I've been reading this book called Cassettes From My Ex. It's pretty self-explanatory. After finding a collection of old mixtapes, Jason Bitner enlisted his friends to discuss their own forays into High Fidelity-esque compilation making. I made a lot of mixes in high school. Granted, I didn't use tape because we'd entered the digital age (because of that, I still have a copy of some of the better ones.) But care was still taken to get across just the right message to the recipient.
Mixes for boyfriends were easy. Mixes for friends who were guys, who maybe I didn't want to date, were much much harder. Like the mix I made for Justin, my dear, gorgeous, Eagle Scout and acting partner who I loved (but would kiss and feel nothing.) It's possible that the mix I made was a bit misleading:
1. Everlong- Foo Fighters. If anything, we bonded over mutual love of theater and the Foo. It was really all we've ever had in common. Somehow this has sustained our friendship well after college.
2. Bohemian Like You- The Dandy Warhols. Perhaps the refrain "I like you, I like you, I like you" was a tad misleading. Also, no one would ever mistake Justin for bohemian. Ever.
3. Know You're Right- Nirvana. I think this had just come out and I was delirious to hear anything from Kurt. Maybe I was trying to negate the previous song?
4. The City- The Dismemberment Plan. This has probably always been my favorite D-Plan song. Granted, it's not the sort of thing you give to someone you're not interested in. I'm starting to think I really led this kid on...
5. Sing Along- Dave Matthews. There's no excuse for this. I should have known better.
6. Coffee and TV-Blur. "And agree to marry me/So we can start over again." For fuck's sake. Really?
7. Simple Man- Lynyrd Skynyrd. This also makes no sense. This was never a song I associated with Justin. Actually, this song's always belonged to my friend David, whose mom died when we were in high school. This was always his song. It's never belonged to anyone else.
8. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want- The Smiths. How do I go from Skynyrd to The Smiths? How do I do that and sleep at night?
9. Satisfied Mind- Jeff Buckley. I listened to a lot of Jeff Buckley in high school. We all did. Grace was on almost constant rotation. My friends and I had a thing for dead musicians.
10. Stolen Car- Beth Orton. I've always had a soft spot for Lilith Fair alums.
11. Adam Lives in Theory- Lauryn Hill. I completely forgot about this song. I remember when a story was going around about how Hill didn't want white people to listen to her albums. When I saw her the summer after 10th grade, she didn't seem to mind the white people in the audience who knew every word. I listened to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill that whole summer. This song isn't on that album but it's just as good.
12. Walk on the Ocean- John Mayer (Toad the Wet Sprocket cover). He was (is/was?) a guilty pleasure of mine. My appreciation's waned since high school though.
13. Swallowed- Bush. Ahh, mid 90's pretty boy rock. In this and other songs on the mix is a need to get as far away from where I am as possible. We were about to leave for college. Maybe that's telling.
14. You Were Right- Built to Spill. Let's just think about the fact that both Dave Mathews and Built to Spill are on this mix. Just sit on that.
15. One Man Guy- Rufus Wainwright. Subtext: I'd rather be alone than with you. Let's us just be friends.
16. 2:45- Eliot Smith. I've never been sure if this song is about a person or an addiction (maybe both?)
17. Hide Your Love Away- Eddie Vedder. I've never been a huge fan of the Beatles. Like Led Zeppelin, I appreciate the genius but it doesn't move me. I suppose that's why I always preferred Vedder's version of this song.
18. Everlong- Foo Fighters (Acoustic this time.) Maybe I was trying to bring it full circle. Maybe I just didn't know how else to finish this song.
I really should have paid more attention to song lyrics.
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