I first read about the Oracle on Pat Tomek's blog. Pat Tomek was the drummer in The Rainmakers, arguably one of the greatest bands ever to have come out of the US. You can try arguing the toss with me about that one but I'll only have to come over and burn your house down. That I once passed up an opportunity to see them live, will shame me till the day I croak.
The Oracle can be played on any digital media player with a shuffle. It's like a stupidly fun blend of the IChing, a magic eight ball and whatever's on your iTunes (or other digital media player). So what you do is this: set your player on shuffle and then ask each of the following questions in turn. As you've asked the question, hit next and the song that plays is your answer.
So here we go:
(Oh, before we start, I should say that my iTunes library currently holds only 998 songs, a small selection of what I hold on silvery disc, but that's all we have to work with today.)
Q) How does the world see you?
A) Listened On / Lightning Dust (something most people have never heard of, but some might quite like if they did?)
Q) Will I have a happy life?
A) Abel / The National (great tune, but it's kinda about losing control. Oh dear...)
Q) What do my friends really think of me?
A) Oxford Town / Bob Dylan (Maybe they all think I'm smart? Or a hippy. Hmm... Actually, this song's about racial divide in the US, so maybe everyone thinks I'm a humanitarian and hopefully not a racist!)
Q) Do people secretly lust after me?
A) They Can't Buy The Sunshine / Turin Brakes (Yeah, lust away, but I'm on to you and I can't be bought. Which is probably so far from the truth!)
Q) How can I make myself happy?
A) Just Because / Jane's Addiction (Heroin, rockin' out? I think this song means just be yourself.)
Q) What should I do with my life?
A) Evil Walks / AC/DC (Find myself someone with a flying broomstick?)
Q) Will I ever have children?
A) A Million Miles Away / The Rainmakers (Not for a while then, looks like broomstick girl has other plans.)
Q) What is some good advice for me?
A) Girls In Their Summer Clothes / Bruce Springsteen (Now that's more like it.)
Q) How will I be remembered?
A) Pink Bullets / The Shins (from SongMeanings: "i guess its about finding someone that changes you because they are so different, in the best way, from everyone else. its about being affected by someone so strongly, that when you lose them and nothing in your life seems to make sense, you still wouldnt want to forget them". I'll settle for that.)
Q) What is my signature song?
A) Blizzard of '77 / Nada Surf (No matter how long it's been, I never forget those who've touched my life, even when they are no longer in it. Sometimes you get a chance to make peace with your past.)
Q) What do I think my current theme song is?
A) Everywhere I Go / The Black Keys (This is one of the horniest pieces of music I've ever heard. One of my fantasies is to have the woman in my life slowly strip to it. I even know what I want her to be wearing! I know how cheesy that sounds, but once you've heard it you'll get it. I have the tune, so that's a start.)
Q) What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
A) Can't Get There From Here / R.E.M. (This is one of my favourite R.E.M. songs, Fables is one of my favourite R.E.M. albums, and that's as far as I can go with this one.)
Q) What song will play at my funeral?
A) P.S You Rock My World / Eels (A song about funeral's, love, hope, and embracing the future. I love this song, it's a beautiful track and I'd be honoured if someone wanted to play it at my funeral.)
Q) What type of men/women do I like?
A) Mrs Rita / Gin Blossoms (This is far closer to the bone than I'd care to admit.)
A) Simple Man / Lynyrd Skynyrd (It wasn't this morning, I had to head into the smoke to do some final Christmess shopping, but it will be for the rest of the evening.)
Try it. Have some fun. Feel free to post your own results in the comments.
Watching: Battlestar Galactica Season 1 (new version)
1 comment:
Q) How does the world see you?
Dirty Robber / The Sonics
Well, thanks, guys.
Q) Will I have a happy life?
Slave Girl / Lime Spiders
I dare not suggest what connection this might have with a happy life…
Q) What do my friends really think of me?
N.O. / Kyuss
Well, seeing as it’s Kyuss, I must Rock, at least. Although ‘I live my life alone’ might well imply that I don’t, in fact, have any friends. Simplifies matters.
Q) Do people secretly lust after me?
Damage Is Done / Black Label Society
As far as I can tell, that’s ‘No, and it’s my own fault.’ Alternative interpretations extremely welcome!
Q) How can I make myself happy?
Tempo Of The Damned / Exodus
This would seem to suggest that I will find happiness by going to listen to people play guitars loudly. Preposterous.
Q) What should I do with my life?
Worms / The Pogues
Oh, thanks. I guess this means either ‘life is temporary so enjoy it while it’s here’ or ‘give up now’. Unless it’s ‘get a job as a funeral director’.
Q) Will I ever have children?
All Right Now (First Version)/ Free
Finally, some reassurance! My daughters will be glad to know it. Although what the oracle means to suggest by selecting this early take on the song I wonder… More to come? News to us…
Q) What is some good advice for me?
Hulahoop Wounds / At The Drive-In
‘do the shackles underneath your bed
haunt the shackles in their grooves’
Some sort of connection with ‘Slave Girl’ here?
‘i wrote it all down for you
match a name to the face
do you suspect?
do you confess? do you confess?’
I confess! Actually, by the standards of ATD-I, this is lucidity itself.
Q) How will I be remembered?
Follow The Clue (Instrumental) / Balamory
Apparently I will be remembered as the world’s least competent policeman. Or is the Queen pastiche here hinting at something?
Q) What is my signature song?
Drinkin’ Again (Interlude) / Outkast
Comment is redundant.
Q) What do I think my current theme song is?
Archway Towers / New Model Army
Well, I sometimes think I’d like to move to the country, but not this much!
Q) What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
Cherry / UFO
This song is so Classic Rock it actually creates a hologram of a patched denim jacket in the room when you play it, so, cool.
Q) What song will play at my funeral?
Ticket To Ride / The Beatles
This would, you have to admit, be a top notch funeral song. ‘[s]he’s got a ticket to ride and [s]he don’t care’ might even suggest David Hume’s wonderful acceptance of and insouciance in the face of the inevitability of extinction and the absence of the afterlife, to which I can but aspire.
Q) What type of men/women do I like?
Romeo And The Lonely Girl / Thin Lizzy
The interesting thing about this is that on the face of it, it’s a nice clear answer, but in fact it contains really no information on the female protagonist(s). This is the narcissistic voice of the self-obsessed male who sees nothing but his own reflection and pulls away when the reflection becomes too accurate. Ah.
Q) What is my day going to be like?
Yer Little Bedroom / The Broken Family Band
Hmm… simultaneously laid back and edgy? Sounds appropriate for a day off this close to crimbo. Apart from the laid back bit. Failure to communicate? I hope not…
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