Yearlong Song Challenge, Day 175: Nate

Prompt: "A song that you would gift to someone else in Song Challenge if you picked their name for the Song Challenge Secret Santa"

Nate is Secret Santa for:

Zach

"Song for Pete"

Hovvdy

Hovvdy, 2024

Happy holidays, my son. Know this was no easy feat; your love of experiment (DAUGHTERS!), to discover and to be discovered (MUSGRAVES!) makes fulfilling this prompt a tricky one. I took a few spins through Ishay Ribo's latest, Sof Chama Lavo, but I must admit that I found it texturally a little one-note (which I am sure betrays the nuance and spiritualty that you have clearly found in his music). I quite liked "Shetach Afor"—has some great drive to it!—but I have, alas, chained myself to songs only from this year. I also considered sending you this fan-made complete version of "Listening" by the Everything-You-Knows, but I assume Joe would have hip-checked (hockey term) as a repeat. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to click that link and listen to it 10-15 times like I did while writing this.

Ultimately, I am leaning on the idea that, to borrow from a religious practice followed by neither of us, that the light in me will recognize the light in you. Here’s a song that I listen to all the time, and in the listening is generating its own meaning within my life. May it find purchase in you, too. A little trip-hop in your Americana. I'll go a step further and say that, in times of trial this year, I turned to this song to lift me out of self-pity / justified sadness. It worked, sometimes. There if you need it kind of a thing. Peace in our time, an Orioles World Series soon after.  

THE YEAR IN ZACH

Best Post: I've known Zach longer than I know everyone on this blog (save BJG), and as a regular reader of his blog before it was defunct, I thought I had a good sense of what to expect. Some of that came to bare; detailed Wilco analysis, cogent and thoughtful reflection on religion and its place in one's life, a kind and quiet voice that masks a fiery rage to rival none other than Dennis Reynolds. Orioles illness and hockey worship, of course, though I have to admit that I didn't see Bernie Williams coming.

What I did not expect is was there all along: a courageous willingness to share himself, warts and anxieties and all. More than almost anyone else, Zach let us know about him this year, deeply and fearlessly, even when he was afraid in the process. I know many on the blog followed along with me, jaws agape and breath bated, during the nearly-real-time A ordeal. I know many of you must feel the same sense of joy that I do, seeing Zach's year of finding love in a hopeless place come to a moment of romantic resolution. I know many of you must feel the same sense of insight and perspective that I did on his views on the ongoing conflicts in and around Israel, living in a war zone in a time of war. You got to meet my friend this year, and I did, too. He's your friend now, too.

However, his best post? Why, it was the grocery store rankings. Service journalism at its finest, long live Price Chopper.

Most Deranged Post: It's funny. When I initially started to re-read Zach's posts from the year, the memory of his year-long search for love loomed so largely in my mind—to say nothing of his posts about religion, mental wellness, and politics—that I expected there wouldn't be very much mania to highlight.

This, as it turns out, was a very stupid thing to think. Blogging makes a fool of us all. For example:

• Sharing a picture of your zemer Zodiac Killer notebook
• Checking a friend's twitter page just to make oneself mad online, as if there are not enough ways to make oneself mad online without seeking them out
• An excellent Sunny impression
• We should unshackle ourselves from utensils and let the slop spill from our mouths freely
• It is time to be plowed by Bryce Harper

However, none is more deranged than Zach's sincere and heartfelt salute to your king and mine, Kim Jong Un.

Best Song: Zach is dead-on about "Old Town Road."

Guster count at time of publication: 6

One to re-read: I will cheat and share two: the so-obvious-it-hurts failed date recognition, and his reflection on the failed peace attempt of the Clinton-era.

In conclusion: You are right about musicals, WXPN, WEXT, and about jacking off too much. You are wrong about Jonathan Davis and the worst thing you could do. Every song reminds me of an ex too. See you at the Tel Aviv poetry jam, bring the weird nachos.