A mix tape is a home-made compilation of songs (typically copyrighted music taken from other sources) recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto a compact audio cassette. Creating and distributing mixes in the form of a compact disc or MP3 playlist has become the contemporary method of choice, but the term mix tape is still commonly used.A mix tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a theme or mood, to a highly personal statement tailored to the tape's intended recipient.
There are many types of mix tapes: the collection of favorite songs, the "snapshot" mix of recent favorites, the driving mix, the workout mix, the party mix, the concept/theme mix (a mix of Christmas songs, songs about cars, or covers of songs by a particular artist), the mood mix (simply a mix of songs intended to sustain a specific mood, stated or unstated), the romantic mix and the break-up mix.
The Semisonic song "Singing in My Sleep" is about a mix tape. The lyrics: "Got your tape and it changed my mind... / I've been living in your cassette... / Now I'm falling in love too fast / With you or the songs you chose / I can hear you sing it to me in my sleep."
An episode of Friends entitled "The One With the Mix Tape" features a mix tape given by Chandler to Monica for Valentine's Day. This mix tape had been given to Chandler by his ex-girlfriend Janice, a fact which Monica discovers when we hear Janice's voice on the tape.
I have made and popped the tabs on many a mix tape. I started with my JVC dual tape deck and cd player in 1987 and still make mix cd's for myself, the kids, and others, today.
Essayist Geoffrey O'Brien has called the personal mix tape "the most widely practiced American art form," and many mix tape enthusiasts believe that by carefully selecting and ordering the tracks in a mix, an artistic statement can be created that is greater than the sum of its individual songs.
Making a good mix tape is an art form and is a lot like blogging. I don't actually make anything up, I just find cool stuff and arrange it an an interesting order.
Mix tapes, and blogs, are a form of emotional self-expression. But there is also a science involved. For instance, in my opinion, a good mix tape has short songs that you don't hear on the radio, and shouldn't have more than 1 song from the same band. Nowadays, I mostly make Sinbad(link) mix cd's that have songs that girls and children will like.
Like wise, Turnipblog is mostly Sinbaded, I try to have a visual in every post, and I would never put 2 kid tips or Duke-bashing posts back to back.
There are mix tape masters like Kate Tell and Krebby. I am pretty darn good.
If I make a good mix tape with cool songs that you never heard before, or have a good blog where I collect cool things from the internet; It makes me a cooler and a better person.
Tell me about the best mix tape you ever made or even the lamest mix tape you ever received.
I am going to post some song lists from my mix cd's. I will also attempt to dig up some old mix tapes and post the song lists.
5 comments:
Some might even say the mix tape is the modern equivalent of singing up to a Capulet, perhaps.
Good post.
I appreciate your command of Semisonic lyrics, but I want to hear about some mix tapes.
By far the BEST "mixed tape" ever made was by you, dear brother...BLACKBIRD. That mix of Beatles covers is the most requested CD to be played in my yoga classes - in which we typically listen to new age type music without lyrics. I have probably made 10+ copies of it. Please share the play list with your fans.
How could you not be a mix tape master with a handle like Kate Tell? The K-tel compilations (and awesome commercials) of the 70s and 80s deserve their own post.
Good call anonymous. I love it when readers get my jokes. If asked, my backstory was going to be that Kate was actually a guy and was so embarrassed by his first name that he just went by his first initial.
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