A "mix-tape" of me

"I believe in music; the way that some people believe in fairy tales." ~ August Rush

Robin Hilton on music, "we believe it defines us — that music says something about who we are and what we believe, perhaps in ways more illuminating and honest than we could ever conjure on our own, since words alone often diminish the grand ideas and feelings we have inside."

I, too, believe.

This idea arose since a friend of mine, Lacy I am talking about you, likes to share music videos on facebook constantly.  That is not really my style.  I like to share music, but I am less inclined to do it on facebook.  Mostly because I feel like something not everyone wants to see is all the music I would post.  However, if you choose to come check it out here then I am satisfied that you are a willing participant.  As I start my journey down this path I do not know where it leads.  However, I can tell you what I am hoping and expecting.

About two hours of music that I am confident defines me.  Music from my life that takes me back.  Taking that into consideration, I am expecting to include music that was released at least five years ago or older.  It is not that I do not believe there is any defining music today, but it is hard to say just what music will stay with me forever without the benefit of the passage of time.  I will probably leave some basic comments on each selection.  So, kick-back, get comfortable, close your eyes, and prepare to sing to your heart's content:

Play on youtube.com

Side A

1. Sublime -- Santeria (3:18)
     Great band, great song, fun to sing, and the video is actually good (which is just a bonus, normally I just listen anyway).

2. Barenaked Ladies -- Who needs sleep? (3:46)
     I love BnL.  I wore Stunt out, playing it on repeat constantly.  It is a little known fact that my early internet alias (incognizant) was inspired by the song "When you dream".  Yes, I had to look up cognizant in the dictionary to know what it meant back then so I just thought it was cool (and now I have taken cognitive psychology, not so cool).  I did not use that song, here, because I could not find it in good quality and this song is a bit more upbeat which means it is fun to sing along with.

3. Semisonic -- DND (4:12)
     Another great CD, that I listened to over and over again.  This is the group and the CD with "Closing Time" on it, but most people do not know how great the whole CD is.  Worth listening to; in-fact I couldn't decide which one of the not-so popular songs I wanted to put on my mix-tape, so I'll play another one later.

4. 311 -- Amber (2:59)
     Honestly I do not remember how I found this song, but I know I liked it before it became popular.  The video has almost 7 million views on youtube and that is shocking to me.  I believe it was used in several movies, let me consult google.  Hmmm, okay wikipedia only says it was used in 50 First Dates, which I did know (I own the movie) but I thought there was another movie too.  I did not own the CD, I just downloaded the MP3 and listened to it all the time that way.

5. Stone Temple Pilots -- Interstate Love song (3:50)
     Great song, do not remember ever seeing the video before making this post.  Not too fond of the video, but love listening to this song with the windows down or just out in the open air.

6. Creed -- Weathered (5:33)
     I happen to like Creed.  I feel that they were tainted by the fact that there are a few of their songs that are overplayed.  I had a few CDs and I stopped listening to some of those songs myself, but they are still good songs.  Just not good enough to ignore the rest and not even the best of Creed, IMO.  I do not think this is one of those songs, actually this video only has about 10k hits and if the official video is on youtube I did not find it.

7. Taproot -- Poem (3:19)
     Love this song.  Not really sure how I "found" it, but it was one of those I had in mp3 on my computer.  I am not even familiar with other Taproot songs.

8. Sister Hazel -- Starfish (4:27)
     Listened to this CD over and over.  All good songs.  "All for you" is most popular, "Happy" is pretty amazing.  This song just demands to be listened to every once in a while.

9. Hootie and the blowfish -- Only wanna be with you (4:11)
     I do not think I owned this CD, but everyone else had it.  I did not need it.  Love the song, not sure I ever saw the video though.  I could listen to the song more times than watch the video.  I prefer to sing "Time", but this song wins out for the lyrics.

10. StonESouR -- Bother (4:06)
     This is a decent CD, iirc it took some time to like more than just a few songs.  If you haven't heard this song, you may have heard "Through glass"

11. Default -- Wasting my time (4:06)
     I am pretty sure this one comes from MTV.  I also downloaded it as an MP3, but only after hearing it on MTV.  Never had the CD, I probably looked up other songs by them, but I no longer remember them.  This one sticks with me though.

12. Matchbox 20 -- Push (4:05)
     Great CD.  This is another case of picking one to represent the many.  Yet no one song really does the whole album justice.

13. Staind -- Outside (4:56)
     Downloaded the song, but I may have downloaded entire Staind albums.  This is definitely not the only good Staind song I remember, but it was one of my favorite.  "For you" is a great bad-mood song, I am sure most people have heard it!  I might have had a burnd copy of a Staind album.

14. Counting Crows -- Mr. Jones
     Great CD.  I would sit and sing every song for hours and when the CD was over, well it was on repeat.  This is probably the most popular and it is one of the rare instances where I can overlook that.  This is one of those songs that if you interrupt it in my car, we start it over.

15. Tenacious D -- F'ck her gently (2:29)
     I know it is vulgar.  Sorry.  Tenacious D is hilarious and it just happens to keep Side A of my mix-tape under 1-hour, by :12 seconds!

Side B

16. John Mayer -- Your body is a wonderland (4:17)
     Pretty good CD and he has some good newer stuff too.  I actually just opened up a DVD type case that I have pictures on it to see what was in there and it was this CD, ironic.  I cannot remember which are the other really good songs from the titles, but they are all pretty good.  I am thinking this was the only really popular one from the titles, but that could be wrong.

17. Flogging Molly -- If I ever leave this world alive (2:56)
     It's Flogging Molly and this song was on the P.S. I Love You soundtrack 'nuff said.

18. Dropkick Murphys -- I'm shipping up to Boston (2:45)
     Heard the intro to this played tonight at the WKU spring red vs. white football game, at least I think it was this.  It was definitely the Dropkick Murphys.  Not my fav, but it's alright.

19. The All-American Rejects -- Swing, swing (3:30)
     Bet you cannot help but swing.

20. Cherry Poppin' Daddies -- Zoot suit riot (3:53)
     Speaking of swinging.

21. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones -- The impression that I get (3:16)
     It makes me wonder if I could.  I guess I better knock on wood.  Love the lyrics and well I am a bit of a sucker for non-traditional instruments in bands (there have been at least a few by now, I haven't been counting).  Plus the band appeared in Clueless, and I enjoyed watching that movie.  Mostly because Alecia Silverstone was hot and I would watch anything she was in.  I had Excess baggage too.

22. Butthole Surfers -- Pepper (4:09)
     Not a big fan of the name or the cover art.  I also cannot remember if I actually liked any other songs.  This is one of those songs that I forget who sang it and what the title is and it is hard as hell to find it when I want to hear it.  I randomly found it just now as I saw the band name and I realized that they had a good song, but could not remember what it was.

23. Harvey Danger -- Flagpole sitta (3:39)
     It's catchy and it was on one of the batman movie soundtracks I owned a few of the movies and just that soundtrack.

24. Sugar Ray -- Every morning (4:12)
     I wouldn't know what to do with an Angel's halo either.  You know you have to make the instrumentals when you sing this one though.  Too funny.

25. Goo Goo Dolls -- Name (3:55)
     This is my fave from the Goo Goo Dolls, in a list of fantastic songs.

26. Lifehouse -- Breathing (4:16)
     Lifehouse has some good songs too.  Also, I just happen to love these lyrics.

27. Silverchair -- Miss you love (3:59)

28. Seven Mary Three (7M3) -- Lucky (3:59)
     Great band.  Three CDs of theirs, I think that I had.  Pretty much every song is good.  Most people have heard either Cumbersome or Water's Edge or both.  Punch In, Punch Out was their song that I was first introduced to, it is an anthem!  My former co-worker, Josh Gunnels, and I would play it on the ride home from work.  I was too young to drive so he had to take me home.  Wherever you are in the world Josh, I hope you are well and thanks for introducing me to some great music.

29. Avril Lavigne -- I'm with you (3:45)
     Beautiful Canadian girl.  Need I say more?

32. Green Day -- Nice guys finish last (2:49)

31. System of a Down -- Toxicity (3:44)
     Disorder!

32. Godsmack -- Sick of life (3:51)

Well that is actually 2 hours of music right there.  Unfortunately there is plenty more I would like to share and I actually added a bunch of videos to my playlist and forgot to save them so when I went back, starting over, not all of them got added back in.

33. Anna Nalick -- Breathe (5:08)
     Used in A Lot Like Love and the lyrics are great.
34. Paula Cole -- Me (4:45)
35. Eve 6 -- Here's to tonight (4:03)
36. Jewel -- You were meant for me (3:43)
37. Breaking Benjamin -- Diary of Jane (3:28)
38. Seether -- Broken (4:22)
39. Semisonic -- Singing in my sleep (4:25)
40. Maroon 5 -- This Love (3:23)

Wow I should try to get a whole 24 hours of music or something crazy like that.  It would take forever to do that though (I am already tired).  Hopefully this brings some one a little enjoyment.

So glad playlists do not have a limit.  I had hundreds of mp3s on my computer and about as many CDs.