A Mix for Alice

It's no secret that I like to make music mixes.  I think that maybe it's the fact that I only caught the tail end of the generation that got to make mixed tapes.  I never got to sow all my mixed tape oats.  Anyway, I truly believe that every occasion can benefit from a really good mix.  From road trips to house parties, music can enhance any experience.  Since my wife is out of town and I miss her, I decided to put together a mix for her.  Most of these songs she loves(or at least likes a lot) and a few of them just make me think of her. Just for fun, I thought I give a short description as to why I included each song.

1. California Stars-Billy Bragg and Wilco

This song is kind of a no brainer, we danced our first dance to it at our wedding.  It was magical, the  song came on, we danced, and the reception hall's roof opened up to...well it opened up to sunshine beating down on us.  But hey the sun IS a star, right ?

2. Under My Thumb-The Rolling Stones

 Don't I wish...seems like most of the time it's the other way around

3.  Forever-The Beach Boys

Written by Dennis Wilson not Brian Wilson so some people poo-poo the song.  But my wife loves it, so there you go.

4. Something-The Beatles

We are NOT Beatles fans.  I personally believe that they are the most overrated pop/rock band ever.  That's not to say that they didn't make a few great songs.  And we both like George Harrison, the most underrated Beatle.  Obviously, this is one of his.

5. Thirteen-Big Star


Beautiful song.  RIP Alex Chilton.

6. Furr-Blitzen Trapper


A newer song that has a theme of growing up a settling down.  My wife is helping me with the whole growing up thing.

7. Streets of Bakersfield-Buck Owens & Dwight Yoakam

This is going to sound crazy but my wife and I love Bakersfield.  If you spend any time in Bakersfield you have to check out Buck Owens' Crystal Palace.  It's a fun place to see a show.  We got to see Merle Haggard play there and it was amazing.

8. Lodi-Creedence Clearwater Revival

There was a time in our relationship whenever we heard this song at a bar we would sing along making it a duet.  We don't even pretend to be cool.  Plus you can never have too many songs on a mix about cities along Hwy 99.

9. Help Me Make it Through the Night-John Doe & The Sadies

Actually this song was written by Kris Kristofferson but my wife loves John Doe so John Doe's version goes on this mix.

10. Sure As S**t-Kathleen Edwards

Crass title, sweet song.

11. A Song For You-Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs

No mix for my wife is complete without a Gram Parsons song.  We saw Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs(yes, THAT Susanna Hoffs) open for Lucinda Williams a couple years back and we were blown away.

12. Loving You Was Easier(Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)-Willie Nelson & Dyan Cannon

From the movie Honeysuckle Rose.  My wife would like this movie to be her life.  Not so much the story of the movie but the fashions they wear in the movie.  This is another Kris Kristofferson song.

13. Spend the Night-Deer Tick

"Spend the days holdin' hands,
'cause you're my woman, and I'm your man.
And we lookin' good together honey, doin' the best we can.
And everything will be alright, till the end of our lives.
'Cause in a heartbeat I would say to you, "I do."
So spend the night. Oh, spend the night.
Everything's gonna be alright girl, spend the night."


I think that says it all.


14. I Heart California-Admiral Radley


Anyone who knows us knows how much we love California.  This song captures the good and the bad.


15. Our House-Madness


Most Madness songs don't sound like this one.  We love our little house and it's pretty much in the middle of our street.  So Madness might as well be singing about us.