Your Fantasy CD Mix

The previous post made me wonder: What would be your ultimate fantasy 15-song mix CD? Tell me, tell me, tell me.

Here are mine, in no particular order (and with no apologies, baby!):

By The Rivers of Babylon—Boney M: (reminds me of my childhood in Scotland when it was a Top Ten hit)

Got to Give it Up—Marvin Gaye: (makes me wanna dance like no one is watching)

Ants Marching—Dave Matthews Band: (describes lives of quiet desperation, in an absolutely rockin’way: “they look at each other; wondering what the other is thinking, but they never say a thing...goes to visit his mommy, she feeds him well has concerns he forgets them; and remembers being small, playing under the table and dreaming...”)

Fly Me To the Moon—Frank Sinatra Live At the Sands: (Frank’s 50th birthday, slightly hammered by the booze, but on point, on note, on tempo, on pitch. The man NAILED IT in a way that few performers today can even approach.)

Ain’t That a Kick in the Head—Dean Martin: (fun fun fun till daddy takes my liquor away...).

You Dont Bring Me Flowers—Neil Diamond/Barbra: (the ultimate in cheese. But this song makes you respect the cheese. Neil and Babs do that voodoo that they do so well).

Somewhere Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World—Israel Kamakwiwoole: (from a few movie soundtracks. Youll know it when you hear it. It makes me happy and sad at the same time, which is quite a feat).

Amazing Grace—48th Highlanders: (Americans see bagpipes as having a funereal connotation. Scottish people see bagpipes as one more way to party and get lit in honor of Bonnie Scotland. Amazing Grace CANNOT have meaning unless performed by bagpipes or Judy Collins a capella).

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy—The Andrews Sisters: (I think I am reincarnated from someone during the 40s because I love that whole era: the fashion, the sensibility, the history, the music. I wanna be an Andrews Sister!)

Sloop John B—The Beach Boys: (my dads favorite song by TBBs. I love it because it's plaintive but not a dirge and it makes me concoct a whole backstory in my head about hoisting up the John B sails on this,“the worst trip” he's “ever been on”).

Canned Heat—Jamiroquai: (if you are ever feeling blue, just blast this baby and you will be dancing and singing like crazy. You cannot be depressed while yelling, “I got canned heat in my heels tonight, ba-by!)

Ave Maria—Andrea Bocelli: (Andrea Bocelli: He sings just for me. You did know that, right? All of his albums and shows? Yup—for me. I can hear it in his voice. He sings this song in a way that makes a Jewish non-Catholic feel spiritual. Now THAT is talent!). PS--Sorry about the restraining order, Andrea!

Dixie—From the Gettysburg soundtrack: (the most melancholy version of this tune ever written. If youve seen the movie, you know the meaning, the wistfulness of it on the part of the Confederacy who are dying by the thousands and losing the war). Not that there's anything wrong with preserving The Union...

Into The West—Annie Lennox: (from The Lord of the Rings. More than I want to be an Andrews Sister, I want to be Annie Lennox. Shes Scottish. Shes got soul. She is beautiful. She is aging honestly and gracefully. Her voice is a gift. Her ability to breathe emotion into a song is a gift. This song is the song I would want played at my funeral...not that you need to go buying the CD right now, yo!)

Baby Got Back—Sir Mix-a-Lot: (how else to say it? This song is funny and ribald and a classic. No mix is complete without it. And as a woman who is getting more and more “back” as she ages, I am all about supporting any man who says {everyone, do the karaoke group chant}: “Anaconda don't want none unless you got buns, hon!”)

Good times, good times.