New Administration Mix

http://www.sendspace.com/file/8kqqoe

Above is the link to directly download the FunkyUSAdministration mix I compiled last week. I know I promised to post it last Thursday, but boiling it down to these 15 tunes required some test-listens and deliberation, so thanks for your patience. A quick note: the track numbers that show up when you import it to iTunes might be off, but the names in the folder are correct. Also, you can use the track list below as a guide or just stream the songs individually there.

There are plenty of obvious choices for this tribute to the Obama campaign and upcoming administration, such as the Bob Dylan and Sam Cooke songs, but I left off a few other likely inclusions. A few of you suggested Parliament's "Chocolate City," with its immortal lines "You don't need the bullet when you got the ballot" and "They call it the White House, but that's a temporary condition" (not to mention the endorsement of Stevie Wonder as Secretary of Fine Arts). It's a great tune, but perhaps a tiny bit too cutesy for my purposes. Instead I went with the Parliaments (early incarnation of Parliament) classic "Testify," with its soulful cries of "Change! There's been a change, and it's oh so plain to see." Also, I had "Funky President" by James Brown on the original tracklist, but after about five listens I got a bit tired of it and decided to save it for next time.

I also didn't include Nas' "Black President," The Black Eyed Peas guy's songs for the occasion or any of the tributes made by artists in the last several weeks. Nothing wrong with any of these, but there were quite a few established classics to choose from instead. They are, as follows:

1) "Walk Tall" -- The Cannonball Adderly Quintet, with an introduction by the Rev. Jesse Jackson

2) "Yes We Can" -- Lee Dorsey

3) "We're A Winner" -- Curtis Mayfield

4) "Life Monologue" -- Lou Rawls

5) "This Land Is Your Land" -- Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings

6) "The Times They Are A Changin" -- Bob Dylan

7) "Black President" -- JC Burris

The money line in this prophetic blues number by Sonny Terry's nephew: "We gonna love one another, like one big giant football team."

8) "Our Generation" -- Ernie Hines

9) "Sweet Home Chicago" -- Magic Sam

10) "Testify" -- The Parliaments

11) "What Will Tomorrow Bring" -- Wendy Rene

12) "A New Day" -- The Notations

13) "In My Own Time" -- The Bee Gees

14) "Bring the Boys Home" -- Freda Payne

15) "A Change Is Gonna Come" -- Sam Cooke

Hope you enjoyed these selections. Next time: honorable mentions and your own fine suggestions.