Dave Ball Pick

Like most people I knew of Dave Ball from the band Soft Cell. He was the seemingly quiet boy behind Marc Almond. But he was and is an instrumentalist, producer, engineer, etc. Seems to be pretty much everything behind the voice. Besides Soft Cell, he has solo albums, was half the band of Other People, English Boy On The Lover Ranch, The Grid, M.E.S.H., Nitewreckage and a guest star with several other bands. I picked a few of my favorites. Including a single with Marc Almond (see tomorrow) that he worked on. I like The Ornamental track, one of two they did. But the only one with Dave Ball on all instruments. The band also includes Rose McDowall and members of the Sugarcubes (Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson and trumpet by Einar Örn). Kinda cool. Always liked the Sugarcubes, someday I will have to do a family pick for them. Lots of similarities in the cover over the next couple of days.

Dave Ball Pick

01 Marc Almond - Waifs And Strays (The Grid Mix)

02 Dave Ball - Man In The Man

03 Cabaret Voltaire - Crackdown

04 Psychic TV - Papal Breakdance

05 Dave Ball + Genesis - Muzak For Frogs

06 Soft Cell - ...So

07 Ornamental - No Pain

08 English Boy On The Loveranch - The Man In Your Life

09 Ronnie B - Prisoner of Rio (Remix)

10 M.E.S.H. - Meet Every Situation Head On

11 Psychic TV - Money for E (Remix by Dave Ball)

12 Other People (Dave Ball) - Have a Nice Day

13 The Grid - Swamp Thing (Radio Mix)

14 The Grid - Texas Cowboys

15 Nitewreckage - Solarcoaster

Am I The Only One Who Loves These?

This pick is of songs that I really like and no one else I know even likes them at all. So the question is Am I The Only One Who Loves These? Wide variety and some are even of artists that people like their tracks, but usually not this one. A few of the bands I could have picked several different songs that I like but people seem to hate. Throbbing Gristle comes to mind. Yoko Ono, too. I don't get it with Yoko, either, She's got some killer tracks. Lou Reed has plnety of tracks people love (or hate) but this one seems to always come to the top of the list. And I love it! I have several versions of it. Frank Zappa has some very loved tracks, but not this one (or Porn Wars that I almost put on instead). Anyway, are you joining the haters or the lovers here? Let me know. Thunbs up or down? Which ones do you love? If any. BTW, kinda longer than I usually put up, but some of the songs are really long.

Am I The Only One Who Loves These?

01 Man Jumping - The Perils Of Tourism

02 Shonen Knife - Mosquitoes

03 Reptile - Allah

04 Negativland - Perfect Scrambled Eggs

05 Cliff Martinez - Looks Like A Tablecloth

06 Yoko Ono-IMA - I'm Dying

07 Lou Reed - Metal Machine Music, Part I

08 Frank Zappa - Welcome to the United States

09 Neil Young & Crazy Horse - T-Bone

10 The Jazz Butcher - Do The Bubonic Plague

11 The Residents - Diskomo

12 Throbbing Gristle - Very Friendly

13 Mandre - Solar Flight

14 Cupol - Like This For Ages

15 Rema-Rema - Feedback Song

Two Catchy

This is part two of the Catchy songs picks. That's why I called it Two Catchy. Hahaha. I think I am funny and must think I am clever. Too clever for my own good. Yesterday gove you the background of putting it together. None of that today. But the same thing applies. These are all songs that are so catchy that you will hate them (while you love them). You can't help it. It covers several years worth of these songs, 60's, 70's, 80's etc. Just shows you that these earworms have been around forever and never will go away. I have another volume I am working on, but it's not done yet, so I am taking suggestions.

Two Catchy

01 The Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby

02 Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag

03 Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz - Thrift Shop

04 Sum 41 - Fat Lip

05 One Direction - Heart Attack

06 Trashmen - Surfin' Bird

07 Men Without Hats - The Safety Dance

08 Kelis - Milkshake

09 Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk

10 Rose Royce - Car Wash

11 Lady Gaga - Bad Romance

12 Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe

13 Robin Thicke featuring T.I. & Pharrel - Blurred Lines

14 Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy

15 Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer

16 Village People - Y.M.C.A.

17 Blur - Song 2

18 Zac Brown Band - Toes

19 Pikotaro - PPAP (Pen Pineapple Apple Pen) (Long Version)

20 The Automatic - Monster

21 Taylor Swift - I Knew You Were Trouble

22 Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend

Too Catchy

Here is a pick of songs that are Too Catchy (or maybe just catchy enough). These are songs that many people consider ear worms. They get in your head and you can't help but sings along and you have trouble getting them out of your head. Think It's A Small World. Sorry, about that. But you understand. Just listen to any of the songs one here and you might be able to get that one out of your head. And notice, all you had to do was think of the song. You didn't even have to hear it, Your brain already heard it. None of the following are that bad, but a few come close.Like I said before: Sorry.

Too Catchy

01 Cher Lloyd - Want U Back

02 Chumbawamba - Tubthumping

03 Hanson - Mmm Bop

04 Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl

05 Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up

06 Aqua - Barbie Girl

07 Bloodhound Gang - The Bad Touch

08 Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out Of My Head

09 Carly Rae Jepsen - I Really Like You (CLX Radio Edit)

10 Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling

11 Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee)

12 Ylvis - The Fox (What Does The Fox Say)

13 Baha Men - Who Let The Dogs Out

14 LMFAO - Sexy And I Know It

15 Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl

16 O-Zone - Dragostea Din Tei (Original Romanian Version)

17 PSY - Gangnam Style

18 Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass

19 Toni Basil - Mickey

20 Pharrell Williams - Happy

21 Taylor Swift - Shake It Off

Power Pick 2

I told you about this band over the last couple of days. This pick covers more Tower Of Power. Notice that they tend to have songs with Soul in the title. They are probably considered a Soul band, but they also were Disco, Funk, Jazz, Pop. With this pick, I cover most of the rest of the albums (I skipped the all covers one and the live ones). It also covers the other songs that I didn't pick from some of the other albums yesterday. Not sure if any of them are hits or not, or whether they are more popular or not. I just got the ones I liked. So hopefully you like them too. Same cover as yesterday and similar to the one two days ago. All with the Oakland skyline hidden in the lettering.

Power Pick 2

17 Tower Of Power - Down To The Nightclub

18 Tower Of Power - Back On The Streets Again

19 Tower Of Power - Yin-Yang Thang

20 Tower Of Power - Souled Out

21 Tower Of Power - Hangin' With My Baby

22 Tower Of Power - I Like Your Style

23 Tower Of Power - Attitude Dance

24 Tower Of Power - Credit

25 Tower Of Power - Drop It In The Slot

26 Tower Of Power - Spank-A-Dang

27 Tower Of Power - You Ought To Be Havin' Fun

28 Tower Of Power - Ebony Jam

29 Tower Of Power - Give Me Your Love

30 Tower Of Power - Look In My Eyes

31 Tower Of Power - Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now

32 Tower Of Power - Stroke '75

33 Tower Of Power - Sparkling In The Sand

Power Pick 1

This is my Tower Of Power pick. With TOP they have some hits, but mostly just favorites. They have at least five greatest hits albums and some of these picks are on one or the other of them. A couple are on every one of them. A few ballads that you will know. And I hope you know their biggest most well known song: What Is Hip? but I don't know that most people do. This pick covers most of the Tower Of Power years, but not every album. It also has my favorite song by them: Squib Cakes. They came from Oakland and played everywhere in the Bay Area, California, the US and toured the world, but it still seems they were under appreciated and not as known as they should be. Tomorrow is part 2.

Power Pick 1

01 Tower Of Power - You Got To Funkifize

02 Tower Of Power - So Very Hard To Go

03 Tower Of Power - Don't Change Horses (In The Middle Of A Stream)

04 Tower Of Power - What Is Hip

05 Tower Of Power - Soul Vaccination

06 Tower Of Power - Knock Yourself Out

07 Tower Of Power - We Came To Play

08 Tower Of Power - You're Still A Young Man

09 Tower Of Power - So I Got to Groove

10 Tower Of Power - Walkin' Up Hip Street

11 Tower Of Power - Soul With A Capital S

12 Tower Of Power - Squib Cakes

13 Tower Of Power - A Little Knowledge (Is A Dangerous Thing)

14 Tower Of Power - Only So Much Oil In The Ground

15 Tower Of Power - Diggin' On James Brown

16 Tower Of Power - And You Know It

Power Horns

This is the Tower Of Power Horns who guested on a lot of people's albums. I lived in the Bay Area and when you did, the Tower Of Power was around. They had a few very decent hits, but weren't so big that they wouldn't play a community center or a small niteclub. They were always tight and played their asses off. The Horns got more in demand sometimes than the whole of the band. Hence so many cool tracks here. This pick is only the Power Horns. Notice the Oakland skyline in the title on the cover.

Power Horns

01 Phish - Julius

02 The Simpsons - Born Under A Bad Sign

03 Little Feat - Spanish Moon

04 Bonnie Raitt - Tangled And Dark

05 P Diddy featuring Jack Knight - We Gon' Make It

06 Heart - Tell It Like It Is

07 Lee Oskar - Feeling Happy

08 Toto - Animal

09 War - Mamacita

10 The Meters - No More Okey Doke

11 Fishbone - Let The Good Times Roll

12 Huey Lewis And The News - I Want A New Drug

13 Jefferson Starship - Jane

14 Stevie Nicks - Somebody Stand By Me

15 Elton John - The Bitch Is Back

16 Sammy Hagar - Keep On Rockin'

17 Santana - Everybody's Everything

18 Rod Stewart - Big Bayou

19 Linda Ronstadt with Aaron Neville - When Something Is Wrong With My Baby

20 Jon Anderson - Make Me Happy

What's The Connection? Shots 1

Probably too early, but it was on my mind. This connection is all about Shots. Not just bullets, but also drinks. So don't be offended. It could be either. I probably will do another one sometime in the future. Some great songs. My internal rule was no songs unless it had "Shot" or "Shots" in the title. So nothing else. Just that word in any sentence. One of my favorites is the Neil Young & Crazy Horse. Reminds me of "T-Bone", just great feedback guitar. But everything, from the reggae to the pop to the disco to the rap and the country, They are all just cool songs.

What's The Connection? Shots 1

01 Eek-A-Mouse - Gun Shot A Cry

02 Cher - Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)

03 English Beat - Big Shot

04 Body Count - Talk Shit, Get Shot

05 Magazine - Shot By Both Sides.mp3

06 Bob Marley & The Wailers - I Shot the Sheriff

07 Imagine Dragons - Shots

08 C.A. Quintet - I Shot the King

09 Ohio Players - Shoot Yer Shot

10 Clifford Curry - She Shot A Hole In My Soul

11 Slave - Snap Shot (Single Edit)

12 C-Bank - One More Shot

13 Elvis Costello - Shot With His Own Gun

14 Karen Young - Hot Shot

15 Audio Bullys featuring Nancy Sinatra - Shot You Down

16 Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot

17 LMFAO - Shots NBA Everybody

18 Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Shots

19 AC-DC - Shot Down In Flames

20 The Swingin' Medallions - Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love)

21 David Crosby - Shot At Me

22 George Jones - Who Shot Sam

What's The Connection? What Party 2

Part 2 of this connection. All songs about some kind of party. Read more about it in part one of What Party. You will notice that somehow or someway I had to change the cover. The original was messed up. My whole backup had to be redone and there was a data problem and over wrote the file. So I made a new one. Some good party songs here. I hope you end up with a good one. This cover is similar, but barely. Different font, different background, different shading. But still cool!

What's The Connection? What Party 2

28 The Cheaterslicks - Dragstrip Party

29 The Dears - Whites Only Party

30 Eddie Bo - Disco Party Part 1

31 Marillion - Garden Party

32 Jackie And The Cedrics - Scalping Party

33 Masterdon Committee - Funk Box Party

34 King Curtis & the Noble Men - Beach Party

35 Bobby Nunn - Private Party

36 Orchester Albert van Dam - Zoom Party

37 Ohio Players - Little Soul Party

38 Masami Tsuchiya - Secret Party

39 Walkers - Wild Party

40 Spyro Gyra - Julio's Party

41 Ray Johnson - Sherry's Party

42 Vancie Flowers - Private Party

43 Buckethead - Mad Monster Party

44 Jimmy 'Handyman' James - Grandma's Rock & Roll Party

45 Super Stocks - Muscle Beach Party

46 The Vibrating Vibrations - Surprise Party for Baby

47 Ted Nugent - Magic Party (Outtake)

48 Bonnie Guitar - Frantic Party

49 Indigo Girls - Wild, Wild Party in the Loquat Tree

50 Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Party Of Special Things To Do

ABC Islands

I just went to the ABC islands (for work) and I wanted to have some music representing island music I might hear while I was there. So I made this pick. A couple of artists from those islands (Arruba, Bonaire, Curacao), some just songs about islands in general and some with that general feel. Looking back on it now, I am not as sure about the Harry Belafonte as the rest and yet that is pretty much one of the first I thought of. Obviously, a couple of tracks are about other islands, but I firgured if it had that feel it was okay. Let me know what you think.

ABC Islands

01 Ir Sais - Dream Girl

02 The Surfaris - I Wanna Take A Trip To The Islands

03 Luke Bryan - One Margarita

04 Ir Sais featuring Rocco Flava & Dando - ABC

05 Harry Belafonte - Island In The Sun

06 Koffee - Rapture

07 Beach Boys - Island Girl

08 Weezer - Island in the Sun

09 Kes - Hello

10 Youth X Treme - Shots BOOM BAM!!!

11 Beach Boys - Kokomo

12 Surfaces - Palm Trees

13 Beach Boys - Island Fever

14 Sanctuary Vibez - Pick Me Up

15 Zac Brown Band - Toes

16 Elton John - Island Girl

17 Kenny Chesney - Island Boy

18 Bob Marley & The Wailers - Stir It Up

19 Zac Brown Band - Island Song

20 Bob Marley & The Wailers - Three Little Birds

21 Sammy Hagar & Nancy Wilson - All We Need Is An Island

22 Christine Anu - My Island Home

What's The Connection? Let's Party

 I've had other party connections before, but this one is about geting people to party: Let's Party. Join it, encourage it, get it going.A wide variety, even let's wreck it. That's pretty much it. I was working on something else that it turned out I had already done, so here's this connection instead.

What's The Connection? Let's Party

01 Jive Bunny - Can Can You Party

02 Chris Hinze - Let's Party

03 Tiger Ranks - Party wit Me

04 Go-Go's - Let's Have a Party

05 Warwick - Let's Get The Party Going

06 Special Touch - This Party Is Just For You

07 Sun - We're Gonna Party Tonite

08 Benny Goodman - Life Goes To A Party

09 KC & The Sunshine Band - Do You Wanna Go Party

10 Hearts Of Fire - Let's Party All Night

11 Cees & Bart - Wake Up, It's Party-Time

12 The Firebolts - Everybody Party (Get Down)

13 Chris Isaak - Let's Have A Party

14 Brotherhood Of Man - Join The Party

15 D.O.A. - Let's Wreck the Party

16 Sky Blu - I Want To Party

17 Jack Rabbit Slim - Is There A Party Goin' On

18 Wayne Hancock - Let's Have A Party

19 James Wood - Gonna Give A Party

Gracious Rock

This mixtape compilation is a pick of music that was inspired by my cousin, who happens to be visiting me right now from Belgium. Over the years he had set me on some paths of music. Way back when in the sevenites I was listening to some Art Rock and he was listening to early New Wave and some Punky New Wave. Think early Blondie. Not anything on this pick is exactly what he was listening to, but it is stuff that I listened to after hearing what he was listening to. If any of that makes any sense, I am surprised. So old and new it's just stuff that I thought of while remembering that transfer of mine. Called Gracious Rock because he has an unusual name (Jan Roel) and when I was looking up meanings of names, his can be translated to Gracious Rock (or Stone but rock works better for a compilation).

Gracious Rock

01 Blondie - Fragments

02 The White Stripes - Icky Thump

03 Boomtown Rats - She's So Modern

04 Bangles - Walk Like An Egyptian

05 Stranglers - Old Codger

06 Buzzcocks - Everybody's Happy Nowadays

07 Adult Net - Waking Up In The Sun

08 Missing Persons - Destination Unknown

09 Pixies - Here Comes Your Man

10 Split Enz - I Got You

11 Cars - Just What I Needed

12 Eurythmics - Would I Lie To You

13 Cyndi Lauper - She Bop

14 Shonen Knife - I Wanna Eat Choco Bars

15 Hoodoo Gurus - Leilani

16 Squeeze - Cool For Cats

17 XTC - Making Plans for Nigel

18 Wire - Mannequin

19 Go-Go's - We Got The Beat

20 Kim Wilde - Kids In America

21 Tubes - Talk To Ya Later

22 Pretenders - Brass In Pocket

What's The Connection? Red 3

Continuing the Red color connection is number three (For Red 1 or Red 2). A few hits, but more almost hits, or I wish they were hits. I will never understand why Yello doesn't have all hits, but they don't. John Mayer does a great Prince cover and a bunch of other great tracks by a wide variety of other bands. I like that Eric Burdon is not dreaming, but getting on the beam. A couple of good country songs and more.

What's The Connection? Red 3

40 Eric Burdon and the Animals - Orange and Red Beams

41 Neil Diamond - Red, Red Wine

42 David Sylvian - Red Guitar

43 Corinne Bailey Rae - Red Horse

44 Elvis Costello - How Deep Is The Red

45 Keith Urban - Red Camaro

46 Laurie Anderson - Bright Red

47 Love - The Red Telephone

48 David Byrne - The Red House

49 Fixx - Red Skies

50 Front 242 - Red Team

51 John Mayer - Little Red Corvette

52 Kelly Clarkson - Wrapped In Red

53 Yello - Tied Up In Red

54 Pet Shop Boys - A Red Letter Day

55 Cheap Trick - Blood Red Lips

56 Kylie Minogue - Red Blooded Woman

57 Tim McGraw - Red Ragtop

58 Red Hot Chili Peppers - We Turn Red

What's The Connection? Red Wine

This was fun to make, not just because I like Red Wine (which I do) but also to just hear the differences (even among the covers) of all the songs. I had a connection with just songs about wine and there is some overlap. I had the same idea then about using Billy Joel at the end, and of course, UB40. Although I did also add the original from Neil DIamond this time as well. I also reused Luther Allison. I like those songs, so I double dipped. The rest are new, so be happy about that. You still could put together two hours of wine songs in a row if you wanted to. The cover doesn't say Red, but the word "wine" is made from a closeup of Cabernet Sauvignon in a glass. That's pretty red.

What's The Connection? Red Wine

01 The Replacements - Red Red Wine

02 The Who - Old Red Wine

03 Neil Diamond - Red, Red Wine

04 Luther Allison - Cherry Red Wine

05 UB40 - Red Red Wine

06 Jonny Lang - Cherry Red Wine

07 Mannheim Steamroller - Red Wine

08 Kelly Rowland - Red Wine

09 George Jones - The Warm Red Wine

10 Quicksilver Messenger Service - Warm Red Wine

11 Milt Buckner - Red Red Wine

12 Jim Ward - Red Wine

13 The Moody Blues - Red Wine

14 Robyn Hitchcock - A Skull, A Suitcase, And A Long Red Bottle Of Wine

15 Travellers of Bermuda - Warm Red Wine

16 Rolling Stones - Blood Red Wine

17 Eric Clapton - Bottle Of Red Wine

18 Tony Tribe - Red Red Wine

19 Deep Feeling - Sweat, Dust And Red Wine

20 James Morrison - Red Red Wine

21 Billy Joel - Scenes From An Italian Restaurant

What's The Connection? Green Power 2

Somewhere in here I started calling the color connections without the Power designation. I can't remember when or why. It was a joke at first, but either way this second volume of Green ended up on the Power comps. In the middle it changed, but not quite at this one. One of the best and longest Green tracks is from the Outlaws and it's great. I love Negativland on here, Bill and Phil also shine green. I will have them here and I will have them there, I will have them anywhere.

What's The Connection? Green Power 2

26 Jimmy Carroll - Big Green Car

27 Outlaws - Green Grass & High Tides

28 Barry Sadler - The Ballad Of The Green Berets

29 Simon & Garfunkel - Leaves That Are Green

30 Bill Laswell - Dark Green

31 The Cure - From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea

32 Johnny Cash - Forty Shades of Green

33 Can - I'm So Green

34 Wilson Pickett - Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You

35 Negativland - Jolly Green Giant

36 Jimmy Dorsey With Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell - Green Eyes

37 Sue & Sunny - Little Green Apples

38 Hawkwind - Green Machine

39 Petula Clark - The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener

40 Phil Manzanera - Green Spikey Cactus

41 The Men They Couldn't Hang - The Green Fields Of France (No Man's Land)

42 Pink Floyd - Green Is The Colour

43 Lil Brian & the Zydeco Travelers - Makin' Green

What's The Connection? Blue Too 1

This one was fun. A connection with songs that have Blue and at least one other color in the title. Hence, Blue Too. Surprising how many songs there are with mutiple colors in the title. I will probably do one more at least with Blue Too in the title. As a big Yello fan, I would have to say that is my favorite track on here although I also really like The Tikiyaki Orchestra, if only because I want to say it over and over. Tikiyaki, Tikiyaki.

What's The Connection? Blue Too 1

01 Duran Duran - The Chauffeur (Blue Silver)

02 Lyle Lovett - Black And Blue

03 The Tikiyaki Orchestra - Black Sand, Blue Sea

04 Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Green Is Blue

05 Van Halen - Black And Blue

06 Bing Crosby - So The Bluebirds And The Blackbirds Got Together

07 Yello - Blue Green

08 Rolling Stones - Blue Turns to Grey

09 Toby Keith - Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)

10 Bad Company - Silver, Blue & Gold

11 Sammy Turner - Lavender Blue

12 J.D. Souther - Silver Blue

13 Lord Sitar-Sandler & Young - Blue Jay Way, Blackbird

14 Elvis Costello - Brown To Blue

15 Jackie Gleason - Deep Purple-Blue Velvet

16 Marillion - Lavender Blue

17 Paragons - Black and Blue

18 Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band - Blue On Black

19 Front 242 - Black White Blue

What's The Connection? Purple 2

Another one of these connections. Probably because they are so easy to do. The closest thing we get to Prince is the Waterboys and Urselle, much of the rest is Jimi covers. Although there are a smattering few others having nothing to do with either. The original is on volume one of Purple. So go there for that one. Which is my favorite of the covers? Not sure, but probably Eddie Hazel.

What's The Connection? Purple 2

24 Stan Butche - House Of The Purple Mist

25 Gorgol Bordello - Start Wearing Purple

26 Flames - Purple Haze

27 Peligro - Purple Haze

28 The Cure - Purple Haze

29 Frank Zappa - Purple Haze

30 Urselle - Purple Rain

31 The Flying Lizards - Purple Haze

32 John Doe & The Acetates - Purple Haze

33 Group 1850 - Purple Sky

34 Artie Shaw - Deep Purple

35 Dean Martin - Deep Purple

36 Spike Jones - Deep Purple

37 Eddie Hazel - Relicr'delic (Purple Haze)

38 The Waterboys - Purple Rain

39 Jackie Gleason - Deep Purple-Blue Velvet

40 The Fibonaccis - Purple Haze

41 Ministry - Purple Haze

What's The Connection? Brown Power 2

Part two of the Brown color connection series. I have no idea how many color connections there are amongst all the colors, but probably quite a few. Part one of the Brown power is pretty good. This one is also quite good.  if only for the Isley Brothers and Frank Zappa being on it. That plus a Zappa cover. There aren't many of those and the Ed Palermo Big Band does some great ones. Enjoy all the rest of the tracks as well. Good companion to the first one.

What's The Connection? Brown Power 2

23 The Shadows - Genie with the Light Brown Lamp

24 Isley Brothers - Brown Eyed Girl

25 Esbjorn Svensson Trio - Hymm Of The River Brown

26 Heaven 17 - The Ballad Of Go Go Brown

27 Vivian Reed - Brown Sugar

28 Johnny Starr - Little Brown Baby

29 Billy Edd Wheeler - Ode To the Little Brown Shack Out Back

30 Camper Van Beethoven - Brown Eyes

31 Lyle Lovett - Brown Eyed Handsome Man

32 Johnny Cash - Old Doc Brown

33 Webster Booth - A Brown Bird Singing

34 Camille Bob - Brother Brown

35 Frank Zappa - Brown Shoes Don't Make It

36 Lou Rawls & Diane Reeves - Fine Brown Frame

37 The Orb - Red House, Brown Dog (Being remix)

38 Spike Jones - I Dream Of Brownie With The Light Blue Jeans

39 Ed Palermo Big Band - Pound For A Brown On the Bus

40 Waylon Jennings - Brown-Eyed Handsome Man

41 Bel-Airs - Little Brown Jug

42 Yo Yo Honey Singh - Brown Rang

43 Santana feat. Bo Bice - Brown Skin Girl

What's The Connection? Black Power 2

More of the Power of Colors. I had the first Black Power connection some time ago, so check that out for more info and more songs with Black in the title. The numbering continues from the first volume. The Love Jones track is one of my favorites on here, but I also love the Zappa track which is one of my favorites of Zappa. Amy Winehouse, Stranglers, Shriekback and a couple of tracks both after Licorice (give me red licorice everytime, please). Round it out with two covers. This is a good compilation.

What's The Connection? Black Power 2

20 Love Jones - Li'l Black Book

21 The Cult - Black Angel

22 Stranglers - Waltzinblack

23 Shriekback - Black Light Trap

24 Frank Zappa - Black Napkins

25 Paul Anka - Blackhole Sun

26 Gamalon - Black Licorice

27 Metallica - Fade To Black

28 Blue Oyster Cult - Black Blade

29 Ministry - Black Betty

30 Amy Winehouse - Back To Black

31 The Hollies - Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress

32 Mount Sims - Black Sunglasses

33 Depeche Mode - Black Celebration

34 Grand Funk Railroad - Black Licorice

What's The Connection? Blue Skies 1

Yesterday it was a blue moon, today it is Blue Skies as the connection. Still in the blue area of color, but probably not tomorrow. Lots of people covering the main song and then a few versions of others.Anything with ELO, is good in my opinion, but add Dean Martin (you know I like him) and add in Pink Floyd as well as a cover and you can guess I think it's pretty good. Special props for Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers! I screwed up the cover, but I guess that most won't realize it. I decided not to fix it.

What's The Connection? Blue Skies 1

01 Marshall Tucker Band - Blue Ridge Mountain Sky

02 Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky

03 Allman Brothers Band - Blue Sky

04 Dean Martin - The Big Blue Sky

05 Madness - Blue Skinned Beast

06 Crosby, Stills & Nash - Clear Blue Skies

07 Frank Sinatra - How Deep Is The Ocean (How Blue Is The Sky)

08 Pink Floyd - Goodbye Blue Sky

09 Holly Wilson - Goodbye Blue Sky

10 Chris Isaak - Blue Spanish Sky

11 Stranglers - Blue Sky

12 Bing Crosby - Blue Skies

13 George Strait - Blue Clear Sky

14 Frank Sinatra - Blue Skies

15 Al Jolson - Blue Skies

16 The Cure - Perfect Blue Sky (Robert Smith Project)

17 Go-Go's - Beneath the Blue Sky

18 U2 - Bullet the Blue Sky

19 Lyle Lovett - Blue Skies

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

What's The Connection? Blue Moon

What with all the color connections and the blue ones the last couple of days, it was bound to come up that there are quite a few Blue Moon titled songs. So a few covers on this one as well as originals by the Cramps, The Heads, The Nice and Everything But The Girl among the others. You'll have to sort out your favorites. But anytime I can get Dean Martin in there, I will. And BTW, anytime a Full Moon shows up twice in the month, they call it a Blue Moon. Here you have several showing up in one Comp.

What's The Connection? Blue Moon

01 Jam & Spoon featuring Plavka - Blue Moon Tidal

02 Elvis Presley - When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again

03 The Barmy Army - Blue Moon

04 Elvis Presley - Blue Moon

05 The Nice - Diamond Hard Blue Apples Of The Moon

06 Sam Cooke - Blue Moon

07 Chuck Royal & The Sharpsters - Blue Moon Keep On Shining

08 Dave 'Diddle' Day - Blue Moon Baby

09 Daniel Ash - Blue Moon

10 Bill Monroe - Blue Moon Of Kentucky

11 Mel Torme - Blue Moon

12 The Heads with Gavin Friday - Blue Blue Moon

13 Tommy Dorsey with Jack Leonard & Band - Blue Moon

14 Pinky Pinkston - Blue Moon Of Kentucky

15 Wiley Walker & Gene Sullivan - When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again

16 The Cramps - Blue Moon Baby

17 Billy Eckstine - Blue Moon

18 Beck - Blue Moon

19 Frankie Trumbauer And His Orchestra - Blue Moon

20 Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - Blue Moon

21 Cindy Walker - When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again

22 Levon Helm - Blue Moon of Kentucky

23 The Marcels - Blue Moon

24 Everything But The Girl - Blue Moon Rose

25 Henry Hall Orchestra - Blue Moon

26 Dean Martin - Blue Moon

What's The Connection? Blue 2

More of my most favorite Blue songs, this connection continues from yesterday. Some big hits here and afew less well known but either way they are blue. It's been awhile since I listened to this track by X and I hope people know T.S.O.L., but sometimes I wonder if I am the only one. New Order was bound to be on one of these, so might as well be now. And anytime I can use Johnny Mathis is a good day.

What's The Connection? Blue 2

24 Melissa Manchester - Midnight Blue

25 The Style Council - Have You Ever Had It Blue (12 Version)

26 Tony Bennett - Blue Velvet

27 Bob Dylan - Tangled Up In Blue

28 Dishwalla - Counting Blue Cars

29 Icehouse - Electric Blue

30 Johnny Mathis - When Sunny Gets Blue

31 Neil Diamond - Song Sung Blue

32 Kate Bush - Symphony In Blue

33 Madonna - True Blue

34 Roy Orbison - Blue Bayou

35 X - Big Blue House

36 Styx - Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)

37 Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee)

38 New Order - Blue Monday

39 The Raconteurs - Blue Veins

40 Prince & the Revolution - Computer Blue

41 T.S.O.L. - Code Blue

42 Roxy Music - Out Of The Blue

43 Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels - Devil With A Blue Dress On-Good Golly Miss Molly

What's The Connection? Blue 1

Continuing on the color connections, here is Blue. Similar cover as the Red WTC, but obviously some changes. There are so many Blue songs, even if you take out the ones with blues in the title. These are some of my favorites. No rhyme or reason except that I like the songs.. I will probably have another one right after this, since there so many. Two of my favorite bands are represented here. Beatles and Earth, Wind & Fire. Both with really good songs. I probably have enough to make a whole separate WTC with the Marcel's song, so that will probably be repeated. The last twp songs have the same title, but are different songs. A couple of covers and my favorite Go-Go, Jane Wiedlin with a great song of hers. And how many of you know the band Defunkt? They're pretty darn good, but not known enough.

What's The Connection? Blue 1

01 Bill Haley & His Comets - Blue Suede Shoes

02 Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky

03 Defunkt - Blue Bossa (Cocktail Hour)

04 Linda Ronstadt - Blue Bayou

05 The Style Council - Blue Cafe

06 Colin Newman - Blue Jay Way

07 Everything But The Girl - Almost Blue

08 The Ozark Mountain Daredevils - Jackie Blue

09 Was (Not Was) - Zaz Turned Blue

10 The Orb - Blue Room (7 Mix)

11 Elvis Costello - Paint The Red Rose Blue

12 Earth, Wind & Fire - Feelin' Blue

13 Badfinger - Baby Blue

14 Blondie - Union City Blue

15 David Bowie - Blue Jean

16 Neil Young & Crazy Horse - My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)

17 Beatles - For You Blue

18 Jane Wiedlin - Blue Kiss

19 The Marcels - Blue Moon

20 Yardbirds - The Nazz Are Blue

21 Fats Domino - Blueberry Hill

22 Chris Isaak - Blue Hotel

23 Lene Lovich - Blue Hotel

Rap 8 (Ladies)

Continuing my Rap series, it's the pick of the Ladies. Now this is not later rap, but mostly the formative years. And one track is really not even Rap at all. It's more electro break beat or some kinda genre like that. But I included Lisa Lisa because she was definitely part of that Rap culture. I'm not even sure you will know all the songs/artists here unless you followed the genre from the beginning like I did. These are the tracks I knew and the artists that mattered to me. I have one track from Sha Rock (in Funky Four + 1). I have two tracks with Queen Latifah (and Monie Love). They are so great. The real Roxanne (Shante) is here and of course a bunch of hit makers from Florida's L'Trimm to Salt N Pepa who everyone now knows. The Salt N Pepa song I chose to add wasn't even on their album until they re-released it, but after Paul Cameron mixed it, you couldn't not hear it.

Rap 8 (Ladies) 

01 MC Lyte - Cold Rock A Party

02 Queen Latifah - U.N.I.T.Y.

03 Roxanne Shante - Roxanne's Revenge

04 The Sequence - Funk You Up

05 Funky Four + 1 - That's The Joint

06 Queen Latifah & Monie Love - Ladies First

07 Monie Love - It's A Shame (My Sister)

08 Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - I Wonder If I Take You Home

09 Tanya (Sweet Tee) Winley - Vicious Rap

10 Lady B - To The Beat Y'all

11 Ms. Melodie - Roll On Over

12 Anquette - Janet Reno

13 Antoinette - Who's The Boss

14 L'Trimm - Cars with the Boom

15 Salt 'n Pepa - Push It

16 J.J. Fad - Supersonic

17 Missy Elliott - The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)

What's The Connection? Camera 2

Part two of my Camera connection. which itself is related to another connection (go to Camera 1 to see that). There are a couple of doubles among the three, but they are good or different versions. Several of these camera songs are actually a brand of camera (Polaroid). And one doen't have anything to do with cameras in the title, but to me is the most camera-centric song, because it says "How come you always load your Pentax when I am in the nude?" I still own a Pentax (although I never use it) and it was my first real camera. If you know what a K-Mount is give me a hey in the comments. The long version of Yes, a theme song from a great camera TV show and a comedy bit by Rap Reiplinger round this out. One of my most favorite Camera songs, that no one seems to know, is the Figures On A Beach track. It should have been more popular instead of the stuff they hit with.

What's The Connection? Camera 2

16 Mama Aiuto featuring Makzo - Polaroid

17 Shawn Colvin - Polaroids

18 Mr. Cheeks - Lights, Camera, Action!

19 Patrice Roberts,Afro B,Jonny Blaze,Stadic - Camera

20 George Lopez - Disposable Camera

21 Kurgan's Bane - Through The Camera

22 Jonas Blue - Polaroid

23 Japan - Gentlemen Take Polaroids

24 Soft Cell - Polaroid

25 Michael Franks - Popsicle Toes

26 Family - Scene Through the Eye of a Lens

27 Yes - Into The Lens

28 Camera Silens - Camera Silens

29 Something Weird - Spy Camera Implant

30 Figures On A Beach - In Camera Obscura (Dance Mix)

31 Rap Reiplinger - Lights, Camera, Action!

32 Keith Textor - Candid Camera

Reggae Pick 3

It's been awhile since I posted Reggae Pick 1 and Reggae Pick 2, but it's finally here. I did post my British Reggae Pick a couple of days ago and that has links to the Dub stuff I posted earler than that. You will notice a lot of covers on this pick. That's on purpose. I like covers. Hard to say what my favorites are on this compilation, but I must admit I have a special place in my heart for Pink Floyd as reggae. What are your favorites of this one? Or what should I have added ?

Reggae Pick 3

40 Dawn Penn & Bounty Killer - You Don't Love Me (No No No)

41 UB40 - Can't Help Falling in Love

42 Shabba Ranks - Mr. Loverman

43 Shaggy featuring Rayvon - In The Summertime

44 Toots & The Maytals - Take Me Home Country Roads

45 Easy Star All Stars - On the Run

46 The Fugees - No Woman No Cry

47 Pato Banton - Rock The Casbah

48 The Wailing Souls - Like A Rolling Stone

49 Maxi Priest - Close To You

50 The Dynamics - Music

51 Krosfyah - Pump Me Up

52 U-Roy - Tide Is High

53 Shaggy - Oh Carolina

54 Steel Pulse - Can't Stand Losing You

55 Merril Bainbridge featuring Shaggy - I Got You Babe

Rap 7 (Gangsta)

I'm not sure if I like the moniker Gangsta. But that's what they call most of this stuff. I'm not sure I would. These are not the best songs or the most representative of the genre. But they are the tracks that led me on this path of Rap/Hip Hop. Frankly I think If you go back a couple of days to the Pre-Rap pick tracks, a few of those are not even close to be called Gangsta, but I'm sorry, everything by the Last Poets is Gangster. General Kane and School D here are what opened this pick up for me and then it had to be NWA. I played soccer at Compton in high school for a few tournaments. And lived not far from there when I was a kid. We moved to the Valley, but it's not that big of a drive. I felt a connection so had to collect all that stuff when it came out. The rest came from that. As for the soundtrack of Niggaz With Hats. It was brilliant. The Rap version of putting it on 11. Spinal Tap with Rappers.

Rap 7 (Gangsta)

01 Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M.

02 Ice-T - 6 'n The Mornin'

03 Dr. Dre - Fuck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin')

04 2Pac - I Don't Give A Fuck

05 Snoop Dogg - Gin And Juice

06 50 Cent featuring Destiny's Child - Thug Love

07 Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy

08 NWA - Fuck Tha Police

09 Schooly D - P.S.K. What Does It Mean

10 DMX - Party Up (Up In Here)

11 NWA - Straight Outta Compton (Extended Mix)

12 Eazy E Featuring Ice Cube - No More Questions

13 Public Enemy - Fight The Power

14 N.W.H (Niggaz With Hats) - Fuck the Security Guards

15 Ice Cube - The Nigga Ya Love To Hate

16 General Kane - Crack Killed Applejack

17 Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise

Colors of the USA

This patriotic pick is to celebrate the various songs of freedom and patriotism that black America has given us. So often I hear that one color or another in the USA is or isn't more patriotic. And that's BS. The people of the the United States fly under one flag and it's color is Red White and Blue. It covers all of us no matter the color of our skins. Everyone of these songs is about being American. That means always fighting for our God given rights, standing up for each other and always being for the Constitution. Can you tell I am a proud first generation American citizen? Enjoy these while I get off my soapbox.

Colors of the USA

01 Whitney Houston - The Star Spangled Banner (Live From Super Bowl XXV)

02 Melba Moore - Lift Every Voice And Sing

03 Chuck Berry - Back In The U.S.A.

04 Jon Batiste - Battle Hymn Of The Republic

05 Pharrell Williams - Freedom

06 Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - This Land Is Your Land

07 Janelle Monáe - Americans

08 Ray Charles - America The Beautiful

09 Charles Bradley,Menahan Street Band,the Gospel Queens - God Bless America

10 Ruthie Foster - Oh Susannah

11 Bebe Winans - You're A Grand Old Flag

12 James Brown - Living In America

13 Jon Batiste - Freedom

14 The 2 Live Crew - Banned In The USA

15 Childish Gambino - This Is America

16 Billy Preston - My Country 'Tis Of Thee

17 Marian Anderson - America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee) [Live]

18 Pattie Labelle And The Bluebells - When Johnny Comes Marching Home

19 Shea Diamond - American Pie

20 Teddy Wilson - Yankee Doodle Never Went To Town

21 Gary Clark Jr. - This Land

22 Jimi Hendrix - The Star Spangled Banner

Peace Out 2

Part 2 of the Nu Metal Rap pick of Peace Out (or Rap 6). Which doesn't make sense to anyone but me. Seevral bands on this volume that were also on part 1 (yesterday) and several that are appearing for the first time. One band that I have to call out, because they aren't a nationally known band are the Limbomaniacs. I'm not even sure that they ever had much if anything released other than their local shows. But they rocked. The song here is just one a few that should have been heard all over. MCM & the Monster is another one of those bands. They did have some ok CD's come out, but they were 100 times better live. No one could free style better than those guys. Too bad this song was never released.

Peace Out 2

23 Rage Against the Machine - Bulls on Parade

24 Beastie Boys - Sabotage

25 Faith No More - Epic

26 P.O.D. - Boom

27 Red Hot Chili Peppers - Give It Away

28 Body Count - Body Count

29 Saliva - Click Click Boom

30 2 Skinnee J's - Mind Trick

31 Rehab - Bottles & Cans

32 Linkin Park - In The End

33 Korn - Freak On A Leash

34 Limbomaniacs - Caffe Latte

35 MCM and the Monster - Godzilla

36 Limp Bizkit - Break Stuff

37 Anthrax with Public Enemy - Bring The Noise

38 System Of A Down - Chop Suey

39 Mudhoney & Sir Mix-A-Lot - Freak Momma

40 Powerman 5000 - When Worlds Collide

41 Hollywood Undead - Been To Hell

42 Puff Daddy with Jimmy Page - Come With Me

Peace Out 1

I consider this pick to be an adjacent compilation set to my Rap series. Part of but not quite. So this is Rap 6, but Peace Out 1 (and 2 tomorrow). Five was the Hip Hop Jazz also adjacent. While I was making this one years ago. I was torn between how good it was and how crappy it was at the same time. I mean these songs are brilliant and stoopid at the same time. You can't help but like them. Bands like Body Count (Ice T) and Fishbone and Red Hot Chili Peppers etc. would probably hate me for including them in the Nu Metal genre tag and they would deny it 100%. But next to the other bands that are definitely in that category, their songs represented here kinda fit. Either way, I like this playlist a lot. I tend to pull it out more often than I want to admit.

Peace Out 1

01 Body Count  - Body Count Is In The House

02 Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name

03 System Of A Down  - Sugar

04 Twiztid  - Die Motherfucker Die

05 Insane Clown Posse  - Hokus Pocus

06 2 Skinnee J's  - Irresistable Force

07 Kid Rock  - Bawitdaba

08 Eminem  - Lose Yourself

09 Zebrahead  - Waste Of Mind

10 Uncle Kracker  - Keep It Coming

11 Hot Action Cop  - Fever For The Flava

12 Limp Bizkit  - Hot Dog

13 Linkin Park  - One Step Closer

14 Korn  - A.D.I.D.A.S

15 Hoobastank  - Crawling In The Dark

16 311 - Down

17 Limp Bizkit  - Faith

18 Primus  - Tommy The Cat

19 Red Hot Chili Peppers - Catholic School Girls Rule

20 Vandals  - LadyKiller

21 Faith No More  - We Care A Lot

22 Fishbone  - Fishbone (Is Red Hot)

Pre-Rap

I have a bunch of Picks that I put into my Rap section of picks (now updated). Stuff I was listening to way back when. But I was also a fan of music that wasn't at the time called rap, but now is seen as the precursors to rap. Artists such as Cab Calloway which my dad loved and played for me. But also bands like the Last Poets who as a valley boy in California should not be listening to. And Gil Scott-Heron who I thought was brilliant and saw live numerous times.And Umar Bin Hassan who I caught in a little club in NY, accidentally while visiting the city. These were not only East Coast people and music, but also divided by these racial tones that I felt I snuck into. Discovering Blowfly and cracking up. Following Grandmaster and discovering that Hustler's Convention came from Lightnin' Rod only happened because I was too OCD about finding out the history. Once you follow one, the others kinda fall into place. By no means is this all encompassing. It's just what I found when I followed. If you don't know this stuff, I'm glad you get to discover it. If you do, you're welcome to get it all here.

Pre-Rap

01 Joe Hill Louis - Gotta Let You Go

02 Cab Calloway - Minnie the Moocher

03 The Last Poets - Niggers Are Scared Of Revolution

04 The Last Poets - When The Revolution Comes

05 Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

06 Umar Bin Hassan - This Is Madness

07 The Watts Prophets - Dem Niggers Ain't Playing

08 Rudy Ray Moore - Dolemite

09 Blowfly - Rap Dirty

10 Lightnin' Rod - Sport

11 Mr. Green with DJ Kool Herc - Throw Ya Hands Up

12 Kurtis Blow - The Breaks

13 Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force - Planet Rock (Instrumental 12 inch version)

14 DJ Hollywood - Hollywood's World

15 Gary Byrd & The G.B. Experience - The Crown (Vocal)

16 Fatback Band - King Tim III (Personality Jock)