Mix Tape Monday – March 2002

After my tape deck crapped out in 1997, I was stuck listening to either the radio or full albums in whatever order the artist intended.  That all changed in 2001, when the new-fangled MP3 technology got combined with my new CD burner.

March of 2002 brought about new albums from Weezer and Alanis Morissette and new singles from Britney Spears, Pink, and No Doubt.

Cheap Trick – That 70s Song

The theme song from That 70s Show shows up halfway through the show’s run.

iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 10/12/2011

Possum Dixon – Watch That Girl Destroy Me

The first of two straight appearances for this song, which is certainly a good time but not necessarily good enough for such a continuous play.

iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 11/1/2010

Frank Black – Headache

The ex-Pixies singer had his one solo hit with this tune.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 4/4/2012

Garbage – Breaking Up The Girl

The latest somewhat hit for the band based in Madison, WI.

iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 10/19/2012

No Doubt – Hella Good

The Orange County rockers return with their second hit off of Rock Steady.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 8/21/2012

Zaeger & Evans – In The Year 2525

This 60s hit was an ode to futuristic science gone mad.

iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 11/6/2012

Weezer – Dope Nose

Weezer returns with their second album in as many years.

iTunes stats: 20 plays, most recently on 7/16/2012

The Calling – Wherever You Will Go

The only hit from The Calling was featured on Smallville and Cold Case and in the film Coyote Ugly.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 8/12/2011

Sonic Youth – Bull In The Heather

This song was named after the winner of the 1993 Florida Derby.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 5/19/2012

James – Laid

The early 90s hit got a second life in the late 90s and early 2000s thanks to the American Pie films.

iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 5/17/2011

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Mix Tape Monday – December 2001

After my tape deck crapped out in 1997, I was stuck listening to either the radio or full albums in whatever order the artist intended.  That all changed in 2001, when the new-fangled MP3 technology got combined with my new CD burner.

This is the first CD I burned in a post 9/11 world, and some of the songs on here were affected by the events of that fateful day.  This edition included new hits from Ozzy Osbourne, Bush, No Doubt, Pink, and Britney Spears.

Ozzy Osbourne – Gets Me Through

A few short months before the reality show that would change the world’s perception of him, Ozzy released this first track from his new album.

iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 3/29/2012

Bad Religion – Infected

I saw Bad Religion opening for Pearl Jam at Soldier Field back in 1995.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 11/7/2012

Bush – Speed Kills

The comback attempt by Bush was retitled The People That We Love following 9/11, since the original title was deemed inappropriate.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 8/29/2011

Garbage – Shut Your Mouth

The third release from Garbage’s third release.

iTunes stats: 10 plays, most recently on 8/10/2012

Blondie – One Way Or Another

The new wave hit from 1979 was used as the theme song for the television show Snoops.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 6/21/2010

Remy Zero – Somebody Save Me

The theme song from Smallville is likely the only Remy Zero song anyone knows.

iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 8/1/2012

Atomic Kitten – Eternal Flame

The British girl group had a minor hit with this cover of the Bangles classic.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 11/18/2012

Sixpence None The Richer – Kiss Me

The first hit from the band from Nashville via Texas.

iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 11/17/2012

The Strokes – Last Night

The debut album from The Strokes was slated to be released on the Tuesday after 9/11 with a song featuring the lyric “New York City Cops, they ain’t too smart.”  The album was delayed and the song was removed from the American version of the album.

iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 9/24/2012

Sublime – Date Rape

The hit that pushed the ska rockers out of LA and into the national consciousness.

iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 9/17/2011

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Mix Tape Monday – January 2001

After my tape deck crapped out in 1997, I was stuck listening to either the radio or full albums in whatever order the artist intended.  That all changed in 2001, when the new-fangled MP3 technology got combined with my new CD burner.

The first CD I burned, in January of 2001, had multiple versions, and this is the one I kept for myself.  It contains a mix of current and old hits, along with some radio bits.  Of course, my song selection was limited at the time to the CDs and few MP3s I had on hand.

Offspring – Original Prankster

The latest hit from the Offspring kicked things off for this disc.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 4/25/2011

Soul Coughing – Super Bon Bon

A minor hit from 1996 for the band from New York.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 9/24/2012

Mexican Cheerleader – Our Party

This tune was included to introduce my friend Scott to some local punk music.  I don’t think it did much for him.

iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 9/17/2011

Howard Stern Show Parody – Dancing In Their Sheets

There was a song parody contest on the Howard Stern Show in 2000 and this ode to racism was one of the finalists.

Crew Cuts – Sh-Boom

Seeing as how I just bought this song from the iTunes store last week, I have no idea where I had gotten it from nearly 12 years ago.

iTunes stats: 1 play, on 11/5/2012

Faith Hill – Breathe

Country’s cross-over into pop was big early in the century, and this was one of the bigger hits.

iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 5/26/2012

The Corrs – Breathless

The lasses from Ireland had their first big American pop hit at the time.

iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 11/9/2012

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30 Day Music Challenge Day 16 – A Song That You Used To Love But Now Hate

Not the song, so much, as the band.  At some point, Billy Corgan started to take himself just a little too seriously and it just killed any goodwill I had towards the Smashing Pumpkins and their previous output.  It started with his rants against pop music when kids decided they would rather listen to Britney Spears than whatever crap album he had out at the time, continued to his inserting himself into the final episode of The Bozo Show, and culminated with his singing of the 7th inning stretch at game 7 of the 2003 NLCS, saying that even if the Cubs lost the game, everyone would still love them.

Goodbye, iPhone 3G – Music Edition

As I wait for tomorrow’s delivery of my new iPhone 4S, it is time to say goodbye to the 3G that has been my trusty companion for nearly the past 3 1/2 years.  We’ve traveled the world together (well, at least Canada and the UK) and have listened to a lot of music.  Here is every song (all 1597 of them) I’ve listened to on the phone, with some (ok, very little) bonus commentary!

He’s a Pirate Klaus Badelt Pirates of the Caribbean (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) 100
Gordon Beckham Intro 91
Let’s Go-Go-Go White Sox Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers 87
Thunderstruck AC/DC The Razors Edge 84
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye Steam Billboard’s Top Rock ‘n’ Roll Hits: 1969 83
sox05_montage 75
We Are The Champions Queen Queen: Greatest Hits I & II 73
Boom P.O.D. Satellite 70
Don’t Stop Believin’ Journey Journey’s Greatest Hits 69
2008 White Sox Central Division Champs Montage Chris Tannehill WSCR 670 The Score 65

No surprise that the top 10 are all part of (or were part of) my White Sox victory playlist.  This gets played on the way home from every White Sox winner, plus the occassional ride to a game.  Continue reading →