Making a mix that will get hearts pounding
Every year on Valentine’s Day, it seems that love is counted in dollars and cents. It is counted by how big the box of chocolates is, how many roses in a bouquet and where people eat dinner. Taco Bell and a single red rose tend to stand for waning interest and a lack of commitment.
College budgets do not always allow for the highest expression of monetary love. Luckily, there is a failsafe way to show passion, love, friendship, commitment and a sense of humor in one tiny, less than $1 package: a CD.
The mixed CD is a glorious thing. It lets twelve people sing lyrics that say exactly what needs to be said, regardless of the gift giver’s poetic capability. It can be sentimental and timeless. It will not be eaten like chocolate. It will not wilt.
For those who want to say “I love you,” here are a few of the most timeless love songs. They cannot be considered classy, but they can at least get some simple points across.
“At Last”- Etta James
“Best of My Love”- The Emotions
“You Sexy Thing”- Hot Chocolate
“All Out Of Love”- Air Supply
“Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe”- Barry White
“Time After Time”- Cindy Lauper
“Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car”- Billy Ocean
“Sexual Healing”- Marvin Gaye
“I Touch Myself”- The DiVinyls
“You Shook Me All Night Long”- AC/DC
“Let My Love Open The Door”- Pete Townshend
Impressing someone with a knowledge of independent bands isn’t as hard as one may think. For a girl, it will astonish her with how many sentimental lyrics were scavenged through to get to the perfect mix. For a guy, any girl who knows not to put Justin Timberlake on a CD that he is expected to listen is a treasure.
“First Day of My Life”- Bright Eyes
“A Minor Incident”- Badly Drawn Boy
“I Will”- The Beatles
“The Luckiest”- Ben Folds
“Kingdom Come”- Coldplay
“You Love Me”- DeVotchKa
“Now At Last”- Feist
“Naked As We Came”- Iron and Wine
“I Love You”- Under the Influence of Giants
“Breathe Me”- Sia
“Separate Ways”- Tahiti 80
Statistically and realistically, not everyone can have a date on Valentine’s Day. Those who coined the term “Single-Awareness Day” know the struggle to maintain their composure when they get to spend a day surrounded by conversation candy and teddy bears with bad puns stitched on their stomachs. For those singles, an angst-filled mix is a must.
“True Love Will Find You In The End”- Beck
“Suckers”- Reel Big Fish
“99 Problems”- Jay-Z
“Better Luck”- Scissor Sisters
“Nobody’s Baby”- Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
“The Comeback”- Shout Out Louds
“Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now”- The Smiths
“Look Up”- Stars
“Bored To Hear Your Heart Still Breaks”- Tulleycraft
At the very least, it can be assumed that everyone has friends. Since friendship is a kind of love, telling your friend that you care is perfectly acceptable on a day that demands love be force-fed. Here are some picks that reminisce about growing up, and talk about always being there for each other.
“Never Let You Fall”- Ben Kweller
“One Love/ People Get Ready”- Bob Marley
“Colours”- Calvin Harris
“Let’s Get Out of This Country”- Camera Obscura
“I Believe In You”- Cat Power
“Golden Years”- David Bowie
“Dear Friend”- Eleni Mandell
“Eanie Meany”- Jim Noir
“Thirteen”- Elliot Smith
“Oh La La”- Faces
“Honor and Harmony”- G. Love and Special Sauce
“Friends and Family”- Trik Turner
“See The World”- Gomez
These mixes are good alone, or as a mix-and-match scenario. Cliché’s and angst make for a perfectly ironic mix, while a mix of romance and friendship may be the way to show how deep feelings go.
If there seem to be some missing sentiments in the songs listed, it is relatively easy to find more. Most artists write about love and heartbreak exclusively, making the selection optimal.
All of the music listed above can be found on iTunes, which is ideal for buying single songs. If a certain album gains your interest from a mix, most eclectic CDs can be found at Bart’s CD Cellar on Pearl Street or at Albums On The Hill on 13th Street.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Carolyn Michaels at carolyn.michaels@colorado.edu
