Sleep Cycle pt.3: Awaken
September 14, 2007 at 4:51 am
Photo credit: Elisa Tagliati
To complete this trilogy we’ve now come to the ending of the sleep cycle. In the previous chapter Asleep Eternally there was all the time in world to wrap ourselves in the night’s dark and serene setting, but now it’s time to start a new day. Currently one of my favourite albums of this year (Sam Baker / Pretty World) features a wonderful song about the moments just before waking up.
Before the sun
Before the heat
Before we untangle from our sheets
Before this summer day unfurls
Pretty world
Before the paper is dropped at the gate
Before the coffee, before we are late
Before dreams are lost like midnight pearls
Pretty world
~ Sam Baker / Pretty World ~
My feelings towards early mornings are slightly contradictory. On one hand it can be the most perfect experience, to wake up without alarm clocks screaming at my head and to start the day in the most natural and stress-free way. “Before this summer day unfurls.” But on the other it can be a tiring exercise, especially after a short night sleep and with another hard day ahead. “Before the coffee, before we are late.” This is most notable right after the summer holidays and with memories of a carefree lifestyle still lingering inside my head. Maybe that’s why there have been quite some posts about sleeping and waking up here at the motel lately. Maybe we need these lists to escape from everyday reality.
I guess this contradiction also kind of seeped into the playlist. Some songs desperately beg to stay in bed, but some of them also welcome dawn with renewed inspiration and enthusiasm. Overall, I wanted the mix to have a positive and optimistic, yet slightly lazy feeling. Which I think is perfectly displayed through the exquisite, film-noir like jazz composition of Charles Mingus’ The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady. Here are nine songs for waking up.
Photo credit: Spring Globe
- Sam Baker - Pretty World
Pretty World (Self released, 2007) - Van Morrison - Astral Weeks
Astral Weeks (Warner Bros., 1968) - Mountains - Paper Windmill
Mountains (Apestaartje, 2005) - Swod - Montauk
Sekunden (City Centre Offices, 2007) - Charles Mingus - Group Dancers
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (Impulse!, 1963) - Six Organs of Admittance - Awaken
Dark Noontide (Holy Mountain, 2002) - The Velvet Underground - Sunday Morning
The Velvet Underground & Nico (Verve, 1967) - Devin Davis - When the Angels Lift Our Eyelids in the Morning
The Sound the Hare Heard (Kill Rock Stars, 2006) - Mount Eerie - Uh Oh! It’s Mourningtime Again
Singers (P.W. Elverum & Sun, 2005)
Ps. Just do as I do and pretend that they’re singing “morning time” instead of “mourningtime” in that last song, makes the song much more fun, or at least more appropriate for this mix!
Previous chapters:
Sleep Cycle pt.1: Late Night Lullabies
Sleep Cycle pt.2: Asleep Eternally
Ah! More than one year ago squashed did a wake up list for LOW and I suggested him the inclusion of “sunday morning” as well. Being squashed he thought the inclusion would rather put people back to sleep instead of waking them up (he’s pretty much right) but I’ve tried it and it wakes me up in a good mood. Of course I wouldn’t try waking up to it when I’m on a rush but for Saturday and Sunday mornings. Gonna download this and try them on the weekend-
Here’s squashed’s previous list (apr 16, 2006!)
Links to the songs are already broken but it’s interesting to compare the different choices you both had, sq tending towards an energetic rock one and yours, well, beggin to stay in bed indeed. Sleepy week at the motel :P
“Group Dancers” is such an amazing song, possibly Mingus’ best.
i tried to make a morning mix after watching Vertical Rays of the Sun, where each day was groggily started with some hazy song by the Velvet Underground. you should be eased into the world instead of jolted. nice comp.
Moka, if you’re really in a rush, don’t even bother with any music at all. Just RUN! Haha.
One of my favorites on the subject is “i’m only sleeping”, or even “i’m so tired”, John Lennon must have been a genius in lazing around… Love
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