May Mixtape: “The Longing”
Alright, I’ve decided I want to start posting more playlists. I don’t know why or if anyone even listens to them… but if you do, what music service do you use? Don’t say Spotify, though. I had to ditch them a few months ago when I realized where all their money goes. Right now I’m posting these on YouTube Music, as much as I despise it, because it seems like the most universal option?
Anyway, I don’t know about ya’ll but I miss mixtapes. There was even some sort of music service back in the day where you could build little digital mixtapes. So, I’m going to try to start posting these little playlists. I think some may be pretty short, but this one is looking to be just under 3 hours long. I think I’ll try to max it out around there. These will be a little peek into my brain for ya’ll, because these are generally going to be the songs I’ve had stuck in my head, joined by some favorites that fit a similar “vibe.”
This one is honestly extra weird in the best way (I think). The name for this one could’ve also been “the Ballads,” but, it’s essentially a very specific collection of oldies with some newer picks sprinkled throughout for freshness. Ha! Anyway, you’re probably going to recognize most of the oldies… but, I’ll be surprised if you recognize most of my newer selections—many of these songs I would consider highly underrated while still being from a popular artist.
Two of my Ed Sheeran songs, for example, “Cold Coffee” and “Little Bird” were two of the first songs I ever heard by him… and I discovered them on that silly mixtape service I was telling you about! And I think they’re still probably my favorites by him to this day. I kinda stopped listening to most of his music when he blew up, but I’ve included a couple more on here that I actually enjoy and haven’t yet been ruined for me.
I think this Mixtape really plays like your favorite easy-listening music station but without the ads, obnoxious (or delightful) deejay, or the overrated early 2000s songs. I don’t know how to explain it, most of these songs are popular in their own right, but still don’t get as much play nowadays that I can tell. I’m hoping it’ll be a mix of familiar voices and songs while still introducing new ones.
It’s a very nostalgic mix for me. Some remind me of my childhood, like “Heaven” by Bryan Adams (I used to work the soundbooth at weddings a lot). Some remind me of college (Ed Sheeran, ehem), and yet others remind me of my first year in St Louis (Sara B, though she’s been with me since college as well). You’ll certainly recognize songs from some of your old favorite movie romances. I added a little on-the-nose reference to that in the form of the song “Friday Night Big Screen” by GIRLI.
This playlist features more acoustic songs than I typically post. I think that’s part of what I like so much about it. It’s a side of me that I don’t often share. I made sure to throw that out the window, though, with the song “Stop Beating on my Heart” by Tigercub. This might be one of the newest songs on here but it’s also one of my favorites. I cannot oversell how much I love this song and the way it builds. Get your headphones out if you’ve got ‘em. The literal heartbeat of this song is unmistakable. I don’t even drum, but I feel like I can when this song is playing.
One of the first few songs added to this playlist was “You Belong to Me” by Carly Simon. I love the song, I think it’s underrated and it has such great energy. But damned if I don’t just want to take her by the shoulders and say “GIRL DUMP HIM!” But hey, it’s a song, not advice. The male counterpart, of course, to this song is “Keep on Loving You,” by REO Speedwagon. Guys, raise the bar a little bit. The devil is tripping over it in hell.
The song, however, that inspired the mixtape to begin with is “Eternal Flame” by the Bangles. Some days (weeks, months…) I just have this random (or not so random) song swirling around in my head endlessly. Lately, this has been the song. Sometimes I wake up with it in my head. I don’t have any idea where it came from, I’ve certainly not heard the song recently. But, this and a few other songs were definitely the inspiration for the mixtape’s name.
“Mama Said” by Hannah Wicklund is another great example of a song steeped in longing. I think she works well with the dashes of Greta Van Fleet throughout this Mixtape. Something about this song really just makes me “feel my roots” as I’ve been saying lately. I don’t know how to really explain that, though, so I’m not going to.
Okay, “Light My Love” is probably my all-time favorite Greta Van Fleet song. I know everyone likes “Safari Song” but I adore “Light My Love.” Plus, if you were falling asleep before… you’re not now. Josh Kiszka’s piercing vocals definitely fixed that. Maybe that’s my favorite part, even. It’s unapologetically powerful and even a bit shrill. Everything I’ve always been afraid of when it comes to my own voice. I might need to sit on that some more. Hmm…
“Gypsy” is one of the most underrated Gaga songs if you ask me. In some alternate universe there’s a version of me that lives in a camper van and just goes wherever feels right. This song is for that bitch. That being said, I’m of course conflicted by the use of the term “gypsy” which has long been derogatory for the Romani people. But, it’s a beautiful triumphant ballad if you can look past that… Admittedly, I’m not sure if you should? Like I said, I’m conflicted.
“Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult is another one of my all-time favorite songs. Somehow I feel like I don’t need to explain this in depth. Everyone loves this one, right?
“Love Me Like Music” by Heart is another favorite of mine that it feels like no one ever really appreciates. The entire Dreamboat Annie album is one of my all-time favorites (I have a good number of those, you might have noticed). Any song from this album will immediately hearken back images of my childhood, as it was also one of my dad’s favorites. This was likely one of my first favorite love songs. My life has been ruled by music since before I was even born… how could it not hit?
And, finally, let’s talk about my girl, Sara Bareilles—one of my absolute favorite modern songwriters. I snuck about as many of her songs in here as felt appropriate. The song “More Love” is a nice uplifting one, whereas the rest of her songs in this playlist are more in line with the “longing.” I’d say that “More Love” is almost an answer to the longing of the rest of the playlist. I really can’t comment on all of her songs or this post would never end. But I’ll leave you with this factoid about her Amidst the Chaos album that makes me giggle: all the breakup songs were actually about Barrack Obama leaving office. Think about that as you listen to one of my favorites, “No Such Thing.” Gives the whole thing a new meaning. I don’t know if any song in this playlist captures the feeling of longing more than this one.