New collection

Last year when we were thinking out gifts to give to our wedding guests we decided to go with a mixed CD of some our favourite songs, plus stuff we just generally liked. I mean, I wouldn't want people to read too much into "Hungry Like The Wolf" by Reel Big Fish. We just liked that version of the song an awful lot.

It seemed to go over pretty well. I think Colleen Power might have sold an extra 20 records just from people who fell in love with "Leavin' Song". And if nothing else, people seemed to appreciate having the CD to use as a fan. To say it has a bit hot during the meal would be an under-estimate. It was broiling during the reception.

So with the one year anniversary coming up we thought it might be an idea to do a follow-up. Now, we did a lot of copies last time and I have no plans of doing that again this year. It's probably just going to be 10-12 CDs for close friends and selected family members. So if you're either and reading this blog and you don't get a CD, don't take offence. It's just that I don't want to spend my summer making CDs.

Picking these songs is always a bit of a challenge. You don't want it to be all sappy love songs, but you also don't want songs that will make people wondering if divorce is imminent.

You know, picking Bruce Cockburn's "Coldest Night of the Year" might seem clever when you're in the arctic, but listening to the lyrics is another matter.

Then there's the differing musical tastes. We each have veto power. So while I love Garbage, the New Pornographers, Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen, Cathy doesn't really care for any of them. She also likes some pop stuff that I'd sooner gouge my ears out than listen to. Bon Jovi, for example. Her musical re-education goes slowly, but I have decades to wear her down.

This has always been a minor problem with us...we have very different tastes in music. Cathy likes top 40 pop. I used to at one point until the folks at the Muse and CHMR thoroughly screwed up my musical sensibilities. Which is why I can listen to the above artists and then stuff like the Chieftains, Neko Case and other stuff that just baffles her.

Anyway, it can make putting together this kind of CD a bit of a challenge, but we have about 25 songs on the short list so far. And, it's fun. It's nice to hop through the music selection and finding stuff I haven't listened to in awhile.

And now if you excuse me, I have to go and hunt down a copy of "Sinnerman" by Nina Simone. I wouldn't read too much into that, though. Honestly.