(one of) six songs

“Gila”  Beach House 

When I was in college, I read a review of Yo La Tengo’s “I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One” that said something to the effect of “It’s the perfect album to play when you want to put a move on your date, but don’t want to seem like you’re trying to put a move on your date.”

I bought it immediately. The review was about right. 

After college, and with the proliferation of mp3s, I began creating numerous playlists that revolved around themes (“I Am A Middle-Aged Black Man” for Stax to 70’s funk and soul) or memories (“Getting the Band Back Together” for songs my college band either covered or songs I wanted them to cover) or tempos (there’s “Working Out For Real” for cardio and “Working Out Hella Tight” for even harder/heavier workouts).  

One of these playlists was called “Let’s Make Out or Something.” It is what it sounds like. But the goal of this playlist, in addition to providing appropriate mood music to cover my grunts and her whimpers (in some cases, vice versa), was subtlety. There would be no “In Your Eyes” or “One” on this playlist. Remembering the review for that Yo La Tengo album, the goal was to set a mood that would lead to grunts/whimpers without sounding obvious. 

This song was one of the flagship songs of the LMOOS playlist. Now, much of Beach House’s stuff could work for this playlist. But for some reason - and I can’t explain why - ”Gila” just made the LMOOS playlist. 

I was washing dishes this evening when this song randomly came on my iPod. As I scrubbed crusted Guinness out of the bottom of my Phillies pint glass, it afforded me a nice, quiet, quick trip down memory lane. 

[Sighing, staring off into distance]

[…]

[Sighing again]

Oh, well.