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

What's The Connection? Holy 1

Well, today is Good Friday, so it is time to pull out my Holy connection. The first thing I think of when trying to remember songs with Holy in the title is Neil Diamond, but he's not on this volume. I instead used the cover from UB40 which is also good. It's always good if you can find a Zappa song and I did. Of course Led Zeppelin. There's even Taylor Swift. The best coincidence is Golden Palominos and Golden Earring coming right after each other. It's sorted by BPM, so it really is coincidence.

What's The Connection? Holy 1

01 Art Of Noise - The Holy Egoism Of Genius

02 Kiss Inc. - Hey Mr. Holy Man

03 Echo & The Bunnymen - Holy Moses

04 UB40 - Holly Holy

05 Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs - Goddamn Holy Roll

06 Mike Oldfield - Holy

07 The Bar-Kays - Holy Ghost

08 Parliament - The Landing (Of the Holy Mothership)

09 Frank Zappa - Thou Shalt Keep Holy the Sabbath

10 David Bowie - Holy Holy

11 The Cure - The Holy Hour

12 Santana - Life Is A Lady-Holyday

13 Lee Dorsey - Holy Cow

14 Dennis Willson - Holy Man

15 Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy

16 Love & Rockets - Holy Fool

17 The Golden Palominos - Holy

18 Golden Earring - Holy Holy Live

19 Electric Prunes - Holy Are You

20 Taylor Swift - Holy Ground

What's The Connection? Grey 2

Continuing on with yesterday's color connection it's grey (or gray) volume two. There's a good variety and yet difference from yesterday to today. Some very good grey songs, but a completely different feel. You'll have to tell me which one you like better. No more gray for a while. So enjoy what you got. Similar cover and the numbering just continues.

What's The Connection? Grey 2

20 Henry Paul Band - Grey Ghost

21 Frank Thayer - Long Grey Highway

22 Neil Young International Harvesters - Grey Riders

23 Fleetwood Mac - Earl Gray

24 Justin Tubb - Take A Letter Miss Gray

25 Johnny Cash - Little Gray Donkey

26 Bruce Hornsby - Fields Of Gray

27 Aphex Twin - Grey Stripe

28 Arcadia - She's Moody And Grey, She's Mean And She's Restless

29 Daddy's Act - Grey Birds Scream

30 Dee Mullins - Prison Gray

31 Heddle Nash - Two Eyes of Grey

32 Roger Eno - Grey Promenade

33 Biosphere - Black Lamb & Grey Falcon

34 Rick Wakeman - The Grey Havens

35 Wings - Morse Moose And The Grey Goose

36 Glass Hammer - The Grey Hills

37 Elton John - Grey Seal

What's The Connection? Grey 1

I've had a few connections with colors, but none so far with Grey (or Gray). Here are my favorite Grey songs. Visage and Agent Orange are the fovorites of mine on this volume. Volume two coming very soon. Don't blame me if I put it off for a short bit, but I for sure have another one waiting in the wings almost ready to go. The covers are based on some of the other colored covers, so that was easy. Any compilation with Madness and Blue Oyster Cult has to be good. Forget the Caravan title.

What's The Connection? Grey 1

01 Madness - Grey Day

02 Caravan - In The Land Of Grey & Pink

03 Roxy Music - Grey Lagoons

04 Agent Orange - Everthing Turns Grey

05 Pretty Things - Defecting Grey (extended version)

06 Oingo Boingo - Grey Matter

07 Fleetwood Mac - Thoughts On A Grey Day

08 The Monkees - Shades Of Grey

09 Rolling Stones - Blue Turns to Grey

10 Blue Oyster Cult - Cold Gray Light Of Dawn

11 The Cure - All Cats are Grey

12 Visage - Fade To Grey (12 Inch Version)

13 XTC - Wrapped in Grey

14 Yellow Magic Orchestra - Gradated Grey

15 Lonnie Jordan - Grey Rainy Days

16 Sweet - Dorian Gray

17 The Cowsills - Gray Sunny Day

18 Buckwheat Zydeco - Drivin' Old Grey

19 Grateful Dead - Touch Of Grey

What's The Connection? Tax Day Repost

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

Tax Connection

01 Don Henley - Workin' It

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

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

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

05 Monkees - Pleasant Valley Sunday

06 Tower of Power - Taxed To The Max

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

08 Jimi Hendrix - Tax Free

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

10 Steve Howe - Success Story

11 Cheap Trick - Taxman, Mr. Thief

12 Ruder Than You - Tax Man

13 Blue Blot - IRS Blues

14 Toy Dolls - Lester Fiddled The Tax Man

15 Jethro Tull - Lap of Luxury

16 The Human Beinz - April 15th

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

18 Kinks - Sunny Afternoon

19 Beatles - Taxman

20 The Who - Success Story

mag

Another three letter mixtape for this pick. Four different extended versions on this pick, that started with Earth, Wind & Fire. I guess I could have called it ewf. But it's a mix of disco and new wave and pop. Not so much the big hits, although a couple were. I am not convinced that all these 12 inch versions were the best versions of the songs, but they are all interesting and I don't always use the long versions, so I thought I would on a few of these. I don't have an extended version of the Michael Jackson song, but it seems ripe to have one. The ZTT mix of Grace Jones is brilliant and horrible at the same time. Sonicwise it's great like most all the ZTT related stuff (Frankie, Art Of Noise, etc) is, but it's also annoying in a way. Either way, it's what I chose.

mag

01 Grace Jones - Slave To The Rhythm (Original 12 Inch)

02 Ashford & Simpson - Solid As A Rock (Original 12 Inch)

03 Level 42 - Love Games

04 Chicago - We Can Stop The Hurtin'

05 Heatwave - State To State

06 Michael Jackson - Burn This Disco Out

07 Electric Light Orchestra - Sweet Talkin' Woman

08 Roxy Music - Love Is The Drug

09 New Order - Temptation

10 Stranglers - Skin Deep (Extended Version)

11 Iggy Pop - I'm Bored

12 Isley Brothers - It's A Disco Night (Parts 1 & 2) (Special Disco Version)

13 Talk Talk - Talk Talk

14 Earth, Wind & Fire - Magnetic

15 Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone

What's The Connection? Fade Away 1

I was making this connection and had hours of Fading songs and then realized that I could make a side connection of fading away. It became this Fade Away WTC. You'll have to tell me how many are the same songs, because several are Not Fading and several are Fading. The first and the last track have extra in the title. And a couple in the middle, but the majority Fade or Not Fade. Another connection will have the song that started this (which is a Visage song that doesn't fit here). BTW, I smashed it with the cover.

What's The Connection? Fade Away 1

01 Blondie - Fade Away And Radiate

02 Eric Hine - Not Fade Away

03 Stiff Little Fingers - Just Fade Away

04 Jah Wobble - It All Fades Away

05 The Crickets - Not Fade Away

06 Neil Young - Time Fades Away

07 Frank White - Not Fade Away

08 Bobby Fuller - Not Fade Away

09 Buggles - Fade Away

10 Corporate Image - Not Fade Away

11 Bee Gees - Red Chair, Fade Away

12 Purple Helmets - Not Fade Away

13 Rolling Stones - Not Fade Away

14 Queen - Not Fade Away

15 Crusade - Fade Away

16 Todd Rundgren - Fade Away

17 Les Irresistibles - Fade Away

18 Celine Dion - Fade Away

19 Chris Isaak - Fade Away

20 Bad Company - Fade Away

21 New Age Steppers - Fade Away

22 Black Cherry - Fading Away

23 Juliana Hatfield - Fade Away

24 Mariah Carey - Everything Fades Away

aqk

Just one more three letter mixtape for this pick. No real reason for the letters I chose this time. I picked the letters randomly from the keyboard. A couple of tracks from The Jam and a couple by XTC. That wasn't random. I had them playing in my mind all week. Same thing with Free and Robyn Hitchcock. The rest I chose to fit around them, I almost added another track from the former two, but decided against it in the end. I put in a variety of older and newer tracks to add something to the playlist. I like how the cover turned out. Almost looks like the letters were carved out. That was accidental, but it looks cool. The letters are lowercase although the font used makes it look uppercase.

aqk

01 The Jam - Town Called Malice

02 Free - All Right Now

03 Television - Friction

04 Grand Funk Railroad - Some Kind Of Wonderful

05 Translator - Everywhere That I'm Not

06 Split Enz - I Got You

07 Soft Boys - I Wanna Destroy You

08 Stranglers - Duchess

09 Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Takin' Care Of Business

10 The Jam - Away From The Numbers

11 Guess Who - Undun

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

13 The The - This Is The Day

14 XTC - Generals and Majors

15 Kiss - Rock And Roll All Nite

16 Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians - Heaven

17 Infant Sorrow - Bangers Beans & Mash

18 Junior Brown - Highway Patrol

19 XTC - Making Plans for Nigel

20 Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back In Town

rdt

I was making this mixtape and I forget why I named it rdt. But the songs started with two songs although you could argue it is one song. The Residents disco version of Eskimo and L&O's New Beat version of basically the same song, although they changed the name and much of the song. I kept it all within ten BPM from the beginning to the end. The Camelot key is all over the place, however. Some of the songs don't appear to belong to this pick at first, but they kind of fall into place after repeated listens. Not all hits, either which is always a good thing. A couple of these tracks I have just been itching to find a spot for, so here it finally is.

rdt

01 L&O - Even Now

02 Pat & Mick - Use It Up And Wear It Out (Ultimix 35)

03 Cajmere - Percolator

04 Torch Song - Prepare To Energize (12'' Version)

05 Chicago - Street Player

06 Swedish House Mafia featuring Pharrell Williams - One (Your Name)

07 The Residents - Diskomo

08 Earth Wind and Fire - September

09 OneRepublic - Good Life

10 Basement Jaxx featuring Blue James - Red Alert

11 Sparks - Beat The Clock

12 The Cage featuring Nona Hendryx - Do What You Wanna Do

13 Pizzaman - Trippin On Sunshine

14 Galantis - Peanut Butter Jelly (Extended Mix)

15 Pood Bhud Pflug - Duelling Techno

What's The Connection? Rice 1

I am pretty sure that I first heard Masami Tsuchiya because I bought an album or two based on the cover. Later found out his links to Japan and Bill Nelson and then Ryuichi Sakamoto and Duran Duran. But it started with Ippu-Do and Lunatic Guitar and Rice Music. Also his solo albums. This WTC came from that. The Orquesta De La Luz has Rice in Spanish although they are a Japanese salsa band. They have some killer salsa tracks. The rest is all over the place as well. Reggae, Zydeco, Jazz, New Wave, even a commercial. This rice is cooking (and probably longer then twenty minutes). A cooking joke. Great.

What's The Connection? Rice 1

01 Blind Blake And His Royal Victorians - Peas And Rice

02 The Fibonaccis - Rice Song

03 Soul Serenaders - Chicken And Rice

04 Don Cherry - Brown Rice

05 Ippu-Do - Rice Music

06 Buckwheat Zydeco - The Mice Ate My Rice

07 Bella Carib - Rice & Beans

08 The Fearsome Brave - Celebrate Wild Rice (Ya-Na-Hana)

09 Jeff Beck Group - Rice Pudding

10 Lee Ritenour - Wild Rice

11 The Lemon Pipers - Rice Is Nice

12 Little Richard - Rice, Red Beans And Turnip Greens

13 Masami Tsuchiya - Rice Dog Jam

14 Chilly - Rosi Rice

15 King Tubby Meets Roots Radics - Rice Grain Rock

16 Orquesta De La Luz - Arroz Con Salsa

17 Rice-A-Roni - The San Francisco Treat

fbh

I was getting ready to go on a trip (for business) and wanted some music to listen to. A new mixtape with different songs or different versions and I just looked around and made this pick. I had been in the 80's setting up my Top Picks (not picking the songs, but cleaning up recordings, etc.) and getting them ready to post for later this year. So I started there and then went all over my hard drive and album shelves. A few tracks I had used on various comps over the last several months (but i put on new context or new versions). I used one mashup that I had liked some time ago. Several tracks where I used a deep track from an album I liked.

fbh

01 Dub Syndicate - Hey Ho

02 Pixies - Where is My Mind

03 Bauhaus - Harry

04 Alien Sex Fiend - Dead And Buried

05 Cracker - Euro-Trash Girl

06 Black Uhuru - Hey Joe

07 Ruts - Jah War

08 Radiohead - Just

09 Adult Net - Going Nowhere

10 AC-DC - Back In Black

11 Cars - Shoo Be Doo

12 Talking Heads - Burning Down the House (Razormaid Mix)

13 Letters To Cleo - I Want You To Want Me

14 White Stripes vs Backstreet Boys - Seven Nation Army's Going On

15 T. Rex - Bang a Gong (Get It On)

16 Specimen - Holes

17 Killing Joke - Night Time

18 Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way

19 Love & Rockets - Mirror People '88

What's The Connection? Some Kind Of Talk

These are all songs connected by the title. They all have Talk in the title, yes. But they also are all two word song titles. And they all have Talk as the second word. I was going to call it Blank Talk or Something Talk, but Some Kind Of Talk is what it became. Three of the songs have Talk as the first and second word. But only one has Talk four times (twice in the title and twice in the band name). You would probably not guess which is my favorite of these songs, although I like them all. It's a tie between Claudine Longet and King Crimson. Although Nina Hagen's cover of Sylvia is also up there.

What's The Connection? Some Kind Of Talk

01 Imagination - Body Talk

02 Klark Kent - Office Talk

03 Claudine Longet - Happy Talk

04 Ohio Players - Sleep Talk

05 Everything But The Girl - Fighting Talk

06 John Wetton - Paper Talk

07 Conway - Big Talk

08 The Music Machine - Talk Talk

09 Jan & Dean - Baby Talk

10 Sylvia - Pillow Talk

11 One Way - Let's Talk

12 King Crimson - Elephant Talk

13 Michael Franks - Double Talk

14 Jellybean - Sidewalk Talk

15 Scott Goddard - Talk Talk

16 Nina Hagen - Pillow Talk

17 Dave Edmunds - Girl Talk

18 Lene Lovich - Monkey Talk

19 Talk Talk - Talk Talk

20 Elvis Costello - Girls Talk

21 Devo - Let's Talk

What's The Connection? Galaxy 2

Back in January I posted volume one of the Galaxy WTC. It was good. And this continues that compilation. A few more out of the Galaxy picks that you normally wouldn't think of (like Anubian Lights and some fusion jazz choices as well.) I also included a different version of War with a Plump DJ's remix. The rest of the connection goes all over the genre perspective. Cinderella to Reverend Horton Heat. and Ryan Adams to 311. You just can't get more diverse.

What's The Connection? Galaxy 2

21 311 - Galaxy

22 Cinderella - Galaxy Blues

23 Anubian Lights - Arcing Into An Infinite Galaxy

24 Tim Souster - Theme from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

25 Rick Wakeman - A Galaxy Of Light

26 Jason Mraz - Galaxy

27 Eels - Daisies Of The Galaxy

28 Man Or Astro-Man - Galaxy Of Zombies

29 Monty Python - Galaxy Song

30 War - Galaxy 2000 (Plump DJs Remix)

31 The Jeff Lorber Fusion - Galaxian

32 Crown Heights Affair - Galaxy Of Love

33 Luna - Galaxy

34 Return To Forever - Beyond The Seventh Galaxy

35 Return To Forever - Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy

36 Ryan Adams - Defenders Of The Galaxy

37 The Flaming Lips - Galaxy I Sink

38 Reverend Horton Heat - Galaxy 500

ftg

I was just messing around and actually looking for another connection and it hit me that I had a couple of unrelated songs that were made for each other, so this mixtape came about. I wasn't really planning this pick at all. I haven't even relistened to it more than once. And usually I do listen multiple times before I make a final post. So it could suck. It may have songs that I just fancifully put together that do not mesh at all. If so, I'm sorry. Tell me. I can take it. But, I hope it sounds as good as I think it does right now as I am posting this. I could be wrong though, I often am.

ftg

01 Sisters Of Mercy - Temple Of Love (1992) (Touched By The Hand Of Ofra Haza)

02 The Cure - Close To Me (Closer Mix)

03 Visage - Fade To Gray (12" Version)

04 New Order - True Faith (94 US Version)

05 Blancmange - Waves (Single Remix)

06 Yazoo - Situation (Remix)

07 Depeche Mode - Behind The Wheel (Shep Pettibone Remix)

08 Bananarama - Venus (The Greatest Remix)

09 Kraftwerk - Showroom Dummies

10 Trans-X - Living On Video

11 Stranglers - Always The Sun (Long Hot Sunny Side Up...)

12 Ultravox - Dancing With Tears In My Eyes (Original 12 Inch)

What's The Connection? Looking Glass

Continuing on from the last couple of days, this connection is songs using the words Looking Glass. It's an old fashioned way of saying Mirror. My first thoughts of the "word" are both Alice In Wonderland and the song Brandy. Prince actually has Alice in the title of his song. The rest don't mention it. As for the band Looking Glass, I made a mistake and included it as a bonus track. But it's not really part of the connection. I have a few tracks that might be called jazz, some oldies, pop, prog and more. Similar cover as the last couple of days, but numbering starts at one again.

What's The Connection? Looking Glass

01 The La's - Looking Glass

02 The Glove - Looking Glass Girl

03 Yanni - Looking Glass

04 Peter Hammill - This Side Of The Looking Glass

05 Duke Ellington - Looking Glass

06 Chris Rea - Looking Glass Blues

07 Andy Bell - The Looking Glass

08 Frank Sinatra - The Man In The Looking Glass

09 Anne Murray - Days Of The Looking Glass

10 Ramsey Lewis - Looking Glass

11 Henry Mancini - Life In A Looking Glass

12 Prince - Alice Through The Looking Glass

13 Association - Looking Glass

14 Allan Holdsworth - Looking Glass

15 The Bunch - Looking Glass

16 The Monkees - Through The Looking Glass

17 Mott The Hoople - Through The Looking Glass

18 Tori Amos - Ruby Through The Looking-Glass

19 Dream Theater - The Looking Glass

20 Bill Nelson - Henrietta Through The Looking Glass

Ooops, a bonus track:

Looking Glass - Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)

What's The Connection? Mirrorball 1

Yesterday I posted the story of how I started going on this path for this connection, so read that if you are interested. None of these songs has really anything to do with disco. They just have mirrorball in the title. A couple of longer songs and a remix. And of course I broke my own rules in here. I included Dave Ball and his solo song Mirrors, because I found it funny to include it. The genres go all over the place and that's good. The numbering starts from one, because it was enough of a distinct connection to not have be a continuation of yesterday's connection. I looked for Looking Glass Ball, but apparently it doesn't exist.

What's The Connection? Mirrorball 1

01 Everything But The Girl - Mirrorball

02 Chara - Mirrorball

03 Electrafixion - Mirrorball

04 Nightmares on Wax - Mirrorball

05 Taylor Swift - Mirrorball

06 The Orb - God's Mirrorball

07 Peter Gabriel - Mirrorball

08 Caroline K - Mirrorball (Alessandro Adriani Remix)

09 Sons Of Hippies - Mirrorball

10 Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Moon Hits The Mirrorball

11 John Foxx & Robin Guthrie - Mirrorball

12 Blur - Mirrorball

13 Arctic Monkeys - There'd Better Be A Mirrorball

14 Elbow - Mirrorball

15 Dave Ball - Mirrors

What's The Connection? Mirrors 1

I actually started this connection with Looking Glass and their one hit Brandy. But I quickly went down a rabbit hole, finding mirror songs and dumping the band Looking Glass. I had enough for about three volumes. If I include Looking Glass songs and Mirrorball songs perhaps more. I divided them up. I included the originals of Kraftwerk (didn't use Siouxsie), Velvet Underground (almost used the Primitives version) and Jimi Hendrix (although I liked the Pretenders version as well). Jimi did end up in here twice with once being with Bootsy. Not sure what my favorite song is, but it may just be the last track on this compilation.

What's The Connection? Mirrors 1

01 Kraftwerk - Hall Of Mirrors

02 The Cure - Piggy In The Mirror

03 Bootsy Collins featuring Jimi Hendrix - Mirrors Tell Lies

04 Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror

05 Diana Ross - Mirror Mirror

06 Prince - Objects In The Mirror

07 Hawkwind - Mirror Of Illusion

08 Velvet Underground, the & Nico - I'll Be Your Mirror

09 Blue Oyster Cult - Mirrors

10 Meat Loaf - Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are

11 Five's Company - Friends and Mirrors

12 Jimi Hendrix - Room Full Of Mirrors

13 Human League - Mirror Man

14 Until December - Mirrors

15 Fabulous Poodles - Mirror Star

16 Love & Rockets - Mirror People '88

17 The English Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom

mfw

This is another one of my three letter mixtape picks. I started with one track and then just picked around that one, branching as I saw fit. My starting track was the Paula Yates one. I wish she had recorded more stuff as I like this cover. Considering who she hung out with/married you would think there would be more recordings of her. Unfortunately not and since she's dead there is little chance of that ever happening. Some of the other tracks are similar. Cristina has a few tracks that remind me of her. Anyway, that Nancy Sinatra cover started this journey. One other that I really like is The Fall. I like all the stuff they did, but especially the Brix Smith era. I probably should have included a track of Brix solo, but I didn't. The 12 inch version of her and the Fall was good enough, I guess.

mfw

01 Gun Club - Sex Beat

02 British Electric Foundation featuring Paula Yates - These Boots Are Made For Walking

03 The Creatures - Right Now

04 Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Love Missile F1-11

05 Haysi Fantayzee - Shiny Shiny

06 Cabaret Voltaire - Sensoria (12 mix)

07 Dominatrix - The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight

08 Wall Of Voodoo - Do It Again

09 Magazine - A Song From Under The Floorboards

10 Vicious Pink - I Confess

11 Human League - I Love You Too Much

12 Book Of Love - Boy (Extended)

13 Disko Junkie - U Spin Me (Extended Mix)

14 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Genetic Engineering

15 Tuxedomoon - What Use

16 The Genetic Terrorists - TGT (Anthem) (Remix)

17 Cristina - Is That All There Is (Long Version)

18 The Fall - C.R.E.E.P. (12)

April Fools 3

I have a cousin who was born on April 1. She hated it. But out of all my cousins, I always remember her birthday with no calendar needed. She was a fool for hating the date. To honor her and the date, here is part three of my April Fools connection. If you want to hear part one and two of April Fools click that. I'm pretty sure there are no doubles yet, but there are some covers. And there is a Yacht Rock song and Frank Zappa, some country, some crooners and some new wave. I like that both Elvis tracks landed right next to each other based only on BPM. What a coincidence! I have enough songs about fools to do several more years worth. I do need more joker songs, though.

April Fools 3

42 Lee Hazlewood - When A Fool Loves A Fool

43 Dean Martin - Nobody But A Fool

44 Funkadelic - Old Fool

45 Edgar Winter - Cool Fool

46 Hank Snow - (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I

47 Eight to the Bar - Young Man's Fool

48 Frank Sinatra - I'm A Fool To Want You

49 Chris Rea - Fool (If You Think It's Over)

50 Elvis Costello & the Attractions - You Little Fool

51 Elvis Presley - A Fool Such As I

52 Barbra Streisand with Barry Gibb - What Kind Of Fool

53 Matt Bianco - What A Fool Believes

54 Triumph - Fool for Your Love

55 Elvin Bishop - Just Your Fool

56 Carpenters - Ordinary Fool

57 The Cars - Cool Fool

58 Whitesnake - Fool For Your Loving

59 New Order - Nothing But A Fool

60 Love & Rockets - Holy Fool

61 Frank Zappa - Dancin' Fool

62 Beat Farmers - Bigger Fool Than Me

63 New York Dolls - Fool For You Baby