My iTunes Celebrity Playlist

In no particular order, and with one extra because I couldn't decide what to cut.

Hate It Or Love It
The Game and 50 Cent
The Documentary (2005)
The Game makes me feel so street when I'm rocking the bass in the Honda on my way to the office. And let's face it, 50 cent has the best abs in the business.

Closer
Nine Inch Nails
The Downward Spiral (1994)
Remember this anthem for teen angst? Now I use it for hill workouts. It’s got a great pounding beat and no matter how steep the climb, I always make it through the song.

Release
Pearl Jam
Ten (1991)
Another classic from the high school anthems collection. It was hard to just pick one song because I think I can still sing all of them by heart, but Release is my favorite. Somewhere waiting for YouTube is a video of me sitting in a chair, drunk, and belting out “Black.” At least I think it was Black. It's still a little hazy.

Just The Way You Are
Diana Krall
Live in Paris (2002)
Krall’s remake of the Billy Joel classic gets me in the gut. Don't we all want to be loved like this? The guy in the background kicking out some serious sax is Michael Brecker.

My Life
Mary J Blige My Life (1994)
I listen to a lot of MJB and this song has never been out of rotation.

Too Little Too Late
Jo Jo
The High Road (2006)
Nothing beats heartache like a cheesy pop song: “Go find someone else/I’m letting you go/I’m loving myself” I listened to this a lot this fall after having my still-beating heart ripped from my chest and fed to cobras. It helped.

Tunnel of Love
Bruce Springsteen
Tunnel of Love (1983)
No playlist of mine is complete without The Boss, and this song has special memories.

'Round Midnight
Thelonius Monk
'Round Midnight (1944)
Simply the finest jazz tune ever. Monk may have composed this when he was as young as 19. Miles Davis revived his career with his performance of this Monk composition at the 1955 Newport Jazz Festival.

Little Red Corvette
Prince
1999 (1993)
It’s Prince, baby, open the sunroof and belt it out.

Dakota
Stereophonics
Language. Sex. Violence. Other? (2005)
This song evokes a mixture of regret, passion and hope that I can't even begin to describe. The lyrics are pretty blue, yet it makes me feel hopeful. Parts are soft and plaintive and then it just picks up and rocks you.

Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
Nina Simone
Broadway-Blues-Ballads, 1964
I always think of this as the song I would want played at my funeral, which is not as macabre as it sounds. I listened to it a lot after my dad died, and as I get older, and hopefully more mature, I identify with it myself. Simone is one of the most compelling women of the 20th century. Check out the Wikipedia entry for more info.