Setlist Society

1. "O Tannenbaum" from A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi
   
2. "A Cradle in Bethlehem" from The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole
3. "Christmas in Killarney" from Merry Christmas by Bing Crosby
4. "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" from The Complete 50's Masters (Disc 3) by Elvis Presley
5. "O Come O Come Emmanuel" from It's a Cool, Cool Christmas by Belle & Sebastian
6. "Wexford Carol" from Spirit of the Season by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
7. "The Christmas Song" from Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas by Ella Fitzgerald
8. "The Bells of Dublin/Christmas Eve" from The Bells of Dublin by The Chieftains
9. "Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance" from Songs for Christmas by Sufjan Stevens
10. "Away in a Manger" from The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole
11. "Christmas" from This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday Vol. 1 by Rogue Wave
12. "Silver Bells" from Merry Christmas by Bing Crosby
13. "Cantos para Pedir las Posadas" from A Dave Brubeck Christmas by Dave Brubeck
14. "Like an Angel Passing through My Room" from Spirit of the Season by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Sissel
15. "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" from Sweet Tracks 2005 by Feist
16. "White Christmas" from Merry Christmas by Bing Crosby
17. "Santa Claus Is Back in Town" from The Complete 50's Masters (Disc 3) by Elvis Presley
18. "Zat You Santa Claus?" from It's Christmas Time by Louis Armstrong
19. "River" from Blue by Joni Mitchell
20. "In the Bleak Midwinter" from Spirit of the Season by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Sissel
21. "Santa Bring My Baby Back (to Me)" from The Complete 50's Masters (Disc 3) by Elvis Presley
22. "No Christmas for Me" from This Warm December, A Brushfire Holiday, Vol. 1 by Zee Avi
23. "Silent Night" from The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole
24. "Angels, from the Realm of Glory" from Spirit of the Season by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Sissel

A few notes: I'm actually not a big fan of #1, but I love this rendition of it. Way to go, Guaraldi. I wish #2 were more standard in the Christmas music canon; I think it's a beautiful song. I love the vibes on #7. In #9, the line "Santa Claus is coming, hear the banjos strumming" just gets me pumped up for some reason. Merry Christmas! God bless us, every one.

I didn't find all of the songs. Sorry to blemish your record, but I figured people might like to peruse at least most of your list. Merry Christmas! Here it is:

I just flew in from Phoenix a few hours ago and tomorrow I'm off to Munich, so I'm going to post a setlist sans widget--I'm not quite as on top of things as David over there. I hope that's cool with everybody. (Most of these are easily accessible and/or very familiar, anyway.)

I'm submitting my post early this week, since I'm taking off for Italy tomorrow. My holiday music collection is probably pretty anemic compared to most, but I think there's enough unique stuff in here to keep things interesting.

1. "White Christmas" from Home Alone by The Drifters
2. "Melekalikimaka" from Christmas With The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys
3. "Please Come Home for Christmas" from Please Come Home for Christmas / Funky New Year - Single by Eagles
4. "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" from Santa Claus is Comin' to Town - Single by Bruce Springsteen
5. "Run Rudolph Run" from Run Rudolph Run/Pressure Drop - Single by Keith Richards
6. "Feliz Navidad" from Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano
7. "That Spirit of Christmas" from The Spirit of Christmas by Ray Charles
8. "Blue Christmas" from Harry for the Holidays by Harry Connick, Jr.
9. "Santa Baby" from Platinum & Gold Collection: Eartha Kitt by Earha Kitt
10. "Baby, It's Cold Outside" from Elf by Zooey Deschanel and Leon Redbone
11. "Sleigh Ride" from A Christmas Festival by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra
12. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" from 20th Century Masters - The Christmas Collection: The Best of Brenda Lee by Brenda Lee
13. "Jingle Bell Rock" from For Christmas by Johnny Mathis
14. "Jingle Bells" from Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas by Ella Fitzgerald
15. "What Are You Doing New Years Eve" from Christmas Songs by Diana Krall
16. "Christmas Time Is Here" from A Charlie Brown Christmas by The Vince Guaraldi Trio
17. "I Have a Little Dreidel" from Barenaked for the Holidays by Barenaked Ladies
18. "Frosty the Snowman" from Harry for the Holidays by Harry Connick, Jr.
19. "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" from Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas by Ella Fitzgerald
20. "Sussex Mummer's Christmas Carol" from Percy Grainger Plays Grainger by Percy Grainger
21. "Little Saint Nick" from Christmas With The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys
22. "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" from Greatest Hits: Still Squeaky after All These Years by Alvin & The Chipmunks
23. "The Christmas Song" from 20th Century Masters - The Millenium Collection: The Best of Mel Tormé by Mel Tormé
24. "Christmas TV" from Christmas TV - Single by Slow Club
25. "Last Christmas (Studio Version)" from Christmas EP by Jimmy Eat World
26. "Sleigh Ride" from A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector by The Ronettes
27. "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" from A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector by Darlene Love

Sorry about the pops and hisses on "Run Rudolph Run," they're not supposed to be there. This version of "White Christmas" is my all-time favorite and is might be my favorite Christmas song of all time. Plus, it's featured in Home Alone which plays a pivotal role in my personal history, being one of the first movies I ever saw without my parents. Harry's version of "Blue Christmas" isn't as good as the one I heard two years ago at the JALC Orchestra's Red Hot Holiday Stomp, but it's as close as I could get in a recording. The Mel Tormé track is included more for historical reasons, since the guy composed the song. I think I like the Nat King Cole version better, but I don't own it. Finally, "Jingle Bell Rock" will always remind me of my Mom. Anyway, Merry Christmas to all of you!

Hey guys,

It always seems like the holidays go by so fast. That's why I would like to make this week about everyone's favorite holiday music. That way I'll have enough time to accumulate a few more new favorites for this year. :)

1) Nutshell (Unplugged) - Alice in Chains
2) Please Don't Let It Go (Acoustic) - HIM
3) Broken (Acoustic) - Seether
4) Running Blind (Acoustic) - Godsmack
5) Tamacun - Rodrigo y Gabriela
6) The World I Know - Collective Soul
7) Landslide - Smashing Pumpkins
8) Vermilion, Pt. 2 - Slipknot
9) Song or Suicide - HIM
10) We're Going to be Friends - White Stripes
11) No Excuses (Unplugged) - Alice in Chains
12) The Funeral of Hearts (Acoustic) - HIM
13) Pennyroyal Tea (Unplugged) - Nirvana
14) Grin - Guster
15) Heard the World - OAR
16) Medicine - Guster
17) Lullaby - Creed
18) Have You Ever Seen the Rain? - Creedence Clearwater Revival
19) The Wrestler - Bruce Springsteen
20) I'm Sorry That I Got Fat - Wesley Willis
21) Hotel Yorba - White Stripes
22) Would? (Unplugged) - Alice in Chains

I've been packing and compiling the playlist, so the list is short--but oh so sweet. Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

So, this week's list was fun to put together, and I got a little eclectic with my choices. Hope you're feeling a bit adventurous (not much, just a little). Yes, I've got a dupe from Cabeza's list, but I think it's deserving of a double listen. African Dream is a band I heard on the street in Cape Town last year. I bought their CDs and they became the soundtrack for that trip. As for the classical tracks, #1 is the 1984 Karajan recording, #10 was done in 1959 with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra (really the New York Philharmonic) and #12 was done in... well, I'm not sure. And I'm 99.999% certain that every bit of this list is acoustic. Enjoy folks.

1. "Prelude (Sonnenaufgang)" from Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op.30 by Richard Strauss performed by Herbert von Karajan and the Berliner Philharmoniker
2. "O Death" from O Brother, Where Art Thou? by Ralph Stanley
3. "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" from An Evening with John Denver by John Denver
4. "Down By the Riverside" from The Best of the Early Years by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band
5. "I'll Fly Away" from O Brother, Where Art Thou? by Alison Krauss & Gillian Welch
6. "Malted Milk" from Unplugged by Eric Clapton
7. "Oliver James" from Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
8. "The Times They Are A-Changin'" from The Times They Are A-Changin' by Bob Dylan
9. "Mug Shots: Wild Coffee" from Charms of the Night Sky by Dave Douglas
10. "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin performed by Leonard Bernstein with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra
11. "La Paloma Azul" from Bravo! Brubeck! by Dave Brubeck
12. "Fanfare for the Common Man" by Aaron Copland performed by Aaron Copland and the London Symphony Orchestra
13. "Homeless" from Graceland by Paul Simon
14. "Uthando Lkakhe" from Uhambo Lwethu by African Dream
15. "Sufi Bhakti" from Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey by Debashish Bhattacharya
16. "Wigwam" from Self Portrait by Bob Dylan
    

Much shorter list from me this week, because either Jared already used some of the songs I have or I just didn't want to be redundant by using too many from the same genre and/or artist. (Like Jared, I'll insert the player later.) Plus I'm very tired right now.

1. "The Universe is Laughing" from Tiger by The Guggenheim Grotto
2. "Falling Slowly" from Once by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
3. "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" from A Mighty Wind by Mitch & Mickey
4. "Other Father Song" from Coraline by They Might Be Giants
5. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World" from Facing Future by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
6. "Silent and Still" from Somewhere Between Starving and Stardom by Samantha Murphy
7. "The Ballad of Jebediah Springfield" from Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons by The Simpsons
8. "Union Strike Folk Song" from Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons by The Simpsons
9. "Sam's Song" from The Summit: In Concert by Sammy Davis, Jr. & Dean Martin
10. "The Five Pennies" from The Five Pennies by Danny Kaye
11. "The Way I Am" from Girls and Boys by Ingrid Michaelson
12. "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" from Elvis #1 Singles by Elvis Presley
    

"Sam's Song" is a live recording on my playlist as opposed to the studio version in the player, but it's pretty similar. For the Samantha Murphy song, click on this link for a YouTube video that includes the song. Please ignore the random footage of a puppy and cat. Seriously. I'm actually really worried that you guys are going to be forever tainted to this song by the dumb imagery, so click to a different tab at least for the first time you listen to the song. It's really quite good.

1. "I'll Fly Away" from O Brother, Where Art Thou? by Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch
2. "To Sing for You" from What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid by Donovan
3. "Streets of Laredo" from American IV - The Man Comes Around by Johnny Cash
4. "Sunshine Lady" from Open Field by Taken by Trees
5. "Emo Gold" from The Ska that Broke the Camel's Back by Button Hooked
6. "Fields of Gold (New Version)" from Songs from the Labyrinth by Sting
7. "Fare Thee Well Blues" from Soon Be Time by Bruce Molsky
8. "Variations for the Healing of Arinushka" from The War: A Ken Burns Film by Arvo Pärt, performed by Kalle Randalu
9. "Blue Eyes" from Citsuca by Timmy Curran
10. "Lullaby" from A Sky Underground by Paper Bird
11. "Mr Hanelei" from The Bruce Lee Band by The Bruce Lee Band
12. "Hey Hey" from Unplugged by Eric Clapton
13. "Gerkin for Perkin" from Study in Brown by Clifford Brown & Max Roach
14. "Walking Blues" from Robert Johnson: The Blues Biography by Robert Johnson
15. "Birds and Ships" from Mermaid Avenue by Billy Bragg & Wilco with Natalie Merchant
16. "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" from Red Headed Stranger by Willie Nelson
17. "Demon Lover Improv" from Catalpa by Jolie Holland
18. "Balloons" from Left Right Wrong by Julia Nunes
19. "Limehouse Blues" from The Best Of Django Reinhardt by Django Reinhardt
20. "You Alone" from FIREPROOF by Dawn Landes (bonus track--"I Won't Back Down," a Tom Petty cover)

A few notes:
Yes, #5 is a parody. Take that, Dashboard Confessional!
#6 is perhaps the best re-recording of a song by an artist ever. Two lutes instead of the original version, which was muddied by over-arranging and poor instrumentation.
If you don't understand #11, you may be too young, or you just didn't watch nearly as many reruns growing up as I did.
#15's album, Mermaid Avenue, is a worthy purchase. Woody Guthrie songs that he never recorded. Brilliant stuff.

Went to the Joshua Radin concert last night here in NYC, and for the encore he came out into the crowd to cover Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." It just so happened he came to play right where we were standing. My buddy Mark caught it on his iPhone (thanks 3GS!), and put it on the YouTubes. Since it's acoustic week, I thought I'd share with you. So, without further ado, Joshua Radin and the Watson Twins (oh, and if you look closely, I'm on the left for a bit):

Acoustic (uh-koo-stik]

Sorry I'm late folks. Here's this weeks goodness:

1. "Hey Jude" from The Royal Tenenbaums by The Mutato Muzika Orchestra
2. "Everyday" from Stubbs The Zombie: The Soundtrack by Rogue Wave
3. "Starman" from All Day by Mates of State
4. "Heroes" from War Child - Heroes by TV on the Radio
5. "Forever Young" from Casino Twilight Dogs by Youth Group
6. "Overkill" from Man @ Work by Colin Hay
7. "Inside and Out" from Let It Die by Feist
8. "Your Song" from Moulin Rouge by Ewan McGregor and Alessandro Safina
9. "Silly Habits" from Mel Tormé and Friends by Mel Tormé (and presumably, his friends)
10. "Mona Lisa" from Take a Break by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
11. "Common People" from Has Been by William Shatner
12. "Waterloo Sunset" from Live Sessions (iTunes Exclusive) -EP by The Submarines
13. "Louie, Louie" from Funky Kingston by Toots & The Maytals
14. "With a Little Help from My Friends" from With a Little Help from My Friends by Joe Cocker
15. "Money (That's What I Want)" from With The Beatles by The Beatles
16. "This Land is Your Land" from Naturally by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
17. "Hold On! I'm Comin'" from Riding with The King by Eric Clapton and B.B. King
18. "Ziggy Stardust" from The Life Aquatic - Studio Sessions featuring Seu Jorge by Seu Jorge

So, I've got Wes Anderson to thank for the bookends of this list, which happens to include 3 Bowie covers. #7 is a Bee Gees cover (I didn't know that at first). #9 is another track from that Mel Tormé album that I can't more highly recommend. The rest is pretty self-explanatory, I think. Enjoy!

1. "Across the Universe" from the Pleasantville soundtrack by Fiona Apple (The Beatles)
2. "It Ain't Me Babe" from It Ain't Me Babe by The Turtles (Bob Dylan)
3. "The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo) from Mighty Quinn by Manfred Mann (Bob Dylan)
4. "A Whiter Shade of Pale" from Medusa by Annie Lennox (Procol Harum)
5. "Astral Weeks" from various concerts by The Swell Season (Van Morrison)
6. "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" from b-sides and rarities by Cake (Kenny Rogers)
7. "Frankie & Johnny" from A Prairie Home Companion by Lindsay Lohan (traditional)
8. "How Can I Keep from Singing?" from Shepherd Moons by Enya (Shaker hymn)
9. "Take Me Home Country Road" from Facing Future by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (John Denver)
10. "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" from YouTube by First Aid Kit (Fleet Foxes)
11. "Young Folks" from Young Folks by Dawn Landes (Peter Bjorn and John)
12. "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" from Raising Sand by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss (The Everly Brothers)
13. "Dedicated to the One I Love" from Deliver by The Mamas and the Papas (The Shirelles (who covered it off of The "5" Royales))
14. "Honky Tonk Women" from Blue Light Boogie by Taj Mahal with James Cotton (The Rolling Stones)
15. "Tiny Dancer" from Ben Folds Live by Ben Folds (Elton John)
16. "A.C.D.C" from Sinner by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (Sweet)
17. "On the Outside" from Dead Band's Party by Suburban Legends (Oingo Boingo)
18. "Major Tom (Coming Home)" from On the Cover II by MXPX (Peter Schilling)
19. "There Is Nothing Like a Dame" from Vacationing in Palm Springs by Reel Big Fish (South Pacific)
20. "She's an Angel" from The Bruce Lee Band by The Bruce Lee Band (They Might Be Giants)

Like Shark, one of these songs is actually not in my library--but it would be if I could get it. I saw The Swell Season recently and Glen Hansard's amazing strumming on "Astral Weeks" blew all of us away. I've embedded a video below the playlist. I also couldn't find Dawn Landes' cover of "Young Folks" on Grooveshark, but I figured that instead of uploading it I'd let you all watch the video she put up on YouTube, which features some delightful old gentlemen. Oh, and you can find the First Aid Kit song on YouTube, but someone happened to put it in Grooveshark too, so I put it in the widget for your convenience and pleasure.

1) Don't Fear the Reaper - HIM
2) Carry On Wayward Son - The Showdown
3) Have a Cigar - Foo Fighters
4) The Man Who Sold the World - Nirvana
5) Solitary Man - HIM
6) Blue Monday - Orgy
7) Renegades of Funk - Rage Against the Machine
8) I Fought the Law - Green Day
9) Orion - Rodrigo y Gabriela
10) Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
11) (Nothing But) Flowers - Guster
12) Oh Come All Ye Faithful - Twisted Sister
13) Tonight, Tonight - Panic! at the Disco
14) Turn the Page - Metallica
15) I Walk the Line - Live
16) Careless Whisper - Seether
17) Black - Staind
18) Behind Blue Eyes - Limp Bizkit
19) So Long, Farewell - The Vandals

1. "Strangers in the Night" from B-Sides and Rarities by Cake
2. "Always Be My Baby" by David Cook
3. "99 Red Balloons" from Stomping Ground by Goldfinger
4. "Straight Up" from Punk Goes 80's by Halifax
5. "Mystery Science Theater 3000 Love Theme" from Live Transmissions from Uranus by Man or Astro-man?
6. "Don't Get Around Much Anymore / I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart" from The Great American Songbook by Mel Torme and The Great American Songbook Orchestra
7. "Spider-Man Theme" by Michael Buble
8. "Heaven is a Place On Earth" from On the Cover II by Mxpx
9. "Somebody to Love" from On the Cover II by Mxpx
10. "Lovefool" from From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II by New Found Glory
11. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" from From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II by New Found Glory
12. "Time After Time" from When All That's Left is You by Quietdrive
13. "Brown Eyed Girl" from Fame, Fortune, and Fornication by Reel Big Fish
14. "Come On Eileen" from It Means Everything by Save Ferris
15. "Careless Whisper" by Seether
16. "Bright Spring Morning" from Dance Like Nobody's Watching by Suburban Legends
17. "New York City" from Factory Showroom by They Might Be Giants
18. "Maybe I Know" from Long Tall Weekend by They Might Be Giants
19. "Lady is a Tramp" from Then: The Earlier Years by They Might Be Giants
20. "Under Pressure" by The Used/Chemical Romance
21. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" from Spaced Out by William Shatner
22. "All That She Wants" by Wizo
23. "Wreck of the Sloop John B" from Alone in a Crowd by Catch 22
24. "Cupid" by Westbound Train

Sorry, I wasn't as thorough as Amanda in that I didn't credit the original versions at all -- but if you are interested, most of these shouldn't be too hard to figure out.

#16 is a cover done by the same band who sang the original (with a couple players changed up), but the versions are so different that I felt it was worth mentioning. Also, #24 I don't actually have on my playlist, though I would if it were available for download, but I have provided a link to a YouTube video of it, as well as links to any other songs that are missing from the embedded player, after said player:

#6: (can't find a link... sorry!)
#8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI01b5suDgA
#9: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7ToIjQqCdA
#16: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUc_wrwE89o (the original is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJqXzBlfNsk&feature=related )
#24: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIDNMYNWs0o&feature=related

1. Songbird - Coldplay (Oasis)
2. On the Street Where You Live - Harry Connick Jr. (My Fair Lady)
3. Spooky - Imogen Heap (Dusty Springfield)
4. Twist and Shout - The Beatles (Top Notes via The Isley Brothers)
5. Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley (Leonard Cohen)
6. Over the Rainbow - Melody Gardot (Wizard of Oz)
7. Hurt - Johnny Cash (Nine Inch Nails)
8. Leaving on a Jet Plane - Chantel Kreviazuk (John Denver)
9. Save the Last Dance for Me - Michael Buble (Ben E. King & The Drifters)
10. Cat's in the Cradle - James Taylor (Harry Chapin)
11. Do You Realize - Postal Service (The Flaming Lips)
12. My Favorite Things - John Coltrane (The Sound of Music)
13. All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix (Bob Dylan)
14. Baby It's Cold Outside - Ella & Louis (Frank Loesser)
15. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing - Sufjan Stevens (Robert Robinson)

Oh man, these songs take me back...

1) U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer
2) About a Girl (unplugged) - Nirvana
3) Come Undone - Duran Duran
4) Crazy - Aerosmith
5) Selling the Drama - Live
6) Linger - The Cranberries
7) The Man Who Sold the World - Nirvana
8) Come Out and Play - The Offspring
9) Uninvited - Ruth Ruth
10) Shine - Collective Soul
11) Bound for the Floor - Local H
12) Zombie - The Cranberries
13) Teenage Dirtbag - Wheatus
14) Pray - MC Hammer
15) Tubthumping - Chumbawamba
16) Shimmer - Fuel
17) Round Here - Counting Crows
18) Losing My Religion - REM
19) Basket Case - Green Day
20) Black or White - Michael Jackson
21) Brimful of Asha - Cornershop
22) How Bizarre - OMC

This was a really fun list to put together, and it's made me real happy. I hope you enjoy as well. Notes in the comments.

1. "Midnight Star" from In 3D by Weird Al Yankovich
2. "Fletch Theme" from Fletch by Harold Faltermeyer
3. "Graceland" from Graceland by Paul Simon
4. "Free Fallin'" from Greatest Hits by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
5. "Loch Lomand" from Live at Carnegie Hall by Benny Goodman
6. "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" from Flood by They Might Be Giants
7. "Stayin' Alive" from Saturday Night Fever by Bee Gees
8. "Today" from Siamese Dream by Smashing Pumpkins
9. "Mr. Jones" from August and Everything After by Counting Crows
10. "Blue Train" from Blue Train by John Coltrane
11. "Winchester Cathedral" from Winchester Cathedral by The New Vaudeville Band
12. "Wedding Dance" from Fiddler on the Roof by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick
13. "The Stripper" from Tease: The Best of Burlesque by David Rose
14. "Wonderful Tonight" from Slowhand by Eric Clapton
15. "Torn" from Left of Middle by Natalie Imbruglia
16. "Zorba's Dance" from Zorba the Greek by Mikis Theodorakis
17. "Un Sueño" from Un Sueño by Los Angeles de Charly
18. "Rayando el Sol" from Unplugged by Maná
19. "Swing Down Sweet Chariot" from Amazing Grace: His Greatest Sacred Performances by Elvis Presley
20. "9 to 5" from 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs by Dolly Parton
21. "Take a Letter Maria" from R.B. Greaves by R.B. Greaves
22. "Adios, Au Revoir, Auf Wiedersehn" from Champagne and Romance by Lawrence Welk

No, I'm not telling you to run from a bomb or to stop having a skanky fashion sense (looking at you, Darren).

This week's assignment is to list some great covers you've enjoyed at one time or another. I think this will be interesting for two reasons: (1) We'll get to discover new takes on songs we already know and love, and (2) we just might find out that a song we THOUGHT was unique is actually the cover of a less-popular original.

Autobots, roll out!

1. Rumbly In My Tumbly - Disney's Winnie The Pooh
2. Cruella De Ville - Disney's 101 Dalmations
3. Bella Notte - Disney's Lady and the Tramp
4. A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes - Disney's Cinderella
5. Chim Chim Cher-ee - Disney's Mary Poppins
6. A Whole New World - Disney's Aladdin
7. Beauty and the Beast - Disney's Beauty and the Beast
8. Castle On a Cloud - Les Miserables (preferably the Original London Cast)
9. Theme - Batman: The Animated Series
10. Theme - X-Men
11. Theme - Pinky and the Brain
12. Theme - Bill Nye the Science Guy
13. Theme - Duck Tales
14. Blue Moon - The Marcels
15. Runaround Sue - Dion & the Belmonts
16. Men In Tights - Mel Brooks' Men In Tights
17. Aqueous Transmission - Incubus
18. Theme - Pride & Prejudice (the long one)
19. Politik - Coldplay
20. Just for Now - Imogen Heap
21. Killing Me Softly - Lauryn Hill
22. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams
23. All I Want for Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
24. Hello - Lionel Richie

As you can tell, I was a kid who liked me some Disney movies and Saturday morning cartoons...also after-school programming....and these are just a few of my favorites...so I watched a lot of t.v. with my brother, alright? :) A lot of songs on the list are therefore pretty self-explanatory, but I'll add some notes to the comments anyway. As for organization, this is in rough chronological order.

1. "Eight Days A Week" from Beatles for Sale by The Beatles
2. "I Get Around" from All Summer Long by The Beach Boys
3. "The Christmas Waltz" from Christmas Portrait by The Carpenters
4. "Super Chicken" from Super Chicken by Sheldon Allman
5. "Do You Love Me" from Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance) by The Contours
6. "The Cold Miser Song" from The Without a Santa Claus by Cold Miser
7. "Hard to Say I'm Sorry/Get Away" from Chicago 16 by Chicago
8. "Go West" from Very by The Pet Shop Boys
9. "Theme from Rocky XIII" from In 3-D by Weird Al Yankovic
10. "Sloop John B" from Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
11. "Road Movie to Berlin" from Flood by They Might Be Giants
12. "It's Alright with Me" from We Are in Love by Harry Connick, Jr.
13. "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" from God Shuffled His Feet by Crash Test Dummies
14. "Lightning Crashes" from Throwing Copper by Live
15. "Blue Rondo a la Turk" from Time Out by Dave Brubeck Quartet
16. "Superman" from The Bruce Lee Band by The Bruce Lee Band
17. "Bogoroditse Dievo, Raduysia" from Vespers by Sergei Rachmaninoff, performed by the Lake Washington High School Choir (1997)
18. "All of Me" from August End by Jon Schmidt
19. "America's Wang" from The Ska That Broke the Camel's Back by Button Hooked
20. "Endless Love" from Endless Love by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
21. "Mess Around" from Mess Around by Ray Charles
22. "We Used to Be Friends" from Welcome to the Monkey House by The Dandy Warhols

Like Shark, I've got way too much to say about these to put it all in an over-long post. So I'll stick some notes in the comments. Just know that I tried to order my list based on order of nostalgic memories, starting from the earliest, then working my way up through junior high, high school, and college. Trip.

Found myself with a relatively free evening, so thought I'd get this out of the way before the busy weekend. The songs are ordered roughly chronologically from those I associate with childhood to songs I associate with adulthood.

1. "Reading Rainbow Theme Song" from Reading Rainbow's Greatest Hits by Reading Rainbow
2. "Leader of the Pack" from The Best of the Shangri-Las by The Shangri-Las
3. "Pop Goes the World" from The Silver Collection by Men Without Hats
   
4. "Something to Believe In" from Smash by The Offspring
5. "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" from '70s Greatest Hits by The Looking Glass
6. "The Impression That I Get" from The Best of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
7. "Danny Boy" from Come By Me by Harry Connick, Jr.
8. "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" from Hello, Dolly! by Cast
9. "Breakfast At Tiffany's" from Home by Deep Blue Something
10. "Ants Marching" from Under the Table and Dreaming by Dave Matthews Band
11. "Boat of Car" from They Might Be Giants by They Might Be Giants
12. "Say My Name" from The Writing's On the Wall by Destiny's Child
13. "Rhapsody in Blue" from The Essential George Gershwin by George Gershwin
14. "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat" from Guys And Dolls by Walter Bobbie & Ensemble
15. "Turtle Power" from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Soundtrack by Partners In Kryme
16. "Kryptonite" from The Better Life by 3 Doors Down
17. "Medley: Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu)/On An Evening In Roma" from The Summit: In Concert by Dean Martin
18. "Five State Drive" from Hello Rockview by Less Than Jake
19. "Hide and Seek" from Speak for Yourself by Imogen Heap
20. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" from Permission to Land by The Darkness

Wow, what a hard list to compile. Most of my music collection wreaks of nostalgia, and my iTunes is riddled with songs that I've purchased solely for the memories.

Every song on my setlist is found in the embedded player, but note that (1) "Reading Rainbow" is a much higher quality on my personal playlist, and (2) the version of the Dean Martin medley I own is a different live recording than the one provided, but this is comparable.

I have notes on each song included in the comments (didn't want to flood the main page with a huge post). Each contributor to this blog, with the exception of Shannon (if only our paths had crossed sooner), has at least one memory I affiliate with certain songs in this post.

The weather is changing, the leaves are still turning and the holidays are around the corner. This time of year I get a little reflective! And so, this week the theme is musical nostalgia. What songs evoke memories, smells, laughter, etc? This isn't about holiday music per-se, simply those songs that make you turn up the volume or rattle off a "remember when" as soon as you hear the intro. Enjoy!

1. "Mr. Frump in the Iron Lung" from Weird Al Yankovic by "Weird Al" Yankovic
2. "Main Title" from Rudy (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) by Jerry Goldsmith
3. "Sealed with a Kiss" from Brian Hyland: Greatest Hits by Brian Hyland
4. "Carrie-Anne" from The Hollies' Greatest Hits by The Hollies
5. "Runaway" from Runaway with del Shannon by del Shannon
6. "Please Forgive Me" from Transitions by Westbound Train
7. "She's Just My Style" from The Legendary Masters Series by Gary Lewis & The Playboys
8. "Oh, Canada" from Our Newest Album Ever! by Five Iron Frenzy
9. "Me and My Shadow" from Tenority by Lew Tabackin
10. "We Will Fall Together" from Somewhere In the Between by Streetlight Manifesto
11. "No One Knows My Plan" from John Henry by They Might Be Giants
12. "Nothing Else Matters" from Metallica by Metallica
13. "Fit to Be Tied" from Fire the Cannons by Jet Lag Gemini
14. "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" from Young Lust: The Aerosmith Anthology by Aerosmith
15. "Let It Be" from Let It Be by The Beatles
16. "Money for Nothing" from Private Investigations by Dire Straits
17. "Tribute" from Tenacious D by Tenacious D
18. "Brotherhood of Man" from How to Succeed in Business (Without Really Trying) (written) by Frank Loesser
19. "Hello, Dolly!" from Hello, Dolly! (performed) by Barbara Streisand & Cast
20. "Skeletons of Quinto" from A Mighty Wind by The Folksmen

Check it. I start off the list with one of the more original solos: that of an iron lung beating repeatedly in rhythm. This is followed by a soothing flute solo from the Rudy soundtrack, a harmonica solo, a steel drum solo, a (tenor clarinet?) solo, two songs that feature steel guitar solos, a trumpet solo, and two songs featuring (I believe) saxophone solos. TMBG's "No One Knows My Plan" features both a trumpet solo and electric guitar, while the next 5 songs on the list also feature electric guitar solos. "Tribute" has, again, electric guitar, as well as a nifty vocal/scatting solo by Jack Black. The next track gives another jazzy scat performance.

This version of "Hello, Dolly!" merits a love/tolerance sentiment from me. I consider Carol Channing -- NOT Babs -- to be the definitive Dolly, but Barbara does make it fun in her own way, and this particular version of this song always makes me smile so much because it unorthodoxically features Louis Armstrong in a cameo-solo in the number, a fitting tribute to a man who became well-known for performing this song in his jazz shows.

The final track features another vocal solo, with a particular point of interest being the Spanish dialog delivered. Christopher Guest is so awesome at subtle-ish comedy.

All but a couple tracks should be found in the embedded widget. The exceptions are: "Let It Be," of course, which features George Harrison at his best; "Me and My Shadow" by saxophonist Lew Tabackin, which is from a CD I blindly (but thank-heavensly) bought in high school. I recommend checking out Tabackin's work -- his jazz is kind of fun to listen to during evening drives through downtown Seattle.

1. "Five Long Years" from From the Cradle by Eric Clapton
2. "How High the Moon" from Ken Burns' Jazz: Ella Fitzgerald by Nancy Hamilton and Morgan Lewis, performed by Ella Fitzgerald
3. "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing" from The Great American Songbook - Live at Michael's Pub by Duke Ellington, performed by Mel Torme with John Colianni (piano) and John Leitham (bass)
4. "Cottontail" from The Great Summit by Duke Ellington, performed by Louis Armstrong & His All Stars with Duke Ellington (clarinet solo by Barney Bigard, trombone solo by Trummy Young)
5. "Let Me Off Uptown" from The War: A Ken Burns Film - I'm Beginning to See the Light: Dance Hits From The Second World War by The Gene Krupa Orchestra with Anita O'Day (trumpet solo by Roy Eldridge)
6. "M'appari, tutt'amor" from Martha, Act III by Friedrich von Flotow, performed by Mario Lanza
7. "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" from 9:30 Club - Washington, DC 11/23/2007 by They Might Be Giants (solo by Dan Miller)
8. "Far More Drums" from Time Further Out by Dave Brubeck Quartet (solo by Joe Morello)
9. "Let It Be" from Let It Be by The Beatles (solo by George Harrison)
10. "Lester Leaps In" from Ken Burns' Jazz: The Story of America's Music by Count Basie's Kansas City Seven with Lester Young
11. "Time of the Season" from Odessey and Oracle by The Zombies (solo by Rod Argent)
12. "Body and Soul" from The War: A Ken Burns Film, Sentimental Journey, Hits From The Second World War by Coleman Hawkins
13. "Wait Until Tomorrow" from TRY! - John Mayer Trio in Concert by John Mayer Trio
14. "Jimmy Olsen's Blues" from Pocket Full of Kryptonite by Spin Doctors (solo by Eric Schenkman)

The list starts out with the song that gave me the idea for the week's theme. Clapton's extended guitar solo over the bridge melts my soul. Tracks 2-4 are explorations into different scatting styles, then 4 goes together with 5 so that the listener can observe the trumpet stylings of two different masters. I placed track 6 right there to kind of cap off the vocal solos set and also change it up after several jazz pieces. I actually found this aria watching a sadly forgotten movie called Breaking Away (1979). Great piece, great vocal by Lanza.

Shark and I were there for Dan Miller's amazing acoustic guitar intro to track 7. Notice how he gets annoyed with the audience clapping. They're throwing off his groove. Track 8 is pretty much a song-length drum solo for Morello. 9 is to give praise to George Harrison (and prove that The Beatles can be found on Grooveshark if you search creatively). 10 and 12 are tributes to two saxophone greats with 11 in there to both break it up a little and to pay homage to the Hammond B3 organ. Love that old-timey sound.

I stuck 13 and 14 on the end to try and shake some stereotypes while simultaneously showcasing some great electric guitar solos. John Mayer is, above all else, a masterful guitarist. He made me cry when I saw him play "Crossroads." And the Spin Doctors are much more than "Two Princes." Enjoy!

1) Fade to Black - Metallica
2) Lonely Day - System of a Down
3) One - Metallica
4) Knights of Cydonia - Muse
5) The Great Gig in the Sky - Pink Floyd
6) Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
7) Burnin' For You - Blue Oyster Cult
8) Like a Stone - Audioslave
9) Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
10) Tribute - Tenacious D
11) Moby Dick - Led Zeppelin
12) Six - All That Remains
13) Don't Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
14) Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas
15) Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz
16) Rise Above This - Seether

1. School of Rock (from the movie of the same name)

2. I Got a Woman by Ray Charles

3. While My Guitar Gently Weeps by George Harrison

4. Roll Over Beethoven by Chuck Berry

5. All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix

6. It's All Over Now by the Rolling Stones

7. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight by Bob Dylan

8. Sonny Listen by Nate Gephardt

9. Butterfly Nets by Bishop Allen

10. Crayola Doesn't Make a Color by Kristen Andreassen

11. DOT by Jose Gonzalez

12. Never Never Land by the Vince Guaraldi Trio

13. Giant Steps by John Coltrane

14. Brandenburg Gate by Dave Brubeck

15. What A Little Moonlight Can Do by Billie Holiday

16. Mood Indigo by Duke Ellington

17. Stompin' at the Savoy by Clifford Brown

18. Violin Romance #2 in F, Op. 50 by Ludwig van Beethoven

19. Les Choristes (from the movie of the same name)

20. Ande Yo Caliente by Ramon Jimenez

21. Pretend I Don't Exist by Melody Gardot

1. "Eruption" from Van Halen by Van Halen
2. "Etude No. 3 in G-sharp monor, S 141 'La Campanella'" by Franz Liszt
3. "Doggin' Around" from The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz by Count Basie
4. "Jack the Bear" from Highlights From The Duke Ellington Centennial Edition (1927-1973) by Duke Ellington
5. "I Got Rhythm" from The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz by Don Byas and Slam Stewart
6. "St. Thomas" from Saxophone Colossus by Sonny Rollins
7. "Giant Steps" from Giant Steps by John Coltrane
8. "Blue in Green" from Kind of Blue by Miles Davis
9. "Bemsha Swing" from Conversations With Myself by Bill Evans
10. "Bags' Groove [solo section]" from Bags' Groove by Miles Davis
11. "Song For My Father" from Song For My Father by Horace Silver
12. "Moody's Mood for Love (I'm in the Mood for Love)" from At The Jazz Workshop by James Moody
13. "Love For Sale" from Mel Tormé and Friends by Mel Tormé
14. "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" from 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Flatt & Scruggs by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs
15. "Moto Perpetuo, Op. 11" from Carnaval by Wynton Marsalis
16. "Layla" from Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominos
17. "San Francisco Bay Blues" from Unplugged by Eric Clapton
18. "Free Bird" from Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd by Lynyrd Skynyrd
    

So, oddly enough, this post is a lot more biographical than the last one. First of all, you either know or might have guessed that I'm a big jazz fan, and that I played in jazz bands through college. So, the jazz entries in this list tend to be either textbook examples of well crafted solos or personal favorites I've studied on my own. And, since I'd like to explain why I picked some of them, here are my list notes: #3 - Compare Basie's solo at the end to the previous track. It's amazing how space can be just as effective in conveying an idea. #4&5 - Ellington gave Jimmy Blanton the first bass solo, which eventually paved the way for many others, including Slam Stewart. #6 - Good solos all around. Rollins' is a great example of structure and Max Roach shows that it's really about how you use your drum kit, not how many pieces it has. #7 - Very difficult chord changes to solo over, which leads to a very great solo (when you happen to be that good). #8 - Amazing examples of lyrical soloing. Pay attention to Bill Evans' piano at the end, I happen to think it's very beautiful. #9 - Bill Evans overdubbing himself, twice. #10 - This is only the solo section, played by Thelonious Monk, and it's an amazing example of how to build a solo. #11 - Amazing Joe Henderson solo, which contains one of my favorite licks of all time. #12 - Vocalese, which takes instrumental solos and mirrors them with lyrics for vocalists. #14 - I was, at one time, an aspiring young banjo player (though I played Dixeland, not Bluegrass). #15 - more technical than musical, but as a trumpet player, I've got to give credit to anyone who has the technical prowess to pull this off. #17 - J. knows why I picked this one.