Mix Tape of the Day: May 6, 2015 - Boys Day

Yesterday (5/5) was a lot of days.  Since I covered Girls Day before, I figured I should follow that up with Boys Day as well.  There aren't as many fun songs with "boy" in the title (people tend to go with "guy") so I also included words like "boyfriend" and "cowboy."  Oh boy!

1. Bad Boys - Inner Circle (1993) A lot of songs about boys are particularly about the "bad boys."  Compared to the "good girls," it appears we, as a species, enjoy alliteration.

2. Bad Boyfriend - Garbage (2005) Well, if you like bad boys, you're gonna get a bad boyfriend.

3. Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? - Paula Cole (1996) But what if you want a good boy?  A cowboy?!  Well, they're all gone.

4. I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend - The Rubinoos (1979) I'm a little upset that the Rubinoos sued Avril Lavigne for "Girlfriend" which was clearly just a loving tribute to this song.  Come on! Power pop is supposed to be fun!

5. My Boyfriend's Back - The Angels (1963) Uh oh, now there is going to be a fight!

6. If I Were a Boy - Beyonce (2008) What if girls were boys?  Let's explore that topic over the next two songs.

7. Sometimes I Wish I Were a Boy - Lesley Gore (1964) Lesely Gore has a more famous song about boys, but this one was more fun (despite all the outdated look at gender roles that I hope is supposed to be ironic).

8. I Know What Boys Like - The Waitresses (1980) This one's here, don't worry.

9. Trouble with Boys - Loreta (1999) This is officially the hardest song to find.  A Lithuanian pop singer whose big hit appeared in that one episode of Friends ("The One with the Routine") is quite the needle in the digital media haystack.  But this song has always stuck with me.

10. American Boy - Estelle (2008) We had "American Girl" on the Girls Day mix, so it seemed only right.

11. Lonely Boy - The Black Keys (2011) Of the three famous "Lonely Boy" songs, this was my favorite.

12. The Boys of Summer - The Ataris (2003) I'm saving the Don Henley original for my summer mix, but I love this cover just as much.

13. My Boy - Elvis Presley (1974) And finally, a song from a father to a son that seems weirdly out of place on this mix.  The "My Girl" counterpart is called "My Guy" and thus, didn't meet this mix's requirements.

Mix Tape of the Day: April 1, 2015 - April Fools!

1. Dancin' Fool - Frank Zappa (1979)

2. Why Do Fools Fall in Love? - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers (1956)

3. Chain of Fools - Aretha Franklin (1967)

4. She's a Fool - Lesley Gore (1963)

5. Everybody Plays the Fool - The Main Ingredient (1972)

6. Fool in the Rain - Led Zeppelin (1979)

7. Fools - Alphaville (1994)

8. Foolish Games - Jewel (1995)

9. Lovefool - The Cardigans (1996)

10. The Fool - Lee Ann Womack (1997)

11. Foolin' - Def Leppard (1983)

12. Nobody's Fool - Cinderella (1986)

13. Outro (a.k.a. I'm a Fool to Want You) - M. Ward (2009)

Mix Tape of the Day: March 8, 2015 - Girl Power!

It's International Women's Day!  Let's celebrate with some of the best songs about female empowerment and independence.

1. Respect - Aretha Franklin (1967) Aretha Franklin took this song from Otis Redding, where the original context was about a man complaining about having no respect from his wife.  By switching the roles, Franklin created an anthem for the entire female population.

2. Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves - Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin (1985) Aretha Franklin's iconic status as a role model made her the perfect collaborator for this song.  Celebrating women's history rocks!

3. I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor (1978) Many empowering songs feature the narrator's discovery that they are so much more than their relationships.  :I Will Survive" is the poster child for this subgenre.

4. Survivor - Destiny's Child (2001) Serving as a spiritual successor to "I Will Survive," Destiny's Child takes a more proactive approach, claiming that they can move on quickly and without complaint.  And it doesn't just have to apply to relationships.  Any pitfalls in life can be climbed out of.

5. I'm Coming Out - Diana Ross (1980) Also used as a gay pride anthem, "I'm Coming Out" celebrates the freedom of being true to yourself and escaping oppression.

6. Wannabe - Spice Girls (1996) In a market filled with boy bands, the Spice Girls burst onto the scene, claiming "Girl Power!" as their rallying cry.  While the Spice Girls have since moved on, their catchphrase has remained a part of our cultural lexicon.

7. Bitch - Meredith Brooks (1997) Speaking of repurposing words, Meredith Brooks claimed this derogatory slur towards woman as her own, feeling no shame at all.  She's complicated and has flaws.  We all do.  Accept it.

8. You Don't Own Me - Lesley Gore (1963) A powerful song during the second wave feminist movement of the '60s, "You Don't Own Me" takes a stand against all guys who treat their women like property.  And at 17, that's a very bold move on Gore's part.

9. This One's for the Girls - Martina McBride (2003) McBride speaks directly to girls and women everywhere, giving support, letting them know that life can and will get better.  Plus, it's nice to have a song that acknowledges our Spaghetti-O's consumption.

10. Bad Reputation - Joan Jett (1980) A great punk rock song or the greatest punk rock song? No one has to fit into anyone's boxes.

11. Shake It Out - Florence and the Machine (2011) Hey, sometimes, life will get you down.  So when it gets too overwhelming, just shake it out.

12. Skyscraper - Demi Lovato (2011) Raspy-voiced Demi Lovato delivers a powerful performance in this emotionally devastating song.  It really feels like every struggle can be overcome when you listen to this song.

13. Beautiful - Christina Aguilera (2002) Finally, we end with a more direct message to the listener.  While most of the rest of these songs feature empowering statements for the singer that listeners can sing along to and imagine themselves in the role, this is a song specifically about "you."  You are important.  You are worthy.  You are beautiful.