Channel V

Dee of On The Curb has posted a playlist of some of her favorite “vagina music,” with her post entitled exceeding my bandwith on the word vagina.¹ (You should go check out Dee’s blog, by the way. In case you haven’t guessed it, she’s freakin’ hilarious.)

Dee doesn’t quite give a definition of “vagina music,” but she gives quite a few examples. If I had to summarize, I’d say that the songs are ones that move her down to her…um…core, and tap into her emotions. And perhaps also those that remind her that she is biologically female.

Further, Dee has requested comparable lists from others. In her words, “I show you mine, you show me yours.”

Okay, Dee. I’ll show you mine. While I’ve never thought of this music in quite those terms², this is my response playlist:

1. Save Me – Aimee Mann (listen)
2. Thief – Belly (listen)
3. Lucky – Bif Naked (listen)
4. Bulimic Beats – Catatonia (listen)
5. No Need To Argue – The Cranberries (listen)
6. Virgin State Of Mind – K’s Choice (listen)
7. Autumngirlsoup – Kirsty MacColl (listen)
8. Your Ghost – Kristin Hersh (listen)
9. Famous Blue Raincoat – Leonard Cohen (listen)
10. De Cara A La Pared – Lhasa (listen)
11. Wild Is The Wind – Nina Simone (listen)
12. Down By The Water – P J Harvey (listen)
13. Dancing Barefoot – Patti Smith Group (listen)
14. Haunted – Poe (listen)
15. Glory Box – Portishead (listen)
16. Possession– Sarah McLachlan (listen)
17. i am stretched on your grave – Sinéad O’Connor (listen)
18. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me – The Smiths (listen)
19. Anchor – Trespassers William (listen)

How about you. Wanna show me yours?

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¹ Dee is not shy about using the word vagina. In fact, in her post, she uses the word vagina no fewer than 38 times. (Yes, I counted. One vagina, two vagina, three vagina, four. Five vagina, six vagina, seven vagina, more…) And that, my friends, is a most impressive feat.

² The thing is, though, I’m not a big fan of the word vagina. In fact, this post here marks the first time I’m using the word on my blog. (Yes, I did a search.) Also the 2nd through 15th times. (Yes, I counted.) Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against vaginas. Or vaginae, if you prefer. I’m glad I have one of my own, and all. I just find the word vagina awkward.

Now spleen, on the other hand, there’s a word I like. Spleen. It’s a word that amuses me. I also appreciate its range of meanings. Some of you may know the spleen as an organ in the lymphatic system. But it was once esteemed as “the seat of spirit and courage or of such emotions as mirth, ill humor, melancholy, etc.” Me, I’m all about the mirth, the ill humor and the melancholy. Then there’s the whole archaic meaning of splenetic to mean “melancholy.” And my playlist is pretty darned melancholy.

So maybe you can consider this my spleen music.