"Thank You" Songs - A Thanksgiving Day Playlist

This week people around the country will be saying thanks for their blessings: family, friends, good health, etc. So it's a fitting time to make a playlist of music that captures this sentiment in song. Many popular songs that express gratitude have to do with thanking a romantic partner for his/her love, but there are plenty of tunes that are simply thankful for someone's kindness (Natalie Merchant's "Kind and Generous") or for good friendship ("Thank You for Being a Friend" by Andrew Gold, later covered and used for the Golden Girls theme song).

Here are a smattering of songs full of gratitude (including some silly ones), which you can can listen to.

Memorial Day weekend is upon us, folks! You know what this means: a day off from work (for many of us), the beginning of summertime — and barbecues! In the happy spirit of long weekend-ness, lI put together a playlist of songs so we can adequately start (as Fresh Prince might put it) "chillin' out maxin' and relaxin' all cool."

Speaking of Fresh Prince, the Will Smith "Summertime" tune is pretty much a staple on playlists like these. Weezer also seems to be in order here, so I'm including "Island in the Sun." I'd also throw in a little Wilco, maybe "Heavy Metal Drummer." And there needs to be some older tried-and-trues, of course, so I'm including a little Sharon Jones ("The Dap Dip") and some Nick Gilder ("Hot Child in the City"). And living 45 minutes from Lake Michigan, this list wouldn't be complete without Rogue Wave's "Lake Michigan."

To see the other good times songs I've picked, click below:

Wedding Music: Slow Songs for Everyone

When planning a wedding, most brides spend a lot of time hunting down one perfect song that captures their relationship with their new husband for the first dance of the night. Another big chunk of time and energy goes into finding the music for walking down the aisle. I've helped many friends with this search, and we always end up with a whole pile of songs that are not necessarily appropriate for the bride and groom alone but are no less romantic and beautiful.

Instead of discarding the leftover slow jams, why not sprinkle a couple in between blocks of the faster-paced fare during the reception? After all, weddings are the only times nowadays that those of us not in high school get to dress up and slow-dance together.

I've compiled a few of my favorite slowish songs that are romantic and universal but usually don't make it onto the "our song" lists. To listen to my playlist, click below:

An Indie Wedding: An Alternative Approach to Wedding Music

Tonight Liz and I stopped for a drink after work and she was discussing the wedding she is in this summer. Our discussion turned to music since I have been on this strange kick the past couple of days over wedding reception music.

Her friend's music collection is stuffed with indie rock staples, but I don't think she has to put them aside while planning her wedding playlist. Mainstream dance tunes just aren't every couple's style, and there are plenty of indie songs with a good beat that will get the crowd grooving.

Don't be afraid to wander off the proverbial beaten path when compiling your reception playlist. If this is the kind of music you and your fiance enjoy most, it will have more meaning. Just because Sinatra didn't croon it (or Timbaland didn't produce it) doesn't mean it's not wedding-appropriate or fun.

I put together a playlist of good reception songs from smaller artists — including some tunes that are pretty and others that are straight-up fun to dance to. Whether you're looking to go all indie or just want to sprinkle in something a little different between your oldies and your retro tunes, these songs are a good start. To check out my playlist, click below.

Wedding Reception Playlist: Getting Down to the 70s and 80s

I've already suggested a few oldies, but goodies, so now it's time to get the party going. Ha! And what better decades in music history to get folks off their feet and dancing than the '70s and the '80s? Which are the decades I was in my teens & 20's and having the time of my life.

From big hair bands to men in tight, tight jeans — these years produced some highly danceable tunes. Plus, if your DJ just can't conceive of a wedding without "YMCA" you'll have a handful of other, not-so-grating anthems from that time period to load'em up with.

To see a handful of the songs that I've loved dancing to at weddings, click below

Wedding Music: The Oldies, But Goodies

A few days ago, my friends and I were discussing wedding reception music. Not sure why since none of us are planning any weddings, but probably because we have all been to some great wedding receptions and some not so great receptions. The DJ can make all the difference. Now when I was first married back in the mid-80s, bands were still the way to go. If I recall, the band I hired basically played big band music and polkas. And the old folks danced nearly every dance.

Planning the music can be a challenging task when you try to appease everyone's musical tastes. You and your friends might have a different perception than your grandparents of what constitutes fun dance music — perhaps more "Golddigger" and less "String of Pearls." Yet if you truly want to make the oldsters happy and have a fabulous, danceable playlist (even for people who don't know how to jitterbug), check out my Oldies-But-Goodies Reception playlist.

From The Temptations to Sinatra to Louis Armstrong, you'll be able to shake your moneymaker and make your great aunts smile, so to take a listen.