Infiltrating the Boy’s Club

…one blog post at a time.

You can totally blame this on Blake (and thinking back over all the time I knew him in college a lot of stuff seemed to get blamed on Blake), because he started it. Robert rose admirably to the challenge and then Carl chimed in with his own choices. Feeling that it was unfair that females were shut out of this little game (due in large part to the fact that none of the male participants have girlfriends) I thought that I would contribute my thoughts on the subject. So here it is, The Blissfully Unaware ‘I’m stranded on a deserted island and I’ll never hear any other music but what I have on this CD’ Mix. All choices will be backed up with reasoning for their inclusion and I promise that I won’t cop out with a cheap answer like: “Because I’m a girl,” or “OMG! BEST SONG EVER!!!”

(Blogger’s Note: These songs are in no particular order because I tend to listen to a mix CD on shuffle anyway.)

She’s Always a Woman to Me: Billy Joel
A lover’s ballad from back in the days when Billy was still bringing his ‘A’ game (Can a girl really use sports clichés? I’ll have to ask the guys about this…). In this lyrical look at what attracts a man to a woman, Billy not only points out the flaws in the object of his affection but explains that these are the reasons he loves her. *Sigh*

Into the Mystic: Van Morrison
A smooth mix of blues and soul, this song is about a spiritual quest. And where better to have a song about an introspective spiritual quest then when you are stranded on a deserted island with a lot of free time on your hands? Though not my absolutely favorite Van Morrison, I would find it a lot more comforting. Plus, I just really like it.

Maybe I’m Amazed: Paul McCartney and Wings
“Maybe I’m a man and maybe you’re the only woman who could ever help me…” This is considered to be one of McCartney’s greatest love songs, written for his wife Linda immediately following the breakup of the Beatles. You can hear the love McCartney has for his wife in every line, the need to be near her, the comfort he takes from her…and there isn’t a woman on the planet who can’t appreciate the sentiment.

Farther Down: Matthew Sweet
I doubt that you have heard of this one, but it is a great song nonetheless. Written in the vein of ‘Every Breath You Take’ by the Police, this song of obsessive longing lacks that ‘creepy stalker’ vibe that Sting perfected in his hit single.

Time in a Bottle: Jim Croce
It’s simple, it’s beautiful, it’s acoustic, and we should all love someone that much.

Tiny Dancer: Elton John
There is just something about this song. Every time I hear it I just have to sing along and once I’m stranded on the island I might even make up a little dance to go with it.

Midnight Train to Georgia: Gladys Knight and the Pips
Ah, Motown. This is the music that I grew up on and there is something about this song that just says with me. Have I ever loved someone enough to give up everything and follow them across the country? No. And once I’m stranded on an island my chances are even slimmer. But hey, it’s a great song.

Signal Fire: Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I’m noticing a trend in my song choices for this game…a lot of romance and a lot of longing…which I’m sure says something about me but we won’t go there. If you haven’t heard this song yet I recommend that you snag it off iTunes.

Pieces: Dan Powell
Would you look at that? Another love song…geez! But it’s a great song, and the sentiment is beautiful. This one is from the soundtrack of the movie ‘A Knight’s Tale’ starring the late Heath Ledger. And (and yes, I know you shouldn’t start a sentence with and) every time I have this CD in my car this song is on repeat for at least two days.

Dancing in the Moonlight: King Harvest
Perhaps my favorite ‘oldie’ of them all. This song is mellow and melodic, is easy to dance to and fun to sing along with. Since there won’t be much in the way of night life on my deserted island I suppose that dancing in moonlight will be a pretty standard form of entertainment…good thing I like this song.

When the Morning Comes: Hall & Oats
I’ll admit it, though LibraryDiva already knew, I’m a Hall & Oats fan. Chances are that you’re a fan of theirs too…but you just don’t realize that the song you’ve been singing along with on the radio was performed by them. This was a tough choice because there are about a dozen of their songs that could have taken a slot on this list. An odd choice perhaps, what with this being a song about being stood up by your lover.

Bittersweet Symphony: The Verve
Perhaps one of the most enduring songs of the late 90s, I have yet to encounter someone who does not like this song. This one not only dredges up memories from my last year of high school (not always a good thing) but it also reminds me of what a different time the in my life that was. Plus, I just really like it.

Day by Day: Robin Lamont and the Cast of Godspell
Okay, as cheesy as this is going to sound, this song sums up what it means to be a Christian in modern times better than any other song I’ve heard. The fact that it comes from an award winning Broadway musical is really just another plus.

Street Corner Symphony: Rob Thomas
My favorite single off Rob’s solo album ‘Something to Be.’ You can sing to it, dance to it, or just lay on the sand and listen to it while you work on your tan.

Don’t Stop Me Now and Somebody to Love: Queen
Because if I’m gonna be stranded on a deserted island then by God, I will be singing at top of my lungs to something written by Freddie Mercury…and these are two of the best.