Article by Dave Briggs
That’s right! I’m updating again!
One of the wonders of technology to come out of the late nineties is the playlist, and, along with it, the compact disc burner. Those of you from before those days might not realize the effort that went into making a mix tape, but by golly, CD burners made it a heck of a lot easier to assemble list of your favorite songs and listen to it in the car. Anyway, there’s a point to my ramblings. I am pleased to introduce a new feature for The Sixth Trumpet: Playlist Picks! These are short lists of songs, somewhere around twelve songs, for different occasions that can be made into playlists or even burned onto CDs. That is, if you can find them. While I do love the mainstream, I tend to search for a few deeper cuts that work wonderfully for what I’m writing. Anyway, enjoy the first of hopefully many playlist picks to come: Songs for Four in the Morning.
Why four in the morning, you ask? Because for some people, this is the end of the day, and for others, this is the beginning of the day. In either case, few people want harsh, pounding music playing at this ungodly hour, so here are twelve mellow, chill tunes that are great for coming home from a party or leaving home for an early flight.
Black Water – Doobie Brothers: If I had to pick just one classic rock song for this list, which it looks like almost did, I would choose this one. The Doobies don’t get much easier and mellower than this. The a cappella section at the end might lose some listeners, but I personally enjoy it.
Shine – Collective Soul: This song is an interesting case, and its appropriateness depends on the volume of your stereo. At high volumes, this song can be great for rocking out, but when played at a low volume, the buzzing quality of the main guitar riff can be actually quite soothing. However, it loses points because of the high energy solo, which rocks, don’t get me wrong, but depending on the listener, it can be a little too powerful for four in the morning.
Peel Me a Grape – Diana Krall: If you ever feel the need to be crooned to sensually by a woman, there is a great deal of songs that I could recommend, but this one takes the cake. Sure, the lyrics are about the most high-maintenance woman the world has ever known, but there is something downright sexy about the way Diana Krall sings this song.
All Blues – Miles Davis: Whether you’re driving home from a long party, trying to sleep after a hard day, or reading in bed, if you can listen to the same track for eleven minutes, then All Blues by Miles Davis is for you. Off of one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, Kind of Blue, All Blues has an easy, cool swing feel to it. It’s very mellow, yet very melodic. The solos are top notch, which is a good thing, because they take up the bulk of this incredibly long jazz chart.
Think Twice – Groove Armada: What’s this? A sad, lyrical piano piece from Groove Armada? It’s more likely than you think. Actually, it is rather far removed from the electronica group’s normal repertoire, but it’s the contrast to the simple, looped lyrics and synthesizers that makes this song so noteworthy. Sure, if you’re not into lyrics about how hard life is, maybe this isn’t the song for you, but for those who can handle sad songs and waltzes (though this, admittedly, isn’t a waltz), I highly recommend this song.
Where the Sky Begins – Minstrels of Mayhem: Good luck finding this one. The Minstrels of Mayhem were a somewhat obscure group when it comes to popular culture (they had a huge following in the renaissance faire circuit), and now that they’re no longer together, you’re probably not going to be able to find any of their albums very easily. However, the album on which this song appears, Rocky Road, is probably one of my favorite albums. This particular song, like many from the album and from the group, is a reimagining of a traditional Irish folk song. Its understated, though present, rock feel gives it a driving sensation that you might not notice right away.
One for My Baby – Dianne Reeves: George Clooney’s 2005 drama Good Night, and Good Luck featured stunning vocal performances by contemporary jazz singer Dianne Reeves. While the movie was not about the music, and certainly not about Ms. Reeves, her occasional appearances in the studio helped make the film the excellent piece of cinema that it was. Perhaps the most impressive of these performances came during the credits and started out with merely a bass line, slowly layering on vocals, then drums, and then piano. It’s chill, cool, and classy, and a perfect addition to this list.
Ya’ll Stay Up – Youngblood Brass Band featuring Talib Kweli: When you think of songs that help you relax at four in the morning, you might not think of either brass bands or rap artists, but this track has both. In fact, the Youngblood Brass Band, though obscure, is a groundbreaking group that blends jazz influences and New Orleans brass band instrumentation with poetic rap stylings. Their usual emcee, D. H. Skogen, is replaced by alternative Hip Hop artist Talib Kweli, who also had his hand in writing the lyrics. The result is a gentle but strong hip hop sousaphone beat, midnight subway harmonies in the upper horns, and steady but mellow lyrics coming from Kweli. It is certainly not an experience to be missed.
God Bless the Child – Stanley Turrentine: I purposely stayed away from a lot of saxophone-heavy tracks for this list, as anybody with half an ear can figure out that breathy sax is easy to listen to at four in the morning. However, I just couldn’t leave this one off. Maybe it’s the Hammond organ, maybe it’s the approachable solos, or maybe it’s the fact that I’ve always loved this standard, but it was impossible to ignore this chart.
Satellite – Dave Matthews Band: Do I really have to put something so popular on this list? Of course I do. I figured I’d put a song that people might actually have, Simon & Garfunkel and Doobie Brothers notwithstanding. Anyway, despite the fact that I am not a rabid DMB fan, I decided that a Dave Matthews song really deserved to be on this list. It was a tossup between Satellite and Crash into Me, both really chill and deserving songs. However, Satellite won out because the lyrics are a little less… shall we say… creepy. Nothing against Crash into Me, it is a fantastic song, but the lyrics have a few moments that make you wonder. Anyway, Satellite is a mellow and lilting track, with singable lyrics and easy, accessible instrumentation. Enjoy your moment of mainstream, Sixth Trumpet readers, because you haven’t gotten a lot so far.
Scarborough Faire/Canticle – Simon & Garfunkel: I suppose most versions of this old English folk song would be great for four in the morning. However, this version, with its airy lilt and breezy harmonies, is especially recommended when you need something very light and easy that isn’t merely easy listening.
Love Me Like a River Does – Melody Gardot: Pretty much every song Melody Gardot has written would be perfect for this list, but I had to choose this song for its open, dark, midnight feel. The soft horn and cello effects in the background every now and then really add to the late night/early morning mood. This song exemplifies this list, and it is the perfect song to play at four in the morning.
