Music Monday: The Perfect Mix Tape

1. "Wish You Were Here", Pink Floyd.

2. "We Own the Sky", M83.

3. "Royals", Lorde.

4. "First Song for B", Devendra Banhart.

5. "Jane", Jefferson Starship (Wet Hot American Summer). 

6. "Balance", Future Islands.

7. "Wicked Game", James Vincent McMorrow (Chris Isaak cover).

8. "The Loco-Motion", Little Eva ('60s).

9. "Holocene", Bon Iver.

10. "Intro", The xx.

11. "Mind Sex", Dead Prez. (Hidden track- wooo!)

This was a fun little Music Monday activity. I remember when I was in school, I'd always make mix tapes (and later CDs) for my friends and such. The last time a guy gave me one (a few years back) it was quite prolific- more like a box set. Mixes truly are one of the most thoughtful gifts that come straight from the heart. I'm a major lyric lover because I think that words are powerful. Music takes it to another level.

September 2013 Playlist

1. "My Favorite Game" by The Cardigans, 1998.
2. "Gypsy" by Fleetwood Mac, 1982.
3. "Ms." by Alt-J, 2013.
4. "Moonchild" by M83, 2005.
5. "Eg anda" by Sigur Ros, 2012.
6. "Expecting to Fly" by Buffalo Springfield, 1967.
7. "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty, 1978.
8. "Knife" by Grizzly Bear, 2007.
9. "Spectrum" (Say My Name) by Florence + The Machine, 2011.
10. "Dancing On My Own" by Robyn, 2010.
11. "Strange Attractor" by Animal Kingdom, 2012.
12. "Wicked Game" by Washed Out, 2011.
13. "My Sweet Lord" by Jim James, 2009.
14. "I Go to the Barn Because I Like The..." by Band of Horses, 2006.
15. "10 Years Gone" by Led Zeppelin, 1975.
16. "Light Beam Rider" by Fly Golden Eagle, 2010.
17. "Do You Mind?" by The xx, 2009.
18. "All I Need" by Radiohead, 2007.
19. "Rave On Sad Songs" by Jason Collett, 2010.
20. "New Orleans" by Gary U.S. Bonds, 1960.
21. "Hell" by A$AP Rocky ft. Santigold, 2013.
22. "Baby I Need Your Loving" by The Four Tops, 1964.
23. "Tenuousness" by Andrew Bird, 2009.
24. "Mother and Child Reunion" by Paul Simon, 1972.
25. "This Is The Last Time" by The National, 2013.

August 2013 Playlist

1. "Piledriver Waltz" by Arctic Monkeys, 2011.
2. "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay (Otis Redding Cover)" by Unknown Mortal Orchestra, 2013.
3. "Don't Worry Baby" by The Beach Boys, 1964.
4. "Alien Days" by MGMT, 2013.
5. "Darkness" by Du Tonc, 2013.
6. "Wildest Moments" by Jessie Ware, 2012.
7. "The State We're In" by The Chemical Brothers ft. Beth Orton, 2002.
8. "City on Fire" by Snake! Snake! Snakes!, 2011.
9. "Get Me Golden" by Terraplane Sun, 2013.
10. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" by Kim Wilde, 1986.
11. "You and I" by Crystal Fighters, 2013.
12. "Dirty Diana" by Michael Jackson, 1988.
13. "Little Red Corvette" by Prince, 1983.
14. "Devil In a New Dress" by Kanye West, 2010.
15. "Love My Way" by The Psychedelic Furs, 1982.
16. "99 Shades of Crazy" by JJ Grey and Mofro, 2013.
17. "Stand By Your Man" by Tammy Wynette, 1968.
18. "All I Want" by Kodaline, 2012.
19. "Where I Found You" by Future Islands, 2012.
20. "Change" by The Lightning Seeds, 1994.
21. "Waves" by Portugal. The Man, 2013.
22. "Country Queen" by Night Moves, 2012.
23. "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure, 1987.
24. "Summertime" by Sam Cooke, 1957.
25. "Why" by Annie Lennox, 1992.
26. "Better Days" by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, 2013.
27. "Night Moves" by Bob Seger, 1976.
28. "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" by Stars, 2005.

July 2013 Playlist

1. "I'm Not the Girl" by LMNTL ft. Angela McCluskey, 2009
2. "Diamonds" by The Boxer Rebellion, 2013
3. "Heavy Feet" by Local Natives, 2013
4. "Modern Jesus" by Portugal. The Man, 2013
5. "Your Life, Your Call" by Junip, 2013
6. "Freight Train" by Sara Jackson-Holman, 2013
7. "This Magic Moment" by The Drifters, 1960
8. "Keep Your Head Up" by Ben Howard, 2011
9. "How My Heart Behaves" by Feist, 2009
10. "Shoulder to Hand" by Helios, 2008
11. "Sugar Babe" by Stephen Stills, 1971
12. "Wagon Wheel" by Darius Rucker, 2013
13. "Harmonix" by Surfer Blood, 2009
14. "Porpoise Song" by The Monkees, 1968
15. "Arrival of the Birds & Transformation" by The Cinematic Orchestra, 2012
16. "Beautiful" by Mariah Carey ft. Miguel, 2013
17. "The Sun" by The Naked and Famous, 2011
18. "I'm Waiting Here" by David Lynch ft. Lykke Li, 2013
19. "On Blue Mountain" by Foxygen, 2013
20. "Tiffany Lou" by Daughn Gibson, 2012
21. "Baby, I'm-a Want You" by Bread, 1972
22. "Black Ocean" by Urban Cone, 2012
23. "Don't You Evah?" by Spoon, 2008
24. "Pink Rabbits" by The National, 2013
25. "Beach Baby" by Bon Iver, 2009

A Glimpse At My Future

This is myself in about 60 years. Don't believe me? Check out these posts I made back in July 2011 and June 2012, declaring my love for "Runaround Sue" by Dion. I will be that little old lady! :)

Mind Games

Flashback Friday: 1972, Join Hands...

It's been a long time since I posted a Flashback Friday. Here's one of my favorite tunes, "Love Train" by The O'Jays, being featured on a classic episode of Soul Train. Don't you just want to get up and dance when you hear this song? Every time I see the Coors Light commercials that also use "Love Train", I get abnormally excited and can't help but smile.

My Top 10 Favorite Songs of ALL TIME?!?!

It seems like an impossible task but I think I'm up to the challenge of choosing my 10 favorite songs of all time- IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, of course! Okay, maybe these are 10 OF my favorite songs of all time but it'll have to do for now. I'm sure I'm forgetting some of the best but as of this very moment and what's currently in my head, I'd have to go with the following tunes... drum roll...

"One Headlight" by The Wallflowers


This was the song that inspired me to create the list. "One Headlight" has always been a favorite of mine but somewhere during the summer of 2008/2009 it became the theme song of sorts between one of my best friends and me. We frequented the same dive bar (Jack's, East Carson St. Pittsburgh, if you're ever in the area) and always chose this song on the TouchTunes music player. "One Headlight" was usually a big crowd pleaser and we loved to belt it out after a few cold ones. It has that unique 90s sound that brings back so many memories but I love that it also reminds me of my friend and all the nights we spent at "our bar." It's also beautifully written and I just adore Jakob Dylan's voice (the dark hair and blue eyes combination aren't so bad either). 

"Night Moves" by Bob Seger


This is a classic but it didn't become a favorite of mine until last summer. I was driving home from a night out with friends with the windows down and a biker dude directly in front of me at a red light. His music was blaring loudly but rather than becoming annoyed, I turned down my radio and tuned in to what he was having. I didn't recognize the song at first through the sound of the oncoming city traffic and the revving of his engine but after a few moments it clicked and I was hooked. "Night Moves" carries such a sound of nostalgia that I absolutely adore. I think songs like this are what's missing from the vast majority of today's music. It makes me want to get up and dance around a fire pit with cold drinks and good friends and recall old memories. I love its lyrical storytelling aspect and will be playing it every summer for the rest of my life.

"Having a Party" by Sam Cooke


Speaking of dancing with friends and having a good time, "Having a Party" by Sam Cooke is it for me. I can't express how much I love this song. It never fails to put a smile on my face. I can't help but sing every word (terribly, I might add) along with Sam. It's just a feel good tune and will always be the first song I request at any outdoor gathering.

"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell



Who doesn't love this song? It's so much fun to sing along to with friends and family. While I grew up listening to this one, it also reminds me of my senior year of high school. My allstar cheerleading squad used it in our competition routine music. It was so much fun stunting to the words, "Ain't no mountain high enough."

"Stand By Me" by Ben E. King


This song is absolutely gorgeous but one of the reasons I love it so much is because it's associated with one of my earliest musical memories. When I "graduated" from kindergarten, all of the kids were given a rose to give to their Mom or guardian as "Stand By Me" played. Each of the children stood by their loved one and it was very sweet. I remember this very vividly and how my Mom cried. Whenever I hear this, I feel how much my parents have always stood by me and protected me and how lucky I am.

"Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House


Since we're on the topic of earliest musical memories, mine just might be "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House. This is probably the most random song on my list but for good reason. This song reminds me of being a baby; crazy, I know. It came out around the time I was born and was popular during my earliest years. When I was little, my Mom would often put a small radio next to my bed as I fell asleep (set to the soft rock station) and I could swear that this song got lots of airplay. Whenever I hear it, I am just taken back to that time. It's the only explanation I can gather.

"Runaround Sue" by Dion


My parents are a little bit "older" and when I was growing up, they always played oldies around the house. "Runaround Sue" is one of the songs I always heard on the radio while my Dad and his buddies worked on their classic cars or lifted weights. The sound of it alone takes me back to warm summer nights as a little girl hanging around with the "big guys" or going to our church festival every August where there was a Classic Car Cruise and plenty of old-timers to share a story or two.

"Candy" by Paolo Nutini


I'm not sure that "Candy" is officially a top 10 favorite but Paolo Nutini's voice is certainly among the best I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. He has so much soul and I think this particular song displays it quite nicely. "Candy" is definitely one of my favorites of recent years and I find the music video flawless. I can play this song 20 times in a row and never tire of hearing Paolo croon. It's a sweet song and one that I really appreciate.

"Crash Into Me" by Dave Matthews Band



Yes, really. Dave Matthews Band. When I was in grade school and into high school, DMB was one of my most-listened to bands. While I have outgrown a lot of his sound, I still appreciate his lyrical ability. I can remember the first time I heard "Crash Into Me"; I was riding in the car with my parents circa 1996 and demanded that everyone in the vehicle be quiet and turn up the radio. I think this was the moment that I became a music lover and I have Dave to thank for that. The live, extended version is the best!

"I Only Have Eyes For You" by The Flamingos


Simply put, this song reminds me of my Dad. This is one of his favorites. He always played it in our gameroom or driving around in one of his old cars. It's a beautiful song and I cherish it.

Flashback Friday

"December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)" by The Four Seasons, 1975.



Yes, I've been waiting all year to post this song! ;) This takes me back to '93 more than '63 (I'm only 25, duh) but I love, love, love it! It's one of my all time favs and a staple around my house.

Flashback Friday

"I Only Have Eyes For You" by The Flamingos (1959)



My parents are old (I say this with the utmost love and respect). They've been together since Halloween 1964 but didn't have their first child until twenty years later in '84 (I came along in 1986). Mom & Dad are each the youngest of their siblings. This makes me by far the youngest of my cousins. I always say that I was probably born a decade or two later than I should have been. To add to the generational disparity, my parents are stuck in a time warp. They don't use cell phones unless it's an emergency and they don't mess with computers. Needless to say, when I'm online, they look at me as if I'm from another dimension.

When I was little, I would hang with my dad and his friends. Their idea of a good time was fixing classic cars in our driveway ('65 GTO and Grand Prix, '58 Corvette, '63 Impala Super Sport, '56 Chevy Convertible to name just a few). On warm summer nights, "the guys" would play music from the radio in our garage (often tuned in to programs like the Sunday Night Oldies Diner on 94.5 3WS) or on the 45s in our gameroom. Most of the tunes were from the '50s & '60s. Songs like "I Only Have Eyes For You" quickly made its way into my heart. Because of these memories, I have a fond appreciation for quality music. When it comes to my sense of hearing and sound, I'm really grateful to have total recall. While songs from the '90s instantly take me back to moments with friends at sleepovers or skating parties, when I hear oldies, I think of my family and the majority of my childhood spent with them at home. Music is one of those spellbinding things in life that transcends space and time. While I am not inclined to play any instruments (though I'd love to learn piano and guitar), I enjoy nothing more than listening to songs and remembering the way things used to be.


This song was also featured in one of my favorite movies of all time, A Bronx Tale! It's one of my favorites for sure :)

Summertime Tunes

One of my favorite radio stations, WYEP is asking for "summer song" submissions. They are compiling suggestions for its end of the season countdown. There are so many wonderful songs written about the summer. Here is the list that I submitted from the top of my head:

1. Having a Party by Sam Cooke
This is one of my favorite songs of all time. While it can apply to just about any part of the year, this one reminds me of summer parties spent with friends and family.

2. The Boys of Summer by Don Henley
I listen to this song often come late August/early September. It's the perfect end of summer anthem.

3. Summer In the City by The Lovin' Spoonful
As a city girl, I have a soft spot for this one. I love the beat.

4. The Sun by Portugal. The Man
While this song doesn't really refer to summer directly, it's still my favorite song that mentions the sun itself.

5. (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding
Just a nice, relaxing tune. Since Pittsburgh is lacking in bays, I like listening to this one when I'm
poolside or by the river.

Flashback Friday: THE TWIST!

Taking it back to the good old days, here's Chubby Checker's (really?) "The Twist" (1960). I just love this song!

According to Billboard Magazine, "The Twist" held the honor of being the number-one song on its "Hot 100 50th Anniversary" list of "The Billboard: All-Time Hot 100 Top Songs" in the first 50 years of the Hot 100 chart.

The song is ranked number 451 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.