Popstrology: What song was #1 when you were born?
Sooo, this chap has written a book called Popstrology... "Popstrology" doesn't sound gimmicky or silly at all, does it? He claims he can help "reveal your personality traits, guide your relationships and discover your true destiny." All this merely by taking a look at what song was #1 on the day you were born. My problem with that (one of them anyway) is that few newborns spend their time listening to top 40 radio. I also doubt that everyone born during the same week has the same or even very similar personality traits and "true destiny." Never even heard your birth song? "Then you've probably never even met a little thing called your true self." Oh, what bunk. I think it's more likely that the songs of our adolescence may say something about the times in which we live, and in that sense, say something about every generation.
It's also hard to take this guy seriously when he says things like "If you are an Olivia Newton-John who keeps on falling for Rod Stewarts, or if you are experiencing certain feelings that go along with being a Double George Michael, then the roots of your troubles may be straightforward and obvious." Well, sure! We don't need a book to tell us an Olivia Newton-John shouldn't fall for a Rod Stewart. He prefers much, much younger women.
Plucking just the #1 song and picking your birthday as the significant time rather than, say, your 14th birthday, seem like choices made for the sake of convenience rather than any attempt at real accuracy. Probably a waste of time to criticize this, as few people are likely to take it seriously anyway. Plus, those who want to take something like this seriously will do so anyway.
You can look up your song and birth year profile and other such silliness at Popstrology.com. That's all well and good and free. There's a short interview with the author here. He refers to popstrology as an "art and science."
mp3:Teenage Fanclub - Star Sign
People are buying this book. Noooo! Not that I don't believe in the power of choice -- I do. There are books I'd rather people buy, though.
I'm about to buy this book; I'll take this excuse to talk it up: Yes Man by Danny Wallace. It's an autobiographical account of a guy who decides to say "yes" to everything for a year. Jack Black has bought the film rights. I quite liked Wallace's book Join Me (though I didn't join him). He also co-wrote Are You Dave Gorman? with Dave Gorman after Dave bet him he could prove there were other Dave Gormans out there. It's pretty funny, and led to a very funny stage show.
Musically-speaking, there's the rather cool Songbook by Nick Hornby, containing essays about some songs he loves. There's a version that comes with a CD, but it only includes 11 songs. All of the proceeds from Songbook go to TreeHouse, a U.K. charity benefitting children with autism, and 826 Valencia, a nonprofit center in the San Francisco area that helps students improve their writing skills. (Has everyone already read Songbook? I know it's not exactly a new or original recommendation, but it's a good one nonetheless). I still haven't read Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, but I want to, and will, well before I'd ever consider adding Popstrology to my To Be Read list.
It's also hard to take this guy seriously when he says things like "If you are an Olivia Newton-John who keeps on falling for Rod Stewarts, or if you are experiencing certain feelings that go along with being a Double George Michael, then the roots of your troubles may be straightforward and obvious." Well, sure! We don't need a book to tell us an Olivia Newton-John shouldn't fall for a Rod Stewart. He prefers much, much younger women.
Plucking just the #1 song and picking your birthday as the significant time rather than, say, your 14th birthday, seem like choices made for the sake of convenience rather than any attempt at real accuracy. Probably a waste of time to criticize this, as few people are likely to take it seriously anyway. Plus, those who want to take something like this seriously will do so anyway.
You can look up your song and birth year profile and other such silliness at Popstrology.com. That's all well and good and free. There's a short interview with the author here. He refers to popstrology as an "art and science."
mp3:Teenage Fanclub - Star Sign
People are buying this book. Noooo! Not that I don't believe in the power of choice -- I do. There are books I'd rather people buy, though.
I'm about to buy this book; I'll take this excuse to talk it up: Yes Man by Danny Wallace. It's an autobiographical account of a guy who decides to say "yes" to everything for a year. Jack Black has bought the film rights. I quite liked Wallace's book Join Me (though I didn't join him). He also co-wrote Are You Dave Gorman? with Dave Gorman after Dave bet him he could prove there were other Dave Gormans out there. It's pretty funny, and led to a very funny stage show.
Musically-speaking, there's the rather cool Songbook by Nick Hornby, containing essays about some songs he loves. There's a version that comes with a CD, but it only includes 11 songs. All of the proceeds from Songbook go to TreeHouse, a U.K. charity benefitting children with autism, and 826 Valencia, a nonprofit center in the San Francisco area that helps students improve their writing skills. (Has everyone already read Songbook? I know it's not exactly a new or original recommendation, but it's a good one nonetheless). I still haven't read Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, but I want to, and will, well before I'd ever consider adding Popstrology to my To Be Read list.
posted by trill42 | 7:46 PM
2 Comments:
You'll love Yes Man. Danny's a champ. Good message and super funny. The bloke's even funnier in real life. I had a few pints with him on July 26th in NYC and he somehow even made the TV say yes:
http://www.goingpostal3000.com/05-07/blog.html
later,
kyle
Kyle, how cool. Thanks for sharing that. I ordered Yes Man last week (along with Seth Lakeman's Kitty Jay CD. Yay, Brits). That's great that Danny's funnier in person, and he sounds nice too.
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