Tuesday, 26 December 2023

12 Mixtapes of Xmas: Midnight Meets Mixtape

[2] Midnight Meets Mixtape

This is a mixtape of the highlighted musicians on the last (best of) Midnight Meets on Tuesday, 19/12/2023)

Midnight Meets Mixtape

[Side 1]
1. Martha & Vandelias - Dancing in the street
2. Joan Armatrading - Shape of a pony
3. Bangles - Eternal Flame
4. Betty Boo - Where are you baby?
5. KT Tunstall - Black horse and cherry tree
6. Dionne Warwick - Promises promises
7. Kim Wilde - Kids in America
[Side 2]
8. Gary Numan - Are friends electric?
9. Lightning Seeds - Three Lions
10. Aretha Franklin - This girl's in love with you
11. Howard Jones - What is love?
12. Divine Comedy - Lost Property
13. Ash - Kung Fu
14. Sparks - Looks looks looks

Midnight Meets Mixtape Stats

12 Mixtapes of Xmas: Weeknights

[1] Weeknights Mixtape

The Colin Murray Weeknights had a lot of introductory/incidential music for a number of features: Monday Night TV Rewind (with Siobhan Synnot, Midnight Meets, This House Believes, Midnight in America, Dr Chris Smith and of course the Midnight Mixtape.
(Note: the only ones that there was no specific music for was Monday Night Fan Club and the Q&A features)

Weeknights Mixtape

[Side 1]
1. The Cure - Close to me {Opening}
2. Buggles - Video killed the radio star {TV Rewind}
3. Irene Cara - Fame {TV Rewind}
4. Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the devil {Midnight Meets}
5. Frankie goes to Hollywood - Two tribes {This House Believes}
6. Canned Heat - On the road again {Midnight in USA}
[Side 2]
7. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
8. Adele - Rolling in the deep
9. Toots & Maytals - Funky Kingston
10. Thompson Twins - Doctor Doctor {Dr Chris Smith}
11. Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakey - Together in Electric Dreams {Mixtape}
12. Timmy Trumpet - Narcos {Midnight Mixtape}
Hidden: Incredible Hulk - Lonely Man Theme {TV Rewind}
Also note Robert Palmer's "Bad case of loving you (Doctor, Doctor)" was used as theme for Dr Chris Smith.

Midnight Mixtape Stats

  • "Close to me" appeared on the Last Orders mixtape
  • "Video killed the radio star" appeared on the Radio and Fame mixtapes
  • "Fame" appeared on the Fame mixtape as well (well duh, #StatTheObvious)
  • "Sympathy for the devil" appeared on the Devils, Monsters and Hello mixtapes
  • Frankie goes to Hollywood only made the mixtape with "Relax" on the good advice mixtape
  • Adele has made the midnight mixtape 5 times but never with "Rolling in the deep"
  • Toots and Maytals have apeared on the midnight mixtape 3 times but never with "Funky Kingston"
  • "Doctor Doctor" appeared on the Groundhog Day 1 mixtape
  • "Together in electric dreams" made the Last Orders mixtape
  • Canned Heat, Gnarls Barkley, Timmy Trumpet and Incredible Hulk have never appeared on the midnight mixtape

Saturday, 23 December 2023

Benny's Midnight Mixtapes

Midnight Mixtapes

Here's a mixtape comprised of the best memorable songs that I suggestion and actually made the final mixtape.
[Side 1]
1. Go West - We close your eyes {Eyes}
2. Daft Punk - Harder Better Stronger Faster {Fast mixtape}
3. Tina Turner - (Simply) The Best {Best mixtape}
4. Pinky and the Brain Theme {Brain mixtape}
5. Mark Knopfler - Going home {Homeward bound mixtape} 
6. Crash Test Dummies - Mmm mmm mmm mmm {Groundhog day}
[Side 2]
7. Frankie Knuckles - Whistle song {Whistling mixtape}
8. Nick Cave & PJ Harvey - Henry Lee {100 mixtape}
9. Luis Fonsi - Despacito {Spanish I}
10. Gloria Estefan - No te olivdate (Anything for you) {Spanish II}
11. Alannah Myles -Black Velvet {Thunder/Lightning Mixtape}
12. Big Mama Thornton - I smell a rat {Rats Mixtape}
Hidden: Tasmin Archer - Sleeping Satellite
Tasmin Archer is my hidden track because I selected her most (3) times and on each occasion failed to make the final mixtape.

Midnight Mixtape: Last Orders

Last orders

This was the final weeknight midnight mixtape! Colin Murray was joined by both Paul McNamee and Claire Lim to look at listener selections (21/12/2023) with Songs that reference last orders but NOT really sad goodbye but a cheers, time to go home, one more time, farewell friend, last orders, last time, tip of cap kinda vibe!

Songs in contention

  • Ray Charles - Hit the road Jack
  • Boyz II Men - End of the road
  • Cure - Close to me
  • Semisonic - Closing Time
  • Tom Waits - I hope I dont fall in love with you
  • We are scientists - After hours
  • (Sound of music) - So long farewell
  • Daft Punk - One more time
  • Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing
  • Keane - This is the last time
  • Julie London/Andrew Sisters - Show me the way to go home
  • Woody Guthrie - So long it's been good to know you
  • Giorgio Moroder/Phil Oakey - Together in electric dreams
  • Billy Joel - Piano Man
  • Green Day - Good riddance
  • Terry Bush - Littlest Hobo (Maybe tomorrow)
  • Divine Comedy - Tonight we fly
  • Muse - Time is running out
  • Modest mouse - Float on
  • Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman - Time to say goodbye
  • Toots & Maytals - Take me home country roads
  • Killers - All these things that I've done
  • Frank Sinatra - One for my baby
  • Pogues - Body of an American
  • Pogues - Sally MacLennane
  • Sinead - Parting Glass
  • Communards - Never can say goodbye
  • Simple Minds - Don't you forget about me
  • Crowded House - Don't dream it's over
  • Leonard Cohen - Closing time
  • Edith Piaf - Je ne regrette rien
  • Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free bird
  • Led Zeppelin - Ramble on

Final Mixtape

Here's the final mixtape!

[Side 1]
1. Daft Punk - One more time
2. Giorgio Moroder/Phil Oakey - Together in electric dreams
3. Divine Comedy - Tonight we fly
4. Billy Joel - Piano Man
5. Frank Sinatra - One for my baby 
6. Killers - All these things that I've done
[Side 2]
7. Cure - Close to me
8. Boyz II Men - End of the road
9. Modest mouse - Float on
10. Tom Waits - I hope I dont fall in love with you
11. Green Day - Good riddance
12. Edith Piaf - Je ne regrette rien
Hidden: Abba - Thank you for the music
Thank you for Mog created an "applified" and a "spotified playlist.

Previous Appearances

Just two debuts with...Giorgio Moroder/Phil Oakey and the floating Modest mouse. Together in electric dreams was the original pening theme to the weeknight midnight mixtape before being exchanged for Timmy Trumpet's "Narco".
It should also be noted that both Billy Joel ("We didn't start the fire") and Frank Sinatra ("My way") and join Johnny Cash going on back-to-back mixtapes on Colin's watch.
Of the other acts with previous appearances:
Artist#Other Appearances
Abba2Name of the game (Shyness, #122)
Boyz II Men2End of the road (End of the road, #59)
Daft Punk2Harder Better Faster Stronger (Fast, #45)
Edith Piaf2La vie en rose (Roses, #38)
Green Day4...When September ends (Autumn, #69)
BASKET Case (Washing/Drying, #116)
Good Riddance (Memories, #46)
Killers4All these things are done (Human Spirit 2, #91)
Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll (Shyness, #122)
Somebody told me (Rumours, #37)
Divine Comedy6Frog Princess (Royals, #7)
Lost Property (Lost, #92)
My imaginary friend (Imagination, #72)
Something for the weekend (Wood, #60)
Sunrise (Ireland, #42)
Tom Waits6Last Leaf (Autumn, #69)
Rain Dogs (Dogs, #39)
Red shoes (by the drugstore} (Shoes, #124)
Way down in the hole (TV Themes, #17)
What's he building in there? (Toolbox, #55)
Cure7A Forest (Wood*, #60)
Hot hot hot (Groundhog Day 2, #88)
In between day (Day/Night Before, #110)
Killing an Arab (Books, #108)
Lullaby (Whisper, #48)
Lullaby (Superheroes, #25)
Frank Sinatra7Come fly with me (Holidays, #12)
It was a very good year (Memories, #46)
Mack the knife (Under the Sea, #51)
My way (Human Spirit 1, #90)
My way (Referred Songs, #131)
Send in the clowns (Eyes*, #40)
Billy Joel8...Italian restaurant (Set the table, #74)
Downeaster Alexa (Ship Ahoy, #43)
For the longest time (Two Instruments, #79)
River of Dreams (River, #36)
Stiletto (Shoes, #124)
We didn't start the fire (Movie Stars, #58)
We didn't start the fire (Songs that reference, #130)

Thursday, 21 December 2023

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape
With King Paul from the Big issue
Selecting songs that make you grab a tissue
Queen Claire using her tartan vibes
To curate a list with two sides
John Robb say what to Toto?
Louder than words NO NO NO!
Princess Nat searching for a musicals...

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape
Themes from Elvis to the Beatles
One day, two instruments, three items to 100
Fruit to plants to roses to the woods
Bridges crossing rivers to boats and under the sea
Rumours, Whispers, whistles and kisses for couples
Themes offering good advice and memories

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape
End of the road to end of the world
Deja vu, it's groundhog day
Ireland, Scotland, Wales (but not England!)
Spain, North Pole, Planets and still not England
Let's play 5 in a row

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape
Don't be shy
Use your brain
Use your imagination
Choose the perfect record!

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape
Used to start at stroke of midnight
Currently from an half hour earlier
But soon not start at all!

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape
Is about the community giving suggestions
Human spirit and their mental well-being

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape
Is that the time?

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape
Let's throw in a late curveball!

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape
Just breathe!

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape
Yes we have the 12 best tracks!

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape
What about the bonus track?

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape
Waiting for another Abba mixtape appearance

Colin Murray and his midnight mixtape
New beginnings but gone too soon

Tuesday, 19 December 2023

Midnight Meets in Midnight Mixtape

Midnight Meets

Here's a list of midnight meets (29) guests that have made the midnight mixtape:
  • Andy Bell (Erasure) (Apr 2021)
  • Arab Strap (Aug 2022)
  • Billy Bragg (Mar 2021)
  • Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream) (Oct 2021)
  • Bonnie Tyler (Jul 2021)
  • Carol Decker (T'Pau) (Jan 2023)
  • Danny McNamara (Embrace) (Aug 2023)
  • Dave Hemingway (Beautiful South) (Nov 2023)
  • Deacon Blue (Mar 2021)
  • Dionne Warwick (Apr 2021)
  • Gloria Gaynor (Mar 2022)
  • Ian Broudie (Lightning Seeds) (Oct 2021)
  • Joan Armatrading (Apr 2021)
  • KT Tunstall (Dec 2021)
  • Martha Reeves (Dec 2021)
  • Neil Hannon (Divine Comedy) (Jan 2022)
  • Phillip Bailey (Earth Wind & Fire) (Apr 2021)
  • Rick Witter (Shed 7) (Sep 2023)
  • Sam Fox (Mar 2023)
  • Sam Ryder (May 2023)
  • Sharleen Spelteri (Texas) (May 2023)
  • Skin Skunk Anansie (Apr 2021)
  • Sparks (Aug 2021)
  • Stephen Morris (Joy Division/New Order) (Aug 2023)
  • Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai) (Oct 2022)
  • Susanna Hoffs (Bangles) (Mar 2023)
  • Tim Booth (James) (June 2021)
  • Tim Wheeler (Ash) (Sep 2023)
  • Wayne Coyne (Flaming Lips) (May 2021)
Here's a list of midnight meets (22) guests that have not the midnight mixtape:
  • Belinda Carlisle (Feb 2023)
  • Betty Boo (Jan 2023)
  • Bill Conti (Jul 2021)
  • Bronagh Gallaher (Jun 2021)
  • Chris & Glenn (Squeeze) (Nov 2023)
  • David Arnold (Sep 2021)
  • Don Letts (Mar 2023)
  • Gary Numan (May 2021)
  • Heather Small (Feb 2022)
  • Howard Jones (Sep 2023)
  • Johnny Borell (Razorlight (Jan 2023)
  • Kim Wilde (Aug 2022)
  • Macy Gray (Aug 2021)
  • Martin Fry (ABC) (Oct 2023)
  • Nikki Sixx (Nov 2021)
  • Paul Young (Jan 2022)
  • Sananda Maitreya (Sep 2021)
  • Shirley Manson (Garbage) (Nov 2022)
  • Suzi Quatro (Aug 2022)
  • Tim Burgess (Charlatans) (Sep 2022)
  • Tom Chaplin (Keane) (Sep 2022)
  • Tony Hadley (Spandau) (Aug 2021)

Benny Mixtape: Songs in Songs

Songs in Songs

Here is a challenge of a mixtape that I devised partly after hearing a couple of songs that took verses from other songs. Notably the Dua Lipa and Elton John collaboration of "Cold Heart" took the verses from "Sacrifice" and "Rocketman". Only two other songs came to mind that did the same thing and they were Tall Paul's "Precious heart" which sampled the first verse of INXS' "Never tear us apart" and Lazard's "4 o'clock in the morning" which sampled the first verse of Beverley Craven's "Promise me".
I relaxed the verse rule to include songs that sampled multi-lines (minimum of 2). But songs that sample one line were disqualified as well as full cover versions. Began to realise a lot of songs that fit the bill were dance tracks:

Songs in contention

The following pop songs were found to meet the criteria:
  • Beatles - Glass onion {Beatles - Strawberry Fields}
  • Billy Bragg - New England {Simon & Garfunkel - Leaves that are green}
  • Elton John & Dua Lipa - Cold Cold heart {Elton John - Sacrifice/Rocket Man}
  • Elvis Costello - When I was a cruel number 2 {Abba - Dancing Queen}
  • Eminem - Stan {Dido - Thank you}
  • Little Mix - Bounce Back {Soul II Soul - Back to life}
  • Wet wet wet - Angel Eyes (home and away) {Squeeze - Heartbreaking world}
  • Weird Al - Amish Paradise {Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise}
Dance Songs:
  • Blu Mar Ten - Starting over {Cathy Dennis - Touch me (all night long)}
  • Figgy - Hold me? {Cathy Dennis - Touch me (all night long)}
  • Giraffage - Close 2 me {Cathy Dennis - Touch me (all night long)}
  • Alex Gaudino - Little love {Coldcut/Lisa Stansfield - People hold on}
  • Black Box - Ride on time {Loleatta Holloway - Love sensation}
  • Blue boy - Remember me {Marlena Shaw - Woman of the Ghetto LIVE}
  • Cool Kids - 88 {Men without hats - Safety Dance}
  • Corona - Rhythm of the night {Say when - Save me}
  • Direct 2 Disc - Morning {Crystal Waters - Gypsy Woman}
  • Duke Dumont - I got you {Whitney - My love is your love}
  • Enduser - 2/3 {Tasmin Archer - Sleeping Satellite}
  • Eric Prydz - Call on me {Steve Winwood - Valerie}
  • Fatboy Slim - Praise you {Camille Yarbrough - Take yo' praise}
  • JX - There's nothing I won't do {Taana Gardner - Heartbeat}
  • Kon Kan - I beg your pardon {Lynn Anderson - Rose Garden}
  • Lazard - 4 o'clock in the morning (Beverley Craven - Promise me)
  • LMC v U2 - Take me to the clouds above {Whitney - How will I know}
  • Room 5 - Make luv {Oliver Cheatham - Get down Saturday night}
  • Shapeshifters - Lola's Theme {Imarri - Let me love you}
  • Shut up and dance - Raving I'm raving {Marc Cohn - Walking in Memphis}
  • Strike - U sure do {Donna Allen - Serious}
  • Supermode - Tell me why {Bronski Beat - Smalltown boy}
  • Tall Paul vs INXS - Precious heart {INXS - Never tear us apart}

Final Mixtape

Couple of things to note. Wet Wet Wet followed by Billy Bragg was deliberate considering they were both side of the UK #1 double A-side, "With a little help from my friends" and "She's leaving home".
Lazard's "4 o'clock" (and Beverley Craven's "Promise me") was on the list and was eventually squeezed out by Kon Kan's "I beg your pardon" (and Lynn Anderson's "Rose garden"). Also couldn't find room for Supermode's "Tell me why" (and Bronski Beat's "Smaltown boy")
Here's the final mixtape!

Song borrowing lyrics
[Side 1]
1. Eminem - Stan
2. Elton John & Dua Lipa - Cold Cold heart
3. Tall Paul vs INXS - Precious heart
4. Wet wet wet - Angel Eyes (home and away)
5. Billy Bragg - New England
6. Little Mix - Bounce Back
[Side 2]
7. Kon Kan - I beg your pardon
8. Duke Dumont - I got you
9. Strike - U sure do
10. Black Box - Ride on time
11. Blue boy - Remember me
12. Fatboy Slim - Praise you
Hidden: Weird Al - Amish Paradise

Referred Songs Mixtape
[Side 1]
1. Dido - Thank you
2. Elton John - Sacrifice/Rocket Man
3. INXS - Never tear us apart
4. Squeeze - Heartbreaking world
5. Simon & Garfunkel - Leaves that are green
6. Soul II Soul - Back to life
[Side 2]
7. Lynn Anderson - Rose Garden
8. Whitney - My love is your love
9. Donna Allen - Serious
10. Loleatta Holloway - Love sensation
11. Marlena Shaw - Woman of the Ghetto LIVE
12 .Camille Yarbrough - Take yo' praise
Hidden: Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise