To fight the urge to randomly nod off (this Daylight Saving bullshit is not helping matters), I gave myself the challenge of putting together an hour-long playlist of bouncy, fun to sing, perfect pop songs. Anything more than an hour and I’d not move for as long as the playlist was playing and there was work to do. That would make my body angry.

It was a difficult challenge, but I think I rose to the occasion admirably. If’n you’re the type, you can listen to it on Spotify.

Call Me Maybe, Carly Rae Jepsen: Beware the ridiculous catchiness of this song will haunt your brain for a week. Second warning: that link takes you to a video featuring Selena and Justin Bieber. If you’re a cranky old person you might not want to click. Also, if you were at my house yesterday you’d have heard me sing this song very loudly for quite a long time.

Lucky Star, Madonna: Depending on the day of the week I will name “Lucky Star” as my favorite Madonna song of all time. When I think of Madonna, I conjure up her Lucky Star visage. Net top, dangly star earring, floppy hair bow, lace gloves — that’s Madonna to me, and I may or may not have dressed quite similar to that in 1985. On alternating days of the week I choose “Borderline.”

Shake It, Metro Station: I have no idea where this song originally came from. I suspect that it came into my life through my teenage-niece, Jaycie. Metro Station is probably some teen Disney band. I don’t know, and I don’t really care. This song is ridiculously fun.

Two of Hearts, Stacey Q: I believe DJ Tanner once skipped school with Kimmie Gibbler to go to the mall to see Stacey Q. I refuse to Google-check this fact. One thing I know for sure? This song was huge on Dance Party USA and I was a big fan of the show. I think it’s the “I-I-I-I-I-I need you” at the beginning that gets me.

I Kissed a Girl, Katy Perry: I don’t have a lot of feelings either way on the music of Ms. Perry. You will notice, however, that two of her songs appear on this list. I’m always surprised by the huskiness of her voice on this song. Maybe she always sings like this, I have no idea.

Sexy Back, Justin Timberlake: Dude, it has been broughten.

Possum Kingdom, The Toadies: Pure pop-grunge perfection, don’t you agree?

Candyman, Christina Aquilera: This the only song I know by Christina. It’s a boogie-woogie sex song that mentions hips. It proves my adage that all songs are improved at least 17% by the inclusion of hand claps.

Hey Ya, Outkast: More handclaps. Also, this is probably on the list of 10-15 best pop songs of all time. Or at least it should be.

Dreaming, OMD: In ninth grade I was a big fan of any songs that mentioned dreams and/or dreaming (See: Debbie Gibson’s “Only in My Dreams”). I lost this song for a long, long time. I couldn’t remember most of the lyrics and the only thing that stuck with me was the melody. It was someone here on I Will Dare who solved the mystery for me.

Oops, I Did it Again, Britney Spears: Red latex Britney > Catholic Schoolgirl Britney. You know it’s true.

1901, Phoenix: This song always reminds me of my nephew Liam who spent the summer of 2010 singing this song because it was used on some music game he played on Ziggy, my iPhone.

Groove is in the Heart, Deee-Lite: Your groove I do deeply dig. My friend Jodi Hanson loved this song a lot in the winter of 1991. I think I was ambivalent at the time, but now see the error of my ways. The bass here is infectious.

Hips Don’t Lie, Shakria featuring Wyclef Jean: I consider a lot of these perfect pop peaches one-hit wonders, because in my universe they are, this one included.

Umbrella, Rihanna featuring Jay Z: I don’t know a lot of Jay Z’s music, but I do enjoy his voice. I thought about including “99 Problems” but it just didn’t seem to fit right for the carefree bouncy mood I was going for.

Crush on You, The Jets: I’ve been thinking of this song a lot lately, it’s going to feature pretty prominently on this novel-thing I’m working on.

Since U Been Gone, Kelly Clarkson: I’m a big fan of songs that start off a little slow, and the musical tension begins to build where you can feel it in your chest, and then KAPOW they explode in awesome. This is one of those songs.

Teenage Dream, The Warblers: Oh shut up. It’s a charming version of this song that I never heard of until I saw it on “Glee.”

Single Ladies, Beyonce: I’m not a big fan of the whole “put a ring on it” bullshit. Or marriage in general. I’m sure I’ve made my feelings about the pressure to marry and have a big fat wedding pretty clear. However, if you can watch this video and not feel the overwhelming urge to bite Beyonce’s thigh, you’re a far stronger (and perhaps more sexually-repressed) person than I am. Those thighs won me over to this song.

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I Write the Book: So I’m a nerd, remember this. This is a list filled with songs about books, reading, and/or authors. Super Nerdy. It includes Hey Jack Kerouac by the 10,000 Maniacs, Walt Whitman’s Niece by Billy Bragg & Wilco, I Wrote Holden Caufield by Screeching Weasel, and 36 other songs.

King Dork: Remeber the nerdy! This is a list of songs either performed by Frank Portman about the book or songs mentioned in the book. Can we say obsessed? I hope so. It includes the brilliant I Wanna Ramone You by Frank Portman, King Dork by Frank Portman, Glad All Over by The Dave Clark Five and about 9 other songs.

LfD Tribute Songs: These are bunch of spoof songs some of my Westernerd friends Wolfdogg and Zook wrote. They are utterly hilarious in a totally inside joke kind of way.

Mono: Apparently I decided that I needed immediate access to Westerberg’s Mono album.

Open Season: See Mono.

Ray’s List: This is a list of songs that Ray wanted me to burn when he was up here in September. It includes songs he chose like Redemption Song by Bob Marley, Street Fighting Man by the Stones,and ABC by the Jacknson 5. Plus it has songs I thought he should hear like Your Little Hoodrat Friend by The Hold Steady, Guided by Wire by Neko Case, and She Moves in Her Own Way by The Kooks.

Shake Your Butt: Self-explanatory, no? Hey Ya! by Outkast, Body Movin’ by the Beastie Boys, Baby One More Time by Britney Spears, and about 21 other songs.

Smoo Smooberry: This was a list for a CD I was supposed to burn for my all-time favorite Westernerd whom I have a giant crush on. I never did burn the CD because I am the queen of slack. The list is very last winter. It includes Free Life by Dan Wilson, I Can Never Take the Place of Your Man a Prince cover by Eels, Your Misfortune by Mike Doughty, and about 9 other songs.

Supa G It’s your Happy New Year Mix, SupaG it’s your Happy Birthday vol.1, and SupaG It’s your Happy Birthday vol. 2 These are all mixes by my Westernerd friend Zook who makes the best mixes of punk rock stuff I’d never even heard of. I love it.

Superman: These are all Superman songs. I warned you about the nerdiness. The list includes Sunshine Superman by Donovan, Superman by The Kinks, Pocketful of Kryptonite by The Spin Doctors, and about 14 other songs.

Top 25 Songs 2005: My most-listened-to songs from last year. Includees To Destruction by Dolorean, Since U Been Gone by Ted Leo, You Remind me of Home by Ben Gibbard, and well, 22 other songs.

Top 25 Most Played: This an iTunes list it made on its own. It has all the songs I play the most, including Guided by Wire by Neko Case, Judy and the Dream of Horses by Belle & Sebastian, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters by Elton John, and 22 other songs.

Winter Doldrums: This is the most recent addition to the playlists list. Songs from the right here and now. It includes a lot of songs we talked about at Grumpy’s and that were sang that last night of class. Plus it includes Split Needles (Alt Version) by The Shins, Instant Karma by John Lennon, Panama by Van Halen, and 36 other songs.

Writing: This list is the only thing I can listen to when I’m writing fiction. It has Matthew Sweet’s 100% Fun album and Liz Phair’s Whip-smart album.

Zook’s songs that remind him of me: ALL TIME FAVORITE. Zook sent me this mix CD for my birthday or Christmas a few years ago. It’s so awesome. SO AWESOME. Each song reminds him of something I’ve said or wrote about. It includes Jackass by the Bloodhound Gang (because I introduced Wolfdogg to Michael B as Jackass, Dead Flowers by the Stones (because it’s the best Stones song ever in the history of Stones songs), The Writer by Even in Blackouts (duh). It’s just a big pile of awesome.

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05Jun06: Featuring Why Independent Record Stores Fail by Marah, Letter from an Occupant by the New Pornographers, Too Young to Fall in Love by Motley Crue and 36 other songs.

05Nov04 Pantages: A bootleg of the Paul Westerberg concert at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis

06Nov04 Pantages: Another boot

10May06: Featuring Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters by Elton John, My Favourite Chords by The Weakerthans, She’s a Rainbow by The Rolling Stones, and 13 other songs.

1994: This is a playlist I made when writing The Short Story That Was So Shitty it Made the Baby Jesus Weep. It’s filled with Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails, Gin Blossoms, The Cranberries and every other band that was popular in 1994 when the story took place.

19May06: Features To Destruction by Dolorean, She’s Gone by Hall & Oates, I’m in Love with a Girl by Big Star, and 13 other songs.

29Mar06: Features The Party’s Crashing Us by Of Montreal, Sukie in the Graveyard by Belle & Sebastian*, The Longhorn Days by Dylan Hicks, and 54 other songs.

60s Music: I think iTunes made this playlist on its own. It’s filled with 129 Dylan, Rolling Stones, and Beatles’ songs.

89.3 The Current: This one’s filled with music I fell lin love with by listening to The Current. It includes A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left by Andrew Bird, Love Love Love by the Mountain Goats, an in-studio version of Girl Inform Me by The Shins, and 27 other songs.

Almost Famous: All the songs from the movie Almost Famous, an all-time favorite. Incidentally, this playlist is filled with songs I’d never even think about listening to by people like Led Zepplin, the Allman Brothers, and Yes that I’d never even think about listening to.

Bring it Right Down: Songs that are a bit of a downer featuring That’s How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart by Aimee Mann, Dreaming by OMD, Dear Chicago by Ryan Adams, and 13 other songs.

C’mon Get Happy: Self explanatory include Sexyback by Justin Timberlake, 853-5937 by Squeeze, The Good Life by Weezer, and Fox on the Run by Sweet, along with 34 other songs.

Can’t Hardly Wait: Includes 21 versions of the song Can’t Hardly Wait.

Fall into You: I’m not sure what this is, I think it’s autumny sounding songs. Features You are Free by Joseph Arthur, Des Moines by Halloween Alaska, Lost Horizons by the Gin Blossoms, and 41 other songs.

Heartbroken: Duh. Includes I Just Wanted to See You So Bad by Lucinda Williams, Whatever Makes you Happy by Paul Westerberg, Untouchable Face by Ani DiFranco, and 13 other songs for the broken hearted.

Hipster Generation: My favorite playlist of them all. It includes all the songs that I have found that mention hips. Includes Shake Your Hips by the Stones, Hips Don’t Lie by Shakira, Good With My Hips by Johnny Taylor and about 29 other Hips songs.

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