Mix Tape Friday: The Rainbow Connection

In honor of this weekend’s AIDS Walk, I’m goin’ all rainbow on you with a mix of colors. I unfortunately found out about the AIDS Walk too late to raise funds, but I plan to walk this Sunday to show my support and to remind folks that, yes, people can still contract AIDS.

However, if you wish to donate funds for my Making Strides for Breast Cancer Walk next Saturday, click here. I’m shameless — and determined to raise $1,500.

I take these mix tapes way too seriously, so of course I set a couple of rules for putting together this one: (1) five songs per color; and, (2) avoid more obvious color choices (“Purple Rain,” “Orange Crush,” “Red Rain,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” "Purple Haze"). It was damn hard to narrow down blue tunes (sorry, Lucinda, but Barbara would be all over me if I cut “Blue Monday”).

Okay, let’s stop writing and begging — and let’s start dancing and singing.

• The Rolling Stones: She’s a Rainbow

• Bees: Voices Green and Purple

• Gogol Bordello: Start Wearing Purple

• One Block Radius: Purple and Orange

• Nas: Purple

• Snoop Dogg: Don’t Blow My High (Purple Haze)

• New Order: Blue Monday

• Rod Stewart: True Blue

• Tommy James & The Shondells: Crystal Blue Persuasion

• R.E.M.: Pale Blue Eyes

• Leonard Cohen: Famous Blue Raincoat

• Tom Waits: All the World Is Green

• Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians: Dark Green Energy

• George Baker Selection: Little Green Bag

• The Lemon Pipers: Green Tambourine

• Elvis Costello: Green Shirt

• Donovan: Mellow Yellow

• Yo La Tengo: Yellow Sarong

• Wussy: Yellow Cotton Dress

• Music Machine: Double Yellow Line

• Pearl Jam: Yellow Ledbetter

• Beck: Burnt Orange Peel

• 10,000 Maniacs: Orange

• Moonbabies: The Orange Billboard

• Alexi Murdoch: Orange Sky

• Tori Amos feat. Damien Rice: The Power of Orange Knickers

• Cat Power: Red Apples

• Neil Young: Red Sun

• Pernice Brothers: Red Desert

• The Replacements: Red Red Wine

• Sweet 75: Red Dress

• Wire: Pink Flag

• The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (Pt.1)

• XTC: Pink Thing

• Stephen Malkmus: Pink India

• Nick Drake: Pink Moon

• Sarah McLachlan: The Rainbow Connection

Not up to clicking and downloading each track? Here’s your pot of zipped gold.

There are some great psychedelic garage bands on this mix. If you don’t yet own the Nuggets box set, Haahnster and I strongly encourage you to save your allowance and pick it up before the month is out.

Find the Stipe! That's obviously Mr. Stipe singing the "Pale Blue Eyes" cover — but Michael's also backing another colorful artist. Can you find his backing vocals? Bonus points if you can also find the visiting Peter Buck.

"Green Shirt" is probably my favorite Elvis Costello tune evah. It's the song that took me from liking his very early hits to being obsessed with everything he recorded. It also reminds me of those fun, carefree college days. Give it a listen if you're not familiar with it.

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