A lot of people say to me, "Brendan! I know you're a big Belle and Sebastian fan--what are your 15 favorite songs by this fine Scottish band?"
Nobody's ever actually said that to me, but if they did, here's how I'd reply.
1.She's Losing It
2.The Gate
3.The Boy With the Arab Strap
4.Judy and the Dream of Horses (Live--from the itunes "B&S Play If You're Feeling Sinister" which is superior to the studio album)
5.Dirty Dream Number Two
6.Expectations
7.Another Sunny Day
8.I Could Be Dreaming
9.I'm a Cuckoo
10.This is Just a Modern Rock Song
11.Sleep The Clock Around
12. I Don't Love Anyone
13.Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying. (Live--see above)
14.String Bean Jean
15. Me and the Major (Live, etc.)
"Brendan," they continue (or, again, they would if anyone ever actually said this to me) "are those the Belle and Sebastian songs you've listened to the most, as counted by your ever-vigilant itunes play counter?"
"Uh, no," I'd reply. "It's just a list I pulled out of my butt."
"Well, but you'd say your list accurately reflects your favorite songs?"
"Definitely. I mean, the actual ranking is arbitrary and depends a lot on my mood of course, but I'm confident that these are pretty much my top 15."
Let's go to the MP3s. Here, as counted by itunes, are the B&S songs I've actually listened to the most.
1.The Gate
2. Mayfly (live)
3.The Boy With the Arab Strap
4.Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying (live)
5.Another Sunny Day
6.Me and the Major
7.Dirty Dream Number Two
8.Seeing Other People
9.Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying (studio)
10. Step Into My Office, Baby
11.Wrapped Up in Books
12.Judy and the Dream of Horses (live)
13.Lazy Line Painter Jane
14.Judy and the Dream of Horses (studio)
15.She's Losing It
What can I make of this? Besides the fact that I really like "The Gate" a lot? Is the song you listen to the most the same as your favorite? I don't know. "Manitoba" is unquestionably my favorite Frank Black song, but I don't listen to it all that often because of the emotional reaction it provokes. Could you love a song because it fits a certain mood perfectly, but not listen to it that often because you're not in that mood very often? Can you, as I have done, argue with a straight face that If You're Feeling Sinister is not the best Belle and Sebastian album when songs from that album occupy 6 of your top 15 spots?
And, of course, the biggest question of all: Who cares! Why the hell are you even thinking about this crap? Don't you have more important things to do?
Yes I do, and I suppose I'd better go do them.
