EVERY HIT SONG AMAERICA EVER HAD

A very good friend of mine left town this weekend to go to Australia. Being an old fashioned chap who rejects the sterile world of MP3s and CD-burners in favour of the humble but noble values of the walkman and the C90, he asked if I'd do a new mix tape to accompany him on his travels. It's ages since I sat down for an intense mix-taping session, but the old ninja reflexes came back to me straight away, and if I do say so myself the result is one of my best ones to date. I even did a cool limited-edition-of-one watercolour cover.

There's a general theme of thunderous live tracks and immortal "hits" that would sound good blasting across the Australian outback running through it, with an overall idea of being kinda.. life-affirming I guess. Triumph over adversity kinda stuff. Obviously the tracklisting relies heavily on shared musical jokes and things-my-friend-hasn't-heard-which-I-think-he'd-like, but nevertheless, here for your geeky, list-fixated enjoyment (if it's good enough for Thurston Moore it's good enough for me) is the tracklisting;

EVERY HIT SONG AMERICA EVER HAD:

Side One:

1.The Shaggs – philosophy of the world
2.Led Zeppelin – immigrant song (BBC session version)
3.Yo La Tengo – lewis
4.The Band – the weight (live)
5.Oneida – doin’ business in japan
6.Shonen Knife – expo ’90
7.The Beat Happening – you turn me on
8.Gloria Jones – tainted love
9.The Rolling Stones – jigsaw puzzle
10.Iron & Wine – promising light
11.Townes Van Zandt – to live is to fly
12.The Grateful Dead – casey jones
13.God is my Co-Pilot – smooch

Side two:

1.Cheap Trick – I want you to want me (live at Budokan)
2.Shirley Collins – the moon shines bright
3.Yo La Tengo – Yellow Sarong
4.Gil Scott Heron – the revolution will not be televised
5.John Coltrane – a love supreme part one: acknowledgement
6.Low – death of a salesman
7.The Mountain Goats – this year
8.Herman Dune – you could be a model, goodbye
9.God is My Co-Pilot – invisible rocket
10.Vitaminsforyou - it’s only snow, it’s only sunshine
11.Jonathan Richman – the morning of our lives (live)
12.The 5678s – green onions