Mix Tape of the Day: March 21, 2015 - Music from the O.C.: California, Here We Come

This is one of the first mixes I've wanted to do ever since starting this project, and I'm happy to finally have this opportunity.  Tomorrow, I'm heading to Orange County and that means it's time to share some of the brilliant, wonderful music of one of my favorite series of all time The O.C.  (I loved it mostly for the music. It was my first foray into the daunting world of indie music.)

1. California - Phantom Planet (2002) Gotta start with the series theme song of course.  Ever since that first episode premiered, this song has been forever linked with the west coast in my mind.  Fun fact! I watched the first episode of The O.C. when it premiered because I remember all the ads making it look like a terrible ridiculous show, so I wanted to see the train wreck.  Instead, I became a fan for life, due to the great writing, humor, pathos, and of course, the music.

2. Saturday Morning - Eels (2003) As I write this, it is Saturday morning.  And I've got a long day ahead of me.

3. Honey and the Moon - Joseph Arthur (2002) I received the first two O.C. mixes for my 17th birthday and I just fell in love with them.  Had they been vinyl records, they'd be worn to dust by now.  There weren't just fun songs.  There were songs that spoke to my heart.

4. A Lack of Color - Death Cab for Cutie (2003) One of the best characters on the show was the "geeky" Seth Cohen.  And he was our prototypical mid-2000s version of a geek.  But he wasn't an offensive stereotype.  He was self-aware and multi-dimensional.  He made the "Seth Cohen Starter Pack" to allow newcomers to get to know him better, so I had to include an element of that kit here in the form of this song.

5. We Used to Be Friends - The Dandy Warhols (2003) Maybe you know this as the Veronica Mars theme song (which was also a wonderful show), but I was first introduced to it through The O.C., so it will always be a part of my memories with that show.

6. Specialist - Interpol (2002) This one I can't quite put my finger on.  I don't really understand it, but I can't stop listening to it.

7. Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap (2005) Thanks to the hilarious "Dear Sister" sketch from SNL that spoofed the Season 2 finale of The O.C., this song has become somewhat of a joke.  But if you can remove yourself from that absurdity, you're left with a haunting song.

8. Something Pretty - Patrick Park (2003) I'm not one for lyrics in my songs.  It's often the music that gets me.  But this lovely folksy song just paints a great picture with it's imagery.  "I'm the 'OPEN' sign that's always busted." What a great metaphor.

9. Walnut Tree - Keane (2004) When I listened to my mixes, this would always be the song I'd look forward to the most.  Keane just has that effect on me.  I once listened to this song on a particularly long train ride as I was leaving a dear friend behind, never quite knowing when I'd see her again.  So now I've got that memory linked with this one.

10. Eastern Glow - The Album Leaf (2004) This is my go to sunrise song especially if you manage to see it after staying up all night.  But I haven't yet had the opportunity to synch the two up just right.  Hopefully there will be a sunrise in my future where I remember to play this song.

11. Dice - Finley Quaye (2003) Favorite moment of the series?  Well that has to be when Ryan races against the clock to tell Marissa he loves her at midnight on New Year's Eve.  Writing that out seems like such a cheeseball story element, but in context, with this song in the background, it is perfect television.

12. Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley (1994) Thanks to...Shrek, I was already a fan of this song.  But when Marissa played this song for Ryan in the second episode of the series, saying it reminded her of him, I knew that this was a special show.

13. Forever Young - Youth Group (2006) Here it is.  My second favorite song of all time.  A cover of Alphaville's "Forever Young" that was commissioned for the show.  Just as "Hallelujah" was the first song Marissa played for Ryan, this one was the last.  That "whatever song comes up next on the radio will be our song" scene is one of my favorites in the show's history.  My high school life ran right alongside that of Ryan, Marissa, Seth, and Summer.  I graduated when they graduated.  And this song came out just in time for the senior prom.  It was my end of the year anthem, and remains to this day my favorite song (save for one other).