This mix from six years ago was my fifth ever in this weekly series and one of the last to have a more literal "theme". These songs seem to be mostly concerned with warm weather, the west coast or leaving for such faraway places.
So here it is: Bob Dylan duetting with Johnny Cash on a rare version of "Ring Of Fire", Kool & The Gang's funky "Hollywood Swinging", an instrumental of Dr. Dre's "Xxplosive", Leon Haywood's breezy "It's Got Be Be Mellow", Billy Bragg & Wilco's version of Woody Guthrie's "California Stars", Liz Phair's wry "Go West", the playful "Have Love Will Travel" by Rosey Jones, an instrumental version of "The Next Episode" by Dr. Dre, Bob Dylan's duet with Johnny Cash on "Girl From The North Country", Tom Petty's wistful "Free Fallin'", the defiant "This Is Where I Belong" by The Kinks, Dennis Brown's catchy "Westbound Train", the anguished "Back Up Train" by Al Green, Manzel's atmospheric "Space Funk", the cautionary tale "Hollywood" by Rufus with Chaka Khan, the pleading "Sun Is Shining" by Bob Marley & The Wailers, Olivia Newton-John's sweeping "Have You Never Been Mellow?", the "wicked remix" of "Goin' Back To Cali" by The Notorious B.I.G., Beulah's witty "What Will You Do When Your Suntan Fades", Donna Summer's disco satire "Sunset People", a live version of "Going To California" by Led Zeppelin and Johnny Cash's mournful "I Still Miss Someone".
