# What is your "utility" music? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311 "2006-06-19T16:40:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/1 "2006-06-19T16:40:07Z")
My lovely husband bought us tickets to [this](http://www.aikenpromotions.com/event.asp?eid=164) (which I am super excited about) and I had a thought. When I’m cleaning or doing housework I \*always \* listen to \*\*The Hives \*\* or \*\*Violent Femmes \*\* because they make me bouncy and it helps me to forget the monotony and boredom of what I’m doing. What songs/albums/artists do you listen to for a specific purpose? Does D’Angelo do it for you in the bedroom? Does Charlie Parker help when you’re cooking? Do you like a little Led Zeppelin when you’re getting ready to go out? Tell me! I can’t be the only one who does this type of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_And_Candy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/2 "2006-06-19T16:52:47Z")
Weird. I was just thinking about this yesterday. o\_0 But, yeah. If we’re doing a large amount of cleaning my Mum puts on Billie Holiday and Diana Washington. It’s been that way for as long as I can remember. So, now when I hear either, I feel like I need to start working. Uhmm, crap techno/pop stuff such as The Killers and Eiffel 62 when I’m exercising. ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/3 "2006-06-19T18:46:48Z")
My “cleaning” playlist includes Blue Man Group, Freezepop, Mecano, and Venus Hum. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/4 "2006-06-19T19:14:22Z")
Can we talk about sex music? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/5 "2006-06-19T19:16:53Z")
I always feel like Stevie Ray Vaughn must be playing when my husband & I take a drive in his convertible. Or else ZZ Top. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/6 "2006-06-19T19:27:54Z")
When I’m cleaning, I usually play music I know all the words to and can sing along with. Yesterday, it was Nat King Cole’s greatest and the soundtrack the the Cowboy Bebop movie. When I’m dolling myself up to go out, I listen to upbeat club music. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/7 "2006-06-19T19:28:08Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Can we talk about sex music? 😉 Jeff Buckley is good sex music. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/8 "2006-06-19T20:14:29Z")
Whenever I’m working (writing a paper, doing calculus, etc.) I put on mt classical music. When I’m working out Judas Priest or AC-DC usually does the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Tamryne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@Tamryne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamryne)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/9 "2006-06-19T20:35:21Z")
I listen to downtempo stuff while at work. It all blends together and puts me into a kind of trance, perfect for monotonous data entry. For driving club and reggaeton are great, while mass-produced ‘electronica’ aka Moby is good while waking up/playing on the computer. Oh, and Alanis Morrisette/Dido/Tori Amos are reserved for cleaning. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/10 "2006-06-19T20:46:08Z")
> [@Indygrrl](#): > > Jeff Buckley is good sex music. I like to listen to Nine Inch Nails, or R&B music like R. Kelly. When I’m playing a fast-paced first-person shooter I listen to stuff like The Misfits or Nirvana. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/11 "2006-06-19T22:20:46Z")
For intense, work related concentration, I recommend Gorecki’s _Symphony of Sorrowful Songs_. I would not recommend the same work, however, as a soundtrack for sex. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/12 "2006-06-20T01:37:51Z")
When I’m the last person left in the office, I put Steely Dan’s _Gold_ on the stereo and play it at moderately high volume while I’m finishing up my work. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/13 "2006-06-20T01:48:22Z")
I find it’s a mistake to have the soundtrack to [La Dolce Vita](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000IKPI/sr=1-1/qid=1150768030/ref=sr_1_1/002-7347688-0039210?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=music) on while I’m getting ready in the morning, or I wind up showing up at the office with inch-thick black eyeliner. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/14 "2006-06-20T01:54:27Z")
I can’t listen to music during sex. Whenever I’m cleaning or organizing my stuff or whatever, I play hard-driving electronica like Wagon Christ and Mr. Scruff. It’s motion music. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/15 "2006-06-20T02:15:24Z")
For work I like the **Beautiful Mind** soundtrack (minus all the dippy love-theme tracks) and the **Sneakers** soundtrack, the **Brandenburg Concertos** , anything by Vivaldi and **Akhnaten**. For cleaning and general black moods, **The Crow** soundtrack. For working out, for some reason, I like it nerdy: the **Mortal Kombat** soundtrack, Schoolly D, MC Chris, Weird Al. I guess I derive energy from humor and irony. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/16 "2006-06-20T02:59:06Z")
If I have to clean, I either listen to poetry on cd or to goth and industrial. I like _Assemblage 23_ and _VNV Nation_ for both exercising and for cleaning. In fact, I have to do dishes tonight, and I’ll be listening to both. For light wandering around housework it’s _Gorillaz_ and _Belle and Sebastian_. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/17 "2006-06-20T04:23:06Z")
My thing is driving music. You know, when you’re doing a multi-hour trip, or just an long commute. For this mood, some Neil Diamond alums are good, if they include songs such as “Longfellow Serenade,” “Desire,” “Crunchy Granola Suite,” etc. Led Zep has some good ones, too. Mostly, though, I burn my own CDs from a wide variety of songs. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/18 "2006-06-20T04:24:10Z")
Uh, I meant Desire’ Did I even get it right this time? (Des-uh-RAY) ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/19 "2006-06-20T12:38:15Z")
At work, I listen to Strauss waltzes and the zither artistry of Anton Karas on my CD-Walkman. Makes the day speed by! ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-utility-music/361311/20 "2006-06-20T13:48:41Z")
For cleaning, I MUST have music. It must be fast, but it changes with my mood. Bouncy pop for when I’m actually enjoying the cleaning process, angry punk when I’m resenting it. Either way, it moves me right along, whether I’m dancing with my Swiffer or using it to stab dirty corners. For sex? Whatever’s on, really. I’ll stop noticing pretty soon, anway.