Mixtape Madness!

So I've wanted to do this ever since it was International Mixtape Day/Week back in June, but as we all know, I became teh uber blog slacker. We did a bit on Autostraddle - The Autostraddle Turntable: Celebrating International Mix Tape Day - where we all (The Team & Intern Army) submitted tracks for the theme The Future Is Bright. We (the Intern Army) also made a huge play list entitled The Autostraddle Intern Army Ninja Pirates Pillow Forts & Beer Pre-Party Party Tunes (I made the cover, see right) for our Pride Weekend trip to New York.

Starting in the 7th or 8th grade (~1993) I was all about making tapes for myself. I would sit there with my radio and a pile of blank cassettes. I became a whiz at using the pause button just right to not catch too much of the rambling djs between songs. I would put on B96 or Q101 and try and capture every song in a summer countdown. Sadly, most tapes that I made before... 1998? were lost or taped over. But, when helping to clean out my parents basement for a garage sale this summer, I found a pile from my junior and senior years (ages 15-17) in high school. They were mostly mixes made for playing in the yearbook office. It was also roughly that time that I started making myself mixed cds aptly titled things like Elli's Cool CD Volume # and Chick Music. I have a whole stack of these. I also made mixed cds for girl(s), but I ditched those play lists long ago. Probs for the best. But I thought it would be fun/ny to share the song lists with you now. Maybe it will make you a bit nostalgic and make you want to burn a mixed cd of your own! ;)

First, the tapes: (spelling, caps, etc. as written on tape)

"School Type Songs (youth, high school, growing up, etc.)"
Side 1
-Baz Lehrman, Everyone's Free to wear sunscreen
-Third Eye Blind, Graduate
-Van Halen, Hot for Teacher
-Green Apple Quick Step, Kid
-The Offspring, The Kids Aren't alright
-Creed, I'm eighteen
-Soul Asylum, School's Out
-Class of '99, Another Brick in the wall (part 2)
-The Muffs, Kids in America
-Adam Sandler, Lunchlady Land
-Adam Sandler, The Beating of a High School Janitor
-Adam Sandler, The Beating of a High School Science Teacher
-from The Sound of Music, Sixteen going on Seventeen
-Adam Sandler, The Beating of a High School Bus Driver
-Adam Sandler, The Beating of a High School Spanish Teacher
-from Grease, It's raining on Prom Night
-from Grease, Beauty School Dropout
Side 2
-from Grease, We go together
-Adam Sandler, The Cheerleader
-from Anastasia, At the Beginning
-Sixpence None the Ricer, Kiss Me
-from Saved by the Bell, School Song
-Save Ferris, Under 21
-The Saved by the Bell Theme Song
-from Bye Bye Birdie, Kids
-from Bye Bye Birdie, The Telephone Hour
-Shampoo, Trouble
-Silver Chair, Anthem for the year 2000
-The Coasters, Charlie Brown
-Brak's School Daze: Yearbook
-Brak's School Daze: Toothbrush
-Brak's School Daze: Trust a Monkey
-Brak's School Daze: Gym Class

What a winner, eh?

This is an earlier mix, nameless, but it was recorded over my step dad's Def Leppard tape...:
Side 1
-AT THE BEGINNING (Donna Lewis, Richard Marx)
-HYMN (Adiemus)
-Yeha-Noha, Wishes of Happiness & Prosperity (Sacred Spirits)
-Sadeness (Enigma)
-My Heart Will go on (Celine Dion)
-Hymn to the Sea (James Horner, conductor)
-Friends (Keep the Faith)
Side 2
-Castle On a Cloud (les Miserables)
-I dreamed a dream (Les Miserables)
-Think of Me (Phantom of the Opera)
-Angel of Music (Phantom of the Opera)
-The Phantom of the Opera (Phantom of the Opera)
-Can't Help Falling In Love (UB40)
-Joyful, Joyful (Sister Act II)
-Oh Happy Day (Sister Act II)

that one was clearly for relaxing...

"Rock and stuff from CD's"
Side 1
-Enter Sandman, Metallica
-Dancing Days, Stone Temple Pilots
-Down, 311
-Falls Apart, Sugar Ray
-The Chemicals Between Us, Bush
-Last Kiss, Pearl Jam
-Merman, Tori Amos
-Everything Is Wrong, Moby
Side 2
-Charles Big Potatoe, Skunk Anansie
-Human Behavior, Bjork
-My Own Prison, Creed
-All That I Need Is To Be Loved, Moby
-Volcano Girls, Veruca Salt
-Smart Dogs, Kula Shaker
-MC5, Stone Temple Pilots

That's right, potatoe.

"80's Baby!"
Side 1
-Like a Virgin, Madonna
-Video Killed the Radio Star, Pres of USA
-Do You Really Want to Hurt Me, Culture Club
-How Soon is Now?, The Smiths
-White Wedding, Billy Idol
-With or Without You, U2
-Material Girl, Madonna
-Blue Monday, New Order
-Mexican Radio, Wall of Voodoo
-Too Shy, Kajagoogoo
-Just Can't Get Enough, Depeche Mode
-I Want Candy, Bow Wow Wow
Side 2
-Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Cyndi Lauper
-Manic Mondy, Bangles
-Walk Like an Egyptian, Bangles
-Papa Don't Preach, Madonna
-Blister in the Sun, Violent Femmes
-Blitzkrieg Bop, Ramones
-Time After Time, Cyndi Lauper
-Like A Prayer, Madonna
-Eternal Flame, Bangles
-You Spin Me Round, Dead or Alive
-Cherish, Madonna
-Lies, Violent Femmes
-I Wanna be Sedated, Ramones

I feel like there was some 70's in my 80's....?

Oh, here's a gem I found that's dated 2.15.96 which means I was just a couple months into age 14/halfway through Freshman year. It has no title. It doesn't need it:
(I didn't write the artists by the songs. But on the top I wrote, "Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, Misc., Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 24-K (?), Bubblegum Classics, Bye-Bye Birdie, Silver chair")
Side 1
-Aeroplane
-My Friends
-Coffee Shop
-Warped
-1979
-We only come out at night
-Where'd You go?
-Don't go there
-Spanish Rose
-Israels Son
-Pure massqere
Side 2
-I'm a Believer
-I think we're alone now
-Candy Sugar Shoppe
-Ding Dong The Witch is Dead
-I think I love you
-Knock 3 Times
-Locomotion
-Judy in Disguise
-Codfish Ball
-Ragg Mopp
-Oo Babba Loo
-Halls of Desire
-Kids in America
-Tomorrow

That's right, I followed Kids' Songs with Tevin Campbell. I was a mix master!

There are 5 more tapes, but I'll spare you the full song lists. But I will give you the general titles:
1- "New Swing/Old Swing/New Big Band/Old Big Bang (Blues/ska)"
2- "Less Than Jake, Pennywise, Bif Naked, Daft Punk, Fatboy Slim, etc."
3- "CD, punk, soundtracks, space Ghost, BNL, TMBG"
4- "Bree Sharp, Creed, Bjork, SP, cartoons, The Virgin Suicides"
5- no title/name but it was taped over an 8th grade B96 tape. Side 1 is Oasis and Beatles. Side 2 is comedy and songs from Friends and Reality Bites

I should have been a DJ.

The cds:
I really started making cds towards the end of Junior year, once I started working at the Des Plaines Public Library and could check out all manner of different cds for pretty much as long as I wanted.... There are 9 volumes of Elli's Cool Cd that span well into college. Then there was a slight overlap to when I started making Chick Music of which there are 5 volumes. As far as I can remember, the only qualification for the Chick Music cds was that the songs had to be sung by a female, whether she was a solo artist or the frontwoman to a band. That's it. Then there is Songs from and inspired by 'But I'm A Cheerleader' which is the only mix that is that specific. Old Skool Vol. 1, Old Skool Vol. 2 and 'New' Skool Rap, HipHop, R+B, etc. + A little Latin Flava have to be my favorite series, for the titles alone... And the last few are Sad Songs for Sad Times, Covers, Baby! and Funtastical! and yes the !!'s are part of the title... and I made all the covers by cutting things of of magazines.



I think I'll just share a small cross section of these songs lists. If any one you really want to know the playlist to a cd that I don't list here... first of all, why!? and secondly, just ask and I'll send it your way ;)

"Elli's Cool CD Volume 1"
1- Juliana Hatfield, Daniel
2- Pancho's Lament, The Truth About Romeo [the Jack & Jill Theme?]
3- Beatles, Hey Jude
4- Jessica Riddle-Jacobs, I Want You
5- Jessica Riddle-Jacobs, Even Angels Fall
6- Fiona Apple, Across The Universe
7- Jeremy Jordan, A Girl Named Happiness
8- Mazzy Star, Fade Into You
9- 10,000 Maniacs, More Than This
10- Charlie Biddle Trio, They All Laughed
11- Charlie Biddle Trio, Les Feuilles Mortes
12- Gwyenth Paltrow + Huey Lewis, Cruisin'
13- B*Witched, Hey Mickey
14- Christina Aguilera, Reflection
15- Dexter Freebish, Leaving Town
16- Nancy Sinatra, These Boots Are Made For Walking
17- Joan Armatrading, The Weakenss In Me
18- Atomic Kitten, See Ya

Oof, can you tell what movies I was watching a lot of when I made that one? (Bring It On, Never Been Kissed, The Whole Nine Yards, 10 Things I Hate About You...) My life is a soundtrack.

"Elli's Cool CD Volume 4"
1- Jennifer Love Hewitt, Barenaked
2- Scapegoat Wax, Space to Share
3- Skip James, Devil Got My Woman
4- David Bowie, Heroes
5- Mohammed Rafi, Jaan Pehechaan Ho
6- Rose Polenzani, Heaven Release Us
7- Marcus Krause, What About Gillian Anderson?
8- Eva Cassidy, Time After Time
9- Moonpools + Caterpillars, Hear
10- Jessica Riddle-Jacobs, Come Home To Me
11- David Bowie, The Man Who Sold The World
12- Superchic[k], One Girl Revolution
13- Leadbelly, Where Did You Sleep Last Night?

Ok, yeah. In those songs I see... Gilmore Girls, Ghost World... and some Mary-Kate and Ashley movies. I'm sorry. But the songs are good.

"Elli's Cool CD Volume 8"
1- Cure, Friday I'm In Love
2- Tears For Fears, Mad World
3- Bjork & Thom Yorke, I Have Seen It All
4- Cake, The Distance (Live Acoustic)
5- Hoobastank, Crawling In The Dark
6- Bowling For Soup, The Bitch Song
7- Cher, It's In His Kiss (The Shoop Shoop Song)
8- Lou Reed, Walk On The Wild Side
9- Gavin Degraw, I Don't Wanna Be
10- Dead Milkmen, I Walk The Thinnest Line
11- Fatboy Slim, Weapon Of Choice
12- Gorillaz, Clint Eastwood
13- Damien Rice, Volcano
14- City High & Next Episode, What Would You Do
15- Jet, Are You Gonna Be My Girl
16- Ryan Adams, New York, New York
17- Loudon Wainwright III, Unhappy Anniversary [yep, Rufus Wainwright's dad]
18- Modest Mouse, Bukowski
19- They Might Be Giants- Boss Of Me
20- OK Go, Get Over It



"Chick Music Volume 2"
1- Jessica Riddle-Jacobs, Gone
2- Nelly Furtado, Legend
3- Leann Rimes, But I Do Love You
4- Stevie Nicks, Candlebright
5- Juliana Hatfield, Daniel
6- Sheryl Crow, Strong Enough
7- Leah Andreone, Happy Birthday
8- Rebecca Pidgeon, Kalerka [yeah, the actress, Mamet's wife]
9- Bree Sharp, Guttermouth
10- Tegan + Sara, Freedom
11- Hepburn, Sleeping Beauty
12- Bif Naked, Chotee
13- Chantal Kreviazuk, Green Apples
14- Mandy Moore, One Sided Love
15- Alicia Keys, Fallin'
16- Lisa Loeb, Stay
17- Lauren Hill, Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You
18- Michelle Branch, All You Wanted
19- Sam Phillios, Where The Colors Don't Go
20- Raincoats, Pretty

"Chick Music Volume 4"
1- Ani DiFranco, Fuck You/Untouchable Face (Live)
2- Christina Aguilera, Beautiful
3- Diana Krall, Popsicle Toes
4- Donna Lewis, I Love You Always Forever
5- Donnas (Electrocutes), Get Rid Of That Girl
6- Eve & Gwen Stefani, Let Me Blow Ya Mind
7- Eve, Who's That Girl
8- Go-Go's, We Got The Beat
9- Joan Osborne, One Of Us (Acoustic)
10- Kasey Chambers, Not Pretty Enough
11- Katy Rose, Catch My Fall
12- Leann Rimes, But I Do Love You
13- Liz Phair, Polyester Bride (Live Acoustic)
14- Majandra Delfino, Hell And Bliss
15- Murmurs, Basically
16- Rose Polenzani, Fell
17- Shawn Colvin, Sunny Came Home
18- Stevie Nicks, Needles And Pins
19- T.a.T.u., All The Things She Said
20- That Dog, He's Kissing Christian

I think that one is the gayest mix of them all.

The 2 volumes of 'Old Skool' songs include stuff by Sukiyaki, Arrested Development, Boyz II Men, Coolio, Kriss Kross, Salt N Peppa, Snow, Cyress Hill, Easy E, NWA, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Snoop Doggy Dog, Tag Team, Technotronic, Tone Loc, Vanilla Ice and Young MC. Songs of my childhood, yo.



I'll leave you with this...

"Funtastical!"
1- Asylum Street Spankers, Beer
2- Christy Carlson Romano, Chiquita Banana Song
3- Dead Milkmen, If you Love Someone Set Them On Fire
4- Queers, I Wanna Be A Homosexual
5- Rick James, Superfeak
6- Dixie Chicks, Sin Wagon
7- Eels, My Beloved Monster
8- Egghead., She's Coming Back
9- Eminem & D12, My Band
10- Strongbad, Techno Song
11- Loudon Wainwright III, Rufus Is A Tit Man
12- Liz Phair, Six Dick Pimp
13- Atari Teenage Riot, Sex Law Penetration
14- Megan Mullally & Sean Hayes, Uncle Jack Needs A New Pair Of Shoes
15- NERD, She Wants To Movie
16- Outkast, Land Of A Million Drums
17- Queers, Stupid Fucking Vegan
18- Rick James, She's A Brick House
19- Save Ferris, Saved By The Bell
20- Right Said Fred, I'm Too Sexy
21- Screaching Weasels, Cool Kids
22- Loudon Wainwright III, I Wish I Was A Lesbian