Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Need some (fun) help from you....

Really, I do. I'm working from home this morning. Believe it or not, while doing all my other projects I need to compile a list of songs from the last 25 years.

Done laughing yet?

It is the 25th anniversary of the organization I work for and we have two events coming up that in part celebrate this milestone. The folks coming to our annual meeting next Friday work in urban and rural communities trying to either revitalize their neighborhoods or hold on to the gains they have made. I was talking to someone yesterday and he told me that in only the last few months he has gotten over 100 phone calls from homeowners on the verge of foreclosure.

"I could only help one of them" he said shaking his head. "I'm now a grief counselor. I'm trying to get people to understand they have lost their homes and helping them to move on."

These folks need some fun next Friday. We're putting together a list of songs from the last 25 years to play over the sound system while they are registering and during lunch.

However, you'll notice I'm coming up empty after 2000. In my defense I gave birth to premature twins in 2000 (who are healthy now) so I've been a bit busy for the last 7 years.

This is where you come in. Help me fill in the years and make suggestions even for the years I already have some. Keep in mind the listeners will cross all incomes, races, languages and ages. This will be played starting at 8 in the morning and again as background during lunch.

This is what I've got:

1982 Prince - 1999
1983 Big Country - In a Big Country
1984 Depeche Mode - People are People
1985 Miami Sound Machine - Hot Summer Nights
Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World
1986 Bangles - Walk like an Egyptian
1987 Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes
1988 Phil Collins - Groovy kind of Love
Tracy Chapman - Fast Car
1989 B-52’s - Love Shack
Milli Vanilli - Girl You know its true
1990 Janet Jackson - Love will never do without you
The Soup Dragons - I’m Free
1991
1992 Whitney Houston - I will always love you
Annie Lennox - Walking on Broken Glass
1993 Boys II Men - End of the Road
1994
1995 Mariah Carey - Fantasy
1996 Celine Dion - Because you loved Me
1997
1998 Brandy and Monica - The Boy is Mine
1999 Jennifer Lopez - If you had my love
2000 U2 - Beautiful Day
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007

Now, don't go teasing about Milli Vanilli. One of my colleagues specifically requested it. And I adore her so don't even think of poking fun about that one.

The neat thing about The Soup Dragons? That was a cover of the Rolling Stones' hit so it will make those folks in their 50's and 60's feel some love.

You can make your suggestion as a comment or if you don't want the world to know your musical tastes, you can email me at amitchells AT yahoo DOT com.

Oh, and if you are feeling particularly daring, please share why that song came to mind. Or why you think hundreds of community activists should dance on down to your choice.

And there is no give-away or prize if I chose your song. Just the satisfaction of knowing you probably made some hard-working folks smile.

17 comments:

jodifur said...

2001-Dido's Thank you
2002-Linkin Park In the End
2003-Evanescence Bring me to life
2004-Usher Confessions
2005-Mariah Carey We belong together
2006-James Blunt You're Beautiful
2007-Justin Timberlake SexyBack

How did I come up w/ these? Well I goggles hit song and then the year and the first sang that came up, you got, some I like, some I don't.

Jenn in Holland said...

Oh, dang, you already had a 1999. I like Creed's ARMS WIDE OPEN.
Could 2003 be Jami Cullum's I COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT? That's way up on my faves list.
How about Shawn Mullins LULLABY 1998?
Marc Cohn WALKING IN MEMPHIS 1991
Jason Mraz REMEDY 2005 (seriously, like a compilation is complete without him?? Puh-leaze.)
The Corrs BREATHLESS 2001
Five for Fighting SUPERMAN 2002
Avril Lavigne MY HAPPY ENDING 2004

Am I helping yet?

Unknown said...

Oh man. This is so fun. I liked all your ideas, but of course since I can, I will make suggestions all across the board! I totally cheated and used iTunes, but here goes...

1982 Prince - 1999
*Alternate suggestions*... Jack & Diane by Mellencamp, We Got The Beat by the Go-Gos, Don't Stop Believin' by Journey, Workin' For The Weekend by Loverboy (God I love that song), Every Little Thing She Does is Magic by the Police

1983 Big Country - In a Big Country
*or* - Rio by Duran Duran, She Work's Hard for the Money by Donna Summer, Mr. Roboto by Styx, Let's Dance by David Bowie, Our House by Madness

1984 Depeche Mode - People are People
*or* - Thriller by MJ, Jump by Van Halen

1985 Miami Sound Machine - Hot Summer Nights
Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World
*or*
Don't You Forget About Me by Simple Minds, Crazy For You by Madonna, Broken Wings by Mr. Mister.

1986 Bangles - Walk like an Egyptian
*or* - Walk This Way by Run DMC, Higher Love by Steve Winwood

1987 Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes
*or* - DON'T DREAM IT'S OVER BY CROWDED HOUSE, With or Without You by U2, Livin on A Prayer by Bon Jovi, Just Like Heaven by The Cure, Mandolin Rain by Bruce Hornsby

1988 Phil Collins - Groovy kind of Love, Tracy Chapman - Fast Car
*or* - Going Back To Cali by LL Cool J, My Prerogative by Bobby Brown, Chains of Love by Erasure, Simply Irresistible by Robert Palmer

1989 B-52’s - Love Shack
Milli Vanilli - Girl You know its true
*or* - She Drives Me Crazy by Fine Young Cannibals

1990 Janet Jackson - Love will Never Do Without You
The Soup Dragons - I’m Free (ha ha! my friend Tony always sang this song as "don't be afraid of my p-e-n-i-s!")
*or*
Groove Is In The Heart by Dee-Lite, Joey by Concrete Blonde

1991
*Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, Crazy by Seal, Losing My Religion by REM, Wicked Game by Chris Isaak, Unbelievable by EMF, It Ain't Over Til It's Over by Lenny Kravitz, One by U2, Walking In Memphis by Marc Cohn, Something To Talk About by Bonnie Raitt

1992 Whitney Houston - I will always love you
Annie Lennox - Walking on Broken Glass
*or* Alive by Pearl Jam, Baby Baby Baby by TLC, Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton, Real Love by Mary J Blige, All I Want by Toad The Wet Sprocket

1993 Boys II Men - End of the Road
*or*
I'm Gonna Be 500 Miles by the Proclaimers, Everybody Hurts by REM, If I Ever Lose My faith In You by Sting

1994
* Loser by Beck, All I Wanna Do by Sheryl Crow, Stay by Lisa Loeb, Mr. Jones by Counting Crows, Come To My Window by Melissa Etheridge

1995 Mariah Carey - Fantasy
*or* - Waterfalls by TLC, Kiss From A Rose by Seal, Run Around by Blues Traveler, What Would You Say by Dave Matthews Band, You Gotta Be by Desree,

1996 Celine Dion - Because You Loved Me
*or* - Just A Girl by No Doubt, Who Will Save Your Soul by Jewell, 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins, You're Makin' Me High by Toni Braxton, Breakfast At Tiffany's by Deep Blue Something

1997
* - I Believe I Can Fly by R Kelly, MMMBop by Hanson, Wannabe by The Spice Girls, Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind, Tubthuming by Chumbwumba, Where Have All The Cowboy's Gone? by Paula Cole, Walkin' On The Sun by Smashmouth

1998 Brandy and Monica - The Boy is Mine
*or* - 3AM by Matchbox 20, Getting Jiggy Wit It by Will Smith, You're Still The One by Shania Twain, Closing Time by Semisonic

1999 Jennifer Lopez - If you had my love
*or* - Smooth by Santana/Rob Thomas, Livin' La Vida Loca by Ricky Martin, I want It That Way by Backstreet Boys, Mambo #5 by Lou Bega, You Get What You Give by New Radicals, Bailamos by Enrique Iglesias

2000 U2 - Beautiful Day
*or* - Bye Bye Bye by N*Sync, With Arms Wide Open by Creed, Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down, I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack

2001
* - (FYI, iTunes lists Beautiful Day under 2001), Thank You by Dido, I'm Like A Bird by Nelly Furtado, Drops of Jupiter by Train, Drive by Incubus, Hanging By A Moment by Lifehouse,

2002
* - Don't Know Why by Norah Jones, Get The Party Started by Pink, Complicated by Avril Lavigne, The Game of Love by Santana/Michelle Branch, A Thousand Milkes by Vanessa Carlton, Whererver You Will Go by The Calling, Whenever, Wherever by Shakira, Soak Up The Sun by Sheryl Crow

2003
* - Where Is The Love by Black Eyed Peas, Crazy In Love by Beyonce, Clocks by Coldplay

2004
* - Hey Ya by Oukast, This Love by Maroon 5, The Reason by Hoobastank, Heaven by Los Lonely Boys, Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson, Are You Gonna Be My Girl by Jet

2005
* - Lonely No More by Rob Thomas, Feel Good Inc by the Gorillaz, Somewhere Only We Know by Keane, Good People by Jack Johnson.. and heck yeah Jason Mraz!

2006
* - Crazy by Gnarls Barkley, Bad Day by Daniel Powter, You're Beautiful by James Blunt, Unwritten by Natasha Bettingfield, Dance Dance by Fall Out Boy, Over My Head by The Fray, Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae

2007
* - Home by Daughtry, Bubbly by Colbie Caillet, Makes Me Wonder by maroon 5, How To Save A Life by The Fray, Waiting On The World to Change by John Mayer

THERE, DONE! :)

Unknown said...

holy crap, I get the award for longest comment in the history of man.

soccer mom in denial said...

Jesus f---ing Christ!! That'll teach me to send you a baggering email again!

Unknown said...

ha ha! be careful what you ask for!

Heather said...

I have no song suggestions (but it looks like you're covered now anyway!) but it sure sounds like fun.

painted maypole said...

1991 it's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday - Boyz II Men (it was my high school graduating song!)

1999 All Star by SmashMouth (I just remember hearing that song EVERYWHERE that year!)

1997 Tubthumping by ChumbaWumba (another song I heard all the time!)

I like Jodi's suggestion of 2003 Bring Me back to Life - Evanescence (it was my husbands favorite song that year)

Jenn's suggetion of : Five for Fighting SUPERMAN 2002

oh golly, I just got down to Aimee's response, and after that... well, I've got nothing more to say (except some brilliant suggestions there... i love me some Prince, but Jack and Diane? That's gold.. and just about every song she wrote had me singing and remembering. Until we hit 2005 - and you can tell that we moved to NO and as much as I love the music here there is not a station that plays the good new stuff... and so I am so out of the loop!)

FENICLE said...

I'm not good with music.

When did "Lady In Red" come out?? That's a fav of mine.

Anonymous said...

oh my god - scrap my token suggestions for two of the years you're looking for! you've got some kick ass readers here who know what they're talking about. I don't know why I never keep track of songs/albums by year ... might have to look into a little reorg ...

Goofball said...

Hey this is fun....although my list might stick out a bit for being "European" oriented and not necessarily known in USA...but therefore I strongly invite you to explore my suggestions :).

1989- Pump up the jam - Technotronic: Belgian techno conquering the world. Woohoo I am so proud. I bet you didn't know it was Belgian.

1992- One - U2
U2...you have to acknowledge the masters of rock music.

1997 - Rester Femme from Axelle Red - an awesome song from one of the best Belgian artists. "Dejamer ser mujer" is the Spanish version.
1997 again - Freed from desire - Gala : some Italian dance music that was a big big hit when I started university. Has a great Lalalalaaa sing along part :p. O memories!

2001: Mad about you - Hooverphonic
blook chilling excellent Belgian rock song. I bought their CD in the USA!


2002 - Asereje (better known as the ketchup song) - Las Ketchup.
This is a silly song with an even more silly dance coming along. I have many memories to my most crazy project as a consultant ever with weekend work and night shifts and a horrendous deadline. We survived as a team drinking Red Bull energy drinks and building a wall in the office with the empty cans...and by dancing the ketchup dance in the middle of the night together. Good times!
If you wonder about the name: the girls are the daughters of a Spanish singer named "Los tomatos" or something...so the girls named their group "Las ketchup". Go figure, yes that is the level to expect from the song :p


2003- Clocks - Coldplay

2004- Vertigo - U2

2005- La Tortura - Shakira
Speed of sound - Coldplay

2006- Temps pour nous - Axelle Red (just to promote once more one of the many good songs from Axelle Red)

2006 again: Camisa Negra - Juanes.
Fantastic hit last year. It is just such a contagious happy song. I love to hear it on the radio because then I cranck the radio up to the maximum and just swing happily along, while making up the text as I don't speak Spanish. Fantastic song, really! Make everybody happy with it!

2007: Relax - Mika

Flower Child said...

wow! I can't really add anything - except to say you could probably get a U2 song for every year. And I would be sure to include some Dixie Chicks - something really feisty ;) Maybe even Pink?

Anonymous said...

I don't see any Britney Spears songs on your list... ;-)

Anonymous said...

2004 - Modest Mouse - Float On
2005 - Interpol - Evil
2005 - Kanye West - Golddigger or Diamonds from Sierra Leone (although not so fun and happy)
2005 - Common - Be, anything off of this album because it is awesome
2007 - Feist - My Man My Moon (she's the one who does the new ipod nano song)

Hrmm Hrmm. Sounds like a fun project to me.

Gunfighter said...

2007 Love Song - Sara Bareilles

Jen said...

What about Bare Naked Ladies???!!! I'm not good with years... let me check.

Jen said...

BNL:

2000 - Pinch me or Falling for the First Time
2006 - Rule the World with Love, Bank Job
2004 - Footprints

Instant Karma:(2007)
Instant Karma - U2
Give Peace a Chance - Aerosmith and Sierra Leone's All Star Refugees
Working Class Hero - Green Day
Power to the People - Black Eyed Peas