Playlist for the Bank Holiday

In America, it seems that holidays have some higher meaning although we rarely do anything on the holiday to acknowledge it. Examples would be Memorial Day or Martin Luther King Jr Day. But here in the UK it’s simply “bank holiday”. I asked someone what does this mean, and they looked at me like I was an idiot and said that it means the banks are closed. Okay, I guess that’s it. Anyway, I have the day off of work and we are having a gloriously sunny weekend so I got loaded with a work colleague and put together this playlist to celebrate. –J

Breakin Up – Rilo Kiley
A new fave of mine

Back to Black – Amy Winehouse
I can’t pick up a newspaper here without her mug on the cover. This week she and her husband emerged from a London hotel bloody from some kind of spat and rumors of heroin and crack addiction. Ugh, are they the 2007 version of Sid and Nancy?

Lola Stars and Stripes – The Stills
I love this song. It also makes me think of my little red beetle in the States, Lola. She’s a temptress.

Live Forever – Oasis
Oasis has much more clout here than they ever did in the States. This song is one of the moments where I can understand maybe why.

Telephone Line – ELO
A few months ago I told K that I was having a bad day and started to tear up driving to work listening to this song. She laughed at me as I hoped she would. But you have to admit, Jeff Lynne sounds desperate on this song, and it’s a desperation that we in the modern world with cell phones, etc. don’t have to endure.

American Girl – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Okay, this just proves I was drunk today because I got teary eyed listening to this song! “After all it was a great big world, with lots of places to run to”

Boys Keep Swinging – David Bowie
My brother M likes to remind me that my taste in music sucks. Maybe he will be pleased with this selection although he may just say that I picked the one David Bowie song that sucks. I don’t care, I love this song.

The Pretender – Foo Fighters
There seems to be a preponderance of either men with shaved heads (is this a football thing?) or young boys with extremely coiffed spiky hair here. How about just a long haired scruffy guy every once in awhile? After seeing the video for this song, Dave will have to do.

Dosed – Red Hot Chili Peppers
This song makes me think of our road trips. Miss ya K!

California Waiting – Kings of Leon
It’s all about the cowbell.

Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
These lyrics and the way that Al Green sings them, isn’t this what every woman wants to hear?

Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright – Bob Dylan
This song is on the soundtrack of a River Phoenix movie, Dogfight. It’s a sweet little film.

Maps – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
It never gets old.

Nausea – Beck
I don’t always like Beck’s music, but I always love his voice.

Keep Yourself Alive – Queen
Every time I see my brother S I ask him the same question, You really don’t like Queen? His answer never changes but it’s such a head-scratcher to me when you listen to a song like this. Oh well, he’s probably still scratching his head over having to take me to see Duran Duran in 1984.