Weekly Mix # 61

The First Mix I made in 2009, very early on. Much of it is a time traveling experience that makes me feel like I'm in the showy, glitzy side of the 1960s. While other parts of it are not anything like that. Enjoy and listen and buy, help stimulate the economy, one song at a time!

1. Touch Me by The Doors
I am setting the mood and kicking things off with possibly the cheesiest song The Doors ever did; it's as if Tom Jones took over. if I was around in the sixties and a fan of the band I'm sure I would have wondered what the hell was up with them and why weren't they on drugs!
2. Valerie by Amy Winehouse

Another Mark Ronson produced gem; this is a cover. Something about this number just gets me feeling all right.

3. She's a Lady by Tom Jones
It's been brewing for a little while but Mr. Jones has finally made his way to the mixes with this late sixties sizzler. In case you're not familiar with Tom, he was the original panty dropper as it is said that women of all ilk would toss their undergarments on stage when he played.
4. If Looks Could Kill by Camera Obscura

A San Francisco band who were from the 00s but lived in the 60s. Continuing the trend this tune could be from girl group with a tyranical producer behind them.

5. Three Decades by The Horrors

The follow up to their intense, creepy, dark rock album the Horrors began getting more sweeping with their keyboards and the vocals are bigger. It's a bit psychedelic.

6. Baby Love by the Supremes

Ms. Ross and the ladies deliver the real Motown deal in this ear candy of a song.

7. I Kissed A Girl by KatyPerry

Bringing us firmly in the present a young, devoutly Christian chick discovers a B side to her sexuality and scores a huge hit. Strangely this tune is kinda' raw compared to her future hits like, California Gurls but it does let us know that she is a bit wacko.

8.Hit The Road Jack by Ray Charles

Taking the hint from Ms. Perry the blind smack fiend gets his ass outta' Georgia and on the road.

9. See What I Wanna See by The Lovemakers

Back to the present day the Lovemaker's sophomore effort produced this funny song about not being a ho . . . I think.

10.Waiting for the Rapture by Oasis

One heavy bass drop deserves another., Oasis was inspired heavily by the sixties, right? The last Liam Gallagher album.

11.One Of a Kind by Placebo

They are about as creepy as The Horrors and just as British.

12.Shadowplay by The Killers

Covering Joy Division Brandon Flowers and the boys do a good job.

13.I Just Wanna Love U (Give it 2 Me) by Jay-Z

Sampling great 70s soul is a good idea for the biggest rap star of the decade.

14.Pretty Tied Up by Guns N' Roses

Autobiographical songs are cool I guess.

15.Zombie Grave yard by Be Your Own Pet

They rocked and now they are gone

16.Juicebox by The Strokes

Borrowing the bass line from the Munster's theme, The Strokes do good in what would be their last album for 6 years.

17.Anyone Else But You by The Moldy Peaches

They got a popular song when it was used in that Juno movie. A movie with a myriad of things that led into and came out of it.

18.Smokin' in The Boys Room by Mötley Crüe

Good time rock for good time folks. I've never smoked in the boys room actually so I don't know if it's all it's cracked up to be.

19.These Boots Are Made for Walkin' by Nancy Sinatra

And we're back to the sixties again! this song gained more popularity in the 90s when it appeared in Austin Powers International man of Mystery as the fembots shot bullets from their . . . err . . . guns.

20.Little Green bag by George Baker Selection

This is another song that got noticed again in a movie, this time it was Reservoir Dogs.

21. Relator by Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson

I'm pretty sure Pete just wanted to get into Scarlett's knickers and so he recorded a whole album with her proving that Winona didn't obliterate his career. Scarlett doesn't sing poorly but she does sound a bit lazy.

22.Love is a Stranger by Martha Wainwright

Yup, this is Rufus' sister and she does a great version of the Eurythmics song that while feels completely different than the original is just as good.

23.Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond

If Tom Jones is coming over than I'm getting out my Neil Diamond records too. Without this song, Red Sox fans would have nothing to do during the 7th inning stretch.

24.Distant Dreamer by Duffy
I love this song; it is ethereal and perfectly wistful; I think this has to be Duffy's best song to date. This also completes our sixties pop fetish.

Weekly Mix Tape Pt 38

There is a lot of huge songs on this mix and a lot of oldies in respect to the time the mix was made. There are only two songs from same decade which is against my current way of thinking which requires more modern tracks with old highlights that show genre and influence.

listen and enjoy

1. Rio by Duran Duran

This is what star power is all about, only a band like Duran Duran could pull off a song like this and make it seem awesome, only a band like this could do a video like this with Simon Le Bon riding the bowsprit.

2. Communication Breakdown by Led Zeppelin

So powerful, heavy and fast this song was when it came out in 1969 that it caused the Beatles to break up.

3. Barracuda by Heart

And while we're on the topic of powerful and heavy, this song goes the full distance! Rocking out full bore!

4. How Soon Is Now? by The Smiths

Some have labeled the best song of 1980s and I don't disagree. While initially I found this song morose and depressing, I couldn't resist it's sonic beauty. Johnny Marr's guitar work is beautiful factories, passing cars and emotional. It is a song that never charted in the states by a band that wasn't even as popular as The Cure but there's nothing else like it. Not even U2, R.E.M or Guns n' Roses could accomplish something like this.

5. New Model No. 15 by Marylin Manson

He can suck it a smile, not bad. Apparently he has adult film talent singing in the background but all I hear is Marylin's whiny bark.

6. Draw Your Breaks by Scotty

After all that power guitar we're taking it mellow and to the Caribbean island of Jamaica.

7. Here Comes the Hotstepper by Ini Kamoze

This is a feelgood song not in the way that makes you walk on sunshine but the kind that makes you feel cooler than shit and strut.

8. Wrong Way by Sublime

A song about hooking up with a girl who has unfortunate family issues by a guy who OD'd twice in the same tenderloin hotel. Rest in Peach Bradley.   

9. Roots Radicals by Rancid

Even though they were from The East Bay they always seemed more British than their contemporaries, Green Day and Offspring.

10.What' I Say, Pt 1 by Ray Charles  

Some of the best organ in popular music, ever. The groove and rhythm travel and get the blood in motion.

11.Hey Sailor by The Detroit Cobras

I've never seen this band live but I have heard they smoke more cigarettes than any other band. this is whiskey lovin' blues rock.

12.Daddy Never understood by Deluxx Folk Implosion

Straight ahead loud from the notorious motion picture, Kids.

13.Sing Your Life by Morrissey

I thought this was a happy song when I first heard it but that's the way it is with the best song from this man.

14.Jesus Christ Pose by Soundgarden

Let us return now to crazy guitars that rip up the fabric of reality, dig into your mind and demand satisfaction. Chris Cornel used to be such bad ass motherfuckin' singer and then fame happened.

15.Big Empty by Stone Temple Pilots

This was the song that made STP  cool to me. I didn't quite bond with the first album but this tune was soulful, bluesy and huge and available on the Crow soundtrack as well as the bands second album.

16.It's Only Rock n' Roll (But I like It) by The Rolling Stones

Classic rock must be represented. I must have been real hot for this song at the time I made the mix because I rarely ever play it. Maybe I just needed a song.

17.Jealous Again by The Black Crows

I hated this song for years, I hated this band for almost as long as I hated the song but I mellowed and realized it wasn't that bad.

18.Portland, Oregon by Loretta Lynn and Jack White

Some people said this was their favorite song from 2004 but I disagree. It is a good tune about gin drinking though.

19.Where Did You Sleep Last Night by Nirvana

  When Nirvana's Unplugged album came out I told myself I wouldn't buy it unless the Leadbelly cover was on it. The amount of pain and agony Kurt Cobain emotes through his voice is enough to make you shutter and almost agree to help him pull the trigger.

20.Hey, Hey, My My (Into The Black) by Neil Young

This is the story of Johnny Rotten or at least that what Neils says and who knows, maybe it is but if you read or heard Kurt Cobain's suicide note you know that he incorporated it into his rock n' roll story.