1001 Songs Challenge #970: Time to Pretend (2008)

On 11 February 2019 I set myself the challenge of reading 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die by Robert Dimery (ed.) and following the book’s advice to the letter. I’ve previously read 1001 Films… and started 1001 Albums… but felt 1001 Songs… would be a sensible place to start for what I have in mind here.

My challenge is to read about one song per day and listen to it (YouTube and Spotify, I need you tonight!) before sharing my own thoughts. Some songs I will love, others I’ll hate, and I’m sure there will be those that leave me perplexed but listen to them I shall.

I’ll also try, and most likely fail, to pinpoint the best song from the 1001 on offer but I’m nothing if not foolhardy. Instead of one song, I’m predicting I’ll have about 100 favourites by the end and may have to resort to a Top 10 so far to maintain any semblance of sanity.

So long as I post every day (including Christmas) then this challenge should come to an end on Wednesday 8 November 2021. Staying with the Barney Stinson theme I am hoping that the whole experience will prove to be… legendary!

 

MGMT – Time to Pretend (2008)

 

 

We are leaving Seattle and continuing our time here in the US, dear reader. We make our way over to Middletown in Connecticut. MGMT were formed in 2002 by Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser and they focused on experimental rock and pop with elements of synth and psychedelia. When we join them in 2008 it is with the release of their debut album, Oracular Spectacular, and from there 1001 Songs have gone with the track – Time to Pretend. 

Time to Pretend originally appeared as an EP back in 2005 but was re-recorded for the group’s debut album. The song was inspired by a praying mantis the group had in their college days which laid eggs and died. The eggs later hatched and the young praying mantises proceeded to climb a model of a pirate ship. Bizarre. The song makes references to fantasising about being rock stars and the glitz, glamour, touring and drug taking that this may involve. The song later reflects on the simple days of childhood when everything was carefree, juxtaposing this with the rock star lifestyle.

I am most familiar with MGMT for their terrific song, Kids, but Time to Pretend was also a track I have come across before. MGMT write intriguing lyrics and have a great sound to bring their words to life. As much as I enjoyed Time to Pretend I do prefer Kids which is an amazing track. MGMT continue to this day and now have four albums to their name.

 

Favourite songs so far:

The Animals – House of the Rising Sun (1964)

Simon & Garfunkel – The Sounds of Silence (1965)

The Beatles – A Day in the Life (1967)

The Doors – The End (1967)

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (1975)

Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell (1977)

Tracy Chapman – Fast Car (1988)

U2 – One (1991)

Radiohead – Paranoid Android (1997)

Snow Patrol – Run