making a mix tape is like writing a letter

i've tried to write letters, but somehow they always turn into a compilation of songs. Sometimes it's hard to trust your own poetic ability, especially when confined to the world of lines and letters. Sometimes you have to steal and cut and paste and mish-mash everything together and somehow hope it makes sense, without being too obvious but also without being pretentiously vague. As John Cusack in High Fidelity puts it:

Now, the making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art. Many do's and don'ts. First of all you're using someone else's poetry to express how you feel. This is a delicate thing.

So, I shall start posting occasionally compilations that I find particularly expressive and articulate, especially when it comes to carrying out a complete them from start to finish. The first: A salute to the brilliant Hannah Fletcher, who inspired me to make my first mix tape (which was actually on a tape! yeah!). This is the mix she made me for my high school graduation.

CAITLIN'S AWESOME NEW ADULT LIFE MIX
1. Hell Yes - Beck
i like your bass. your beat is nice.
2. Gone Daddy Gone - Gnarls Barkley
where she is now i can only guess
3. Do the Whirlwind - Architecture in Helsinki
at least be confused about right and wrong
4. Why Don't We Do It in the Road - The Beatles
why don't we do it in the road? no one will be watching us
5. Let it all Hang Out- The Hombres
nobody knows what it's all about, it's too much man let it all hang out
6. Shout Your Lungs Out - The Beets
you gotta rock your socks you gotta roll your soul
7. Shake Your Tail Feather - Blues Brothers & Ray Charles
the shingaling's the thing tonight
8. Whip It - Devo
crack that whip/give the past the slip
9. Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games - Of Montreal
let's pretend we don't exist (let's pretend we're in Antarctica)
10. Satan Said Dance - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!
My head turns white and my face is green
But my feet are still moving if you know what I mean
11. Crystal Cat - Dan Deacon
gonna get my pile of stone/gonna get my men into rows
12. The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine - Spoon
every morning I got a new chance
13. Misunderstood - Wilco
There's a fortune inside your head
All you touch turns to lead
You think you might just crawl back in bed
The fortune inside your head
14. Where is My Mind - The Pixies
your head will collapse when there's nothing in it
(and you'll ask: where is my mind??)
15. Changes - David Bowie
still don't know what I was waiting for and my time was running wild
16. Don't Be Scared - Andrew Bird
don't believe you're all alone
17. Jogging Gorgeous Summer - Islands
millions of sunsets but the one I remember
is the one when you told me you'd love me forever
18. Hey Baby Boy - Film Dialogue
watcha thinkin'?
19. Take Your Carriage Clock and Shove It - Belle & Sebastian
honor forbids me but honor be damned
20. The Sound of Settling - Death Cab for Cutie
if you've got an impulse let it out
but they never make it past my mouth
21. Baba O'Riley - The Who
Let's get together before we get much older.
It's only teenage wasteland.
22. Woman King - Iron & Wine
someday we may see a woman king

[this mix has served as my daily soundtrack for the last two weeks. The first half energizes me in the morning as I drive to work, waking up to the day. By the time I get in the car in the evening I am ready to melt into Wraith Pinned to the Mist and pretend I don't exist while smoking cigarettes and listening to Wilco. And then somehow "Where is My Mind?" always seems to come on at the opportune moment, as I drive around after a night of whatever crazy shenanigans I managed to get myself in and I crash around for a while, thinking about life and feeling good and crowning myself woman king. It's been rather ideal.]