Listen: Barack Obama's Summer Playlists, with John Coltrane, Bob Dylan and Philadelphia's Low Cut Connie
The President's summer music picks.
Take that, Apple Music!
President Barack Obama has joined streaming music service Spotify and posted two said-to-be "hard picked" Summer Playlists, themed "Day" and "Night."
The local band makes good angle is that Philadelphia's own Low Cut Connie's "Boozophilia," a drinking song from 2013's Call Me Sylvia made the cut, strangely on the daytime list, perhaps implying a Presidential endorsement of day drinking. Piano playing frontman Adam Weiner, described himself on Friday afternoon as "totally and utterly shocked and speechless." The band plays at 7 p.m. on Sunday at Ray's Happy Birthday Bar in South Philadelphia, where the "Boozophilia" video was shot. I'm guessing that the Prez was smitten by the song in part by the way Weiner sings about "the south side of Chicago," his former neighborhood.
Also on the day time list: The Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud To Beg," Mala Rodriguez's "Tengo Un Trato," Bob Dylan's "Tombstone Blues," Okkervil River's "Down Down The Deep River," John Legend's "Green Light" and the hip-hop duo of Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek known as Reflection Eternal's "Memories Live." Plus, one Bob Marley song whose title must ring true to the Leader of the Free World: "So Much Trouble In The World." The weak link is Coldplay's "Paradise." Otherwise, thumbs up on the mix.
The President's "Night" mix kicks off with John Coltrane's "My Favorite Things" and finishes off with "Woo," by Erykah Badu, who didn't make it to her Robin Hood Dell show last night and plays a makeup show tonight. In between, it's packed with well-chosen old-school reliables, including Frank Sinatra ("The Best Is Yet To Come," spoken like a politician), Nina Simone ("Feeling Good") Ray Charles ("You Don't Know Me") and Billie Holiday (The Very Thought Of You"). Hip-hop represents with Mos Def's "UMI Says" and Lauryn Hill's "Nothing Even Matters." Obama goes singer-songwritery soft with The Lumineers "Stubborn Love" and makes another big-eared left field choice with soulful bluegrass singer Aoife O'Donavan's "Red & White & Blue & Gold." Another solid playlist from the chief executive mixmaster.
Listen to both mixes below.
Previously:Hidden River Blues Fest Follow In The Mix on Twitter here