Six dubbed to the mixtape

There is a reason that it's called a mixtape and this week's additions validate it. What a diverse selection of music: from campy Elvis country (unless you want the JXL remix, Aimee) to large gospel choir to the poppy punk sounds of the early days of The Police.

Here they are with 30 second samples:

Elvis Presley - A Little Less Conversation (as noted, remixed by Junkie XL and shot to #1 around the world...this is the original version for the Elvis movie Live a Little, Love a Little...song co-written by Mac Davis)

The Monkees - I'm a Believer (you probably know this, but Neil Diamond wrote this tune)

The Police - Every Little Thing She Does is Magic

Edwin Hawkins Singers - Oh Happy Day (it took a while to find a clip of the original version that was in the uplifting choral part of the song...when the alto soloist sings, the song is quite slow, with the chorus building tension in the background by repeating the title, then when they take the lead...well, you hear it in the clip...just makes me feel great...[remember, I am not a believer, well, maybe in The Monkees' sense of the phrase...this is very confusing...I like the song but not for religious reasons])

Cheap Trick - I Want You to Want Me (the live version from Live at Budokan is the only acceptable form of this song)

Tom Jones - What's New Pussycat? (a Burt Bacharach/Hal David campy classic written for Woody Allen's movie of the same name...I dare you not to laugh)

You might have noticed I dropped R. Kelly's I Believe I Can Fly from the list. While it is certainly a great song, and uplifting, I couldn't find a clip that demonstrated that. When I combined that with my inner voice telling me that he just wasn't fitting, I decided to drop it.

Big holiday week in the USA coming up, but we're still doing the mixtape. I'll be asking for new suggestions tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone who braved the process and put forth a song or two. I'm still mildly disturbed by the subject matter of my little sister's nominations. Oh, well, that is my problem. I'll work it out.

Please consider subscribing to the Happiness Notebook. It's free and easy to do. I post just about every day and while I don't offer sage advice, I do offer...ah...uhm...my writing...? With the exception of the shirtless Tom Jones photo from this past Wednesday, nothing here should be too rough for kids.