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Ray's Place: How I Build a Mix For a Lady.
🕑 Added 2024-12-11 18:00:11 +0000 UTC[Dear Readers: Ray went long answering his first letter this week, so we're publishing it as a standalone piece. The usual three-letter format will return next week, because a lot of people need help out there!]
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Who's on your mixtape list for that special lady? —Tracy W., Spain
Well Tracy, I am sad to report there is no special lady at the moment, but I got lots of memories of when there was. It’s the holidays as I’m writing this, and I’m in the old cardigan (vintage Marithé + François Girbaud, got some Sgt. Peppers shoulder brushes on it, hell of a nostalgia piece for me), so I’m feelin all wistful and sharesome. Sharesome should be a word, you feel me Tracy?
So, I used to put Shantì\/Shanté’s “Riggaboochie Coochie” at the beginning of all peacetime mixes for Tina, ’cause that was our song. I liked to imagine her playin’ that track as she turned on the shower, and the water splashed all over her as the beats infected her booty, which caused her to really be feelin’ herself (figuratively, at first) as she thought about her man. Just a hell of a wonderful morning for a lady in love, to be livin’ that Riggaboochie bliss.
If it was a gettin’ back together mix, I’d always open with “Star in a Puddle” by Edmond Redmond — classic motown ballad always sets the tone right. I’d put it through her mail slot, and she’d know I was waitin’ there out in her apartment building’s parking lot, white button-down undone to the chest, little hand-picked wildflower bouquet in hand, ready to slow dance those curves all over that sidewalk. And if another car drove up, or an oxygen person in a mobility cart needed to get by, I wasn’t ashamed — I’d show all the world I was proud to be seen lost in the lady I adored. When I pulled a move like that she’d call me the Caliphate of Love, back before either of us really knew what caliphate meant.
If it was a mix for the interim between breakup and gettin’ back together, I’d do a blend with more of a freedom-type theme, to let her know I was swayin’ oats at the breeze — make her worry I’d get snapped up by somebody else. Somethin’ like “One More Try” by George Michael. I knew if I dropped this CD off in her mail slot at one, I’d be the power spoon by two.
—R.Q.S—
PS Tracy, sorry I made up that you were from Spain. I’m just tryin’ to make my column seem a little more impressive, because you seem nice, and I kind of like where you’re comin’ from. Call me.
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Comments
Chris Onstad
I almost prefer recordings with a stinger, frankly
C C
Those are some real memories for me.
Jacquelyn R Walters
Exactly
Chris Onstad
In our world, hearing the first syllable of the DJ's return at the end of a poorly-clipped radio recording was called the "stinger."
Chris Onstad
This is strictly a "how much time you got" sort of answer, and could be its own spinoff franchise. Considering it now.
Chris Onstad
I think the word they would have wanted, had either of them ever cracked a history textbook, was indeed potentate. Or lollipop.
Chris Onstad
Normally I'd insist it was the former, but in this response Ray seems to be running a self-gantlet of Tina memories here, and seems slightly destabilized.
Jacquelyn R Walters
Can't decide if that "Call me" is smooth or desperate, but I'm leaning toward the latter.
Julie (HiDeeHoGal)
You know what? I think the word they wanted was potentate, which is a ruler so powerful that they don't have to follow the rules that govern everyone else. It's an easy mix-up to make.
Bungus Bronbo
It's worth looking up Caliphate for this
Crumbles
Jesus Ray, what did Tina do to you man? :(
Julie (HiDeeHoGal)
Ray probably had a double deck cassette player as a kid/teen so he never had to hover over the record button when a certain song came on the radio and try to stop the second before the station ID fade out started.
