This mix from six years ago was a couple months into the series of weekly mixes and soon after I finally stopped trying to make them around specific "themes". But they weren't yet the eclectic mess they've evolved into.
Instead, this feels a little more like a moody mix tape I might have made in college. Plenty of acoustic versions of songs and quiet moods.
Bob Marley's "Acoustic Medley" on here includes bits of songs that later became "Guava Jelly", "Cornerstone", "Comma Comma", "Dew Drops", "Stir It Up" and "I'm Hurting Inside".
Bob Dylan's "4th Time Around" was allegedly written as a response to The Beatles' Dylanesque "Norwegian Wood".
Count Basie's gorgeous "Lil' Darlin'" used to be the closing music at 3am on the AM Dusties radio station in Chicago. As that tune played, the DJ, Lon Dyson, would reminisce about his deceased wife, saying good night to her as he quoted Robert Frost.
Once, after moving to NYC, I called the radio station asking what song that was. They had no idea but took my number. Then Mr. Dyson, who is now deceased, called me personally to tell me the title of the Count Basie ballad. He was gracious, warm and funny and I'm sure he is now somewhere with his wife.
The rest of the mix includes: Nancy Sintara's brooding cover of Cher's single written by Sonny Bono called "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)", World Party's elegant "Is It Like Today?", an acoustic live version of "1979" by Smashing Pumpkins, an instrumental "Strings & Rhythm" mix of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On", an acoustic version of The Cure's "In Between Days", the wise "Games People Play" by The Spinners, Raekown's steetwise "Incarcerated Scarfaces", the sensual "Sexy Mama" by The Moments, a live version of the dramatic "So Broken" by Bjork, Starbuck's mellow "Moonlight Feels Right", Ken Boothe's sweet cover of Bread's "Everything I Own", an acoustic version of Love Spit Love's "Am I Wrong", the melodic "Here's Where The Story Ends" by The Sundays and Etta James' anguished "I'd Rather Go Blind".
