Edmund Fitzgerald on repeat, or, how do YOU kill a party

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

In Chicago last weekend I was at a party with my cousin and someody decided to make me DJ (always a bad idea). I noticed that on the house iPod they had Gordon Lightfoot’s classic maritime ballad, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” Being slightly drunk (read: 37 beers between 3 of us at the Cubbies game before a few in a bar before the party), I use my God-like DJing powers to put said Lightfoot song on, but then realize that merely being ON isn’t good enough, so I put it on repeat and start taking bets as to how long this will last before someone turns it off or kills me. Three and a half repetitions later, the girl who was de facto bartender gets pissed and storms out to change songs, which she does by pressing the “next” button, simply causing a repeat of the Gordon classic. I find this absolutely hillarious and almost fall out of my chair. Shortly thereafter, we left. I’m not sure if we were ASKED to leave or simply decided it was a good idea.

So, how do you ruin the vibe at a party?

2

“Afternoon Delight” worked in “PCU”

3

show up

4

They don’t call me Buzzkill for nothing.

5

So, were you taking Richard Jeni’s advice to heart?

(For those who don’t know, one of this comedian’s signature jokes is about using this very song to clear out parties.)

6

I’ve always found that “Honey,” by Bobby Goldsboro works better than tear gas.

7

I’ve always found that “Honey,” by Bobby Goldsboro works beter than tear gas.

8

In college, “Dreamweaver” was our traditional “the party’s over, get you asses off the dance floor” song.

9

Slim Whitman

10

The only music I’ve used successfully to clear out a party is “Give Up” by The Postal Service. It’s techno enough that it won’t be immediately turned off at parties, but it always seemed to me to be music that would be on at around 3 am when the party’s winding down than earlier in the night. So when I was at a party winding down at 3 am I popped it into the stereo and everyone sort of said their goodbyes and left. Since that usually isn’t my aim at parties (I was just testing a theory,) I haven’t repeated the experiment.

11

“Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior?”

:wink:

12

And if that doesn’t work, Boxcar Willy.

13

I have to think the sound of Marianne Faithfull would send people running. With the exception of the brilliant “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan”, it would me, and even that one would be a real downer.

Or the Barney Greatest Hits album.

14

“My husband and I decided to quit our jobs and sell Amway products.”

15

I’ve been in pubs in Ireland where they play Cliff Richard really loud to get people to leave.

It works.

16

Yoko

17

Bjork

18

If you want to really clear a room fast, put on Lou Reed’s “Berlin”.
Twenty minutes flat, I guarantee.

19

Just wanted to say that Edmund Fitzgerald was one of the very first, if not the first record (45) that my brother ever bought, and we’d spend hours listening to it.

One of the alltime best “story songs.” And it’s all true.

20

I have to add my support to Sideshow Ralph Wiggum’s. Only in my case, I listened to this 45 obsessively before I could even read. I asked my mother to put an “X” on the side that had The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, so I wouldn’t mistakenly put on the B-side (The House You Live In, I think). I took the record to kindergarden for show and tell. Having said that, I might max out at twenty repetitions or so. But then you could put on Highwayman on repeat and I’d be happy for another hour or so.