so i'm leaving in t-minus 5 days. or something like that. i've had this idea for a mix (or multiple mixes) that has sort of been touched upon in other semi-recent threads. i remember a few months ago, someone asked about songs that were similar to the kinks' "picture book" and then someone else had a thread where we talked about perfect cheesy pop songs or something...i dont really remember.

anyway, point is. i have been thinking about creating a mix of "perfect pop songs" I'm aiming more for the older stuff, but there's no definition. and i want it to be something that is a joy to sing along to and is great in a car. some tracks that i have thought about already, if you want to get an idea:

kinks - picture book (maybe, a bit overused now)
jackson 5 - i want you back
rod stewart - maggie may
van morrison - caravan (?)

idk, there's really no definition, just tell me what you think...suggest tracks, or tell me if i'm wasting my time.

my immediate response: come on eileen - dexy's midnight runners. im my mind it is the perfect song

i don't like it.

i made a similar mix to this a while ago (at least it started out with the same intentions as yours, but as always with my mixes, i never ended up where i initially wanted to).

from what i can remember:

Gerling - Summer Lake Rewind
New Buffalo - Recovery
Zwan - Come with Me
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Breathless
Yo La Tengo - Center of Gravity
Belle & Sebastian - A Summer Wasting
A.C. Newman - on the table
Fiery Furnaces - Tropical Iceland
and a Beatles track i cant remember which one
and Van Morrison - Caravan, but youve already got that one

i intended it to be mostly older releases, but it didnt work out that way.

tainted love ~ soft cell

ok guys, more 60s, 70ish.

The Partridge Family dude.

C'Mon get Haaaaappy!

Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, "Don't Pull Your Love"
Looking Glass, "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)"

When I hear the words "Perfect Pop Song", I think:

Matthew Sweet---Sick of Myself


Some other thoughts:

Beach Boys---God Only Knows
Big Star---In The Street
Love---Bummer In The Summer
Neil Diamond---Cracklin' Rosie
Brendan Benson---Folk Singer
The Feelies---It's Only Life
Jellyfish---The King Is Half Undressed
The La's---There She Goes
Smithereens---A Girl Like You
The Cure--In Between Days
Cornershop--Brimful of Asha
The Soft Boys---Kingdom of Love
Cake--Rock n' Roll Lifestyle
Doleful Lions---Driller Killer
B 52's--Rock Lobster
The Stranglers---Peaches
The Knack--My Sharona
Super Furry Animals---Golden Retriever

Carpenters - Close To You
Blur - Boys And Girls
Elvis Costello - Oliver's Army
Happy Mondays - Step On
Billy Bragg - A New England
Tom Petty - Refugee
Patti Smith - Gloria
Beach Boys - Little Old Lady From Pasadena
Aretha Franklin - Respect
Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man
John Lennon - Power To The People
Eno - Burning Airlines Give You So Much More
Sly - Family Affair
Bowie - John, I'm Only Dancing
X Ray Spex - The Day The World Turned Day Glo
When you say 60s and 70s I'm thinking you don't really feel like punk, though...

Gasp! Not Jan & Dean?

Junior Walker and the All-Stars, "Shotgun"
The Foundations, "Build Me Up Buttercup"
Screw Maggie May and put Brewer & Shipley's "One Toke Over The Line" on there.
Chairmen of the Board, "Gimme Just A Little More Time"
Main Ingredient, "Everybody Plays The Fool"
Stevie Wonder, "Sir Duke"


Oh yeah, and throw some DiFranco family on there. "Heartbeat (It's A Lovebeat)".

I grew up with the BB version, so it's the one I want to sing along to

Just tugging your plumage, Ms. Way.

Carpenters need to be on a mix like this

Buddy Holly - Heartbeat
Divinyls - I Touch Myself ( definitely put this song)
Hollies - The Air That I Breathe
Split Enz - I Got You
Tremeloes - Angel Of The Morning

Find the Gloria Jones original--unstoppable, upbeat, horns-blaring soul shouter from the mid-'60s. Everyone who knows the Soft Cell version is floored when I play them this version.

I did something similar a month ago or so.

The original perfect pop song- The Left Banke/Walk Away Renee. See also some Hollies stuff, such as Carrie Anne, Bus Stop, or my favorite of theirs, Dear Eloise. Also a few other suggestions:

Lee Michaels- Do You Know What I Mean?
Pacific Gas & Electric- Are You Ready?
Zombies- Tell Her No

guys, i abandoned the idea.

thread over. thanks anyway.

Crowded House! I'd suggest 'Distant Sun' but you have so many to pick from really.

Also The Byrds 'Have You Seen Her Face' needs to be on this mix.

most funnest song ever:

The Cowsills - The Rain, the Park and Other Things

Other songs of the "perfectly cheesy" department:

Sammy Davis Jr. - The Candy Man
Hurricane Smith - Oh Babe, What Would You Say?
Sheena Easton - Morning Train (9 to 5)
Scott MacKenzie - San Francisco (Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)
Donna Fargo - Happiest Girl in the USA
A Taste of Honey - Boogie Oogie Oogie
Captain and Tennille - Love Will Keep Us Together

Some plain good songs I would recommend:
Lesley Gore - It's My Party/Judy's Turn to Cry/You Don't Own Me
The Chiffons - One Fine Day/Sweet Talkin' Guy
The Supremes - Baby Love
The Cookies - Chains
The Dixie Cups - Chapel of Love
The Temptations - My Girl
Mary Wells - You Beat Me To the Punch
The Zombies - She's Not There/Tell Her No
Five Stairsteps - O-o-h Child
Beach Boys - Wendy
Joni Mitchell - River/Big Yellow Taxi
David Bowie - Changes/Life on Mars
The Crystals - Da Do Ron Ron/And Then He Kissed Me
Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through the Grapevine/Sexual Healing
Michael Jackson - Rock With You
The Lovin' Spoonful - Do You Believe In Magic?
Neil Young - Don't Let It Bring You Down
The Mamas and the Paps - California Dreamin
The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black
Tom Petty - American Girl
Electric Light Orchestra - Telephone Line
Fleetwood Mac - Gold Dust Woman
John Lennon - Instant Karma!
Little Eva - Do the Loco-Motion
Roy Orbison - Crying
Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacherman
The Ramones - I vote Beat on the Brat

I could go on.

dope, missed that.

It's still fun going through all these old songs.

And you should still make it anyway.

yeah i agree. your reccs apply more than any other replies, no offense to anyone else. i wanted to be reminded of songs that were immensely popular, that are very good. you guys have been reccing me tons of shit i dont know. haha.