Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Valentine's Day Mixtape Vol II.

I would like to express much appreciation for all of the mixtape enthusiasm. In fact, before I start tonight I will throw out the offer that any Skog Blog reader who would like to compose a mixtape and post it can do so as a Guest Blogger. The tapes don't necessarily have to be your favorite love songs, just something that has to do with Valentine's Day. Favorite break up songs, songs to win over or seduce a lover - be creative. Here is some advice from John Cusack's character in the classic film High Fidelity:

To me, making a tape is like writing a letter — there's a lot of erasing and rethinking and starting again. A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. You've got to kick off with a corker, to hold the attention (I started with "Got to Get You Off My Mind", but then realized that she might not get any further than track one, side one if I delivered what she wanted straightaway, so I buried it in the middle of side two), and then you've got to up it a notch, or cool it a notch, and you can't have white music and black music together, unless the white music sounds like black music, and you can't have two tracks by the same artist side by side, unless you've done the whole thing in pairs and...oh, there are loads of rules.

I tried to find a nice video clip of that to no avail. Anyway, no pressure - just wanted to get some reader participation.

So perhaps you now have the desire to create a mixtape but the only love songs you can think of are those that have been extremely overplayed on the radio and wedding videos. KG is here to help. I have compiled my list of the Top 10 Love Songs that should no longer be used and would like to offer a replacement for each. Here are the songs in no particular order:

1. U2 - With or Without You
My love for U2 or lack there of has been a staple of the Skog Blog since my debut post. In fact I think part of my dislike of U2 stems from hearing this song somewhere in the range of 1,000,031 times and not one of these times has it been instigated by me. Go figure. If you want a moody, dramatic love song try Lost In Time by Stellastarr*.





2. Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On
This might come as a shock but I am not really a Celine Dion fan. Unless you lived somewhere in space for the past 15 years you might have have heard of this song and a little movie called Titanic. I think that film made approximately 13 billion dollars***. In place of Celine's over produced monstrosity I would like to offer a song from a tiny movie that in a just world would have also made 13 billion dollars. Falling Slowly from the film Once. Now this isn't an obscure song, it did win the Oscar for Best Song last year, but it deserves to be heard again. Also, if you haven't seen Once yet, you are missing the best film of the past few years.

***This is an estimate by KG and not an official box office tally.



3. Edwin McCain - I'll Be
Thanks to American Idol and 98.2% of every wedding videos produced in the state of Utah over the past 10 years, I cringe every time I hear this song. In its place use Arms of a Woman by Amos Lee, a man who needs no introduction on the Skog Blog.





4. K-Ci and Jojo - All My Life
Scroll up and read the description for Edwin McCain. I'll wait. Ok. Welcome back. Instead of these wannabes stick with a master Overjoyed by Stevie Wonder.





5. Whitney Houston (not Dolly) - I Will Always Love You
I am a fan of Whitney Houston. I have four sisters so what do you expect? If you want me to I'll sing Saving All My Love as an encore at your Valentine's dinner after More Than Words. However, if I didn't hear this song for 10 years it would be too soon. Rather than an oversung, overproduced song such as this, stick with The Promise by Ms. Tracy Chapman.





6. Depeche Mode - Somebody
Settle down. I like this song. Save your hatred and mean comments. I'm just saying that it is a bit played out. For my money I will take something a bit newer and go with I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab For Cutie.





7. Multiple Country Gals - How Do I Live Without You?
This song just sucks. If you want an overly earnest song about longing to be with someone then choose High and Low by Greg Laswell.





8. Aerosmith - I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing
I am a fan of Steven Tyler and the boys. I can't say I blame them for deciding that at the age of 93 they should stop rocking and start catering to the old folks crowd. The fact that this is the only Aerosmith song that ever hit #1 on the charts makes me terribly sad. Give me a minute... While I choke back my tears please enjoy another rock band that wrote a song about wanting to be home with their loved ones that doesn't induce projectile vomiting. Home by the Foo Fighters.





9. Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody

I might catch some heat for this one. Of course this song is an all time classic. However, thanks to Patrick and Demi this song has been ruined. When was the last time you saw Ghost? Let's just say that it has aged worse than Meg Ryan. If you are looking for a V-Day rental this ain't it folks. So instead of this number while slinging pottery with your lover try out the criminally underrated band The Zombies and their version of the tune Goin' Out of My Head.



10. Sixpence None the Richer - Kiss Me
This song is such sickly sweet Pop perfection that they could bottle it and possibly cure diseases in third world countries. I'm sure I'm not the only person who is tired of hearing this charming little ditty. So to finish up tonight I'll leave you with a lesser known slice of pure goodness - Ben Lee singing Catch My Disease.

2 comments:

brohammas said...

I'm sure even Corbie and I can agree,
Celine sucks... nuff said.

Corbie said...

Celine does suck (her persona, not her voice)...but that is hardly enough said!

The High Fidelity quote was great - that was exactly what I was thinking of when I read your last post.

You pretty much knocked this one out of the park other than U2 rocks and Stevie Wonder sucks - just our usual disagreement. However, the fact that Tracy finally got her due time on the Skog Blog means that I'm willing to overlook the small errors.