Mix #20 - Takin' My Leave

Creator: Melanie Meadows
Occupation: Creative Director
Theme: Leaving
Title: Takin' My Leave

Leaving a relationship (or being asked to leave) is one of the most consistent themes for a mix tape. Falling in love or out of love seems to be a subject musicians are always revisiting through their careers. This means that the songs to pull from on either of these topics are massive.

I would be interested to post a "falling in love mix" from a relationship that ended in flames if anyone still has one laying around. I wonder if there is any foreshadowing of what would eventually come on those mixes.

Speaking of mixes. I need more of them if this little project is to continue. So spread the word if you enjoy it!

There is an Amy Winehouse track on here. Read more about how crack turned 24 year old Amy Winehouse into the living equavilant of a 87 year old "Old West" prospector here.

Melanie says:
Whether it's is deciding how to do it, lamenting the decision or simply rejoicing in it, these songs are all about leaving someone behind.

There it is. Pour a little of your brew out for George Carlin and enjoy the songs.

Honesty may be the best policy, but it’s important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy.
-- George Carlin

Song - Artist
1) One Less Set of Footsteps - Jim Croce
2) Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
3) 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon
4) Back to Black - Amy Winehouse
5) Little Black Backpack - Stroke 9
6) Take a Letter Maria - R.B. Greaves
7) She's Leaving Home - The Beatles
8) Too Gone Too Long - Randy Travis
9) I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford) - Elton John
10) Hit the Road Jack - Ray Charles

Mix #10 - Girls on Boys

Creator: Nelle Blevins
Occupation: Architect
Theme: Covers
Title: Girls on Boys (Double Disc)

This is a great concept for a mix. All songs originally performed by men covered by woman. Cover songs are interesting - especially when the transcend the original version (in quality or popularity), and take on a new meaning. Like mixtapes, covers change meaning based on how it is used, and who uses it. Which ones hold up? Who can really own it? I once saw a friend do "Every Rose has Its Thorn" in a strip-mall bar filled with rednecks, I promise to you it was just as powerful as the original and I was standing on a table by the end. That is one of my personal top 10 covers.

Also, I had read once, and have no idea if this is true, that (the Prince of Darkness) Trent Reznor and (Duke of Douche Bags) Zack De La Rocha were recording Zach's new record at Trent's haunted mansion/recording studio when Johnny Cash's version of Hurt (+ video) were delivered. Trent was unhappy Cash decided to cover it. They put the tape in and watched. By the end of the video both men were crying, and Trent said to Zach, "That is now a Johnny Cash song." Wouldn't that have been a sight to see? The Goth and the Activist weeping to Country. Some things just pull the heart strings.

I know the theme was Girls On Boys -- Girls covering Boys songs, which means technically speaking, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy shouldn't be included in with the girls. I can understand how you would think that, but I have a couple of things I would like you to consider in defense of this mix. First, the last time I saw Will Oldham (in the wild), he was wearing a pink head-band, very very short jean cut-offs, a pink shirt and snow boots and eating an vanilla ice cream cone. Second, relatively speaking this makes R. Kelly look like Ernest Hemingway.

Track Listing:

Girls
1) Satisfaction - Bjork
2) Love Will Tear Us Apart - Nouvelle Vague
3) Starman - Mates of State
4) $20 - M.I.A
5) This Charming Man - Stars
6) Highway 61 Revisited - Karen O and the Million Dollar Bashers
7) Two-Headed Boy - The Dresdon Dolls
8) Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis - Neck Case
9) Pennyroyal Tea - Kristen Hersh
10) Yesterday is Here - Cat Power and Steve Shelly
11) Stuck Inside of Mobile with Memphis Blues Again - Cat Power
12) Between the Bars - Metric
13) Trouble - Kristen Hersh
14) I'm Not in Love - Tori Amos
15) War Pigs - The Dresdon Dolls
16) Ignition - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

One of my favorite "Girls on Boys" is Neko Case covering The Everly Brothers, "Bowling Green" off of her first album, The Virginian. It is a song about country folk going to city to get wasted and bird-dog chicks. Find it, you will enjoy it!



The play-list that follows was included with the first mix. It is all the originals. Compare and contrast. . .

Boys
1) Satisfaction - Rolling Stones
2) Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
3) Starman - David Bowie
4) Where is my Mind - The Pixies
5) This Charming Man - The Smiths
6) Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan
7) Two - Headed Boy - Neutral Milk Hotel
8) Christmas Card From A Hooker in Minneapolis - Tom Waits
9) Pennyroyal Tea - Nirvana
10) Yesterday is Here - Tom Waits
11) Stuck in Mobile with Memphis Blues Again - Bob Dylan
12) Between the Bars - Elliot Smith
13) Trouble - Cat Stevens
14) I'm Not in Love - 10cc
15) War Pigs - Ozzy Osbourne
16) Ignition - R. Kelly

Mix #9 - Gambling

Creator: Kyle Burns
Occupation: Insurance
Theme: Gambling
Title: Gambling

Track Listing:

1) Viva Las Vegas - Dead Kennedys
2) Ohh, Las Vegas - Gram Parsons
3) Gambling Man - Woody Guthrie
4) The Ace of Spades - Motorhead
5) Dying Gambler - Blind Willie McTell
6) Go Down Gambling - Blood, Sweat & Tears
7) Luck be a lady tonight - Frank Sinatra
8) Polka Dot Gambler - Jimmie Rodgers
9) Rambling Gambling Willie - Bob Dylan
10) Poker - ELO
11) Sin City - EmmyLou Harris
12) Where the Devil Don't Stay - Drive By Truckers
13) The Gambler - Kenny Rodgers

This is a great mix! Starting off with the Dead Kennedys was the right thing to do. I figured you someone would be bound to start or end with The Gambler. I have some memory of this song from early childhood. Maybe an uncle sang this to me, maybe it was on when something traumatizing was happening, so it stuck. The other highlights, for me, were the Gram Parsons song, Ohh Las Vegas. I like Parsons stuff, especially the Flying Burrito Bros. records, but this had someone escaped me. Also, The Drive-By Truckers. I thought they were bullshit. I was wrong.

Roll them dice!

Mix #8 - The Religion Box Set

Creator: Andrew Craig
Occupation: Photographer/Server
Theme: Religion

NOTE: Andrew went totally crazy and decided to fully cover the theme of religion. As in, no one will be able to make another mix about standard religious themes. He came to the bar with a four disk box set (plus a limited addition EP) with album art and a storage case. Outstanding!

Title(s):
Disc 1: Slow Dance with Jesus
Disc 2: The Devil Rides Out
Disc 3: Heaven is for Lovers
Disc 4: Let's Go to Hell
Record Label: DudeRanch Records!!!

Track Listings:

Slow Dance with Jesus
Song - Artist
1) Super Star - Tim Rice and Andrew Loyd Webber
2) Blood of the Lamb - Wilco
3) Jesus - Queen
4) Chocolate Jesus - Tom Waits
5) Jesus Loves Me - Coco Rosie
6) Plastic Jesus - Flaming Lips
7) Jesus was an Only Child - Modest Mouse
8) Jesus - Page France
9) Jesus Gonna Be Here - Tom Waits
10) He Remembered Me - Hank Williams
11) Sweet Rapture - A.A. Bondy
12) King of Carrot Flowers Parts II & III - Neutral Milk Hotel
13) Jesus Choir - Neva Denova
14) Way Down Deep in my Soul - Bill Monroe
15) Jesus, Etc - Wilco
16) Jesus is Just Alright - The Byrds
17) Jesus Walks - Kanye West



The Devil Rides Out
Song - Artist
1) Come to Daddy - Aphex Twin
2) Devil in a Blue Dress - Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
3) Down, Down, Down - Tom Waits
4) Deviled Eggs - I Mary's Pants
5) The Silver Tonged Devil and I - Kris Kristopherson
6) Devil in her Heart - The Beatles
7) Devil's Haircut - Beck
8) Devil Run - Jenny Lewis
9) Friend of the Devil - Grateful Dead
10) Rather be the Devil - Alice Stuart
11) Devil's Waiting - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
12) Hell is Chrome - Wilco
13) Dance with the Devil - Immortal Technique

I had never heard Immortal Technique songs is 1) totally unknown to me and 2) amazing brutal. The whole song streams, enjoy and be terrified.

Heaven is for Lovers
Song - Artist
1) Heaven is a Place on Earth - Belinda Carlisle
2) Just Like Heaven - Dinosaur Jr.
3) Content Heaven - Rapture
4) Monkeys gone to Heaven - Frank Black
5) Airline to Heaven - Wilco
6) Fucking in Heaven - Fat Boy Slim
7) I'll Fly Away - Gillian Welch & Allison Krauss
8) Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Anthony & The Johnsons
9) Seven Stories Underground - The Gutter Twins
10) Teenage Heaven - Eddie Cochran
11) When I Take My Vacation in Heaven - Ernest Tubb
12) In Heaven - Pixies
13) Heaven Tonight - Cheap Trick



Let's Go To Hell
Song - Artist
1) (Don't Worry) If There's Hell Below We're All Going To Go - Curtis Mayfield
2) Lake of Fire - Meat Puppets
3) Underground - Tom Waits
4) Straight to Hell - The Clash
5) Heat Wave - Martha Reeves
6) Hot Rails to Hell - Blue Oyster Cult
7) The Made Texas - Hermes Nye
8) Hell - Squirrel Nut Zippers
9) Raising Hell - Run DMC
10) Hell Bound - The Breeders
11) Hell's Ditch - The Pouges
12) I think I'm Going to Hell - My Morning Jacket
13) Facing Hell - Ozzy Osbourne

This Curtis Mayfield track is awesome. I had never heard it before, and from concept to the last note I think it rocks. (and the Pouges never fail me)

Mix #7 - Springtime

Creator: Charles Desporte
Occupation: Production Tech
Theme: Spring
Title: Mesclun Mix

Track Listings:

1) Cherry Blossom Girl - Air
2) Sunday Sun - Beck
3) Our Secret - Beat Happening
4) O Leaozinho - Caetano Veloso
5) Laguna Sunrise - Black Sabbath
6) The Day the Air Turned Blue - ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead
7) Flower - Liz Phair
8) Johnny Sunshine - Liz Phair
9) Summer's Cauldron - XTC
10) Grass - XTC
11) So Quero Um Xodo - Gilberto Gil
12) Johnny Appleseed - Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros
13) Tree - Sebadoh
14) The Fawn - The Sea and Cake
15) California Stars - Billy Bragg and Wilco
16) Um Canto De Afoxe Para O Bloco De Ile' (Ile' Ile') - Caetano Veloso

Charlie delivered this mix for the first day of Spring. It was a good mix, and every time I hear "California Stars", it really does remind me of a spring night. Usually, I am against repeating an artist on a mixtape (unless that is your theme), but I didn't mind it at all. Maybe it was because I haven't heard Liz Phair in a long time. I forgot how dirty she was. Or just always ignored it. I listened to this mix for the first time in a friends new apartment, before he moved it. Empty rooms and bare walls. The only thing inside was a cd player, coffee table, beers and boxes.
The foreign tracks on here are a treat and make you want to sit on the porch and drink margaritas.

Mix #6 - Cocaine

Creator: Matt Smith
Occupation: Retail
Theme: Cocaine
Title: Cocaine

NOTE: This was the first CD presented with Album art. The Track list was included on the CD face. The case was made with reflective "mirror" like paper and included a razor blade and two lines of pseudo-coke. He also hand delivered the mix to me while he was drunk as shit in a parking garage. It really added to the whole experience for me. Excellent!

Track List:
Song - Artist
1) Cocaine - Project Pat
2) Bails of Cocaine - Reverend Horton Heat
3) Cocaine Decisions - Frank Zappa
4) Kokakola - The Clash
5) Can't you Hear me Knocking - Rolling Stones
6) Tell it to me - Old Crow Medicine Show
7) Cocaine Blues - Bob Dylan
8) Casey Jones - Grateful Dead
9) MTV makes me want to smoke crack - Beck
10) Cocaine - JJ Cale
11) Cocaine Blues - Nick Drake
12) Cocaine Blues - Townes Van Zandt
13) Let's Get Stoned - Ray Charles

Mix #5 - Traveling

Creator: Stephen Kertis
Occupation: Video Producer
Theme: Traveling
Title: Ya'll Get!

Track List:
1) Have Love Will Travel -- The Sonics
2) Ode To A 1973 Chevy Open Road -- David Dondero
3) The Way You Move (Feat. Sleepy Brown) -- Big Boi
4) Jackson --- Johnny Cash
5) Devil --- Ghostfinger
6) America --- Simon And Garfunkel
7) Last Train To Clarksville --- The Monkees
8) I've Been Everywhere-- Hank Snow
9) Going To Georgia -- The Mountain Goats
10) Walkin' After Midnight --- Patsy Cline
11) Homeward Bound --- Simon And Garfunkel
12) Goin' Out West --- Tom Waits
13) On The Road Again -- Willie Nelson
14) Wanted Man --- Johnny Cash
15) Traveling Blues --- Blind Willie McTell
16) Bob Dylan's 115th Dream --- Bob Dylan
17) Ease Down The Road --- Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
18) Suzanne --- Leonard Cohen
19) Hotel Yorba --- The White Stripes
20) Must Catch A Train --- The Pietasters
21) Gotta Get Up --- Harry Nilsson
22) Should I Stay or Should I Go -- The Clash

Mix #4 - Hot/Cold

Creator: Casey "Chalm-Bomb" Chalmers
Occupation: Videographer
Theme: Hot/Cold (Double Disc)
Title: Hot/Cold

Track Listing:
Hot CD
1. ghostface and trife - fire
2. the clash - london's burning
3. bananarama - cruel summer
4. electric six - fire in the disco
5. big black - texas
6. the specials - too hot
7. they might be giants - catching on fire
8. ann beretta - fire in the hole
9. hank snow - spanish fireball
10. fire the saddle - long hot summer day
11. candi staton - how can i put out the flame (when you keep the fire burning)
12. brian dewan - wastepaper basket fire
13. nick cave - fire down below
14. squirrel nut zippers - hell
15. arsonists - backdraft
16. prince - black sweat
17. the jon spencer blues explosion - sweat
18. the undertones - here comes summer
19. ? - wet hot american summer song
20. snoop dogg and pharrell - drop it like it's hot


Cold CD
1. outkast - i'm cool
2. zookeeper - snow in berlin
3. elf power - the winter is coming
4. teen idols - 20 below
5. galaxie 500 - listen, the snow is falling
6. more animals of the arctic - frozen animals
7. valgeir sigurosson and dawn mccarthy - winter sleep
8. ween - cold blows the wind
9. buffalo daughter - cold summer
10. master p - the ice cream man
11. del mccoury - rain and snow
12. the mountain goats - third snow song
13. radical face - winter is coming
14. space negros - vigor the ice man
15. tom waits - cold cold ground
16. jonathan richman and the modern lovers - abominable snowman in the market
17. kelis - milkshake (remix)

Mix #3 - Eat Me/ Drink Me

Creator: Nelle Blevins
Occupation: Architect
Theme: Eat me/Drink me
Title: Eat me/ Drink me

Track List:
Eat Me
Title-Artist-Album
1) Eggs And Sausage (In A Cadillac With Susan Michelson) - Tom Waits -Nighthawks At The Diner
2) Apple Core - Happy Talk Band - Total Death Benefit
3) Cool Purple Mist - John Vanderslice - Life And Death Of An American Fourtracker
4) Mango Pickle Down River - M.I.A. Feat. The Wilcannia Mob - Kala
5) Vegetables - The Beach Boys - Smiley Smile / Wild Honey
6) Skin And Bone - The Kinks - Muswell Hillbillies [Bonus Tracks]
7) 5-Piece Chicken Dinner - The Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
8) 8 Piece Box - Southern Culture On The Skids - Dirt Track Date
9) Ice Cream Man - Tom Waits - The Early Years
10) Deep Red Bells - Neko Case- Blacklisted
11) Butterscotch - CocoRosie - La Maison de Mon Reve
12) Lord Anthony - Belle and Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress
13) Camel Walk - Southern Culture On The Skids - Dirt Track Date
14) Dinner Bells - Wolf Parade - Apologies To The Queen Mary
15) Tables And Chairs - Andrew Bird - Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production Of Eggs
16) Mama Says - The Beach Boys - Smiley Smile / Wild Honey
17) The Lemon of Pink I - The Books - The Lemon of Pink



Drink Me
Name - Artist - Album
1) Please Pass The Milk - They Might Be Giants - Apollo 18
2) Milk - Simon Joyner - Beautiful Losers: Singles and Compilation Tracks 1994-1999
3) Have A Cuppa Tea - The Kinks - Muswell Hillbillies [Bonus Tracks]
4) Mountain Dew - Doc Watson - Folk Masters: Doc Watson
5) Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes - Sun Kil Moon - Tiny Cities
6) Portland, Oregon - Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
7) Alcohol - The Kinks - Muswell Hillbillies [Bonus Tracks]
8) Spider Cider - Man Man - Six Demon Bag
9) My Alcoholic Friends - The Dresden Dolls - Yes, Virginia
10) Nights Of The Living Dead - Tilly And The Wall - Wild Like Children
11) Red Wine, Success! - Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards
12) Lived In Bars - Cat Power - The Greatest
13) The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me) - Tom Waits - Small Change
14) Lover's Spit - Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People
15) One More Cup Of Coffee - The White Stripes - Sympathy For The Record Industy

Mix #2 - Death

Creator: Andrew Craig
Occupation: Photographer/ Server
Theme: Death
Title: Die Damn You!

Track Listing:
Name - Artist - Album
1) The Funeral - Hank Williams - Hillbilly Hero - Long Gone Lonesome Blues
2) O Death - Ralph Stanley - O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack
3) Death Letter Blues - Son House - Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: Son House
4) Dead Flowers - Townes Van Zandt - Big Lebowski
5) How Do You Tell A Child That Someone Has Died - The Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil
6) Fixin' to Die - Bob Dylan
7) Ed Is Dead - Frank Black - Frank Black Francis (Disc 1)
8) Necromancer - Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
9) Will I See You In Heaven - The Jayhawks - Rainy Day Music
10) Black Peter - Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead [Remaster]
11) Song for the Dead - Randy Newman - Trouble in Paradise
12) Do You Realize?? - The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

Mix #1 - Misogyny/Religion

Start it off Southern!

Creator: Stephen Kertis
Occupation: Video Producer
Theme: Misogyny
Title: Songs of heartbreak, cheating and just no good low down biiiiiaaaaccchhhes

Track Listing:
Song – Artist- Album
1) No Children – Mountain Goats – Tallahassee
2) Here Comes my Baby – Cat Stevens – Remember
3) Cocaine Blues – Johnny Cash – The Essential Johnny Cash
4) 99 Problems – Jay Z – The Black Album
5) Popular Mechanics for Lovers – Beulah – The Coast is never clear
6) 96 Tears - ? and the Mysterians – The Best of ?
7) No More Hot Dogs – Hasil Adkins – Out to Hunch
8) Frank’s Wild Years – Tom Waits – Sword Fish Trombones
9) I hope I don’t fall in love with you – Tom Waits – Closing Time
10) If you got the money – Merle Haggard – Roots vol. 1
11) Ease Down the Road – Bonnie “Prince” Billy – Ease Down the Road
12) Mosquito – The Mosquitoes – S/T
13) Roses – Outkast – The Love Below
14) Southern Can is Mine – Blind Willie McTell – The Definitive
15) Going Steady – Pink Spiders – Hot Pink
16) Maybelliene – Chuck Berry – The Great 28
17) Lost Cause – Beck – Sea Changes



Since it was the first week... and I threw together two separate mixes (obviously they are connected)

Creator: Stephen Kertis
Theme: Religion (from secular groups)
Title: ...and He re-attached the ear
Track Listing:

Song – Artist – Album
1) The Man Comes Around – Johnny Cash – American Recordings IV
2) Long Long Gone – Silver Jews – Tennessee EP
3) Lord Send Me An Angel – Blind Willie McTell – The Definitive
4) Christ for President – Billy Bragg and Wilco – Mermaid Ave.
5) Red Clay Halo – Gillian Welch – Time (the Revelator)
6) No more, my Lord – Alan Lomax Recordings – Prison Vol. 1
7) John Saw that Number – Neko Case – Fox Bring the Confessor
8) Halleluiah – The Nobility – The Mezzanine
9) Shake Sugree – Elizabeth Cotton – Shake Sugree
10) No Depression – Uncle Tupelo – 89/93 Anthology
11) Sinners’ Prayer – Ray Charles – Genius Loves Company
12) Touch the Hem of his Garment – Sam Cooke – Portrait of a Legend
13) O come, O come, Emmanuel – Stufjan Stevens – Hark! Songs for Christmas
14) Turn Your Radio On – John Hartford – Aero-plain