For A Mix CD: Songs to Impress a Girl, Songs that Exude Coolness
 

Well, as the title of the thread suggests, I'm making a mix CD for a girl. We've been talking for quite a bit and she knows I'm really into music. I made a reference to putting certain songs on mix CDs, and she asked me if I could make her one. (To which, of course, I was delighted that she asked.)

The question I have is which songs would you recommend to put on a mix CD that just exudes coolness?

I already have songs in mind, but I could definitely be turned on to a few more songs (and artists?) that could round out a good mix CD.

I just need songs that would impress her and make me look good. :D

Any recommendations?

Also, it'll be a 2-discer. Any songs you recommend that would sound great leading off a mix CD, the beginning of disc 2, the very end of the 2-disc marathon, and the last song on disc 1?

I know, tall order. But I figure this is one of the things this forum is for. :)

Thanks in advance!

You need cool? Then you need Dean Martin. Try "Promise Her Anything (But Give Her Love)", "Sway", "Whose Got the Action?" or "Ain't That a Kick in the Head".

Yeah, those are cool songs. I have a Capitol Series Best of Dean Martin CD. I believe alla of those songs are on there (not sure about the first one, actually).

I definitely want range -- mostly contemporary music, with some oldies thrown in.

I'm going to put Jackie Wilson's "That's All I Need", and I'm deciding which Sam Cooke song to put on there. And those will be my sole soul representatives for the mix. I have a couple of hip hop songs in mind (something by Common and The Visionaries).

The rest I'd like to fill out with more indie, pop, rock, 80s/90s, and anything else in between the seams. Not really looking for country, unless something really stands out like Kenny Chesney's "Summertime". (Not a country fan, but love that song.)

I guess I'm looking to dish out the same feeling I got when a girl many years ago made me a mix CD and put songs by Ivy, Concrete Blonde (whom I already liked), Saint Etienne, The The, etc.... and I remembered being turned on to so many new artists and cool songs, I couldn't help but think she was "the shit". Basically...very cool. It actually made me more attracted to her. (I know some old fart is going to make a joke about me being attracted to shit.) Haha

Anyway...the power of music, I guess.

She asked for basically what you are putting on to your mix since you are so into music. Would it not be "cool" to give her what you like as opposed to what others think - or verify what you think? Sounds the opposite of "cool" to me.

Two words - Serge Gainsbourg.

Can you see Humphrey Bogart making a mix disc to impress a girl? If not, the topic of this thread is oxymoronic. Despite what she asked for, girls don't want mix cds.

She probably asked because you keep talking about music and she wanted to humor you. In which case, she's pretty damned cool and worth pursuing.

Fuck it, make her the disc, put some Sigur Ros, Nick Drake, Lucinda Williams, Richard Thompson, Wilco and Feist on it and call it a day.

Well I mentioned that I had an idea of what I wanted to put on my mix CD. But I wanted some suggestions of other music out there. I wouldn't include just any song that was tossed my way.

I'd listen to it and decide if any of them blew doors down.

I mean, that's how we discover a lot of music anyway.

I know that I discover music through music magazine reviews, online reviews, recommendations for this site, through friends, and mix CDs. How is this any different?

I like how you only quote part of my original post and not this:

Like I mentioned earlier in this post (and in my original post). Just looking for a few (anywhere between 1 and 4) more songs that kick ass -- either lyrically, musically, or just the overal aesthetic of it. Some overall je ne sais quoi coolness to it. If any songs "speak to me" so to speak, and I just never got around to discovering them before, then cool! I discovered it in time before I make my next mix Cd. As simple as that, man.

I'll be putting Nick Drake's "Northern Sky" on it, as well as a Feist song. I may put "Starlafur" on it. It's crossed my mind.

I also have a few Wilco albums, but I may opt to put "Secret of the Sea" off the Woody Guthrie tribute album. (Volume 2)

Anyway, we didn't even talk about music that much. She could just tell I was passionate about it, and I'm thinking this was her way of getting to know me more.


I was thinking of putting "Boomerang" off of the Serge Gainsbourg tribute album. Feist lends vocals to it. The song is sung by Gonzalez, Feist, & Dani. (Not sure who the other 2 are). It's a great song, but there's a cheesy rap in the middle -- which I could probably overlook, and a less-than-stellar outro. The problem is, everything else about the song is cool. So it's in my maybe list of songs. Is the original any good?

I tend to put some French chanson and bossa nova songs in between, and I've got those covered.

Thanks for the input so far, guys.

What type of music does she like? Need some help with that.

Geek USA, Bury Me, Bodies- For good guitar driven rock.

Starla/Porcelina of the vast oceans- for some really good long guitar jams.

To Sheila/By Starlight/Golapagos- For some softer music

All by the smashing pumpkins.

Sugar's "If I can't Change Your Mind" acoustic version if possible
James' "Sometimes"
The Samples' "Who Am I"
Jurassic 5's "Quality Control"
Ray LaMontagne's "Three More Days"
Andrew Bird's "Imitosis"

If you wanna diversify a bit, try out the song "All This Time" by the Heartless Bastards - you may recognize it if you've seen the TV show Friday Night Lights.
-ringding-

Make it a one disc mix too. If you can't narrow your thoughts to 1 cd, you aren't cool.

In an Aeroplane over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel
Car - Built to Spill
The Light - Mirah YTZ
No Children - Mountain Goats
Golden Brown - The Strangelers

Shut Up I'm Dreaming of Places Where Lover's Have Wings - Sunset Rubdown
or
The Mending of the Gown - Sunset Rubdown
Squalor Victoria - The National

I don't know, something primally rockin' like Springsteen's "Born to Run".

what type of music are you lookin for...I'm experienced in the old school 90s music and Hip hop and R&B

i can drop some names, but let me know if your lookin for this

and are you lookin for older songs, or brand new songs? or both?

Just burn the Garden State soundtrack and throw a Jurassic 5 song at the end and you're good to go.

Jesus F'ing Grasshoppers! I'm so out of touch with the music biz because I don't recognize most of the names that are suggested. And as for "cool", whose definition do we go by? I mean, I imagine we all have different ideas of what that is. It also depends; are you trying for a certain vibe on it or just the "coolness" factor. Whether she is indeed interested in your disc-making abilities/artistry or just humoring you because you talk about it so much, you seem to want to impress. Are you trying to supplant an idea subliminally or just show her that you listen to "cool" music/have good taste?

With all that said, I'm thinking (in terms of good music that shows a pretty wide variety of tastes):

"All I Believe In" - Steelhouse Lane
"Penny On The Floor" - The Clarks
"Let Me Go" - Marvelous 3
"Waiting For You" - Tattoo Rodeo
"Blue Eyes" - Cary Brothers
"Irresistable" - The Corrs
"Sometimes It Snows In April" - Prince
"Colorful" - The Verve Pipe
"Switchblade" - Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers
"Temptation" - ZO2
"Rainy Day" - Oleander
"Get Up And Go" - Hanson

Good luck! (And once you decide, please let us know what you chose for your Mixtape.)

okkervil river - unless it's kicks
songs ohia - just be simple
venice is sinking - pulaski heights
the twilight singers - bonnie brae
the national - secret meeting
and i'm not sure that your soul choices are really "cool" per se. something like sweet soul music would be though.

Great choices! I used Switchblade on a CD that I made a while back as well, actually. I love that tune. And that Verve Pipe song is off what I consider to be their best, and most overlooked, album.

Yeah. Switchblade is an incredible song. There were a couple good Roger tunes, but that to me, was THE only choice to introduce what Roger can do.

(I think I'm going to see Roger this Friday. First time seeing RCPM. I saw Roger by himself Summer '06.)

I can't wait to see what makes the cut, both of Bandit's own choices and all the songs in suggested.

She likes a bit of everything. So I have a wide palette of music to choose from. And that's alright, 'cause my interest ranges from jazz to indie to hip hop to cheesy rock to 90s corporate rock to post modern rock to brit pop...really it's all over the place. Obviously I like some genres a lot more than others, but there's always a song from any genre that I'll dig. (Even country and R&B.)

Anyway, it really is all about what I like. But I'm always discovering new music, so I'm looking for that one last stretch before I commit songs on disc.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to sacrifice a little coolness just to accomodate all the music I want to fit in. :) But, who knows, maybe it'll work to my advantage.

I can't really say, my friend.

I familiar with 90s music and Hip Hop/R&B also, but not so much that anything immediately comes to mind. But everytime I start thinking of 90s hip hop, the first group that comes to mind is Naughty by Nature. :lol:

As for what era of songs, both old or new can work.


Everyone else -- thanks for the suggestions! I'll be downloading whichever I can get a hold of, and just perusing my own CD collection and MP3 collection on my hard drive to unearth some gems I may have forgotten back.

I'll definitely post the track listing when I'm done.

Feel free to add anymore if anything else comes to mind.

Thanks again!

Bobby Bare Jr. - The Monk At The Disco
Mates Of State - For The Actor
New Pornographers - Sing Me Spanish Techno
Flies On Fire - Baptize Me Over Elvis Presley's Grave
Okkervil River - Black
Calexico/Iron & Wine - Sixteen, Maybe Less

Sorry, but asking for advice on making a mixtape for a girl should be an automatic loss of your mixtape making license.