  Okay, so I couldn't resist doing one of these "Song Memes" to which urlLink MacKenzie introduced me (and many other people): The Idea and The Rules * You have a name. * Spell your name out with song titles. * Use each artist only once. * Use each song only once. * This is pretty damn simple, people. * Once again, make your mix under 80 minutes for a bonus.
Depending on the length of your name, 160. * For a supermegaextra bonus, use only song titles that include names. * Have fun. So this is mine (there's a list without my comments at the bottom if you want to jump straight there): 1. Every Morning - Sugar Ray (3:45) This was the first music video I can ever remember watching, and the first song I heard on the radio where I knew all of the words. 2.
Let Me In - Save Ferris (6:14) This song just rocks. It's that simple. It's beautiful. Definitely my favorite Save Ferris song (10 Things notwithstanding). 3. I Know - Fiona Apple (4:55) I subconciously picked up an affinity for many artists because of my sister, who has excellent taste in music (hi, Vanessa).
Fiona Apple was one of them. She would play her Fiona Apple CDs, and I would hear them as I was going to sleep, and years later when I started listening to music myself (I was, quite sadly, rather a late bloomer in that department, but we'll get to that later) I rediscovered them while having the advantage that I already loved them, so I still have a soft spot for Fiona Apple, among others. 4. Zombie - Cranberries (5:06) My favorite Cranberries song might be Dreams (it's debatable), but this song is quite excellent as well. Besides, how many songs do you know that start with a Z? 5.
Almost Blue - Gwen Stefani (2:59) This is the first song I heard that made me realize just how amazing Gwen Stefani's voice is. No Doubt is an amazing group, but sometimes I feel that her voice isn't stressed as much as it could be because of all the other things happening in their songs (not to say that she doesn't use her voice well in those, but you get distracted from the richness of it). Also, I think I downloaded this well before I thought to download any of No Doubt's songs, and it has such a different feel to it that it's always stuck out in my mind as being just Gwen. 6. Beautiful - Christina Aguilera (3:58) This is the song that made me respect Christina Aguilera. While I enjoyed Genie in a Bottle, I had tried to avoid the pop scene as much as possible for quite a few years, but when I heard this I realized I was being silly for doing so on principle.
She also has a gorgeous voice (I don't think I could stress that enough), and this song is beautiful both in the way it sounds, and what it says. Rock on, Christina. 7. Everything in its Right Place - Radiohead (4:09) This song is cool. Radiohead is a cool band. There were quite a number of their songs I could have chosen for this mix, but I chose this one mainly for its strategic value (it took me a long time to figure out which songs I wanted to choose by which artist to make things fit as nicely as I could), although it's also here in its own right.
8. Thank You - Alanis Morissette (4:18) Alanis Morissette has good music. This is one of her good songs, and one that even I picked up on when I wasn't listening to any music in particular. I think I might have Vanessa to thank for that again, but I'm not sure. Either way, I've always liked Alanis Morissette, as well as this song. 9.
Hailie's Song - Eminem (5:23) I love this song. I do. I mean, there are other Eminem songs that I like as well, but he's actually singing here! And it's a good song. What more need be said? 10.
Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio (4:01) Another song from my early childhood. I'm thinking my brother Nick is to thank for this one, but I could be wrong. This song is excellent. It crosses a number of genres, in my opinion, and it never really gets old. I've liked it as long as I can remember (although sticking this in here does make me wish that I had a "W" in my name, for Waterfalls by TLC, but that's another matter...). 11.
Like The Rose - B*Witched (3:56) I think it was the summer after sixth grade that I first began entering the music world in my own right. However, I kind of pushed myself into it and so I didn't have a chance to get my bearings before I bought 3 or 4 CDs. While most of them were only okay, or blatantly sucky, one of the ones I got was B*Witched's self-named first CD, and dammit I liked it! I still do, actually. Mock me if you will, but I'll stand by it. Anyway, this was my favorite song on that CD, and I'm still partial to it.
I can still remember sitting in the front seat of my mom's rental car up in Maine listening to this song over and over as we drove to my grandmother's beachhouse with Mallory and Shannon. Good times. 12. Out Of My Head - Fastball (2:32) This is a fun song. I'm not sure when I first heard it, or when I downloaded it, but it's along the same lines of some of the first songs that I ever downloaded on my computer ("The Way" by Fastball was definitely up there in the first 5 or so), which I listened to over and over until I had enough music to not run through all of them in an hour or two. 13.
Runaround - Blues Traveler (4:39) Another song that is just generally fun. I'm not really sure what else I can say about it. 14. I Fought The Law - Green Day (2:42) This is a pretty new song, as far as I know. I think Max was the one who introduced me to it, and I'm a fan. I like it more than the original, even.
Those boys know how to harmonize, which is always a good way to make me a fan (see: B*Witched, Blink 182 (below), and many others for more examples of this). 15. Aliens Exist - Blink 182 (3:13) I have one Blink 182 CD (Enema of the State), and while this song was never one of their singles, I think it was my favorite on it. It's a fun idea, and they also do a really nice with harmonizing on a few of the songs that just make me happy every time I hear them. What can I say? I'm a sucker for harmonizing.
16. Graceland - Paul Simon (4:51) Graceland was a CD that my mother has played for as long as I can remember (until my sister stole the CD and took it to school, that is *glares*). It's an amazing CD in general, and this song rocks. If you've never heard this CD, you're a heathen and you should go remedy this. Go! 17.
Undenied - Portishead (4:24) A calmer song than many of the ones just preceding it, but Portishead is such a cool group that there was no way in hell I couldn't include them. This song rocks. They rock. I remember Vanessa freaking out about the fact that we were starting to listen to the same music and saying "Just don't listen to Portishead when I'm around! " I certainly hope she blushes when she reads this and remembers that phase. Of course, I would be posessive of Portishead too, so... 18.
Anna Begins - Counting Crows (4:31) Counting Crows is one of my favorite bands, and this was one of their first songs that I loved. There are many more, of course, but I always liked this one. It's bittersweet, but excellent. I've always been a sucker for romantic, but sad things. 19. River Valley - Moxy Früvous (3:27) This is another group that my mother introduced me to when I was very young.
Moxy Früvous is a very cool band (right, Jonathan? You know you're glad I introduced you to them), and this is the very first song on my favorite CD of theirs, so in some ways it's what I first think of when I think of them. Since we used to play this CD so often, the songs have kind of melded into each other so that when I finish listening to one, I can already hear the next one on the CD start, even if it doesn't. It's still a little jarring to hear this song and not hear "Stuck in the 90s" after it. 20. It Wasn't Me - Shaggy (3:47) This song is amusing as hell, but I think I have it on here because it makes me think of my brother Nick more than anything.
Let's just say that sometimes I call him "Shaggy" because of this song, and leave it at that. 21. No Angel - Dido (3:55) I love Dido. I really do. She has a beautiful voice, and lovely arrangements. Her first CD, No Angel, was always one that my sister and I could always agree upon listening to, which helped prevent many a world-war over the years.
22. Only Happy When it Rains - Garbage (3:56) Garbage is a fun band. This is a fun song. What mix is hurt by tossing in a little Garbage? 23. Return Of The Phantom Stranger - Rob Zombie (4:31) Every time I hear this song I can't help but just get into it.
It's just... fun. I like. 24. El Tango De Roxanne - Jacek Koman and Ewan McGregor (4:43) I've become somewhat obsessed with this song over the past few months since I first saw Moulin Rouge. The main song ("the Roxanne part", as I call it) is nice enough, but I just adore the background part by Ewan McGregor. I'm addicted to it.
25. I Shall Believe - Sheryl Crow (5:34) This song is beautiful. I like Sheryn Crow's music, but this one has always stuck out as beautiful to me. And it's just so heartbreaking (we all know I'm a sucker for that. I seem to be a sucker for a lot of things). Of course, in part that's because of an outside association I have, but that's a different matter.
26. Dark Angel - Blue Rodeo and Sarah McLachlan (5:16) Sarah McLachlan is another artist that I call "a favorite", and while this isn't one of her traditional songs, it's beautiful enough for me to use it for her. This is a nice calming song which is good for the end of a CD, in my opinion. Everyone we hear here (not that I really know much about Blue Rodeo except that they sing here) have beautiful voices, and use them wonderfully. And (in true copying-MacKenzie fashion), here's the unannotated copy: 1. Every Morning - Sugar Ray (3:45) 2.
Let Me In - Save Ferris (6:14) 3. I Know - Fiona Apple (4:55) 4. Zombie - Cranberries (5:06) 5. Almost Blue - Gwen Stefani (2:59) 6. Beautiful - Christina Aquilera (3:58) 7. Everything in its Right Place - Radiohead (4:09) 8.
Thank You - Alanis Morissette (4:18) 9. Hailie's Song - Eminem (5:23) 10. Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio (4:01) 11. Like The Rose - B*Witched (3:56) 12. Out Of My Head - Fastball (2:32) 13. Runaround - Blues Traveler (4:39) 14.
I Fought The Law - Green Day (2:42) 15. Aliens Exist - Blink 182 (3:13) 16. Graceland - Paul Simon (4:51) 17. Undenied - Portishead (4:24) 18. Anna Begins - Counting Crows (4:31) 19. River Valley - Moxy Früvous (3:27) 20.
It Wasn't Me - Shaggy (3:47) 21. No Angel - Dido (3:55) 22. Only Happy When it Rains - Garbage (3:56) 23. Return Of The Phantom Stranger - Rob Zombie (4:31) 24. El Tango De Roxanne - Jacek Koman and Ewan McGregor (4:43) 25. I Shall Believe - Sheryl Crow (5:34) 26.
Dark Angel Blue Rodeo and Sarah McLachlan (5:16) total run time: 1:50:45 
