Eight Days a Week
A BMT Mixtape
This is one of those mixtape themes that I find myself shocked I’ve never knocked out until today. Lots of testosterone and some very Bonnie veers — I might not have come up with the most original theme, but I think I make up for it with my wide variety of picks.
What’s fun about this one is I cast the net across the decades. Granted, there’s an emphasis on 80s and 90s alternative bands, but that’s my jam, amiright?
Anyhoo, the usual BMT trappings are here: live performances, outside-the-box picks, and fantastic voices! I know it’s safe to say that no one other than me would have put this particular collection of songs together in this way.
“Monday Morning 5.19” is a song I crave. Or maybe it’s Louis Eliot’s voice. Or maybe it’s Louis Eliot. I digress.
Regardless, this song is what you get if you take early Maroon 5 and shake it up with Britpop. Sadly Rialto was short-lived, but they’ve left some great songs behind.
I literally sighed within 3 seconds of listening to “Tuesday PM.” Richard Hawley’s baritone lowers my blood pressure. Well, then it raises it — for good reasons!
He’s one of the finest crooners out there yet most Americans have never heard of him. An injustice, to be sure.
He’s got this magnetic blend of masculinity and vulnerability. Swoon!
Ronnie Dyson. WHAT a voice! This is a stunning, nuanced vocal.
I’ll acknowledge that he wouldn’t have made it onto this mixtape with my other choices were it not for the fact that I needed a Wednesday song. But I’m thrilled I lucked into this find. Mr. Dyson’s interpretation of “A Wednesday in Your Garden” is evocative and beautiful!
Maybe the best way to describe Morphine is to dub them the thinking man’s grunge. There’s a brooding sophistication to them — whether lyrically or musically — that makes them unique and less accessible than many of the 90s rock bands. Which is probably why I dig them.
Dark and suggestive, “Thursday” is a grinding cacophony of drums, distortion, guitar, and an unexpected sax(!).
Were you anticipating something else? Sometimes I like to zig when you’re expecting me to zag.
My followers know that just because I don’t feature country music very often doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it.
Eric Paslay’s “Friday Night” is charming, spirited, and sultry. The mandolin and fiddle bring the twang while the polish gives it a slick veneer. Less beat-up truck on muddy roads, more freshly buffed ’65 red convertible Mustang with the top down cruising along a canopy road. It literally makes my toes dance!
“Saturday Sun” was released by Crowded House in 2010. It would be at home next to anything from Woodface or Together Alone.
Hints of the Beatles. Dashes of 90s rock. Confident and mature. And the unmistakable Neil Finn.
“Everyday is Like Sunday” is my favorite Morrissey song. I’ve seen Morrissey twice. The first time was in Austin at Bass Concert Hall on the University of Texas campus. Unsurprisingly, I cried a little when he played this one. I’d waited decades to hear it performed live!
I don’t typically choose live performances where the audience is loud. But there’s something endearing about this audience! Maybe it’s the fact that he’s playing in his hometown of Manchester.
In any case, Moz’s delivery is charming — he forgets the lyrics and calls himself out, then he improvises some gorgeous notes.
The pretty but melancholy melody. The soaring notes. The cheering, adoring fans. One of the most memorable songs of my coming-of-age. It makes me a bit verklempt!
I liked today’s mixtape title but wasn’t sure if I would include 7 songs or 8. I stumbled upon someone’s quip referring to the Beatles’ eight days a week including Monday through Sunday plus “yesterday.” That resonated with me — and provided my answer.
My search quickly led to this cover by Marvin Gaye. Believe it or not, I’d never heard this version of the Fab Four’s iconic, “Yesterday,” before today. There’s a subtle groove but it leans pretty as opposed to sexy, which is exactly the right call.
If you’ve missed it, definitely check it out. It’s gorgeous. I’ve already hit repeat 5 times! It’s an addictive interpretation.
Until her 40’s, Bonnie’s worst nightmare included writing and sharing personal stories publicly. At her friends’ suggestion, she bemusedly started Bonnie’s Mixed Tape on Medium in 2017. She remains shocked that anyone reads her stories and that P.S. I Love You, Assemblage, the Writing Cooperative, and the Ascent have published her work.
Bonnie loves all types of music, but really, really, really loves the 80s.
Thank you for reading this story
I know you are busy and have lots of ways you could be spending your time. you using your time to read my work means the world to me — my sincerest thanks!
