Mellow Crush Mix

This is for a good friend who's found herself struck by that most insidious of infatuations: the mellow crush. It doesn't smash you over the head like most crushes, it just slowly sneaks into your mind, and usually involves someone you've known for a long time. You run into said person, and suddenly their stupid mannerisms are really cute and you're not quite as annoyed by the things they say. I told you that it's sneaky! Good luck with that.

"I'm Ready" by Jack's Mannequin. Everything in Transit is my latest addiction, and it's full of equally wonderful songs for break-ups and crushes. This music is about as emo as I get, and I just love swimming through the piano ballads and the painfully introverted lyrics. For example, the interlude to this song appropriately describes the way I feel half of the time: lost and apathetic, but the rest of the song shows that yearning for life that is always adding to my restlessness and that really makes me care. Perfect mellow crush fuel in my humble opinion.

"...I come undone, oh yes, I do
Just think of all the thoughts wasted on you
And every word you say, says something sweet
Cause all I taste is blood between my teeth
As I'm finding the words... you're getting away...

...I wake up to find it's another
Four aspirin morning, and I dive in
I put on the same clothes I wore yesterday.
When did society decide that we had to change
and wash a tee shirt after every individual use?
If it's not dirty, I'm gonna wear it.
I take the stairs to the car
And there's fog on the windows.
(As I'm finding the words...)
I need caffeine in my blood stream,
I take caffeine in the blood stream.
I grip the wheel and all at once I realize:
(And you're getting away...)
My life has become a boring pop song
And everyone's singing along..."

"Head Over Feet" by Alanis Morisette. This song describes that realization that guys can be really sweet and attentive, instead of dumb and immature. It's sweet, and sweet is an accomplishment for Alanis whose music is usually pretty brutal and caustic. You just can't help falling for those guys who are thoughtful.

"Whatta Man" by Salt 'n' Pepa. The quintessential male-appreciation song. S & P make hardcore hip-hop that is female-empowerment in musical form, and that is also just awesome. Not necessarily the kind of music you want to listen to with your parents, but definitely great.

"I Will Dare" by The Replacements. The 'mats are one of my favorite bands because they took punk rock to a different level, they kept things original, and they weren't afraid to throw a few country hooks in their rockers. The lyrics to this song seem like a bit of a laundry list of personality differences, followed by a "dare" of sorts, but the chorus is what's really sweet.

"Meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime
Now, I don't care, meet me tonight
If you will dare, I will dare..."

"Eyes" by Apollo Sunshine. With a funky bass bounce and swirly twirly guitar joy in the background, this song could be played on pop radio except for the fact that a few of the lyrics are irreverently inappropriate. "What are we doing when we're not doing each other?" always gets big hoots from a live audience. Mostly though, this song is just ridiculously cute.

"Up On Cripple Creek" by the Band. Jam band joy with a quick nod to Dylan. I love this song because of its inane observations and pop culture references. When you have a mellow crush what do you notice? Well all the cute little personality traits that belong to the person you're crushin' on.

"All The Small Things" by Blink-182. This song brings me right back to my formative middle school years. The music's not particularly challenging, in fact it's the epitome of three-chord rock, but the lyrics are sarcastic and cheeky. You know that age when boys are pulling your hair and calling you an idiot because they like you? This is the soundtrack to those years.

"Pressure Drop" by The Clash. This is my ultimate party song, and a song that I want played at my wedding (in the unlikely event that I get married). Love summed up in three words: "It Is You!".

"Til The End of Time" by Devotchka. From the painfully disfunctional dark comedy Little Miss Sunshine, this song is good for riding your camel through the desert, but the violin swirling and climbing up the percussion and the spooky whistling add a certain romantic element to the composition.

"...And everybody knows where this is heading
Forgive me for forgetting
Our hearts irrevocably combined
Star-crossed souls slow dancing
Retreating and advancing
Across the sky until the end of time..."

"A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More 'Touch Me'" by Fall Out Boy. Maybe I lied a little when I wrote that Jack's Mannequin is about as emo as I get, actually Fall Out Boy fills that category. I started listening to this song for the lengthy vampire-filled video, but I stayed attached to it because of its heart-sick lyrics and hook-stuffed melody.

"...And you're just the girl all the boys want to dance with
And I'm just the boy who's had too many chances

I'm sleeping on your folk's porch again, dreaming
She said, she said, she said, "Why don't you just drop dead?"

I don't blame you for being you
But you can't blame me for hating it
So say, what are you waiting for?
Kiss her! Kiss her!
I set my clocks early 'cause I know I'm always late..."

"Dark Blue" by Jack's Mannequin. I told you that there were lots of gems on this album. This song happens to be my personal favorite for mellow crushes. The imagery of floods and drowning are perfectly synonymous with falling in love.

"...Dark blue, dark blue
Have you ever been alone in a crowded room well I'm here with you
I said the world could be burning 'til there's nothing but dark blue
Just dark blue

And this flood, this flood is slowly rising up, swallowing the ground
Beneath, my feet
Tell me how anybody thinks under this condition so
I'll swim, I'll swim as the water rises up
sun is sinking down and now all I can see
are the planets in a row suggesting it's best that I
slow down
this night's a perfect shade of dark blue..."