February 2011 Mixtape: Happy Valentine's Day

I don't take most holidays very seriously, Valentine's Day included, but romantic or lovey music is a different thing entirely. I'd made my share of romantic mixtapes in my youth though I always thought things of private importance or inside jokes were more important than "boot knocking" anthems. That said, hitting me over the head with songs of general romance does nothing for me. People tell me that Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On is a touchingly beautiful song, whereas I think The Beatles In My Life is a hundred times more potent than anything Ms. Dion could ever fathom. My Bloody Valentine's Loveless has always been an easy pick for an evening of canoodling although I also consider Team Sleep's unreleased first album on that level too. Then there is the first Interpol album which is surprisingly erotic. Of course, my girlfriends haven't necessarily agreed with my musical choices. One girl I dated insisted on playing an infinite loop of Sarah McLachlan's cover of I Only Want To Be With You while we made out, and it couldn't have been a bigger turn off. Why was it so hard to find a girl who appreciated making out to Nine Inch Nails records? My brother, on the other hand, swears by heavy metal as the greatest make-out or sex music, mentioning Metallica's Ride The Lightning and Slayer's debut album as favorites. Those would never be my choices but I can appreciate that perspective. What do you, my fair readers, consider good mood making music?

This month's mix is a light collaboration between myself and my girlfriend. I asked her for input and she named six or seven songs to counter my choices. Most of these are songs she and I enjoy and consider "our songs", and some are definitely cheesy or inside jokes. Regardless, those songs are special to us and I'll denote their inclusion here. It should also be noted that this isn't a strictly romantic mix, it's more about songs that deal with love, relationships, rough spots, sex, etc. as opposed to a collection of songs to get it on to. This is an everyday mixtape, suitable for just about any occasion and free of naughty words, although not of naughty content. I guess this is about as safe as anything you might hear on traditional radio. Happy Valentine's Day!


February 2011 Mixtape: Happy Valentine's Day

01 Ramones - She's The One
I put this on a mixtape I made for my girlfriend and she didn't like it, although I always think of this song when I think of her. My love for her is happy and joyful, and that's what this song is.

02 Meja - How Crazy Are You?
This is officially "our song". I first heard it in my otaku days upon seeing the trailer for Dead Or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball and fell in love with the song. I eventually hunted down a copy of the US release, hoping that the rest of Meja's oeuvre would be just as inviting. She's actually rather good, just EXTREMELY SUGARY. Wow, her music is intensely SWEET. That's not a bad thing, it's just hard to handle in such large doses, whereas this song is sweet but I never felt as though I were drowning in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory while listening to it.

03 Adina Howard - Freak Like Me (Radio Version)
She and I both think this song is hilariously great! I don't think there is anything about it that makes me wanna get freaky but you'd never see me change the channel if it came on. Unfortunately for Ms. Howard, this song raised the bar so high that she could never match it's freakiness. Alas, even a song with a title as suggestive as T-Shirt and My Panties is simply not enough.

04 Sade - Kiss Of Life
She says she always thinks of me when she hears this song. She also mentioned that early in our relationship she also thought of me when she heard Alicia Keys' Fallin', though that doesn't happen any more. Thank heavens for that!

05 Bee Gees - How Deep Is Your Love?
In turn, I always think of her when I hear this. I was overjoyed when she mentioned that she loved this song when it came on in a mix I had made her.

06 The Beatles - Oh, Darling!
She told me this was one of her "fuck you, I'll survive!" songs from when she was in college, long before we'd met. I totally get that. If only McCartney sounded this desperate and charged more often.

07 Johnny Gill - Rub You The Right Way (Extended Hype! feat. CL Smooth)
Another one of her choices, she's loved this song since hearing it during her high-school days. I grabbed the original version and she told me it was the wrong one, she wanted the faster one. A rare occasion in which she picked the remix over the original.

08 Me'shell Ndegeocello - Mary Magdalene
The first time I heard this I was blown away. Me'shell is simply on another level. I played this to my girl who was totally feeling it until she asked me who Me'shell was singing to. I told her it was a woman and that killed the mood for her. Hey, it's a beautiful song regardless and it's just as potent as Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On if not more so, but I guess I understand why that information might not leave everyone turned on. Oh well, this song is pure heat as far as I'm concerned!

09 The Emotions - Best Of My Love
This will be played at our reception. Happy, loving music!

10 De La Soul - Eye Know
A LONG time ago I was having a conversation with a friend about hip-hop that dealt directly with love. I couldn't think of anything and immediately dismissed LL Cool J's I Need Love for being cheesy. The comeback was Eye Know, and they were totally right. That said, LL's I Need Love isn't that bad, the lyrics are actually really touching, it's just that the beat hasn't aged all that well.

11 John Coltrane - My Favorite Things
Miles' Kind Of Blue is an awesome make-out record but this is a study of utter joy. Bliss on so many levels. Not so much for being romantic as much as being happy, enjoying the moment with someone special.

12 Elvis Costello - Everyday I Write The Book
Elvis IS king! Essentially eighties yet totally timeless, this songs always works. He also wrote one of my favorite break-up songs, I Hope You're Happy Now. That would be a good theme for a mixtape, the break-up tape!

13 TLC - Red Light Special
Another of her choices, and a damn good one! I love the line about taking the southern route. You can't not get a little hot listening to this song!

14 Sophie B. Hawkins - Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover
This is one of "our songs", although I was always more into it for the beat. The whole thing just worked so well. Despite my girl being turned off by Me'shell Ndegeocello's ode to her woman, we both believe this is a love song from a woman to a woman and she thinks it's totally hot. This is definitely not a love making song, it's meant for something steamier!

I just noticed how many exclamation marks I've left throughout these descriptions. It's terribly excessive! Look, I did it again!

15 Beck - Debra
Totally not serious, but that's what great about it. "I wanna get with you, and your sister, I think her name's Debra." Awesome! Bring a fresh pack of gum when you pick her up in your Hyundai at JC Penney's and set the night on fire!

16 John Lennon - Grow Old With Me
Let's be serious for a moment. Say what you will about Yoko Ono, John clearly loved her with all his heart. This is such an immensely beautiful song. I remember reading this was one of the last songs he wrote before his death and it's clearly a home demo. It doesn't need any further embellishments, it's perfect as it is.