funny bone

getting personal

If you’re looking for the Greatest Hits in terms of Gifts, I strongly urge you to make your own—

Customized Personal Soundtrack.

It’s an awesome gift to give someone you love and know well. And it won’t cost you much money (yay!)

Just time. Plus, you’ll be rockin’ out throughout the process.

What could be better?

CUSTOM CD SET

I gave this to my dad on his last birthday and it was a–

Huge

Huge

HUGE HIT!

Basically I made him CD compilations with songs corresponding to each of the years he has been alive —

Separating the CD’s by decade.

Here’s how I went about it for Dad (in case you have a parent who’d love this). But keep in mind that you can customize this idea for anyone Special on your Gift List.

A Labor with That Lovin’ Feeling

So, I began with 1949 and continued all the way to 2009.

The most challenging part of this project for me was selecting from the 40’s and the 50’s because obviously those are the years that the songs that Dad would have related to, would have been ones his PARENTS (my grandparents) were listening to — information I didn’t necessarily know.

TGFG (Thank God For Google)

So, after exploring Internet playlists by Googling “Hits from 1948” and so on, Google helped me realize that a much easier way to access the playlists of hits from each year, was to go onto iTunes’ iMixes and peruse each of the compilations year by year. I believe theirs start somewhere in the early fifties, so if you need to go back further than that, I’d recommend going on Wikipedia and entering “Singles from 19__” and you’ll find the top 20 charts etc.

Anyways, the iTunes mixes are quite extensive and you’ll find more than one track from each year that will remind you of the recipient. Here’s a brief summary of my experience …

1940’s/ 1950’s-

In the late 40’s and early 50’s what stuck out for me first was Duke Ellington and The Clovers “Fool Fool Fool.” Next were the Nat King Cole tracks like “Nature Boy” and “Unforgettable.” Then I went for some Sinatra of course, like “Young at Heart ” (seems appropriate for my dad) or “Always.”

Once I got well into the 50’s, choices became more obvious because I actually knew most of the tracks and I myself am a huge fan of the music from that time. Songs like “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” by Bill Haley and Elvis’s “Heartbreak Hotel” are givens. I’m a huge Sam Cooke fan and his songs were hits all through those years so you have your “Chain gang” and “(I love you) for sentimental reasons”. Then let’s not forget Etta James, Ray Charles, and Chuck Berry were all a huge part of any 50’s listening experience.

Here’s where it gets really fun.

1960’s-

You can safely start the 60’s out with something along the lines of “Duke of Earl” (Gene Chandler) or Bruce Channel’s “Hey Baby” (don’t you think of Patrick Swayze whenever you hear that song?) Then perhaps you go with Beach Boys “Surfer Girl” or The Temptations “The Way You Do The Thing You Do.” These are all solid early 60’s choices.

Then we move into the 60’s we all know so well which, depending on the recipient can be more rock and roll. You’ve got your Dylan, Stones, and Beatles (obviously) to choose from. Then there’s also Dusty Springfield and Simon and Garfunkel, which personally remind me more of my mom. She used to sing Dusty’s “Just a Little Lovin” to my Dad and he’d always smile. And on a sadder note, when Mom was sick, she’d always refer to my Dad as her “bridge” (as in “Bridge over Troubled Water”) so of course these were must-haves in Dad’s soundtrack. I also included, “Like a Rolling Stone” (Dylan 65′), “Homeward Bound” (S & G 66′) and “Ruby Tuesday” (Stones 67′) to begin the second c.d. of his 4 CD set.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvqBMmogxnc

1970’s-

The seventies are totally fun to pick from. Early 70’s  artists who resonated with me were James Taylor (I remember long drives with my parents singing along to “Mexico,”) Rod Stewart, and Elton John,  (“Rocket Man” is one of  Dad’s faves, plus “My Song” was my parents’ song.)

Smokey Robinson’s  “Tears of a Clown” was a 1970 hit and is still one of my all time favorites. Then I moved into Jim Croce and Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel and Chicago. You’ve got Steve Miller and David Bowie… and don’t forget Credence. Towards the end of this decade I mixed in a little Eric Clapton (“Wonderful Tonight”) and Journey (“Lovin’, Touchin’ Squeezin’”). I finished up around Jackson Brown’s “The Load Out” (a song I am listening to now that I thought my dad should hear, in case he hadn’t).

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtuvXrTz8DY

1980’s-

At this point you should start to know immediately when you see the right song for the person. You remember singing along with the person in the car to all of these tracks. Very distinct memories will come flying as you peruse the song lists. In the early 80’s you’ve got Genesis, The Police, Chicago, Yes, and Billy Joel (Mom and I used blast the 84 hit, “Uptown Girl” and dance in kitchen before dinner.) Or perhaps the person is more of an Eagles-Stevie Nicks person. Then we move into Foreigner and Springsteen.

I happen to know “Money For Nothing” by Dire Straights is a huge hit at the party where they will play your mixes upon opening. A friend of my dad’s just went nuts hearing it again. Dad and I used to sing Paul Simon’s “Call Me Al” so of course I included that, plus George Michael’s “Father Figure”. Finishing up you’ve got Tom Petty and Billy Idol, U2 and Howard Jones to choose from, among many many others. Just too many great songs…

1990’s to 2009

These songs will be totally familiar to you, so I don’t need to explain.

Just remember to–

Visualize the recipient

Follow your instincts.

Trust me. All of the right songs will just come to you.

How will you ever decide on just one per year? It is seems impossible, but you’ll figure it out. Especially since, if it’s a holiday gift, you don’t have much time.

You might have to work on the Soundtrack, “All Night Long”  but you’ll be so caught up in it, you won’t even notice– that is until the next day when you have show up for work. Ahaha!

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