Every eleven months, we go through our previous playlists and pick out the favorites of our favorites. Plot twist: Phoebe can only submit songs that were originally Al’s, and vice versa. So we end up with not only eleven great songs, but eleven songs that both of us feel a deep connection to. In this special bonus episode of our podcast, we’ll talk about these songs, why we love them, and what makes a song good enough to be a “Greatest Hit”.
Show notes from our Greatest Hits Volume Five Spotify Podcast:
For our Greatest Hits playlists, Phoebe submitted ten songs that were originally Al’s, and vice versa. We narrowed those submissions down and eventually ended up with these eleven songs…
Song notes (Quotes are from song lyrics):
- “Seagulls are waiting for the end of this world, hovering outside my bedroom”
“Don’t Cry” is without a doubt one of our most memorable playlist songs ever, and Why Are We Building Such a Big Ship?, with their grand total of 115 monthly listeners, is exactly the kind of band we want this collection to be about. - “And while I’m shades of flattered at some bedside table banter, oh, I fear I’m doing better with no hands to comfort me”
We’re delighted that the wonderful Odie Leigh made it into our Greatest Hits. She’s the perfect combination of a seriously strong singer and a smart and insightful songwriter. And “Chutes & Ladders” is a great illustration of both those talents. - “You got the answer, and it makes me glad, when I’m feeling slow, you gimme rock ‘n roll, and then I feel laid back”
Labi Siffre was a Phoebe find – and quite a find he is. He’s a natural fit for a Greatest Hit. - “I love you, forgive me, my suitcase is empty, I lost all the things that I am, like kissing you tenderly, right off the highway, the back of a gold Astrovan”
Al used to drive a gold astrovan too, so this song has its own parking space in the Greatest Hits driveway. - “Golden boats float down a river of sighs, rain on the street is falling, tears my eyes”
Ed Askew’s “Moon in the Mind” was another great Phoebe find. We can’t believe we knew so little about him, and that he had never been in our playlist before. Music like this speaks to the fact that there’s so much amazing music that exists under the radar. You gotta look for it! - “I made some choices, some were made for me, for the way I survive, I make no apology”
We both agree that Allison Russell is the standout among the standouts. And this video for “All Of The Women” is a must-watch. So stop reading this shit, start watching: - “Way out there where the tide meets the tide, those nights you’d get so quiet, you won’t get to enjoy them, or even to explain them to your next of kin”
Both Department of Eagles and Daniel Rossen have been with us before. He/they always bring their own magic, and “Herringbone” fills the bill. - “No harm will comе if there’s no harm done”
Josephine Foster’s “The Wheel of Fortune” is one of those songs that a lot of people just aren’t going to get. For those of us who do get it, though, it’s an absolute joy, and a definite Greatest Hit. - “Night seems to fall, well, I’ll find a way, I’ll find a way to carry it all”
This lovely version of “I’ll Find A Way (To Carry It All)” combines our playlist’s two great loves: obscure artists (Ted Lucas) from other decades who deserve more exposure, and newer artists (Bella White) who just getting started, who also deserve more exposure. - “What a duo, what a duo, what a two”
This Is The Kit (Kate Stables) has been around a while, and they/she are our kind of artist. “Two Wooden Spoons” is an Al favorite, and this video also shows off Kate’s formidable whistling skills! - “No longer shall you need, you always wanted to believe, just ask and you’ll receive, beyond your wildest dreams”
Of all the artists we’ve discovered making our playlist, DeVotchKa has to be one of our very favorites. “How It Ends” is maybe their most well-known song, and it shows their professionalism and their musical showmanship at its very best. It makes us both really happy to have found this amazing band because of making this playlist.
This month’s special Greatest Hits playlist was recorded in room 17 of the Blue Heron Motel in Nags Head, North Carolina. During our show, we also talked about some other music that didn’t get included in our official, finished playlist. If you want to listen to some of that, you can check those out here.
Thanks to Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey for help in recording this episode. Theme music is from “Red Eye” by E’s Jammy Jams, Lahaina by Blue Dot Sessions, Dust Digger by Blue Dot Sessions, Tower of Mirrors by Blue Dot Sessions, Spins and Never Falls by Blue Dot Sessions, Trois Gnossiennes 3 by Blue Dot Sessions, Delicates by Blue Dot Sessions, Basketliner by Blue Dot Sessions.
Featured image: Frank, the Chicken of Feats, our laptops, and a few bottles of bourbon, all shacked up in a deserted Carolina beach hotel room.
Questions? Suggestions? Submissions? Drop us an email! As always, thanks for listening, and see you soon!
