Postcard Mixtape

I was driving along listening to my MP3 player and here came the good old Talking Heads. I was doing my na-na-na-NA-na thing (I remember song lyrics about as well as I remember phone numbers, but that doesn't stop me from "singing" along). Then came some words I DID know, and I started belting them out:

Why stay in college? Why go to night school?

Gonna be different this time

Can't write a letter, can't send a postcard,

I can't write nothing at all

This ain't no party, this ain't no disco,

this ain't no fooling around

And then it came to me like a message from above… my mission needs a mix tape! (Don't you just picture Javier Bardem in "Eat Pray Love" saying "I made you a meex tape" whenever you hear someone say "mix tape?" Or is that just me? Okay, fine. Call it a soundtrack.)

And here it is. (Something for everyone.) (With commentary.) (Of course.) (And links!)

1. "Another Postcard" Barenaked Ladies (they make postcarding funny!)

2. "Postcard from Paris" The Band Perry (not bad for cute CandW)

3. "Postcard from Italy" Beirut (quavery-voiced lead singer of meaningless lyrics, but great trumpet)

         (if you like Florence and the Machine like I do, this version's better FandTM)

4.  "Postcard" Steven Wilson (a good, whiney fit for a Grey's Anatomy episode about angsty Christina, and none of the lyrics have anything to do with the title, but the animation is cool)

5.  "Postcard - (new shoes)" Beyonce (I am Sasha Fierce!)

6.  "Postcard" Jordin Sparks (not bad RandB for an American Idol) (but she ain't no Sasha Fierce)

7. "Postcard" The Babys (OH MY GOD I'd TOTALLY forgotten this band - and YES I played their 45 "Every Time I Think of You" about a million times in 1980)

8. "The Postcard" Robbie Williams (folksy 21st century Brit - easy on the eyes)

9. "Postcards From Richard Nixon" Elton John (Sir Elton gets political, plays great piano, and mentions Steve McQueen)

10. "Postcard" The Who (Quadrophenia! 1973!)

11. "Send Me a Postcard" Shocking Blue (Dutch rock band circa 1967 - who knew Grace Slick had competition across the pond? ROCKIN')

12. "Life During Wartime" [don't say The] Talking Heads (original inspiration)

And this is the edited version. There's actually enough out there for a double album.