Welcome to My Weekly Mixtape, a podcast that
takes the classic mixtape approach to building
a modern playlist. I'm your host, Brian Colburn.
Joining me tonight as guest curators are Dan
and Manny from the Nostalgia Test podcast. Gentlemen,
thank you so much for joining me on My Weekly
Mixtape. Brian, thank you so much for having
us. It's been a while. It's been a minute, so
I'm excited. I am too. We've talked together
on Playlist Wars. I've guessed it on the nostalgia
test before. I'm excited to go down that nostalgia
road. But before we do that, I get to ask you
each my first timers question. And Dan, we'll
start with you. What does the word mixtape mean
to you? Oh, this is it's fun because mixtape,
it reminds me of my childhood of putting together.
the best songs or the songs that I love the most
that I want to share with someone else. Right.
And that ability to do that was so fun because
you can curate a whole experience. And then you
got to like put in like little jokes or maybe
inside jokes as well inside the mixtape. So I
loved it. It was like creating a collage for
someone else. And it was just so fun to do. Manny,
same question to you. So it makes me think about
my wife because when we first started dating,
she made me a couple of mixtapes. But it was
mixed CDs at the time. CD -ROM was big. You could
get it printed. You even print out your whole
track list. It was basically her love notes to
me. So I had three or four of them. So anytime
I think mixtape, there's this one specific mixtape
that she made for me that always pops in my head.
It's just a great time. I have an ADHD brain,
so I'm like all over the place. So a mixtape
means perfect because it could go from like this
gloomy song to this like EDM to some just like
Bon Jovi song. Like what is happening is just
awesome. So I love it. I love it. Well, tonight
in a very meta coincidence, the three of us,
like I said, are curating a playlist filled with
the most nostalgic songs that music has to offer.
Now, we're not talking about the songs that each
of the three of us are. personally nostalgic
for we're talking about songs that are specifically
written about being nostalgic for something it
could be times past an old relationship or something
as simple as a photograph so with 125 plus episodes
of nostalgic discussions on the nostalgia test
dan what were you looking to bring to the table
with your song choices tonight Yeah, this was
interesting because I was thinking about also
when we we did an episode with someone, Georg
Charman, who is this guy, a scholar from Vienna.
And something he said on our episode, episode
81, was like. the idea of like one part of nostalgia's
romanticization and then there's also some like
melancholy to it and also something about he
said like shared experience so i'm trying like
when i was choosing the songs i was like which
songs create an experience that can be shared
amongst a bunch of people even if it's like and
the other thing about too is like These don't
also have to be great songs. That was something
we talked about with him too. It's like something
nostalgic doesn't necessarily have to be amazing.
It does that thing that creates the experience
of shared. So I was like, what songs can I put
on here that create a shared experience between
us three and then outwardly even more people?
Manny? It's like, is it? Of course, I went to
songs that make me feel nostalgic, but then the
fact that this is also meta to the point where
it's talking about it, I found it interesting
and I wanted to bring songs that no matter what
decade you were listening to this, even if they
weren't talking about what your high school was
like or what your past was like, you could understand
the storytelling that was going on and then relate
it to you. Like in my brain, there's certain
songs here I want to say right away that I'm
like, yeah, I didn't grow up that way, but like...
There was this that I did that was kind of like
that. So you like, you like live in that song,
but in your own way. And the songs that make
you do that, even though you didn't, you know,
maybe a song was written so long ago, it doesn't
matter. So I thought that's what I wanted to
bring to the table. And for mine, I went with
three different things. One, trying to invoke
that. Yeah, things have really changed since
back then. Two. The song's nostalgic references
hit close to home for me personally, where a
song actually is about nostalgia, but something
that I personally relate to. Or three, the song
is just frigging awesome and happens to fit the
theme. So I think with the bank of songs I choose,
I'm hitting on all three. So with that said,
let's get down to business. Tonight, as I mentioned
at the top of the show. Dan, Manny, and I will
be curating the ultimate nostalgia mixtape, and
we'll use the old cassette deck approach. But
since I have two guests this evening, the format
will be slightly altered from the usual. Tonight,
Dan will begin side A with his first song choice,
and then we'll roundtable the panel until we've
mapped out 10 songs for side A. We'll then give
our mixtape a proverbial flip, and we'll map
outside, be only this time Manny will kick off
the roundtable discussions. Our overall goal
for this episode is to craft the best nostalgia
mixtape possible through our 21 songs, or seven
song choices each. At the end of the show, you
can take our conversation to the next level by
visiting the episode page at myweeklymixtape
.com to give our final mixtape a listen via the
embedded playlist. And if you like what you're
hearing on the show, you can help me out by either
telling a friend, leaving the show a five -star
review wherever you're tuning in, or becoming
a Patreon mixtaper at patreon .com forward slash
myweeklymixtape. There you can enjoy ad -free
episodes of the show, become a future guest,
and so much more, such as chiming in on episode
topics like this one, which a few of the Patreon
mixtapers have done, and I'd like to give a quick
shout out to a few of those. Sean Goff is getting
nostalgic over his pick Bon Jovi's Never Say
Goodbye, saying it brings back great memories
from his high school years. And speaking of memories,
Tom Hutchinson chimed in with Weezer's Memories,
which features the cast of Jackass, both on backing
gang vocals as well as in the video, saying that
the song will always be his favorite Weezer song
and how it holds a special place as Ryan Dunn
passed shortly after the song came out. Chad
LaMassa chimed in with the St. John's Josephine,
as well as the revivalists Keep Going. Mike Daly
said Hold On by Triumph might fit well into tonight's
discussion. Seeker said Yesterday by Guns N'
Roses was the first song that came to his mind.
Philip Bergman chimed in with a number of songs,
including Weird Al's Good Old Days, and since
he was the guest on episode 56, the ultimate
Weird Al playlist, I kind of would have been
shocked if he didn't include that one. But along
with that, he also chimed in with Leslie Gore's
The Old Crowd, Elvis Presley's Memories, Little
Caesar and the Romans, Those Oldies But Goodies,
and Stevie Wonder's I Wish, among others, saying
that while it's not the most rockin' playlist,
nostalgia often has a calming effect at times,
so it seemed appropriate. And finally, Brandon
from Virginia chimed in with Stevie Wonder as
well, only he went with Sir Duke, along with
both Blues Traveler and From Good Homes Back
in the Day, which, while they're both the same
song title, they're completely different tunes.
Remember, if you want to be part of future episode
chime -ins, become a Patreon mixtaper at patreon
.com forward slash My Weekly Mixtape. So Dan,
I'm officially pressing the record button on
our mixtape and turning the mic over to you.
What song have you chose to get that nostalgic
vibe churning for us this evening? All right.
So the, the first song that I chose, it comes
off the 2006, my chemical romance album, the
black parade. Welcome to the black parade. Nice.
This song is the song that I came across. Like
I didn't listen to my chemical romance, but.
this song always came up on mixes on spotify
when i was listening to certain bands and i just
got so attached to it and it's that opening note
calls out to you but the story in it is what
the nostalgic part of it for me and the idea
that this song starts with a story about a guy
reminiscing going to this parade with his father
and like that idea really called out to me and
i feel like calls out to a lot of people in terms
of the shared experience of like going somewhere
with a parent or reminiscing on going to a thing
maybe traditionally with a parent and having
conversations and reminiscing back on really
important conversations and it also has that
really rocking sound that I feel like nostalgic
rock songs have. They're like endemic in a way
where like you feel like you're with a group
listening to it. So this is, yeah, the beginning.
Welcome to the Black Parade, My Chemical Romance.
I like this song a lot. I actually did listen
to My Chemical Romance. This is one of my favorite
songs of them. I rock out to this song like constantly
when I'm brewing. The beginning of this is phenomenal.
I agree with Dan. Like it brings me back to when
I used to go to like punk shows and emo shows,
but it also like, it does make me feel like energized
when I'm listening to this, like no need for
coffee with this one. And I just feel like I'm
at a show every time. So I love it. When I was
a young boy, my father took me into the city
to see a marching band. Reach No. 9 on the U
.S. Billboard Hot 100, No. 32 on the Canadian
Hot 100, as well as No. 1 on the U .K. Singles
and Rock and Metal chart. It also held that coveted
No. 1 spot in Venezuela and Scotland. Rolling
Stone also included it in its 100 best songs
of 2006. This is one of those songs that if I
was ever on Name That Tune. I could name it in
one note. That first piano note, I already know
exactly what song it is. You know when you hear
that piano, you're about to go on a musical adventure.
And this is by far my favorite My Chemical Romance
album and actually song as I think about it too.
So I love the way you're starting with this.
Awesome way to kick things off tonight. Manny,
we are now going to you for track two. Well,
the one I chose was When we were young by the
killers. I mean, this whole thing just screams
nostalgia. It puts me into this like different
mode of like, for some reason I take it as like,
I don't want to say my grandfather, but like
I worked with my grandfather when I was young.
And like, there's something about this song.
Just like when gentlemen were gentlemen, I don't
like, I don't know how to say this. Just looking
up to somebody and listening to all their wisdom
and learning from them. And like, also like feeling
like I could. conquer the world when i was a
kid and like just remember how things were just
people were more respectful to people and stuff
that's just kind of how it makes me feel and
i just love the killers so like it's just this
is like one of my favorite songs that they play
you know i'm looking at the lyrics and and it
makes me think especially in that song they say
you know brandon flowers says like and sometimes
you close your eyes and you see the place where
you used to live when you were young and that
really screams out that nostalgic experience
of listening to a song and hearing a lyric and
it bringing you to that space like giving you
that warm nostalgic feeling of remembering maybe
where you grew up and as I've grown up and lived
in different places like I can see each place
that I've lived at and then also places that
like my parents lived at and there's a photograph
of a house my mom grew up in in South Ozone Park
and it's like A house that doesn't look like
any other house on the block. And it's so amazing
looking and beautiful. But when I see it, I get
nostalgic for even just being inside that house.
And also the killers are, to me, taking the torch
from Bruce Springsteen and writing those long
anthemic songs that are nostalgic and telling
those long stories. So it's a great pick. And
sometimes you close your eyes and see the place
where you used to live when you were young from
2006 is Sam's town reached number 14 on the U
S billboard, hot 100 number five on the Canadian
singles chart and number two on the UK singles
chart. It was also a top 10 hit in Australia,
Europe. Ireland and Scotland. And in 2009, UK
radio station XFM ranked the song number 37 on
their 100 greatest songs of all time. Cool way
to start tonight because we went with two songs
from the 2000s. And I know a lot of people talk
about. How 80s music had a sound and how 90s
music had a sound. But when you got to the 2000s,
after nu metal and all of that kind of died down,
I feel like music kind of went off in many different
directions. And it's harder to define the 2000s
as a musical sound. But when you bring up bands
like My Chemical Romance and The Killers. There
was a musical sound in the 2000s. And I think
that's what I'm going to tap into for my first
pick of the night, which will be track three.
And I should probably start by saying that with
my pick, all three songs are going to be from
the 2000s. So if I'm looking at it from where
I sit at age 46 right now, the nostalgia arrows
pointing directly at you, 1980s and 1990s. Maybe
we're showing our age here. Maybe we're wearing
it on our sleeves. But I'm going to go with a
song that will make my wife cringe and will probably
make a lot of listeners cringe. And I don't care.
And I'm going to defend this one. And there's
going to be people that are going to be screaming
at the top of their lungs. But I teased it at
the top of the show. And I'm just going to dive
right into the deep end from 2005's All the Right
Reasons. We're going with Canada's finest, at
least in the 2000s, Nickelback and Photograph.
Reach number two on the U .S. Billboard Hot 100.
Number three in Australia. Number one on Canada's
Hot ACT. top 30, number one on the UK rock and
metal chart and was a top 10 hit in Belgium,
the Netherlands and New Zealand. The song is
two times platinum in the US, platinum in Canada
and gold in both Australia and the UK. So everyone
who says they hate the song, maybe they do, but
they're listening to it. And I get it. The lyric,
look at this photograph. Every time I do, it
makes me laugh. That's the one that everyone's
mind is going to go to because it created, let's
be honest, one of the greatest memes of all time.
And I'm very thankful for that. But if you dive
into the song, and this is where I'm going to
get serious for a second, the lyrics, we used
to listen to the radio and sing along with every
song we know. We said someday we'd find out how
it feels to sing to more than just the steering
wheel. As a guy who played in bands from high
school, and still currently plays in bands, those
lyrics actually hit me in the feels a little
bit. Yeah, I'm talking about Nickelback. But
those lyrics for any musician, we've all been
there. You all dream about what if we were one
of those bands. And as much as everyone hates
them, check out the 2023 documentary, Hate to
Love Nickelback. It might give you a new perspective
on them. It is nostalgic. I mean, there's no
doubt about it. This is a song that at its core,
it is nostalgia. I mean, the line, remember the
old arcade blew every dollar that we ever made.
I mean, that. is something especially if you
grew up with arcades and going to classic arcades
not like the new arcade where like you pay one
price you could play everything where like you
are actually having to continually get quarters
and wait online and you know sit there and watch
one person like dominate that whole thing it
brings you into those moments and without talking
about nickelback which doesn't matter because
it's like it is about the nostalgia part nickelback
is also like just even saying like they also
are nostalgic at this point like that sound that
they created is nostalgic so everything about
it is nostalgic whether you like nickelback or
not it is an amazing pick and this is actually
the first time i listened to the whole song all
the way through and i was like okay okay listen
This song is hilarious. When it comes on, I want
to hate this song. I want to hate it so bad because
it just has become just like this photograph.
And I remember that. But the lyrics are, you
can't hide away from these lyrics, like everything
about it. Makes me think about, first of all,
time when you would look at a photograph, you're
not looking at your phone to see the past and
your eyes are so red. Remember when you used
to use the flash and there was no way to take
the red out. You don't really get that now because
your phone is auto -correcting right away. So
all of that just brings me back. And then like,
you know, he talks about sneaking out of his
school and how the second floor is hard to do
and that he actually broke in a couple of times,
but only the criminal record shows that it's
twice. Like it is such a great storytelling song.
that it's so hard for me to be like, I kind of
low -key really like this song because it does
get me in all the feels. I have to give it that
at least this song, it deserves where it got
placed because it probably got everybody's feels
and that's why it got there. All right, Dan,
we're back to you now for track four. Where do
we go from Nickelback? So this is funny because
we've been talking about nostalgia and like it
being... having an 80s sound or a 90s sound i
just turned 42 but like the song i'm about to
give is from 2016 it's from the california deluxe
edition of the blink 182 album california and
it's called parking lot and it is also from the
era of blink 182 when alkaline trio frontman
matt skiba was in the band um is an interesting
two album space of time for blink -182 i actually
love their albums actually during this period
as well i think the songwriting was amazing and
this song just gets me every time i hear it if
you've ever went to shows traveled on the train
pre -gamed in that way and had a group of friends
that just loved going to concerts but also lived
in the suburbs and this is also the core part
of it this song is going to make you feel all
the nostalgic feelings and all the memories coming
back i mean right when it's like starts with
matt's voice which is a great voice remember
the days we would drink on the train on our way
to the show chicago and i'm just like immediately
thinking of all the shows i went to taking the
long island railroad into manhattan drinking
southern comfort like a degenerate going to a
show and then like having to take that train
home but it it is such an interesting thing is
that idea that living so far, but so close to
a city and being in a suburbs and being this
weird, like forgotten population that also loves
that being in those spaces. So I love this song.
I play the song so much. I don't want to constantly
repeat Dan, but when we grew up together, this
is the reason why we have a podcast together.
And he did remind me of that, Dan, like going,
you know, we were still in high school, even
though you weren't supposed to be drinking, that
was the time you were drinking to go, to go to
the shows that. you know weren't you like miniola
did have a really good like punk well more emo
scene yeah and we had like deja was a place to
go but most of the time we were going in the
city and that was the time when we were doing
whatever there's no parents around we had no
cell phones then so it was like maybe we had
a beeper or one of us two of us maybe had it
but it totally brings me there such a great song
just makes me feel so good Underneath fluorescent
lights, we'll waste the best nights of our lives.
F this place, let's put up a parking lot. Reach
number 34 on the Billboard US Hot Rock and Alternative
Songs chart. Dan, I'm with you. I might catch
some flack for this as well, but I agree. I think
California is an incredible Blink -182 record.
Even though Tom's not on it, Matt did a bang
-up job both vocally and on guitar. And this
song, I think... along with Bored to Death, are
two standout tracks that, at least in the case
of Bored to Death, Blink is continuing to play
now with Tom back in the band. So they're recognizing
that these songs are part of Blink's entire kind
of catalog. So I love seeing that the Skiba era
is being recognized with the reunion happening.
So I think that's pretty awesome. Yeah. Manny,
we're back to you now for track five. Okay. Now,
if you know me, you know I'm a big Macklemore
fan. I love his lyrics. I chose Good Old Days.
Featuring Kesha, this song is everything great
about, like obviously the Good Old Days, it's
a lyric in many songs. It talks about how these
are the good old days. You know, like they didn't
know it was the good old days. The whole song
is about them going to like shows, playing garages
and all that stuff and just getting in a van
and going and didn't realize like those were
the journey. And that was the good old days that
that was going to be what they were going to
think about. And like, even though there were
rock stars now, those times were like what made
the greatest memories. And that just listening
to the way Kesha says, these are the good old
days. Forget about even if you're not in a band.
It makes me think about just like the friends
that you had from right after high school, during
college, right before you had to become an adult
and everything you did was just such a good time.
Like we didn't really have that many responsibilities.
We didn't have that many bills and you were just
in it. Everybody would just wake up. What are
we doing today? And you were in the moment. Just
thinking about that, like when I'm so stressed
out and bills to pay and all these other things,
I'm like, man, we didn't even know what we had.
And I even say to like my nieces and nephews
now, I'm like, don't rush this. Even if you have
a crappy day or your friend, you guys were just
hanging out in the backyard. You didn't do anything.
You just hung out. Those are going to be the
best memories you've ever had because to get
together with anybody now. You need to put on
your freaking eye calendar because there's just
so many things that come up. There's so many
things to do. And like, you won't know that they're
the good old days until it's gone. And like,
you just got to sit and appreciate it. It gets
me all the time. I'm like, joke up thinking about
it. Okay. So I was listening to this and I was
thinking it was like making me cry as I was walking
to this workshop I was going to because it was
making me think like, You're right, Manny. Like
we didn't know how good we had it, but also like
having those memories is so important because
when we are struggling, that's when nostalgia
kind of comes in. It's just like we got through
even things then, but we also like look at everything
we've already done, right? Sometimes we feel
like we haven't done anything. I was like crying
just thinking about everything I've done, the
people I've met in my life and the love I have
in my life. I was like. oh my god this song is
doing all that and it was it was quite a listening
experience wish i would have gotten out of my
shell wish i put the bottle back on that shelf
Wish I wouldn't have worried about what other
people thought and felt comfortable in myself.
Talk about a verse that hits you like that spoke
to me. I mean, to me, I think Macklemore and
I think thrift shop. And when he hit me with
that verse, I'm like, oh, my God, am I am I catching
the feels from Macklemore here? But. From 2017's
Gemini, the song reached number 48 on the Billboard
US Hot 100. Surprised it wasn't a top 40 hit.
Hit number 78 in the UK, so neither place it
was a top 40 hit. However, it was a top 40 hit,
hitting number 40 on the Canadian Hot 100, as
well as cracking the top 40 all over the world,
including New Zealand, Belgium, Austria, Slovakia,
Czech Republic, Ecuador. Hungary, Switzerland,
and Ireland. This is a worldwide hit. And you
want to know where its highest worldwide chart
position was? Number eight in Australia. Wow.
Of all the places. Of all the places. I thought
you were going to say Ireland. No, Australia,
the highest chart position for good old days.
This song, it really hit me. I was not the biggest
Macklemore fan outside of thrift shop. And hearing
this song for the first time, I'm going. Man,
this guy knows how to hit you in the feels. And
I think that's what I'm going to use to pivot
off of because we went from rock and now we're
into hip hop land. And if we're going nostalgic
and we're going with hip hop, I'm going to spoil
the next song with two words. Drums, please.
From 1991's Home Base, we're going with DJ Jazzy
Jeff and the Fresh Prince. Yes, Will Smith. Summertime.
Reached number four on the Billboard US Hot 100,
their highest charting single ever. Number 29
on Canada's top singles chart and number eight
on the UK singles chart. It also won a Grammy
Award for best rap performance by a duo or group.
Now, I talked about this song on episode 75,
the Ultimate Summer Vibes playlist with DT from
Space Castle. And man, I have to revisit these
lyrics that... For my age at 46, just immediately,
I am back in high school. When I think of the
summers of the past, adjust the bass and let
the alpine blast pop in my CD and let it run
a rhyme and put your car on cruise and lay back
because this is summertime. Now, hell, during
episode 75, I actually say in the episode that
this song will make my list. for the ultimate
nostalgia playlist. And I knew I was going to
use it tonight. I just didn't know where, but
thanks to you, Manny, for bringing Macklemore
into the discussion. I don't even have to try
to wedge a square into a circle here. It's the
perfect segue summertime. Oh man. Listening to
that song again was like, ah, summer songs. Just
like, that's the thing when I hear this too,
it reminds me of like how music. and summer were
so connected that like nowadays yes everyone's
like what's the song of the summer but it's like
yeah then it was like what are the songs of the
summer it was like a whole event like you had
summertime like with fresh prince and dj jazzy
jeff and like for us it was like anytime it comes
to summer i'm throwing sublime on again i'm doing
all these so like It's not just a single song
of the summer. It's like, what kind of curation
of summer can I do with music? And this song
always has to be on it. Oh, yes. I mean, I love
this choice. Thanks, Brian. This is an amazing
choice. From the beginning, you transform. I
want to put flip -flops on. I want to just be
at the beach by the dock drinking a cocktail
or just hanging out. Even again, when this song
came out, I was in... We were in high school,
maybe even middle school at the time. I'm 43,
so I'm just trying to, I can't do the math that
fast, but it was a jam. And you were going to
be listening to this from Memorial Day all the
way to Labor Day. And like, it was playing everywhere.
C100, Hot 97, like no one didn't have this on.
And like you said, Dan, it does, and it even
brings me back. The greatest thing is that this
is always on. Like, this is like. You know how
people make Christmas songs and they're like,
oh, I could live off of just that because it's
being played all the time. This is like that
song. It will not not be played. Who's not going
to play this? Nostalgically, ironically, it gets
put on now even with social media. It's a soundbite
that you put on when you want to just show that
it's summertime. It is such a great banger. Love
this thing. Could listen to it all day. Well,
now, Dan, we're back to you for track seven.
Where do we go from here? So I feel like we are
making pivots like every three songs. Like I
had to throw something on there and I had a bunch
of songs in my head that I was like, I need to
get on there. And I was like, you know what?
This one won it out. And it's that's what friends
are for. Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight,
Stevie Wonder, written by Burt Bacharach and
Carol Byers -Sager. And it's almost like people
don't have to say anything about why this is
here. And like, but, and especially me, but I'm
like, this is a song you put on and it's just
like, sit back, let your whole life come be flashed
right in front of you and all the amazing moments.
That's what this song does. And it gave me all
the nostalgia feeling. all of them they reminded
me of all the graduations that i've heard this
at you know from fifth grade on just like doing
that to us it was like crying and but also like
the friends that i've had and like i moved several
times and then like the friends i had in colorado
like when i would do my mfa there and like you
know then i haven't seen them since and but like
we kind of keep in touch and it's that idea it's
like Friends are for a lot of different things
when like you need them, but also in different
moments of your life. And I feel like this song
really puts it out there. And plus, I mean, who's
going to hate like Dionne Warwick, John Gladys
Knight, Stevie Wonder. You put them all on a
track and just magic happens. It's like, let
them sing the phone book. Just like let James
Earl Jones, rest in peace, you know, read the
phone book. It doesn't matter. It's going to
be a banger. It's going to be amazing. But yeah,
love this song. All the nostalgia feels. Okay,
Dan, you took me here. With this one. I used
to work for a DJ company. And I used to go to
Bar Mitzvahs in Sweet 16. This is how you ended
at Bar Mitzvah in Sweet 16 all the time. And
everybody circled up. And you just sung it. You
sung it. Again, this is another one where it's
like every single lyric in here gets you. It
makes you think about anybody who's that close
to you. You might not be talking to them for
like 10 years. And you still. are like, yeah,
that is what friends are for. Especially when
the lyric is like, I'm glad that I got the chance
to say that I believe I love you. And if I should
ever go away, just close your eyes and try to
think about this moment, these times. And that's
what friends are for. There's nothing more I
could say. I was like, really? This is where
we went from Jazzy Jeff? And then we're like,
oh, this, let's slow down, sit back and think
about it. There are a group of friends that we
have that I may not see for years, but I know
if I pick up a call right now, they'll pick up
and that's what they're for. And Dan, like you,
I'm 99 .9999999 % certain I sang this at several
grammar school chorus concerts growing up because
as soon as you said the song title, my brain
went, keep smiling. Keep shining, knowing you
can always count on me. For sure. Yeah, everybody's
singing along right now. If Jay Sweet and I were
to ever do a volume two to episode 33, wait,
that's a cover song playlist. This song is a
perfect candidate because Rod Stewart originally
recorded this in 1982 for the Night Shift soundtrack.
Whoa. Wow. Wow. This is a cover song. Nobody's
talking about Rod Stewart's version because Deanne
Warwick made it her own. But man, you got to
give Rod some love here. You got to give Rod
some love. Yeah. All right. Love to Rod Stewart.
Yeah. This version reached number one on the
Billboard U .S. Hot 100 and was the number one
single in the U .S. for all of 1986. It also
reached number one in Australia and Canada and
won the Grammy Awards for Best Pop Performance
by a Duo or Group with Vocals, as well as Song
of the Year, because of course it did. Manny,
from that, where do you go for track eight? Okay,
so I'm going to... Ed Sheeran's Castle on the
Hill. There's a lot behind this one. First of
all, me and my wife went to Ireland and we were
chasing castles and we listened to this on repeat.
But just listen to even the lyrics. He's again
talking about old friends, growing up, breaking
his leg, getting in fights with brothers and
sisters. There's this whole thing. Why I chose
all these songs is it didn't matter that I wasn't
in Ireland and I don't chase castles and there's
no castle on the hill. But I do remember me and
my twin sister playing hide and seek and I didn't
break my leg, but I jumped out of a hamper and
fell and cracked my skull and have a scar from
it. You know, so like it just brings back those
like even like memories of just like the kids,
you know, we were talking about that's what friends
for on that one. Even go younger and think about
the friends you have when you were like six,
seven, eight. Maybe you don't remember specific
conversations, but you remember like things you
did. parties you might have got a pool or something
cool that happened like you know a race that
you might have had on the block with your bicycle
and stuff so great great lyrics on this one ed
sheeran always killing i mean this is the thing
a great song about nostalgia or great song that
gives you those nostalgic feels that you know
those shared experiences is a song like this
where it's Just storytelling. Everything is just
a lot of like beautiful stories and recollections
and memories. And yeah, like Manny said, like
I remember. breaking my heel which is the weirdest
thing to break and like being in crutches for
like all the summer in after fifth grade and
like then working as a custodian and like almost
breaking my ankle and being in crutches for the
rest of that summer then going upstate to our
friend dave's house shouldn't have done that
and like been playing beer pong on crutches like
like you know what i mean like it's just it gives
you all those things where you're being shown
your memories by someone else's lyrics. And it's
kind of interesting to kind of have those two
things happen at the same time. And this kind
of this song was doing that really well. And
it's just a fun type of like, I don't know, like
it's not even like a rock song as much as like
it's almost like folksy in a way. And I love
that type of feel. Well, Dan, you should reach
out to DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and
have them write an extra verse for summertime
about broken ankles. I think. Found my heart
and broke it here, just like Dan's ankle. Made
friends and lost them through the years. And
I've not seen the roaring fields in so long.
I know I've grown, but I can't wait to go home.
From 2017's Divide, reached No. 6 on the Billboard
US Hot 100, No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart, the
Canadian Hot 100, and the Australia ARIA Charts.
It also topped the charts in Iceland. Israel
and Scotland and is currently four times platinum
in the U .S., six times platinum in the U .K.,
nine times platinum in Australia and diamond
in Canada. This song also made music history
as it was the first time two songs by the same
artist debuted on the Billboard U .S. Hot 100
in the top 10 in the same week as it debuted
at number six, like I said. with Shape of You
debuting at number one. Now the story behind
Ed Sheeran's Castle on the Hill, there's a little
bit of sadness to it, a little melancholy. Made
friends and lost them through the years. And
that's what I'm going to go with to kind of pivot
into the next song. But I'm going to make it
a little, I'm going to change the, because this
you said is a little folky. I'm going to take
this and go back into the. pop punk side of thing,
maybe with a little splash of emo. I mean, there
is a violin in the song and I'm going to go with
the title track from yellow cards, 2003 album
ocean Avenue. This one hit number 37 on the Billboard
US Hot 100, which actually surprised me. I did
not know that Yellow Card had a top 40 hit. It
reached number 61 in Australia, number 29 on
Canada's CHR Pop Top 30, and number 65 on the
UK Singles Chart. Variety magazine included it
in its list of 26 best emo songs of all time.
Billboard included it on their list of 100 greatest
choruses of the 21st century. And Spin included
it in both their list of the 21 best pop punk
choruses of the 21st century and the 50 best
alt rock love songs. Now, lyrically, there's
a place off Ocean Avenue where I used to sit
and talk with you. We were both 16 and it felt
so right. Sleeping all day, staying up all night.
This is the pop punk emo version of Summer Nights
from Grease. And I will be hearing nothing else
on that one. So, yeah, like these lyrics are
interesting because there's a friend of Manny
and I have that we used to party at his house
all the time. And I would say like. Lots of time
was spent at this house. And when I see these
lyrics, when I hear the song, it reminds me of
that. Not so much like a singular person, but
like to me, like it brought me to the nostalgic
place of a singular place and a singular moment.
Right. And there are several of them, too. Like
that is one of them where it's just like we used
to do that. You used to hang out and party in
this place. And we all became really close at
that one point. Right. Like and then all of a
sudden. We've dispersed all over the country.
Friendships have ended, things like that. So
it definitely like brings us to a moment where
it was one time where we were all together all
the time. And also like it reminded me also right
now to like there's a where I did my. MFA in
Boulder at Naropa University at the Kerouac School
of Disembodied Poetics, they're getting ready
to knock down the whole main campus by selling
it by 2026. So a place where it meant so much
to me. I met some amazing friends. I met my wife
for the first time in front of the main building.
And from that point on, that was how we met.
And it means so much to me. And it's going to
be gone in like... two years and so it's really
interesting to think as i grow older the things
that i remember the people i know are like going
to fade and not going to be there but nostalgia
keeps it alive because some moments like this
like a piece of music can just like bring it
back like out of nowhere so i thought it was
really amazing staying up all night oh it's like
going my head this is a great song always there's
obviously yellow car for some reason reminds
me of not some reason this is a reason for it
tony hawk's pro skater Just because that it's
like one of the best like soundtracks ever. The
first one I would argue. No need to argue that
one. Episode 65, the ultimate Tony Hawk pro skater
soundtracks playlist dedicated to all of the
amazing Tony Hawk pro skater soundtracks. So
no argument here. Yeah, I got to agree with Dan.
This is another one where it's like that moment
in time where you had no responsibilities and
you could sleep all day and stay up all night,
especially like. High school love too. Like that
young love where it was like, you didn't want
to leave. You didn't want to say goodbye. You
stayed up. You watched the sunrise. Like what
was the last time you watched the sunrise? Unless
like, you know, because you got to get up to
go to work or your dog wakes you up or, you know,
whatever. But where you actually were like, yo,
we've been up all night. We might as well not
go to bed. And we're just going to go watch the
sunrise. And especially on Long Island, we'd
be like, let's go drive to Jones Beach and go
watch. Or let's go to Point Lookout. There was
a couple months ago, actually, my younger niece,
her and her boyfriend were like, I'm like, what
are you guys doing tonight? She's like, oh, we're
going to go watch Sunrise. And I was like, I
remember, I look at my wife, I was like, remember
when we used to do that? It's just like life
gets in the way. And this song just is just like,
so like, keeps me young. I love it. I love it.
All right, Dan, you kicked off Side A, but the
way this episode works, you get to close it out
as well. So what are we closing out Side A with?
okay i love this song i don't care what anyone
says and truthfully it is one of the most covered
songs too and we'll talk about how many times
this song was covered by so many people and it's
rainbow connection off the muppet movie original
soundtrack sung by kermit the frog and it is
a great song and in terms of nostalgia right
away the first verse where it's like why are
there so many songs about rainbows and what's
on the other side rainbows are visions but only
illusions and rainbows have nothing to hide and
i'm like this song is just about for me when
i hear it the nostalgia of not just childhood
but hyper childhood imagination that everything
is possible that like you know what's on the
other side of that rainbow when you're a kid
you're told it's gold on the other side of the
rainbow is a pot of gold. When you become an
adult, you look at it. It's like, yeah, it's
just, you know, cool rainbow, whatever, what
do I got to do? And then like, you're walking
past it. So like, it's interesting for me when
I would listen to the song, it makes me come
back to that nostalgic feeling of like anything
my imagination is thinking about. I can create.
And like that nostalgia of that sort of. invincibility
of my imagination is something i want to remind
myself of and this song does that i i love this
song and just real quick this song was covered
by and there's a whole list of people it was
covered by gwen stephanie the singer to my morning
jacket lisa lobe maddie pope casey musgraves
and willie nelson barbara streisand vonda shepherd
less than jake manny They covered it. Kenny Loggins.
I mean, it goes on. The Carpenters, everyone.
This is one of those songs that I think really
impacts a lot of people. You were bringing back
the childhood imagination. And the fact that
Kermit the Frog is singing it, really definitely
that voice. You can't not know that it's Kermit
the Frog if you grew up in that era. And the
fact that he's singing it, so is a Muppet singing
it. You're imagining, listening to those lyrics
about, you're okay with the fact there's a Muppet.
singing about imagination and dreaming and kids
doing that. And I, I like what you said, Dan,
about like, as we grow older, you kind of lose
that. And listening to this, you should try to
get that back to keep dreaming, to keep looking
for the, the rainbow connection. So thank you
for putting it on there. Now, Dan, you said this
song is great. I normally don't argue with people
on this show, but I'm going to have to argue
with you here. This song is not great. It's the
greatest song ever written. This is actually
my favorite song of all time. I've talked about
it several times in all of these episodes. I
danced with my mom to this song when I was three
years old, and I danced with my mom to this song.
At my wedding for my mother -son dance. This
song means more to me than any other song on
the planet. And I really expanded upon those
stories in other episodes. So instead of doing
that again, I'm going to bring some new information
to the table tonight about Rainbow Connection.
Because believe it or not, no matter how many
times I've talked about this song, I've never
mentioned the fact that Rainbow Connection was
a top 40. hit for Kermit the Frog, reaching number
25 on the Billboard US Hot 100, and it charted
even higher in Australia, reaching number 14.
This song is the greatest song ever. What a way
to close out Side A mixtapers. That is Side A
of the ultimate nostalgia mixtape, which consists
of My Chemical Romance, Welcome to the Black
Parade. The Killers, When You Were Young, Nickelback's
Photograph, Blink -182's Parking Lot, Macklemore
featuring Kesha, Good Old Days, DJ Jazzy Jeff
and the Fresh Prince's Summertime, Dionne Warwick's
That's What Friends Are For. Ed Sheeran's Castle
on the Hill, Yellow Card's Ocean Avenue, and
Kermit the Frog's Rainbow Connection. Head over
to myweeklymixtape .com to hear all the songs
we've discussed in this mix through the playlist
embedded on the episode page. Now, Manny, since
Dan kicked off Side A, I'm passing the mic to
you to keep our nostalgic vibes going for Side
B. What song are you starting off with? I'm going
with Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen. This song
always got to me. It's literally about a song
about being at a bar. There's a guy who uses
superstar and he lives like, so it could, this
could be almost a sad song, like almost like
a depressing song, but also like great songs
because it's like the guy's living through his
glory days. Like they were superstars in high
school. Now the life's just gotten to them and
like, they're just sitting there. drinking and
thinking about the glory days to make them feel
better so it could look bad but like this whole
show is about songs about making us feel great
about the glory days the good old days whatever
you want to call it and it's such a great song
like the way it's written the way bruce sings
it it's just i again know some of these people
i've caught myself living in the glory days you
know when i go to watch wrestling tournament
now with all the alumni's and then we end up
at the bar afterwards and we're all just talking
about all the great times we had at tournaments
and like all the championships we won but and
it was feeling great like we're hugging we're
hanging out and then like afterwards you're like
oh yeah but now like reality so like everyone
does this and that's why the song is so great
yeah i mean it's bruce springsteen I mean, as
soon as you hear it, it's like, yeah! It pulls
you into that nostalgic space that Springsteen
has been cultivating and creating his entire
career. It's almost like he's built a separate
universe of nostalgia that as soon as his voice
starts, you get sucked into, right? And remember,
I know that him and Tom Waits are coming up at
the same time, so when you put on Tom Waits'
nostalgic, but it's also like... a little scarier
it might be i love tom waits but sometimes it's
like oh boy behind this door i don't know what
valvulian craziness is going to happen but with
springsteen it's a constant group hugs i feel
like i feel like it's always like group hugs
lots of high fives and also it makes me think
of this is the thing when manny and i grew up
together so like living in minneola and wilson
park through the bar there was a bar of memories
and like springsteen was constantly sung this
song was karaoke'd by the same guy all the time
every week and everyone was like yeah i was like
we sang this last week but i think it didn't
matter it was that feeling and so it was great
listening to it i mean it's springsteen it was
amazing being a new jersey musician i I think
I'm contractually obligated by the state of New
Jersey. I think it's in like the bylaws of the
state constitution that if you are playing a
gig, you have to play at least one song from
the boss. I'm not 100 % sure. I have to reread
that again. But from 1984 is born in the USA.
The song reached number five on the Billboard
US Hot 100 and also hit number 17 on the UK singles
chart and Canada's top singles. chart, as well
as number 29 in Australia. And if you're a fellow
Bruce Springsteen fan, be sure to check out episode
53, the ultimate Bruce Springsteen playlist featuring
fellow Pantheon podcast network mate, Jesse Jackson,
host of set lusting Bruce. We may or may not
talk about glory days on this episode. I don't
want to spoil it, but we've got something in
there for both diehards and casual fans alike.
Manny, you did talk about the fact that, yes,
the song is happy, but in true Bruce fashion,
you've got everybody singing along with this
happy song. But when you really dive into the
lyrics, we just sit around talking about the
old times. She said when she feels like crying,
she starts laughing, thinking about. Glory days.
There's a little bit of a melancholiness to it.
It's happy and sad at the same time. And he was
really able to teeter that line. And I think
what I'm going to do is tap right into that feeling.
And I'm going to keep us in that same musical
style as well. And I'm going to go with my favorite
musical artist of all time since Dan brought
up my favorite song of all time. I think it's
only fitting to bring up some Tom Petty and the
Heartbreakers here off of 1979's Damn the Torpedoes.
I'm going to follow up Glory Days with Even the
Losers. Two cars parked on the overpass. rocks
hit the water like broken glass i should have
known right then it was too good to last god
it's such a drag when you live in the past i
feel like that taps into the melancholy part
of nostalgia similar to glory days you're looking
back at the past with love but also a little
bit of sadness and strangely enough while this
song is considered an absolute classic In the
Tom Petty catalog, it was never released as a
single except for in Australia. I have no idea
why. Australia is getting it all right, but it
was not released in the U .S. as a single. However,
it made Tom Petty's 1993 greatest hits album.
It's a concert staple through all of the decades.
It made the live anthology. Rolling Stone ranks
this as Tom Petty's 19th best song. And the Washington
Post has it in their top 10 Tom Petty tracks
of all time. God, I got to whittle down Tom Petty's
catalog pretty soon for an upcoming Tom Petty
and the Heartbreakers episode. I don't know how
the holy hell I'm going to do it. But even the
losers, for somebody who grew up sometimes kind
of doubting himself growing up, like we talked
about with the Macklemore song, this song really
speaks to me. Even the losers do get lucky sometimes.
Yeah. I mean that line, this feels like a lot
of the experiences that I had is like in middle
school and high school, especially middle school
going into high school because I moved to. Wilson
Park, Mineola, right in the middle of fifth grade.
And then it was like, it was over. And then I
was in middle school, but everyone had already
solidified their friends. So I was still trying
to figure it all out. But I think the thing too
here is that you doubt yourself so much. And
I've dealt with this my whole life and thinking
I'm never going to have the things I have or
meet the people, like have love in my life or
have success or anything. And then you finally
figure like all that doubting was for nothing.
the other thing is that melancholy stuff that
you're talking about too with nostalgia that
is really i think important too because with
nostalgia there is that trap of being stuck there
because that happens and that is also the scary
part too here because like you could go to that
part about like sitting on the roof and all those
things and that's cool like that's oh you remember
we used to do that but it's like yeah but a lot
of people live there still and so live in that
memory and you can't like you can't live in that
memory like that's the trap i feel like of nostalgia
the trapping of it but yeah love this song love
it i mean you guys said a lot you just pretty
much said it all i'm just gonna i guess i'll
talk about the love story of it i mean he obviously
was talking about that moment of like being together
with this person meant so much and then like
just like that He might think about the moments
all the time. And just like that, she forgot.
And that is like, whoa, you know, like where,
where then you, you think about your perception
of life and your perception of everything. And
they're like, what you may think was like, like
what you said, Dan, you get trapped in living
in this like crazy experience. And this moment
meant so much. And, but yet somebody else is
just moving on or they didn't take it as much.
So that's gotta hurt when you realize that. And
you're like, oh, I was lucky. It was such a great
time. How do you forget that quickly? How did
you forget me? That's like a weird thought. It
is melancholy. Like it feels so great. I felt
great. But at the same time, like that sucks,
you know, like, cause I didn't get it back. So
yeah, this was a great choice. It's still a great
song. And it's funny that we love, I always say
like, you ever like when you're depressed, you
listen to depressing songs to make you feel better.
Like it's weird that humans do this. Like that.
A lot of these songs are very. melancholy that
we have that we've had on and yet we love listening
we feel good even after sometimes you know there
are times we feel a little bit worse depending
but it's just that's what what's so great about
these songs i guess and that's why they did so
well and they still are songs that we listen
to all right dan you got to follow up bruce and
tom petty where do we go from here this song
i okay i'm just gonna get right into it it's
right field by peter paul and mary and i just
want to read the opening lyrics like saturday
summers when i was a kid we'd run to the schoolyard
and here's what we did we'd pick out captains
we'd choose up the teams i was always a measure
of my self -esteem and then you know the whole
story of playing right field and being all it's
okay to be awkward it's okay to be this i love
this song I love baseball songs. I love baseball
movies. I think in terms of Americana, it is
one of the most nostalgic pieces of culture that
we have is the game of baseball. As soon as the
field of dream starts, I'm crying from beginning
to end. As soon as this song is on, I was crying
and I was trying to explain why I chose this
to someone and I couldn't get through explaining
it. practice so like it wouldn't happen on here
but i played baseball i played little league
this was my story i played right field i played
you know the outfield i wasn't great at all i
wasn't good but baseball is such an american
nostalgia cultural that I was like, it has to
go on here. Plus, if you had the VHS tape of
the 1990s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie,
the first thing that came on before that movie
was a Pizza Hut commercial with this song and
the last verse on it. And I was just like, holy
crap, that's what this is. And I love this song.
Super nostalgic. Dan keeps taking all my bangers
of saying what I want to say. Dan. I knew you
were going to put this on. I know how much you
love baseball. We both went to Field of Dreams
together. I don't really love this song. I love
the way it makes you feel. The one thing about
this is it's very poetic, and I know that's why
you love it so much. And that scene is all I
can remember is the little kid, and he raises
his arm, and the ball comes to his glove. And
I smiled just for that. But it isn't my – I'm
not listening to this song ever. But I appreciate
you, you know, for you. Right field. It's easy.
You know, you could be awkward and you could
be slow. That's why I'm here in right field.
Just watching the dandelions grow from 1986 is
no walk to freedom. The song was not a single.
It didn't chart, but obviously it charts in Dan's
heart. And anyone that played sports can listen
to this song. and understand if you played baseball,
at least in Little League, where I grew up, every
player got a chance to kind of play every position.
And before I found my place in Little League
as catcher, I spent a lot of time watching the
grass grow in the outfield because at the younger
ages, the ball never got hit out there. So you
were just literally standing there, just watching
time pass. The part of this song I love, is the
whistle for the solo, which is kind of the slight
interpolation of Take Me Out to the Ball Game,
but not exactly. It's a nice play on their part
to put that into the song. And with that, Manny,
we're back to you for track four. Right. This
one, I'm going to one of my favorite artists,
especially to go cross country with. If you're
going cross country. Grab yourself some Otis
Reddick and put him on repeat. I'm going sitting
on the dock of the bay, wasting time. Again,
another song that I didn't grow up during Otis'
time. I didn't necessarily have a dock on the
bay, but there are so many times that I can remember
going with friends to the Roslyn Duck Pond with
my wife before we were really dating and going
and just like. sitting there and staring at body
of water and just wasting time, sometimes not
even talking, but saying everything. So I think
the song is perfect. I think it's such a relaxing
song and brings you so many different avenues
of the universe while listening to it. I mean,
Otis Redding is a soundtrack basically to our
cross -country trip. It is the music we listen
to the most on top of Jadakiss for some reason.
Yeah, which is so funny. So weird. So weird.
It was so weird. It was a very weird cross -country
trip, Brian. But I think this song, too, brings
me back to I was first introduced to this song
by my dad, but also in a way. my mom who would
make fun of this song for some reason because
my dad like she didn't really like this song
so she would make fun of this song but I love
this song and it makes me think of exactly what
Manny's saying that idea of reminiscing reflecting
and thinking but also sometimes in a group like
you do that where it's like either in a duck
pond or the beach or on our cross -country trip
like moments of silence like in a way with a
group of people and i felt like that's what this
is and it's that nostalgia for those moments
together i i love this song and pretty much every
otis writing song Looks like nothing's going
to change. Everything still remains the same.
I can't do what 10 people tell me to do. So I
guess I'll remain the same. I've been playing
this song for well over a decade with Colburn
and company. Every time we start the opening,
people just stop what they're doing and they
kind of just get sucked into the song. It's so
hypnotic. It just pulls you in. And in 1968,
it became the first. Posthumous song to reach
number one on the Billboard US Hot 100 chart.
It also hit number seven on the Canada RPM top
singles chart and number three on the UK singles
chart, among others. This song was recorded three
days before Otis Redding tragically died in a
plane crash. And to think what might have come
from him beyond this song, because this song
is an all time classic and all time great lyrically
just grabs you. And again, it's hypnotic. It
pulls you in and just demands and commands your
attention. Yeah. And I love the song. I'm kind
of curious to see how that bounces back and forth
with Jadakiss, but I'll have to. Put that on
when we're done recording here and see what that
sounds like. I'll put myself in Dan and Manny's
shoes for a little bit. You have to know Dave
to understand that. You have to know Dave. I
think what I'm going to do to follow that up
is do a little bit of a pivot here. And I'm going
to give another shout out to Patreon mixtaper,
Brandon from Virginia, because he chimed in with
this one. And when you chime in with another
one of my favorite bands of all time, I'm going
to run with it. And I'm definitely going to run
with Blues Travelers back in the day from 2001's
Bridge. Please check out episode 41, the ultimate
Blues Traveler playlist featuring the band's
bassist, Tad Kinchela. We dive deep into the
band's catalog and touch on tunes from all spectrums
of their catalog. Now, lyrically, John Popper
nails this one for me. I close my eyes and feel
like it was back in the day, but those times
have long been through. The dying of the light
is gone, but it's back in the day, like a wish
that comes half true. John, if you're listening
and I can ever get you on this show, I don't
want to talk about the music. I just want to
dive into some lyrical discussions with you.
John Popper and Adam Duritz from The Counting
Crows are two. 90s musicians that I would love
to just talk lyrics with for a long time and
this song for some reason if you know the story
behind the bridge album and the passing of the
band's original bass player Bobby Sheehan in
1999 and then how the band kind of went through
the changing and brought in Chan's brother, Tad
into the band and Ben Wilson on keys. This was
a new era for blues traveler. This is blues traveler
2 .0. And this was the first song of that era.
And when you think about the lyrics, there's
again, a melancholy touch to it. You're looking
back at the past, but you're also kind of looking
towards the future of what the future might hold.
And damn, I love this song so much. Yeah. These
lyrics, you know, I'm not the biggest blues traveler
fan, but like the lyrical aspects to their songs
and the depth of the storytelling is just so
it's undeniable. And this song, now that I live,
I live in LA and I've been living here for about
eight years now. And when I go back home for
a holiday or something or back to my parents'
house, this is like how I feel. It's weird. Like
you remember the place that you used to live.
exactly the way you left it but it's not like
that and it will never nothing will ever be like
that so things have changed people are changing
businesses are gone but at the same time it's
weird because you call it i'm coming home but
you're you're actually just going to a place
that's exactly What is this idea of home? And
nostalgia kind of could play on your memory like
that because there's a lot of things that you
go past. It's like, oh, that used to be this
or that used to be that. And this way we used
to hang out like that whole line. There was a
time when it was easy to find a hangout that
you knew was yours. Manny and I, like if we could
remember several places like that that don't
exist like that anymore, you know, and it's really
interesting. It gave me a lot to think about
in terms of this idea of home. But I was. Yeah,
it's melancholy, but beautifully told, like even
just reading it as a story in a way. Yeah. When
my wife and I go back to visit the church we
got married in, they remodeled the church and
the stairs that we came down with my family and
friends all standing on it. That's now a wall
and the entrance is on the other side. So every
time I hear this song, I kind of turn to my wife
and I say, it's like the stairs that aren't there
anymore. Yeah. So I'm also not that much of a
Blues Traveler fan. I guess what I'm going to
bring to this one is I really enjoyed how he
sings it. Just like the tone of the song, the
sound of the Blues Traveler. It's just like,
for some reason, it's fun. I'm like, ooh. And
yet, he's talking about all these things that
can be melancholy, but just like the groove is
what I enjoyed about this song. There's definitely
something that they bring to a lot of their tracks
as a groove, especially in Blues Traveler 2 .0.
And yeah, you nailed it on that one. But Dan,
we have the second half of Side B. Where do we
go from here for track six? Yeah, I mean, this
song has been a song that I listen to like multiple
times a week. The Story by Brandi Carlile. And
I love. this song her voice and every i mean
just musically unbelievable and you know and
produced by t -bone burnett i mean this is a
killer song but right away in the first verse
like when i think of nostalgia i do think about
reflection right and like thinking on life not
like trying to remember but reflecting which
is like a little different it's like this idea
that all these lines across my face tell you
the story of who i am so many stories where i've
been but also like It's not even just that because
that's part of it, but that there's a person
in your life that knows those stories, knows
those lines. And like you share them together
in some way. And like I listen to the song and
this song makes me cry. Like I did a problem.
My students in class being like, what's your
go to cry song? And at the moment of that prompt,
this was it. And like it is unbelievable. But
yeah, I love this song. Unbelievable. Yeah. Again,
Dan's taking all my rights. Can I go first? No.
Randy's phenomenal. One of my wife's favorites.
So this gets played on a lot. And me and my wife
were together for like, dated for a very long
time. We knew each other since high school. This
comes on and it's like the lyric I was made for
you is like gut -wrenching and amazing at the
same time. We went through ups and downs not
to get so like relationship in this, but we made
it through and this song touches a long way.
And her voice is just so good with this song.
This song was made for her. I mean, obviously,
but I don't even want the song to be covered.
I just want her to keep singing it all the time.
So like, just because like her soul in this song,
in a lot of her songs, but especially this one,
that definitely gets you. It is definitely. Get
some tears going. Yeah, Dan. And you even stripped,
as you've noticed, I've been pulling a line of
lyrics out of every song tonight to kind of highlight
where it sits with me. You pulled the exact line.
So many stories of where I've been and how I
got to where I am. And then Manny to bounce off
the cover song thing. Yes, I agree. I think Brandy's
is the definitive version, but. Country loves
this song. Leanne Rimes covered it on her Remnants
album, and Dolly Parton covered it on the Cover
Stories compilation, which is the entire album
being covered by a bunch of different artists,
including Pearl Jam, the Indigo Girls, Old Crow
Medicine Show, and Adele, among others. This
song reached number 75 on the Billboard US Hot
100. And hit number 44 in Australia, number 16
in Switzerland, number three in Norway, and number
one in Portugal. So Portugal got it right. I
don't know how the hell it only hit number 75
in the US. Because the Portuguese are amazing.
That's why. This song is absolutely incredible.
And Brandi Carlile, there's a reason why when
she performs on award shows, people stop dead
in their tracks. Brandi Carlile is so underrated
musically. She is one of the most gifted, sorry,
storytellers of the modern musical era. And I'm
so glad you chose this song. So with that, Manny,
track seven. We're going. Good riddance, time
of your life, green day. There wasn't a graduation
party you can show to. I think it was our song,
right? Class of 2000 song or something. Was it?
I think so. the best part of this song to me
is the beginning when like it strums it stops
strum stop and then get into it like that pause
every time i don't know i love it another turning
point a fork stuck in the road like just like
thinking about where am i gonna go now looking
into the future also thinking about the past
what choices do i have to make and it just it
brings me back to that era and even when we were
there that would even bring me back further to
think about what i did to get to where i was
and where i'm going so this song is just great
it always makes me feel good yeah it's interesting
i i have such a weird relationship with green
day in terms of their music like it's like a
it's like a roller coaster for me where like
there's moments where i'm like oh you and then
there are parts where i'm like yes and manny
and i saw green day on a whim once like we were
looking around me like You're now the oldest
people at the concert yet, but this is a great
song. It is. It's a great song and it marks a
time. And it's like, Brian, you were talking,
one of the mixtapers talked about that song,
the Weezer song memories. And I feel like the
same way that song with this song, it's one of
those songs that like lets you reflect as you're.
it's weird like in this abstract way move like
walking forward like away from whatever it is
like you're sitting there it was a time my life
but it's also this idea of like good riddance
because we're moving forward in a way that's
how i always saw it it's like i have to let go
i can't be there and nostalgia is like this weird
thing where it's like you have to let go of it
you can visit but you can't always be there and
i feel like that's the thing here that i feel
like in terms of green day says and Funny thing,
I saw Billy Joe Armstrong perform in one of the
smallest venues ever in New York, the Bowery
Ballroom, with singer -songwriter Jesse Mallon.
And it was really crazy to see him in a room
full of 40 people. It was just like, oh my God.
Yeah. So it really brought all sorts of memories
back. Well, from 1997's Nimrod, Manny, you stole
my lyrical line that I pulled for this one. reach
number two on the billboard us alternative airplay
chart number 11 on the uk singles chart number
five on the canada top singles chart and number
44 on the australia aria charts this song was
an interesting point in green day's career because
there was a lot of green day fans that were like
the audacity that acoustic ballad how dare they
like like people were pissed when this song came
out and when i first heard it i kind of thought
to myself and if i ever got a chance to interview
anyone from green day or billy joe i'd love that
opportunity i would actually ask was there ever
a point where this song was written to be a fast
punk song or was it always meant to be acoustic
because in my brain before Nimrod, there wasn't
a lot of that ballady part of Green Day. But
then after Nimrod, you get the warning album
that introduced a lot more acoustical elements
into it. So I wonder, this was a turning point
in the band, literally and figuratively. But
for me, this song always brings a tear to my
eye and chokes me up because when my oldest graduated
preschool. They sang this song or screamed it,
however you want to call it. And every time I
hear it, it chokes me. I literally am getting
a lump in my throat now because I just hear them.
And the whole time she sang it, she just looked
me right in the eyes and sang it to me. And it
was so beautiful. When she graduates high school,
I'm going to embarrass the shit out of her and
play this video at her graduation party for high
school and college. And probably when she gets
married and I'll, I'll never forget it. It's
my, and I'm sorry. I love green day. They're
one of my favorite bands ever, but that'll forever
be my favorite performance of good riddance time
of your life. But now. Getting the, let me wipe
my eyes here for a minute. Who's ever chopping
onions in the room and move on to the next song.
If you were to call a good riddance, one of those
moments where people would hold up their lighters
in the air at a punk concert or their cell phones
for the younger kids, I'm going to hold up lighters
for our generation and be nostalgic for, because
we haven't gotten any power ballads in this mix.
And there are, there's, I definitely hold a place.
just for power ballads alone. Episodes 16 and
38 are completely dedicated to 80s and some 90s
power ballads that we get nostalgic for. However,
when you wake up to the sound of falling rain,
you know exactly what song I'm talking about.
Remember yesterday, Walking Hand in Hand, Love
Letters in the Sand from 1989 Skid Row. I Remember
You, reached No. 6 on the Billboard US Hot 100,
No. 36 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 14 on the
Canada Top Singles Chart, and hit No. 12 in Australia.
I love my punk covers, being we were just talking
about Green Day, the Ataris, I'd be remiss if
I didn't mention their amazing cover of I Remember
You, where they even sample some parts of Sebastian
Bach's original vocals and mix it in. Totally
awesome cover. I mean, I know there's so much
drama with Skid Row now. You'll probably never
see that reunion, but hell, Oasis is doing it.
This song, it's probably a top five all -time
power ballad for me. So Skid Row's I Remember
You. Okay. I love this. this song i love this
song it is again like you're right there was
a moment in time of like there's this very specific
80s sound and this was on all the time especially
on mtv like the this video and this song vh1
mtv so like it wasn't even just you heard it
you saw it it was on it was on tv when they were
playing this even though it came out in 89 though
this was all coming out right but the thing is
this i love sebastian bach and the thing i will
always remember sebastian bach from now from
now on as well is his part that he played his
recurring character in gilmore girls because
he was on that show not just one episode he was
on a lot he was in a band in that show with these
other kids of main characters and they had a
band together and sebastian bach was on a show
for many many episodes but man this song The
80s sound that makes that nostalgic 80s sound
is like this song, Ozzy. i'm coming home is like
that kind of same type of feeling but like it
was that time where like ballads also in a way
also would get fans angry i i think like at that
time too like true metal fans were like getting
you know kind of angry but they're the audacity
sorry yeah i mean there's gonna be an episode
of the nostalgia test coming out about the black
album and we talk all about that album for quite
a bit but yeah i love this song it brings you
back to that moment there's nothing i don't remember
for some reason it brings me back to my cousins
and hanging out with them and like skid row it's
skid row it's sebastian bach there's nothing
you can say we spent the summer with the top
rule down i wish ever after would be like this
you said i love you without a sound that right
there brings me back to like i said on the dock
of the bay all the times when you're not talking
you're with that young love and you didn't have
to say anything and you just knew the song is
awesome i love it it's a great ballad i got nothing
more to say than that all right we each got one
song left we're up to track nine because we go
to track 11 because i have to get one in to make
it an even seven for each of us dan what do you
got for your final song pick of the night look
i went back and forth on everything on this list
and i had a lot of songs on this list and i was
like had this particular song i was like It's
got to be on there no matter what. And it's Juicy
by Notorious B .I .G. At this point, in my opinion,
you could play this song anywhere, in any event,
at any moment. And this is the type of song that
crosses all sorts of lines of. generation, culture,
everything, and brings people together. People
are going to dance. People are going to get hyped
up. People are going to remember an amazing point
in hip hop, but also in music, 94. And we just
had someone on about. 90s cinema who said 1994
was one of the most important times in cinema
in the 90s and i would say in hip -hop right
around this point was so amazing that it will
never be repeated again but this song and just
the lyric i mean super nintendo sega genesis
as soon as you hear that everyone's gonna everyone's
like yep but i mean we can't say the intro on
this show but when you hear the intro to this
before the rapping even starts you're like yep
we're here i'm there break out my baggy pants,
and I'm ready to go. This is a super nostalgic
song, and I love it. Love it to this day. Great
choice, Dan. Great choice. I just love it. Obviously,
one of the better storyteller rap artists of
our time. I didn't grow up making it that big
like he did, but even when you're hearing him
tell the story about his time growing up, how
he used to eat sardines for dinner, now he's
drinking champagne. He's now being interviewed
with Robin Leach. So it's like he had a dream.
Didn't even realize it was going to blow up like
it did. Unfortunately, you know, he's no longer.
But this almost is just like another like summertime
vibe. Obviously, like when this was on, this
was on all the time. Such a, you know, like,
again, you're either dancing, you're hanging
out, you're bobbing your head. You're remembering
great times. Who doesn't like this song? If you
don't like it, I don't understand why you even
listen to music then. It was all a dream. I used
to read Word Up magazine, Salt -N -Pepa, and
Heavy D up in the limousine from 1994's Ready
to Die. Reached No. 27 on the Billboard U .S.
Hot 100 and No. 72 on the U .K. Singles Chart.
This is my senior year in high school. Every
single time we won a football game, we would
go back into the locker room, and I was the one,
believe it or not, big shocker here with the
boombox wedged up. Above my football locker.
And I was the one that controlled the music.
Hit play on the tape deck. That line started.
And we started celebrating the victory. I mean.
God. And then Saturday nights. There was this
18 and under dance club. We used to go to. Called
Bam Bam's in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. This song
always played there. This was just part of my
senior year. So many amazing memories. As soon
as I hear that opening line. I'm back in 1994.
Yeah. Manny, your last song pick of the night.
Okay. This was brought up, obviously, during
our, because we did a Billy Joel. So it's Billy
Joel seen from an Italian restaurant. Nice. With
Glory Days on this side. I feel like it has almost
the same vibe where, you know, Brendan and Eddie
with the Populous Daddies and the King and the
Queen and the Prom. Those were their Glory Days.
And then it goes into a whole thing of where
they're no longer having Glory Days, but you
are. And it's just such a great song to me. I
always rush out to it. And I love that it goes
from like, you're in an Italian restaurant, having
a good time, rocking out. And then you go back
to being slow. There's nothing wrong with this
song. It's an amazing time. Nostalgic all the
way. Because you always knew a Brenda and Eddie.
And you always thought they would always find
a way to get by. Okay, so. Brian, the way you
said, like, you know, if you're in a band in
New Jersey, it's by law that you have to play
a Bruce Springsteen song. I knew I didn't have
to pick a Billy Joel song because Manny was here.
And I'm like, one of us is going to do it because
living on Long Island, if you don't, if you're
making a list of any sort, I don't even care
what it is. Billy Joel's coming up at some point.
And it wasn't even a surprise. It's like, absolutely.
And it's funny because this song is so. it's
both so new york but also so universal and that's
what makes it nostalgic that shared experience
thing that we talked about on our episode with
georg because everyone like you said knew a brenda
and eddie right but at the same time i was listening
to the song the other day and i was like man
if they just didn't buy that waterbed with the
bread that they saved up They might've been fine,
but they blew it all on that waterbed. And who
buys a waterbed? Like as a kid, you're like,
yeah, it's a good idea. As an adult, you're going
to be like this bad, this whole thing's a bad
idea. Love this song. Billy Joel is just the
epitome of nostalgia. And he is the, and especially
in New York. I mean, it does nothing to say it's
nostalgic. Cold beer. Hot lights. My sweet romantic
teenage nights. From 1977's The Stranger. Obviously
a huge staple of Billy Joel's live shows. Never
released as a single. I know I've talked about
cover songs a bunch of times tonight, but I do
have to bring up one that I'm going to embed
over on the episode page at myweeklymixtape .com,
done by the middle -aged dad jam band, which
is Ken Marino and David Wayne from The State.
If you remember that show on MTV with a whole
group of artists, including that one Weird Al
Yankovic, who we've mentioned tonight, doing
an incredible... cover of scenes from an Italian
restaurant that you definitely need to check
out. Like I said, I'll embed it over at myweeklymixtape
.com. And while you're there, I have to refer
people back to episode 15, the ultimate Billy
Joel playlist, which featured Billy Joel band
member, Liberty DeVito. We talk about this song
because you kind of just, you have to. Billy
has stated that scenes from an Italian restaurant
was influenced. by Side 2 of the Beatles' Abbey
Road. So that makes my last pick of the night
tonight very easy. Dan, you already picked my
favorite song of all time. I got to talk about
my favorite artist of all time in Tom Petty.
While it's not from Abbey Road, we have to talk
about a band that is a lot of people's favorites.
And what better way to close out than a song
from 1965's Help if you're in the UK. And 1966
is yesterday, and today, if you're here in the
U .S., let's go with yesterday. I've talked about
cover songs several times tonight over this episode.
This song is one of the most covered songs in
the history of recorded music, with over 2 ,200
versions and counting. And I'm now going to go
through them one by one. No, I'm kidding. The
song reached number one on the Billboard US Hot
100, as well as top in the charts in Sweden,
Belgium, Norway, Finland, and the Netherlands.
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away.
Now it looks as though they're here to stay.
Oh, I believe in yesterday. With such a melancholy
close, it's a kind of a beautiful and powerful
ending. to the mixtape tonight and i mean there's
a lot of people out there that'll say the beatles
are the cherry on top of a nostalgia mixtape
it's such a staple song and also like it's a
staple in my house in terms of like my mom is
a huge beatles fan so like i heard these songs
and i was in listening to it like it brings me
back to all those moments that i heard the song
but also that it is a song that people are whether
you're a rock and roll fan or not the beatles
transcend those spaces so like that's the thing
about nostalgia is that this song transcends
all those things to create that shared experience
between people of a yesterday we all have that
and so like this song is just perfect way to
end it as well absolutely yeah this song's perfectly
melancholy it's one of those ones that You should
feel really sad about, but you feel good while
listening to it. I love the suddenly I'm not
half the man I used to be. There's a shadow hanging
over me. Oh, yesterday came suddenly. Like how
fast things can go. And I don't know about you
guys, but lately after 40, I just like things
that like, you know, summers are going a lot
quicker. Like time is just like so much quicker
than it used to be. And this song like defines
all that. So yeah, this is a perfect choice.
And that, mixtapers, concludes side B of the
ultimate nostalgia mixtape, which consists of
Bruce Springsteen's Glory Days, Tom Petty's Even
the Losers, Peter, Paul, and Mary's Right Field,
Otis Redding's Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay,
Blues Traveler's Back in the Day, Brandi Carlile's
The Story, Green Day's Good Riddance, Time of
Your Life, Skid Row's I Remember You, The Notorious
B .I .G.'s Juicy, Billy Joel's scenes from an
Italian restaurant and the Beatles yesterday.
Head over to myweeklymixtape .com to hear all
the songs we've discussed in this mix through
the playlist embedded on the episode page. Well,
Dan and Manny, we have talked a lot about. nostalgia
this evening why don't you let listeners know
where they can find out if they want even more
of a nostalgia fix over at the nostalgia test
yeah first of all brian thank you for having
us this was such a blast we had a great episode
with brian back in 2021 billy joel's greatest
hits um episode number 53 but if you love nostalgia
and you love hanging out with your best friends
In a basement somewhere, in a garage, late into
the night, talking nonsense about movies and
music and everything. And interrupting each other.
Yeah. And interrupting each other. You'll love
the nostalgia test podcast. You could find us
at the nostalgia test dot com. We are like one
hundred twenty five episodes in. And right now
we're also interviewing scholars from all over
the world. The creator of Tickle Me Elmo is on.
The creator of Qbert was on at one point talking
about how they created Qbert. So we're doing
professionals, scholars. We have many episodes
coming up. Nostalgia test. Now we are now covering
the gauntlet of nostalgia. We're currently doing
90s. Yeah. We're putting a bunch of 90s stuff
to the test. Music, movies, TV shows, commercials,
just because we're obsessed with that era right
now. Last year was like 80s, but doing the 90s.
So wherever you get your podcast, follow the
nostalgia test. Follow us. Thank you so much,
Brian, too, for having us on. It was an honor.
It was great. Before you go, can I ask you a
question as if you were on our show? Sure. Do
you like Rocky, by the way? All the Rockies?
Sure. Of course. Okay. Can you give us your favorite
to your least favorite one through six? Sure.
Rocky four, Rocky Balboa. Wow. Rocky one, three,
two, and five. All right. Wow. A four, six. A
461, maybe. A 461 is new, but that's respectable.
I love it. Because two and five definitely deserve
to be in the back end of that list. Two doesn't
exist without one. Get out of here. Well, gentlemen,
this has been an absolute pleasure. Thank you
for joining me on My Weekly Mixtape. Absolutely.
Thank you. Thank you. Remember, you can find
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time, enjoy the tunes.