Songs of Hope and Joy project? "Life Sucks, and Then You Die" and "It's Always Darkest Right Before It Goes Completely Black."

[barondave.livejournal.com]

Sounds good to me.

I suspect there will be a lot of overlap, so we should publish playlists...

I claim Willy Nelson's, "I'd Have to Be Crazy". I probably have several versions of "Boys of Bedlam", so let me know which ones others are using.

Joni Mitchell's "Twisted".

I'm not sure I have a copy of "Every Breath You Take"...

I'll come up with a full playlist in a few days, maybe. I have to find the songs and reload them.

Hmm... Actually, the Shockwave sketch "When The Chips Are Down" is on point...

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Joni Mitchell's "Twisted".

Is that the one from "Court and Spark" where she sing-songs "and everyone thought I was craaaazy..."?

[barondave.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's actually an older spoken routine, which she sings a cappella.

Further Thoughts:

"Madman Mora Blues" by Boiled in Lead
"Nuts" by Puzzlebox
Another Willie Nelson, a cover of "Crazy"
"Queen Isabella" by Kristoph Klover
"Honey Pie" by the Beatles
"Captain's Log/Space Madness" by Ren and Stimpy
"Talking Raving Blues" by Darius
A Neanderthal Spongecake cover that escapes me at the moment
"I Pop Pills" by Nate Bucklin
"Shiela" by Tommy Roe
"With Sparklers All Around Her" by Power Salad
"Sonata for Piano and Moron" by Worm Quartet

Hey, that's a good start!

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Y'know what? There's not a single overlap with my list, even including the ones I already pruned out.

Does he really spell "Sheila" that way or is that a typo?

[barondave.livejournal.com]

I don't have it in front of me, so I'm sure Roe spells "Sheila" better than I do.

IN the comment below, you're probably thinking of David Bowie, "This is ground control to Major Tom..."

I wonder if I have The Rocky Horror Picture Show around here... "This is madness, life is fleeting, I've got to take control..."

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I thought of a great one, but I don't have a copy of it. Remember the one where the astronaut (Captain Tom?) develops rapture of the heights and turns off his engines so he can coast along serenely looking at the stars? I think it was David Bowie. Or maybe Sting. I get them confused.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

I haven't decided on a final list, but the cornerstones of my compilation are:

Tom O'Bedlam (aka Bedlam Boys) by Michael Longcor
Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
Mad John's Escape - Donovan
Still Crazy After All These Years - Simon & Garfunkel
Lather - Jefferson Airplane
The Fool on the Hill - The Beatles

I've got a couple of other "Bedlam" songs that nobody else is likely to come up with: "Maid in Bedlam" and "Which Side of Bedlam?"

I'm currently trying to decide which track from Tommy to use.

[emerdavid.livejournal.com]

"Brain Damage" by Pink Floyd

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Oops. I saw the following post first.

Songs where I need your help

[markiv1111.livejournal.com]

Try "Psycho" by Elvis Costello. It is on his "Blue" album.

Nate

[asimovberlioz.livejournal.com]

There are lots of mad scenes in operas, but that probably isn't one of the genres that would fit what you're doing.

I'm surprised that nobody has yet mentioned "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha Ha!" Most of the younger set know it, if at all, from Dr. Demento, but I remember when it was new, and actually getting occasional airplay on regular pop music radio.

"They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha Ha!"

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, I remember that one well! I don't have a copy of it, however. Maybe somebody else will put it on their compilation. It's certainly a classic of the genre.

[daedala.livejournal.com]

Natalie Merchant's "Ophelia" might qualify. I think Richard Thompson's "Psycho Street" does, though I dislike it; "Woods of Darney" is more listenable.

[tesla-aldrich.livejournal.com]

"Crazy He Calls Me" - Billie Holiday
"Psycho Killer" - Talking Heads
"You Drive Me Crazy" - Greg Brown
"Let's Go Crazy" Prince

"I Feel So Good" - Richard Thompson (This one's disturbing, but the protagonist is definitely insane.)