One of the remarkable things associated about the '80s, and I suppose the modern era in general, is the decade's obsession with music. Now, while I can't profess to be anywhere near the '80s geek that my friend Jason is (in fact I think most of the music below is from the '90s), I have to admit I do like to listen to my share of the radio, especially when driving on long car trips, which I frequently have had to do, playing College Bowl, going to Memphis, and moving across country. Inspired by the aforementioned Jason, I took to creating series of driving tapes to listen to in the car. (They really helped in boring commuter traffic going to Sprint back when the Stevenson was under contruction in Chicago.) His collections are named after pop cultural themes of the '80s. Mine are dedicated more to significant things in my life: the Rand McNally series was the inaugural edition, and the name is representative of the traveling I was hoping to do when I made them (such as going to Memphis! Yay! :) ). They're kinda limited in their breadth of musical taste, mainly because so was the number of cd's I owned at that point. However, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, such as Napster and MP-3's, not to mention additional cd purchases, my collection has grown to where subsequent series can be much more diverse. Born to Quilt is the first to experience this renaissance; the first tape features new music I had gotten just before moving to Washington, D.C. and wanted to have for the drive across country. The name "Born to Quilt" comes from a misreading of an album called "Born to Quit"; it had been part of my roommate Joel's collection when we were in Chicago, and had been looked at too quickly by my friend Anne when she was over to play games. The ensuing amusement value, plus the fact that it was Anne, guarenteed that it immortality. :) Rock, Paper, Scissors is best explained on the page I've devoted exclusively to that subject. 88mph, assuming I ever get that far, references the wonderful movie Back to the Future, and the speed required to initiate time travel; it came up while brainstorming future series names for Jason's tapes, and if he doesn't use it, it's definitely too cool for me to pass up. Ahh...if only I had a Delorean. :)
Pass the Cow is a tape of songs taken from my friend Chris' musical collection; he is one of the people I road-tripped to Memphis with (nothing else had been going on that first weekend in March; plus it was a pretty fun way to celebrate Anne's 19th birthday). The name "Pass the Cow" comes from a gaming session of ours where we were playing his copy of "Lord of the Fries" from Cheapass Games; part of the game involves card-trading, and for a part of one hand, all of us kept handing off the same card of a cow to the other players, which became ridiculously silly the longer it went on.
Most of my music comes from Columbia House although they're being real bastards about the membership, so as soon as I've full-filled my obligation, I'm leaving; I'll probably join BMG at that time intead. When I'm not listening to my own music, I'll listen to the radio: I try and catch webcasts of Chicago Bears' games on WBBM since I've moved out to D.C. When I lived with my parents, I liked listening to Delilah after dark. I also very much enjoy the old time radio from the golden era of the genre in the '40s and '50s when people like Jack Benny and the Green Hornet were on the airwaves.
Without further ado, here is the discography of my driving tapes. Not knowing what to make of legal issues, I am just putting a listing here; if you're really interested in any of the songs, I leave you to your own devices to proccur a copy.
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** = denotes the beginning of a second side
Rand McNally I | Rand McNally II | Rand McNally III |
1. Dreamlover - Mariah Carey | 1. Pressure - Billy Joel | 1.No more looking for love - Rick Astley |
2. We Built this City - Starship | 2.All in your mind - Mariah Carey | Do you believe in love - Huey Lewis |
3. Power of love - Huey Lewis | 3. Together forever - Rick Astley | 3. You may be right - Billy Joel |
4. Say you'll be mine - Amy Grant | 4. I'm so excited - Pointer Sisters | 4. Nothing's gonna stop us now - Starship |
5. Keeping the faith - Billy Joel | 5. Seasons of Love - Stevie Wonder (Rent) | 5. House of Love - Amy Grant |
6. Dare me - Pointer Sisters | 6. Sara - Starship | 6. You're the first, the last, my everything - Barry White |
7. This kiss - Faith Hill | 7. I say a little prayer - Diana King (My Best Friend's Wedding) | 7. Release me - Wilson Phillips |
8. Hold me - Wilson Phillips** | 8. All about soul - Billy Joel** | 8. Beer, Beer, Beer - Irish Drinking Songs |
9. Never gonna give you up - Rick Astley | 9. Lucky One - Amy Grant | 9. Love Takes Time - Mariah Carey** |
10. Baby, baby - Amy Grant | 10. Dreaming of you - Selena | 10. What the world needs now - Jackie DeShannon (My Best Friend's Wedding) |
11. Your secret love - Luther Vandross | 11. Heart of rock & roll - Huey Lewis | 11. Slow hand - Pointer Sisters |
12. By the time this night is over - Kenny G | 12. Prisoner - Mariah Carey | 12. Every heartbeat - Amy Grant |
13. Allentown - Billy Joel | 13. Can't get enough of your love - Barry White | 13. Gee, Officer Krupke - West Side Story (Broadway cast) |
14. All for me grog - Irish Drinking Songs | 14. I go to extremes - Billy Joel | |
15. Summer nights - Grease (cast recording) | 15. Crazy love - Luther Vandross | |
16. Whiskey, you're the divil - Irish Drinking Songs |
Born to Quilt I | Born to Quilt II | Born to Quilt III |
1. Something happened on the way to heaven - Phil Collins | 1. Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carmes | 1. I had the time of my life - Bill Medley & Jennifer Warren |
2. Holiday - Madonna | 2. Crush - Jennifer Paige | 2. Wouldn't it be good - Nik Kershaw |
3. Fortunate son - Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3. So Emotional - Whitney Houston | 3. Call me Al - Paul Simon |
4. America - West Side Story (Broadway cast) | 4. Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper | 4. Walk like an egyptian - Bangles |
5. Baby, baby - Amy Grant | 5. Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams | 5. Nightshift - Commodores |
6. Forever your girl - Paula Abdul | 6. Who Can it Be Now - Men at Work | 6. Here and now - Luther Vandross |
7. I still believe - Mariah Carey | 7. Under Southern Skies - Nikki Webster | 7. Devil went down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels Band** |
8. Fanfare for the common man - Aaron Copland** | 8. Best of My Love - Emotions** | 8. Eye of the tiger - Survivor |
9. You can't hurry love - Phil Collins | 9. Every Little Thing She Does is Magic - Police | 9. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps - Doris Day |
10. Say you'll be there - Spice Girls | 10. Invisible Touch - Genesis | 10. Promises, promises - Naked Eyes |
11. Cherish - Madonna | 11. All I need is a Miracle - Mike & the Mechanics | 11. Restless heart - Peter Cetera |
12. Emotion - Mariah Carey | 12. Karma Chameleon - Culture Club | 12. Break out - Swing out Sister |
13. Easy lover - Phil Collins | 13. Take on Me - Aha | 13. Stop! - Spice Girls |
14. Proud mary - Creedence Clearwater Revival | 14. Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung | 14. I heard a rumour - Bananarama |
15. Cold hearted - Paula Abdul |
Rock, Paper, Scissors I | Rock, Paper, Scissors, II | Rock, Paper, Scissors III |
1. James Bond Theme - John Barry Orchestra | ||
2. I love you, always forever - Donna Lewis | ||
3. Splish, Splash - Bobby Darin | ||
4. I knew you were waiting - Aretha Franklin & George Michael | ||
5. Heaven Must be missing an Angel - Tavares | ||
6. In too Deep - Genesis | ||
7. Party Like it's 1999 - Prince | ||
8, Roam - B-52s | ||
9. Lake Shore Drive - Aliotta, Haynes, & Jeremiah** | ||
10. Club at the end of the Street - Elton John | ||
11. I want it that way - Backstreet Boys | ||
12. I love you - Martina McBride | ||
13. This old heart of mine - Rod Stewart | ||
14. Downtown - Petula Clark | ||
15. Colors of the Wind - Vanessa Williams | ||
16. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - They Might be Giants | ||
88 mph I | 88 mph II | 88 mph III |
1. The Heat is On - Glen Frey | 1. Rock the Casbah - The Clash | 1. Waiting for a Star to Fall - Boy Meets Girl |
2. Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins | 2. Ride Like the Wind - Christopher Cross | 2. Shattered Dreams - Johnny Hates Jazz |
3. Constant Craving - KD Lang | 3. That Don't Impress me Much - Shania Twain | 3. Come on Over - Christina Aguilera |
4. Twist & Shout - Beatles (Ferris Bueller) | 4. Maneater - Hall & Oates | 4. Just Got Lucky - Jo Boxers |
5. Get outta my dreams - Billy Ocean | 5. Circle in the Sand - Belinda Carlisle | 5. Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds |
6. Driving on a Freeway - Aretha Franklin | 6. Dead Man's Party - Oingo Boingo | 6. How do you talk to an Angel - Heights |
7. Wake me Up! - Wham! | 7. Gotta Come Through Chicago - John Debney (MJ to the Max) | 7. Dime in the Jukebox - Flirts |
8. We Built this City - Starship** | 8. GoldenEye - Tina Turner** | 8. All for Love - Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, Sting |
9. Emotions - Mariah Carey | 9. Harley David (Son of A Bitch) - Bullock Brothers | 9. You're the Best - Karate Kid Soundtrack** |
10. How Will I Know - Whitney Houston | 10. Gunning for the Buddha - Shreikback | 10. Faithfully - Journey |
11. Power of Love - Huey Lewis & the News | 11. Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran | 11. Keep Me Hangin' On - Kim Wilde |
12. Get on Your Feet - Gloria Estefan | 12. What Have I done to Deserve this? - Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield | 12. I can Dream Abotu You - Dan Hartman |
13. Material Girl - Madonna | 13. Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross & The Supremes | 13. Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money |
14. World Domination - Belle Stars | 14. Hurts So Good - John Cougar Mellencamp | 14. 1,2,3 - Gloria Estefan |
15. Next Time I Fall - Peter Cetera & Amy Grant | ||
16. Dangerous - Roxette |
Sounds of Inertia I (Oomph) | Sounds of Inertia II (Argh) | Sounds of Inertia III (Zzzz) |
Pass the Cow |
1. Your wildest dreams - Moody Blues |
2. Rush, rush - Paula Abdul |
3. Man, I feel like a woman - Shania Twain |
4. Truly, madly, deeply - Savage Garden |
5. The sign - Ace of Base |
6. Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins (Top Gun) |
7. By the time this night is over - Kenny G |
8. Valentine - Martina McBride** |
9. I knew I loved you - Savage Garden |
10. Take my breath away - Top Gun soundtrack |
11. That don't impress me much - Shania Twain |
12. Chariots of Fire - Vangelis |
13. We've got tonight - Kenny Rogers |
14. Achy Breaky Heart - Billy Ray Cyrus |
15. Don't turn around - Ace of Base |