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Bob’s Ramble: Crave a Diversion? Create a New Playlist

The last year has provided more “at home” opportunities to develop
some of my interests (grow or die, right?) and one of the most
enjoyable has been creating a new music playlist. I am hoping this will inspire some of you to do the same at a time when you may need it most.  

Several years ago, one of my sons gave me a year’s subscription to Pandora and I’ve enjoyed it since, but he among others tried to push me to use Spotify instead. As a satisfied Pandora customer, I felt like the juice might not be worth the squeeze but one of my contemporaries (another old guy) wanted me to play bass guitar (a recent interest I’ve pursued) in his “band,” and it required me to get Spotify so he could send me a “learn list.” I complied a few months ago and have been curating a new playlist as a result. As a music nut, this has been fun and life changing in a good way! 

 My first memories of music are from the sixties, so I had to throw some of those oldies from the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Elvis in there but I’m also a big fan of some more current artists like Billie Eilish, Harry Styles and Bishop Briggs. On Spotify, one can create a list of songs that are just what you want to listen to based on similar songs you’ve heard and liked. One can also listen to music based on a genre, by selecting something like: Bishop Briggs Radio or Kaleo Radio (I listen to both) to provide new songs that you can add to your playlist.  

 I think my tastes run fairly broad but here are some of my current favs, selected from my new (now 749 song) playlist. I know it’s way too many for anyone to consider but maybe there is one or two here you may listen to and add to your new playlist:

Wild Horses and River, Bishop Briggs;

Times Like These, Foo Fighters;

Hey Eugene, Pink Martini;

In Bloom, Sturgill Simpson;

The Cave, Mumford and Sons;

Vor i Vaglaskogi and Can’t Go on Without You, Kaleo;

Skate Away, Dire Straits;

Shine on You Crazy Diamond and Have a Cigar, Pink Floyd;

Sugar Magnolia, Grateful Dead;

Daughter, Pearl Jam;

Send Me on My Way, Rusted Root;

Funeral for a Friend and Tiny Dancer, Elton John;

Budapest, George Ezra;

Stolen Dance, Milky Chance;

Don’t Give Up, Peter Gabriel;

Good Vibrations, Beach Boys;

Hotel California, Eagles;

Swingtown, Steve Miller Band;

Born to Run and Jungleland, Bruce Springsteen;

Dog Days are Over and You’ve Got the Love, Florence and the Machine;

My Way, Frank Sinatra;

Think and RESPECT, Aretha Franklin;

Dream a Little Dream of Me, Zee Avi;

A String of Pearls, Glenn Miller;

I Will Always Love You, Whitney Houston;

Simple Man, Freebird and Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd;

She’s Leaving Home and Something, Beatles;

Sympathy for the Devil, Rolling Stones;

Angel from Montgomery, Tedeschi Trucks Band;

Gold on the Ceiling, Black Keys;

Ain’t no Man and Battle of Love and Hate, Avett Brothers;

Walk on the Wild Side, Lou Reed;

Say Goodbye to Hollywood, New York State of Mind and Vienna, Billy Joel;

Dixie Chicken, Little Feat;

Vincent, Don MacLean;

Hope you enjoy!