Phil’s first mix CD
February 26, 2012I don’t recall how the idea first arose, but Phil decided that he wanted to have a CD of songs related to policemen. So yesterday we screened a bunch of songs via YouTube and found seven that met with mutual approval.
I told Phil that we should look for more — I hadn’t even shown him “Crime Pays” by Hall & Oates! — but he declared himself done with the selection process, so today we downloaded the seven songs and burned the CD. Its contents are as follows.
1. CHiPs theme (1977). Phil has never seen this TV show, but, in his world, few things are cooler than cops on motorcycles.
2. “I Fought The Law” by the Bobby Fuller Four (1965).
3. “Authority Song” by John Cougar Mellencamp (1983). Mellencamp has said that this is essentially his version of “I Fought The Law.” Phil likes the kid in the video, who looks like Mellencamp but is not his real-life son.
4. “Darlington County” by Bruce Springsteen (1984). Mostly about picking up women rather than getting picked up by police, but the Boss notes, “We drove 800 miles without seeing a cop,” then later sees his friend “handcuffed to the bumper of a state trooper’s Ford.”
5. “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley (1957).
6. “Let’s Go To Heaven In My Car” by Brian Wilson (1985). From the soundtrack of Police Academy 3. I’m not sure which is sadder — that the great Brian Wilson (of Beach Boys fame) contributed to this ridiculous movie, or that Phil has seen it.
7. Hill Street Blues theme (1981). Instant poignancy from the opening credits, thanks to composer Mike Post.
My Track Record 
If there’s ever a follow up album, might I suggest the Ventures’ Theme From Hawaii Five O. I suppose it’s lack… words, but it sure is catchy
[…] don’t know why Bruce Springsteen keeps popping up on my blog (here and here and here and here), but he’s on my mind again. In particular, I keep coming back to a fantastic Slate article […]