Now Introducing Your First Road Trip Partner: The Oldies Guy

First of all, sorry about the one-day delay in road trip playlist fun. My iTunes and I had a disagreement in which it would delete a boatload of oldies tracks that I wanted to use in introducing our first road trip partner.

Meet The Oldies Guy. Even though he has been blessed with this generation's great technologies like YouTube, Twitter and Facebook (better known as YouTwitFace amiright?), The Oldies Guy's playlist is stuck in retro mode. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. So much of today's good music has its roots deeply entrenched in some of yester-year's great songs. (See: Kanye West soul sample usage.)

So when The Oldies Guy steps into your ride, this playlist will help you be prepared to kick it old school and take the rest of the unsuspecting road trippers on a history lesson.

1. I Want You Back by Jackson 5 - Great bassline and melody, a fan favorite.
2. Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay by Otis Redding - A mellow track to go with what is hopefully a smooth ride.
3. I Feel Good by James Brown - An easy choice because of its universal sound. Everyone knows this James Brown track.
4. My Girl by The Temptations - A must have because of how great The Temps were. Again, everyone will be singing this song.
5. Wonderful World by Sam Cooke - Really, you can't lose with a Sam Cooke track. Has pop culture relevancy in the 2000s with its appearance in the hit Will Smith movie, 'Hitch.'
6. Use Me by Bill Withers - A simple sound with some soulful lyrics. A classic dusty.
7. Soul Man by Sam & Dave - Works well if there's someone named Johnny Sole in your car. (HT @wsiujohnnysole)
8. Shout by The Isley Bros. - If you don't know this song because of its appearance in those classic laundry detergent commercials, you know it because of its cameo in 'Wedding Crashers.' Either way, you love this song and you know it!
9. Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison - Usually long road trips lead to interesting conversations about pretty girls. This song usually gets those conversations started.
10. California Girls by The Beach Boys - Ditto.
    
11. Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye - Another song that has ties to a commercial. Remember the Levi's ad? Anyway, this is for the ladies ... if you're lucky to be blessed with that kind of road trip.
12. At Last by Etta James - Why, yes. It is another song for the lovers. But the fellas love it to ... it's a classic!
13. ABC, 123 by Jackson 5 - What goes around comes around, and this road trip playlist delivers a Jackson 5 bookend. R.I.P. Michael.

Playlist Time: 40 minutes, 10 seconds

Happy Friday Playlist, Vol. 2

Greetings, and Happy Friday!

Last Friday's playlist basically glorified being belligerent and unruly. And really, what's wrong with a little bit of that to kick off your weekend.

This week, yours truly will set the mood for a lovely weekend.

1. Summer Wind by Frank Sinatra
2. Kokomo by The Beach Boys
3. Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
4. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) by Marvin Gaye
5. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life by Stevie Wonder
6. Can't Hide Love by Earth, Wind & Fire
   
7. Let's Spend The Night Together by The Rolling Stones
8. Gangster Of Love by Johnny "Guitar" Watson
9. Who's That Lady by The Isley Brothers
10. I Want To Hold Your Hand by The Beatles

Playlist Time: 34 minutes, 7 seconds

'Kobe doin' work, two-four on my shirt'

Upon hearing the news of the Lakers' overtime win in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, my ears were in search of a smooth transition from a well-called overtime period by Mike Tirico and Hubie Brown to something with a musical flavor.

Yet, at that point, all I wanted to hear was Lil' Wayne's ode to Kobe Bryant. Partially because I'm a fan of Kobe, a bitter one, at that. One that wishes he was playing for the Bulls instead of the Lakers. On the other hand, the hip-hop fan in me likes the song because it's a rare track which Weezy F. Baby does what he does best, and that's rap.

And that got me to thinking about an ideal playlist for common situations in sports.

1. Heart of a Champion by Nelly - If only because it sample the NBA on NBC theme, this song should be used when the team runs out onto the court or field.
2. Bring 'Em Out by T.I. - Once the home team is settled, the sample used in T.I.P.'s hot jam is the voice of none other than Jay-Z, who announces "Bring 'em out, bring 'em out /i It's hard to yell when there's a barrel in ya mouth."
3. Amazing by Kanye West - This song should play when the starting line-ups are played. It gets me hyped, while keeping me focused on the task at hand.
4. Slam by Onyx - One of the hottest crazes in high school sports are highlight videos (usually on Youtube) that have a good hype song in the background. If I was making a video showing of my ballin' skills, this classic '90s rap track would be it.
   
5. Hustlin' by Rick Ross - This would be my walk-up song. When you're a baseball player, it is all about hustlin' ... and taking steroids, of course.
   
6. Song 2 by Blur - If I hit a home run, I'd sprint around the bases with this song blaring in the background.
   
7. Running Down A Dream by Tom Petty - If I was a starting pitcher, this would be the song I would want to warm up to, if for no other reason, because I always seem to be running down some sort of elusive dream.
   
8. Lose Yourself by Eminem - The ultimate hype song for guys who love to win, but hate to lose. When it is time to make the call to the bullpen to nail down the ninth, this song is coming on.
9. Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis - For when I pick up the save in the bottom of the 9th, this will be the team's victory song.
   
10. Championship Pop Bottles by Lil' Wayne & Birdman - For when my team wins the championship, duh.

Bonus Track: Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight by The Spaniels for when they turn the lights out and send folks home.

Playlist Time: 41 minutes, 29 seconds

Tracks that just missed the cut:

Last Four Out:

• Wu Tang Clan Ain't Nothin' To F*** With by Wu-Tang Clan
• Highway To Hell by AC/DC
• Man In The Box by Alice In Chains
• Go Getta by Young Jeezy

Next Four Out:

• Still Fly by Big Tymers
• The Second Coming by Juelz Santana
  
• Big Poppa by The Notorious B.I.G
• Jump Around by House of Pain,

Other notables: Headstrong by Trapt, Dream On by Aerosmith, Champion by Kanye West, We Ready by Archie Eversole, Triumph by The Wu-Tang Clan, Ignition (Remix) by R. Kelly, Make It Rain by Fat Joe feat. Lil' Wayne, I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly, Big Poppa by The Notorious B.I.G.