Sometimes a single mistake will teach you more than 10 good decisions. In that spirit, as the weather finally warms up, here’s a sampler of five tracks that should only be played at your outdoor gathering if you’re trying to get people to pick up their stuff and go home.
I hurt myself today
to see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
the only thing that’s real
If this Trent Reznor cover doesn’t kill the vibe at your summer BBQ, you’re either enjoying the best party of the year, or you’re actually hanging out at a Satanic funeral.
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For | Negativland
“I have run… I have crawled… I have scaled these city walls! Yeah, that’s really great! I can’t believe I did it, but nevertheless I have done that for you, only to be with you. Yeah, with you — the fat one, that’s it. You’re the fat one, and I want to be with you. But on the other hand, I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”
Guaranteed to bring all conversations to a baffled stand-still. Flat out brilliant, but not socially productive.
A masterful hip hop classic guaranteed to float majestically in the background sounding incredibly cool and chilled out right up until the end, when George Clinton does his 90-second-long a capella solo outro about putting his foot up your ass. Particularly bad if there are small children in attendance.
Christmas Time is Here (Vocal) | The Vince Guaraldi Trio
As correct as Guaraldi might be for November through January, he’s criminally wrong for warm weather and the outdoors. Spin this kid-chorused Christmas classic at your own peril.
Murder in the Red Barn | Tom Waits
Supposedly clocking in at a mere 4 minutes 29 seconds, this gravel-voiced plague-sick sloth of a track seemingly contains 20-30 minutes of detail about “an axe with bloodstains” and “the raven’s nest in the rotted roof.” Aren’t red barns supposed to be fun, Tom Waits? Think hoedowns and meat raffles.
POSTSCRIPT
Making a list of five best summer BBQ tracks is too arbitrary and too easy, but how about:
5. When You Were Mine | Prince
4. Concrete Schoolyard | Jurassic 5
3. Where is My Mind? | Pixies
2. Take Me Home | Brother Ali
1. Pressure Drop | Toots and the Maytals
Here are 5 good ones:
Hung Up with Summer – Big Star
Summertime – Josh Rouse
Sun Down – Wes Montgomery
Here Comes the Sun – Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
Sunlight – Matt Pond PA
might consider: “If you like pina coladas.”
Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys
(in a category all by itself)
L.A. Woman – The Doors (or the Billy
Idol version, whichever you prefer)
In the Still of the Night – The 5 Satins
Dixie Chicken – Little Feat
(perfect barbecue song)
and what’s a summer BBQ
without the national anthem:
My Girl – The Temptations
I wouldn’t have a BBQ without Stevie Wonder and Manu Chao …
Hey guys, if you like barbecue music let me tell ya a good one, ANDREW’S WELL KNOWN BARBECUE, search in youtube, definitely the best barbecue song I’ve ever heard in my 40 years of barbecuing and exhistence. You gotta check da out!!!! Sounds even better if you eat ribs (or pork chops) while listening.