Drive Slow

One cool baby.

It's Twisted Mix Tape Tuesday again! So yes, I'm linking up again.

This week's theme is Slow Jams.

I listen to a lot of slow music. But I feel like it's not really a "slow jam" unless there's also a real beat. Unless you can jam to it.

Yes, I break my own rules. So yes, there's at least one song on this list that doesn't exactly qualify,

Yes, this is a particularly long mix tape. I couldn't help myself. Previous weeks I've held myself to ten- but this time, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to listen to more good music.

...and yes, I may in fact have put in some jams that aren't *exactly* slow. But they are all awesome.

Go ahead and jump in. I know you're dying to hear the mix tape. :)



Heavy, slow, uplifting... maybe the world's most perfect slow jam. For a while, I started every. single. day by listening to this song. And you know what? It really did make my whole day better. Try setting it as your alarm someday and see if you don't have the world's best shower.



I tried. Oh how I tried to find a video of the whole band performing this song. Pearl and the Beard- such a STELLAR band. And while Emily's solo rendition is glorious, it just can't compete with the roundness of the sound with the three part vocal harmony in the refrain. Wow. So go out and download it, even pay the band for it because they're poor, and never ever regret it.



I never lie. Well, sometimes I lie. But not about John Lennon. John Lennon was amazing, and like I said last week, goes on pretty much every mix I make. If you're not familiar with his solo work, take a moment and be wowed.



This is a band that only existed for about eight hours. Amanda Palmer (of the Dresden Dolls), Ben Folds, Damian Kulash (from OK Go), and Neil Gaiman put together a band and recorded an EP in one night. They wrote songs based on suggestions from fans. Then they made all the tracks available for would-be videographers to make their own music videos. This song is remarkably tragic, and the video is beautiful. If you're going to slow down, you might as well make it worth your while.



I love this song for all the Chicago references, I love it for the storytelling, I love it for that slow, lazy hook... I love everything about this song. And no matter how weird and self obsessed he becomes, I'll always love Kanye for being this guy.



One of the greatest songs of all time. As far as I'm concerned, this is the definitive recording. I know, I know, you love Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Fine. You're entitled to your opinion. But you're also wrong. This version is better.



I know, this song is everywhere. Sorry. But it's beautiful, and I think it's important. It would be more important if it weren't simply an ally ballad, we need LGBT voices in hip hop. We need them everywhere. But until then, we should all be grateful for voices like Macklemore's.



Let's all just sit back and smile and remember all the happy places we've been while this song has been mysteriously playing from somewhere.



Yes, this might have been the song that spawned all of Emo. But you know what? It's amazing. It's an incredible song. And I can't hear it without cranking up the volume and tearing up a bit. And unlike most of the Emo crap that started coming out post-alternative, this song actually has a message of positivity to it. Now get off my lawn.



I dare you not to slowly move to the beat. You can't help yourself. It's a biological impossibility. No matter what, you sway in your seat, tap your foot, snap, nod... you just can't help it. That's okay. It's not your fault.



It's barely slow enough to qualify, but it does. There's just something velvety and rich to everything about the sound of this song. It's another song you can't help but move to. And at the same time, slow. Including this song helped me justify leaving out "Gin and Juice." Okay, fine...



There. Moving on...



Another one that barely counts as a slow jam. Yes, I can be found most school days driving to pick up my kids from pre-K while BLASTING this song and belting it out my windows. Without shame. I will karaoke the shit out of this song. I fucking love this song.


Erykah Badu- Green Eyes

I know, it's long. I can't help myself. I gravitate towards songs that have a lot to say, and to say well. And frequently that means they're too long to be a single. And this is one of those songs that you listen to all the way through, feel let down that it had to end, and then realize how long you spent listening to it.

And to close it up...



I know, you've never heard of this band. Now you've heard of them. You're welcome.
You want a song that sums up everything that's great about the slow jam? This song does it. Because a slow jam is tasty. Anytime we mellow out.