everybody's favourite song

when i first arrived on the estate as the artist-in-resident, i was trying to find other ways to observe sound on the estate (as well as the listening works). in the first week, i went into the neighbourhood house for a meeting - possibly a CHEAC meeting, and i observed deb, a resident, come in, make a beeline for the stereo, put a CD on, go directly to track 17 and listen intently. she didn't have her ears pressed to the speaker, but she was intensely focused on the song, as though she had dived out of the present moment and into whatever meaning that song held for her.

i wrote that down on the whiteboard in the studio, as well as the name of a CD i had found lying around, thinking that i was going to start collecting sounds in an ambient way. sounds that i 'happened upon'.

somewhere along the way i realised that others probably had similar experiences to particular songs - one's that they carried with them. and that was a particular phenomena of listening and sound in public housing. so i started asking people what their favourite song was, and writing it down.

ages ago, niko and i had talked about the device of The Playlist as a means of empowering people - an abstract form of choice that people could move around, customise and personalise. I didn't actually think i would end up making a playlist, but that's what happened.

unsurprisingly, it was a great device for talking to residents about music, listening, what i was doing and who they were. just personal enough to expose a little bit of ourselves, but not so much that i would be intruding or interfering in delicate dynamics or defense mechanisms.

as i wrote here, children and teenagers were the most in touch with their favourite songs. they knew, as though their lives depended on it. perhaps your favourite song is currency in the school yard - like if you like justin bieber, i'll talk to you, but if you like beyoncé, i'll only play with you once. i don't know - i just came up with that then.

A&R peeps for justin bieber, beyoncé, taio cruz, usher, eminem, LMFAO and gym class heroes will all be pleased to know that their biggest fans are 8 - 12 year olds in poor areas. i'm guessing that's exactly who they're pitched at (except beyonce - she rocks my socks too and jackie, 12 and i were friends for an afternoon because of it).

older residents were also quite in touch with their favourite song - like all the likes/dislikes over the years had decanted, leaving that one song that just stuck through. the beatles, simon and garfunkel, lynard skynard.

obviously there were a few "i dunno"s and a lot of "ooh, aah, ummm", but most people could think of something - at least a band or musician that they liked. the vietnamese on the block loved traditional asian melodies and soft, sweet sounds. and the aboriginal crew loved archie roach and bob marley. more than once i got 'took the children away' stuck in my head.

and above all else, people loved love songs.

day after day, i wrote up one song of the day on the blackboards,  i made sure that i chose a love song if i could.  love me do, i love you like a love song, everything i do, i do it for you, greatest love of all, when i fall in love, i want you back.

time and time again. simple and universal, clearly.


here's the final playlist, pretty much in chronological order. i made CDs and handed them out to peeps from the listening booth. i left some at the neighbourhood centre and i will be making a new batch of full sets in the next few weeks.

everything is alright - jesus christ superstar: deb

love is in the air - john paul young: anna

you are so beautiful to me - joe cocker: nga

red & black - les miserables: geraldine

little wings - jimi hendrix - gunther

money for nothing - dire straights

three little birds - bob marley: reg, reggae

gold dust woman - stevie nicks: lola

the power of love - huey lewis and the news: johnny

mua ru'ng: han

when i fall in love - nat king cole: mark

drive-by - the necks: tony

use me up - bill withers: jed

dj got us falling in love - usher: jake

not afraid - eminem: danny

party rock anthem - LMFAO: KK, ikro

freak the freak out - victoria justice: vanahn

set fire to the rain - adéle: maurice

ace hood - lifestyle

all i ever wanted - : sumeyra

i love you like a love song - selena gomez: hillary

venus - bananarama: val

luper - earl sweatshirt: brian

venus in furs - velvet underground: hugh

rain over me - pitbull: sondos

all day - cody simpson: hana

i wish you would - flamingoes: nick

whitney houston - greatest love of all: kaukau

itchycoo park - small faces: susanne

baby got back - sir mix-a-lot: cst pallisier

fight the power - public enemy: snr cst mclaughlin

catch a fire - mojo juju: nikita

memory lane - nas: james

flame trees - cold chisel: shane

took the children away - archie roach: james, tracey

take it easy - the eagles

stereo heart -  gym class heroes: vanahn

run to the hills - iron maiden: wally

fade to black - metallica: rob

under the bridge - RHCP: simon

the end - the doors: simon

sweet home alabama - lynard skynard: deb

superstition - stevie wonder: sue

sole survivor - rolling stones: sue

bad romance - lady gaga: de-anne

dynamite - taio cruz: shey

someone like you - adele: lillian

one time - justin bieber: jessica, natasha, isabella

never say never - justin bieber: vanja, natasha, jessica, izabella, elisha

pray - justin bieber: natasha

love on top: beyoncé - tia

ram jam - spiderbain: kerry

all the single ladies - beyoncé: jackie

california - tupac: DJ

love me too - the beatles: john

traditional greek songs: greek women's group

L-O-V-E - al green

feel so close - calvin harris: emma NYCH

i needed you - chris brown

sounds of silence - simon and garfunkel: peter

everything i do (i do it for you) - bryan adams: tammy

white lotus - poy

i want you back - jackson 5: lauren

khe sanh - sharon boyd

love story - taylor swift: jessica

beat it - michael jackson - taylor b

let me know if you'd like a copy.