WARMER MIXTAPES #90 | by Emil Johansson [Parker Lewis]

1. Bruce Springsteen | Born To Run
I first heard Born To Run when I was sitting in the backseat of my dad's car, on a vacation trip to Öland. I think I spent five hours straight, just listening to it over and over again and I thought it was the best song I've ever heard. I still think it's the best song I've ever heard. Whenever in doubt I always turn to Springsteen. I still hear new things in it, it keeps growing every year.

2. Kevin Rowland | It's Ok Joanna
Listening to this song is like overhearing a break up on a restaurant. It's so intense and private. I'm gonna spread beauty to the best of my ability, that's why God put me here. That's why you create music. That's all there is to it, really. At least for me.

3. Otis Clay | Pouring Water On A Drowning Man
There's another version of this song, recorded by Percy Sledge. I don't know what else to write about it. It's my favorite soul song, cause it's really soul.

4. Nick Lowe | Poor Side Of Town
Or actually more or less any of the songs from his last four albums. I saw Nick Lowe doing an acoustic show at WTC7 in NYC a couple of years ago. Right next to ground zero. Look everyone, The Moon is rising over the Deutsche Bank Building, he said and started playing this song.

5. Jussi Björling | Visa Kring Slånblom Och Månskära
In a very good biography over Jussi Björling (called Tills Vingen Brister) I read that someone described Björling's voice as a glassball flying on top of a fountain. Something so clear and perfectly in sync with nature that it's supernatural. You can't even hear him trying when he reaches the high C by the end of Nessun Dorma. Of all the music I've ever heard in my life, Jussi Björling is the only one who can make me cry regardless of melodies or lyrics. Listening to him is like a reminder that I'll never be as gifted as I would like to be.

6. The Soundtrack Of Our Lives | Instant Repeater '99
I remember really liking this song when it first came out, then I forgot it for some years, started listening to it again and then TSOOL got so boring that I didn't care anymore. When they did this album they still felt like they were trying to prove something, I don't know what but something. The song is really cocky yet very fragile and desperate.

7. George Gershwin | An American In Paris
It was hard to decide which Gershwin song was going to make this list. Obviously Rhapsody In Blue is my true favorite, but by using An American In Paris I can also combine my love for Gershwin with my love for Gene Kelly.

8. Jackie Wilson | (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher
Oh, God. How did this turn out to be on 8th place? It should've been much higher...(and higher, haha). I guess everyone has heard the great story about the recording of this song. The Funk Brothers and Jackie Wilson, in the middle of the night, recording in secret due do contract issues. But my favorite version is a live version from a tv-show when they play the song even faster and Wilson shows off his dance skills. Pretty amazing, really.

9. Elvis Presley | Unchained Melody (The Righteous Brothers Cover)
There's a video from his last performance when Elvis is at the piano playing this song. Someone is holding the microphone and Elvis is doing shout outs to him during the performance (hold on! keep it up!). Elvis was at his best when he was fat.

10. The Replacements | Swinging Party
I just recently recorded a swedish translation of this song. We've been playing it on shows this fall. I don't understand any of the lyrics (bring your lampshade, somewhere there's a party? come on!). I first heard it early this summer when I was staying at a new found friend's place in Oslo. Usually I really don't care about my friend's record collections. I find that most of them have really good taste in music but I can't keep my interest up enough to listen to new music just for the excitement of it. I want something that has the potential of being so good that I can listen to just that artist or band for six months straight. It makes it much more convenient I think. It's a perfectly great song anyway. It's sounds kind of like Indie but it's really rock'n'roll.