Hello! Happy Monday! Welcome to another Mixtape Monday here at The Hideaway. Before we get to today's featured tape, we'd like to share a bit of news. If you're a regular viewer of Mixtape Monday posts you know we've had some issues with cassette players and at least one of the mixtapes (RIP tape S) here on The Hideaway.
We finally took our beloved Sony TC-WE805S, the last deck we used before making the leap to burning CDs in the early 2000s, down to a reputable local repair shop after it spent the past twenty years in a closet. The tech said they were a bit backlogged but we could hope to hear from him within a couple of weeks. Fingers crossed.🤞
read about it on Apple Music or Spotify.
- The ambient sounds of a city faded in as the tape began. After about a minute, the song finally kicks in. It was Roger Hodgson's "Had A Dream (Sleeping With The Enemy)" and it has a lot going on. The track runs for about eight and a half minutes with more than enough tempo changes to keep things interesting.
- The unmistakable drum and guitar intro of Yes's "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" heralded another workout for the speakers. I'm still not a fan of this song or its parent album (90125) but will cop to liking it more now than I did back then. She, like the rest of the world, loves it.
- Took me until the vocals came in on the next song to identify it as The Fixx and it wasn't until the chorus that I was sure it was "Secret Separation". Don't hear this one often enough. Made a note to add it to the HERChive soundtrack.
- The steel drum sound on the synths announced that Rod Stewart was bringing his "Love Touch" to the party. I remember reading in the liner notes for one of his compilation discs, he called this song "one of the silliest... I've ever recorded".
- And then we're "Into The Groove" with Madonna. Such a great song.
- The dance party continues with something of a curveball from Pet Shop Boys. It's their song "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" but it's the Version Latina mix from their Disco album. It is my favorite version of the song.
- Next up George and Andrew take us to "The Edge Of Heaven". So close you can smell the cotton candy.
- The longest bit of silence yet in our listening session ends just as Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" begins after its quiet synthesized Shakuhachi flute intro. (Yeah, I looked it up.)
- A single drum hit is heard, the music starts as the rest of the band joins in and Jim Kerr shouts "Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!". Thus begins "Don't You (Forget About Me)". Kerr's vocals shine on this one as does the pulsing rhythm section. We've heard it a bajillion times and have never tired of it.
- I get the first song on the second side of the tape immediately. You would, too. It is Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven" and while it sounds really good, it does seem out of place within our playlist so far. Have no idea what could follow this as it seems more like a finale than a new beginning.
- The next song fades in and I recognize it but then it takes a turn and I realize it is the extended version of "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush, ripped from the twelve-inch single. Haven't heard this one in a bit.
- Another poorly chosen segue leads into Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and there is something off about it. When the track is over, I rewind it and listen again with the volume up a little and the bass boosted and it sounds a little better to these old ears.
- The next song requires half a minute to get my bearings and then I realize it is "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" from Glass Tiger. I'm reminded of how much the intended listener of this tape loved this song in the late summer or early fall of 1986. Our romance was in high gear and we were spending nearly every day together.
- That memory is quickly shoved aside with the machine-gun percussion of The Rolling Stones's "Undercover of the Night". Clearly, this track like the Zeppelin track above was more for me than her.
- Drums and piano lead into "Rock The Casbah". And The HERChives becomes The Casbah.
- There's not even time to catch our breath before the intro guitar strum comes in from Prince's "Kiss". While it certainly ranks high on my list of favorite Prince songs, I'm pretty sure the woman for whom this tape was planned and dubbed would have ranked it at or near the top of her own list.
- Another mutual favorite comes up next, as "Shake It Up" from The Cars keeps the quirky jerk groove going. We had seen The Cars on their Heartbeat City Tour the day after her 19th birthday and both of us were very surprised when the show ended after seventeen songs and "Shake It Up" had not been performed.
- Shortly after "Shake It Up" faded into oblivion, the chiming power chords of AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" come ringing in and we go from dancing to rocking. I am disappointed in myself for programming so many of my favorite songs on a tape meant to represent her favorite songs.
- Then the opening riff of Springsteen's "Dancing in The Dark" signals the upcoming end of the tape. Based on the release and peak chart dates of all the songs on the tape, my best guess is that VV - Greatest Hits Vol. 2 was dubbed between September and November 1986, approximately six months before we were married.
Check out previous Mixtape Monday posts HERE
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