Sounds of Summer: Grownasskid's Guide to BBQ Music (607 hits)
Category: Sound & MusicRating: 0.92 on 25 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Grownasskid (View user info) at 2007-06-07 09:05:15 EDT
Cars are packing up and heading to the beach as soon as Friday hits, hotdogs are flying off the shelves faster than grocery boys can stock them, and people who have no business going shirtless in public (like myself) are showing the general populous more skin than they'd care to see. Yes, children, summer is once again upon us. And, as any good red blooded American worth his or her patriotic salt well knows, barbeque season is also upon us. This year, however, will be different than other years. This year, you (yes you!) will be known around the block as King of the Charred Meats. Not because of your great uncle Chet's super secret burger recipe, but because you are going to have the most excellent summertime BBQ play list. And I am going to help you make it. Simply follow these guidelines.
Step One: Come Out Swinging
The first song on your BBQ play list is arguable the most important song on the entire damn thing. The right song will draw people in from across the street, next door, or anywhere earshot. The wrong song will start things off with a thud, and insure that your BBQ will suck some serious ass. It's best to start off with a classic song that will be instantly recognizable to anyone passing by. This song should scream "PARRRRRTY!", but with a little more subtlety.
Grownasskid Recommends: Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen - Almost everyone with a pulse can get behind this song, especially if you're in NJ.
Avoid: Don't Stop Believing by Journey - My deep hate for Steve Perry aside, this is more a drinking song than anything else, and will send the wrong message (that message being "Hey, let's go throw up on this guy's couch"). I'm not saying don't use it later on (people go ape shit for this song), just don't kick things off with it.
Step Two: Appeal to the Golden Age
This step requires that you know who is coming to your BBQ. If you have an idea of what the people are like, you'll be able to better design a face melting play list. For example, if its going to be a younger, (arguably) hipper crowd of people, I would recommend some classic 90s songs, in the vein of "Hey Jealousy" by the Gin Blossoms or "Good" by Better than Ezra, or even something like "Pepper" by the Butthole Surfers. However, if the crowd skews slightly older, something like "Goodbye Stranger" by Supertramp might be in order.
Grownasskid Recommends: Circles by Soul Coughing (90s), Come on Eileen by Dexi's Midnight Runners (80s), anything off of Jailbreak by Thin Lizzy (70s), Tighten Up by Archie Bell and the Drells(60s) - Any one of these songs will do very nicely in the core of your mix tape.
Avoid: The Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Duran Duran, The Scorpions, Momma Cass.
Step Three: Train in Vain by the Clash
Just fucking put it on there. Trust me.
Step Four: The Climax
Good play lists, like good movies and literature, work on a scale of rising and falling action. Ideally, the best play lists build and relieve tension, culminating in one massive, grand musical statement. This should be at the point when everyone has had their food, and everyone has had at least two beers. Now, it doesn't have to just be one song, but it is important that people realize (maybe not consciously) that this is the high point of the mix.
Grownasskid Recommends: Layla by Derrick and the Dominoes - arguably the best song of all time, it has a place on any play list.
Avoid: Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin - I love Led Zep as much as the next, but this song is as played out as any song. Besides, chances are good you could find this song on the radio at any time of the day. A good mix should offer something familiar, but still unique; kind of like a mango.
Step Five: Hey, who is this?
This one isn't set in stone, but it is my feeling that every good play list should have at least one song on it that is new to most people. Falling in love with a new song is always a great experience, and there is a certain satisfaction that comes with showing someone a new song. It's like charity, without actually having to help someone. This is a good spot for deep cuts from established bands, or your friend's sick demo tape.
Grownasskid Recommends: Nosebleed by Illinois, A Sweet Summer's Night on Hammer Hill by Jens Lekman, Let Me Go by Cake, Dig for Fire by Pixies, All my Friends by LCD Soundsystem - These are all relatively unknown songs that come pre packaged for summer ass kicking.
Avoid: Radiohead - Radiohead is just not summer music. Get over it, nerds.
Step Six: Get the fuck out of my yard.
It's not a party if your doing it alone, so you should find a song that will quietly urge the stragglers to move on to the next free meal. You don't want to go overly abrasive, but you should go for something with a slow tempo and a mildly offbeat rhythm to it. Remember, people will never leave a place when they can dance there.
Mr. Dogg Recommends: Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd - You run the risk of stoners saying how beautiful it all is, man, but this is as good a song as any to end a play list to.
Avoid: The Final Countdown by Europe - Sorry, but this song at the end of a play list will just kick start the party all over again.
Step Seven: Give the people credit
Don't ever be afraid to take a chance on a deep track or a lesser known band. Chances are good that someone else at the party has heard it before, and even if they haven't, mot people will be having fun playing Frisbee or whatever. And remember, the perfect play list is a never ending quest, so don't get upset if you don't get it on the first time. Finally, always ask the people what they want to hear. This mix isn't for you, it's for the world at large.
With these hints, you are sure to be the cock of the walk with all the drunken sunburned fat people at your house.
Grownasskid's Summer Play list
1) Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen
2) Wayward Son - Kansas
3) Better Man - Pearl Jam
4) Hey Jealousy - Gin Blossoms
5) July July! - The Decemberists
6) Back and Forth - The Dismemberment Plan
7) Let Me Go - Cake
8) Substitute - The Who
9) The Jack of Hearts - Bob Dylan
10) Girls Like Status - The Hold Steady
11) Take on Me - Aha
12) Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger
13) Sunflowers - Everclear
14) Rapper's Delight - Kool and the Gang
15) Lola - Kinks
16) Come On Eileen - Dexi's Midnight Runners
17) Only in Dreams - Weezer
18) Hard To Explain - The Strokes
19) Getting Better - The Beatles
20) Float On - Modest Mouse
21) You Can't Always Get What You Want - Rolling Stones
User Reviews
Submitted by Grownasskid (user info) at 2007-06-08 12:15:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
thorpe - Indeed, America loves being fat, especially in the summertime
and as far as outkast goes, excellent suggestion. I'm ashamed i didn't think of it, they were made for barbequeing
<weeps>
Submitted by EmissionImpossible (user info) at 2007-06-08 06:16:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
No Comment
Submitted by Jeanneee (user info) at 2007-06-07 21:46:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Also, "ATLiens" and "SpottieOttieDopalicious."
Anything by Outkast really. Except "Mrs. Jackson." I hate that song.
Submitted by Jeanneee (user info) at 2007-06-07 21:40:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Needs more Outkast "Elevators".
Submitted by Sinistral (user info) at 2007-06-07 13:36:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
+1 only because you didn't follow your own advice and put Train in Vain on the playlist.
For the obscure song, might I reccomend "Shining On" by Big D & The Kids Table?
Submitted by Flapjacksupreme (user info) at 2007-06-07 12:17:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Flapjacksupreme (user info) at 2007-06-07 12:15:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19088976?GT1=10056
Bwaahahahahaahahahahahaahahahhahaa
Submitted by Grownasskid (user info) at 2007-06-07 11:16:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Foolproof (user info) at 2007-06-07 10:36:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Pearl Jam?
Harvey Danger?
Seriously?
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scoff all you want, but that one Harvey Danger song was on point.
Submitted by FATMANTPK (user info) at 2007-06-07 11:15:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Can I start my party with "Inna Gadda Da Vida"? and end it with the theme from Magnum PI?
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-06-07 10:49:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
.
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-06-07 10:49:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by ajanssen (user info) at 2007-06-07 10:37:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I breathe, sleep, and eat barbecue. Anyone who spells it BBQ is obviously a poser. http://www.ubersite.com/m/95469
Submitted by Foolproof (user info) at 2007-06-07 10:36:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Pearl Jam?
Harvey Danger?
Seriously?
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2007-06-07 10:28:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
You're attempting to reasonably move from Dylan to the Hold Steady?
Brave man. You should at least try to convey the harmonica through both songs. Maybe something like Southtown Girls instead of Girls Go For Status.
Whatever. It's your hot meat party.
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2007-06-07 10:25:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
omgwtfbbq!!!???!
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2007-06-07 10:07:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I neither dislike or particularly like any of those songs.
Submitted by skrapmetal (user info) at 2007-06-07 10:02:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
XM 44 or XM 41 for the first 3-4 hours
XM 43 or XM 40 for 1-2 hours or so
XM 50 or XM 76 to get everyone on the road
Submitted by creep_firebombing (user info) at 2007-06-07 10:01:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nicely done.
Submitted by Hilarity_Ensues (user info) at 2007-06-07 09:46:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
When I want a sing-a-long, I stick in Carbon Leaf, since I am slowly, but surely, amassing a legion of followers.
Submitted by Hilarity_Ensues (user info) at 2007-06-07 09:43:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nothing says get the fuck off my lawn like 'Closing Time'.
Submitted by thorpe (user info) at 2007-06-07 09:41:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It sort of came as a shock to me when I read this that people outside of Australia have barbecues too.
Submitted by raebuf (user info) at 2007-06-07 09:29:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Thank you for reminding me of Soul Coughing. I was trying to remember who did that "Super Bon-Bon" song.
MOVE UPSIDE, LET THE MAN GO THROUGH! LET THE MAN GO THROUGH!
Submitted by professorfuckface (user info) at 2007-06-07 09:28:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
here is the best summer music:
danger! high voltage - electric six
kashmir - zeppelin
streetfighting man - rage (cover)
purple sneakers and gunslingers - you am I
sunshine of your love - cream
Submitted by Nellypaal (user info) at 2007-06-07 09:15:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Rapper's Delight was Sugarhill Gang, rather than Kool and chums.
Submitted by scum101 (user info) at 2007-06-07 09:13:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
and what of brown eyed girl by van morrison?
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2007-06-07 09:08:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Good choices, though why make that much effort? I usually just stick on a Sublime or Ozomatli record.