iTunes Playlist Progress Report

Gosh, it's been a while since I posted a progress report on my alphabetical trip through my iTunes Playlist. Still plowing my way through, though plowing implies it's a chore; it isn't, it's a pleasure, but how else to characterize a pleasurable activity that's taking a long time? Up to the J's and I found I have two very different songs with "Jesus" in the title: Wilco's Jesus, Etc., and Ben Folds' Jesusland.

Let's take a look at the lyrics:

Jesus, Etc

Jesus, don't cry
You can rely on me, honey
You can combine anything you want
I'll be around
You were right about the stars
Each one is a setting sun

Tall buildings shake
Voices escape singing sad sad songs
tuned to chords
Strung down your cheeks
Bitter melodies turning your orbit around

Don't cry
You can rely on me honey
You can come by any time you want
I'll be around
You were right about the stars
Each one is a setting sun

Tall buildings shake
Voices escape singing sad sad songs
tuned to chords
Strung down your cheeks
Bitter melodies turning your orbit around

Voices whine
Skyscrapers are scraping together
Your voice is smoking
Last cigarettes are all you can get
Turning your orbit around

Um, okay. Don't know quite what's going on here but it's clear the song has little to do with Jesus. A couple of good lines though - You can rely on me, honey, turning your orbit around, indeed. I like the song's mellowness and hint of heartbreak and it doesn't matter if I don't know what it means. You do, though, don't you?

Here's Jesusland:

Jesusland

Take a walk
out the gate you go and never stop
past all the stores and wig shops
quarter in a cup for every block
and watch the buildings grow
smaller as you go

Down the tracks
beautiful McMansions on a hill
that overlook a highway
with riverboat casinos and you still
have yet to see a soul

Jesusland
Jesusland

Town to town
broadcast to each house, they drop your name
but no one knows your face
Billboards quoting things you'd never say
you hang your head and pray

for Jesusland
Jesusland

Miles and miles
and the sun goin' down
Pulses glow
from their homes
You're not alone
Lights come on
as you lay your weary head on their lawn

Parking lots
cracked and growing grass you see it all
from offices to farms
crosses flying high above the malls
A longer walk

through Jesusland
Jesusland

Ah, now we're talking Jesus here. Jesus walking through Jesusland and, lo, it's lacking! Or maybe it's the smug songwriter who finds it lacking. I presume Folds' is being ironic with the "beautiful McMansions" phrase but maybe not. They really are beautiful. I like how the buildings grow smaller as you go, and the mention of the billboards saying things You never said. Okay, you have us there, but you get the point of the billboards, right? I mean, no one's ever claimed they're scripture. The song's harmonies are lovely, the piano playing compelling; I like this song, too, and though I may not agree with what it says, at least Folds is trying to say something about Jesus, and in a positive way. That's something.

Back to my iTunes playlist progress - I'm approaching the halfway point but I'd like to accelerate things a bit. I don't get as much time on my iPod as I'd like; I used to listen to it during my morning 'net prowl but being on dog watch has made that impractical. Can't hear the dogs when they're yapping to come back inside which wouldn't be a problem except that everyone else is trying to sleep. I'll find a workaround, though.