Bliksem 1 (Lightning)

I call this playlist pick Bliksem. That is Dutch for Lightning. Not because it has anything to do with weather at all. But I started with Blitzkreig Bop and Ballroom Blitz, which all kinda mean lightning in German. The idea was to get songs that matched in intensity, if not speed of those songs. I guess it could be RIYL those songs. You could possibly use this as a playlist to run, or ski, or just to drive to. In fact a couple of these songs are in my On The Road Again series (all songs to take on the road). I'll post them one day. So enjoy this pick, I left of f a couple that I might use in volume two including one of my favorites: Betty Blowtorch. One day I might make volume 2. So leave any suggestions, but only until after you listen to the pick. It's kind of like the Beat This pick. It just sounds good together.

Bliksem 1

01 Judas Priest - Breaking The Law

02 Deep Purple - Highway Star

03 Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop

04 ZZ Top - Cheap Sunglasses

05 Golden Earring - Radar Love

06 Jethro Tull - Minstrel In The Gallery

07 Styx - Renegade

08 J Geils Band - Must Of Got Lost

09 Sweet - Ballroom Blitz

10 Bachman-Turner Overdrive - You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

11 Electric Light Orchestra - Four Little Diamonds

12 AC-DC - T.N.T.

13 Brownsville Station - Smokin' In The Boys' Room

14 Jefferson Starship - Ride the Tiger

15 Sniff 'N' The Tears - Driver's Seat

16 Cheap Trick - Surrender

17 Heart - Barracuda

18 Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak

19 The Knack - My Sharona

20 Black Sabbath - Paranoid

Do You Wanna Dance?

Not much I can say about this pick. Do You Wanna Dance was a playlist I made years ago on cassette. I redid it on CD and now as a playlist. I loved making cassettes at the time. It took real time to record. As for this pick, it's just songs I considered to be danceable. I probably have played every one of these songs at a gig somewhere way back then. When you play this, you will feel your butt start to wiggle, because these are very danceable. Tell me what you like (or don't) and what you would place in it's stead. The cover is similar to the cassette I originally made. Moody red with a script like title.

Do You Wanna Dance?

01 Communards - Don't Leave Me This Way

02 Pseudo Echo - Funkytown

03 Soft Cell - Tainted Love-Where Did Our Love Go

04 Book Of Love - Tubular Bells

05 Depeche Mode - Route 66

06 S-Express - Theme from S-Express

07 2 Men A Drum Machine And A Trumpet - Tired Of Getting Pushed Around

08 The Romantics - What I Like About You

09 Communards - Never Can Say Goodbye

10 Chic - Jack Le Freak

11 New Order - Blue Monday

12 Ministry - Everyday Is Halloween

13 Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind

14 M.A.R.R.S. - Pump Up The Volume (12 inch Mix)

15 Stock Aitken Waterman - Packjammed (With the Party Posse)

16 Otis Day & The Knights - Shout

Drums

Continuing on the Instruments series, here's the Drums one. Drum solos, just great drum parts, these songs tend to be a little longer, so less songs. Some of the best drum songs are in my Drum playlist pick. You may disagree with a couple, but the rest are arguably the best of all time, not just my pick. If you do have an argument for another track to be here instead, I would be happy to listen to it and give it a chance. Maybe for volume 2,if I get enough suggestions. By the way, do you recognize the drum kit on the cover?

Drums

01 Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight

02 Steely Dan - Aja

03 Deep Purple - Highway Star

04 Led Zeppelin - Moby Dick

05 Who - My Generation

06 Golden Earring - Radar Love

07 Black Sabbath - Rat Salad

08 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Tank

09 Jimi Hendrix - If 6 Was 9

10 Iron Butterfly - In A Gadda Da Vida

11 Cream - Toad

12 Rush - YYZ

13 Surfaris - Wipeout

14 Beatles - The End

All About That Bass

 Let me first say, that I like the bass. I play the bass (poorly). And songs that feature the bass are all over the place. What would any song in rock be without the bass? So here are a few of my picks for great bass parts in songs. My playlist. You will have different picks, that's ok, It's good in fact. I want to know what your pick would be. leave your suggestions in the comments below. One the tracks is the one I use to setup my DJ equipment to check the bass. Guess which one... And sorry the Meghan Trainor song All About That Bass is not on this list. I know it should be since I knicked the name for the title. But it isn't.

All About That Bass

01 Red Hot Chili Peppers - Give It Away

02 The Cure - The Love Cats

03 Who - My Generation

04 Led Zeppelin - Ramble On

05 Lou Reed - Walk On The Wild Side

06 James Brown - Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine, Pt. 1

07 Queen - Another One Bites The Dust

08 Beatles - Rain

09 Kool & The Gang - Hollywood Swinging

10 Chic - Good Times

11 Paris - Break The Grip Of Shame

12 Steely Dan - Josie

13 Pink Floyd - Money

14 Primus - Tommy the Cat

15 Stranglers - Peaches

16 Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

17 Yes - The Fish (Shindleria Praematurus)

18 Graham Central Station - Hair

Happy Birthday to Me!

Indulge me. It's my birthday today. So here are some of my favorite birthday songs (I do have a volume 2, but that will have to wait for next year). My very favorite Birthday song is from the Sheriff John TV show. I swear that Sheriff John sang this song to ME when I was a kid. He saw that I had a birthday right through the TV set! Anyway I have sung this song for birthdays ever since. Although for years I had no idea it was called the Happy Birthday Polka. It was always Put Another Candle On The Birthday Cake. Hopefully your favorite birthday song is on this playlist pick, If not you'll have to leave it in the comments and I'll tell you if it's in volume 2 (or maybe volume 3 if I ever finish that one). By the way this is posted at 7am. Is that coincidence? I don't think so.

Happy Birthday

01 Eddy Howard - Happy Birthday To You

02 Sheriff John - Birthday Cake Polka

03 Mariachi Vargas - Las Mananitas

04 Rick Hall - Happy Birthday (Swing Instrumental)

05 Altered Images - Happy Birthday

06 Beatles - Birthday

07 The Sugarcubes - Birthday

08 Stevie Wonder - Happy Birthday

09 Heatwave - Birthday

10 Will Powers - Happy Birthday

11 Ellen Ten Damme - Birthday

12 Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - Birthday Party

13 Kathy Young & The Innocents - Happy Birthday Blues

14 Neil Sedaka - Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen

15 The Tune Weavers - Happy, Happy Birthday Baby

16 Loretta Lynn - Happy Birthday

17 Weird Al Yankovic - Happy Birthday

18 The Smiths - Unhappy Birthday

19 Concrete Blonde - Happy Birthday

20 Laurie Anderson - So Happy Birthday

21 Lee 'Scratch' Perry - Happy Birthday

22 Was (Not Was) - Dad, I'm In Jail

Ghee Tars 2

Continuing on with the Ghee Tars series, this is volume 2. And it is also part of my Instruments series. I suppose they will all go along forever with new volumes eventually. Make sure you put your favorites in the comments below, so I consider them for future volumes. Again this is Guitar oriented songs. My favorite picks in this playlist. I think that maybe one or two in this series, could also be considered in the Beautiful Guitar series, but I kept them separate. If you haven't heard those, I suggest you look for them on this site, Search in the label section for Instruments. I really love this series, especially little bits like the Surf Punks comedy at the end. And things like Zappa (on both volumes), the Adrian Belew... Awwhh... They are all cool. 

Ghee Tars 2

16 Buckethead - Jump Man

17 Van Halen - Eruption

18 Adrian Belew - Big Electric Cat

19 King Crimson - Indiscipline

20 Phil Manzanera - Diamond Head

21 Joe Satriani - Surfing With The Alien

22 Jeff Beck - Star Cycle

23 Gamalon - Black Licorice

24 Frank Zappa - Return Of The Son Of Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar

25 The James Gang - Funk # 49

26 Steve Vai - Bad Horsie

27 Liquid Tension Experiment - Acid Rain

28 Pantera - Domination

29 Rush - Working Man

30 Yngwie Malmsteen - Far Beyond The Sun

31 Surf Punks - New Lead Guitar

Ghee Tars 1

Another pick in the Instruments series. I call this one Ghee Tars. But that's just a funny way to spell Guitars. Started with some guitar solos that I liked, Songs that featured some cool hard guitars. And then it just progressed from that. I actually made this before the Beautiful Guitar series. Look for volume two of the Ghee Tars playlist in the next day or so. And by the way I pronounce the Ghee Tars as if I was uneducated and in the South. I kinda am in the South now and have actually never heard anyone talk the way I imagined it in my head and in the movies, but I'm not changing the title now. Notice that the album has multiple guitars on the cover.

Ghee Tars 1

01 Butthole Surfers - Sweat Loaf

02 Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

03 Big Black - The Model

04 Scorpions - Robot Man

05 Led Zeppelin - In My Time Of Dying

06 Neil Young - T-Bone

07 Deep Purple - Smoke On The Water

08 Black Sabbath - Paranoid

09 Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze

10 John Cale - Gun

11 Frank Zappa - Whippin' Post

12 Ted Nugent - Great White Buffalo

13 Ministry - Thieves

14 Motorhead - Ace Of Spades

15 AC-DC - Back In Black

Disco Dollies 3 (A Life Of Vice)

The last in the Disco Dollies playlist series (for now). Some of these tracks in this pick were destined for volume one, but I saved them for this volume. And a few from compilations like previous volumes. And from a huge variety of musical styles, but all disco covers. I'm not sure if you will like this series better if you are a fan of disco, or you hate disco? Let me know if you are/were a fan of disco music. I guess I will have to post a few of my favorite real disco comps, maybe some slow ballads like the Heatwave Ballads playlist a little bit ago. Anyway you probably noticed that I added a mirror ball to the cover (to match one of my other Disco series pick), but you may not have noticed that I never repeated a song on any of the playlists. There are from playlist volume to playlist volume, but not any on the same playlist.

Disco Dollies 3

35 Richard Cheese - The Girl Is Mine

36 Big Daddy - Super Freak

37 Clock - U Sexy Thing

38 Goober & the Peas - MacArthur Park

39 Poi Dog Pondering with Two Nice Girls - Rock Your Baby

40 Tom Tom Club - Love To Love You Baby

41 Shinehead - Billy Jean-Mama Used To Say

42 R Kelly - Thank God It's Friday

43 KWS - Please Don't Go

44 The Squirrels - The Hustle

45 Gloria Estefan - Turn The Beat Around

46 Cyndi Lauper - Disco Inferno

47 Usha Uthup - I Will Survive

48 Señor Coconut & His Orchestra - Beat It

49 Crocodile Ride - I Feel Love

50 Celebrity Skin - S.O.S.

51 24-7 Spyz - Jungle Boogie

52 Red Hot Chili Peppers - Love Rollercoaster

53 Cabaret Voltaire - Theme From Shaft

54 The Leather Nun - Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)

55 Dweezil Zappa - Stayin' Alive

Disco Dollies 2 (A Life Of Vice)

Continuing the Disco Dollies series (you will have to go to yesterday's post to know why it is named that), I had to pick at least one doubles. Not the same song, but the same artist, because the Communards had more than one of my favorite disco covers. A few more non-album tracks on this playlist pick. Adam and the Ants, for instance is from a flexi disc. These are pretty rare. But in the 80's and 90's several magazines included rare tracks on flexi discs bound to the magazine. This was before magazines were digital and they were still printed on paper. Some variety in musical styles again. But all 100% disco. For some reason I think that's funny.

Disco Dollies 2

16 Cake - I Will Survive

17 No Doubt - Love To Love You Baby

18 Pet Shop Boys - Go West

19 Erasure - Take A Chance On Me

20 Dead Or Alive - That's The Way I Like It

21 The Communards - Never Can Say Goodbye

22 Fetchin Bones with Hope Nichols - You Sexy Thing

23 Adam and the Ants - A.N.T.S.

24 Curve - I Feel Love

25 Milli Vanilli - Ma Baker

26 Under Neath What - Le Freak

27 The Fall - Lost in Music

28 Project Jenny with Revolution 409 - Boogie Fever

29 La Muerte - Kung Fu Fighting

30 Revolting Cocks - Da Ya Think I'm Sexy

31 Membranes - Super Freak

32 Tori Amos - Ring My Bell

33 Faith No More - Easy

34 The 14 Iced Bears - Summer Nights

Disco Dollies 1 (A Life Of Vice)

These are all covers of disco songs done by a variety of 80's (and early 90's) bands. I always have had a place in my heart for disco. I know it isn't a cool thing to say, but sorry, too bad. And people that cover disco songs, I just love them. The name of the series comes from the lyrics of a Soft Cell song (luring disco dollies to a life of vice) called Sex Dwarf. Which has nothing to do with the songs, but it just seemed right to me. Anyway this pick is volume 1. A few songs that almost sound disco and a few that are nowhere near disco. Several are from other compilations and were not released on albums at the time. Enjoy and as always leave a comment.

Disco Dollies 1

01 Bronski Beat - I Feel Love-Love To Love You Baby

02 The Communards - Don't Leave Me This Way

03 Erasure - Supernature

04 Pseudo Echo - Funkytown

05 Shriekback - Get Down Tonight

06 Tom Tom Club - You Sexy Thing

07 Love Tractor - Got To Give It Up

08 Anita Lane - Lost In Music

09 Corn Dollies - Le Freak

10 Age Of Chance - Disco Inferno

11 Hebe Geebees - Night Fever

12 Lovegods In Leisure Suits - How Deep Is Your Love

13 James Chance - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (Live)

14 The Close Lobsters - Float On

15 Robyn Hitchcock - Kung Fu Fighting

Horny Songs

Looking back, I probably should have named this Me So Horny, but I wasn't so clever until it was too late. Following in the Instrument Pick series and following yesterday's Saxy pick, here comes Horny songs from horny bands. Not all of them are bands known for horns, but some are. And every one of these songs does have a great horn part in it. Blood, Sweat & Tears (yes, I put in two of their songs), Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire are definitely bands that feature horns all the time and bands like the Beatles do not. All of that and it still comes up that these are great songs that feature a variety of Horns. Like the previous picks, there are a million choices and you may have different ideas than me. So, I would like to hear yours in the comments below.

Horny Songs

01 Blood, Sweat & Tears - You've Made Me So Very Happy

02 Electric Flag - Groovin' Is Easy

03 The Ides Of March - Vehicle

04 Earth Wind & Fire - Shining Star

05 Tower Of Power - What Is Hip

06 Beatles - For No One

07 Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox featuring Sara Niemietz - Love Yourself

08 Ten Wheel Drive - Stay With Me

09 Average White Band - Pick Up The Pieces

10 KC and The Sunshine Band - That's The Way (I Like It)

11 The Buckinghams - Kind Of A Drag

12 Chicago - Make Me Smile

13 Lighthouse - One Fine Morning

14 Spice Girls - Stop

15 Blood, Sweat & Tears - I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know

16 Chase - Get It On

17 The Mavericks - Dance The Night Away

I'm Too Saxy (Pol's Pick of Sax Songs)

The saxiest songs, the best sax solos, whatever you want to call these songs, this playlist has my pick of songs featuring the saxophone. One of my all time favorites is Don Myrick on the Saxophone in Earth Wind & Fire's Reasons (live version from Gratitude). But all of these tracks (and hundreds more) have great sax parts. Stray Cats even have a spelling mistake on their track, but it's close enough. Let me know what songs you wished were on this compilation. Part of the Instruments series. More coming later.

I'm Too Saxy

01 David Bowie - Young Americans

02 Hall & Oates - Maneater

03 INXS - Never Tear Us Apart

04 Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street

05 Stray Cats - Wild Saxaphone

06 Billy Ocean - Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)

07 Foreigner - Urgent

08 Sade - Smooth Operator

09 Pink Floyd - Us And Them

10 Men at Work - Who Can It Be Now

11 Earth Wind & Fire - Reasons (Live)

12 Rick James - Super Freak

13 Kate Bush - The Saxophone Song

14 Billy Joel - Just The Way You Are

15 Duran Duran - Rio

16 George Michael - Careless Whisper

17 Benny Hill Show - Yakety Sax

Key Songs (Songs with outstanding keyboard solos)

We've already had Beautiful Guitar solos, Mellotron songs, Cowbell songs, Talk Box songs. Search and you will find them (use label Instruments). Today it's primarily Keyboard songs. Don't get me wrong. there are guitars in here, but the keyboard solos stand out for me. Obviously, there are a million songs featuring keyboards, but this pick has my favorites of them. I hope you like them. There is a wide variety (not all prog) Rock, Pop and some Prog. Let me know some of your favorite Keyboard solos in the comments below.

Key Songs

01 Pink Floyd - Us And Them

02 Styx - Come Sail Away

03 Supertramp - Dreamer

04 Billy Preston - Nothing From Nothing

05 Edgar Winter - Frankenstein

06 Deep Purple - Hush

07 Derek & The Dominos - Layla

08 Steely Dan - Rikki Don't Lose That Number

09 Queen - Love Of My Life

10 Doors - Light My Fire

11 Elton John - Philadelphia Freedom

12 Yes - Roundabout

13 Asia - Heat Of The Moment

14 Emerson Lake & Palmer - Fanfare For The Common Man

Heatwave Ballads

I do not, for the life of me, understand why a record company has not put this out as an album. It makes no sense. Heatwave was an amazing band, with one of the greatest writers of all time (Rod Temperton - yes, the guy who wrote Thriller for Michael Jackson) and great vocals by the Wilder brothers (Johnnie and Keith) and a really solid band. They have one of the most played ballads of all time (Always And Forever) and the rest of their ballads, hits or not, are all great. Some of these tracks were given to other bands (check out George Benson's version of Turn Out The Lamplight), but they did great versions of them all. Some of these tracks were only on B-Sides, so you can't find them on any albums, but we did get at least one track off each album. One of my favorite slow songs is in this pick: Mind Blowing Decisions. Anyway listen to this and give this band some credit where it is due.

Heatwave Ballads

01 Heatwave - Sho'nuff Must Be Luv

02 Heatwave - Always And Forever

03 Heatwave - All You Do Is Dial

04 Heatwave - The Star Of A Story

05 Heatwave - Leavin' For A Dream

06 Heatwave - Mind Blowing Decisions

07 Heatwave - Happiness Togetherness

08 Heatwave - Turn Out The Lamplight

09 Heatwave - First Day Of Snow

10 Heatwave - That's The Way We'll Always Say Goodnight

11 Heatwave - This Night We Fell

12 Heatwave - Where Did I Go Wrong

13 Heatwave - All I Am

14 Heatwave - Find Someone Like You

15 Heatwave - Mind What You Find

16 Heatwave - Look After Love

17 Heatwave - I Surrender

18 Heatwave - Feel Like Making Love

19 Heatwave - Who's Lonely Now

More Cowbell Pick 2

Cowbell continues! Everyone's favorites. Part two of the Cowbell series and who knows how many of the Instruments series. I always write something up here to introduce these playlist picks, but all I am thinking of is how to fit the word Cowbell in here as much as possible, because I like Cowbell. Everyone likes more Cowbell. Even I can play the Cowbell, except that my rhythm is always off. Cowbells are fun to whack. Some of the songs in today's pick you may not even remeber that they feature the Cowbell, until you start listening to them and then you say, yep, that's Cowbell all right. Same cover as before, but you can't beat that Cowbell cover. Well that's at least ten Cowbells for you.

More Cowbell 2

23 Led Zeppelin - Moby Dick

24 Pink Floyd - Young Lust

25 Run DMC - King of Rock

26 Rick Derringer - Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo

27 Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music

28 Kiss - Firehouse

29 Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime

30 Bon Jovi - Bad Medicine

31 Prince - U Got The Look

32 Beatles - Drive My Car

33 Stealers Wheel - Stuck In The Middle With You

34 The Rapture - House Of Jealous Lovers

35 Van Halen - Dance The Night Away

36 LCD Soundsystem - Daft Punk Is Playing at My House

37 Foghat - Fool For The City

38 Guns N' Roses - Nightrain

39 The Black Crowes - Wiser Time

40 Grateful Dead - Touch Of Grey

41 Queens Of The Stone Age - Little Sister

Tax Connection (songs about Tax)

This is the day that's most hated by pretty much everyone, except for IRS agents and Tax Preparers. If you voted me in to be King, I would get rid of the federal income tax and abolish the IRS. There. Everyone feels better. It's fair to everyone. No one pays. Then we could charge for use. The states could still do what they want, tax or not. But this is not about politics. This is about music. Here are some songs about taxes in this What's The Connection? Let me know how you feel about these songs in the comments below. I don't care what you think about taxes themselves. But if we have to pay taxes, please do yourself a favor and read the book Tax Free Wealth by Tom Wheelwright. Happy Tax Day!

Tax Connection

01 Don Henley - Workin' It

02 Celine Dion - Rain, Tax (It's Inevitable)

03 Guns N' Roses - I.R.S.

04 Relient K - Life After Death and Taxes (Failure II)

05 Monkees - Pleasant Valley Sunday

06 Tower of Power - Taxed To The Max

07 Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes

08 Jimi Hendrix - Tax Free

09 B.O.B (Aka Bobby Ray) featuring Bruno Mars - Nothin' On You

10 Steve Howe - Success Story

11 Cheap Trick - Taxman, Mr. Thief

12 Ruder Than You - Tax Man

13 Blue Blot - IRS Blues

14 Toy Dolls - Lester Fiddled The Tax Man

15 Jethro Tull - Lap of Luxury

16 The Human Beinz - April 15th

17 Ultravox! - Life At Rainbow's End (For All The Tax Exiles On Main Street)

18 Kinks - Sunny Afternoon

19 Beatles - Taxman

20 The Who - Success Story

More Cowbell Pick 1

Nothing beats the SNL skit with Christopher Walken and More Cowbell. So in honor of that today we have songs featuring Cowbell. These are just my favorite picks, so leave a comment with your favorites below. The cover is obviously Walken in the Cowbell skit. I consider the Cowbell as an instrument, so it is also part of my Instruments series. I will have even more Cowbell in the next day or so, because you cannot have too much Cowbell. Notice that Blue Oyster Cult does have a track here.

More Cowbell

01 Christopher Walken - More Cowbell

02 Aerosmith - Last Child

03 James Gang - Funk #49

04 Def Leppard - Rock Of Ages

05 Jefferson Starship - Jane

06 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Born on the Bayou

07 Badfinger - No Matter What

08 Bachman-Turner Overdrive - You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

09 Free - All Right Now

10 Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Women

11 Lou Reed - Vicious

12 Grand Funk Railroad - We're An American Band

13 Nazareth - Hair Of The Dog

14 Beatles - You Can't Do That

15 Rainbow - Still I'm Sad

16 Jimi Hendrix - Stone Free

17 Head East - Never Been Any Reason

18 War - Low Rider

19 Mountain - Mississippi Queen

20 Blue Oyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper

21 Loverboy - Working For The Weekend

22 Kings Of Leon - Red Morning Light

Pop (or Papa) Pick

It's my Pop's birthday today, so instead of waiting until Father's Day, here are some Pop or Papa songs. I called my father: Pop. I was called Papa and both of us were called Pap for short. So here are some songs with  those in the title. I like this pick, because it goes all over the place. I may pick a few different for Father's Day, but you'll have to wait and see. If you tried to make this in something like Spotify, they would not have all these songs. So you can get them here. And yes, that is my pop on the cover.

Pop or Papa

01 Perry Como - Papa Loves Mambo

02 Garth Brooks - Papa Loved Mama

03 The Ventures - Papa

04 The Brian Setzer Orchestra - That's The Kind Of Sugar Papa Likes

05 Clifton Chenier - Mama Told Papa

06 The Dickies - My Pop The Cop

07 Johnny Cash - Papa Was A Good Man

08 Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - Come To Poppa

09 Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Oo Poppa Do

10 Prince - Papa

11 Edith Wilson - Poppa-Mama Blues

12 The Temptations - Papa Was a Rollin' Stone

13 Madonna - Papa Don't Preach

14 Indigo Swing - Pop's At The Hop

15 Nancy Sinatra - Momma Goes Where Papa Goes

16 James Brown - Papa's Got A Brand New Bag

17 Supertramp - Your Poppa Don't Mind

18 James Booker - Pop's Dilemma

19 Pigbag - Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag

20 Bonnie Raitt - Papa Come Quick (Jody And Chico)

21 Carl Perkins - Pop, Let Me Have The Car

Slide Guitar Pick

Still part of the Instruments series. This one follows the whole guitar talk box from the day before and the Beautiful Guitars pick from a month ago. Make sure you check out all of them. This is all slide guitar picks. Yes, I know that it is impossible to pick out only one disc worth in a playlist pick, but I did it anyway. I included an old blues tune, but mostly concentrated on my favorite rock songs that feature slide guitar. I'm sure you will tell me which amazing slide guitar songs I missed and I look forward to it. For now, just listen to what I picked for you.

Slide Guitar

01 Steve Miller Band - The Joker

02 Eagles - Victim Of Love

03 Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love

04 Sonny Landreth - Uberesso

05 John Hiatt - Lipstick Sunset

06 The White Stripes - Catch Hell Blues

07 Elmore James - Dust My Broom

08 Badfinger - Day After Day

09 Jeff Beck - I Ain't Superstitious

10 Foghat - Slow Ride

11 Derek & The Dominos - Layla

12 George Harrison - My Sweet Lord

13 Allman Brothers Band - Statesboro Blues

14 Jackson Browne - Running On Empty

15 Johnny Winter - Highway 61 Revisited

16 Tedeschi Trucks Band - Midnight In Harlem

17 Rolling Stones - Love In Vain

Talk Box (Songs that use a talk box)

Here is the first in a series of playlists that I call Instruments category, although a Talk Box is not an instrument, but rather gear for your instrument. But I wasn't going to put that into a separate category. Never mind, it probably starts with the Beautiful Guitar series (check that out). But then this one, an effect made popular by Peter Frampton, who, of course, is on here. But followed by a variety of songs that all use the Talk Box. You will hear it. Plenty of songs have used the effect, but these were my favorites (one per artist). I have a few that didn't make it on this pick, but almost did. If I get enough other suggestions, maybe one day I will make another volume. So leave suggestions in the comments below.

Talk Box

01 Peter Frampton - Do You Feel Like We Do
02 Zapp - More Bounce To The Ounce (Pt. 1)
03 Sun - Wanna Make Love (Come Flick My Bic)
04 Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan - Tell Me Something Good
05 Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion
06 Jeff Beck - She's A Woman
07 Joe Walsh - Rocky Mountain Way
08 Motley Crue - Kickstart My Heart
09 Scorpions - The Zoo
10 Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer
11 Pink Floyd - Keep Talking
12 Nazareth - Hair Of The Dog
13 Peter Frampton - Show Me The Way
14 Steely Dan - Haitian Divorce
15 Guns N' Roses - Anything Goes
16 Eagles - Those Shoes

Better Live Pick

This pick is purely subjective. Well I guess all my compilations are based on my picks, so they are all subjective. But I think this may generate some differences in opinion. Because how do you  decide? Well I don't know exactly, but this is what I came up with. First I have to say that many times, I like the studio versions better than live versions. But not in this case. Comparing the live recorded version to the studio version, I chose these to be better live. Tell me what other songs I should have put in here. In the meantime, listen to this playlist pick.

Better Live

01 Stevie Wonder - Fingertips (Part 2)

02 Cheap Trick - I Want You to Want Me

03 U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday

04 Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues

05 Fleetwood Mac - Landslide

06 Jackson Browne - The Load Out-Stay

07 Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird

08 Nirvana - About A Girl

09 Mc5 - Kick Out The Jams

10 Peter Frampton - Show Me The Way

11 Paul McCartney - Coming Up (Glasgow)

12 Talking Heads - Life During Wartime

13 Beatles - Twist and Shout

14 Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - Turn the Page

15 Kiss - Rock And Roll All Nite

16 Bob Marley & The Wailers - No Woman, No Cry

Barry Adamson Family pick

This is one of those picks that started with reading the back sides of album covers. I noticed that Barry Adamson played with Magazine (a band I liked quite a lot back then) and Visage (another band I  really liked). And looking around, lo and behold here he is again playing with Lydia Lunch, and there with Birthday Party and then Nick Cave. So I picked my favorites with him on it, included a couple of solo tracks and here you have this playlist. Tell which songs he plays on that I should have put on this compilation in the comments.

Barry Adamson 

01 The Birthday Party - Kiss Me Black

02 Magazine - Shot By Both Sides

03 Howard Devoto - Seeing Is Believing

04 Barry Adamson - Something Wicked This Way Comes

05 Anita Lane - Lost In Music

06 M (Robin Scott) - Neutron

07 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Tupelo

08 Barry Adamson - Autodestruction

09 Lydia Lunch with Rowland S Howard - I Fell In Love With A Ghost

10 Barry Adamson - 007, A Fantasy Bond Theme

11 Lydia Lunch - Some Velvet Morning

12 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - From Her To Eternity

13 Pete Shelley - Telephone Operator

14 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - By The Time I Get To Phoenix

15 Visage - Visage

16 Visage - Tar

17 Magazine - I Love You You Big Dummy

18 Magazine - Permafrost

19 Barry Adamson - These Boots Are Made For Walking

All I Really Want Is You ( Love songs Pick)

 A collection of songs to play to your loved one. Well at least this pick is a playlist I play for mine. Has some of the cool, some of the not well known and some hits mixed together lovingly, go ahead use it. One of my favorite love songs is the Brian Eno. Nothing says devotion more than running up to tie someone's shoes. The Tremeloes also always gets me. As you are. Not as I wish you are. All your faults and flaws included. Acknowledging those lacks and it not mattering. I also really like the pizza heart cover with the pizza pepperoni.

All I Really Want Is You

01 Yardbirds - For Your Love

02 Paul Revere & The Raiders - All I Really Need Is You

03 Association - Never My Love

04 The Monkees - It's Nice To Be With You

05 Nat King Cole - (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons

06 The Platters - One In A Million

07 Velvet Underground - I'll Be Your Mirror

08 Association - Standing Still

09 Dire Straits - Hand In Hand

10 Roxy Music - To Turn You On

11 Association - Cherish

12 The Mojo Man - Sit Down, I Think I Love You

13 Everly Brothers - Devoted To You

14 The Rascals - A Girl Like You

15 Turtles - Happy Together

16 Chocolate Watch Band - I Ain't No Miracle Worker

17 Brian Eno - I'll Come Running

18 Roxy Music - All I Want Is You

19 Animals - I'm In Love Again

20 The Tremeloes - As You Are

21 Herman's Hermits - Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter

Flappers and Dappers Pick

I was DJing a father/daughter dance a while ago and the theme was Chicago gangsters in the prohibition era. So I came up with these tracks that gave that feel, but weren't necessarily of that era. Newer songs from the movie that was popular at the time and lesser known tracks that just fit for me. Like the Shuckin' & Jivin' comp from a little bit ago, this pick just has the feel, even though the songs are from all over. Tell me which ones you would have added instead. Always like to hear that. And yes the cover is of my daughter and some of her friends at that dance.

Flappers and Dappers

01 Julie Andrews - Le Jazz Hot

02 Eddie Walters - Makin' Whoopee!

03 Christina Aguilera - I Got Trouble

04 Pussycat Dolls - Sway

05 Don Voorhees and His Orchestra with Lewis James - My Blue Heaven

06 Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Blue Skies

07 K7 - Hi De Ho

08 Christina Aguilera - Candyman

09 Fishbone - Let The Good Times Roll

10 Joe Jackson - Jack, You're Dead

11 Jive Bunny - The Roaring Twenties

12 John Altman - Happy Feet

13 Johnny Favourite Swing Orchestra - Black Dog

14 Brian Setzer Orchestra - Straight Up

15 Cab Calloway - Jitterbug

16 Wally's Swing World - I Get a Kick Out of You

17 Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra - Charleston

18 Stan Ridgway - The Coffee Song

19 Cab Calloway - Minnie the Moocher

20 Johnny Marvin with Leonard Joy Orchestra - Happy Days Are Here Again

21 Indigo Swing - Pop's At The Hop

22 Paul Anka - It's My Life

23 Frank Sinatra - Chicago

24 Richard Cheese - Let's Get It Started

25 Andrews Sisters - Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

Lightning Connection

While we're in this weather pattern, we've had Rain, and Thunder, now it's time for some Lightning. This What's the Connection? is all songs with Lightning in the title. Like the previous playlists, I do have some covers in here, so enjoy them. If you remember who the originals were, leave it in the comments. There will eventually be more volumes of Thunder and Lightning songs, but this is it for awhile. I think we'll steer clear of weather for at least a little bit. But do notice that the covers of Lightning and Thunder kind of go together.

Lightning

01 Jimi Hendrix - Midnight Lightning

02 Brian Setzer - Red Lightning Blues

03 Who - Call Me Lightning

04 Queens Of The Stone Age - Lightning Song

05 Nancy Sinatra - Lightning's Girl

06 David Bowie - I've Got Lightning

07 Steely Dan - Chain Lightning

08 The Clash - Lightning Strikes (Not Once But Twice)

09 Kansas - Lightning's Hand

10 Santana - Lightning In The Sky

11 Rush - Chain Lightning

12 Camel - Summer Lightning

13 Moe. - White Lightning Turpentine

14 Klaus Nomi - Lightning Strikes

15 REO Speedwagon - Lightning

16 Metallica - Ride The Lightning

17 Yes - Lightning Strikes

18 The Fall - White Lightning

19 Lynyrd Skynyrd - Smokestack Lightning

Thunder Connection

Well, we've had some rain, and with the rain should come some thunder. This What's the Connection? is all songs about Thunder. Or at least they all have Thunder in the title. I really don't think Ted Nugent is talking about the weather. A few others aren't either, but I like the tracks and you are stuck with my picks. Although you can always add your suggestions in the comments. I'd actually appreciate it. I'll give you thunderous applause when you do. BTW, not sure why I think the font on the cover fits thunder, but somehow it does.

Thunder

01 Imagine Dragons - Thunder

02 Tom Jones - Thunderball

03 Kiss - God Of Thunder

04 Ted Nugent - Thunder Thighs

05 Rob Zombie - Thunder Kiss '65

06 Haim - Feel The Thunder

07 Gamma - Thunder And Lightning

08 Argent - Thunder and Lightning

09 Prince & the New Power Generation - Thunder

10 Chicago - Thunder And Lightning

11 Chi Coltrane - Thunder And Lightning

12 Jay Ferguson - Thunder Island

13 Michael Schenker - Land Of Thunder

14 The Runaways - Thunder

15 AC-DC - Thunderstruck

16 Marillion - Thunderfly

17 Blackberry Smoke - Waiting For The Thunder

18 Scorpions - Thunder and Lightning

19 Brian Setzer Orchestra - Drive Like Lightning (Crash Like Thunder)

Rain Connection 2 (Songs with Rain in the Title)

This continues the April Showers with volume two of the Rain What's The Connection? I can't say that volume one or two is better, because they were designed at the same time. I put my favorites into both of these volumes. I separated stuff like the two CCR tracks so they wouldn't appear on the same volume, but other than that it's just my favorites. I know someone is going to say it, so I will say it first. I do like the Beatles version of Rain. I just was very much in to Shonen Knife when I made this compilation. I still am. They are a great band and some of the nicest girls I've ever met. I never met the Beatles (well, I almost got to shake hands with Ringo, but his body guards kept me away. I did like Barbara Bach. She was nice) Anyway, off the track . These Songs are great for rainy days. Listen to the rain.

Rain 2

21 Grace Jones - Walking In The Rain

22 The Temptations - I Wish It Would Rain

23 Led Zeppelin - Fool In The Rain

24 Violent Femmes - I Hear The Rain

25 Dramatics - In The Rain

26 The Weather Girls - It's Raining Men

27 Billie Meyers - Kiss The Rain (Tp2K Remix)

28 Tater Totz & Shonen Knife - Rain

29 The Marmalade - I See The Rain

30 Sir Douglas Quintet - The Rains Came

31 Chicago - Another Rainy Day In New York City

32 Slim Harpo - Rainin' In My Heart

33 Eric Clapton - Let It Rain

34 Lou Christie - Rhapsody In The Rain

35 Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Tell It To The Rain

36 Irma Thomas - It's Raining

37 The Bar Harbor Society Orchestra - It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'

38 Tim McGraw - She's My Kind Of Rain

39 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Who'll Stop The Rain

40 Prince - Purple Rain

41 Gene Kelly - Singin' In The Rain

Shuckin' And Jivin' Pick

I'm not sure what type of music someone else might call it. I call it Shuckin' And Jivin'. To me, I came from a similar space when I made the Bad Bayou Voodoo playlist. Not that I was binge watching anything, but think of the feel of the woods when Daryl is out hunting with his crossbow and riding on his bike. I wasn't watching that when I made the playlist pick, but that's what it reminds me of. That and Brer Rabbit.

Shuckin' And Jivin'

01 Alabama Shakes - Hold On

02 Andy Grammer - Keep Your Head Up

03 The Soggy Bottom Boys - I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow

04 Beck - Where It's At

05 Teddybears STHLM - Hey Boy

06 Alt-J - Left Hand Free

07 Vance Joy - Riptide

08 Imagine Dragons - It's Time

09 Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats - S.O.B.

10 C2C - Down the Road

11 Weezer - Island in the Sun

12 Florence + The Machine - What Kind Of Man

13 Alice Merton - No Roots (Single Version)

14 The Weekend - Earned It

15 Kiesza - Hideaway

16 Alex Clare - Too Close

17 George Ezra - Budapest

18 Tony Joe White - Hoochie Woman

19 Gear Daddies - Stupid Boy

20 Chickasaw Mudd Puppies - Mcintosh

21 Rag'n'bone Man - Human

22 The Osmonds - Shuckin' And Jiving

Rain Connection 1 (Songs with Rain in the Title)

This What's The Connection is about rain songs. First, you don't have to tell me that there are a million rain songs out there. I could make a hundred different ones. Do tell me if your favorite is not on one of these picks in the comments. These are my favorite Rain songs. Volume 2 is going to be posted soon. I play one of the two most rainy days. So April brings showers, so if you haven't had rain yet, it's coming. And now you're ready!

Rain 1

01 Albert Hammond - It N
ever Rains In Southern California

02 Bryan Ferry - A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall

03 Eddie Rabbit - I Love A Rainy Night

04 Violent Femmes - It's Gonna Rain

05 The Cascades - Rhythm Of The Rain

06 Blue Pearl - Naked In The Rain

07 Eruption - I Can't Stand The Rain (Remix)

08 Tones On Tail - Rain

09 Carpenters - Rainy Days And Mondays

10 The The - Kingdom Of Rain

11 James Taylor - Fire And Rain

12 B.J. Thomas - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

13 Dee Clark - Raindrops

14 Brook Benton - Rainy Night In Georgia

15 Jesus And Mary Chain - Happy When It Rains

16 Neil Sedaka - Laughter In The Rain

17 Crush - The Rain

18 Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain Again

19 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen The Rain

20 Supertramp - It's Raining Again

April Fools

I was going to announce no connection today or pick your own playlist, but... then I got this April Fools list going. I can't guarantee that you won't get rick rolled, but probably not. Anyway enjoy this set of songs about April Fools, Jokers, and Fools. I have several discs worth of Fool songs (as well as fooling around songs), but they aren't coming yet. You'll have to be happy with the Who and the other couple of fool songs I added. The same goes for Joke songs (and Joker songs) there are tons, but you just get a few here. Be happy. Prank someone, or at least leave us a good joke in the comments.

April Fools

01 Billy Myles - The Joker (That's What They Call Me)

02 Ludacris - Act A Fool

03 Burt Bacharach - April Fools

04 Rufus Wainwright - April Fools

05 Marty Robbins - April Fool's Day

06 Brave Combo - April Fool

07 The Smiths - That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore

08 Tony Perkins - April Fool

09 The Style Council - April's Fool

10 Dionne Bromfield - Foolin

11 Ronnie Lane - April Fool

12 Queen - You Don't Fool Me

13 Patti Smith - April Fool

14 Dionne Warwick - The April Fools

15 Chalk Circle - April Fool (April First)

16 Who - Won't Get Fooled Again

17 Pete Townshend - April Fool

18 Bee Gees - I Started A Joke

19 Steve Miller Band - The Joker

20 The Fall - The Joke