Saturday, October 6, 2012

mixology 2012 week tres: the ravens


“Baby, do you understand me now?
Sometimes I feel a little mad.
But don’t you know that noone alive
Can always be an angel,
When things go wrong, I seem to be bad.

But I’m just a soul whose intentions are good!
Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood!”

-- “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” by the Animals.  It’s on the bubble for inclusion this week …

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Last week, sitting in a chair, enjoying an adult beverage, I had a revelation.

I’ve been overthinking Mixology this year.

Seriously – I’ve overthought this.  There’s no need to aim for a theme, no need to put certain songs on because you went to their concert the night before – some songs just DESERVE to be played.  As much as possible.

So this week is going to see some massive shake-ups to the playlist, not only for that reason, but because a few folks assured of being out there for most of the tailgate have made some requests, and I’m nothing if not overly generous.  (cue everyone who knows me laughing out loud at those last six words of the previous sentence.)

There were about 11 late additions after the initial Mixology List posted last week, and I’m including them in the runthrough of what stays and goes.  Here is the verdict on all of last week’s picks, as always, in artist alphabetical order:

* “Down” by 311.  He’s getting at least one playmate this week.
* “Secret Lovers” by Atlantic Starr.  A safer bet for inclusion, than betting on the Royals to lose 90 plus.
* “Airplanes, Part II” by B.o.B featuring Eminem and Hayley Williams.  Getting booted for something more traditional, more inspirational, more “yes!  I LOVE that song!  Good pick Stevo!”
* “Let It Be” by the Beatles.  He's not going anywhere.
* “Get It Like You Like It” by Ben Harper.  Not even in the discussion to be tabled.

* “Burn One Down” by Ben Harper.  I asked a fellow tailgater this week, when they informed me that they were bringing cookies, if these were of an adult nature, or safe for viewers of all ages.  The response: “they’re safe enough for that 13 year old you gave a jello shot to, to eat.”  Uum, gee, how to put this delicately … YOU DIDN’T ANSWER THE DAMNED QUESTION!!!  If I give a 13 year old (and please, guys, come on – she was 12, not 13), if I give a 13 year old a jello shot, why wouldn’t I give them a cookie to go with it? 

* “No Diggity” by Blackstreet.  Play on, playa.  Play on, playa.
* “The More I Drink” by Blake Shelton.  Absolutely in the field.

* “One Love / People Get Ready” by Bob Marley.  True Great Stories of Stevo Doing Dumb Things Number II (and we’re what, eight songs in?): “The Kid” and “The Crush” went on some weekend getaway back in the day to her folks lakehouse in January for some reason.  They get back, it’s MLK weekend, and there were still some brownies left over.  Of a happy persuasion.  I eat one.  I don’t feel a damned thing.  I eat a second one.  Still, nothing.  So I eat a third.  THREE DAYS LATER, I begin to regain a sense of who I am and where I’m at.  The lesson?  One happy brownie is fun.  Two is great fun.  Three is one too many.  I think.  I’m not sure there’s actually a lesson here actually, other than I like brownies.

* “Humpin’ Around” by Bobby Brown.  Safe!
* “Lido Shuffle” by Boz Skaggs.  Come on.  You know you want to.  “LIDO!  OH OH OH OH OH OH!”
* “Alcohol” by Brad Paisley.  One of the roughest cuts this week.
* “One Toke Over the Line” by Brewer and Shipley.  I’m not sure if during my three day brownie bender, I wound up downtown at a railway station, but I was definitely one toke over the line (rimshot!)
* “The Rising” by Bruce Springsteen.  Love this song.
* “Wherever You Will Go” by the Calling.  I can’t bench it.  I should, but I can’t.
* “Word Up” by Cameo.  Tradition. 
* “Kung Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas.  Nope.
* “Look Away” by Chicago.  Tradition.  And yeah, I might have to try to gin this up to start playing when “The Voice of Reason” and / or “bts” arrive Sunday. 
* “Piano Man”, cover by Colton Dixon.  Sorry fellow tailgaters, I like Colton’s cover better than the original by Billy Joel. 
* “Sweet Love” by the Commodores.  May get a playmate this week.
* “Slow Hand” by Conway Twitty.  Because at some point, you’re gonna need a distraction.
* “It’s Not Over” by Daughtry.  On the playlist, sorry pal, it is over.
* “The Best of What’s Around” by DMB.  On the playlist, it’s not.
* “You Never Even Called Me By My Name” by David Allan Coe.  The more I reflect on last season, the more the spontaneous 20 plus person belting out of this song in the postgame tailgate of the raiders game shines through as the season’s highlight.
* “The Time of My Life” by David Cook.  The local kid is in.
* “Girl” by Davey Jones.  This was a brainfart last week.
* “Am I the Only One” by Dierks Bentley.  No you’re not, but the …
* “5-1-5-0” by Dierks Bentley.  Wants a few words with you.
* “Down With the Sickness” by Disturbed.  Tradition.
* “Soldier of Love” by Donny Osmond.  Come on, really?  “Like a thief in the night / Who can’t get enough / I am willing to fight / ‘Cause I’m a soldier of love!”
* “Lose Yourself” by Eminem.  Tradition.
* “Hungry Eyes” by Eric Carmen.  Joined by …
* “Make Me Lose Control” by Eric Carmen.  The original playlists were loaded with mid to late 80s classics.  Count these two as grandfathered in.
* “Springsteen” by Eric Church.  Nope.
* “I Don’t Care” by Fall Out Boy.  I don’t care enough to bring it back.
* “Sugar We’re Going Down” by Fall Out Boy.  Yes you are, to benched.
* “Are You Ready for the Fallout” by Fastball.  I should bench it … but I like this song too much to pull the trigger and put it out of its misery.
* “Float On” by the Floaters.  We’re going to loveland!
* “We Are Young” by Fun. featuring Janelle Monae.  A kid can dream.

* “Rock and Roll Part II” by Gary Glitter.  Can we just be honest here for a season, guys, gals, peoples and peepettes?  Is anyone actually surprised that a dude named Gary Glitter is a child molestor?  I mean, really?  Is ANYONE shocked that a dude named Gary freaking Glitter is a purveyor of kiddie porn?  Yeah.  I thought so.  (dude in “hoosiers” voice) Song stays.

* “Dream Weaver” by Gary Wright.  How about a third “True Great Story About Stevo Doing Something Stupid” in as many pages!  So “The Voice of Reason” sent me a link earlier this week about how TCU starting QB Casey Pachall was busted for DUI on (I forget which) Monday or Tuesday night.  Obviously, he sent me the link for a reason (aka “draw a response”) … to which I not only responded based on NO evidence in fact (aka “where was dude popped at”) … I laid out a road map on exactly how to avoid DUI’s around the TCU campus!  I still know that area like the back of my hand, and it’s been fifteen years since I was using said back of my hand there (rimshot!)  Come on, that zinger was kinda funny.  No?  Ok, fine.  But still.

Casey?  If you need help, hit me up.  I somehow avoided a DUI there for 4 years, and like you sir, I got high a time or seventy in my tour of duty down there.  I’m here to help champ.  Let me know, your pal, Stevo.  PS -- the tatted up, black face paint look doesn't go with an acne scarred face and bandanna atop your head.  It's hideous.  Might want to be slightly less white-trashy.  TCU is kind of a stuck up, elitist institution. And by kind of, I mean "most definitely". (pause).  No wonder it was the best 3 1/2 years of my life, the last 1/2 year of which was beyond awesome!

* “I Don’t Wanna Be” by Gavin DeGraw.  All Gavin’s are getting cut.
* “In Love With a Girl” by Gavin DeGraw.  Cut.
* “Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight and the Pips.  I’d rather live in her world, than without her, in mine.
* “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye.  There have been moments over the last two months when I wanted to scream some lyrics from this song at a certain someone.  But for the moment, that feeling has passed.
* “Out of Touch” by Hall and Oates.  Yes.  Yes.  A hundred times, yes.
* “Private Eyes” by Hall and Oates.  They’re watching you!  They see your every move!
* “Rich Girl” by Hall and Oates.  Come on.  You know you want to.  “It’s a bitch girl!  But it’s gone too far, ‘cause you know it don’t matter anyway!”

* “Lips of an Angel” by Hinder.  I know how much a certain someone who will be there Sunday hates this song.  And I would love to be able to tell you "fine, it's permanently benched".  But that ain't gonna happen.  I like -- scratch that, I LOVE -- this song too much to bench it.  Hopefully putting eight tracks by artists you picked will make up for the four minutes of pain this song apparently inflicts on you chica.

* “Old Man and Me” by Hootie and the Blowfish.  All Hootie is benched.
* “I Will Wait” by Hootie and the Blowfish.  Benched.
* “Anna Molly” by Incubus.  Barely makes it.
* “Are You In” by Incubus.  The answer is yes.
* “Shout” by the Isley Brothers.  A little bit softer now!  A little bit softer now!  A little bit louder now!  A little bit louder now!
* “Tipsy” by J-Kwon.  Good night.
* “Flake” by Jack Johnson.  Flake away!
* “Hicktown” by Jason Aldean.  Hick away!
* “Tattoos On This Town” by Jason Aldean.  Tattoo away!
* “The Remedy” by Jason Mraz.  It’s not.
* “Time After Time”, cover by Javier Colon.  I can’t quit this version of this awesome song.
* “Stay With Me Tonight” by Jeffrey Osborne.  Safely in.
* “I Got a Name” by Jim Croce.  Over my dead body this gets pulled.
* “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffett.  We may need the closing line of the last verse Sunday, fellow Chiefs addicts.  “But there’s booze in the blender!  And soon it will render!  That frozen concoction that helps me hang on!”  Speaking of which, the peach margaritas at the Saturday night pre-party last week were (clap!) Dy-No-Mite!!!  We need more of those.
* “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” by Joe Nichols.  Sadly, this is rarely the case in my life.
* “Pink Houses” by John Cougar Mellencamp.  Arguably the toughest benching of them all.
* “North to Alaska” by Johnny Horton.  It’s include it, or walk home.  You do the math.
* “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey.  He’s getting a playmate this week, one I didn't see coming.  Stay tuned.
* “Summer Love” by Justin Timberlake.  Fired.
* “Like I Love You” by Justin Timberlake.  Benching this song is not a reflection of how much I love it.
* “Dust In The Wind” by Kansas.  You’re still my boy Blue!  You’re still my boy!
* “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane.  One of 10-12 “why is this on here? / Because Stevo says it’s on here” tracks on the playlist this week.  Which to my credit, is down from 30 something tracks of that nature two Mixology Lists ago.
* “Living in Fast Forward” by Kenny Chesney.  Something I am rarely accused of doing.  Although the song in its entirety, does pretty much describe me.
* “Luckenbach, Texas”, cover by Kenny Chesney and Kid Rock.  When the person who listens non-stop to Willie’s Roadhouse notes that “I like this better than the original”, it’s a keeper.
* “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins.  Please?  Louise?  Pull me off of my knees!
* “Fresh” by Kool and the Gang.  He’s definitely getting a playmate this week.
* “Jump” by Kris Kross.  Tradition.

Should probably note: I’ve already cut 20 of the 75 songs reviewed so far.  I told you I was overhauling the playlist for a more traditional, “hey, I know that song!  Sweet!  Nice inclusion dude!” Mixology.  Still got 70 some odd songs to review, and a boatload of rookies and grizzled veterans to unveil.  (jay bilas on twitter every morning voice) I gotta go to work.

* “Numb” by Linkin Park.  There may be a third LP track coming this week.
* “One Step Closer” by Linkin Park.  What, are you serious?  Tradition.
* “Dancin’ on the Ceiling” by Lionel Richie.  I pray we’re gonna be getting an impromptu “Stevo attempting to dance” cession about 3:25pm CT tomorrow.
* “Penny Lover” by Lionel Richie.  I’m pretty sure I’d be barred from tailgating if I left this off the Mixologist’s List.
* “Country Girl” by Luke Bryan.  I wouldn't complain if one shook it for me.
* “Borderline” by Madonna.  Her first major hit, is still her best.
* “Shining Star” by the Manhattans.  No matter how much you think you do … you have NO idea how much I LOVE this song.
* “Every Monday” by the Marvelous 3.  Ditto for this one.
* “Sugar Buzz” by the Marvelous 3.  Please guys, don’t hate me.  You’re getting benched for an all-time Chiefs traditional classic …
* “Come On Get Higher” by Matt Nathanson.  Sadly, I’m just about out of “that one time, when Stevo was baked off his ass” stories.  So I’ll just say this: it’s been almost four years now … and I still miss “The Couch”.
* “Modern Love” by Matt Nathanson.  Not up for discussion.

* “Electric Feel” by MGMT.  You gotta love a band that works the word "eel" into a song on multiple occasions.  Seriously, has anyone ever like seen an eel?  Are they electric?  Do they shock you when you touch them?  I've been to two aquatic playlands in my life: Sea World San Antonio and the new Sea Land down at Crown Center.  In both cases, I wasn't allowed to touch the living creatures floating in the water.  Although ... gee, do I go there ... f*ck it, this one's an instant classic.

Sea World San Antonio, May 1995.  We've just had a fun day doing the rides, having water gun fights, watching some dolphin show, just a generally great Sunday afternoon in the early summer heat.  As we're headed for the exits, "The Voice of Reason" is running the camcorder, and if I remember right, there were like eight of us in a pack as he's recording: me, said Voice of Reason, Jasson, my buddy Bunch, Sean, Julie, and a couple others I'm sure I'm forgetting.

Anyways,we get to the front gate, and there's this humongous, and I mean HUMONGOUS, black chick in a very revealing outfit pushing a stroller in front of us.  

Cue one of the funniest moments of my life, and remember, we're at Sea World.
(stevo) (seeing big chick in revealing outfit) whoa!  That's incredible!
(gregg) (perfectly deadpanned) even Shamu has left the building!

Brought the house down.  We were laughing so hard that the target of the joke even turned around to see what was so funny.

(casey kasem voice) and now, back to the countdown.

* “Kids” by MGMT.  Requested personally by Nebraska’s “former biggest drug runner!”
* “Time to Pretend” by MGMT.  It’s my favorite by them.  It’s on the rotation.
* “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson.  It’s definitely the one … but the kid is not it’s son.
* “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus.  For dancing potential alone.
* “Blame It On the Rain” by Milli Vanilli.  I should, but I can’t, cut this classic.
* “Float On” by Modest Mouse.  More good news for people who love bad news.
* “Daydream Believer” by the Monkees.  Over my dead, long-term buried body does this get benched.
* “Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC.  What?  It really is a great song!
* “Regulate” by Nate Dogg and Warren “To The” G.  RIP, Mr. Dogg.  RIP.
* “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond.  The annual Halloween party is Saturday.  Gotta get ready for my close-up.
* “Mr. Telephone Man” by New Edition.  I might have to kick the tires of some Bell Biv Devoe or Ralph Tresvant or Johnny Gill this week.
* “Heaven” by OAR.  Sorry, doesn’t cut it.
* “Stand by Me”, cover by Otis Redding.  Three minutes of greatness.
* “Innocent” by Our Lady Peace.  Listen closely, because I’m only going to type this at least five more times this year.  It’s my favorite song of all time.  It’s not going anywhere.
* “Nine in the Afternoon” by Panic! at the Disco.  I reserve the right to revisit this cut.
* “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins.  Tradition.

* “Easy Lover” by Phil Collins and Phillip Bailey.  "She’s an easy lover!  She gets a hold on you, believe it!  She’s like no other!  And before you know it, you’ll be on your knees!"  Cue a (at the time) seven year old Stevo in the car as his mom is singing along to this classic: “hey Mom?  Why would she make you get on your knees?”  There’s comedy, there’s high comedy, and then there’s the uncomfortable “how do I explain the joys of “being on your knees” to my seven year old kid” moments of hilarity.

* “Home” by Philip Phillips.  It’s the best song of 2012 so far.  Having noted that: what’s the deal with people having the same first and last names?  I mean, what, were your parents so baked when you were delivered that they could only come up with one name?  Seems kind of lazy to me.  Then again, I type that as a 35 year old with no kids that he’s aware of, no desire to have any kids anytime soon … and yet, has the name for his firstborn already lined up and picked out, be it a boy (Shea Marcus) or a girl (Bailey Nicole).  Clearly, I have mental issues.  (Ya think?)

* “Boom” by POD.  Tradition.
* “I Want It All” by Queen.  Not only tradition, not only got two “hey, I remember this from when the Chiefs used to play it after we won a game!” compliments last week … it’s getting at least one playmate.  Stay tuned.
* “Stand” by Rascal Flatts.  God, the Chiefs need to do this on Sunday.
* “Endless Summer Nights” by Richard Marx.  I can’t bench it.  I like it too much.
* “Higher and Higher” by Rita Coolidge.  Probably THE “Stevo must have chosen this one” track in Mixology Game Tres.  Because nobody else would probably vote it in.
* “Beer 30” by the Rivermaster.  We’re always beer thirsty.
* “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell.  Dumped.
* “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon and Garfunkle.  Barely in.

* “The denver broncos?!?!”, clip from “The Simpsons”.  I have a feeling two tailgating traditions are coming out of unforced retirement this week: my beloved Rolling Rock chair (which is on life support) ... and the “lynched donkey”, a full eight weeks early.  If we’re going down, if this season is crapping out tomorrow, then by God, it’s crapping out with a lynched donkey somewhere on the tailgating premises!  If only so that everyone can take a whack at him, pinata style.

* “Breakaway”, cover by the cast of “Smash”.  What was I thinking.  Or more specifically, drinking.
* “Gin and Juice” by Snoop Dogg.  No question.
* “Faded” by soul Decision.  Yes.  Yes, yes, yes.
* “I Don’t Remember Last Night” by Sunny Ledford.  Tradition.
* “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor.  I’m not benching it.
* “Fuck Her Gently” by Tenacious D.  It’s too damned funny to leave off the list.
* “Don’t Leave Me This Way” by Thelma Houston.  It’s too damned good to leave off the list.
* “Out of my Head” by Theory of a Deadman.  In the 10-12 “Yup, Stevo pick” tracks.
* “I Like It, I Love It” by Tim McGraw.  Let’s hope he didn’t pick last night to catch his first Braves game of the year.
* “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” by Toby Keith.  Whatever I may think of our racist-in-chief, at least he got osama.
* “Save Me, San Francisco” by Train.  I LOVE this song.
* “Downfall” by TRUST Company.  One of the 2000’s most underrated efforts.
* “Beautiful Day” by U2.  Maybe I’m alone on this, but when you hear the opening to this song, don’t you just smile and suddenly feel better?  And by the time you hit the chorus, don’t you just sing along “it’s a beautiful day!!!”?  You don’t?  Oh, never mind then.  I guess that’s just a me thing.
* “We Are the World” by USA for Africa.  I need the space.  Might get revisited.

* “DJ Got Us Falling In Love” by Usher featuring Pitbull.  From the “how clueless am I” file: did you know Pitbull is white?  No, really, he’s white!  Also, I used to live with a pitbull.  The English language has not yet come up with a word to describe how much I hated that damned dog.  To say nothing of his owner.  

Although, to be fair, we never once locked the door the entire time that dog was there.  I mean, why bother?  That thing would tear your balls off if you so much as turned around in the driveway.  If you really want the flat screen that much, take it!  

But you know who really hated that dog?  My ol’ buddy, ol’ pal, ol’ puppy Priest.  Thor (the pit bull) tried to hump Priest once.  Priest literally bit off part of his ear, chewed up his nose, and Thor had to wear one of those collar thingies around his neck for a couple days while the damage healed.  You can say a lot of things about my Special Little Puppy, but he was the straightest dog you’ll ever know.  (And lazy, fat, overweight, we get it, we get it.  Still, he held his own when he had to.  My lil’ brawler!)

* “Lil Freak” by Usher, featuring Nicki Minaj.  Yes please.
* “Yeah!” by Usher, featuring Lil’ Jon and Ludacris.  I should bench it, because every time it comes on, I immediately flash back to the b.s. foul on Aaron Miles (his fifth) to open overtime of the Elite Eight game in 2004 between KU and Georgia Tech.  I swear, if I wind up in a layer of hell someday, Satan’s just gonna have Jarrett Jack’s overtime performance on a continual loop that I am forced to watch.  Dude was a stud that day.  Unfortunately.
* “Right Here, Right Now” by Van Halen.  I reserve the right to revisit this if I need an additional slot.
* “Vanover Punt Return for TD”, vs Chargers, 1995.  A one week only addition last week, given the opponent.
* “Freedom” by Wham!  I reserve the right to revisit this, and sneak it onto the playlist at 6:26am tomorrow morning.
* “Toes” by the Zac Brown Band.  Sounds like a damned good idea considering it’s 36 degrees out and cloudy as can be right now.

I count 108 spots spoken for, which means there’s at least 30 openings to fill.  Let’s get it started!  And no, that shitty ass band will NEVER appear in Mixology.  EVER.  Don’t even bother to ask, it’s a settled issue.  (Said band) is the WORST recording act to EVER be unleashed on the masses.  It ain’t happening.

Let’s start instead with six songs I chose, from three different bands, that inexplicably have not appeared yet so far, despite their awesome status as being … well, awesome.  In band alphabetical order:

* “Hotel California” by the Eagles (live version from the “Hell Freezes Over” album).  How, in the name of God, has this not been included yet?  I mean, how?  You know – admit it, you KNOW – that the SECOND this song pops up on the playlist, if there’s the usual 25-30 people at the tailgate?  AT LEAST 20 of them will instantly start clapping along in pleasing response with the audience when it dawns on them what the song is, and will then immediately join Don Henley: “On a dark desert highway!  Cool wind in my hair!”  Jesus, I love this song.  Especially this version of it.

* “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire.  Was I asleep at the wheel?  Drunk at the dais?  How has this not been in Mixology yet?

* “Get Off Of My Cloud” by the Rolling Stones.  There are songs that make you smile.  There are songs that make you bob your head, fake drum with your hands, even sing along.  And then, there’s “Get Off Of My Cloud”, that just makes you feel that damned happy to have heard it.  “I said hey!  You!  Get off of my cloud!”

* “Gimme Shelter” by the Rolling Stones.  “It’s just a shot away!  It’s just a shot away!  Oh Children!  It’s just a shot away!  It’s just a shot away!”

* “Start Me Up” by the Rolling Stones.  I haven’t sat in 109 in what, 12, 13 years now?  And I STILL miss the dude behind me and Jasson screaming “START US UP!” at every kickoff.  And of course, my favorite songs by the Stones:

* “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones.  It’s cool, sing along.  You know the words.  Hell, I’m about to sing as I type.  “Please allow me to introduce myself, I’m a man of wealth and taste.  I’ve been around for a long, long year; stole many a man, and sold his fate.  I was ‘round when Jesus Christ had his moment on the stage.  Made damned sure that Pilate washed his hands, and sealed his fate.  Pleased to meet you!  Won’t you guess my name!  But what’s puzzling you is the nature of my game …”

And in the interest of restoring more traditional, uplifting, classic rock / anthem themes to Mixology (aka “stop overthinking it, just put happy fun songs on there Stevo!”), here’s five more I should have put on a long, long time ago (aka “week uno”), one song of which is so epically incredible, I included BOTH versions of it that hit numero uno on the charts, twenty years apart.  In no particular order:

* “Down On the Corner” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.  It’s cool, belt it out!  “Down on the corner!  Out in the street!  Willie and the poor boys are playing!  Bring a nickel, tap your feet!”

* “Up Around the Bend” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.  God I love this song.

* “Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.  Written by the great Stevie Nicks.  Performed epically.  Love this track.  But not as much as I love the two versions of the next song …

* “Layla”, the original by Derek and the Dominoes, the unplugged version by Eric Clapton (solo).  In all seriousness, has ANY version of a song EVERYONE knows EVER sounded less like the original, and yet is loved (arguably) even more than the original?  I usually hate “remakes”, or “covers”, which is why you see few of those in Mixology.  When the original is that damned good, leave it alone.  But in this case?  They’re both amazing!  How can you pick between the two?  The answer, of course, is that I can’t.  Which is why both versions are headed into Mixology Game Tres.  And probably games quatro, cinco, sies, siete, and ocho.  (And God willing, nueve and dies.)

And since I’m only 11 pages in, story time!  It was a tailgate in 2006, and I’m guessing it was the Chargers game, when the original “Layla” came onto whatever we were listening to, and Dusty looks at me and goes “what the hell is this song”?  I respond, “it’s Layla!  Eric Clapton!  Although his band was Derek and the Dominoes back then”.  Dusty’s reply: “this ain’t Layla!”  The lesson?  I might be dumb, I might be naïve, but when it comes to useless trivia?  Don’t f*ck with the master. 

Now, for the next batch of choices, I turn the Playlist over to the lovely KJ, who chimed in with a few requests for the week.  Well, let me clarify that: she requested the artist, and since I didn't recognize one of them (the last one), I grabbed the two most popular downloads on iTunes for them:

* “Little Lion Man” by Mumford and Sons.  Not my cup of tea, but hey, I try to honor requests.
* “Roll Away Your Stone” by Mumford and Sons.  Not bad.
* “The Cave” by Mumford and Sons.  Not good.
* “Burn It Down” by AWOLNATION.  I’d never heard it before, but I kinda liked it.
* “Not Your Fault” by AWOLNATION.  Not too shabby.

* “Sail” by AWOLNATION.  Downloaded and added solely and completely because it was their most popular download on iTunes.  This song is sh*tty as sh*tty can be.  Although (hey, another random sidebar rant!), I do love how over the last 5, 6, 7 years, everyone has a "nation".  I get that Dale Earnhardt Jr. pretty much started the trend with Junior Nation, but come on, how can you not love this fad?  AWOL Nation.  I'm sure those are some reliable, dependable, respectable folks that make up that voting block.

* “Crystalized” by The Xx.  I feel cheated – isn’t this band missing an X in there (rimshot!)
* “Islands” by The Xx.  You’re welcome chica, because listening to these last two tracks damned near drove me to suicide.  If I picked the wrong songs, or you know of better options, please, by all means, you know how to reach me.  Plenty o’ time to update and swap if necessary.

That’s 127 tracks accounted for, and the iPod Nano holds about 140, give or take a couple.  So allow me a few more classic tracks, and just like Itzhak Stern in “Schindler’s List”, I’ll leave a blank space at the bottom of the page for any late additions.

* “I Like Beer” by Tom T. Hall.  As fun as fun gets.
* “Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)” by the Hollies.  Another “how did this not get included three Mixology lists ago” oversight.
* “Could You Be Loved” by Bob Marley.  Yes, yes you could.  (dusty voice) thanks for the second track buddy!  (stevo voice) just so long as "we need brown sugar" was said to your better half when it came time to make the cookies.  

(Note: if you don't get why that's funny, use your imagination.  Also, if you don't get the "giving jello shots to a kid" references that constantly fly on this site and amongst me and my friends, click on the link above.  Yes, I really did give a jello shot to a 12-14 year old.  And yet somehow, at "My Special Little Guy"'s first birthday?  I was voted only THIRD most likely to give the A-Man his first adult beverage.  The lesson?  As always, "its my family".)

* “Open Arms” by Journey.  Hang on, hang on – last week during the pre-opening tailgate, the bus next to us had this song come on their playlist … and I swear to Christ, EVERYONE started singing along.  And I thought “wow, this actually is a pretty cool little song, even if it violates every “tailgate approved” rule you can envision”.  So it’s added.  You’re welcome?

Plus, as the second sign that I should add this, whatever the hell local channel our ION station is, played the awesome “Cold Case” episode that featured the songs of Journey earlier this week.  That one’s probably my third favorite “Cold Case” episode, behind only “The Hen House” and “Forever Blue”.  So the song’s added, for one week at least.

* “Love Song” by 311.  Who says I can’t be sentimental.
* “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO.  Sadly, LMFAO is no mas apparently.  But what a run they had.

And in the words of Soren Petro, “Final Four Time”:

* “I Hate Myself for Loving You” by Joan Jett and the Blackhawks.  Please, no “you sending out a bowling theme song” requests when this one pops up.  I’m still too pissed off to compose one.  Thanks.
* “Somebody to Love” by Jefferson Airplane.  An all time classic.
* “Killer Queen” by Queen.  Awesome song.  And finally, possibly THE grousest omission so far …
* “Superfreak” by Rick James.  Hell yes, it’s Rick James, b*tch!

See ya Sunday!

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week twelve picks

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