Playlist of Awesome: California Road Trip 2010

Thanks to the miracle of satellite radio (included in my rental car), I became reacquainted with some great songs during my recent trip up and down the coast of California. Many of the tunes were ones I had either completely forgotten about or never knew the titles and/or artists. But thanks to satellite, which gives the title and artist for every song, that is no longer a problem. (Note to iPhone users: I know Shazam does provide that information, but sometimes Shazam isn’t practical. Or you just don’t hear the songs. Ever.)

Special props go out to the Sirius First Wave channel, which has shows hosted by Richard Blade and Swedish Egil, two awesome DJs who specialize in the 80’s. This channel is essentially a recreation of LA-based KROQ 106.7 in the 80’s which for better or worse, was the soundtrack that I grew up with in LA.

Every time a new song came on the radio, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It was like listening to junior high and high school all over again. In other words, it was awesome. I wonder if anyone on Highway 101 saw a brunette rocking out in a white Hyundai Elantra and thought, “That chick is crazy!” And you know what? I don’t care.

The songs on the California Road Trip Playlist below are inspired or rediscovered thanks to the magic of satellite radio.  I also threw in a few favorites for old times’ sake. And don’t worry, it’s not entirely 80’s. There is some stuff from post-2000. I believe the 90’s are entirely absent. And rightfully so.

If you like any of them, they’re all available at iTunes. I should know, since I dropped at least $20 downloading most of them.

1. Take Your Mama – Scissor Sisters

2. Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone) – Glass Tiger

3. Kiss Me – Stephen Tin Tin Duffy

4. State Farm – Yaz

5. Shy Boy – Bananarama

6. New Song – Howard Jones

7. Sowing the Seeds of Love – Tears for Fears

8. Fields of Fire (400 Miles) – Big Country

9. Feel the Love – Cut Copy

10. Pacific Coast Party – Smash Mouth

11. Strip – Adam Ant

12. Pata Pata – Miriam Makeba

13. Filthy/Gorgeous – Scissor Sisters

14. Sausalito Summer Nights – Diesel

15. King for a Day – Thompson Twins

16. New Direction – Echo & the Bunnymen

17. Kiss Me – Robbie Williams (excellent cover of the Tin Tin song #3 above)

18. What Do All the People Know – The Munroes

19. I Hear the Bells – Mike Doughty

20. 1234 – Feist

21. Buildings & Mountains – Republic Tigers

22. Big Mess – Devo

23. Shattered (Turn the Car Around) – O.A.R.

24. Just Another Day – Oingo Boingo

25. Lovers in the Backseat – Scissor Sisters

26. It’s the End Of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) – R.E.M.

27. Laid – James

28. Life is Long – David Byrne & Brian Eno

29. Forever Young – Alphaville

30. Six Months In a Leaky Boat – Split Enz

If you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to listening to my awesome new playlist. Again.