Yesterday, I put together a new play list on iTunes in honor of my birthday. Here is what I picked:

1. Maneater by The Bird and The Bee; yes, a cover of Hall & Oates. I happen to love H&O, Keith hates them. He hates them with a passion usually reserved only for Steely Dan. I had to admit that “Private Eyes” isn’t so wonderful but I greatly enjoy the rest of their catalog. “Rich Girl?” Come on! Anyway, this cover is great. After I bought it I realized that I have another song of theirs, a cover of the Bee Gees’ “How Deep Is Your Love.”

2. Dim’s Jazz (Latin’s In The House) by Dmitri From Paris – this is all about my quest to not only embrace the 1990s World Beat sensibility but also to listen to French electronic/jazz/house music. I feel as if I need a musical niche. And yes, I’m pronouncing that “neeche.”

3. Buster Voodoo by Rodrigo y Gabriela – see World Beat sensibility above. And it’s a very rousing guitar song. Not rousing like, say, Van Halen, but rousing in, like, a more intense Django Reinhardt way.

4. American Troglodyte by David Byrne & Fatboy Slim – I used to work with a woman who just discovered Fatboy Slim in 2008. We sat in the same room and she would request for someone to put on “Right Here, Right Now” and then she’d groove to it. It was 30% charming the first time she did this and it was rough going by the eighth request. Anyway, it soured me on Fatboy. Then I heard about this pairing with David Bryne and got interested again. The lyrics of this make me laugh like Jonathan Richman lyrics do. Americans are doing that exercise!

5. Futurismo by Kassin + 2 – see World Beat, etc.

6. Outro by Caetano Veloso – A semi-rockin’ Brazilian, what more can I say?

7. Bust A Move by Young MC – What’s a birthday without a bit of nostalgia? The beginning notes take me back to school dances and everyone trying to do the running man.

8. Starry Eyed Surprise by Oakenfold – A tribute to Tuscany and Grant Weeks. This is his jam and somehow it became everyone’s jam. I don’t care if was used in a Diet Coke commercial.

9. Make It Take It – Amanda  Blank – Some quick energy, like eating a Snickers and drinking a latte at 3:00 in the afternoon. By 3:20, you’re spent.

10. One More Time by Daft Punk – jaaaaaaaam

11. Time To Pretend by MGMT – Seeing MGMT at Rock The Garden on June 19th. Hell yeah.

12. I Turn My Camera On by Spoon – Because it’s been in my head for weeks.

13. Alligator (Passion Pit Remix) by Tegan and Sara – I love me a good remix.

14. Faith by George Michael – I have no idea. It snuck on there. Damn you, George Michael. I wish I could quit you. I remember thinking the opening lyric, “Well I guess it would be nice, if I could touch your body, I know not everybody, has a body like yours…” was quite naughty in junior high.

15. Quizas, Quizas, Quizas (live)  by Buena Vista Social Club – I’m not partial to live versions of songs I like but I heard this version on KBEM Jazz 88.5 (yeah, I’m old) and I freeeeaked out. Love it. Sounds like what I imagine being in Cuba would be like. I don’t believe in bucket lists but, OK, going to Cuba would be on mine.

16. Dirty Old Town – David Byrne – Thought he deserved another call-out.

17. I Love To Move In Here by Moby – This song is good to run to and it makes me feel happy. Isn’t that kind of the point of music? I mean the happy part, not the running part.

18. Breathe by Telepopmusik – I thought this would be the perfect song to transition to after “I Love To Move In Here” and I was right. Calming.

19. Topsy by Dorado Schmitt – If you love Django Reinhardt, you’ll flip for Dorado Schmitt. No, I don’t know if that’s true. But he’s a Django disciple and he’s very good.

20. Aeorporto 77 by Domenico – See World Beat, etc. etc.

Random Note: Other songs to run to include “Yankee Rose” by David Lee Roth, which inspires me to run uphill if only because the song distracts me with its silliness and “Different Sound” by Teddybears, which never fails to make me run hard because of the beat. Yeah.

Happy Birthday To Me.