When I travel, I find that I need a very specific soundtrack. It’s not a particular artist or genre that’s important, nor am I in search of a precise beat or even a certain type of lyrics. No, what I’m looking for is specific in a way that’s more difficult to define. I’m talking, of course, about montage music.
As the song plays through my headphones, I need to picture a series of images indicating to the viewers (yes, I know there are no “viewers” in reality, but you know full well why I imagine that there are viewers, because you do it too) that I am, in fact on a Very Meaningful Journey. Images like a very distant shot of the train I’m on as it speeds by. Maybe a close-up on my face from outside the window as I look past the camera thoughtfully. A shot that just shows my hand coming out of the window to do that cool wavy thing where you feel the air move over your arm. Definitely a shot where I see an amusing sign and smile to myself at how silly people can be sometimes.
Are you putting together a soundtrack for the montage I’m building? I am, because I can’t help it. When I travel, I need songs that fit these images, otherwise my Very Meaningful Journey (VMJ) becomes simply a journey (j). Can’t have that.
Some songs on my montage playlist:
“Breathe” – Michelle Branch
“Right Now” – Van Halen
“Waiting Game” – Yellowcard (all shots during this song are in slow-mo, of course)
“M79” – Vampire Weekend
"Angels of the Silences” – Counting Crows (this is a “Journey Starter” meaning it must come after a shot of me getting excited and maybe hitting my steering wheel with my palm right as the drums kick in)
“Have a Nice Day” – Bon Jovi
I want to hear other people’s montage mixes. Somehow I bet this could wind up being one of those things nobody agrees on, like pizza toppings or the best route across town. Everybody’s got their own, and I want to steal the bits I like from yours. You can have mine too, it’s okay with me.
3 comments:
The summer I lived on Long Island I took ferries to Fire Island and to Martha's Vineyard. The Newsboys' Go album was my montage music. I listened to the music on the ferries and while dancing alone in the streets of the village on Fire Island. It was a totally incredible experience, and I love that CD so much!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIi0vFyqWAc
You need a montage!
Also, I always think Bob Dylan makes good montage music, because no one can really tell what it's about, anyway. In particular, I would go with "It takes a lot to laugh, it takes a train to cry." No, I did not make up that title.
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