When I was in high school, a friend and I found a passage in David Gans’ book “Playing in the Band” (a chronology of the Grateful Dead) that spoke of how riding with Neal Cassady (muse of Jack Kerouac’s On The Road and, later, the driver of the Merry Prankster’s 1964 cross-country road trip) the people in the car would often be amazed at how Cassady would keep a stream-of-consciousness rap going that would often integrate the words coming through the radio into his verbal stream until the two audio streams (radio and voice) would weave together and the radio would seem to act as a prophetic tool of sorts, anticipating Cassady’s next thought as much as Cassady’s thought would mirror the words coming out. Someone (perhaps Bob Weir) called this “Radio I Ching.” I used to think about this a lot and some very strange synchronicities would definitely emerge. I pretty much gave up on putting too much weight on them when night I was paying extra special attention and the next song on the radio was “You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you.” I guess the Soundtrack Elves have a sense of humor.

So, that lead-in said, circulating virally on Facebook, there’s a thread that went from K8 to Tiggrrr to others that essentially shows a way of using a media player as a form of divination… here are its suggested parameters:

1. Put your MP3/Media Player on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS. . .
etc . . . enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~
IF SOMEONE SAYS ‘ARE YOU OKAY’ YOU SAY?
Doin’ Time in the USA
Quicksilver Messenger Service

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF
The Ecstasy of Gold
Ennio Morricone

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
(Love That’s Real) Not Fade Away
Grateful Dead

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Rastaman Vibration
Bob Marley and the Wailers

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Ain’t No Way
Aretha Franklin

WHAT’S YOUR MOTTO?
Nighthawk Postcards (From Easy Street)
Tom Waits

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
International Feel
Todd Rundgren

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Worthy
Ani DiFranco

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Things That Scare Me
Neko Case

WHAT IS 2 + 2?
Mean Disposition
Rolling Stones

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Moog Island
Morcheeba

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Learning To Fly
Pink Floyd

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Cash In Your Face
Stevie Wonder

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Mean Woman Blues
Allman Brothers Band

the first verse: “well i love you baby, but you won’t give me the time of day / you treat me so bad, but i love you any way” — ha ha!

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Hamburger Midnight
Little Feat

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong
(and, YES, <b>I DO!</b>)