Think Different

In 1890, Thomas Edison sent his assistants to the home of the Poet Laureate, Alfred, Lord Tennyson to record his voice on wax cylinders. For 1:16 minutes, Tennyson read from The Charge of the Light Brigade. As far as I know, it was the only time his voice was recorded. I listened to that recording this morning on my iPod.

In my personal opinion the greatest achievement of the 20th century is the iPod. I will never be able to thank Steve Jobs enough. In the nonstop coverage since word of his death literally shut down twitter, he is often compared to Thomas Edison. There are over 31,000 recordings on my iPod, including Lord Tennyson reciting The Charge of the Light Brigade.


I have 131 songs with "Lucinda" in the title and 158 songs sung by women named "Lucinda."

I have 41 covers of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, as well as 35 Cohen covers in Polish

I have a recording of 4 year old evangelist, Marjoe Gortner preaching and 236 shapenote singers



I have most of the dance music ever recorded for the Martha Graham dance company

I have an album of Anthony Perkins singing, his sister-in-law, Marisa Berenson singing, and every CD his son, Elvis Perkins, has recorded (including his shapenote singing.)



I have Vita Sackville-West discussing Virginia Woolf's Orlando and Grace Higgens, Virginia Woolf's cooks disusing all the painters she sat for, in addition to her cooking, and Virginia Woolf, herself speaking about "craftsmanship."

There are four generations of the Carter family keeping the circle unbroken.



I have Maya Angleou singing calypso, Sebastian Cabot singing Bob Dylan, Vincent Price reciting his recipe for rumaki, and Jessica Mitford covering the Beatles.

There is ABBA to Zooey Deschanel.

There are Kate Bush, Kate Campbell, Kate Fagan, Kate Gafney, Kate Havenvik, Kate MacKenzie, Kate McGarrigle, Kate Mann, Kate Micucci, Kate Nash, Kate Rusby, Kate Taylor, Kate Walsh, Kate York, and Kiss Me, Kate.

There are 2221 Christmas songs, including the Jingle Cats, the Chipmunks, the Squirrel Nut Zippers and the Roaches. I could go on and on for 77 days, 14 hours, 29 minutes, and 13 seconds.



And every last song fits into the pocket of my Levi's. Thanks, Steve.