Braingasm Music

[Roland Deschain]

There have been many songs and bands over my life who have touched me deeply for a number of reasons, many times without a reason being known. Whether the music is haunting, heavy, light, cheesy, or just plain amazing, when something hooks me, that's it: i'm hooked for life. I suppose the first music that really hooked me in was back in the early 90s. Up until then I was listening pretty much to Michael Jackson, The Jackson 5, and 5 Star, mainly. I'd had plenty of Queen (I was obsessed with Queen II at one point, and still am), Cliff Richard, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, John Denver, Demis Roussos and like bands in my youth too, and I did like them all, but being on vinyl, I didn't listen to them as much as the years went by.

Then I was introduced to my first metal around 15/16, and the future just rolled out in front of me as clear as polished crystal. I knew this was what I had been waiting for all those years, something that appealed to me in a more than superficial way. I ate up Megadeth, Metallica, Crash Test Dummies, Napalm Death, Cradle of Filth, Machine Head, Nine Inch Nails, Guns 'N' Roses, and so many more like them. You name it. If it was rock-based, I wanted to listen to it. I got back into the music of my very youthful years too, and re-found Queen, et al, eating them up voraciously.

But there were those stand-out moments that hit me hard, and made me feel funny inside. One such moment was listening to Tenacious D's Tribute the first time and, strangely enough, so was Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven (look up the history of Tribute). So i'm wondering what songs have spoken to you on levels you cannot comprehend? This is how I see it, as some music just evokes thoughts of peace, love, even of sexuality, or sometimes an emptying of the mind, in me on a level far above that which my small mind can comprehend. Why this is, I do not know, as sometimes it's lyrics/voice, just the music itself, or the song as a whole.

I'll place a list below of the stand-out braingasm songs for me, although sometimes it's very difficult just picking one or two from an album, as the whole album speaks to me too. Some of them just invoke very strong memories in me. This is in no way a fully-inclusive list. There are others. Many others.

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here - Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here - Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother - Atom Heart Mother Suite
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon - Time (this describes my life at some points)
Pink Floyd - The Wall - Mother
Pink Floyd - The Wall - Comfortably Numb
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV - Stairway to Heaven
Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti - Kashmir
Kiss - Revenge - God Gave Rock & Roll To You II
Hayley Westenra - Pure - Wuthering Heights
David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars - Ziggy Stardust
Black Sabbath - Paranoid - Planet Caravan
Black Sabbath - Master of Reality - Orchid
Jimi Hendrix - First Rays of the New Rising Sun - Angel
Jimi Hendrix - Blues - Hear My Train a Comin' (Electric)
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King - The Court of the Crimson King/The Return of the Fire Witch/The Dance of the Puppets
Metallica - Metallica - The Unforgiven
Metallica - Metallica - The God That Failed
Metallica - Master of Puppets - Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
Metalilca - Ride the Lightning - Fade to Black
Metallica - Death Magnetic - Broken, Beat & Scarred
Orange Goblin - Time Travelling Blues - Time Travelling Blues
Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power - Fucking Hostile
Queen - A Kind of Magic - Who Wants to Live Forever
Queen - A Night At the Opera - Bohemian Rhapsody
Queen - Queen II - March of the Black Queen
Queen - Jazz - Mustapha
Queen - Sheer Heart Attack - In the Lap of the Gods
Rammstein - Mutter - Sonne
Rammstein - Mutter - Mein Herz Brennt
Sepultura - Chaos AD - Refuse/Resist
Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss - Dead Skin Mask
System of a Down - Toxicity - Aerials
System of a Down - Mezmerize - Soldier Side (Intro)
Tenacious D - Tenacious D - Tribute
The Beatles - Rubber Soul - Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
The Beatles - Abbey Road - Oh! Darling
The Darkness - Permission to Land - Growing On Me
The Rolling Stones - Aftermath [US Version] - Paint It, Black
The Smashing Pumpkins - Gish - Rhinoceros
The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - Bullet With Butterfly Wings
The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - 1979
Tool - 10,000 Days - Vicarious
Tool - 10,000 Days - The Pot
Tool - Lateralus - Schism
Tool - Lateralus - Lateralus
Tool - Ænima - Ænema (it's so tempting to just list all their songs here)
Clawfinger - Clawfinger - Two Sides
Týr - Land - Sinklars Visa (I truly fell in love with this on first listen)
Týr - Ragnarok - Torsteins Kvæði

Looking up at this list, it appears to show my psyche laid bare. Oh dear.

[Swatopluk]

I prefer to use the metal for axe-heads
And I am quite fond of orthodox chant (with a special preference for the Bulgarian style)

[pieces o nine]

For some reason, I've always loved just about anything by the Grass Roots...  


[youtube=425,350]ifhe6GQsxUo[/youtube]
* slides blissfully off computer chair *  
* fans self, looks around quickly, crawls back onto chair *    


[youtube=425,350]Zjio8XPVr9c[/youtube]
* has just listened for the three millionth time *
I love most of his work; this eternal favorite inspired a painting.  


I was introduced to this artist (on photog assistant's favorite playlist) when I was directing a catalog shoot. I like several tracks, but this remains a favorite.
[youtube=425,350]i5fUw1ZQz3c[/youtube]


Animal Logic:  In the Garden, If I Could Do It Over Again

Patti Austin:  Love Me to Death, The Island

Anita Baker:  Rapture

The Beatles:  Across the Universe, Revolution, Something   how to pick?!

Blue Öyster Cult:  Burning for You, Don't Fear the Reaper, Godzilla

Beth Nielsen Chapman:  Sand and Water
haunting and resonant; if Loss had a soundtrack...
more cheerful: All the Time in the World

Eric Clapton:  I've Got a Rock n Roll Heart

The Doors:  Break on Through, Light My Fire

Enya:  Storms in Africa, Only Time

Melissa Etheridge:  The War is Over

Evanescence:  My Immortal   another great song for anguish

Sammy Hagar: I Can't Drive 55
Always makes me smile, especially on long, boring treks across the Ocean o'Sand!

Heart:  Magic Man, Crazy on You

Chris Isaak:  Wicked  

Joan Jett covers:  I love Rock n Roll, Crimson & Clover

Billy Joel:  The Stranger, Still Rock n Roll to Me

Kansas:  Carry On Wayward Son, Dust in the Wind

Greg Kihn:  The Breakup Song

Loreena McKennitt:  All Soul's Night, Dark Night of the Soul, Mystic's Dream

Stevie Nicks:  Edge of Seventeen, Talk to Me

Poco:  Everlasting Kind  criminally under-rated; in my all-time top ten favorites

The Police/Sting:  Every Breath You Take (yeah, the stalking song) Children's Crusade, Fortress Around Your Heart, If You Love Somebody, Moon Over Bourbon Street, Shape of My Heart

Rolling Stones:  Paint it Black, Sympathy for the Devil

Bob Seger:  Still the Same  *still* comes on the radio every single time I drive through a particular small town out here...spooky!  

Simon & Garfunkel:  The Boxer, Bridge over Troubled Water, I am a Rock, Patterns, News/Silent Night, Sound of Silence

Bruce Springsteen:  Born in the USA, Cover Me, Dancing in the Dark, Fire  again, how to pick a favorite here?

Steppenwolf:  Born to Be Wild, Magic Carpet Ride

Al Stewart:  On the Border, Flying Sorcery, Life in Dark Water, A Man for All Seasons, On Stage Before, Palace of Versailles

Yes:  Changes, Hold On, Owner of a Lonely Heart

ZZ Top:  Cheap Sunglasses, Sharp Dressed Man

[Swatopluk]

Definitely this one
[youtube=425,350]EIVgSuuUTwQ[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIVgSuuUTwQ

Turn up volume until the boxes burst!

Edit: here two more
[youtube=425,350]YKU3L4WuNQw[/youtube][youtube=425,350]G0-y1BGzG1s[/youtube]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKU3L4WuNQw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0-y1BGzG1s

[Roland Deschain]

*opens "The PoN Files" carefully*
*makes note of songs to play if ever in the vicinity*

There are some nice songs there. I'm not overly fond of some, but then that's the point of this thread. It's something very personal to each of us. I'm glad i'm not the only one who gets braingasms with music.

[Swatopluk]

One problem I have is that some songs that have that or a similar effect are vile contentwise. Not talking pagan provocations here but some Nazi stuff (original, not the scummy self-styled heirs). It shows that there can be an appeal to the lower parts of the brain even with people that are aware of it with the higher ones.

btw, this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqKt0Y2CdSA sounds as if DAF leader Robert Ley had gone into metal (all his speeches tended to go into what is pretty close to growling after a short period of time).  Effect added to by part of the lyrics being (grammatically distorted) German.
Definitely not my type of music, although interesting in a pathological way.

[pieces o nine]

You always have interesting selections, Swato!   


You know who else always has interesting musical selections?  Bob. 
Where *is* Bob, anyway?... 


Roland: good thread idea.
I went through a head-bangingly serious metal stage which I thoroughly enjoyed whenever I wasn't ... um ... riding the range on a tractor with a Real True Cowboy™.  Yeah, I know. Somehow it all seemed like a good idea at the time...  Anyhoo, I have earned the right  to listen to someone who isn't (a) screaming for mayhem and the debbil and ragnorak or (b) crooning through his nose about his huntin' dogs, his pickup truck, and his guns.   lol!

* puts on Michael Franks and smiles appreciatively *   

[Swatopluk]

Then we have this classic in two quite different settings
[youtube=425,350]MHFacHGqeOU[/youtube][youtube=425,350]NrLumJpL5zs[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHFacHGqeOU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrLumJpL5zs

Different music, same genre, less boring choreography
[youtube=425,350]c_fgTTo9F8g[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=c_fgTTo9F8g

[Opsa]

I too, enjoy multiple braingasms from certain music. I don't really know where to begin or end with a list. Here are some:

John Cale: Paris 1919

Maria Muldaur: Gringo en Mexico

Bob Marley: Sun is Shining

The Who: Love Reign Oer Me

Steeleye Span: All Around My Hat

Beatles: Mother Nature's Son

Harry Nilsson: Salmon Falls

Joe Jackson: Real Men

Mint Juleps: Higher and Higher

Joni Mitchell: Court and Spark

Todd Rundgren: Can We Still Be Friends

Yes: And You and I

Cat Stevens: Ruby Love

Wow, this took me forever to compile, and it barely scratches the surface. It was fun, though- thanks!

[Swatopluk]

I also like Steeleye Span but would not have chosen that song.
Rather this one.
Sorry for the atrocious audio quality but this seems to be the only clip using this specific version on youtube.

-----

How could I have forgotten this in earlier postings?
There are more great hits where it came from.

[Opsa]

What an odd video for that Steeleye Span song. I suppose we should have put in Saucy Sailor for the pirates. "Below The Salt" is, IMHO, one of the best albums ever made.

[pieces o nine]

I'm enjoying going through sib lists and listening to new (or mot often heard!) music!

How could I have forgotten this one? I first heard it when out for a walk; I immediatelty turned around, went home, and called the station. "What is the artist and title you were playing 6 songs back!"  I think this one sounds *exactly* like its title.
David Arkenstone:  Rumours of Egypt   (Citizen of Time 1990)


I find Roni's music particularly inspiring  ...pm me for why...   
[youtube=425,350]GAj8QDXseTk&feature=plcp[/youtube]

[Roland Deschain]

I'd forgotten about this thread, but then I put on some Soundgarden, and this thread came to mind. The first time I heard Black Hole Sun was a revelation, back when it originally came out. My love for this song, and the way it makes me feel, still has not diminished in the slightest. I could listen to it on repeat for hours. This song is just...*melts*

[youtube=425,350]3mbBbFH9fAg[/youtube]

And this one. Fell on Black Days is again, just...sublime.

[youtube=425,350]ySzrJ4GRF7s[/youtube]

I'm glad everyone here likes this thread. Music is such an important part of our psyche. It's such a shame that so much has been lost over the years.

Opsa, as you like Cat Stevens, a friend of a friend (it really is true, and not one of those stories) was taught Islam by him. Apparently, one of the first things that came out of Cat's mouth was that he would not talk about music. The guy was a huge fan of Cat, and he would often lament not being able to speak to one of his heroes on that level. I love that song too, by the way.

And Lmao, PoN. Just read your little bit in small font 2 of your posts above.

[Griffin NoName]

I have just two total most utterly -  As Falls Wichita Falls So Falls Witchita Falls ~Pat Metheny and Don Giovanni ~Mozart

All my other "favourites" are second rate to these two in terms of braingasm. All the obvious ones, no particular numbers, all, Floyd, Cream, Beatles, Queen, Tanita Tikaram, Enya, Whitney Houston, Clapton, Dylon.................. hmmmm, this list could go on for several pages.......Rachmaninov Piano Concerto no 2, Tchaikovsky piano concerto no 1, Carmen, Elgar Pomp & Circumstance, Jerusalam.............. better stop...  

[youtube=425,350]SrmZPbIUat8[/youtube]

Placido Domingo - "Il mio tesoro" - "Don Giovanni" - Mozart -

[youtube=425,350]qen0Xb1yx20[/youtube]

and this - a hoot if you actually know the words - (same opera) Leporello (and Donna Anna)

[youtube=425,350]l0t-uXtchEw[/youtube]

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Just in case somebody doesn't know, I'm a musician by training, so there is a wide variety of music I like. I'm going to put some classical stuff first, later I may put some other non classical stuff I really like.

How about something from a Spaniard for a change? Antonio Soler - Fandango. I'm partial to Rafael Puyana's interpretation, but then again he is the most revered Colombian classical musician alive...
[youtube=425,350]xxUQ87o41Zc[/youtube]

Bach has a flawless production, this is just one I particularly like: The Passacaglia & Fuge in Cm
[youtube=425,350]F51uHpH3yQk[/youtube]

And for my British friends some Henry Purcell from Dido & Aeneas - Thy hand Belinda...
[youtube=425,350]H3wAarmPYKU[/youtube]

Going back a bit there is always the Italian Prince Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa - Moro lasso
[youtube=425,350]-_F1OuMeVSw[/youtube]

And more English music but from the XIV century: Alleluia Hic est vere martir:
[youtube=425,350]wT5Idy1CC5I[/youtube]

Further back master Perotinus (in France) made some simply incredible organums like Viderunt Omnes
[youtube=425,350]bpgaEFmdFcM[/youtube]

I have plenty of classical stuff to place but I'll go at it later.