Birthday Playlist Closeout
Here’s the rest of the playlist from my 50th birthday dance party. Listen to the full list on Google Play.
1995: Gloria Estefan, “Turn the Beat Around” Fun for all and gets that salsa vibe going.
1996: Sneaker Pimps, “Spin Spin Sugar” Radio Edit version for this all-ages party! The slightly better album version has a sample that has been interpreted as everything from crying to orgasm to giving birth. Amazing dance tune, though.
1987: Finley Quaye, “Sunday Shining” I had trouble finding something right for 1997. Then one morning I kept humming a peculiar lyric, Googled it, and like a lost love, up came this reggae tune. I had only heard it once, on an LA commute, 18 years ago, and had long since given up looking for it in stores. Turns out the album went multi-platinum in the UK.
1998: Alanis Morissette, “Uninvited” This was a breakup year for me and I wore out the City of Angels CD in a melancholy haze. Alanis at her raw, intense best. Great for light contact improv: let your arms become snakes. Entwine at will.
1999: Buena Vista Social Club, “Chan Chan” Slowest. Salsa. Ever. Just in case anyone wants to learn the steps.
2000: Thalia, “Mujer Latina” A traditional merengue!
2001: Marc Anthony, “I've Got You” Really fun, fast salsa with throwaway lyrics in English.
2002: Piazzola, “Oblivion” My absolute favorite tango.
2003: Hooverphonic, “Eden” Heard on KTUH with the full moon shining through the sunroof. Great for tango nuevo.
2004: Evanescence, “Bring Me to Life” There’s a very dance-able Tango hiding amid this song’s symphonic metal layers.
2005: Pussycat Dolls, “Loosen Up My Buttons” The Latin invasion continues with a stately Cha Cha dressed up in Middle Eastern stylings and naughty lyrics.
2006: Shakira, “Hips Don't Lie” A great salsa with some merengue moments.
2007: Rihanna, “Umbrella” First time I heard this, I thought I was being funny when I chimed in with “...ella ella ella,” but the joke was on me when Rihanna did the same! This probably happened to a lot of people.
2008: Paramore, “Crushcrushcrush” None of the Twilight music fit the bill, but this catches some of the mood in about 3 minutes.
2009: Natasha Bedingfield, “Pocketful of Sunshine” Here’s a perfect example of how saccharine pop can still have a soul that will never be shackled.
2010: Muse, “Uprising” For the party, I made a long flag out of a shower curtain and $1 whiffle ball bat. When this song came on, I brandished it and everyone took turns dancing with it. Then it became a prop for the rest of the party. Shoulda seen that coming.
2011: Black Eyed Peas, “I Just Can't Get Enough” They had me at the “Mr. Roboto”.
2012: Green Day, “American Idiot” Yes, I know this song was released 7 years earlier. But for me the most memorable performance was at the 2012 Grammy’s. Also, since that TV edit wasn’t available, I wanted it late in the program, past bedtimes.
2013: Pentatonix, “I Need Your Love” Like an M.C. Echer or Bev Doolittle painting, a Pentatonix arrangement can re-shape your perception of the world.
2014-15: Fifth Harmony, “Worth It” I just love how this song makes me move. No rehearsed street moves here, just spontaneous alternating twist-locks of all the arm joints over a shuffle step. Plus, I wanted to thank the die-hards who lasted this long and made the whole night worth it!