Every week, I am trying to distract you and get you to think about something other than college football. And almost every week, I am certain that I fail miserably to achieve that goal. But--at least in the Midwest region where I am now living--I forgot that the best way to achieve my goal (even if I don't do it myself) is with
a healthy serving of Urban Meyer Sad Pizza.
More than one Buckeye loss per season (especially a definitive one such as was handed out in Iowa last Saturday) can make lots of people in Ohio find something else to do on a Saturday.
BUT . . . that's all the football talk we will devote to this week's post. I'm here to make you think of other things.
And the thing this week is my Stranger Things 2 playlist.
You've heard of Stranger Things, right? Have you watched all of season 2? Do you have a strong opinion about episode 7? As for me. . . I didn't mind it at all. Anyway, I recently posted (in non-Counter-Programming news) my Stranger Things season 1 playlist.
You can enjoy those few moments of context and diversion here.
So, now that you are all caught up . . . here is my playlist for Stranger Things 2. I hope you like it. As with the season 1 playlist, these songs are either featured in the episodes--in which case I identify the episode and a brief description of the context for the music--or I was inspired by events to find a suitable song that related.
1. Walkin in Hawkins, (ST2 soundtrack)
This synth song serves as a nice way to ease our way back into Hawkins, Indiana in 1984.
2. "Whip It," Devo (ep. 1 MADMAX)
This song plays in the arcade scene during the first few moments of the first episode. As with many songs of this era (when I was almost exactly the same age as the kids in this show) I heard Devo from my two older brothers. Was I sort of the Will to their Jonathan?
3. "Rock You Like Hurricane," Scorpions (ep. 1 MADMAX)
I was never a heavy metal or hair metal fan growing up. But when you are embracing nostalgia as hard as the Duffer Brothers, you've gotta go with it. This song play when Billy shows up on the scene in Hawkins. What a guy.
4. "California Girls," David Lee Roth
This song was inspired by the appearance of Max and her mysterious California cool presence.
5. "Backdoor Man," The Doors
Another song not in the show itself, but inspired by the passionate storage closet necking scene between Joyce Byers and one Bob Newby. You go Bob. Live your best life!
6. "Hello," Lionel Ritchie
Inspired by Mike's whistful attempts to contact Eleven with the walkie-talkie.
7. "Ghostbusters theme," Ray Parker, Jr. (ep. 2 Trick or Treat, Freak)
Back to the show's chosen sound here, as the Party puts on their Halloween costumes and prepares for their day at school.
8. "Wango Tango," Ted Nugent (ep. 2 Trick or Treat, Freak)
Billy and Max are in the Firebird. Billy tries to murder Dustin and Lucas on their bikes with his reckless driving.
9. "Shout at the Devil," Motley Crue (ep. 2 Trick or Treat, Freak)
This is playing while Nancy and Steve are hanging out at Tina's Halloween party.
10. "Talking in Your Sleep," The Romantics (ep. 1 MADMAX)
Steve and Nancy discuss college applications and the future. (But they leave other things unsaid.)
11. "Islands in the Stream," Feist & Constantines (ep. 2 Trick or Treat, Freak)
Bob is putting the Dracula moves on Joyce after the kids have left them alone to go get candy. The show used the original Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton duet . . . but I wanted a different version.
12. "Girls on Film," Duran Duran (ep. 2 Trick or Treat, Freak)
More music from Tina's Halloween party.
13. "You Don't Mess Around with Jim," Jim Croce (ep. 3 The Pollywog) '
Hopper tries to teach Eleven about good music, during the flashback showing how she ended up in his backwoods cabin between seasons 1 and 2.
14. "Just Another Day," Oingo Boingo (ep. 1 MADMAX)
Background music while Hopper shows up at the police station.
15. "Scarface (Push it to the Limit)," Paul Engemann (ep. 4 Will the Wise)
The epic basketball confrontation between Billy and (former) King Steve Harrington.
16. "Levitation" (ST2 soundtrack)
17. "Blue Bayou," Roy Orbison (ep. 6 The Spy)
Nancy and Jonathan eat breakfast at Murray's place. Jonathan thinks about how the pullout was . . .
18. "Round and Round," Ratt (ep. 6 The Spy)
Billy lifts weights.
19. "Eulogy" (ST2 soundtrack)
The warbly synthesizers that are favored in the soundtrack music make you sad and make you laugh simultaneously.
20. "Dead End Justice," The Runaways (ep. 7 The Lost Sister)
The controversial seventh episode--which I happened to like, as I said above. But the real controversy is how much this song änd its usage is identical to the "Cherrybomb"
Getting Ready to Do Stuff montage from Guardians of the Galaxy.
21. "Love is a Battlefield," Pat Benatar (ep. 9 The Gate)
Everyone is getting ready for the Snow Ball.
22. "Every Breath You Take," The Police (ep. 9 The Gate)
The happiness of the Snow Ball gets sinister when you see that the Mind Flayer is still looming over Hawkins.
And so . . . there you go.
Enjoy these songs by finding me on Spotify (search for user "david_t_martin"). And remember . . . no one thinks that a two-loss team--even one from a power conference--is going to work its way back into the playoff bracket.
Until next week!