Music Mix Challenge II

Over in Stennieville, we were invited to take part in the Second Music Mix Challgenge. If you didn't play this time around, keep your eyes peeled for round three. It's a fun way to get to hear some new music.

So far, I've heard from Kelly, Susan, LilyG, Stennie and Bet. You're all helping me get through the mountain of math homework I've got, so again, thank you!!

This time around, I opted to include a tracklisting with my CD. I also sent my CDs a little late - so I realize that most of you will be reading this blog before you get your CDs. Sorry!

In keeping with the game, I'm not only going to provide a tracklisting here, but I'm also going to say a little about why I chose each song.

1. A song you like to wake up to: You are the Universe – Brand New Heavies
Ok, so I'll fess up here - I don't actually like to wake up to music. I need to be softly woken out of my slumber, so to speak. So I wake up to NPR with the volume down really low. However, once I'm actually out of bed and in the groove, I like to listen to music. This song is a very positive way to start the day. "There is nothing you can't do!"

2. An "earworm": Que Onde Guero - Beck
How funny that Stennie and I chose the same earworm. I really like this song, so I listen to it a lot. It can stay with me for days after a listening. Catchy tune, I guess.

3. A one-hit wonder: No Myth – Michael Penn
I always wondered what happened to Michael Penn's career. Why isn't he better known?

4. A song that makes you laugh: Oops I did it Again – Max Raabe
Max Raabe takes an utterly crappy song and makes it super funny. Sung 1920 German big band, cabaret era style, this song never fails to make me laugh.

5. A traveling song: What a Beautiful Day – The Levellers
I had a hard time coming up with an answer to this question. I don't make special mixes for trips, espeically since I got the iPod (shuffle, baby!) . So I thought about my last business trip to Wisconsin, and how I really liked boppy music to listen to on the way - something up-beat, positive, and fun.

6. A song you like that your mother would also like: I Never Promised you a Rose Garden - Loretta Lynn
So much for my rule about Country Music. But my mother loved the stuff. The twangier the better. I remember this song playing through the house when I was very young, and I've always kind of liked it. Believe it or not, this was actually in my iTunes collection: I didn't have to go and download it for the challenge.

7. Your guilty pleasure song: She Believes in Me – Kenny Rogers.
Pure sap, absolute drivel, but I really like this song. Also a deviation to the no Country rule.

8. A song you like to play when you're pissed off: Arschloch – Die Ärzte
This is a song that has a nice edge to it, but that's not why I like to hear it when I'm pissed off. As if you couldn't guess, the song is called "Asshole" and it goes on to describe the psychology of most people who are assholish: "Your violence is a silent scream for love/Your combat boots long for tenderness./You never learned to articulate yourself, and your parents never had time for you/Because you have problems that interest no one/ Because you are afraid to love/You are a facist./You don't have to project your self-hatred onto other people/So that nobody notices what a sweet guy you are."

9. An instrumental song: Sexual Harrassment in the Workplace – Frank Zappa
Come on, you know you love you some Zappa.

10. Song from your favorite music video: Weapon of Choice – Fatboy Slim
I don't think I've even seen a video more recent than this one, since I don't have MTV and MTV2 isn't free anymore. I think this is a clever video, and watching Christopher Walken fly around like that is priceless.

11. A song from TV: Mighty Mouse Theme Song
Best cartoon theme song ever.

12. A kick-ass cover song: The Galaxy Song – Nick Harper
This is a great version of a great song. It also could have gone under "song that makes me laugh," but I think it fits better here. Put this one on a mix CD with They Might Be Giants "The Sun" and you'll have an entire physics class!

13. A song you've "played out": Don’t Speak – No Doubt
This song was wildly popular when I lived in Austria. It was on the pop station 2x an hour, plus, I'd bought the CD. It is a fantastic, gut-wrenching breakup song, and I love Gwen Stephani's voice. I don't listen to it anymore, but I still think it is a good song.

14. Song about one of the Seven Deadly Sins: Fastlove – George Michael
Why don't we make a little room in my BMW, babe?

15. A song that makes you cry: Will I see you in Heaven? - Jayhawks
Ok, so I don't start weeping when I hear this song, but it is touching. As I type this, I can think of a song that actually does make me teary-eyed. Pity I didn't think of it when I was making the CD.

16. A song about a real person: Barry William’s Show – Peter Gabriel
So Greg Brady is the Jerry Springer of the UK?

17. A song about music: Death of a Popular Song – Tim Finn
I don't really have much to say about this song. It is just the first one that popped into mind.

18. Song with a one-word title: Human - The Pretenders
The lyrics to which, were the answer to the Foreign Language Meme a few months back. Nobody seemed to know the song, so I thought I'd include it.

19. A song you like that your father would also like: Crocodile Rock – Elton John
My father absolutely loved this song. It is the only one I can remember him singing in the car . It used to make me laugh when he got to the "laaaaaaaa lalalalalaaaaaaaaaaaa" part.

20. Your first favorite song: Beach Baby – First Class
This song is closely connected to Jones Beach in my mind. In fact, every time I hear it, I can smell the Atlantic.