If you were born this week, what song would you want playing?

[Large Marge]

Apparently I'm allowed to have music playing for the delivery "as long as it's not abrasive". I have Mickey Hart's 'Music to be Born By' CD, but that's more for me to get through labour than for the little guy to enter the world, me thinks. Suggestions?

[YearsAlongTheSea]

Basis For A Day - Disco Biscuits

depending on the version, it could be quite fitting...

[StoneMtn]

I guess, given the circumstances of what this kid has to get done that day, I'm thinking...

"Break On Through (to the Other Side)"

seems only appropriate.

[Esau.]

Welcome to the machine or Dark Star.

[phishtaper]

[Basher]

Here comes the sun...

[phorbesie]

eyes of the world

[localcrew]

My 3 children were all born at home with a midwife, myself and my wife of course.

In my experience she didn't want any kind of other noise going on at the time-I had to turn the hockey game off and everything (kidding-just kidding)..

You will want whatever you want of course. I can`t think of anything better than what you mention; I`m sure Mickey has given this lots of profound thought, he is the most profound drummer I can think of in the rock and roll pantheon....

Babies seem to relate to music with strong steady rhythm such as in rock and roll etc since it reminds them of the heartbeat which has been their song since conception.....that being said if you want music I`m sure anything you want will be fine.....I`d hate to see death metal but that`s just me....

[rubberdinghy]

I'm coming out

I'm coming

I'm coming out

I'm coming out

I'm coming out

I'm coming out

I'm coming out

I want the world to know

Got to let it show

I'm coming out

I want the world to know

I got to let it show

There's a new me coming out

And I just had to live

And I wanna give

I'm completely positive

I think this time around

I am gonna do it

Like you never do it

Like you never knew it

Ooh, I'll make it through

The time has come for me

To break out of the shell

I have to shout

That I'm coming out

I'm coming out

I want the world to know

Got to let it show

I'm coming out

I want the world to know

I got to let it show

I'm coming out

I want the world to know

Got to let it show

I'm coming out

I want the world to know

I got to let it show

I've got to show the world

All that I wanna be

And all my billities

Ther's so much more to me

Somehow, I have to make them

Just understand

I got it well in hand

And, oh, how I've planned

I'm spreadin' love

There's no need to fear

And I just feel so glad

Everytime I hear:

I'm coming out

I want the world to know

Got to let it show

I'm coming out

I want the world to know

I got to let it show

[rubberdinghy]

Just because of the word "billities"

[YearsAlongTheSea]

eyes of the world

[phishtaper]

im starting to become a bit confused. whats the purpose of the music? to set the scene and help make for a nice experience for everyone or to tell him about years from now.

if its the latter, then force a sick sense of humour on the kid when he's 15 and tell him primus' winona's big brown beaver was playing when he popped out.

Edited March 21, 2010 by Guest

[Large Marge]

Both, I guess. localcrew is right, I may just choose silence (or screaming!) but I thought it would be nice to be prepared with some meaningful selections. I'm going to put together a "birthing mix" and bring a portable player. It might also be fun to share this with m'boy on his birthday each year

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

Funny; I totally knocked myself out putting together mixed selections for our first, and then when the time came, it all went out the window because things were too, well, preoccupied. That alone convinced me not to bother the second time around. But then, I'm the guy, and I came to realise that the enterprise was misguided and self-concerned. In your case, of course, it's obviously different, and it warms the heart to think about how you're thinking about it .

If I could take the liberty of suggesting anything, though, it's that you consider what you'd like to settle back to when all the excitement has died down, which naturally has to be based entirely on your own preferences. But if you have the means of playing a blank dvd's worth of mp3s through a computer, though (or hell, just a computer's worth of playlists), I'd recommend that, just so neither you nor anyone else will have to bother getting up to change anything over.

All that said, I'm trying desperately to remember what it was that I put on when C's birth was done, because I do remember the midwife looking over at me and giving me the thumbs-up. It might have been Traffic's Low Sparks for High-Heeled Boys album, but I have to keep thinking about that; it was, again, all sort of confused at the time , but I believe it was something in the vein of the first song on that album. Might it have been Cockburn's Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws? I must remember to ask CJ in the morning.

I do believe that there is absolutely something to be said for the first strains of music a child hears with his/her freshly un-clogged ears .

Last thing, while I'm thinking of it - our midwives recommended picking up a bottle of some celebratory something to drink when it's all over, too, and something you'd never drink otherwise but that you'd probably enjoy. I opted myself for amaretto liqueur, and wouldn't you know it, every time I taste it now, it takes me right back.

[guitarberman]

"Reckoning"

Grateful Dead

The whole album is pure gold

[Jaimoe]

Maggot Brain.

[bradm]

How about someting to celebrate the arrival of spring? The "Spring" movement of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" comes to mind, as does Stravinski's "The Rite Of Spring."

Aloha,

Brad

[edger]

When I put my birthing mix together I tried to think of songs that would rhythmically work with my contractions and the ebbs and flows of it all.

[Freak By Night]

"Neroli" by Brian Eno

"Conceived as a single piece, Eno describes it in the liner notes as "to reward attention, but not (be) so strict as to demand it". Single notes resonate throughout the piece in a seemingly random but harmonic pattern that shifts quietly for close to an hour. Thanks to the calming nature of the piece, Neroli has been implemented into some maternity wards, both to instill a sense of calm as well as enhance the organic nature of childbirth."

[balogna pogna]

Here comes the sun...

This is what I was thinking. Make sure some Beatles make the way into the mix. Maybe "Good Day Sunshine" would work too.

[Schwa.]

You Enjoy Myself > 2001 > Golgi Apparatus > Tweezer Reprise.

[localcrew]

The Rite Of Spring; love it! It might be too bombastic at times for babies no?.....?...couldn't hurt too much though I suppose as beauty is beauty after all...

[Fista]

I LOVE that idea Marge, awesome!

We had planned music for Zane's birth, I couldn't honestly tell you what was playing though. Eden's birth was so long and drawn out that I forgot about listening to anything at all.

I would recommend bringing an ipod or mp3 player so you can tune out the rest of the world when things get hairy. It could help you ride the contractions out too. Good luck with everything, can't wait to hear that your little man has arrived!!

[Im going home Donny]

Music...what a great idea. I never even considered it for Des. Ha...my main concern was that there was a wall of awesome drugs lined up and thankfully there was indeed.

Very exciting beans ladio!

[StaggerLee]

our midwives recommended picking up a bottle of some celebratory something to drink when it's all over, too, and something you'd never drink otherwise but that you'd probably enjoy. I opted myself for amaretto liqueur, and wouldn't you know it, every time I taste it now, it takes me right back.

This is a great idea. I'm going to have to head to the LC for something nice. Six and a half weeks to go before I can crack it open.