The amazingly cool/creative/funny Sister Libby over at Ice Cube Confidential recently posted her "Coffee Shop Mix-tape," and it was so great that I was inspired to create one of my own. I've always secreted desired owning my own coffee shop..... a quaint but not cramped space in an old brownstone in a historic part of a town like Boston or Burlington, Vermont, decorated in my favorite quirky style, where I could sell my favorite books and some fair trade items from places like Nepal and Peru. I would bake all my own... baked goods, sell as much tea as I did coffee, and I would have a super-small stage where local artists could perform on open-mic nights. Sigh. If only. And perhaps most importantly, I could chose my own perfect soundtrack. And everyone would love my coffee shop so much that they would spurn the Starbucks around the corner... and that other one around the OTHER corner. When dreaming up my Coffee Shop Mix, my mind immediately went to spare acoustic songs, but then I realized that if I would be in said shop, I might get weary of those kind of songs, and who wants to be sad all the time? So I mixed that kind of song a lot into my mix, since I have plenty of those on my iPod, but I also mixed in some more upbeat tunes.
“New Romantic”- I just discovered Laura Marling, and her voice is so surprising; she’s this tiny little blond, milky-skinned fairy-tale creature, and this soulful, alluring, smooth voice comes out of her. I also suggest “The Captain and the Hourglass.”
“Criminal”- She was 17 when she wrote this. 17. And this song is one of the best I’ve ever heard. I’m 16. This makes me angry at God for not granting me more talent.
“First Day Of My Life”- I love Bright Eyes. I love this song. I suggest that you watch the video. It’s so sweet.
“New Slang”- You’ve all seen Garden State. But this song hits me deep every single time I listen to it, and I can listen to it over and over and over. It just transports me to a different plane of living. This is the only version I could find though, it’s different than the one I have… I really really want to learn this on guitar… which might take a while. Oh, and just to be obnoxious, I loved this song before I saw aforementioned movie. :P
“Angeles”- I couldn’t find the recorded version, but every time I listen to Elliott Smith, a switch is hit somewhere inside me, and I am constantly in awe of his genius, every song is a work of art.
“Love You Much Better”- The Hush Sound is probably my favorite band without a member named Ringo or Lennon, and I wanted to put “Where We Went Wrong” on the mix, but they didn’t have it. Wah wah wah.
“I Will Follow You Into the Dark”- I hear those opening chords, and I simply melt. Ben Gibbard’s voice and lyrics…. “If heaven and hell decide/ that they both are satisfied/ illuminate the “no’s” on their vacancy signs/ if there’s no one beside you/ when your soul embarks/ then I’ll follow you into the dark/… so sweet, so poignant, yet also slightly dark.
“One Of These Things First”- Nick Drake’s music is autumn in song form.
“Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”- To lighten things up a bit.
“Aux Champs Elysees”- Do I have any idea what the hell he’s saying? Of course not. Does that keep me from loving this buoyant, joyful song to bits? Of course not!
“Naked As We Came”- I actually use this song as a lullaby. Weird, I know. But it’s so soothing.
“Portions For Foxes”- Guitar-driven, but it’s a light song, and I love it.
“Sweet Baby James”- My mom always said that if she had the opportunity to run off with any celebrity, it would be James Taylor, which I always thought was really weird because he’s gross and old and bald. But I can’t deny how much I love his music, and the uniqueness of his voice.
“Just Like Heaven”- SHOW ME SHOW ME SHOW ME HOW YOU DO THAT TRICK… The guitar riff is killllllller.
“Hey Jude”- This is the part in my coffee-house fantasy where one person starts singing along, and then one more, and eventually the whole place breaks into song. Like in Almost Famous. And a lot of swaying is involved.
“Spit On A Stranger”- My dad got me into this band when I was around eight, and their first album was really bluegrass, but their second was this amazing mix of bluegrass and jazz, and I’ve listened to it so many times that it’s all scratched up. This is a cover of a Pavement song, and I love Chris Thile’s (lead singer and mandolin player! Hell yes!) voice and skillz.
“Tangled Up In Blue”-…It’s Bob Dylan.
“Life Is A Song”- This was the last song they played on “The O.C.” and the lyrics, gentle guitar, and honesty of Patrick Park’s voice are what have made it one of my most played songs. “We always forget how strange it is just to be alive at all.”
“Vienna”- I listen to old people’s music, don’t I?
I'm going to go make myself some tea. Oo, and PLEASE make your own coffee-house mix, but be sure to credit Sister Libby for starting the movement.
peace!
a.
P.S. I can't stop listening to "Buddy Holly" by Weezer. It's so catchy, and the music video is absolutely astounding, check it out or be lame. Ouch. That must've STUNG.
3 comments:
your mix is wonderful! i'm still listening to it (in a seperate window) as I type. it would be the quintessential coffeshop mix, laidback, but light (as you said depressing songs get to you after awhile haha). also your coffeshop sounds perfect- i wish real bakeries still existed, i dunno if these is an unfortunate phenomenon across the country, but Minnesota has no true local bakeries. I'm dying for one, so I assume people would be dying for yours. And I like the idea of selling favorites books. oh man this sounds so much fun...like you said if only if only...
as for the songs you picked:
-new romantic is quite a charming little song
-that is the best bright eyes song, sooo sweet
-new slang, still my favorite of their's and they have a lot of great songs
-angeles, haunting and pretty like all elliott
-haha aux champs...funny little song, old, and i love it
-naked as we came is a bizarre little morbid love song, but it is lullaby-esque yes
-portions for foxes, jenny lewis lyrics at her best hehe
-just like heaven is the catchiest cure song! great riff, you're right!
-love your hey jude note- it would be awesome if everyone did just start singing, it is a good sing along song, that is my fav part of the almost famous too...
-and vienna, i love billy joel, i saw billy joel actually, he rocked haha, its a good song
sorry long comment, but i just adored this post! great job!
I love your mix. More than mine. I'll comment more on it later bc I'm at work.
Ok, real comment time. Ready?
1. Laura Marling=A Genius. She sings about something, and I will have one of those "OMG. That's so true! Why havent' I thought of that" moments.
2. Don't feel bad about not being Fiona Apple.
3. I take it that you love Bright Eyes. I do too. This song makes you want to sit down and think, huh? That's an excellent business strategy for a coffee shop owner. Well...you won't be fooling me bud!
4. The shins are wonderful.
5. The Elliot Smith song didn't work, but I love him.
6. I think duets are my favorite songs. Not the bad ones...but good duets are lovely.
7.I saw death cab, and when he played "I will follow you into the dark", the whole place was silent. That's one of my funeral song options. Morbid. Sorry.
8. You are so right about Mr. Drake.
9. Light! Yes.
10. I caught about two words. I want to go to France.
11. How the hell did I miss Iron & Wine? Probably some of the best coffee music...EVER.
12. Love this song.
13. I have a james taylor record...but he reminds me of Toy Story. His song was in that right?
14. The Cure are probably my favorite eyeliner wearing band.
15. I've been trying for that same "almost famous" scene on school trips for the past three years, so I totally feel you.
16. I love this song. I actually saw Nickel Creek when I was in Missoula, Montana a few years ago. Weird.
17.Favorite Dylan song.
18.I watched that last episode. And I have several "mixes from the OC".
19.Sigh...I listen to this too. I want my own apartment, to play this song in.
I think this is my longest comment ever.
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