I admit it. As the Music Director of My Skewed View I occasionally choose topics because I want to do them. Ha haha! Sorry, I crack myself up.

This week’s topic is: Make a mix of songs that are completely from a genre or style of music that you don’t usually listen to. You know… 5 songs that you love anyway… kinda like Clark pulling the Classical Music card for Best of. My original intent is for people to choose all 5 songs from one genre. But if that is too hard for you and you wanna be a baby about it don’t think you can do it, then mix-it-up, there will be demerits no repercussions.

Of course I admit to having a leg up because I had my list before I even started. But then I started having second thoughts. You see, lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of country music, the old stuff, well the truck-driver stuff, because the boy has a penchant for it. It is definitely outside of my comfort zone and no one is more surprised than I that I actually have some favorites. Whenever If You’re Gonna Play in Texas by Alabama comes on Pandora, the boy yells “Mom! Your favorite song is on!”

However, I realize if I had to pick favorites it would be a mix of Johnny Cash, Alabama, Commander Cody and Jerry Reed. There really isn’t much else (ok Waylon Jennings, Willy Nelson, Kenny Rogers, you know – those guys). So, I’m going to stick with my original plan.

 

Latin Jazz. Kind of. Loosely.

Gabor Szabo
And here’s where I mean loosely. And Kind of. This guy is actually Hungarian. He taught himself how to play guitar because he was inspired by Jazz musicians on the radio broadcast of Voices of America. He escaped from Hungary in 1956, which was then under Soviet-communist rule and came to America. He had a love/hate relationship with Jazz and his American reception. He actually had a point, the song Breezin’, became a hit for George Benson, but it was actually Gabor Szabo’s arrangement and he was never recognized for it.

This is a video that includes music by Gabor Szabo and his influence on Carlos Santana. If you can take the time to listen to this I would. Take the time that is.

 

Bireli Lagrene – Si Tu Savais

 

Claude Bolling – Picnic Suite – Parte 5: Canon
Promise me you’ll listen to this at some point.

 

This is one of those sing out loud in my car at the top of my lungs songs. Even though I don’t understand a word of it. I considered learning Portuguese just so I could sing this, and Mais Que Nada. Incidentally my father spoke Portuguese, too bad I was too young and stupid to care.
Oh, AND – the other day one of my sister’s neighbors walked up to me and said,  “You know I was driving right next to you the other day and you were singing your heart out.” Yeah, that could have been any day.

Sergio Mendes – Pais Tropical

 

This is one of my favorite songs of ALL TIME. ALL TIME. There are so many versions of this song but if you haven’t heard it by the man who wrote it, you haven’t heard it. There is also something so comforting in the fact that my son is singing along as I write this. Maybe we should both learn Portuguese.

Agua de Marco – Elis Regina and Tom Jobim

 

Bonus song. I say bonus because, thanks to a certain movie, this song has become very well-known. I knew it when. It’s still a fave of mine, so I will share it anyway.  You get bonus points if you can name the movie in 3 seconds flat!

Soul Bossa Nova – Quincy Jones & His Orchestra

 

Thank you for listening, now share your MixTape with all of us. The best part of this party is we get to hear so much music that may be new, may be forgotten or may be just what you wanted to hear right now.

These are the rules. Five songs (give or take). Stick to the theme (as best you can). Check out the other players (everyone wants to share their tunes with you). Create a mix, not a “hey look at all the cool songs I know” we’re not snobs, if you were our best bud and you were gonna make us a tape, what would it be? And share this party so more people will play next week!

Do me a favor, if you’re a veteran, try and visit at least one person you’ve never visited before.

NOW PLAY!

http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=209684

 

And now, The List of all Lists

October 22 – Songs that are spiritual. In anyway. To you, about something spiritual, you decide.
October 29 – Songs that are scary. FOR ANY REASON. Halloween is a few days away. Are they scary because of the words, what the band looks like, because it’s just so darn bad??
November 5- Free for all!
November 12 – Song’s that tell a story. These can be epics or not. Just a story. You know, just not la la la I love you or I hate you or whatever….
November 19 – Cheating Songs
November 26 – I know it’s gonna be hard, with Thanksgiving and all, but this is a really fun topic suggested by my favorite mixer-uper, literally, she’s always mixing up the topic. Kerri from Undiagnosed but Okay. She said,  how about a “this song could’ve sent me to jail?” I was intrigued, but needed more. Hmmm let’s see the Doors come on baby get higher 🙂 Or Carrie Underwood doing a little grand larceny beating up her boyfriends truck? Blondie gets arrested after seeing Aliens in Rapture Or even to be funnier: Joe Cocker you can leave your hat on, so if I left just my hat on I would be arrested for indecent exposure. Trust me it wouldn’t be pretty! – Now I get it!
December 3 – It is officially OK to be listening to Christmas Music now! Bring it on! Maybe we’ll find some new favorite Christmas tunes for our holiday playlists!