My Favorite Songs of 2012

I love music. I think music is one of the greatest gifts you can give. So every year at the Holidays for almost a decade now, I pass out -- to those interested -- my Best of the Year Songs. Here is the link to my 2011 post: 2011 Best Music of the Year -- My Picks. Recently I read that no one should really call their end of year playlist "Best Of... " because it is so hard to say what the best truly is in art --  whether we are talking about songs, visual art, writing or whatever your creative expression is.

So these are my Favorite Songs of 2012. I hand these songs out as a gift CD to anyone interested. I started passing them out on Wednesday (yesterday), and I will have one in my pocket Thursday (today) and Friday (tomorrow) for YOU if you see me around campus. All you have to say to me is "Patrick, where's my CD?" and I will give you one. If you are interested in possessing the CD and you're not on campus, just send me a note via Facebook or email, and I will get you one.

I can't figure a way to get my Album Notes on the CD this year, so here they are. Warning: it's been a great year. So pardon me if I sound like I am boasting a little. What's a Holiday Card for?

Album Notes – My 2012 Favorite Songs

Well, another year has buzzed by. This was a BIG year for me. I went to the Olympics. My two sons – John and Tommy – continue to fill me with pride. My wife Kathy is an inspiration every day. A former athlete I coached – Peter Callahan – broke Four Minutes for the mile. WOW! Talk about accomplishing a career dream. In the same year, our boy’s basketball team qualified for the Illinois state final!!! My blog www.raiderathletics.blogspot.com dramatically increased in readership. I get over 500 page-views a day.  (Thanks for reading!) And of course I turned 50. It is amazing to think a half-century of living is behind me and almost 20 of those years have been here in the Midwest. Who would’ve thought?! And every day, I get to work with fascinating teachers and coaches who may possess the solutions to our current national problems, and I get to take a crack at solving the problems of the future by trying my best to inspire kids who will lead into the late years of this century. Here is this years’ Holiday CD with my favorite songs for 2012. I hope they will inspire you. I had a tough time figuring out my favorites this year as I took a hiatus most of the summer from keeping up with the recent releases. I also think I have put a lot more of what might be classified as “pop” on the CD than in previous years. Maybe I am reverting to my youth. (By the way for those of you who are music historians, the first 45 (do you know what that means?) I ever bought -- in 1973 -- was "Midnight Train To Georgia" by Gladys Knight and the Pips. And Gladys still has more soul in her little finger than 99% of anyone pretending.) I put “Call Me Maybe” on here partially for historical record and partially because I love the song. But I was not going to put Gangnam Style on the CD although that song was our TWO TIME State Championship Boys Golf teams!!! theme song. This has been a great year of achievements and milestones for me, for my family, and for the North Shore Athletic Department. Thanks to Jordan Kravitz and Tommy McHugh for their suggestions to this CD. If you think I missed any good stuff, let me know. 

Here are the song videos from YouTube in the order on the CD along with some notes as to why the song might be meaningful to me. Sorry some videos have advertisements. By the way, I try to keep any songs off the list that someone will find offensive as it is meant for students and families as well as friends. That's hard these days. I think there might be one naughty word in the 18 songs. I apologize in advance.

It's Time -- Imagine Dragons
A Tommy McHugh suggestion and a great title. It is Time and in 2012 we proved it was TIME!


Harps -- The Sea and Cake
Jordan Kravitz got me to reconsider this song. He has great taste. He was right.


The Great Divide -- The Mowglis
A San Francisco band. I am not sure where I first heard this song. But I immediately liked it, and its been one of my favorites ever since.


Stubborn Love -- The Lumineers
The Lumineers hit it big this year. "Hey Ho" is also a hit but I grew tired of that song. Stubborn Love is now my favorite Lumineers song.


Hall of Fame -- The Script
Inspired by the Olympics. A Tommy McHugh suggestion. Used in my MEX on my London Olympic trip. will.i.am is a really cool way of being called William.


Take a Walk -- Passion Pit
Another Tommy McHugh suggestion. I think this boy has pretty good taste in music.


Gold -- Wake Owl
I love this song. Not sure when I first heard it. But love it.


Some Nights -- Fun.
One of the biggest songs of the year. Sometimes everyone is right.


3,6,9 -- Cat Power
Lots of people raved about the Cat Power album that came out this year. I was so so on it. But I really like this song.


I Will Wait -- Mumford and Sons
The Mumford and Sons album was a bit of a disappointment. But I think sometimes peoples' expectations are too high. This song was the best on the album and I like the title: I Will Wait. I do a lot of waiting for refs and teams and busses to show up. So I had to have it on my list.


I Suppose -- Kait Lawson
There is no YouTube Video for this song. I guess Kait Lawson isn't a big name yet. She doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. But this ballad was one of my favorites for one reason... well maybe two. I think Kait Lawson's voice is great, and the song has both a cello and a trumpet in it. My son John plays the cello, and my son Tommy plays the Trumpet. You do not hear that combo often. But in this piece you can hear it, and it is AWESOME! Buy it on iTunes.


Shake it Out -- Florence and the Machine
Another big hit. I worry this year I went too poppie. Still like the song.


Bright Whites -- Kishi Bashi
Critically acclaimed by all the alternative music snobs. You will probably hear the song in a UPS commercial soon. Have to admit, they are right. The video is weird, but it's a great song.


Dougou Badia -- Amadou and Mariam
Amadou and Mariam NEVER disappoint. This is the best song on their new album.


The House that Heaven Built -- Japandroids
I resisted putting this on the CD for a while mostly because a lot of guys in their 40's and early 50's who think they are super hip like this song.  I did not want to be put in that classification. Jordan Kravitz made me reconsider. Great song.


Call Me Maybe -- Carly Rae Jepsen
This is the year of "Call Me Maybe". I was a history teacher once. So I need to acknowledge how powerful this song was. (I admit, I really like it too. ) This video has been viewed 362 million times as of today. WOW! And then there are all the teams that did take-offs!


Little Talks -- Of Monsters and Men
Listen for the Trumpets in this song. Great song.


Charmer -- Aimee Mann
Jordan Kravitz again made me reconsider Aimee Mann. The video is pretty funny too. I have had some experience with Charmers. Seems like Aimee has too.