A New Spin on Rotary
One of my responsibilities as President of the East Cooper Breakfast Rotary Club is High Priestess of Meetings. I run them, from the time a person walks through the door to sign in to the time they flee to the safety of their vehicles and go about their work days.
I endeavor to make them Entertaining.
I modulate my voice. I try not to play with my hands, a horrible, hideous tick that has existed since I gushed from my mother’s womb at one end of the forceps that were required to deliver the almost 10 pounds of me. I won’t mention what else I was doing when I made my grand appearance, as it is a decidedly not ladylike emission admission.
At least, I was not Jim Carrey in “Dumb and Dumber.” I did not pop out with a lighter at my disposal.
So, I stand at the front of the room like I am armless, with my hands in a death grip behind my back. I come up with things for the membership to do that will hopefully build camaraderie and morale. I try to be perky. And up.
And, since I would sleep until 10am every day if I could, the fact that I do this at 7:30 every Tuesday morning is a Major Life Accomplishment. It proves that I have finally, miraculously matured.
Riiiiiiiight.
One of the things I got MTM for Christmas, just so I could use it all the time, is a Zooka from Carbon Audio. It is a bluetooth enabled stereo speaker that will play music from any bluetooth device. My iPhone 5, as an example.
Well.
I started my iPhone playlist up at the Rotary meeting yesterday morning, to fill in the cavernous background air that accompanies people talking in a big room. At the time, I was standing between two members. My Zooka started playing a song from Cafe del Mar Volume 8, which is appropriate world music for Rotary, but it was met with mixed reviews from these two.
The only other thing I had at my disposal was the soundtrack to the movie Inception. Dun-dun. Dun-dun. A modified version of Jaws at 7:30 in the morning.
I. Need. Help.
I would like to create a soundtrack for my Rotary meetings. The only requirement is that the song somehow include an allusion to a circle, a wheel or something round. (Please, PLEASE click the links in the previous sentence before you reply to get a flavor of the proceedings.) I will write an entire blog post about the Rotarian reactions to this playlist, because I will include whatever qualifying song you post in a comment if it meets the stated requirements.
I’ve only ever been to one Rotary meeting, and that was as a guest. After an animated lunch one of the Rotarians asked my sponsor why I was not a Rotarian to which he repiled ” Rotarians need to have money and Roger hasn’t got a penny”.
Was this in England or France? I only ask because I have quite a few English Rotarian friends. One of their clubs twins with a club in Bourges, France, and they told me some fun stories about their visits back and forth.
Regardless, I can assure you that I have no money, and they let me in.
Andra! I’m going to lose hours to this! Love it
I hope you will submit a song or several, Fiona.
This only comes to mind because it was being discussed on NPR, Tubular Bells by …. Argh! Is it Oldenfold?? It is ethereal and minimal and they will all hate it but tubular is kinda round after 4 hours of sleep, right? You’ve a fancy phone, go ask Siri!
(wish I could sleep in, jealous!!!!)
Here’s yours, Angela. I’ve always liked this one, despite its movie use.
And, I can’t sleep until 10 every day. I just wish I could.
Just ’cause I couldn’t resist.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Dx8Yd-0i5Q
For some reason, your link isn’t showing up as a video here, so I’m going to try posting it again, Karen.
The Circle game (Tom Rush version)
Windmills of your Mind Dusty Springfield
Can the Circle Be Unbroken by anyone really
Circle Miles Davis
Spinning Wheel Blood Sweat and Tears
Will It Go Round In Circles Billy Preston
Circles George Harrison
All I have time for this AM – more to come if you like…
In honor of the spinning wheel that Rotary Clubs often have on hand……..
Nice work Andra… Good for you AND the Rotary. Certainly you need to include ‘Wagon Wheel’ by Old Crow Medicine Show near the top of your list!
Are you still in DI Rotary, Jon? Come join us!! We’re at Mt Pleasant Waterfront Park now. I’ll even play your song.
Just left after 12 great years.
Love that song, one of my all-time favorites! Let me know how it goes over.
If you ever plan to come back to Rotary, I hope you’ll consider our group. We’d love to have you as a member.
Hmmmm. Let’s see, the only thing on my IPhone 4 are books from iTunes and all Carrie Underwood’s and P!nk’s albums.
I’m so diverse. However, at home I have tons of CD’s (I only wish I were able to move my CD’s onto ITunes so I could put them on my phone…challenged I am), a lot of celtic music.
Anyway…I’m sure your rotary meetings are tons of fun.
I am searching through their archives for something appropriate………
How could I forget:
Roundabout – Yes
It Won’t Be Long Neil Young
Oklahoma
Circle of Life
Fist City and The Pill Loretta Lynn
Circle of Life……….this version, or Elton singing it?
Oh – you know your team better than I…
Forget the soundtrack, what you need is sound effects!! When I speak or teach, I often use the app Rimshot & Crickets. I can do rim shots, applause, crickets chirping and even a sad trombone sound.
If you insist on true soundtrack, I would go with something that would get them cranked up. Maybe some Dirty Vegas, Chemical Brothers or my personal favorite to get things cranked up, Queen’s of the Stone Age – Go With The Floor.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcHKOC64KnE I just love that video.
How does this song meet the stated requirements, Carnell? You just wanted to put a crotch shot on my blog. Shame on you.
Well, crotch shots _are_ always fun. But the song has cars in it. Tires are round! Well at least the video does.
So fine, just use Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash. Be that way.
I do not have any room to reprimand you after putting up Rose Byrne.
Just realized my taste in music makes me look like a public school drop-out. Will try to get classy and get back to you on this
Somewhere, this song has a circular reference, Tori. I hereby submit it in your honor.
Hmm…something round…C is for Cookie?
This comment made me spit my C is for Coffee…….Thank you.
I was hoping for that kind of response.
Well the first and most obvious is Bert Bacharach’s Circle Song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUhKcnvhAvs.
Reposting your link, Cheryl, hopefully to show the video.
Here is a quick thought.
Please, survey some of your San Diego cohorts. We might come up with an Official Rotary Playlist.
Sounds good, I’ll ask them over a bottle of wine this evening, our Zone 33 & 34 class going to our own little informal dinner tonight on our night off from the Assembly.
Have a blast, Lou.
Hum! or Hmmm? Okay, The Circle Game. Tom Rush is already mentioned, so, squeak up another version, maybe Joni Mitchell? There must be a lively version of Ring Around the Rosy.
Penny, you’re going to kill me, but here’s a lively version……I cannot possibly play it at a Rotary meeting, though I suspect several of the men would love it.
And, here’s your Joni Mitchell.
A little more hard rocking than I think you want, though some of Moby’s other tunes (again, not this one), though not directly referencing circles, are more the ambient electronica sound you want and might have that circular feel: Try Revolver (yes, I know, gun not quite same, but technically revolve=circle, and the reference is sound) off of Animal Rights
Animal Rights
This one is a little too peppy perky with rather blatant sexual allusions, but it’s a silly fun song anyway http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6md5RSnVUuo, Mika Lollipop
(And there’s Lollipop boy and The Lollipop song)
Helen Wheels, Paul Mccartney
Catherine Wheels, Finn brothers (or maybe Crowded house)
Restos du coeur – (I’m counting the cycle through the heart – this version has an annoying intro) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnp-wM9kzM8
Tequila sunrise (I’m really stretching now)
Sunrise Songs
This one might actually fit – it’s another sunrise song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0rbDZv1xgI
This one might fit, too: A round song — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CsEVLzUs2I
Aaaand there you have it. My brainstorm is over.
These are all great, Jessie. Thanks for all these links.
Another good one. Thanks, Nancy.
or maybe this quirky gem: http://youtu.be/DpdL2DLshf4
I LOVE quirk! That’s an awesome video.
Oh I love this! I’m going into a meeting and I won’t be able to concentrate, instead I’ll be humming. I can’t take the time to check too carefully through other submissions, but I thought of Blood Sweat and Tears–”Spinning Wheel”, and maybe a stretch–John Mayer’s “Gravity.” And then for fun, how about Tony Bennett–”I Wanna Be a-ROUND!”
I’ll be thinking. I didn’t really want to work today anyway!
Here’s Gravity, Debra. It might be a stretch, but we need more contemporary songs.
No offense to any of us but we seemed to be skewing a bit – h’mmm – flashbacky? so… texted Abigail for suggestions
Taylor Swift – Our Song (Steering Wheel Verse 1)
Ellie Goulding I Need Your Love (walking in circles verse 3)
Foo Fighters – Wheels
Gaga – Just Dance (Twirling them hips round and round)
Please thank Abigail for me.
Darius Rucker has a new single out…Wagon Wheel
Perfect! Most of the group loves Darius.
Someone has probably already said this, but it is one of my life songs. To everything, there is a season, by The Byrds.
Loveitloveitloveitloveit.
I vote for Kate’s entry.
I could not imagine sitting through a service club meeting at 7:30 AM… but for your’s, I might make an exception.
Hi Andra,
I chaired my first Rotary meeting last Wednesday (I’m PE) but I chickened out on bringing my Sony bluetooth speakers and iPad in order to play Fun’s Some Nights or Carry On or both. I actually thought about it. Bravo on doing it.
No idea how they would have reacted. . And hell i’m only 73 and a “new” Rotarian. You have to admit Carry On isn’t bad considering some the the barriers we face.
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