Back Tracks (1)

Although I've always been a music collector, for the longest time it was mostly in my head.  My dad used to sing while driving me to kindergarten.  I will forever think of that time when I hear "Delta Dawn" on some oldies station.  My piano teacher brought Brahms and other classics into my cranial collection.  Church was good for gospel classics like "Amazing Grace."  In fourth grade, I joined a school music group called "The Minnesingers."  Mr. P. introduced songs like "Short People" and "The Rainbow Connection" a la The Muppets.  Around sixth grade, I discovered Kiss, thanks to some boys who had t-shirts of Peter Criss, followed by junior high and a different singing group, the Young Americans.  Mr. W. brought in harmony with "The Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy" and hits by Manhattan Transfer.  High School was Chamber Choir and The Messiah.  At home, Mom listened to Barbra Streisand and Barry Manilow.  I liked Prince and Night Ranger.  Every Saturday, I locked myself in my room and listened to Casey Casem's Top 40 and recorded tapes of the show.  My first Mixed Tapes!  College came and I attended the Monsters of Rock, Bon Jovi, 38 Special, INXS.....  Then Peace Corps and Joan Armatrading, Chris Isaak and the Indigo Girls.  Traveling (London), traveling (Egypt), traveling (New Zealand), traveling, traveling, traveling, and my music was still in my head.  With no roots (and no money), that's the only place a collection can hide.  Then, miraculously, a home of my own, then a family of my own, then, YES!  CD's and MP3's of my own!  My collection grew exponentially.  So what happened?  I rediscovered the Mix.  I started by making one to take in the car, then one for a birthday party, and then another, and another.  It became an obsession.  So here we are now.  I limit myself to making one new mix per month, but it kills me.  When no one's looking,  I make lists about mixes I could make.  One for the friend in the nasty divorce?  One to go along with an art project at school?  One to celebrate my fifth cousin once removed's second wedding?  WHERE DOES IT END??  Thankfully it doesn't.  As I said, Every Life Has a Playlist.  Here's the one that got the CD spinning in August of 2005....

1. "California"- Low 
2. "Back to Me"- Kathleen Edwards 
3. "Be My Baby"- Al Green 
4. "Oulala"- Angelique Kidjo 
5. "Red Dress"- Maia Sharp
6. "Something Wild"- Maia Sharp 
7. "3 Cool Cats"- Ry Cooder 
8. "This Love"- Maroon 5 
9. "Harder to Breathe"- Maroon 5
10. "Everything I've Got in My Pocket"- Minnie Driver 
11. "Build a Bridge"- The Redwalls 
12. "Mars Loves Venus"- The Brunettes 
13. "Sounds of the City"- Stoll Vaughan 
14. "Poor Johnny"- Robert Cray 
15. "Hozanna"- Astrid Williamson 
16. "Get Out the Map"- Indigo Girls 
17. "Angels & Girlfriends"- Five for Fighting 
18. "One More for Love"- Five for Fighting