Weekend Soundtrack
Weekend Soundtrack: "Tracy in the Bathroom Killing Thrills"
Michael Raphael
DECEMBER 13, 2008
- Paula Pisani Bungee Jumping
- (Courtesy Bungee.com)
- View the Slideshow
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It's time to listen to your weekend soundtrack - the songs that bridge the gap from Friday to Monday. This week our story comes from Paula Pisani. Her weekend soundtrack is the song "Tracy in the Bathroom Killing Thrills" by the rock group Mary's Danish. She says it gives her an adrenaline rush to start the weekend.
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John Moe: Paula, what makes this your weekend soundtrack?
Paula Pisani: This song is one giant adrenaline rush. Which for me is a perfect way to start the weekend. I feel like I spend much of the week in my head, being serious at my job. And any time I can get out of my head and get the blood going and the adrenaline running, then it's a good weekend.
Moe: What do you do for a job?
Pisani: I am a copy editor at a daily newspaper.
Moe: OK. Not the most visceral experience.
Pisani: No.
Moe: So besides listening to this song, what are you doing on the weekends to get that blood flowing?
Pisani: My weekends are actually Tuesday and Wednesday. Because it's the nature of the job. But on my weekends, I like to go surfing. I always thought that this song would make a great soundtrack to a surf video. I ride my bike a lot. This song plays in my head, and it's gotten me up a lot of impossible hills. I go bungee jumping every once in a while, and it plays there. I like to think that, in my head at least, I'm extreme.
Moe: I think so. I'll grant you that.
Pisani: I spend all week, you know, being somebody's employee. And I'm an editor, so I read a lot of stories about death, destruction and financial crises. And I have some chronic pain issues. I really try to work through that and just make up for the week where I've sat at my desk, you know, maybe eating aspirin.
Moe: Do you listen to this with other people?
Pisani: I don't. My husband tolerates my choice in music, but he doesn't really celebrate it with me.
Moe: Celebrate?
Pisani: Celebrate, yeah. Music has always played a starring role in my life. When I was growing up, my mom was a deejay and she was an audio engineer at a community radio station. And so the radio was just always on. She never told me to turn the radio down. It was always, "Oh, turn this up," and, "Who's this?," and, "Maybe I'll play it on a program."
Moe: Wow, you couldn't shock your mom.
Pisani: And I tried. I really tried. But, no.
Moe: It's like a fundamental rite of passage for a teenager.
Pisani: I missed out. Maybe I'm making up for it now. I'm in my late thirties, and I never thought that I would still be listening to this kind of music in my late thirties. I thought I would be an adult and be grown-up and be very, I don't know, serious? But that's not how it worked out, and I'm glad.
More stories from our Weekend Soundtrack series
Comments
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From provincetown, MA, 02/19/2009
Paula, congratulations on a great interview! And how wonderful to get a chance to thank your Mother...she did so much for all of us, musically. I'm 65 now and still listening to "new" music and love it when I hear something that really grabs me and spins me around. As for being extreme, you always were, and I hope you always will be. You were the student who made me wish I could do it all over again with your attitude and energy.
From San Diego, CA, 12/24/2008
Gretchen, I am honored that you left a comment! Mary's Danish has been in heavy rotation on my playlist for many years. I'm sorry, but I have to ask -- any chance of a reunion show?
Thank you for the years of inspiration,
Paula
From Pasadena, CA, 12/19/2008
Wow! So cool you like this song, Paula. It was always one of my favorites, too. Take care and keep up the extreme mentality!
Gretchen (Mary's Danish)
From San Diego, CA, 12/17/2008
Mom, that you never asked me to turn down the radio is one of the million reasons I love you. But I think "accomplished athlete" are some pretty strong words.... : )
From Provincetown, MA, 12/14/2008
Hi...I'm Paula Pisani's mom and I am sorry about not being shocked when she was growing up in her choice of music. But because of that, she's an accomplished athlete now and I am so proud of her.
Diana Fabbri
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