Music was always a big part of my childhood. Back in the Stone Ages, we played things called “audio cassettes” that we’d put in “tape players” to hear our songs. I know, I know. That sounds crazy. Even crazier? We couldn’t instantly play any song we wanted. We’d have to actually rewind or fast forward the tape to get to a specific song.
Yes there’s definitely an advantage to the instant song access we have today. It’s amazing that with sites like Spotify, you can put together any collection or playlist you want. It’s a virtual library of just about every song ever created. I do love that but it doesn’t mean I don’t still have a box full of hundreds of CDs in my basement.
Now after audio tapes, we entered the world of compact discs (CDs) and with those, we could jump to any song we wanted without any rewinding or fast forwarding. The downside? They can scratch fairly easily. And even with CDs, I still loved saving all my favorites on a cassette tape and dubbing it… the Mix Tape.
Seriuosly, was there anything more romantic than a Mix Tape? I still have the one my college girlfriend (and now wife!) gave me. Call me sentimental, but there’s no beating the slow roll of the tape as your favorite songs of yesteryear blast through your boombox’s speakers.
After seeing Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, I felt a renewed love of cassette tapes thanks to Star-Lord (a.k.a. Peter Quill). The space-traveling hero may have lost his mother to cancer at a young age, but he never lost the Awesome Mix tape she made for him. And with the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, that mix tape love continued.
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is already out on Digital HD (check your On Demand now!), and the DVD/Blu-ray hits store shelves on August 22! I know I certainly can’t wait to snag my copy. But in the meantime, I figured I’d give ol’ Star-Lord a run for his money by creating my very own Andrew’s Awesome Mix tape!
Give it a listen and tell me you’re not banging your head along with me…
Let me break down each song for you with a quick note of what they mean to me.
Andrew’s Awesome Mix
King of Pain (The Police)
The very first cassette tape I remember buying was The Police’s Synchronicity. I loved every single tune on there, but for some reason, King of Pain had an almost mesmerizing effect on me.
Tarzan Boy (Baltimora)
If nothing else, the ’80s should be known for all those one-hit-wonder tunes. Tarzan Boy was one of my all-time favs and when it became the song used in a Listerine commercial years later it got me hooked all over again.
We’re Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sister)
Hands down, my all-time favorite band. I don’t know how many copies of Twisted Sister’s Stay Hungry album I had to buy because I kept playing and playing and playing that tape. Every tune is a winner and “We’re Not Gonna Take It” is really the perfect anthem for the band and all us kids from the ’80s.
Eat It (Weird Al Yankovic)
I must have been in fifth or sixth grade when this came out and I fondly remember all the other kids in my class laughing hysterically at it. It’s the album that put Weird Al on the map and I still have my copy buried somewhere in my closet.
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)
Okay, not an ’80s tune, but slightly different memory for me here. The Seattle music scene hit hard in the ’90s and no one nailed it better than Kurt Cobain’s Nirvana. After hearing this one for the first time, I remember playing it regularly on the college radio station that I was a DJ on. (Shoutout to WHRW!) The callers weren’t as excited as I was, though. Maybe five times in a row was a bit much?
Real American (Rick Derringer)
Besides music, video games and cartoons, my childhood in the ’80s consisted of the WWF (now known as WWE), with none other than Hulk Hogan leading the charge. The Hulkster’s theme song still elicits goosebumps in me when I hear it, as I wait for the big guy to race into the ring and take down King Kong Bundy or some other heel.
Glory of Love (Peter Cetera)
I actually don’t love this song. It’s okay but it has some real significance for me. As a fan of the Karate Kid movies, this was a theme song from Karate Kid II. It’s also the very first song I bought the sheet music for and learned how to play during my piano lessons.
Dream Warriors (Dokken)
Who remembers Rockin’ with Dokken? I loved these guys and just as The Police’s Synchronicity album was my first cassette, Dokken’s Back for the Attack was the very first compact disc that I bought. Dream Warriors (used in Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors) even made it to the mainstream.
Back in Time (Huey Lewis and the News)
With Back to the Future being one of my favorite movie trilogies, it’s no surprise that Huey Lewis’ “Back in Time” gets me grooving every single time.
Eye of the Tiger (Survivor)
How can you discuss movies from the ’80s without mentioning the Rocky franchise, in particular Rocky III! Mr. T as Clubber Lang and Hulk Hogan as Thunderlips would be enough to get me beyond pumped for this film. But toss in a killer song by Survivor and I’m pushed over the edge! This is one tune that definitely has passed down from generation to generation, since my kids even got into it.
What songs are on your Awesome Mix playlist?
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 hits shelves August 22
#GotGVol2
Now that’s an awesome playlist. I’m from the cassette era and remember making mixed tapes and getting them from my boyfriend. To me the soundtrack for Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and 2 are essentially co-stars in the film. I absolutely love the films and I’m sure I still would however I don’t think they would be as good without the soundtracks.
I love it! Looks like one I’d make for myself! Peter Cetera is great!
Any list with Nirvana is automatically good in my book.
Okay, I get the advantage of instant satisfaction we have today. But can I just point out… if there was a certain PART of a song you enjoyed, you could rewind to JUST THAT PART! Can’t do that now without listening to the entire song again. So… have we really advanced?
I love this mix tape! These are all songs from when I was in my teen years!
This mix list isn’t half bad. I’d listen to it.
This is a good mix. I like Eye of the Tiger – good choice!
So many of those songs are familiar to me. That’s a great mix tape.
Wow, I remember all these songs and still love listening to them on my “oldies” station!
Great mix tape !
GREAT MIX TAPE, I LIKE WE’RE NOT GONA TAKE IT BY TWISTED SISTER.
Great mix! I remember I would always play We’re Not Gonna Take It when I was mad at my parents.
Sooo many good song choices! Now I have We’re Not Gonna Take It stuck in my head. Definitely having a kitchen dance party with the kids to that song tomorrow.
Really great play list. I would add some Metallica!
Nice! Got to have Nirvana
I am loving the music, really great mix of songs
Ever since the first Guardians, I have always been looking forward to the mixed tape music since every song is always so awesome and catchy 🙂
I so miss mix tapes!! Nothing like our childhood!!
Great music selection. The songs are all great and I love the variety.
Such good as first chapter mixtape.
My family and I love these movies!
Absolutely love the variety of music on this tape!!! Totally brings back alot of memories..
This soundtrack remind me my youth!
“With the lights out, it’s less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us…”
Oh, Kurt.
This mix is little bits of nostalgic history for all!
Music has the ability to bring me back to a specific moment in time. Some good – some bad, but I can actually remember what I was feeling back then! ALL music is powerful ?
I had to giggle at a few of the songs just because of the mental image that comes to mind with each of them. I do have to say that you have reminded me how old I am by the words Twisted Sister! LOL
Recently, I digitized my Dad’s mix tape cassette collection! Lots of Eric Clapton and Cream, with the occasional song by Tina Turner or Toto!
I DJed in college, too (KTSB Austin!) but my biggest memory of Smells Like Teen Spirit was missing the video shoot for it even though I was actually in LA when they did it… for my cousin’s baby shower. I was so bummed out and you can see one of my fellow DJs in the video.
Glory of Love is a guilty pleasure for me. So cheesy and yet makes me happy.
One of the best mixtapes ever made 😀
Love this mix tape list! I forgot all about Tarzan Boy – this list brings back some fun memories!
Alas, now you must buy a Zune.
Best mix ever!!! This is seriously a great playlist 🙂
This movie sounds real good would love to see this
Great selection for the mix tape!
I remember the cassettes because my parents would listen to them as teenagers. My dad has a box full of them. Of course I never experience to listen to them because I was born in 1994 so I grew up listening to CD discs.
You have a really cool selection of songs, Andrew! With some of my favorite tunes from back in the day, like Eye of the Tiger by (Survivor), and Dream Warriors by (Dokken)! Awesome Mix!
Eye of the Tiger is my favorite song on Andrew’s Awesome Mix! It’s such an iconic song now forever linked to the Rocky movie franchise.
I miss mix tapes! I can remember sitting by the radio waiting for my favorite song to come on so I could record it!