Update, 2/21/09: I made it through surgery just fine, and this morning’s post-op checkup showed my left eye is now seeing with 20/30 vision. That’s much better than the 20/150 vision I went in with. As for yesterday’s playlist, I tuned in to some new albums by Asobi Seksu and M. Ward, but also went back to some old standards: London Calling, by the Clash (best album ever); More Songs About Buildings and Food, by Talking Heads; Rubber Soul, by the Beatles (Joe’s suggestion of “I’m Looking Through You” prompted me to pick that one); Armed Forces, by Elvis Costello & the Attractions (Ron, I happen to like Elvis C.’s singing style, and his early work); and Neon Bible, by Arcade Fire. Off to rest my eyes and listen to more good music.
Tomorrow morning I go in for cataract surgery (yes, I know I’m too young to have cataracts, but they’re there, and yes, diabetes is a bitch).
While it’s a quick procedure (and painless, I’m assured), it means I won’t be able to do much with my eyes for a couple of days. Which means: no blogging, no reading, no watching television. No Friday Five manana.
But I will have a lot of time to listen to music on Friday and Saturday. This morning I downloaded a couple of new albums so that I would have something fresh to listen to. But I’m also thinking about pulling out some old favorites I haven’t listened to in ages. A couple of Talking Heads albums come to mind as potential post-op plays (77 and More Songs About Buildings and Food). I’ll probably be in the mood for fairly mellow tunes, so furious punk is out. Ergo, no Ramones (possible exception: “I Wanna Be Sedated”).
If I’m already heavily sedated, I might turn to something dream-inducing, like Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon or Radiohead’s In Rainbows or Blonde Redhead’s 23, or maybe something more ambient, like Aphex Twin, will be in order.
One thing is for certain. for my pre-op playlist, I won’t be listening to any of these:
“Doctor My Eyes,” by Jackson Browne
“Blinded By the Light,” by Bruce Springsteen or Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
“Debaser,” by the Pixies (the song references that well-known Luis Bunuel/Salvador Dali short film Un Chien Andalou, which features the slitting of eyeballs)
Anything from Tommy, but especially “See Me, Feel Me”
“Far Away Eyes,” by the Rolling Stones
“Crosseyed and Painless,” by Talking Heads (although I like the “painless” idea)
Maybe I should just settle on listening to everything in my collection by Bright Eyes.
What are your suggestions for good post-op music? Leave your suggestions below, as well as your good vibrations. Hey! There’s an idea…
Andy writes! 
First, good luck with the surgery. Hope it all goes well.
I Am Vision, I Am Sound – Bob Mould
Gypsy Eyes – Jimi Hendrix
A Pair of Brown Eyes – The Pogues
Suddenly I See – KT Tunstall
See No Evil – Television
I’ll stop now, seriously. Again, good luck.
Good luck, Andrew. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Here are some suggestions:
The Who, I Can See for Miles
Grateful Dead, Eyes of the World
The Beatles, I’m Looking Through You
The Beatles, I’ve Just Seen a Face
The Beatles, You Won’t See Me
Loggins and Messina, Angry Eyes
Best of luck!
Rolling Stones: Wild Horses, Shattered, Faraway Eyes
Beatles, obladi oblada, Ballad of John & Yoko
Sarah McLachlan, Ice Cream
From the Grateful Dead:
Brown Eyed Woman
Eyes of the World
Looks Like Rains
Good luck!!!
I think you should listen to the entire Eagles Box Set so you can have an opportunity to revise you narrow minded opinion of them being the worst band of the 70s.
Dry Your Eyes, The Band
Close Your Eyes, Bebel Gilberto
Mingus Eyes, Richard Thompson
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Gaetano Veloso
Suite Judy Blue Eyes: Crosby, Stills & Nash
I’ve Got My Eyes on You, Dianne Reeves
Star Eyes, Charlie Parker
Brown Eyed Girl, Van Morrison
How about the obvious choice?
I Can See Clearly Now, by Johnny Nash.
I’ll be thinking happy thoughts for you.
See Me…Feel Me
Doctor My Eyes
Angry Eyes
These Eyes
In Your Eyes
Bette Davis…knees?
I got nothin’
Good Luck, AC
Great suggestions, all! (Well, except for the Grateful Dead and Eagles. What can I say? I’m a philistine.) Appreciate all the happy thoughts and good vibes. Keep the suggestions coming.
It’s also funny to see the selections. Some of them are dead giveaways to your age. *coffMichaelStonercoff*
Good luck with the surgery.
I have cataracts, too — a lovely residual from a series of concussions I’ve suffered over the last 10 years.
Makes for wonderful days at the computer for a College in Canada. Make sure you give us post-surgery news, eh?
“I can see clearly now” -Jimmy Cliff….you had to know that was coming!
“Cupid shuffle” – Cupid or “Starry eyed surprise” – Oakenfold (songs for when you do the happy dance now that you can see)
Meg and Mary Helen, now I’m conflicted about which version of “I Can See Clearly Now” to listen to. johnny Nash wrote it, Jimmy Cliff improved upon iit. But maybe the Eagle-Eye Cherry cover would be the most appropriate, given the name of the band.
I am 32 and just had cataract surgery last Friday myself! It was SO quick and I felt ZERO pain. Good luck and just remember how amazing your eye sight will be afterwards!
Good luck with the surgery. I’ll be praying for you.
The best post-op “music?” Silence. Get a lot of sleep and rest in peace and quiet :)
Again, thanks to everyone for their playlist suggestions and well wishes. Keep ’em coming (except for those Grateful Dead recommendations — sorry, no offense, just can’t take it, no matter how medicated I may be).
How bout the theme from Shaft? Upon returning from surgery, you can act like a real bada–.
Happy thoughts and Best wishes,
Dave
Ok, a random list of stuff: (all LPs)
Jenny Owen Youngs – Batten The Hatches
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart – eponymous
Iran – Dissolver (the bassist from TV on the Radio is in this band)
Beirut – March of the Zapotec & Realpeople: Holland
Thursday – Common Existence
…And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead – The Century of Self
Emiliana Torrini – Fisherman’s Woman (tracks: Nothing Brings Me Down, Today Has Been Okay, Thinking Out Loud)
That should keep you busy for a few weeks. Hang in there, pal.
Two more that I just thought of that aren’t new releases (all of those above but Jenny Owen Youngs are LPs released in the past month)
Check out:
Stew – The Naked Dutch Painter and Other Songs
Probably one of the better songwriters out there.
Elvis Costello & Bert Bachrach – Painted from Memory
I realize EC has a voice that makes you think “gee, how did this guy make it singing for a living” but the album is one of the more underrated ones out there in my opinion.