Mystery Dance
Mystery Dance - A mix by Laurel
Made on the night of Wednesday, April 10th, 2002
1. Mystery Dance - Elvis Costello
2. One Dance - Dan Bern
3. I Was Dancing In A Lesbian Bar - Jonathan Richman
4. Rattle My Bones - the Suburbs
5. The Slacks - Trip Shakespeare
6. Daylight - the Judybats
7. Ooh La La - The Faces
8. Late At Night - The Subdudes
9. Vegematic - Steve Goodman
10. Anything You Want - Stephen Fearing (live)
11. U Li La Lu - Poi Dog Pondering
12. Everything Reminds Me Of My Dog - Jane Siberry
13. The Sound - Leslie Spit Treeo
14. Fly On A Plane - Christine Lavin
15. Door Number Three - Steve Goodman
16. A Chicken With Its Head Cut Off - Magnetic Fields
17. Queen of Quiet - Erin McKeown
18. Here I Am - Lyle Lovett (live)
19. Joe-Bob Rag - Hot Club of Cowtown
20. God Is A Real Estate Developer - Michelle Shocked
21. The Ten Commandments Song - Andy Breckman
22. Hell Froze Over Today - The Foremen
23. Talkin' Softball - Terry Cashman
Gory details:
1. Mystery Dance - Elvis Costello
Apologies if you own the soundtrack to the fine film _Zero Effect_ as that soundtrack starts with this track and continues with the next track. Bad me. Inspiration struck and then I realized I was totally not all that inspired, but stealing from one of my fave soundtracks. Anyway, there's other cool stuff on that soundtrack, it's worth tracking down (as is the movie). Anyway. Love Elvis Costello, love this song. And I'm lazy so decided to use this song title as the title for the mix. I think it sortof fits as this mix starts with songs that are sortof about dancing (sortof) and is rather upbeat and then there are God references and that sure is mysterious and well. Yeah. Whatever.
2. One Dance - Dan Bern
I (heart) Dan Bern. I'd forgotten somehow he had a song on the _Zero Effect_ soundtrack, but of course he does. I just never quite made the connection because I became a Bern fan separately. He's funny and strange and cool and if you ever get a chance to see him in concert, just go. This song is more polished than a lot of his material, I'm used to live rough folkier tracks I guess.
3. I Was Dancing In A Lesbian Bar - Jonathan Richman
I saw Jonathan Richman live at First Avenue sometime during the last year or so. I went to a show at First Avenue and someone handed me some free tickets for upcoming shows and one of those tix was for Jonathan Richman and well . . . I was curious. I mean, I'd heard of him for ages and had an album or two, but had never really Gotten Into Him if you know what I mean. It's not a concert I would've bought a ticket for, but boy was it a fun show (now I probably would buy a ticket). So much energy. And how can you not love this song? Well, I do. Now I need to complete my Jonathan Richman collection.
4. Rattle My Bones - the Suburbs
Whee! I love the Suburbs. They're sadly now defunct, tho there are rumors of a reunion sometime in the next year or two. A legendary Minneapolis band, most members were from the western suburbs (my stomping grounds). Quirky and strange and ghod I love them. Sadly enough before my time that I never really got to any shows (I was underage). This song is just so very fun, so very them, I've danced to it more times than I can count.
5. The Slacks - Trip Shakespeare
Another old Minneapolis band. I actually saw Trip Shakespeare live several times, back in the day. Own all their albums and EPs and whatnot. Two of the guys from the band went on to form Semisonic and make it big, the other brother from the band went solo and I have no idea what happened to Elayne the drummer. This was always a silly song, a novelty, but often requested at shows and Everyone got Way Too Into It. I don't know if this song really works unless you're a fan already or have seen the band live. It amuses me.
6. Daylight - the Judybats
I love this band, love this song. Pure pop fun. Most Judybats albums are out of print, but they do show up at used CD shops a fair bit for cheap and are well worth buying.
7. Ooh La La - The Faces
I loved the movie _Rushmore_ and this song plays at the end of the movie (and the soundtrack) and just always makes me happy. A different version has since appeared in a car commercial or something, but that doesn't stop me from loving it. Yes, I know it's an old song. Bad me for not having heard it really 'til the movie.
8. Late At Night - The Subdudes
This song always reminds me of a cool scene from an episode of _Homicide: Life on the Street_. I know, I'm a tv geek. It's a cool song by a cool band.
9. Vegematic - Steve Goodman
Steve Goodman is one of my all-time favorite songwriters. Sadly, he died of leukemia a while back. Seems like tons of my friends know his work, many play or sing his songs. I've almost every album of his on CD now, finally (it's been an ongoing project of mine). This song is a classic. And seemed a natural follow to "Late at Night."
10. Anything You Want - Stephen Fearing (live)
Stephen Fearing is another of those brilliant songwriters from Canada. I sortof fell at his feet this past year at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Trust me, he rocks. From a live album of his.
11. U Li La Lu - Poi Dog Pondering
I've been rediscovering my old Poi Dog Pondering albums and wondering why on earth I ever stopped listening to them. So fun! So upbeat! So very cool. I used to put this song on mixtapes back in the old old days, somehow I couldn't resist putting it on this mix even though any number of other Poi Dog Pondering songs would've fit, too.
12. Everything Reminds Me Of My Dog - Jane Siberry
Jane Siberry is a goddess. And I'm not just saying that 'cuz she sent me an autographed calendar recently. She just is. And this song is one of the cutest cleverist songs ever, IMHO. And hey-- it was featured in an episode of _The John Larroquette Show_-- how cool is that? Well, I think it's cool.
13. The Sound - Leslie Spit Treeo
I picked up an album by the Leslie Spit Treeo on a whim at a used CD shop years ago based on the fact that it had a cover of "Angel from Montgomery" on it and I'm sortof collecting covers of that song (it seems). The cool part is, I really like the rest of the album. Have always meant to try and track down more info on this band, find any other albums of theirs. Just haven't done it yet.
14. Fly On A Plane - Christine Lavin
Christine Lavin is another goddess. Brilliant songwriter, funny lady, very cool person. And this song . . . well. Hee.
15. Door Number Three - Steve Goodman
Such a classic. More Steve Goodman goodness. I wasn't gonna include two songs by any artists on this mix, but . . . hey.
16. A Chicken With Its Head Cut Off - Magnetic Fields
I just like this song.
17. Queen of Quiet - Erin McKeown
Saw McKeown at the Winnipeg Folk Festival this past summer and loved her. Funny, retro, played cool songs. Bought her album and like it heaps. This is the first track on it and gives you a pretty good idea what the rest of the album is like.
18. Here I Am - Lyle Lovett (live)
Classic old Lyle Lovett. I was gonna use the album version of it, but that version has the speaking parts mixed so low that it's a pain, you have to keep adjusting the volume. The levels seem better on this live version.
You'd think after ten years or so I'd be tired of this song and the jokes in it, but . . . hey, still kinda funny. Lovett is a brilliant songwriter, capable of writing funny songs and sad songs and just plain smart songs. And then he does simple silly things like this and "Penguins" and well . . . somehow I like those, too.
19. Joe-Bob Rag - Hot Club of Cowtown
Hot Club of Cowtown is another discovery from the Winnipeg Folk Festival a couple of years ago. They're fun! It's cowboy swing music or something. And well, hey, I liked the title of this track.
20. God Is A Real Estate Developer - Michelle Shocked
Classic Michelle Shocked. She's another goddess I'd worship were I the worshipping sort.
21. The Ten Commandments Song - Andy Breckman
Andy Breckman is a comedian and writer and stuff. Best known in Minneapolis for having written the song "Railroad Bill" (which is often performed by Steven Brust). He was a writer on SNL for at least a little while, wrote the movie _I.Q._ and various other things (most recently he created the cool TV series Monk that aired on USA and ABC with Tony Shalhoub in the title role). . No, I don't know why I like this song, I just do.
22. Hell Froze Over Today - The Foremen
Political humor songs often make me cranky, but I like this one. I think Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden may be responsible for introducing this band to Minneapolis fandom and specifically to Steven Brust (who took to performing a number of their songs).
23. Talkin' Softball - Terry Cashman
Um. From _The Simpsons_. A classic episode. And I love the original Talkin' Baseball song and it's many variants. And, well . . .