Mix tape, er, CD, er ... iTunes playlist!

Challenged issued by Beth: If you had to make your ultimate MIX TAPE (er, mix CD) what would be the top 10 songs on it, and why would you choose those songs?

Tough to choose only 10. So, for LYRICAL content, I would have to select the following:

Insensitive by Jann Arden
What a tremendous talent. She has such a way with phrasing and wording. I love her as a person an as an artist. She is warm, generous, genuine, funny, deep and caring. This is one of the best examples of her songwriting.

Concrete and Stone by David Byrne
He has come a long way from his beginnings (or when I first "met" him) as a member of the Talking Heads! While watching the movie "In Good Company" I fell in love with the soundtrack, particularly this song. I really enjoy the content and especially xylophone. Love the xylophone.

Dear Father from the Jonathan Livingston Seagull Soundtrack by Neil Diamond
I grew up listening to Neil Diamond. This soundtrack I would blast in the basement and this song was my favourite. It was 1978. I was 14. It had great meaning to me while growing up and means just as much now though the reasons have changed.

Cecilia by Simon and Garfunkle
If my sisters are reading, they will understand the significance. Poor Beth, cramped between Bryn and I in the backseat of the Jaguar sedan driving up and down the hills of Maine on our way to Cape Breton for our summer holiday. Beth, singing at the top of her lungs every single word to this song. NO CLUE what the words meant. My dad thought it was hysterical. My mother? Not so much. That made it even funnier!

Your Body is a Wonderland by John Mayer
This song came out in 2002 and at the time John Mayer was 25. Who writes like that at 25? He is such a tremendous talent. And diverse! Wow, from introducing "Garage Band" for Apple Computers to duets with Eric Clapton to philanthropy. This is one of my favourite songs, but truly, my entire top 10 could be songs by John Mayer.

Who Wants to Live Forever by Queen
Written by Brian May, one of his many tremendous epic songs. It has all of the great ingredients that made Queen and Freddy Mercury such a mainstay of rock. Seal did an incredible cover at the tribute concert to Freddy Mercury in 1992. Now that's a recording I should find! Other favourites: Play the Game; Under Pressure; I Want to Break Free; Save Me

Beautiful by Carole King
Though Tapestry is a great album (I even sang "It's Too Late" in concert years ago) filled with many popular songs, my favourite is one of the lesser-knowns. How can you not enjoy lyrics that go:
You've got to get up every morning with a smile on you´re face
And show the world all the love in you´re heart
Then people gonna treat you better
You're gonna find, yes you will
That you're beautiful as you feel.

Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys
My birthday (September 4) is always in or around Labour Day weekend. The Canadian National Exhibition was a huge part of my formative years and one of the very last concerts every summer was the Beach Boys. Oh how my Dad loved to take the whole family to "The Ex" to this celebration of the end of summer, and my big day!

Say a Little Prayer by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Dionne Warwick
Five years ago, Caden almost drown in our backyard pool. It was a turning point in my life. There was a lot to deal with: Louis' guilt, confusion and chaos for my three older children, Lise (my Mother in Law) in to help, my parents' concern, the judgements of neighbours and friends. Twice each day I would drive from Oakville to the Hospital for Sick Children. It was about 35 minutes each way. THIS was the song that kept me going. I would sing it over and over and over again in the car on the way to and from the hospital.

Have I Told You Lately by Van Morrison
Louis is a HUGE Van Morrison fan. For a long time he travelled out of town. Monday to Friday, week after week. Sometimes it was Monday to the second or third Friday. One of the many songs I would sing to our children was this one by Van Morrison. It always made me feel better, closer to him when I put it on.


Ask me next week and I might have a completely different top 10. Or, maybe I'll put together my top 10 MUSICAL choices.