What's The Connection? Want 1

Lots of songs with Want in the title. This connection includes some of my favorite want songs and some will  repeat with other want subsidiary connections coming along. For instance there are a lot of songs about Don't Want or I Don't Want, so I'll probably make some of those. And perhaps a couple of Wants as well. Maybe Really Wanting something. I tried to spread it out in here and got a few of my very favorites (at least over the next couple like this). I'll make the covers relate to each other too.

What's The Connection? Want 1

01 Elvis Costello - (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea

02 Hoodoo Gurus - I Want You Back

03 Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want

04 Jackson Five - I Want You Back

05 Backstreet Boys - I Want It That Way

06 The Alan Parsons Project - I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You

07 Tubes - What Do You Want From Life

08 Sly & The Family Stone - I Want to Take You Higher

09 John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John - You're the One That I Want

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

11 Todd Rundgren with Bobby Womack - The Want Of A Nail

12 Human League - Don't You Want Me

13 Elvis Presley - I Want You, I Need You, I Love You

14 Byrds - All I Really Want To Do

15 Foreigner - I Want To Know What Love Is

16 The Smiths - Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want

17 Pitbull - I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)

18 Roxy Music - All I Want Is You

19 The Tourists - I Only Want to Be With You

20 Talking Heads - Girls Want To Be With The Girls

21 Barrett Strong - Money (That's What I Want)

22 Beatles - I Want To Hold Your Hand

23 Shnazz - (I Want To) Jump On Your Bones

24 Cheap Trick - I Want You To Want Me (Studio)

Picking On Milo (Descendents)

I first heard the Descendents EP Bonus Fat (1981) because of my housemate and had to get their first album Milo Goes To College (1982). I loved some of the songs and loved the fact that there were songs less than a minute (heck, less than 30 seconds). I played these songs later on the radio and there basically was barely enough time to cue up the next record. Was crazy time in the radio booth. I put the 15 second ones on "cart" - it was the only way to play them. Either way this pick has a little of  all the studio albums. None of the offshoot All (sorry they had a couple of good songs too.) Only Milo. The cover is a Milo-fied version of me goatee and mohawk included. This is some good punk rock from a cool band.

Picking On Milo (Descendents)

01 Descendents - Who We Are

02 Descendents - Kids

03 Descendents - Get The Time

04 Descendents - Sour Grapes

05 Descendents - I'm The One

06 Descendents - Without Love

07 Descendents - Silly Girl

08 Descendents - Cheer

09 Descendents - Descendents

10 Descendents - Clean Sheets

11 Descendents - Wendy

12 Descendents - Cool To Be You

13 Descendents - I Wanna Be A Bear

14 Descendents - Glad All Over

15 Descendents - Cameage

16 Descendents - Bikeage

17 Descendents - Coolidge

18 Descendents - Myage

19 Descendents - Van

20 Descendents - Sick-O-Me

21 Descendents - I Don't Want To Grow Up

22 Descendents - Suburban Home

23 Descendents - Pervert

24 Descendents - 'merican

25 Descendents - Nothing With You

26 Descendents - I'm Not A Loser

27 Descendents - Coffee Mug

28 Descendents - I Like Food

29 Descendents - Everything Sux

30 Descendents - Orgo 51

31 Descendents - Victim Of Me

32 Descendents - Hope

33 Descendents - All

34 Descendents - Ride The Wild

35 Descendents - I'm Not A Punk

36 Descendents - My Dad Sucks

37 Descendents - Weinerschnitzel

38 Descendents - When I Get Old

39 Descendents - Good Good Things

Act Your Age 2

This pick continues on from yesterday. All songs branching of about acting your age. Not a connection, the way I define it, but they are all conencted. These are more about growing up or not growing up. Playing video games instead of working or just wanting to not face everything about growing up. I have more growing up, being almost grown up coming, but not yet. Be happy with these two volumes for now. And go to work!

Act Your Age 2

22 Tenacious D - Video Games

23 Avril Lavigne - Here's To Never Growing Up

24 Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out

25 Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine - Growing Old Disgracefully

26 Tom Waits - I Don't Wanna Grow Up

27 Squeeze - I Don't Wanna Grow Up

28 Descendents - I Don't Want To Grow Up

29 Roy Harper - Grown Ups Are Just Silly Children

30 New Model Army - Before I Get Old

31 Taylor Swift - Never Grow Up

32 Jimmy Buffett - Growing Older But Not Up

33 Pussycat Dolls - When I Grow Up

34 Tommy Tate - All a Part of Growing Up

35 Tommy McLain - Before I Grow Too Old

36 Beach Boys - When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)

37 Michelle Shocked - When I Grow Up

38 Randy Bachman - Just A Kid

39 Simple Plan - Grow Up

40 Dweezil Zappa - Before I Get Old

41 Sparks - Forever Young

42 Twisted Sister - I'll Never Grow Up, Now!

43 Chuck Berry - Almost Grown

44 Hazel O'Connor - We're All Grown Up

Act Your Age 1

This is the pick I was working on before. The Todd Rundgren and the Pursuit Of Happiness tracks led me on a path of being a kid or a teen that wasn't ready to be an adult which led me to immature behavior regardless of age. Which led to these tracks and the next CD as well. All ages lets me add the Stranglers as well as the Sweet tracks. But also lets me add Fats Domino, the Ramones and Toots & the Maytals look forward. It is a fun, but irresponsible playlist.

Act Your Age 1

01 Lana Del Rey - Video Games

02 Rick Nelson - Stay Young

03 Mary Hopkin - Those Were the Days

04 Fidlar - West Coast

05 The Ramones - I Don't Wanna Grow Up

06 Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag

07 Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson - Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys

08 Chiddy Bang - Opposite Of Adults

09 Who - My Generation

10 The Wonder Years Featuring Little Kruta - Passing Through A Screen Door

11 Stranglers - Old Codger

12 Fats Domino - Before I Grow Too Old

13 My Chemical Romance - Teenagers

14 Toots & The Maytals - I'll Never Grow Old

15 Ronnie Jones - Video Games

16 Oasis - Stay Young

17 Pursuit Of Happiness - I'm An Adult Now

18 Sweet - Teenage Rampage

19 Tony Joe White - Mama Don't Let Your Cowboys Grow Up To Be Babies

20 Todd Rundgren - Bang The Drum All Day

21 Blink 182 - What's My Age Again

Don't Know Yet

I didn't have a name while I was making this mixtape. So the working title was Don't Know Yet. It stuck. This pick is a mix of stuff that I was working on for other compilations. I love the Pursuit Of Happiness. I think it's their only hit and worked on by producer Todd Rundgren. He's got some great stuff. Big Black was a left over. Crazy Music Channel is from another one coming up. A couple are from another upcoming  immature compilation.  The duets are ones I was coming across that just didn't work out. So I guess it's a real helping of leftovers pick.

Don't Know Yet

01 Big Black - Kerosene

02 Bachman Turner Overdrive - Let It Ride

03 Paula Abdul & Randy Jackson - Dance Like There's No Tomorrow

04 Bananarama - Long Train Running

05 Texas Tornados - Wasted Days And Wasted Nights

06 Tom Tom Club - Sunshine And Esctasy

07 Ringo Starr - Oh My My

08 Crazy Music Channel - Chicken Banana

09 Dan Reed Network - Ritual

10 John Lennon - Whatever Gets You Thru The Night

11 The Guess Who - No Time

12 Beach Boys - When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)

13 Moev - Yeah, Whatever (12" Version)

14 Pursuit Of Happiness - I'm An Adult Now

15 Art Of Noise - Moments In Love

16 Todd Rundgren - Bang The Drum All Day

17 Get Wet - Just So Lonely

18 Chuck Berry - Almost Grown

19 Geoffrey Tozer & His Swank Pha - Dance Like There's Nobody Lookin'

sld

Can't come up with a good narrative around this mixtape. A couple of songs on my mind and I only used one of them on this pick. That was the Mike Clark. A bit ago I told you the dance craze thing my wife kept showing me. So the song was on my mind. I keep an eye on specialty dances and keep them all in a folder. Maybe I'll share some of them sometime. But I was trying to fit some songs that didn't quite fit (and maybe will become another three letter mixtape too in the future.) But I also found a bunch of songs all around the 115 BPM range which is where the Clark song is. This is those songs. Some funk, some dance, some ne wave and some... who knows what. I do have to say something about Raining Jane. I really like this band. Saw them a few times in the Bay Area at really little clubs. Now they are just the backup band for Jason Mraz. But they were really good solo. I guess they are still good now. I like them both ways. Very cool drummer! Nice and cute.

sld

01 Xavier - Work That Sucker To Death

02 David Bowie - Let's Dance

03 Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk

04 Mike Clark, Jr - Keep On Steppin

05 Michael Jackson - Rock With You (Masters At Work Remix)

06 Funkadelic - (Not Just) Knee Deep (Part 1)

07 Was (Not Was) - Walk The Dinosaur

08 Earth, Wind & Fire - Jupiter

09 Tower Of Power - Walkin' Up Hip Street

10 Cameo - Word Up!

11 Raining Jane - Big Girl

12 Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams - Get Lucky

13 Texas Tornados - (Hey Baby) Que Paso

14 Bowling For Soup - Ghostbusters

15 Village People - Village People

16 Garbage - Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)

17 Grateful Dead - Truckin'

18 Shalamar - Make That Move

What's The Connection? Steppin Stone 1

Continuing, sort of, from the WTC yesterday, this one branches into Stepping Stones. Several are the exact same song. I really knew of the Paul Revere version first, but that wasn't the original and it wasn't the Monkees (although that may be the most well known since it was on TV all the time at one time and Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart wrote it and they did a few of the hits from the show.) The first was Liverpool Five. I had no idea. I also included the Baggy version by the Farm. A few of the others are just extra versions. And then most of the rest are completely different songs.

What's The Connection? Steppin Stone 1

01 Eminem - Stepping Stone

02 Wallace Brothers - Steppin' Stone

03 Ramases - Stepping Stones

04 George Jones - Your Steppin' Stone

05 Duffy - Stepping Stone

06 Tragic 8 - Stepping Stone

07 The Flies - I'm Not Your Stepping Stone

08 SOS Band - Steppin' The Stones

09 The Farm - Stepping Stone

10 Steve Miller Band - Steppin' Stone

11 W.C. Fields Memorial Electric String Band - I'm Not Your Stepping Stone

12 Paul Carrack - Stepping Stone (Single Remix)

13 Dave Stogner & His Western Rhythmaires (Vocal By Al Brumley) - Stepping Stones

14 Teddy Robin & The Playboys - I Am Not Your Stepping Stone

15 Johnny Harris - Stepping Stones

16 Modern Rocketry - I'm Not Your Stepping Stone

17 The Monkees - (I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone

18 Rebounds - Steppin' Stone

19 Liverpool Five - I'm Not Your Stepping Stone

20 Paul Revere & the Raiders - I'm Not Your Stepping Stone

21 Sex Pistols - (I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone

22 The Headboys - Stepping Stones

23 Jimi Hendrix - Stepping Stone

What's The Connection? Steppin 1

I'm going to blame this one on TikTok and my wife. I don't have the app, but she shows me dance and music videos on her phone whenever she likes something (not all the time, but a lot). She shows me a bunch of people doing a line dance to a Steppin' song that turns out is by Mike Clark. I found a version with him joined by the Ying Yang Twins and that started this series. A couple of songs with the same title were added and then Heatwave and Joe Jackson. Then the floodgates opened! I took out any with Stone in the title and left that for a special future one, but here's the first volume for you now.

What's The Connection? Steppin 1

01 Cherry Poppin' Daddies - Steppin' Out With My Baby

02 Zydeco All-Stars - Hot Steppin' Zydeco

03 Heatwave - Ain't No Half Steppin'

04 The Fatback Band - Keep On Stepping

05 Junior Wells - Keep On Steppin'

06 Wire - Stepping Off Too Quick

07 Elvis Presley - Steppin' Out Of Line

08 Sly and Robbie - Stepping Out

09 Mike Clark with The Ying Yang Twins - Keep On Steppin

10 Slave - Steppin' Out

11 Barry Manilow - Let's Go Steppin'

12 Kool & The Gang - Steppin' Out

13 Cream - Steppin' Out

14 Madness - Stepping Into Line

15 Sandy Barber - I Think I'll Do Some Stepping On My Own

16 Blow Monkeys - Steppin' Down

17 Electric Light Orchestra - Steppin Out

18 John Lennon & Yoko Ono - I'm Stepping Out

19 Paul Revere & the Raiders - Steppin' Out

20 The Moody Blues - Steppin' In A Slide Zone

21 Loretta Lynn - You've Just Stepped In (From Stepping Out On Me)

22 Tim McGraw - Two Steppin' Mind

23 Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out

What's The Connection? Ways 2

This is a continuation of the first Ways WTC. I continued with the numbering and got to put in the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane Wiedlin, the Jackson and Revolting Cocks! Forget the Blow Monkeys. So enjoy this second vaolume and look for the future connections of the non-plural and types of ways (not Waze). That's all you get for a writeup today. Let the songs speak for themselves. I'm feeling lazy today. It is my mom's birthday after all.

What's The Connection? Ways 2

34 Clan of Xymox - Equal Ways

23 Alphaville - Ways

32 Jeff Beck Group - New Ways Train Train

40 Herbie Hancock Quartet - Clear Ways

38 Revolting Cocks - Ten Million Ways To Die

36 Jane Wiedlin - 99 Ways

35 Jacksons - Your Ways

37 Red Hot Chili Peppers - These Are the Ways

26 Fleetwood Mac - Warm Ways

29 Blow Monkeys - Wicked Ways

31 Lenny Williams - Ten Ways Of Loving You

25 The Cure - Six Different Ways

41 The Fall - 15 Ways

28 KMFDM - Mysterious Ways

39 Neil Young - Old Ways

30 Funkadelic - Sexy Ways

27 Nerf Herder - 5000 Ways To Die

33 Peter and Gordon - True Love Ways

42 John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Let Me Count The Ways

24 Johnny Cash - The Ways Of A Woman In Love

Cornell Hurd Pick

Years ago, make that more than a couple of decades ago, I was not living in Texas. I was planning a trip to Dallas. I had no idea how big Texas was then. It's huge. I asked a buddy of mine who was a big music lover and I really respected his musical knowledge (he's also a famous comic book inker) and had been a guest on my radio show many times. I asked if he knew of a good band to see while I was there. He recommended a road trip to Austin to go to a restaurant (Jovitas). They were hosting a band there once a week that was worth the drive. That's what he said. Eat and you see the band. They ended up being the Cornell Hurd Band. On the night we were there half the show featured Marti Brom who was a rock-a-billy singer, but was covering Dorothy Shay that night. She'd done an album with the Cornell Hurd Band. I had not heard of her, Cornell Hurd or Dorothy Shay. They were worth the drive. Amazing rubboard player (Danny). Turns out Cornell was from the San Jose area (probably around when Doug Sahm was there) and had novelty songs played by Dr. Demento and moved to Texas (or perhaps back to Texas). Great sense of humor, great band. Bought a bunch of recordings then and since. Here is my pick. BTW, special thanks to Richard who got me one of the songs I was missing.

Cornell Hurd Pick

01 Cornell Hurd Band with Johnny Bush - Mom's Tattoo

02 Marti Brom with Cornell Hurd Band - Kiss Me Big

03 Cornell Hurd Band - If You Play With My Mind

04 Cornell Hurd Band - What Would Ernest Tubb Have Done

05 Cornell Hurd Band - The Genitalia of a Fool

06 Joel Crawford with Cornell Hurd - Psychotic Love

07 Cornell Hurd Band - Texas Eyes

08 Cornell Hurd Band - Tell Your Shrink I Said Thanks for Nothing

09 Marti Brom with Cornell Hurd Band - Feudin' and Fightin'

10 Cornell Hurd Band - Respect for the Dead

11 Cornell Hurd Band - Don't Wipe Your Face With Your Shirt

12 Cornell Hurd Band - I Drink Too Much

13 Cornell Hurd Band - Honky-Tonk Has Been

14 Cornell Hurd Band - You Only Kiss Me When We Say Goodbye

15 Cornell Hurd Band - The Long Goodbye

16 Cornell Hurd Band - Texas Me

17 Cornell Hurd Band - Fools Like Me

18 Cornell Hurd Band - Just One More Time

19 Cornell Hurd Band - Heavy Breathin'

20 Cornell Hurd Band featuring Brad Moore & Judy Julian - Seven Cups of Coffee, Fourteen Cigarettes

21 Cornell Hurd Band - I'm Gonna Drive

22 Marti Brom with Cornell Hurd Band - They Were Doing The Mambo

23 Cornell Hurd Band - Saturday Night In San Jose

24 Cornell Hurd Band - Come On Home To Houston

25 Cornell Hurd & His Mondo Hotpants Orchestra - Bicentennial Boogie

26 Cornell Hurd Band - Big Game Hunter

27 Cornell Hurd Band - Here Comes My Ball And Chain Again

28 Cornell Hurd Band - Loving You Was Never Enough

29 Cornell Hurd Band - This Gun Don't Care Who Shoots It

What's The Connection? Lasts 1

This connection isn't Last, but Lasts. Plural and it ends up having a different meaning. Sort of. These are songs about how long things last. Mostly with Lasts in the title. Especially if it lasts forever, if it doesn't last at all. Some sing about nothing lasting and others about love lasting. I think I want to believe in Kissing The Pink. You have to decide for yourself. What lasts and what doesn't? What will last is your wanting to play this over and over (or will it?)

What's The Connection? Lasts 1

01 Echo & the Bunnymen - Nothing Lasts Forever

02 Ride - Nothing Lasts Forever

03 Maroon 5 - Nothing Lasts Forever

04 Half Japanese - Love Lasts Forever (Sometimes)

05 Inner Life - Make It Last Forever

06 Steve Miller Band - Nothing Lasts

07 Trillion - Make It Last Forever

08 Judy Collins - Nothing Lasts Forever

09 Nathan And The Zydeco Cha Chas - Your Love Lasts As Long As Your Money

10 Endgames - First, Last For Everything (Club Mix)

11 The Icicle Works - When Winter Lasted Forever

12 The Chi-Lites - Nothing Lasts Forever

13 The Invisible Surfers - It Won't Last Forever

14 Bo' Flyers - If Saturday Night Could Only Last Forever

15 Marie Osmond - True Love Lasts Forever

16 Whatt Four - Our Love Should Last Forever

17 Chicago - We Can Last Forever

18 Madonna - Nothing Lasts Forever

19 Kissing The Pink - Love Lasts Forever (Long Remix)

20 Kinks - Nothing Lasts Forever

Doug Sahm Pick

Not a special day to celebrate Doug Sahm, other than any day is a good day to celebrate him. I did finish what I think is a good pick of his work over the years. Born in November 1941 and died in November 1999 he left a nice body of work. I'm not sure how I would categorize him, but he did have some great songs. Early Rock, San Francisco Hippy, Latin Rock, Country, Blues. It was all good. I have a little of each period even his song with Los Super Seven (listen to the other albums, they're all good). I love the Sir Douglas Quintet, but his work with the Texas Tornados was just as good if not better. I included a track from the movie Tin Cup and some solo stuff as well. I think you can tell, I like his stuff.

Doug Sahm Pick

01 Sir Douglas Quintet - Nuevo Laredo

02 Sir Douglas Quintet - She's About A Mover

03 Sir Douglas Quintet - Song Of Everything

04 Doug Sahm - Beautiful Texas Sunshine

05 Doug Sahm - At The Crossroads

06 Texas Tornados - (Hey Baby) Que Paso

07 Sir Douglas Quintet - Be Real

08 Texas Tornados - Wasted Days And Wasted Nights

09 Last Real Texas Blues Band featuring Doug Sahm - Reconsider Baby

10 Texas Tornados - Guacamole

11 Doug Sahm & Band - (Is Anybody Going To) San Antone

12 Doug Sahm And Band - It's Gonna Be Easy

13 Texas Tornados - Little Bit Is Better Than Nada

14 Doug Sahm And The Pharoahs - Slow Down

15 Sir Douglas Quintet - Too Little Too Late

16 Doug Sahm - Groover's Paradise

17 Doug Sahm featuring The Gourds - Get A Life

18 Texas Tornados - Who Were You Thinkin' Of

19 Doug Sahm - Dynamite Woman

20 Sir Douglas Quintet - Mendocino

21 Sir Douglas Quintet - Texas Tornado

22 Sir Douglas Quintet - The Rains Came

23 Sir Douglas Quintet - Revolutionary Ways

24 Los Super Seven - Rio De Tenampa

25 Sir Douglas Quintet - Love Don't Treat Me Fair

26 Texas Tornados - Una Mas Cerveza

dmh

Another three letter mixtape. I seem to be getting a few of these picks posted up lately. A couple of these I was going to use on my last one, but it didn't quite work out to make them fit, but I liked the songs anyway. Jeff Back and Tom Scott if you cared. I used another Manzanera track, just because I like that album a lot. All the tracks are in camelot key order and are around 125 bpm, but varying degrees of energy. I almost cut out the beginning of the Blue Oyster Cult song so it would mix better, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. The Eno track I switched in for another track that I wanted to use, but this fit better. And I have to figure out how to use Siwtchfoot more often, because I really like that band. My daughter's middle school teacher was into the band and I got caught up with the ferver and still like them after all these years (decades now).

dmh

01 St. Petersburg Ska-Jazz Review - Policy Of Truth (Europen Edition)

02 Tom Scott - Rock Island Rocket

03 Moe. - Downward Facing Dog

04 Grand Funk - The Locomotion

05 Bauhaus - Earwax

06 Blue Oyster Cult - Golden Age Of Leather

07 Brian Eno - Backwater

08 Yes - Owner Of A Lonely Heart (Wonderous Mix)

09 Armageddon - Buzzard

10 The Dinky Toys - The Sweetest Hangover

11 AC-DC - T.N.T.

12 Cake - Never There

13 ABC - Poison Arrow

14 Joshua Moses - Pretty Girl

15 Jeff Beck - Where Were You

16 Phil Manzanera - The Flex

17 Switchfoot - More Than Fire

18 Buzzcocks - Sixteen

tgr

Working from yesterday's Rhumba connection, this pick became a mixtape starting with Wire. I had that song and then wanted to get to Big Black. Instead I went all around, old and new, past a bunch of other stuff. But it does flow. Not sure why, because by all accounts, it shouldn't. But it does. I do like the three letter cover. I am going to have to use the marble in something else coming up.

tgr

01 Wire - Three Girl Rhumba

02 Sisters Of Mercy - Black Planet

03 Roman Holliday - One Foot Back In Your Door

04 Kinks - Wish I Could Fly Like Superman

05 New Order - World In Motion

06 Martha And The Muffins - Several Styles Of Blonde Girls Dancing

07 Sam Cooke - Twistin' The Night Away

08 The Four Tops - Don't Walk Away

09 Barry Blue - Dancin' (On A Saturday Night)

10 Doug Sahm And Band - (Is Anybody Going To) San Antone

11 Big Black - The Model

12 Turtles - Eve Of Destruction

13 Pixies - Here Comes Your Man

14 Ral Donner & The Starfires - Girl Of My Best Friend

15 Major Lance - Hey Little Girl

16 Paul Anka - Are You My Destiny

17 Badlands - Dreams In The Dark

18 Grateful Dead - Truckin'

19 Original Casuals - So Tough

20 Miss Kittin & The Hacker - Frank Sinatra

21 Chi Coltrane - Thunder And Lightning

22 Halestorm - You Call Me a Bitch Like It's a Bad Thing

23 Grand Funk - Bad Time

24 Billy Joe Royal - Cherry Hill Park

What's The Connection? Rhumba 1

This connection started because of Phil Manzanera. His great album Diamond Head has a bonus track that got me going on this. Not all of these songs are actual rhumba songs as in the dance, but they all have Rhumba in the title. Going back to Phil, is it a play on Rhumba and a car? Or is it a play on Caramba? Which means something entirely different. I have no idea, but I love the song (as well as the rest of the album). From A Certain Ratio to Little Feat, there is wide variety. As long as I found a way to include Wire, I was going to be happy with the choices. As for the dance, I practiced it a lot as it was what we danced for the first dance at my wedding. Turned out pretty good.

What's The Connection? Rhumba 1

01 A Certain Ratio - Tumba Rhumba (7 inch Single B-Side)

02 Jimmy Reed - Roll And Rhumba

03 Miles Davis - New Rhumba

04 Roaring Lion - Rhumba Dance

05 Nicolette Larson - Rhumba Girl

06 The Tikiyaki Orchestra - La Hula Rhumba

07 Walter Davis Jr. - Rhumba Nhumba

08 Arrow - Soca Rhumba

09 Haruomi Hosono - Japanese Rhumba

10 Elvis Presley - No Room To Rhumba In A Sports Car

11 Hank Snow - Rhumba Boogie

12 Johnny Horton - The Train With The Rhumba Beat

13 Wire - Three Girl Rhumba

14 Ray Anthony & His Orchestra - Rock-umba, Rock-Rock-Cha-Cha, Blue Rhumba

15 King Biscuit Boy - Bald-Headed Rhumba Boogie

16 Combustible Edison - Headshake Rhumba

17 Warren Barker - Rhumba Rhapsody

18 Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes - Rhumba And Coke

19 Phil Manzanera - Carhumba

20 Xavier Cugat - Rhumba Rhumba

21 The Nat King Cole Trio - Rex Rhumba

22 Little Feat - Rhumba Man

What's The Connection? Obsession 1

Yesterday I had the collision connection, but I had made that one after I had made this WTC about obsessions. Well, the obsession is about sticking to the title including the word obsession instead of actually being about things we are obsessed with. If it was the latter it would be songs about albums and compilations and playlists, but it isn't about me abd what I am obsessed with. It's these songs. Some cool ones on volume one of this. And let me tell you there are multiple volumes coming. Animotion is of course on here, but also disco, rock industrial dance, pop and more. I think Hall & Oates had the biggest hit on this volume, but I could be wrong. Somebody check and tell me. Either way I hope this playlist becomes your obsession.

What's The Connection? Obsession 1

01 Bee Gees - Obsessions

02 Kylie Minogue - Obsession

03 Adam Ant - Obsession

04 Siouxsie & The Banshees - Obsession

05 Chris And Cosey - Obsession

06 Animotion - Obsession

07 Hall & Oates - Possession Obsession

08 Icehouse - My Obsession

09 Suede - Obsessions

10 Guns N' Roses - Bad Obsession

11 Xymox - Obsession

12 Cheap Trick - My Obsession

13 Alexander Robotnick - Obsession For The Disco Freaks (Original)

14 Cabaret Voltaire - Obsession

15 Rolling Stones - My Obsession

16 Scorpions - Obsession

17 Hawkwind - Sweet Obsession

18 Killing Joke - Obsession

What's The Connection? Collision 1

My normal sense was colliding with craziness when I thought of this connection. the genres are colliding with each other, but that's how I like it. A lot less colliding songs in my collection than I thought would be here, but that's sometimes how it works. The cover is water and fire in a collision. Blame this all on the Obsession connection that's coming soon, but I mad before this one. I was getting into alliteration and went this direction instead.

What's The Connection? Collision 1

01 Rancid - Collision Course

02 Pizzicato Five - Collision And Improvisation

03 Jerry Harrison - Worlds In Collision

04 Mark Stewart - Collision

05 Genesis P-Orridge & Splinter Test - Gamma Collision

06 John Foxx - Geometry, Collision And Coincidence

07 Pere Ubu - Worlds In Collision

08 Front Line Assembly - Collision

09 John Waite - Love Collision

10 Mott The Hoople - Collision Course

11 Faith No More - Collision

12 Ruts DC Meets Mad Professor - Rhythm Collision

13 Dub Syndicate - Sound Collisions

14 New Found Glory - Head On Collision

15 ZZ Top - Decision Or Collision

Dawn Family

This was because of yesterday. Made me go down the rabbit hole on this family pick. Tony Orland, Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent (Wilson) made up the band with the hits. Some of them are on this pick. They had more. I watched their TV show and liked it. I followed the family tree and Tony had a band before called Wind and had some solo songs before and after. Telma and Joyce sang backup vocals on many albums. Some together and some separately. A few disco-y songs, even a little gospel-y. I included a good sampling. I was surprised to find that Eddie Murphy had Joyce on a track. (not Party All The Time). Have fun with this one. It flows pretty good.

Dawn Family

01 Tony Orlando & Dawn - Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree

02 Johnnie Taylor - Disco Lady

03 Eddie Floyd - Soul Street

04 Scherrie & Susaye - In The Night

05 Prairie Madness - Sunbeam to His Heart

06 Tony Orlando - Bless You

07 Dennis Coffey - Taurus

08 Wind - Make Believe

09 Eddie Murphy - Everything's Coming Up Roses

10 David Porter - Hang On Sloopy (single version)

11 Tony Orlando & Dawn - He Don't Love You Like I Love You

12 Grey & Hanks - Now I'm Fine

13 Tony Orlando & Dawn - Knock Three Times

14 Deon Jackson - I Can't Go On

15 Claudja Barry - Come On Stand Up (Vocal Pop Mix)

16 Dawn featuring Tony Orlando - Candida

17 Ronnie T And The Rugleys - Shake It Baby (Groove To The Funkie T)

18 Margie Joseph - Stop! In The Name Of Love

bdh

I was thinking of three songs while I was making this mixtape. My pick comes from there. The Blondie song was on my mind as was Adult Net since I had been listening to anything from Clem Burke. But it also was Tony Orlando and Dawn who was an ear worm with this track (click on that link for more catchy songs). That also started me on tomorrow's pick, but you'll have to wait for that one. Surprising but Dawn with or without Tony didn't make it on my Too Catchy series. What was I thinking? But lots made it on this three letter mixtape. Some easy listening and some harder. I love the Nina Hagen. Always good to include her. And anytime I can include A Drop In The Gray, The Models and Dramarama in a mixtape, I'll do it. I am more familiar with Paper Lace than Bo Donaldson even though the latter was the version played on US radio. Mostly because I loved their follow up hit The Night Chicago Died, which is not on here. The title came because of Bo and the Heywoods.

bdh

01 Vicki Lawrence - The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia

02 Flying Machine - Smile A Little Smile For Me

03 Poco - Crazy Love

04 Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice

05 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Down On The Corner

06 ZZ Top - Jesus Just Left Chicago

07 Hoodoo Gurus - My Girl

08 The Box Tops - Call Me

09 Dramarama - Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)

10 Blondie - Shayla

11 Models - Out Of Mind Out Of Sight

12 Adult Net - White Night (Stars Say Go)

13 Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods - Billy, Don't Be A Hero

14 Frankie Valli - Can't Take My Eyes Off You

15 Kinks - Sunny Afternoon

16 Nina Hagen - Personal Jesus

17 Deep Purple - Woman From Tokyo

18 Tony Orlando & Dawn - Candida

19 Thin Lizzy - Rosalie

20 Doobie Brothers - Jesus Is Just Alright

21 A Drop In The Gray - All The Same

22 The Fall - Cruisers Creek

What's The Connection? Disco 2

The very last day of April, I posted a connection of songs with Disco in the title. This is part two of that collection. This one has less disco in it, but still has disco songs. Including a cover of a disco song with disco in the title from Age Of Chance. It's also got a second Cristina song. Can you believe she has two songs with disco in the title? One about no Disco and one with death to disco one with suicide to disco and one un-disco song. Numbering continues and the cover is very similar.

What's The Connection? Disco 2

20 Age Of Chance - Disco Inferno

21 Funkadelic - Undisco Kid

22 Beastie Boys - Nonstop Disco Powerpack

23 Glam Sam and His Combo - The Disco Kid

24 Public Image Ltd - Death Disco

25 House of Prayers - Disco Stepper

26 New Order - Mr. Disco

27 Alicia Bridges - I Love The Nightlife (Disco Round)

28 Depeche Mode - Nodisco

29 Cristina - Blame It On Disco

30 Who - Sister Disco

31 Brand X - Disco Suicide

32 David Bowie - Bring Me the Disco King

33 Missing Persons - Disco Boy

34 Ricky Wilde - I Wanna Go To A Disco

ExiCumbias 1

This Cinco de Mayo pick is fun, but not necessarily having to do with Mexico. Not that Cinco De Mayo really has much to do with Mexico either. It's become a holiday for all latinos in the US. Which makes this a little more appropriate. Cumbias were actually a Colombian thing, but appropriated by many Latin countries including Mexico. There are bands all over that play cumbias. These are some of my favorites. I do have a few on my Exitos series of comps that aren't on here. Maybe I will peel them off and add them to volume two. Exitos just means hits and I made one bad pun to start naming these and I stuck to it although it makes no grammatical sense in Spanish. Lo Siento. I'm sorry. That's just the way it is. Happy Cinco de Mayo anyway.

ExiCumbias 1

01 Los Angeles Azules - Cómo Te Voy A Olvidar

02 Run The Jewels featuring Santa Fe Klan - Ooh La La (Mexican Institute Of Sound Versión)

03 Natalia Lafourcade - Tú Sí Sabes Quererme

04 Caifanes - La Negra Tomasa (Bilongo)

05 Selena - Techno Cumbia

06 Ruben Blades - Eres Mi Canción

07 Celso Piña with Control Machete, Blanquito Man - Cumbia Sobre El Río

08 Mexican Institute Of Sound - Cumbia

09 Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - Padre Nuestro

10 Bomba Estereo - Fuego

11 Rodolfo y su Típica RA7 - La Cologiala

12 La Sonora Dinamita - Que Nadie Sepa Mi Sufrir

13 Celso Piña with El Gran Silencio - Cumbia Poder

14 Bersuit Vergarabat - Yo Tomo

15 El Gran Silencio - Chuntaros Style

16 Mon Laferte - Te Juro Que Volveré

17 Los Lobos - Kiko And The Lavender Moon

18 Los Bukis - Encadenada A Mi

19 Lido Pimienta - Nada

Helena's Hits 1

Yesterday I posted my Harris Hits pick and said that I had done the same type of mixtape for my daughter years before. I checked and I hadn't posted it up before. So I fixed it up and here it is. Just like yesterday it didn't have to be "kids" music and in fact much wasn't. Some here were the songs we just had together. That all changed as she grew up, but a lot is still our thing together. The Oscar Brand for instance was our joke song. Most parents probably wouldn't play that for their daughters, but for us it was funny. This is what we would play in the car driving around. Singing our heads off.

Helena's Hits 1

01 Looney Tunes (The Merry-Go-Round Breaks Down)

02 Simon & Garfunkel - 59th St Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)

03 Shel Silverstein - Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take The Garbage Out

04 Styx - Don't Sit Down On The Plexiglass Toilet

05 Oscar Brand - Charlotte The Harlot

06 Little Richard - Itsy bitsy Spider

07 Gregory Isaacs - Puff The Magic Dragon

08 Raffi - Willoughby Wallaby Woo

09 Beatles - The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill

10 Three Dog Night - Joy to the World

11 Blood, Sweat and Tears - Spinning Wheel

12 Siouxsie & the Banshees - Trust In Me

13 Sinead O'Connor - Someday My Prince Will Come

14 The Jungle Book - The Bare Necessities

15 Disneyland - Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life For Me)

16 The Replacements - Cruella DeVille

17 Monty Python - Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life

18 Barnes & Barnes - Fish Heads

19 Fred Penner - The Cat Came Back

20 Eno - The Lion Sleeps Tonight

21 KC and The Sunshine Band - (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty

22 The Monkees - Theme From The Monkees

23 Archies - Sugar, Sugar

24 The Ohio Express - Yummy Yummy Yummy

25 Shirley Ellis - The Name Game

26 Ray Anthony - Hokey Pokey

27 Monty Python - Lumberjack Song

28 John Lennon (Plastic Ono Band) - Imagine

29 Napoleon XIV - They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!

Harris' Hits

When my daughter was young I made her some mixtape CD's with her name on them. I can't remember if I ever posted any here. But now I am a grandpa (Opa in my home) so I picked a mixtape for my grandson. He hasn't had the chance to hear it yet. That will be soon. Not necessarily kids songs (although some are) but songs that kids could like and that parents won't instantly hate. I am posting these because Butterboy posted a Childhood memories comp that was really good and it reminded me that I had this one waiting in the wings.

Harris' Hits

01 Cake - Mahna, Mahna

02 Beatles - Octopus's Garden

03 Pink Martini - Hang On Little Tomato

04 OK Go - Muppet Show Theme Song

05 Avril Lavigne - SpongeBob SquarePants Theme

06 Elvis Presley - Five Sleepy Heads

07 The Monkees - Apples, Peaches, Bananas And Pears

08 The Tokens - A You're Adorable (The Alphabet Song)

09 The Ramones - Spiderman

10 The Dickies - Banana Splits

11 Depeche Mode - Precious

12 Cornell Hurd Band - Don't Wipe Your Face With Your Shirt

13 Ray Charles - You Are My Sunshine

14 Gwen Stefani - Rainbow Connection

15 Queen - We Will Rock You

16 Ween - Ocean Man

17 Barenaked Ladies - La La La La Lemon

18 Neil Young with Crazy Horse - Clementine

19 Alice Cooper - School's Out

20 Isley Brothers - Shout (Part 1 & 2)

21 Kimya Dawson - Little Monster Babies

22 Billy Joel - We Didn’t Start the Fire

23 Labi Siffre - It Must Be Love

24 Bobby Darin - Splish Splash

25 Wilco - Just A Kid (With The Blisters)

26 Laura Doherty - Kitty Cat

27 Kim Wilde - Kids in America

28 The Monkees - I'm A Believer

dwk

This is an interesting mixtape. I picked starting from the Yoko Ono cover and added a few other covers, but that wasn't the point. I was trying to pick songs that went together. It was a little lower energy and I put them in order of energy instead of strictly by BPM. It made more sense to me that way. I hope you enjoy it. I've been listening to it several times already and it's quite pleasant for me. My family is not complaining either, so it can't be too annoying. The title came from the first three words of Yoko's original title.

dwk

01 Bessie Banks - Go Now

02 Radiohead - No Surprises

03 Claudine Longet - God Only Knows

04 Badfinger - Without You

05 Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good

06 The Rutles - With A Girl Like You

07 Shocking Blue - Venus

08 Bee Gees - Massachusetts

09 La Belle Epoque - Black Is Black

10 The Cure - The Love Cats

11 Zombies - Time Of The Season

12 Turtles - She'd Rather Be With Me

13 The Cranberries - Linger

14 Kate Bush - Them Heavy People

15 Suzanne Fellini - Love On The Phone

16 The Motels - He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)

17 David Bowie - Let's Dance

18 Julian Lennon - Too Late For Goodbyes

19 The B-52's - Don't Worry

20 Weezer - Island in the Sun

21 Patti Smith Group - Because The Night

22 Blondie - Heart Of Glass (disco version)

What's The Connection? Money 2

More than two years ago, I posted a connection about Money and said that I would post part two soon. This obviously is not soon, because I prepared it and never posted it. So here it is on May Day. A little Easy Money, a couple of Greenbacks, some dinero and even one that seems to have nothing to do with money, but listen to it. Go back to April 2023 and see links to Rich connections as well the original Money. I won't get into fiat money or The Creature From Jekyll Island, you'll have to discover that yourself, Dollars aren't really money.

What's The Connection? Money 2

23 Roland Gift - It's Only Money

24 Aloe Blacc - I Need A Dollar

25 Billy Gibbons - Quiero Mas Dinero

26 Nelly featuring City Spud - Ride Wit Me

27 Rihanna - Bitch Better Have My Money

28 Lowell George - Easy Money

29 King Crimson - Easy Money

30 Fitz and the Tantrums - Moneygrabber

31 Waylon Jennings - Easy Money

32 Brad Paisley - Easy Money

33 Jennifer Lopez featuring DJ Khaled & Cardi B - Dinero

34 Electric Light Orchestra - Easy Money

35 Easy Star All Stars - Money

36 Johnny Marr - Easy Money

37 Hush - Money

38 Ima Robot - Greenback Boogie

39 Billy Joel - Easy Money

40 REO Speedwagon - Easy Money

41 Monty Python - Money Song

42 Bruce Springsteen - Easy Money

What's The Connection? Disco 1

I have several volumes of disco songs on this blog, but this is not the same. In fact the genre didn't matter. The songs didn't need to be disco songs (although several of them are). All they needed was to have the word Disco in the title. It couldn't be just a "disco remix" to make it on this connection. It had to genuinely have disco be part of the title. It could be used as a noun like the place called the Disco or an adjective like a ball or a person who was Disco. It could be even used as a verb like you were going to Disco all night or for five minutes. I had another three letter playlist that I called mag that started this one. It was sixteen days ago. It had the Michael Jackson and the Isley brothers on it which made me thnk of doing this. I used a different shorter version of the Isley Brothers on this one.

What's The Connection? Disco 1

01 The Clash - Going To The Disco

02 The Brides Of Funkenstein - Disco To Go

03 Tubes - Slipped My Disco

04 Michael Jackson - Burn This Disco Out

05 Sun - Everybody Disco Down

06 El Coco - Disco Carnival

07 Ritchie Family - The Best Disco In Town

08 GQ - Disco Nights (Rock-Freak)

09 T-Connection - Disco Magic

10 Cristina - Disco Clone (Single Version)

11 Tom Tom Club - As The Disco Ball Turns

12 Ohio Players - Feel The Beat (Everybody Disco)

13 Devo - Disco Dancer

14 The Trammps - Disco Inferno

15 Yello - Daily Disco

16 Isley Brothers - It's A Disco Night

17 Sylvester - Dance (Disco Heat)

18 Shonen Knife - Chinese Disco

19 Frank Zappa - Disco Boy

Caipirinha 3

Sorry, but this is the last one of this series. Do look for more Bossa Nova compilations, because there are a bunch of them. I find they are usually in two camps. Older classic Bossa Nova and tons of newer Bossa Nova covers of pop and rock songs. I put a few of the latter in the volume two pick. There are many bands that do one or two Bossa Nova songs, or somewhat in the Bossa Nova style and those are fun to find. I put a few of those on this pick. I hope you enjoyed the series and that you end up having a Caipirinha at your house or at a Brazilian steakhouse near you. Just make sure you get a Lyft home.

Caipirinha 3

39 Vapour Trails - Do The Bossa Nova

40 The Dells - The (Bossa Nova) Bird

41 Simply Red - Holding Back The Years (Bossa Nova Mix)

42 Connie Francis - Bossa Nova Hand Dance

43 Ken Thorne - Bossa Nova (In The Restaurant)

44 Matt Bianco - Hifi Bossanova

45 Pizzicato Five - Bossa Nova 3003

46 Elvis Presley - Bossa Nova Baby

47 Billie Eilish - Billie Bossa Nova

48 Frank Zappa - Bossa Nova Pervertamento

49 Quincy Jones - Soul Bossa Nova

50 Mats & My - Cake By The Ocean

51 Texas - Black Eyed Boy (Neo-Northern Bossa Nova)

52 Us3 - Cantaloop 2004 (Bossa Mix)

53 Earl Bostic - El Choclo Bossa Nova

54 Sean Lennon - Into The Sun

55 Sza - Bmf

56 Tracey Thorn - Venceremos-We Will Win (7'' Bossa Version)

57 Freddie King - The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist

58 Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited - Bossa Nova Squad

59 Shakatak - Nova Bossa

60 Freddie King - Bossa Nova Blues

Caipirinha 2

The second volume of this Brazilian Bossa Nova pick. Yesterday I told you how I came to make this compilation. Today I will talk to you about the title. Caipirinha is the name of the third most popular mixed drink in the world. It's made using a liquor called cachaça. It's sort of a rum, but rum is made by distilling molasses and this is made by fermenting sugarcane. It tastes delicious. Add some lime juice and sugar and pour over ice. Kinda sounds a bit like a mojito, but it has an entirely different taste. It does sneak up on you, so be careful. If you haven't tried it, do try one. Either way it is a very Brazilian drink and like Bossa Nova and the beautiful game it belongs together. 

Caipirinha 2

20 Radiohead - Present Tense

21 Cher - Carnival (Manha De Carnaval)

22 Riovolt - It Ain't Over Till It's Over

23 United Rhythms Of Brazil - Superfreak

24 Stan Getz - So Danco Samba (I Only Dance Samba)

25 Eliane Elias - Black Orpheus (Manha De Carnaval)

26 Frank Sinatra & Antonio Jobim - Wave

27 Glambeats Corp - She's So Cold

28 Space Afro & Brazil XXI - Le Freak

29 Beach Boys - Busy Doin' Nothin'

30 João Gilberto - Ela e' Carioca

31 George Michael - Desafinado

32 Quincy Jones - A Taste of Honey

33 Al Jarreau - Samba De Uma Nota So

34 Os Digialistas - Three Little Birds

35 Amazonics - Hello

36 Everything But The Girl - Corcovado

37 Annette Funicello - Blame It On The Bossa Nova

38 Laufey - From The Start

Caipirinha 1

I was on Butterboy's blog and was inspired by his Bossa Nova compilation, so I made this pick. It's all Bossa Nova and Bossa Nova inspired music. I have three volumes of it, so be prepared to be overdosed on it. Although if you visit his site all three of these are or will be posted there, so you may already have these. You'll just have to be satisfied with my stories instead. There are only a couple of doubles between BB's pick and all three of mine, that's to be expected. I did try to keep most of it different, although we have both used classic songs (just different versions). I first heard Bossa Nova from my parents records. My dad liked Stan Getz at the very least. Tomorrow I will talk about the third most popular mixed drink in the world.

Caipirinha 1

01 Gheto Blaster Ltd - November Rain (B&H Version)

02 Pink Martini featuring Saori Yuki - Mas Que Nada

03 Ryuichi Sakamoto - Triste

04 Shirley Adamson - Rolling In The Deep

05 Johnny Mathis - So Nice (Samba De Verao)

06 Brazilian Girls - Lazy Lover

07 Air - Bossa 96 (Demo)

08 Senor Coconut - Corcovado (Quiet Night Of Quiet Stars)

09 Natalie Cole - Dindi (Portuguese)

10 Blossom Dearie - How Insensative

11 Sarah Menescal - Don't Speak

12 Cibo Matto - Aguas De Marco

13 Amy Winehouse - The Girl From Ipanema

14 Antonio Carlos Jobim - No More Blues (Chega De Saudade)

15 Astrud Gilberto - Agua de Beber

16 Stan Getz - O Morro Nao Tem Vez

17 Bossa Nova Beatniks - Route 66

18 Yo La Tengo - Center Of Gravity

19 Beck - Tropicalia

REPOST: What's The Connection? Paul

Repost for my Birthday: Since my name is the same, I like this connection. All songs with Paul in the title. Mostly. I also have one Pablo and one Paula although the latter is a song with Paul all through the lyrics. Several versions of Pablo Picasso, but I went with the more original version. Hard to dislike the song, however, no matter who does it. John Cale, David Bowie all did good versions, but I like the one from the Repo Man soundtrack by Burning Sensations quite a bit. Probably because I like the movie so much. I think if I was going to pick the very, very best Paul song for me, it would have to be Nina Hagen "I Love Paul" it's just the right sentiment. I did not include Johny Hit And Run Paulene by X, even though I like the song, because it just didn't quite make the criteria for me. Good song though.

What's The Connection? Paul

01 Vince Gill - Billy Paul

02 Little Richard - Poor Boy Paul

03 Beastie Boys - Paul Revere

04 Doobie Brothers - Slippery St. Paul

05 Third Eye Blind - Dao Of St. Paul

06 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - A Box For Black Paul

07 Willie Nelson - Me And Paul

08 MC Lyte - Lil Paul

09 Annette Funicello - Tall Paul

10 Johnny Cash - One Of These Days I'm Gonna Sit Down And Talk To Paul

11 Paul and Paula - Hey Paula

12 Modern Lovers - Pablo Picasso

13 Johnny Cash - Paul Revere

14 Nina Hagen - I Love Paul

15 Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane - Big Paul

16 NOFX - Eddie, Bruce And Paul

17 Nazz - Hang On Paul

18 Scissor Sisters - Paul McCartney

19 The Avett Brothers - Paul Newman Vs. The Demons

Top Pick Albums 1981

Second one of these picks. Yesterday, I did the top song picks of 1981 and today it's the Top Albums of 1981. Like each time, it's the top ten albums. I pick my top ten songs from those albums and then to round it off, I pick another ten that I like. It's one through ten and then eleven to twenty. For Soft Cell, I did not include Tainted Love on purpose. Prince and the Rolling Stones, I played the hell out of those albums. The rest I also played but not so much at the clubs. The Neil Young I loved as I did the Joe Jackson, but they are so different. And Klaus Nomi is the most different, so I will use that cover here.

Top Pick Albums 1981

01 Soft Cell - Frustration

02 Joe Jackson - Jack, You're Dead

03 Human League - Don't You Want Me

04 Neil Young & Crazy Horse - T-Bone

05 Brian Eno & David Byrne - The Jezebel Spirit

06 Prince - Controversy

07 Rolling Stones - Start Me Up

08 Kraftwerk - Numbers

09 Klaus Nomi - Total Eclipse

10 Devo - Beautiful World

11 Rolling Stones - Waiting On A Friend

12 Neil Young & Crazy Horse - South-ern Pac-i-fic

13 Prince - Let's Work

14 Joe Jackson - Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby

15 Kraftwerk - Computer World

16 Klaus Nomi - You Don't Own Me

17 Human League - The Sound Of The Crowd

18 Soft Cell - Sex Dwarf

19 Brian Eno & David Byrne - Help Me Somebody

20 Devo - Through Being Cool

Top Pick 1981

I am doing one of these per month and hopefully will finish the eighties before the New Year. See Top Pick 1980 on the last Thursday of March to get the whole story of how I got these. I made them into mixtapes and gave these picks to my friends. My choices always surprised them which was okay with me. I saw many of these bands in concert and played these songs at DJ gigs, mixing them in with the hits. Hard to believe, but some of these songs didn't get much play around town. The Adam and the Ants track was a flexi-disc that came with a magazine. Back then the Nails track wasn't a commercial. Some got played at local clubs and some should have been. The Rick James, I played at the club I DJ'd at as did Balance and Earth, Wind & Fire. I didn't play Pete Shelley there, but I did play him at the Bowling Alley dance floor I also DJ'd at.

Top Pick 1981

01 Squeeze - Tempted

02 Grace Jones - Pull Up To The Bumper

03 The Specials - Ghost Town

04 Bauhaus - Harry

05 Agent Orange - Everything Turns Grey

06 Gun Club - Sex Beat

07 Yoko Ono - Walking On Thin Ice

08 Rick James - Give It to Me Baby

09 Tom Tom Club - Wordy Rappinghood

10 Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove

11 Prism - Don't Let Him Know

12 Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough

13 Pete Shelley - Homosapien

14 Balance - Breaking Away

15 Plimsouls - Zero Hour

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

17 Robyn Hitchcock - Brenda's Iron Sledge

18 Nails - 88 Lines About 44 Women

19 ZZ Top - Tube Snake Boogie

20 Martha And The Muffins - Women Around The World At Work

What's The Connection? Dollars 1

This one is always fun. Money, even if it's fiat money, is always fun. As long as you have it. This is all about the Dollars. I already had a Money connection and there is at least one double with that connection and this one (Barenaked Ladies). It even looks like I made a part two, but never posted it (so look for Money 2 coming soon). This Dollar one has old and new songs. From a single dollar to a billion, it's in here. And more to come for this one, too. The last track on this volume is from the TV show. Just think Steve Austin. What was the sound he made when he jumped? And another one when he focused with his bionic eye? Hard to watch that show with my dad, because he would always point out the flaws when the producers/writers would break the laws of physics. I still liked the show anyway.

What's The Connection? Dollars 1

01 Funkadelic - Funky Dollar Bill

02 Johnny Cash - Wrinkled Crinkled Wadded Dollar Bill

03 Aloe Blacc - I Need A Dollar

04 Fiestas - Dollar Bill

05 Johnny Guitar Watson - It's About The Dollar Bill

06 Everything But The Girl - Another Day, Another Dollar

07 Bing Crosby - I Found A Million Dollar Baby

08 Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies

09 Tom T Hall - Ballad Of Forty Dollars

10 Louis Prima & Keely Smith - Greenback Dollar Bill

11 David Bowie - Dollar Days

12 Ric Ocasek - Bottom Dollar

13 Material - For a Few Dollars More

14 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Dollar Girl

15 Cabaret Voltaire - Billion Dollar

16 Taxi - Dollar Wine

17 Radiohead - Dollars & Cents

18 Thin Lizzy - Silver Dollar

19 Love Tractor - Buy Me A Million Dollars

20 Queens Of The Stone Age - You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire

21 Barenaked Ladies - If I Had A Million Dollars

22 Oliver Nelson - Six Million Dollar Man

Happy Earth Day 2

It's earth day and to celebrate here are some more songs with earth in the title, Part one of the Earth Connection was back a year ago. So here is the next Earth WTC. One Earth Bound, one Earth Rise, but no Earthquake songs this time. A couple of Mother Earths and different than the ones before. Some blues and a couple of earths in space. Hopefully this compliments the previous one and you like it.

Happy Earth Day 2

19 Mahavishnu Orchestra - Earth Ship

20 Crazy Penis - A Night On Earth

21 David Batteau - Spaceship Earth

22 No-Man - Night Sky, Sweet Earth

23 Art Of Noise - One Earth

24 Tuxedomoon - Hugging The Earth

25 Hawkwind - Earth Calling

26 Curiosity Killed The Cat - Down To Earth

27 Jimi Hendrix - Earth Blues

28 Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)

29 Memphis Slim - Mother Earth

30 Buckethead - Earth Heals Herself

31 King Crimson - Earthbound

32 Michael Jackson - Earth Song

33 Joe Bonamassa - Wandering Earth

34 Camel - Earthrise

What's The Connection? Hit Me 1

As I quickly think of songs with Hit Me in the title, there are just three songs that come to mind easily. Pat Benatar, The Crystals and Ian Dury. More come as you spend some time really thinking about it, but for me, those are the main three. I didn't use The Crystals here (maybe on volume 2). I ended up using The Motels, because I do love that version too. I did use Pat Benatar and skipped over the other few versions I have of that song. I did add the Eminem and D12 version because it was so different. A bunch of other songs as well in this connection. Only one that has Hits Me instead of Hit Me, but it is the Cars, so we'll let it slide.

What's The Connection? Hit Me 1

01 New Edition - Hit Me Off

02 Linda Jones - You Hit Me Like TNT

03 Cansei De Ser Sexy - Hits Me Like A Rock

04 Todd Rundgren - Hit Me Like A Train

05 Ian Dury And The Blockheads - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick

06 Franz Ferdinand - Katherine Hit Me

07 The Motels - He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)

08 Eminem featuring D12 - Hit Me With Your Best Shot

09 The Raveonettes - You Hit Me (I'm Down)

10 Suede - Hit Me

11 Cars - Hits Me

12 Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot

13 The Flaming Lips - Hit Me Like You Did The First Time

14 George Strait - Her Goodbye Hit Me In The Heart

15 Alice Clark - You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurt Me)

16 Blue Rodeo - Hasn't Hit Me Yet

17 Kool & The Gang - Hit Me On The Hip

18 Huey Lewis & The News - It Hit Me Like A Hammer

19 Cheap Trick - Don't Hit Me With Love

20 The Pretty Reckless - Hit Me Like A Man

21 Falco - Hit Me

Happy Easter! 2

So today is Easter (and it's also my brother's birthday - Happy Birthday, Bro) and this connection is my second pick of Easter songs. Easter one is here. A couple of the songs actually have Easter in the title and those are probably the only ones related directly to the holiday. Several are about rabbits and bunnies which somehow is related to Easter. Three are about rising up which, if you are religious, relates to Jesus rising from the dead. Although I do not think any of these songs really has to do with Jesus particularly, except for maybe South Park, although it's in a satirical way. I can tell you for sure George Benson has nothing to do with chocolate or Jesus. Infact none of the Rabbit songs really have to do with Easter even in a non-religious way except Rosemary Clooney. But have a fun day anyway.

Happy Easter!

21 Randy Marsh - Easter Parade

22 Simply Weasels - Chocolate Easter Bunny

23 Rick Wakeman - Wiggles (Black And White Rabbit)

24 Bing Crosby - Easter Parade

25 Blink-182 - Rabbit Hole

26 Associates - Tell Me Easter's On Friday

27 Lou Conrad; Meyer Davis Orchestra - Easter Parade

28 Andra Day - Rise Up

29 George Benson - White Rabbit

30 Alien Sex Fiend - Black Rabbit

31 Radiohead - Rabbit In Your Headlights

32 Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys - Doin' The Bunny Hop

33 Eddy Howard - Bunny Hop

34 Chris and Cosey - Rise

35 Frank Zappa - Drooling Midrange Accountants on Easter Hay

36 The Beatles - Do The Bunny Hop

37 South Park - He Is Risen

38 Buckethead - The Snow Rabbit

39 Jefferson Airplane - Easter

40 Rosemary Clooney - My Choc'late Rabbit

What's The Connection? Blame 1

It's all my fault. I am to blame for this connection. Most of the songs are not taking the blame, they are placing it, or even begging you not to blame them. Blame it on any one else but them. With the exception of Melanie C otherwise known as Sporty Spice and the best voice in the Spice Girls and also Annie Lennox and the Eurythmics. They both are taking responsibility. It's not the weather, it's not the sad songs, it's not the boogie, it's not the disco. It's all my fault and part two will make it worse.

What's The Connection? Blame 1

01 Everything But the Girl - Blame

02 KMFDM - Blame

03 Everly Brothers - Don't Blame Me

04 Howard Jones - No One Is To Blame

05 Matt Bianco - Don't Blame It On That Girl

06 Association - Don't Blame It On Me

07 Jacksons - Blame It On The Boogie

08 Eurythmics - Put The Blame On Me

09 Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - I Don't Blame You at All

10 Melanie C - Blame It On Me

11 Cristina - Blame It On Disco

12 Cobra Starship - Don't Blame The World It's The DJ's Fault

13 XTC - Blame the Weather

14 Heaven 17 - We Blame Love

15 Taylor Swift - Don't Blame Me

16 Lynyrd Skynyrd - Blame It On A Sad Song

17 Melanie C - Blame

18 Annette Funicello - Blame It On The Bossa Nova

19 Basia - Blame It On The Summer