Outside my Comfort Zone

The only picture I could find that satisfied my Global theme is me and my girl scout troop more than twenty years ago. You're welcome.

This week for Mix Tape Tuesday, Jen challenged us to come up with a playlist of songs from a genre we don't generally listen to.

Well, that was difficult for me. I might say, "Hip Hop," but that would be a lie. I would end up putting together a twenty two long list full of Kanye and Sage Francis and of COURSE The Beastie Boys and The Roots.

Then I thought, "Country?" But no. There would be Woody Guthrie, Willie Nelson, Todd Snider, Wanda Jackson, Sarah Jarosz, Waiting for Coyote... you get the idea.

So... what?

And then it struck me- the one thing that, although there are a great many songs I appreciate, it's a genre that I just plain never seek out.

Non-English music.

And so I give you my favorite songs in foreign languages, and my complete inability to tell you specifically what they're really about.

Enjoy!


Puya- Solo

This is a metal band from Puerto Rico. This is probably their least metal song ever, but part of what makes it AWESOME is the breakdown at the end. It shows so much musical versatility, and it has that wonderful transition of dance moves... you start out just swaying your hips, next thing your know you're doing the salsa alone, and then before you know it you're jumping up and down, headbanging until you get critical whiplash. GREAT song.


Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot - Bonnie and Clyde

Let's face it, we know that story. We know what happened to Bonnie and Clyde. We know what they did before they went out in a hail of bullets. I know enough French to follow very vague bits of this. And Brigitte's voice is so sultry... I swear, I could fall in love with that woman's voice. Such a strange, dark little song. Romantic and tragic. Perfect.


Bjork - Í dansi með þér

Did you know that before Bjork was experimenting with new sounds, with meter-less poetry and turning haiku to song, and before she was putting together the world's most amazing music videos with Michel Gondry, she was basically a jazz singer? And OMG, could she sing! This is another one I LOVE to dance to. She's amazing. Just... amazing.


Chingon - Malengueña Salerosa

OH HOW I LOVE THIS SONG!!!! I put this on mixes all the time. I can't help myself but to sing along to that gorgeous high note... even if I have no idea what I'm saying most of the time. You might know this song from the final credits of Kill Bill 2. I really can't imagine a better song to end any movie ever. Seriously, this is in my top ten songs of all time for any reason. Period.

And to end on a silly note...

Gary Brolsma - Numa Numa

Yes, there is an official music video for this song. I don't care. I chose this video because I would never have grown to love this song without it. Yes, this song is absolutely absurd. And yes, this video is borderline humiliating. But you know what? That guy? He LOVES this song. And his love is infectious. And it doesn't matter what he's saying (after his initial "Hello"s), because it's so much fun. I bounce around the house singing this. Without irony.



I hope you've enjoyed today's mix tape! Let's do it again next week!