It must have been in early 2000. The first non-work related thing djlazybear ever said to me. “Have you heard Johhny Cash’s version of “The Mercy Seat”?

Hell, it was one of the first things he ever said to me, period. I remember, because it caught me completely off-guard. I probably gave him one of those fuck-you-talking-to expressions, like Mac and Dennis defensively reacting to their new neighbor in the burbs. I think I paused and spat back, “What?!”

Turns out, he saw the CD case for The Best of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds on the passenger seat of my car, and was eager to talk music. And talk music we did. That same year djlazybear’s buddy holybee joined our staff, and talking music took on a whole new meaning.

Our way of celebrating songs that we loved took the form of pen & paper lists, incessant arguments, halfass DJ sets, and burned CDs by the caseload. Anyone with musical ability, on the other hand, celebrates songs that he or she loves by covering those tunes. And when bands we love cover songs by other bands that we love… then it just feels like we’re all part of one big celebration. Even if I can’t carry a tune.

A great covers mix needed to be a little more focused. So, in honor of that very first interaction between djlazybear and myself, we set the following parameters for January’s Hi-Fi Fifteen: songs recorded during the Idle Time era (2001 to the present), covering songs originally released during our lifetimes, prior to meeting each other (so, 1972 – 2000). Plus, I’m a big fan of the Catalina Wine Mixer scene from Stepbrothers and was keeping my fingers crossed for some 80’s Joel renditions.

Interestingly enough, however, despite the inspiration from Horatio Sanz’s Uptown Girl, no Billy Joel covers appear on this mix.

1. “How Deep Is Your Love” – The Bird and the Bee
from Please Clap Your Hands (2007) covering a song by the Bee Gees (1977)

♫

2. “Friday I’m in Love” – Yo La Tengo
from Stuff Like That There (2015) covering a song by The Cure (1992)

♫

3. “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” – Chromatics
released as a single (2016) covering a song by Cyndi Lauper (1983)

♫

4. “Super Trouper” – Camera Obscura
b-side to the “Tears for Affairs” single (2007) covering a song by ABBA (1980)

♫

5. “Total Control” – Maigret Jnr. with Misfit Mod
released as a single (2014) covering a song by The Motels (1979)

♫

6. “Wave of Mutilation” – Rhett Miller
from The Interpreter: Live at Largo (2011) covering a song by The Pixies (1989)

♫

7. “It Makes No Difference” – My Morning Jacket
from More Endless Highway: The Music of The Band (2007) covering a song by The Band (1975)

♫

8. “Tin Man” – Christian Prommer feat. Adriano Prestel
released as a single (2016) covering a song by America (1972)

♫

9. “Heat of the Moment” – Clem Snide
from Suburban Field Recordings III (2010) covering a song by Asia (1982)

♫

10. “Jamie” – Total Warr
released as a single (2011) covering a song by Weezer (1994)

♫

11. “Jet” – Shonen Knife
from Super Group (2008) covering a song by Paul McCartney & Wings (1973)

♫

12. “Waiting on a Friend” – Over The Rhine
from Paint It Black: An Alt Country Tribute to The Rolling Stones (2011) covering a song by The Rolling Stones (1981)

♫

13. “Bobby Jean” – Portastatic
from Autumn Was a Lark (2003) covering a song by Bruce Springsteen (1984)

♫

14. “My Boo” – Friends
released as a single (2011) covering a song by Ghost Town DJ’s (1996)

♫

15. “Like a Hurricane” – Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit
from Live from Alabama (2012) covering a song by Neil Young (1977)

♫

Hi-Fi Fifteen is a callback to the “5 in 5” playlist game that MMDG, holybee, and djlazybear used to play on their lunchbreak. They’re all in different professions now, and don’t even live in the same counties, but quickly throwing together playlists on rotating themes is still fun as hell.