Seasonal Music Roundup: Summer Songs

It's just over a week into summer and the temperature in my area has already shot above one-hundred degrees. I'm not sure how much of a damper this will put on the ability to frolic this year, but it's certainly a good indicator that the season is upon us. I am an irresponsible blog-runner in that I have not yet given you an awesome playlist of recommended songs for the summer. Bad me. But now (a week late, I know), I have risen to the occasion and would like to present you with a summer playlist. Not all of these songs have to do with summer directly, many were just chosen for mood they seem to convey or the tempo (explanations after the image).

"All Summer" by Kid Cudi, Best Coast and Rostam of Vampire Weekend
This track was released for free a couple of years ago to promote Converse shoes. It's still available on the website, and I happen to think it's a solid song.

"Wild Young Hearts" by Noisettes
With a similar feel and energy to that of "All Summer," "Wild Young Hearts" is a great tune for jumping around in the sunniest season.

"Summer Day" by Coconut Records (featuring Kirsten Dunst)
Much more down-tempo, this song is better to listen to whilst lazing about drinking lemonade and whining about how hot it is.

"Weather With You" by Crowded House
Crowded House tends to have a spring/summer sound to them, but this song definitely feels summery to me. The song is about creating your own mood or "weather," so I suppose it suits whatever season you want it to.

"Summer Trippin'" by Push Kings
The all-but-vanished 90s band Push Kings are survived by Carrick Moore Gerety's more recent band Everybody Else, but should not be forgotten. I feel like this particular song has a lot in common with Crowded House, and has all the fun of a 90s pop song without the pain of being a typical 90s pop song.

"Oregon Girl" by Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
A play on 60s surf songs like "California Girls," "Oregon Girl" is a great summery song for those who know that there are also attractive girls in states apart from California.

"Afternoons With David Hockney" by Miniature Tigers
This is a track from Miniature Tigers' latest album. I picked this song as more of a mood song. It has a floating, lazy feel to it that I think suits a summer playlist.

"Super Sunshine" by Tom Milsom
Talented multi-instrumentalist and Youtuber Tom Milsom presented this track on the first of his Explorers albums. It's a fun and intricate piece that can be purchased here.

"Run" by Ben Kweller
Ignoring the obvious grammatical errors, this is really a good tune. The feel of freedom and ease lends itself well to a summer playlist.

"Bloodshot Days" by The Crookes
This is a rather sad song, but I still feel like the instrumentals fit the playlist. I guess we just have to assume that summer isn't all pleasant frolicking.

"King's Highway" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
A far more optimistic song than its predecessor, this song always makes me feel hopeful.

"Be Born" by Tally Hall
I chose this pleasantly lazy song about an unborn child because it's a perfect melody for a summer day whether you catch the meaning or not.

"Sunshine, Lollipops, And Rainbows" by Lesley Gore 
By an artist who could truly convey the innocence and happiness of young love, this is a tune that can make you very happy and optimistic if you let it.

"All Summer Long" by The Beach Boys
Like them or not, The Beach Boys sure do go hand-in-hand with summer.

"Sunny Girlfriend" by The Monkees
Michael Nesmith sings of a manic-pixie-dream-girl in a song that is pleasant and upbeat.

"Holiday" by Vampire Weekend

The oft-used-in-commercials "Holiday," like many Vampire Weekend songs, is great for warm weather. The video is quite nice too:

"Sunny Afternoon" by The Kinks

The moods of the lyrics and music match up perfectly in this tale of a lazy day in the life of a man who finds himself recently unentangled.

"Good Day Sunshine" by The Beatles

The Beatles sing about sunshine from time to time, but the effect is never as unapologetically optimistic as in "Good Day Sunshine."

"The Summer" by Coconut Records

Jason Schwartzman presents another fun summer song. Really, most Coconut Records songs are reminiscent of summer, but this one is blatant about it.

"Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys
I close this playlist with another track from the most summer-centric band of all time.


Other suggestions? Drop me a comment.

Seasonal Music Roundup: A Christmas Playlist

Christmas music doesn't have to be good to be enjoyable. It's something about the dorky gushy feelings we can get inside just because of all the lights we use to run up our holiday electricity bills and the snow that makes it harder to drive and the biting cold. I can't imagine living a life in which I don't romanticize these things even just a tiny bit. And the Christmas songs that play on the radio and in department stores every year around this time are yet another cliched staple that I wouldn't live without.

So, needless to say, I have quite a few personal favorites when it comes to "holiday" songs. Here are some non-traditional or revamped traditional "Christmas" songs that I enjoy. For once, I am allowing this playlist to include the goofiest, most childish songs I enjoy. Because...hey, it's Christmas! You only have to worry about these things for like a month, why not listen to whatever you want?

"Sleigh Ride" by KT Tunstall
This is a nice, poppy Christmas cover. Tunstall manages to cover the song without destroying the original piece and without destroying her own artistic style. 


"Snowflake" by Everybody Else
A couple of years ago, Everybody Else released a holiday-themed song and video just a few short days before Christmas. I fell in love with it instantly and was quite disappointed when it was taken down only days later. Luckily, this track did surface again as a Kickstarter prize but the video has yet to return. Personally, I think it's a very cute, heartfelt Christmas tune.
 
"Riu Chiu" by The Monkees
The Monkees performed this old Spanish carol for their Christmas special. The vocal parts are really beautiful.

"December Will Be Magic Again" by Kate Bush
For the young at heart. Not specifically a Christmas song, more just about the joy and wonder of winter and the Christmas season. A very cool song.

"Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses
You know how some people have a soft spot for things? I have a soft gaping hole for The Waitresses. This song is just...really sweet? It's one of those early rap songs like Blondie's "Rapture" that is just special. I also think the swear word in this song may be the most commonly overlooked in radio history.

"2000 Miles" by The Pretenders
One of my favorite bands performing an original Christmas song. It's a very lovely song, and it can make me a little emotional. There's also a more strings-oriented live version from Isle of View. KT Tunstall and Coldplay have both covered it as well.

"Little Saint Nick" by Doctor Teeth and the Electric Mayhem
This might be the best cover of any song ever. I do have a tendency to hyperbolize though. But seriously, Animal alone makes this song amazing.

"Christmas All Over Again" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
This song is frequently overlooked, which is a pity. It's poppier than most Tom Petty stuff, but it's very catchy.

"Carol of the Bells" by The Bird and the Bee
Another example of a great cover of a classic holiday song. This sounds just like a Bird and the Bee song, even though it's clearly a classic Christmas tune.

"Oh Holy Night" by Weezer
Out of an entire album of Weezer Christmas songs, this is by far my favorite.

"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" by Death Cab For Cutie
I will listen to almost anything Ben Gibbard sings. Other versions of this song now sound strange.

"One More Sleep 'Till Christmas" by Kermit the Frog
From The Muppets' 1992 film The Muppet Christmas Carol, this is one of the cutest Christmas songs in recent history. I fondly remember singing this song (amended to suit the day) weeks before Christmas.

"Let It Snow" by A Fine Frenzy
This is a beautiful Christmas song, only helped by Alison Sudol's beautiful voice.

"Do They Know It's Christmas" by Band Aid
However you may feel about any of the artists that participated in Band-Aid, this is in-arguably a quintessential Christmas song, as well as being an important historical song.

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee
Yet another classic. I enjoy this song greatly, no matter how many times I hear it.

"Merry Xmas Everybody" by Slade

Fans of Doctor Who may recognize this song without knowing why. Apart from being a classic 70s Christmas song, "Merry Xmas Everybody" was featured in the 2005 and 2006 Doctor Who Christmas specials. I thought it was a tradition they'd stick with, but no such luck. Rooney also did a brilliant cover.

"Run, Rudolph Run" by Chuck Berry
Particularly memorable from Home Alone, this song sounds like every other Chuck Berry song, but I still love it.

"Happy Xmas (War is Over)" by John Lennon
You know how sometimes you just like that song because it's embedded in your personal history? But I'm also not going to argue with the message of this song.

"Holly Jolly Christmas" by The Format
When I heard about this cover, I assumed it would be horrible. But Nate Ruess actually makes it sound cute and genuine.

"Christmas is Cancelled" by The Long Blondes
Bearing much similarity to an Elvis Costello song (circa Armed Forces), this is a catchy original Christmas song by one of my favorite bands.

Seasonal Music Roundup: A Thanksgiving Playlist

I really cut the work out for myself with this playlist, not because there are no songs about food, but because:

• I tried to make the list out of serious songs.
• I wanted representations of multiple food groups.
• I avoided songs that were too blatantly not about food (i.e. "Pulling Mussels from the Shell" by Squeeze).
• I waited until the last minute to start the playlist.

Believe it or not, when you sit down to think about songs that have to do with food, it's pretty hard. As such, I apologize for the concentration on fruits and sweet foods.

Without further ado, here is a list of food/eating related songs to get you in the mood for Thanksgiving (explanations after the image):

 

"Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran
This song represents one in a very small handful of Duran Duran songs that I like. I chose it to kick off this playlist because it was one of the best "hunger" songs I could think of.

"The Sound of Settling" by Death Cab For Cutie
Even though this has more to do with Ben Gibbard's apparent inability to communicate feelings, he does say he's pretty hungry.

"Dinner For Two" by Deerhoof
I don't want to hear any complaints about Deerhoof. Portabello in exploding candle light. I understand.

"Pork and Beans" by Weezer
I never thought Deerhoof would fade into Weezer as well as they did. Rivers Cuomo is going to eat his candy with the pork and beans. 

"Raw Meat" by Black Lips
This song was added as an after-thought when I realized I had almost no main course songs. At least it mentions food fairly exclusively.

"Green Onions" by Booker T. & The M.G.'s
One of the most popular instrumental rock songs of all time! I don't even have to worry about the lyrics conflicting with the playlist.

"Eat the Music" by Kate Bush
Fruits galore are mentioned as Kate Bush prepares to "Eat the Music." This video was part of Bush's production of "The Red Shoes," which I must have watched a hundred times as a kid (as well as doing my own version of it). Song starts at 0:16:

"Pineapple Head" by Crowded House
Another song about fruit. I don't have much to say about it, apart from that Crowded House can be really amazing.
 
"Coconut" by Harry Nilsson
This song is probably the only Harry Nilsson song most people know by Harry Nilsson. It's a classic.

"Banana Man" by Tally Hall
Continuing the tropical fruits theme, we have Tally Hall's "Banana Man." A part of me thinks Tally Hall may regret this song by now, but I still like it.

"Apples, Peaches, Bananas and Pears" by The Monkees
This is very much a mid-late 60s pop song. At least it does sing of foods.

"Vanilla Sky" by Paul McCartney
This song from the movie of the same title was nominated for an Academy Award. It actually fits the theme better than most of the other songs.

"Apple Pie Bed" by Lawrence Arabia
If you're up for a very beautiful, but creepily sexual video, I recommend this one. Obviously, Apple Pie has very little to do with it.

"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" by The Four Tops
This is such a classic song. It's not really about food, but there are vague mentions.

"A Taste of Honey" by The Beatles
While this isn't one of the best Beatles songs, it still shows what they could do prior to their prime.

"Lips Like Sugar" by Echo and the Bunnymen
This was actually one of the first songs I thought of for this playlist. I hope he doesn't eat his girlfriend's lips though. That would be horrific.

"I Want Candy" by Bow Wow Wow
How great are Bow Wow Wow? This is a cover of a 60s song, yet they totally make it sound relevant to the 80s.

"Savoy Truffle" by The Beatles
George Harrison's song to ween Eric Clapton off of sweets. One of the few songs in this playlist that's actually about food.

Seasonal Music Roundup: A Halloween Playlist

I don't know about you, but I love to get into the mood for the holidays with appropriate music. And by that, I mean all the holidays. I know everyone has their own ideas of "scary" songs, but sometimes it's hard to put a finger on which songs creep you out the most, in order to make a playlist. Sometimes, you might just want some recommendations of Halloween songs. Luckily, I am here to provide.

Two years ago, I compiled a list of Halloween-Related Music Videos (which is really rather embarrassing, but I'll make the mistake of linking you to it anyway). This year, I am focusing on the scarier sound or lyrics of a song rather than the videos, although a lot of them have fun/scary videos anyway. I will admit, some of my choices are recycled from the previous list.

So, in no particular order (apart from musical flow), here is a list of twenty songs for a Halloween playlist (explanations after the image).

"Thriller" by Michael Jackson 
     I know, it's obvious, it's cliched, but "Thriller" is just a great Halloween song. It's perfect to kick off the playlist, with its high-energy, but beyond that, it has all the references to classic horror elements, from the monsters to the tense thriller feeling. Plus, any song with Vincent Price narration has to be a bit frightening. And of course, it has a terrific, groundbreaking music video:

"Zombie" by The Cranberries
     The Cranberries are an under-rated 90s band. I can never understand how there are so many of their CDs floating around thrift stores and yet no one seems to want them now. In any case, a song referencing zombies is a definite Halloween winner in my book (even if it is an anti-war song).

"Lullaby" by The Cure
     For a band with such a goth appearance, many of The Cure's songs seem to have a positive, romantic subject matter. Such is not the case with "Lullaby" which details the story of Robert Smith preparing to be eaten by a giant spider. I don't know about you, but giant, goth-digesting spiders seem pretty freaky to me.

"11 Mustachioed Daughters" by The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
     Believe it or not, I actually am capable of going a whole blog post without mentioning The Bonzos. I just prefer not to. While most Bonzos songs pivot on the bizarre and the sometimes comedic, this song takes "unhinged" to a whole new level. It's quite impossible to properly explain the creepiness of this song without you hearing it for yourself.

"Leave It Open" by Kate Bush
     The Dreaming is a slightly spooky album altogether with Bush's usual haunting voice. But little is creepier than "Leave It Open." The ambiguous and insane lyrics paired with the strange and slightly futuristic vocal effects make this song sound more than a little off its rocker.

"Turn The Lights Off" by Tally Hall
     This was my summer song, along with all of Good and Evil. But we can still take it at its surface meaning rather than the obvious innuendos due to the clever video that was just released for it:

You know, monsters, claws, it's Halloween right?

"Psycho Killer" by Talking Heads
     I never would have included this until I saw it suggested by somewhere around three other people. I got to thinking about it and I decided that killers are pretty scary. I'm just not afraid of David Byrne, that's all.

"Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr.
     Another obvious choice. Ghostbusters is an amazing movie though, and this is a great song for going out and sucking up poltergeists in your unlicensed nuclear accelerator. 

"Love Potion #9" by The Clovers
     Guy gets a "potion" from a creepy gypsy lady. Enough said. It was pointed out to me that this is not the most common version of the song. Most people know it by The Searchers. I would like to clarify that The Clovers are the original artists of this song.

"Damn These Vampires" by The Mountain Goats
     Once again, I'm just going to take this song literally, because it's a good song and it relates at face value. It has the typical elements of a Mountain Goats song, while still managing to capture an old-time feeling and referencing vampires.

"Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon
     A bit of comic relief in this playlist. It's very Halloween-ish, but in a completely-ignoring-the-subtext way (spoiler alert: it's probably not really about werewolves). I'm sure Warren Zevon meant it to be humorous and it's a great classic rock song no matter what time of year it is.

"Ode To Billy Joe" by Bobbie Gentry
     This song is spooky. Not only is there the death of Billy Joe, but also: what were they throwing over the Tallahassee Bridge?

"Kids" by Ben Lee
     The original version of this song is unusual. This cover is eerie. Also, beautiful. There's no legitimate video for this cover, but there's a live version:

The album version is a little slower and more hair-raising, but not extremely dissimilar.

"Bang Bang" by Nancy Sinatra
     This song got street cred. and about 100% scarier by being featured in Kill Bill. Even without that though, that boy derives a sadistic pleasure "shooting her down." And Sinatra sings it slowly and hauntingly enough to make it fitting for the occasion.
 
"Girl With One Eye" by Florence + The Machine
     Like the great spooky songs, the exact circumstances of this song are unclear, but the horrific intent is none-the-less there.

"A Forest" by The Cure
     This song was suggested by my brother. I thought I had enough Cure songs on this playlist, but once I re-listened to the lyrics, I decided he was correct, it's a great Halloween song.

"Get Out Of My House" by Kate Bush
     My mom used to play this to creep me out, because it worked. Another track from The Dreaming, "Get Out Of My House" implies an intruder of some sort. Classic thriller movie stuff.

"Eleanor Rigby" by The Beatles
     Death, ghosts, faces in jars- what more do you want?

"Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
     Well, this is the werewolf change music from An American Werewolf In London, but aside from that, it's almost as good as "Thriller" for implying impending danger.

"The Monster Mash" by The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band 
     The most obvious Halloween song, yes. But not by the original artist! The Bonzos have a certain way of capturing a song and forcing it into their servitude. Although this version isn't far from the original, it's no exception to their ways.


And if none of these appeal to you, may I suggest any Bernard Herrmann score?

You can listen to most of these songs on a playlist I created over on myspace. If you have any questions or suggestions, let me know in the comments! Have a safe and happy Halloween.