The official Thanksgiving playlist for the drive home.


Radio Nowhere - Bruce Springsteen
Explosive opener to the Boss' new album "Magic" and the perfect pick to open up the playlist.

The Walk - Imogen Heap
Outside of the groundbreaking "Hide and Seek" masterpiece on her album "Speak for Yourself," this is possibly the best song on the rest of that album. Beautiful orchestration that builds and builds and builds. It's definitely all your fault.

Amsterdam - Guster
Any good song that refers to "Shaq's CD" is automatically and immediately upgraded to great, and therefore eligible to be part of my trip playlists. It's my new rule, we'll say.

Radio Free Europe - REM
Can you imagine what this band could've been, if only for a few right turns along the way instead of wrong turns? Regardless, a classic tune.

Waiting For You - Seal
There has been no one brighter than you.
I can't deny these things that I do.
Feels like the world's at stake.
I have been waiting,
I have been waiting...for you.

If You're Gonna Leave - Emerson Hart
Nashville-based producer and songwriter, formerly of the band Tonic. This guy creates memorable melodies with the same level of ease in which I dispatch loudmouthed 12-year-olds in Halo, and fortunately for him, he also delivers some inspired songwriting to match. Highly recommend downloading his recent solo album, "Cigarettes and Gasoline." Good stuff.

Slice of the American Pie - Mosey
This is Kari Basden (now Kari Dobbs) performing with her husband, Jared Dobbs, as a duo named "Mosey." They recently released their first (self-titled) album, a melodic, musically-diverse album with a folksy center of gravity. While "Love Me Back" deserves special mention for a gorgeous instrumental melody as the backbone of a nice tune, "Slice of the American Pie" leads the album off strong and features both of them...so that's the representative from the album on this playlist! Their album is available on iTunes and songs can be previewed at their website, http://www.moseymusic.com/.

I Hear the Bells - Mike Doughty
Tremendous song by the very distinctive Mike Doughty, the frontman and musical legacy of the defunct Soul Coughing.

Bulls on Parade - Rage Against The Machine
Needs no explanation.

Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning) - Vertical Horizon
This band simply does not get the recognition as songwriters they deserve. Even Gary Allan's remake charting on country radio didn't elevate their status like it potentially could have (and should have). Give this one a listen if you have no idea who these guys are.

When You Love Someone Like That - Reba McEntire and LeAnn Rimes
This song illustrates everything I like about country music: great writing and great performance. The harmonizing in the chorus is awesome. Their performance of this song during the recent Country Music Awards was predictably outstanding as well.

Do You Know - Tonic
I will show no fear.
I won't hide my scars.
I will learn to give.
I will love what's ours.

On and On - The Longpigs
If you're going to be a one-hit wonder, might as well have the hit be a home run.

Mama's Room - Under the Influence of Giants
A prime example of why you should pay attention to the iTunes Free Song of the Week.

Pride (In the Name of Love) - U2
Essential is a laughable understatement.

Ready, Steady, Go - Oakenfold
Quintessential driving tune.

Britney Spears - Gimme More
As unpredictable as it may seem, the unstable Britney Spears has delivered a very listenable album ("Blackout"). Not sure if the congratulations belong more to her producers than they do to her, but regardless...this song is very well done and VERY well produced. The whole thing builds gradually to the over-sexualized but musically-striking climax. Britney Spears will remain relevant as long as she (or her managers) continue to surround her with this level of production talent.

Noticed - Mute Math
Seriously, if you haven't heard their self-titled album and you like anything remotely located within the genre of rock music, buy it immediately.

If I Had Known - Melissa Cartoun
Vanderbilt homegrown artist made good. Should've seen her play more when I had the chance back in undergrad. But who can think like that in a moment? It only starts to make sense, when I look back on it.

Split Screen Sadness - John Mayer
When you find one of these artists where their singles are the worst songs on their albums, you know you've got somebody who's going to be around a while. 'All you need is love' is a lie, cause we had love, but we still said goodbye...

Hip Hop Police - Chamillionaire featuring Slick Rick
Clever writing and very interesting, even more clever video. No idea what this guy's world views are (although I could guess from the video), but he was very articulate on some awards show I saw him on a while back. Given that Chamillionaire's competition in hip hop is some woman that makes up random words and turns them into songs, the bar isn't exactly sky high here.


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RANDOM MISSY ELLIOTT ASIDE: Now that I've posted that Missy Elliott video there, please tell me: is there a more ridiculous, mind-blowingly absurd first 30 seconds of any other music video in existence? And has there ever been another video with serious-looking Marines, in full regalia, lip-syncing the line "give me some, some, some of this Cinnabon?"

Oh, and there's an artist out there with actual talent that probably objects to what's going on from 3:41 to 3:43 in the video as well.

Bear in mind, as you consider this travesty of a video, that this woman has made more money than 99.9% of all humans that have previously walked the Earth, are currently living on Earth, and will ever live on Earth.

OK, back to a couple more songs actually worth a listen to close this entry out...
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She's My Ride Home - Blue October
"Foiled" is a great album by maybe the best band to ever come out of Houston? While "Congratulations" (with Imogen Heap) is probably my favorite song of theirs, this one is more fitting of the roadtrip back to Birmingham. I'll be reaching for the stars with you, honey...who cares, no one else believes.

Love Letter - Bonnie Raitt
Perhaps the best female blues artist who's ever lived and sadly an artist generally thought of as a one-hit wonder ("Make You Love Me"). Speaking of that huge hit, I remember working for a guy one summer while I was in college, down on Music Row, whose claim to fame was co-writing that song. It would amaze you how much income was, and is, generated by a single huge work like that.

Sunburn - Fuel
Recently rediscovered this fine album of the same name, by the band Fuel. It's ridiculous to think most people probably are aware of this band simply because they're the ones who initially offered then-American Idol-mainstay Chris Daughtry their lead singer spot even before the show had concluded and declared a winner. This entire album is great and definitely takes me back to VHHS years.

Life Is A Highway - Tom Cochrane
The playlist closer, and more of a Eric Gagne-in-his-prime type of closer than, say, a Jose Mesa-esque unconvincing, up-for-debate type of closing tune. Awesome song that actually was recently remade for that Disney Cars movie by Rascal Flatts, also a well-done version. But nothing beats the original!


Enjoy. I know I will.