Songs in the Key of Suman

It's late, I'm tired, and I don't feel like writing anything right now. So, no suman post for today.

...

...

Okay, maybe just one.

I'm sitting in front of the computer listening to eighteen tracks of a personalized CD right now. About a month ago, you see, a friend and I agreed to burn copies of each other's music files and exchange them so that each of us could get an inkling of what the other was listening to. At this very moment, in fact, I'm finding it rather difficult to concentrate on writing because of the hard rock blaring in my ears.

(For the pundits: Yeah, well, we're burning mp3s. But we agreed to burn only one music sample per artist, if only for the purpose of letting each other know what their work is like. That way, if we like certain songs, we can go out and pick up the respective CDs. Or... well, uh... maybe... steal a few more files from off the Internet, but the reasoning isn't exactly perfect here.)

As a result of our little agreement, I've thrown a lot of bits and pieces into mine: Some rock, a little techno, a dash of R&B, and a sprinkling of Broadway. Otherwise it's about eighteen different songs that you normally wouldn't see on a single CD. (The disc, I fear, may develop a serious identity crisis in the near future.)

Now, with my current activities out of the way, I will now attempt a smooth segue into the topic of suman latik.

As far as I can recall, no artist has ever released a song about suman latik. In fact, based on the few attempts that first came out in the webring, it must be pretty difficult to write such a song. I mean, what would it be about? What kind of theme would it integrate with sticky rice? Would it get played on the radio despite the obvious fact that it's a song about suman, of all things?

So I won't try writing a song about suman latik. I think that it's the most obvious idea that marries suman and music, and I'm not much for obvious ideas. Besides, my lyrical attempts are usually so bad that their printouts have to be burned and their ashes scattered.

Instead, I'll ask a different question: What if you had a suman album?

No, I mean a suman album. What if you had a CD collection that was entitled "Suman", and had a picture of the delicacy in front? (We can probably use the Sassy Lawyer's picture above, just for this exercise.) What songs would probably be inside?

The first thing that comes to mind is "Weird Al" Yankovic:

Don’t you tell me you’re full
Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it
Get yourself an egg and beat it
Have some more chicken, have some more pie
It doesn’t matter if it’s boiled or fried
Just eat it, eat it, just eat it, eat it
Just eat it, eat it, just eat it, eat it, ooh

- "Eat It" ("Weird Al" Yankovic)

I'm never satisfied with three meals a day
While the world is sleeping I'll be munching away
Gonna sneak into the kitchen
Gonna tiptoe down and turn on the light
Right, yeah, if no one's around to see you
It don't matter if you snack all night

- "Snack All Night" ("Weird Al" Yankovic)

"Weird Al" is probably the king of strange songs. Chances are fairly good that if you're looking for a song on an obscure topic, he's probably written it already. :)

In addition, I must point out that Craig David has some oddly coincidential lyrics in one of his works:

You're what I want
You're what I need
I wanna taste ya (taste ya) take ya home with me
You look so good
Good enough to eat
I wonder if I can peel your wrapper
If I can be your fantasy

- "What's Your Flava" (Craig David)

Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

What's more, I know that the band Shonen Knife released a single called "Banana Leaf" in one of their early albums. Sadly, I don't have the lyrics to the song, but the title of this one alone makes it something of a good fit.

What else is there, anyway? Maybe something tragic...

I feel it soft
In my hands
So soft
So soft
And I can sit through the door
Watching mine
Watching the sign
I know it's soft
So soft
I know it's soft
So soft

- "Soft", (Moby)

Yes, it's bad to take Moby's lyrics out of context, but it sounds pretty close on the surface, right?

I suppose I can name one more possibility, although it's in as general a context as "Weird Al" above:

Food, glorious food!
Eat right through the menu.
Just loosen your belt
Two inches and then you
Work up a new appetite.
In this interlude --
Then food,
Once again, food
Fabulous food,
Glorious food.

- "Food, Glorious Food" (Oliver!, the Musical)

It's probably just me, but I find it difficult to leave Broadway out of anything nowadays.

That's six possible entries into a suman album already, and although the pickings are pretty sparse, there could be a few more songs out there that could fit. I don't suppose anyone's got any other suggestions?

No? Ah, well.

I suppose that this is why personalizing a CD isn't easy -- either you've got too much to work with, or you've got too little to pick from.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be going back to checking my selections...

*Hums*