Mix Tape of the Day: January 17, 2015 - It's Time to Party!

Today was the beginning of the Patras Carnival in Greece.  An overly simplified version of this celebration is that people just party hard for days until Clean Monday.  When Clean Monday rolls around, you straighten up and life by the rules for the rest of the year, until the next Patras Carnival when you can let loose and splurge and drink to excess all over again.

In honor of this festival of Dionysus, the god of wine and parties, here is your party mix for the day! [EXPLICIT LYRICAL CONTENT AHEAD]

1. It's Time to Party - Andrew W.K. (2001) When it comes to partying, no one does it better than Andrew W.K.  He also made a 13-song party mix so today's mix is definitely inspired by his choices and tunes.  And of all the songs to start with, none are better than his own personal intro that quickly gets the point across that it is indeed time to party.

2. Get the Party Started - Pink (2001) Andrew W.K. wasn't the only one telling us to start partying in 2001.  Pink solidified herself as everyone's party starter for the 21st century (Black Eyed Peas, excepted).

3. Cheers (Drink to That) - Rihanna (2010) And here comes Rihanna to get the drinks flowing, reminding us to forget our problems of normal life.  Cheers to the freakin' weekend!

4. Shots - LMFAO ft. Lil Jon (2009) 2009-2010 seemed to be big years for partying.  Maybe I was just more aware of parties during this time, but it seems like the best party songs come out of this mini-era.  LMFAO certainly tried to be the party gods.  They were successful, but I'm one of those folks who can't stand them.  Except for "Shots!"  That's how you make an over-the-top party song.

5. Tequila - The Champs (1958) Party songs aren't just for us youngin's.  While party songs of the past were tamer, they were no less inspiring.  Sometimes a simple ditty and saying "Tequila" three times is all you need to get a party hopping.

6. Whoomp! (There It Is) - Tag Team (1993) Is it weird that this was my favorite song when I was 5-years-old.  I had the cassette single and everything, sharing the shelf with my Sesame Street and Raffi tapes.  Yeah, I knew how to party then.

7. We Like to Party - The Vengaboys (1998) You didn't expect corny Europop in this mix?  Then you obviously need to rethink your attitude towards partying.

8. (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!) - Beastie Boys (1986) Amusingly, this satire on the party atmosphere of youth culture became said culture's anthem.  Whoops!

9. Party in the U.S.A. - Miley Cyrus (2009) I wasn't the biggest fan of this song originally.  But after listening to it three times in its entirety in one short film that I participated in in college...I had to include it.

10. Like a G6 - Far East Movement (2010) This was originally going to be one of my Best of 2010 songs because I have such a vivid 2010 memory associated with it.  But it's also a great "getting drunk" song.  Let's just say, I will never hear this song again without picturing the night when everything went crazy.

11. Tik Tok - Kesha (2009) Here's another song that grew on me.  It was so in your face about the party lifestyle, which was everything that was the opposite of my own life.  But Kesha gets it.

12. Party Hard - Andrew W.K. (2001) Andrew W.K. is back again, reminding us to party hard.  W.K. also included this song on his mix because...it is just the perfect party song and he just happened to write it.

13. The Wine Song - The Cat Empire (2003) I had to have one wine song on here.  I felt that "Red Red Wine" and "Spill the Wine" didn't quite fit the aesthetic I was going for with this mix.  So here's this obscure song from Australia that seems to be every drinking song rolled into one.  I don't know if it's right for every party, but I could see this becoming a jam at the parties I like to attend.