The Random iTunes Fairy serves up a lot of interesting songs. But I didn’t realize until today’s selection popped up just how rarely she delivers something I really love.
Usually, my reaction to the first notes of the random song is something akin to “huh.” As in, there’s an artist I haven’t thought about much lately. Or, I wonder how this album wound up in my iTunes library?
My reaction when the first notes of Elvis Costello’s ‘Tears Before Bedtime’ poured out of my speakers was more like “Yes!”
A song I love from one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite artists. Can’t complain about that.
I guess if I had a more streamlined music collection, weeding out the unremarkable, I could have these moments more often. Should I take the Marie Kondo approach and eliminate any songs from my library that don’t spark joy?
I know the name on the tip of your tongue
And I know that accusing look
Everybody knows I’ve been so wrong
That’s the problem and here’s the hook
[Chorus]
Tears before bedtime
There’ll be trouble tonight
I don’t want to talk about it anymore
I don’t want to have another fight
I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to fight
How wrong can I be before I am right?
[Verse 2]
For the tears that you boo hoo hoo hoo
There can be no defense
You say you’ll forgive and forget
But it’s only a pretense
[Chorus]
Tears before bedtime
There’ll be trouble tonight
I don’t want to talk about it anymore
I don’t want to have another fight
I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to fight
How wrong can I be before I am right?
[Bridge]
Either you can leave the past behind
Or give me something to disconnect my mind
I sleep with my fists clenched tight
When I don’t lie awake all night
I guess time gave up the ghost too late
And the balance of our love
Very soon turns to hate
[Verse 3]
Darling your suspiciousness
Tortures me at night
But I can’t excuse the cruel words
That I use whenever we fight
[Chorus]
Tears before bedtime
There’ll be trouble tonight
I don’t want to talk about it anymore
I don’t want to have another fight
I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to fight
How wrong can I be before I am right?
[Outro]
How wrong can I be before I am right?
How wrong can I be before I am right?
How wrong can I be before I am right?
Meet Me In Montauk 
Maybe you should take Marie Kondo’s approach and enjoy your weekend listening experience even more 😊
Lol! I had the same reaction when I saw today’s random weekend selection. I had been bracing for some obscure Morrisey track or some alternate version of a Dylan song from his 108th bootleg release.😀
Maybe, rather than disposing of songs that don’t bring you joy, you could create a subset/playlist of your favorite albums and make that the pool from which the random iTunes Fairy could choose.
I dispose of those songs by never listening to them, but there they are taking up space in the cloud and making my carbon footprint worse than it needs to be. Delete away, I say!