mix tape

“Now, the making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art. Many do's and don'ts. First of all you're using someone else's poetry to express how you feel. This is a delicate thing.” – High Fidelity

There are some songs that always make it onto my mix tapes. I made the ultimate road trip mix a few months ago and just recently found it and slapped that sucker on the iPod and listened to it to and from work today. Below is the track listing for my traveling CD and notes. Rock on.

Don’t Give Up on Me – Graham Colton Band
This song was word for word a description of a trip we made in the summer to Boston and back. We left around 1 am and made it there right before 6 am. Akiva and TM had a show in Boston and we wanted to visit Jackman. We had to leave the next morning for another show in DE and work but a road trip is always a good decision.

“Don't give up on me tonight
We've come this far we've made good time
And all the light of the world is somewhere else
We drove all night in this old car
The morning light the faded stars
And every day I find I'm someone else
But every day I get closer to myself”

Dear Chicago – Ryan Adams
I just really really like Ryan Adams and it’s a must for any mix tape.


Fast Moving Cars – The Clarks

"Empty bottles on an empty stage
End of story on the final page
Of a book that no one knows about
This is it this is my last goodbye
This is where my dreams go to die
In the trash behind the record shop"

All or None – Omnisoul
I can’t give my guys enough justice in this little snippet. If you’re reading this, you know why they are important to me and why I have them on my mix tape. It’s always hard to pick which Omnisoul song, to go onto a compilation.

"i know there’s a way for me to make dreams happen
it’s all or none

all or none

this life’s a blur, still i remain secure
no self control taught me to break the mold
achieve great things in ways not every man thinks
question the truth
there’s nothing stopping you"

Rolling Home – Tyler Hilton
Marissa gets credit for discovering Tyler after finding an eye catching poster at a bar. We used to see him in hazy coffee shops, now look at him. Aurora and I claim that this is the theme song to our life.

“Traveling Sunday
Is fine west of here
Most folks are staying at home
If you want to come on
You better meet me there
Cause I've got some country to own”

Anywhere But Here – Georgia Avenue
A pocket of us really liked this band years ago. GA always made it onto our mix tapes in college. To escape a sucky relationship I spent a lot of time in my room with my stereo. Though this is the only part of the song that matched up, I really liked the words. How the one person I shouldn't have had to prove myself to tried to keep me down the most, and well, here I am and there you are. Summed up.

"I think I'll try to catch my dreams.

I'm sorry that you don't believe

chances are I’ll come up empty handed again

but I'll also be the last to leave"

Sooner of Later – Michael Tolcher
“and playing in the rain is worth catching cold” – my sentiments exactly. This song also reminds me of Tanya, because she also likes playing in the rain.


Who Needs Sleep – Barenaked Ladies
This song is necessary for any roadtrip since usually we fuel ourselves with coffee and drive through most of the night. I remember this song coming on several times while driving back from NC. It was one of the few trips that I thought I was going to throw up from too much coffee.

“My hands are locked up tight in fists
My mind is racing filled with lists
Of things to do and things I’ve done
Another sleepless night’s begun”

Laughing Tuesdays Gone – Akiva
Akiva used to be on our mix tapes and we didn’t know him. Now we do and he can always be counted on to steal a bed whenever he is nearby. The girls always shout the last line, thinking we’ll start a trend – it hasn’t caught on yet.

“White men in suits
money clips no time
thinking that they own the world
BUT I BELIEVE IT’S MINE”

Rocksteady – Marc Broussard

“I think I feel like sleepin in
I won't woke up 'til Friday night
The moment the weekend begins
I'm packing up my ride and I'm leaving”

Catch My Disease – Ben Lee

This just a fun song and one that stuck out at my birthday show.

Revolution – The Beatles

Reminds me of New Years 2003 at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach in the green room. One of my favorite rock and roll memories.

Mix Tape – Brand New

I love Brand New. Another great rock and roll memory – Dan and I having all access passes to one of their shows, which also included their couch to sleep on. One night in August Akiva, Chris, Carolina, Ed, and I were privileged enough to hear Dan play this song after I made him several of my special drink concoctions. That night was one of my favorite summer memories.

“and I know that you're a sucker for anything acoustic…”

Such Great Heights –Postal Service

As soon as I got this CD I had to drive to NYC by myself and back ad totally forgot to bring my CDs except for this one. After listening to the CD for almost the entire ride to and from, I decided that I liked this track the best.

“When you are out there on the road for
Several weeks of shows and when you scan the radio
I hope this song will guide you home”

See You Soon – Stephen Kellogg

I enjoy the sweet tunes of SK and his Sixers. I remember going to Deer Park with Dan for happy hour, then back to my apartment and putting Yuengling in our UD mugs and drinking during the show on campus. It was awesome – especially because we both didn’t go there anymore.

“But somewhere east of that solo and a little bit west of the bridge
Was the singular kind of moment you remember as long as you live
Sometimes just before showtime, I swear I might end up crying
Letting go of my fears and my landlords
That’s the difference between living and dying
As kids we’d pretend to be pirates
And talk about starting a band
But the older that we got, the more that we forgot
That greed and treasure go hand in hand”

Simple Things – Charlie Mars

Everytime I look at this CD I think of how Akiva evaluated and equated Charlie to a tree. Don’t ask, it makes perfect sense if you read between the lines and look at the pictures.

"when you're lost in that house

you can't make it there on your own”

Mid-November – Johnathan Rice

Rice was one of my radio finds. I got his EP as soon as it was pressed and delivered to the station. I loved it. I also got his CD (the one that STILL isn’t out yet) last winter and it’s one of the best recordings I have ever heard. Last spring I spent my Tuesdays driving up to New York City to hang out with Ken, Steve, Jodie, Maryellen, Katie, and Tanya at the Living Room to see this kid for free. Stunning.

“love is always looking for an open grave”

Music Was Saved – Starsailor

Aurora and I become friends at a Starsailor show years ago and hug out with them at the East End – “see ya in London!” Last time we went to see them last year in Philly (with Johnathan Rice), James Walsh gave Aurora and I the mic…then…we…walked out…and left…and went to Wilmington…to see LDE. We still haven’t let ourselves live that one down.

“Oh my friends we landed in December,
Creating something for you to remember,

The rushes were made, and music was saved

One two three she's riding up to heaven

Four five six I'm wired up to eleven,

The rushes were made, and music was saved”

This is What I Do – Rhett Miller

This is my favorite Rhett Miller song. Ken and Steve sung the chorus on my radio station and I think it may have been the first time I cried on air from laughter. Gilligan had to leave the room. I’m always leaving…hell, it’s what I do.

“I'm gonna sing this song forever about a girl that I once knew
And how she is always leaving this is what I do
This is what I do for a living this is what I do”