A Weekly Playlist To: Transport You from This Fresh Hell

For this week’s Playlist To, I’ve compiled a comically eclectic thirty-minute escape from the fresh hell we sometimes find ourselves in. Though partially inspired by the inimitable Dorothy Parker, who, according to John Keats, would quite seriously ask, “What fresh hell can this be?” whenever anyone rang her doorbell, this playlist was actually sent to me in a stress dream by the Muses of Fuck-Ups. This mix is dedicated to the lovely individuals out there who rang my doorbell this week, and to all those who rang yours, too.

Take a listen here. 

1.Midnight Train to Georgia – Gladys Knight & The Pips I genuinely wish I could sell my hopes to the pawnshop like the man in this song does. Then I might actually get something out of them. Like a new pair of shoes. Or ice cream.

But he sure found out the hard way
That dreams don’t always come true
So he pawned all his hopes and even sold his old car
Bought a one-way ticket back to the life he once knew

2.Look at Miss Ohio – Gillian Welch This song is about what I want to do—escaping everything and eschewing my responsibilities—but would actually never do because I have an affliction and it’s called caring too much.

Oh me oh my oh, look at Miss Ohio
She’s running around with her ragtop down
She says, “I wanna do right, but not right now”

3.Life on Mars? – David Bowie For when your life disappoints you so you distract yourself with fantasy but the fantasy is disappointing, too.

Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seat with the clearest view
And she’s hooked to the silver screen
But the film is a saddening bore
For she’s lived it ten times or more

4.Roman Holiday – Nicki Minaj I wish I could boast the lack of inhibitions that Minaj demonstrates in this classic chef-d'oeuvre. In fact, now that I think about it, I could probably use a Roman holiday from my inhibitions.

Take your medication, Roman
Take a short vacation, Roman
You’ll be okay
You need to know your station, Roman
Some alterations on your clothes and your brain
Take a little break, little break from your silencing
There’s so much you can take, you can take
I know how bad you need a Roman holiday

5.Jackson – Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash Goodbye.

When I breeze into that city, people gonna stoop and bow
All them women gonna make me teach ‘em what they don’t know how
I’m goin’ to Jackson, you turn-a loose-a my coat
Cuz I’m goin’ to Jackson
“Goodbye,” that’s all she wrote

6.Chicago – Sufjan Stevens There are a lot of beautiful lines that exemplify isolation and listlessness and wanderlust and frustration in this song, but I chose to feature the stanza that I most relate to.

I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes

7.I’m Not Gonna Miss You – Glen Campbell I didn’t realize until long after using this song as a post-breakup anthem that it’s not about takin’ out the trash but actually Campbell’s battle with Alzheimer’s. How’s that for a pick-me-up?

You’re the last person I will love
You’re the last face I will recall
And best of all
I’m not gonna miss you

8.Spaceship – Kanye West, GLC, Consequence As a big believer in an Emergency Kanye Dance Party at the end of each long, hard, day of hustling, I had to end this playlist with this hymn about becoming an astronaut when the minimum wage is getting you down.

I’ve been working this graveshfit
And I ain’t made shit
I wish I could
Buy me a spaceship and fly
Past the sky

Again, the full playlist can be found here.
 
Happy listening.
-GU