While listening to a stack of 45s recently, I slipped into program director mode.
"Let's see," I thought. "I was going to play this next, but it doesn't segue as well with the song playing as this one would. It makes more sense to play this other song next, so that's what I'll do."
Then, I thought, "I'm not programming a radio station here or being a DJ at someone's wedding. I'm just listening to 45s for fun. Nothing has to segue with anything. The only question for me should be, 'What songs do I feel like hearing?'"
That realization didn't stop me from reshuffling the records and playing them in the order that made the most musical sense.
In my defense, though, Gino Vannelli's "I Just Wanna Stop" segues smoothly after Earth, Wind & Fire's "After The Love Has Gone," and The Mini-Skirt Mob's version of "Be My Baby" leads right into Pat Benatar's "Little Too Late."
That's what listening to music for fun is all about, after all--following rules...
