Dawn iPod shuffle.

I’ve had a weird night. Up since 4 a.m. So let’s move on to the music that’s been going on from ye olde iPod since I woke up. Look, my neighbors have loud sex two or three times a day. More power to them. I am so happy they get along so well. But it makes me not as worried about, you know, making a PEEP that might disturb them.

“Waterloo” – ABBA

“Secure Yourself to Heaven” – Indigo Girls

“You Know I’m No Good” – Amy Winehouse (yes, honey, I know, but I love you anyway)

“Gimme More” – Britney Spears (it begins with the immortal words, “It’s Britney, bitch.” One of the most psychotic songs I’ve ever heard. I adore it.)

“Political Science” – Randy Newman – I love that Jackie covered this song in her cabaret. Perfect!! “Boom goes London, Boom Par-ee …”

“Life Is a Buffet” – Pat McCurdy (“Life is a buffet, eat like a pig,” he instructs us. Or, said another way: Give names, check in.)

“A Horse Named Bill” – The Raunch Hands – my entire childhood, my whole family, is in this entire album. “Ill be a great sharpshooter!” “In the teeth or in the fingers?” I played this album for my first boyfriend when we first started dating. He didn’t like it. Should have broken up with him right there.

“After You’ve Gone” – Rufus Wainwright at Carnegie Hall (with an overblown cameo by Lorna Luft. Chill with the vibrato, Lorna. Thanks.)

“Stranger” – Billy Joel. This album will always make me think of Dad.

“Candy Shop” – Madonna. Dear Madonna, this is a catchy song, but just remember: Malawi is NOT a candy shop. It is an actual country, inhabited by actual PEOPLE. Mkay, hon?

“Leather” – Tori Amos. I remember this song blowing me away when I first heard it in the early 90s. It seemed so subversive. I am older now. Still love the song, but what she’s describing is well-trod ground to the older Sheila. Sure, leather, whatevs, Tori, you were saying …?

“Empty Man” – Pat McCurdy. Last time I saw Pat, I informed him, during a conversation about iPods, “The weird thing about the iPod is that suddenly your music comes up in constant rotation.” He said, “That’s kind of annoying.” “I know, right?”

“Shame” – Eurythmics. One of my favorites of theirs.

“Fireworks” – The Original Memphis Five

“Ants Marching” – Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds. This is from the vaguely self-indulgent double-album of a live concert the two gave – all acoustic – at Luther College. Some of it is just flat out not good – but some of the live versions – this song in particular, as well as “Crash” – I actually prefer them to the versions we hear on the radio. There’s such life and joy in them. Great guitar too.

“I Don’t Come From No Monkey” – Pat McCurdy. See what I mean? Annoying!! Get off my iPod, McCurdy.

“All My Only Dreams” – The Wonders

“You Never Get What You Want” – Patti Griffin. What a freakin’ voice.

“I Can’t Believe I’m Not a Millionaire” – The Puppini Sisters. Genius. “I had a Pop-tart insteeeeead …” Me too, girls. I hear ya.

“When Your Lover Has Gone” – Frank Sinatra. Take me there, Frank. It’s 5 a.m. Thanks.

“Just Don’t Give a Fuck” – Eminem. Pretty funny having this song follow the one before. That’s the genius of iPod shuffle.

“Both Sides Now” – Dolly Parton. Absolutely brilliant version of this song. I’m sick of that song, in general – but she has revitalized it for me COMPLETELY.

“Does Anybody Out There Even Care” – Lenny Kravitz. Yes. I care.

“I Will Follow” – U2 (goosebumps)

“Rock & Roll” – Eric Hutchinson

“I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” – Britney Spears. I know a lot of people were horrified that she would cover this song. Whatever. I think it’s kind of brill.

“Hand In My Pocket” – Alanis Morrissette

“Cold Day In Hell” – Tracy Bonham

“Future Love Paradise” – Seal. This song always makes me think of Alec – a boyfriend of mine in college (you know – the nerd in my Halloween photos). We lost touch for a couple years, and then – the day after New Year’s Eve one year, when I was back in Rhode Island, he tracked me down and invited me to come visit him in Boston, where he was living at the time. I have no idea why this time with him would stay in my mind so vividly after all these years – all we did was go out to eat, catch up, hang out at his apartment talking, and making out, and then, the next morning – we blasted this song by Seal, and danced around in his living room. Not talking. Just dancing. It was magical. Then I took a cab to Logan, and flew back to Los Angeles where I was living. And I’ve never been in touch with him since. Kind of amazing.

“Workin’ For a Living” – Huey Lewis and the News.

“In A Little While” – Wynona Carr

“Poor Man’s House” – Patti Griffin. Goosebumps. One of my favorites off this album.

“Chirochacho” – Kumusha (they were the wonderful marimba band playing at Dean Stockwell’s art show in Taos. Stevie bought us both copies of the CD. Here’s a picture I took of Stockwell talking and laughing with one of the band members.)

“Just Leave Everything To Me” – Barbra Streisand. Love it. “If you want your liver tested, glasses made, cash inVESTED ….”

“Sorry” – Madonna. Great song. I love this whole album in general.

“The Chauffeur (Blue Silver)” – Duran Duran. What an absolutely RIDICULOUS song. Indefensible, really. I love every note.

“Hanging Tree” – Queens of the Stone Age

“Stumbling In the Dark” – Pat McCurdy. Again, Pat? Really? Get the hell off my iPod. “I think her name was Sheila – or maybe it was Sharon …” Excuse me, but no, my name is clearly SHEILA.

“Stay Up Late” – Talking Heads. I love them. Love this song in particular.

“Goodbye Mr. Ed” – David Bowie

“Star-Spangled Banner” – Whitney Houston, Super Bowl. Definitive.

“Rock Lobster” – The B-52s. This will forever say “high school” to me, and remind me of the entire crowd of kids at a dance falling down to the floor at the end of the song before bursting back up again. We would go into a zone of MANIA when this song came on. And then, of course, Beth and I would run over to cool our sweaty red-tomato Irish faces against the tiled walls. In public. We did this in public. Amongst our peers.

“I Don’t Need Anything But You” – Annie and Daddy Warbucks (Broadway recording)

“One Day I’ll Fly Away” – Nicole Kidman

“Lucky” – Radiohead. I listened to this album one too many times, I think. Kind of like the time I put too much French dressing on my salad when I was, oh, 14, and I’ve never been able to stomach it since. I love Radiohead but I over-listened to this album. It’s hard for me to hear it now.

“Thank You For the Music” – Amanda Seyfried (from Mamma Mia soundtrack)

“Sound Of My Own Voice” – Mike Viola and the Candybutchers. Heartcrack.

“LoveStoned / I Think She Knows” – Justin Timberlake. You’re speakin’ my language, JT. From my perspective, I think he knows, too.

“If You Love Me, Let Me Know” – Olivia Newton-John

“Buzz Buzz” – Brian Setzer. Blackberry? Hitachi? Uh, can you describe the buzz, sir?

“Ain’t It the Life” – Foo Fighters