USVI-On-Line

Happy: Sorry there are 4...
Three Little Birds - Bob Marley
Jump In The Line - Harry Belafonte
I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
Lovely Day - Bill Withers
Mellow:
Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Clapton
Into The Mystic - Van Morrison

Like some others, I can't pick just two!

Partying first half:
Low Rider - War
Conquering Fools - OAR
Boogie Shoes - KC and the Sunshine Band
In The Summertime - Shaggy

Mellow out second half:
Shiver Me Timbers - Tom Waits
Waiting For My Real Life To Begin - Colin Hay
Someone Like You - Van Morrison
What You Give - Tesla

Mambo #5 - Lou Vega

It wouldn't be a trip to St. John if we didn't listen to this about a hundred times....

Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole-somewhere over the rainbow

Here it is on you tube, obviously downloaded versions are better. Poor guy died.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZFkXQKCuBc

It is hard to keep it to two. How about 13? These are songs that for different reasons particularly delight me when they come up in a shuffle.

1. Sons & Daughters--The Decemberists
2. Groovin'--Lee "Scratch" Perry
3. Chan Chan---Buena Vista Social Club
4. A Very Cellular Song--The Incredible String Band
5. Down on the Corner--Creedence
6. I Believe---Stevie Wonder
7. Land of Hopes & Dreams--Bruce
8. Big Hard Sun--Indio (or the Eddie Vedder version)
9. Portobello Belle--Dire Straits
10. Time Has Come Today--Chambers Bros.
11. Mama Africa--Lucky Dube
12. Van Morrison: These Are the Days or Sweet Thing
13. Stones: Sweet Virginia, Let It Loose or
Memory Motel

I take Kevin Ayers everywhere. I have a St. John mix of his music and that has to include:

Champagne Cowboy Blues ~ Lullaby (two separate songs but are cross-faded on the album)
Am I Really Marcel?
Stranger in Blue Swede Shoes (when you wanna feel upbeat)


And many more, actually...

Eric Lindell - Give It Time
The Radiators - Like Dreamers Do

Sweet and Dandy by Toots and the Maytals

I've already exceeded the limit, so I'll pile on a few more that for various reasons light me up whenever they pop up in the shuffle.

1. Yele--Wyclef Jean
2. Kind and Generous---Natalie Merchant
3. Haunted by the Ghost--Shane McGowan & Sinead O'Connor
4. A Rainy Night in Soho--The Pogues
5. Tholo Amadlozi--Brenda Fassie
6. Crossroads---Tracy Chapman
7. Broken--Everlast
8. Hear Me Lord--Oliver Mtukudzi
9. Air on the G String---from Bach's Suite #3 in D.
I have it by Neville Mariner and the Academy of St. Martin of the Field. It needs to be played on violin. There are some versions done on a guitar, which is nice, but for the full transcendent effect, it has to be on a violin with an orchestra.

That's the last. I'll restrain myself. I really admire the posters who were able to actually narrow it down to two, or even one.

Wow Guys! Thanks for all the responses.

No worries, Lex, I knew some people would not be able to narrow it down to only two!

Soxfan- Your gram's song earns a spot on the playlist just for your story. I will think of all fabulous grandmothers in the world when the song plays for me on STJ.

I have alot of songs to listen to this week...exciting. Clearly, I'm going to exceed my iTunes Budget this month!


I appreciate the diversity of the responses here. As usual, This Forum Rocks!

I love these music topics. When I lived in the Boston area I used to listen to a lot of college radio stations and was constantly introduced to new (to me) music. Now I rely on these posts. Cool stuff. Thanks, everyone.
- Ruth

Sun4MySoul wrote: Soxfan- Your gram's song earns a spot on the playlist just for your story. I will think of all fabulous grandmothers in the world when the song plays for me on STJ.

Thanks Sun - she was a wonderful woman. She passed 1 month before my sister got married...but before she did, she put a handwritten note of marital advice in a card for my sister (she was going in to Yale for an operation to fix a thoracic aortic aneurysm, and I don't think she expected to come out, and sadly she did not)...It read (paraphrase) - "Beckie, if you can love Paul everyday like I loved Grampy, you will have a wonderful life together".

When you walk into my sister's house in pittsburgh, that letter is framed, hanging on the first wall that you see.

We were all VERY close to her, but my sister especially so.

Thanks for adding the song.

That is such a wonderful story, Soxfan! Thanks for sharing.

Sox- Fabulous story to remember every time my iPod plays the song! Your grandma lives in the music of others!

While researching djmom's suggestion, I discovered the same artist (whose name I will not attempt to spell) does a song that is a mix of Somewhere over the Rainbow and Wonderful World. They complimented each other in his version. I got if off iTunes if you want to check it out! I thought it was pretty cool.

Yes! I love that too. I don't know which one is best