Thursday, December 31, 2020

Dropping Balls: Two Mixes To Carry You Into 2021

 


 

Since I've already waxed soppy for Christmas, I'll keep this brief. 

I didn't always have New Year's Eve soundtracked in my head. For a long time, it was anything goes as long as it was loud. But then one year, none of that mattered anymore. It became, anything goes, as long as it wasn't loud. Since then, that soundtrack has been mostly the same. These songs represent that vibe, that soundtrack. This is what New Year's Eve has sounded like to me for many years now.

I have an opening act and a headliner. The latter is to be played when the party is over, when it's quiet and maybe you've had one too many...or possibly one too few. Think of those scenes in Tony's after hours joint in "Mean Streets." I've borrowed a few tunes and a few vibes from those scenes. I am quite sure I've shared variants of these mixes before. These are the 2020 versions. The vibe seems to remain the same.

I hope you enjoy the music half as much as I enjoyed putting it all together.

Peace & love to you all.

Health & happiness.

Something's gotta give, no? We're waiting...

There are Spotify playlists, as well, for those who prefer to stream. They differ slightly because...Spotify.

Happy New Year.  See you on the other side.

 

 

WAITING FOR THE BALL TO DROP
Get Down With It- Little Richard
Long Tall Sally- The Beatles
Bread & Butter- The Newbeats
Heaven & Hell- The Easybeats
The Baby Sitter- Betty Wright
Non Support- Ironing Board Sam
Trick Or Treat- Otis Redding
Do I Make Myself Clear- Etta James & Sugar Pie DeSanto
A Knife & A Fork- Kip Anderson
Honky Tonk- Bobby "Blue" Bland
I'm Your Bread Maker- Slim Harpo
Mini-Skirt Minnie- Wilson Pickett
Surprise Surprise- Rolling Stones
Club Nitty Gritty- Chuck Berry
Free Salute- Little Barrie
Uptown- The Chambers Brothers
Tell Me What's On Your Mind- Cyril Neville
If Sugar Was As Sweet As You- Joe Tex
X-Temporaneous Boogie- Camille Howard
Tin Tin Deo- James Moody
Day Dreaming- Bernard "Pretty" Purdie
WPLJ- The Four Deuces
Ice Cream Man- John Brim
Joy- Lucinda Williams
(What's So Funny 'Bout) PLU- Elvis Costello

zip


AFTER THE BALL DROPS
I Only Have Eyes For You- The Flamingos
Crying In The Chapel- The Orioles
Sally Go Round The Roses- The Jaynettes
Look In My Eyes- The Chantels
The Gypsy- The Ink Spots
Tears On My Pillow- Little Anthony & The Imperials
Bad Boy- The Jive Bombers
I Need You- The Wailers
I Sold My Heart To The Junkman- The Starlets
Don't Ask Me To Be Lonely- The Dubs
Trickle Trickle- The Videos
You- The Aquatones
Wino Blues- Floyd Dixon
A Casual Look- The Six Teens
A Sunday Kind Of Love- The Harptones
You'll Lose A Good Thing- Barbara Lynn
Angel Baby- Rosie & The Originals
Since I Fell For You- Lenny Welch
Moody's Mood For Love- King Pleasure
My One & Only Love- Grant Green
Ruler Of My Heart- Irma Thomas
I Walk In My Sleep- Berna-Dean
Since I Don't Have You- The Skyliners
Angel Eyes- James Booker
One For My Baby- Frank Sinatra

zip


16 comments:

A Walk In The Woods said...

Oh HELL yes! This looks really good. Will be listening.

And Sal, you and others may dig this mix I made recently. Not to dabble in politics, and for those who love Trump, just keep on scrollin'.

But for those eager for progress, here's a mix I made to celebrate a new era as of January 20, 2021. And since I live in Georgia, we are involved right now in a mad dash to try to get our two Dem senators elected, to give Biden/Harris more leverage.

Anyway, political talk over - you do a good job of avoiding that - and back to the music!

Here's my Spotify mix of Curtis & Mavis. Dig it!! Feel free to share with anyone.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5h9ELLsdX6vg2xM9SRWzMM?si=wyfOtjItSgO5av8XW9PD8Q

Eric S. said...

Appreciate you Sal...more and more, if that's possible. You're stalwart; thanks.

Anonymous said...

Wow! A lot of great music to listen to and always appreciated.

Many thanks - Happy New Year to you and everyone else here!

Randy

Anonymous said...

Very nice mixes, Sal! Here's to a much better 2021. Very glad so see the back of 2020.
Keep up the good work - it helps us all.

Here a couple of my favorites from this year that you and the readers may enjoy. They are both unique in their own way.

Skyway Man - The World Only Ends When You Die
https://open.spotify.com/album/7nyqKrMo0lRk1n1IIGRnk0?si=V2ccCoP1QQm3u0hUDEJ1qg

Spencer Cullum - Spencer Cullum's Coin Collection
https://open.spotify.com/album/41wGiEJYng27jK3RBCUw8l?si=DaaAbg1pR9mQDzBseEp7Vg

- Paul in DK

heartsofstone said...

Thanks so much. You outdid yourself on these. A happy and healthy to you and yours.

Beyes said...

THANKS! Really appreciate this effort.

cmealha said...

Happy New Year! Peace & love, peace & love.

Anonymous said...

These look great, Sal. Thanks for sharing, and a Happy New Year to all those burning wood tonight.
Bill

One final gift from 2020–a cracking new Elvis and the Imposters tune. Yay!
https://youtu.be/AGHygnezLqA

JAYESSEMM said...

Now there are TWO PARTIES to which I want to go!

Thanks Sal.

Happy New Year everybody!

Mr. Baez said...

Great sets of music for before and after. Thanks for being a musical beacon during these fraught times, Sal. Love and hope in 2021.

Whattawino said...

Dude, there’s so much LOVE in these mixes, I can’t stand it. That’s why I’m sitting down typing this. But when I listen to the first mix, you bet your ass I’ll be dancin’!!! As for the 2nd mix, starting with The Flamingos, I’ll be the soppy mess you referenced earlier....and loving every minute! Thanks and hope you have yourself a “time” tonight!

dogbreath said...

Many thanks for what look like two fab zip jobs. You're a scholar and a gentleman as always. But you hope we enjoy them only half as much as you did putting them together? We'll blinking well see about that - I jolly well intend to enjoy them 100%! Have a great end of 2020 and wishing you all the very best for the upcoming year. Cheers!

Michael Giltz said...

I don't soundtrack New Year's Eve. That's what I've got you for! :) Happy New Year!

Michael Giltz said...

Love the photo, by the way.

Gene Oberto said...

If "auld lang syne" means "for the sake of old times." The playlist for after the ball drops were, for me, memorable.

Starting off with the Flamingos and, oh, so many throughout the list reminded me of me, alone in my room, dealing with teenage angst by singing those songs. One would never admit to their ability to express one's emotions in public. Nonetheless, your playlist brought "old times" back experientially. My thanks for that.

Like yourself, I am long past the need for the "New Year's Eve Party" or watching boring TV ball dropping lead-shows. Here in Sweden, it's fireworks displays, so I'm like pets that scurry for cover. Your list will not only continue as a New Year convention but will soothe those times when the blues engulf one.

Happy New Year to all / And to all health and safekeeping.

kodak ghost said...

Just a big thankyou for all that... and your contributions to our sanity in 2020.