She Alone: Revisiting Buffy, the Reluctant Feminist Hero

At least once a year, I manage to revisit Buffy the Vampire Slayer in its entirety. There are a few shows I hold in high esteem as the most intriguing, well-written, and compelling: The Wire, Six Feet Under, The West Wing, just to name a few. But I have watched none of those as much as I have watched Buffy. The premise was simple enough, and yet it defied all existing tropes up to that point. Buffy Summers is the chosen one, the next in a long line of Vampire Slayers, called when the preceding Slayer dies. It is her duty to protect the world from bloodsucking creatures of the night, and all other manner of beasties. Creator Joss Whedon’s intention was to take the helpless girl in the alley in every cliché horror movie and give her agency and power. That, in itself, was likely enough to make me watch, despite the somewhat silly title, but the transformation of “High School as Hell,” from the figurative metaphorical to the literal made it even more appealing.

Fans know the origin of the show already. Originally, Buffy was a movie starring Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, and Luke Perry, with Rutger Hauer and Paul Reubens as the baddies. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Whedon was unsatisfied with the result, despite Reubens performing one of the best death scenes in film history. It certainly wouldn’t be Joss’ first disappointment with Hollywood. But, he was given a second chance with this great character, the reprise to appear on the small screen. Cleverly, Whedon managed to reboot the property while maintaining the mythology created in the movie. Later, a comic book adaptation of Whedon’s original script was released, which he explains is to be taken as canonical. But the basics are the same. A new Slayer is called in L.A., she is trained in her fight against the vampires, she loses her original Watcher, and then she has to move.

The series starts with Buffy as a new student in Sunnydale, having just moved from Los Angeles. She meets her new Watcher, Giles, though she is at first resistant to resume her destined role, and quickly subverts a major tradition amongst Slayers by having friends. This becomes a key issue in the series. Though Whedon certainly follows his thesis of celebrating female power, he also follows the maxim that no one is truly alone, prophecy or no. The first set of episodes, a mid-season replacement, had twelve installments. They acted as a blueprint, establishing character, setting, situations, and mythology. Though the twists and emotional complexity would be more fully explored in later seasons, there were definitely some shining moments in the original dozen shows.



From the first show, Whedon wanted to establish the notion that nobody was safe. Eric Balfour, later to star in several shows including the aforementioned Six Feet Under, was to have appeared in the opening credits (though the network balked at the idea), only to be made a quick casualty in the war against darkness. While it wasn’t necessarily Game of Thrones, it was daring nonetheless. All of the chess pieces are put in place in the first two episodes. We have our heroine, Buffy, her substitute father figure in Giles, the Watcher, and her friends, Xander and Willow. In addition, we meet two different foils, the cliquish Cordelia and her mysterious romantic interest, Angel. We also have what Whedon establishes every season, what he likes to call “The Big Bad.” In the case of the first season, this is the elder vampire known as The Master.

The Master sets the architecture for major season-long enemies to come. While every episode may have some new challenge to face, there is always the threat of the major villain, ever plotting in the background for some major battle that will inevitably come. He and his minions, Luke (played by an actor who would later come back as baddie, The Judge) and Darla (a recurring fan favorite), scheme to rise from their underground “mystical” prison, and subsequently doing what nearly every Buffy baddie wants to do, open the Hellmouth and release untold evils upon the earth. The point is made again and again, as it probably needs to with such fantastical stories, that this is a lot of responsibility for one teenager to bear, even with special powers.



The Master’s arc over the season is peppered with what has become the norm for supernatural shows, which is appropriately called “Monster of the Week.” Buffy deals with witches, praying mantis monsters, animal possession, ancient demons, a cursed spirit inhabiting a ventriloquist’s dummy, waking nightmares, and a vengeful, invisible girl. And yet, they go far beyond those pedantic descriptions. All take on the subtext of the metaphorical becoming literal. The overbearing mother who lives vicariously through her daughter actually switches their bodies through witchcraft. Hyenas possess the cruel, preying clique. The ignored and scorned girl actually becomes invisible. And, though the bulk of the episode, “I, Robot…You, Jane,” is somewhat clunky, it is memorable not only for the introduction of Jenny Calendar, but also for its books vs. technology messages that are still relevant, fifteen years later.

“Smell is the most powerful trigger to the memory there is. A certain flower, or a-a whiff of smoke can bring up experiences long forgotten. Books smell musty and-and-and rich. The knowledge gained from a computer is a - it, uh, it has no- no texture, no-no context. It's-it's there and then it's gone. If it's to last, then-then the getting of knowledge should be, uh, tangible, it should be, um, smelly.”

The season finale, meant to wrap up the entire series in case it wasn’t renewed for a second season, has Buffy finally meeting and facing the Master. Though this seems formulaic, the episode is anything but. For one thing, when Buffy learns of the prophecy that predicts her death, she has a real, emotional, visceral reaction. There is no “rah-rah” moment or a stiff upper lip in the face of danger. Buffy is a reluctant hero. She’d much rather lead a normal life, and when faced with impending death, shows her true humanity. It is authentic and memorable. Secondly, the fact that the Slayer, the chosen one, has friends ends up to save her life. Though the prophecy actually comes to pass, Xander revives her, a circumstance that would never have happened had Buffy been a more “conventional” Slayer. And, though Buffy lived, she did die temporarily, which would have lasting effects in later episodes. This bit of business ended up becoming a touchstone of the series that proved to obsessive nerds, like myself, that no detail was insignificant.



Of course, a lot of fans will point to the Buffy and Angel romance as the hallmark of the series. It wasn’t the first instance of the vampire as romantic figure by a long shot, but it, and possibly Anne Rice, helped redefine the vampire as an elegant, all consuming, passionate character. Though it wasn’t the first, it definitely helped spawn an entire generation of supernatural romance, from True Blood to Twilight. With Buffy, however, there are no religious overtones and no sparkles. Angel is cursed, forced to walk the earth as an immortal, but with a human soul, aware at all times of the damage he has done and the pain inflicted. He is another piece of this Slayer’s unconventional life. Because of his unlikely curse and his desire to help this Slayer, who he falls for, Buffy has an advantage over past incarnations.

Buffy represents the power of feminism. This is not the kind of feminism that says women have to “be like men,” but instead showcases the strength of all women, distinct from men, yet equal, and uniquely powerful. It is a feminism that has the strength enough to share her power with others. This becomes a consistent theme throughout the series, making profound statements about humanity’s shared struggles, and how the battles we fight against our own demons are best assailed with the help of others.

In the days to come, I hope to share with you my thoughts about later seasons of this, one of my most beloved television series. I almost can’t wait to get to the second season, which is strange considering I’ve seen it so many times already. Buffy faces life after having faced death, a few more recurring vampire foes, including the enigmatic Spike, and a “Surprise” big bad that shocked everyone. Season two definitely raises the stakes on a show that had a strong beginning and near unlimited potential. Stay tuned.

Sunday's Playlist: 1-29-12

The Boxer Rebellion – “The Absentee”
Sufjan Stevens – “That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!”
The Bangles – “Eternal Flame”
David Bowie – “Five Years (Live)”
Smashing Pumpkins – “Never Let Me Down Again”
Childish Gambino - “Put it in My Video”
The Weeknd – “The Morning”
George Michael – “Understand”
Zola Jesus – “Collapse”
Radiohead – “The Tourist”
Gonzales, Feist & Dani – “Boomerang 2005 (Comme um Bommerang)”
The Time – “Jungle Love”
Beastie Boys – “Lee Majors Come Again”
Hall & Oates – “Camellia”
Hall & Oates – “So Close”
Morrissey – “Disappointed”
R.E.M. – “Jazz (Rotary Ten)”
MC DJ – “UFO”
The Beach Boys – “Sloop John B (Instrumental)”
Big Star – “Holocaust”
Guided by Voices – “Game of Pricks”
The Jayhawks – “Wichita”
Ruby – “Paraffin”
Patrick Park – “The Lucky Ones”
Spoon – “Tweakers (Remix)”
Information Society – “Running”
Ryan Adams – “In My Time of Need”
Office of Future Plans – “The Beautiful Barricades”
Sufjan Stevens – “The Seer’s Tower”
Jawbox – “Cornflake Girl”
Sunny Day Real Estate – “9”
Carissa’s Wierd – “Blue Champagne Glass”
George Michael – “Spinning the Wheel”
The Beach Boys – “Little Honda”
Camper Van Beethoven – “We Saw Jerry’s Daughter”
The Cult – “Peace Dog”
Daft Punk – “Rectifier”
Animal Collective – “Did You See the Words”
Frankie Goes to Hollywood – “Get it On”
Danny Elfman – “Gratitude”
The Kinks – “Mindless Child of the Motherhood”
ESG – “Tiny Sticks”
Baroness – “Bullhead’s Lament”
Radiohead – “Reckoner”
The Beach Boys – “The Elements: Fire”
Orange Juice – “The Day I Went Down to Texas”
A Tribe Called Quest – “Can I Kick It?”
Mumford & Sons – “Awake My Soul”
U2 – “Mysterious Ways (Solar Plexus Club Mix)”
The Chameleons – “Swamp Thing”
Neil & Tim Finn – “The Weather With You (Live)”
Kylesa – “Spiral Shadow”
The Books – “Chain of Missing Links”
Stories – “Brother Louie”
Destroyer – “Kaputt”
The Swell Season – “The Swell Season”
U2 – “Discotheque (New Mix)”
Little Joy – “Play the Part”
The 88 – “As Far as I Can See”
The Elected – “See the Light”
The Bird & the Bee – “Spark”
The Go-Go’s – “Johnny, Are You Queer”
Jungle Brothers – “Good Newz Comin’”
R.E.M. – “Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I”
Suede – “He’s Dead (Demo)”
Fennesz & Sakamoto – “0425”
Can – “Sing Swan Song”
Deltron 3030 – “3030”
Woods – “Hand it Out”
Nada Surf – “Jules and Jim”
The Tallest Man on Earth – “Walk the Line”
Broken Social Scene – “Cause = Time”
Lansing-Dreiden – “Disenchanted”
Blitzen Trapper – “My Home Town”
Childish Gambino – “Backpackers”
Smashing Pumpkins – “Hippy Trippy (“Crush” Music Box Demo)”
Chicago – “25 or 6 to 4”
M83 – “Teen Angst”
Wild Flag – “Racehorse”
Radiohead – “Jigsaw Falling Into Place”
Placebo – “Bigmouth Strikes Again”
The Walkmen – “The Rat”
Eric B & Rakim – “Eric B is President”

Saturday's Playlist: 1-28-12

Mariachi El Bronx – “Map of the World”
Kaiser Chiefs – “I Dare You”
Peter, Bjorn and John – “Dig a Little Deeper”
Kaiser Chiefs – “Back in December”
Childish Gambino – “Lights Turned On”
Girl Talk – “Make Me Wanna”
Alice in Chains – “Rooster”
Blitzen Trapper – “Street Fighting Sun”
Stereolab – “Laserblast”
Leo Sayer – “Thunder in My Heart”
X- “Los Angeles”
Band of Horses – “Blue Beard”
Moby – “Flying Foxes”
X – “Wild Thing”
Band of Horses – “Northwest Apartment”
Lush – “Hypocrite”
Duran Duran – “Tel Aviv (The AIR Studios Version)”
Soft Cell – “Secret Life”
Crash Test Dummies – “In the Days of the Caveman”
Explosions in the Sky – “Inside It All Feels the Same”
Iron & Wine – “Upward Over the Mountain”
OMD – “If You Leave”
Valient Thorr – “Suddendeathisnothing”
‘Til Tuesday – “Sleep”
The Pixies – “River Euphrates”
Ryan Adams – “Luminol”
Dum Dum Girls – “Teardrops on My Pillow”
The Flaming Lips – “Race for the Prize”
Paul Simon – “American Tune”
Cass McCombs – “Pleasant Shadow Song”
Veronica Falls – “All Eyes on You”
Camper Van Beethoven – “No More B.S.”
Luscious Jackson – “Gypsy”
Janelle Monae – “Neon Valley Street”
Bomba Estéreo – “Tambora”
R.E.M. – “Bad Day”
Canon Blue – “Lulls (Memphis)”
Arcadia – “Election Day”
New Order – “Ceremony (Original Version)”
Cults – “Rave On”
David Lynch – “Noah’s Ark”
Sigur Rós – “Ný Batterí (Live)”
X – “Breathless”
The Locust – “Master and Servant”
James Brown – “Make it Funky, Pt. 1”
a-ha – “Take on Me”
Stricken City – “Five Metres Apart”
Ariel Pink – “Alisa”
Camper Van Beethoven – “Militia Song”
Wolfmother – “Vagabond”
Neil Finn & Eddie Vedder – “Parting Ways”
Thom Yorke – “Black Swan”
Beck – “Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat”
Damien Rice – “Volcano”
Kansas – “Carry On, Wayward Son”
Faunts – “Lights Are Always On”
Free Energy – “Wild Winds”
Adam Arcuragi – “Delicate”
Echo & the Bunnymen – “Run, Run, Run (Live)”
Ray Davies & the 88 – “David Watts”
that dog – “Never Say Never”
Fountains of Wayne – “A Fine Day for a Parade”
Camper Van Beethoven – “Waka”
Blondie – “Die Young Stay Pretty”
The Rolling Stones – “Start Me Up”
Florence + The Machine – “Swimming (Live)”
Atlas Sound – “Parallax”
Deerhunter – “Nothing Ever Happened”
The Pogues – “Haunted”
Hothouse Flowers – “It’ll Be Easier in the Morning”
Raphael Saadiq – “Heart Attack”
Madonna – “Crazy for You”
Styx – “Mr. Roboto”
Bruce Springsteen – “Gotta Get that Feeling”
The Beach Boys – “I Should Have Known Better”
Okkervil River – “Rider”
Danny Elfman – “Lightning”
Midlake – “In the Ground”
Toto – “Africa”
The Weeknd – “The Fall”
Blondie – “Sunday Girl”
Sons & Daughters – “Axed Actor”
Nirvana – “Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam (Live)”

Friday's Playlist: 1-27-12

The Alarm – “Knife Edge”
The Swell Season – “When Your Mind’s Made Up”
New Order – “Vanishing Point (Instrumental)”
The Tough Alliance – “1981 -”
Bryan Ferry – “Shameless”
Scott Walker – “Always Coming Back to You”
Suede – “Picnic by the Motorway”
The Constantines – “Young Lions”
Fennesz & Sakamoto – “0328”
The English Beat – “End of the Party”
The Who – “Baba O’Riley”
Janet Jackson – “Livin’ in a World (They Didn’t Make)”
DJ Shadow – “Give Me Back the Nights”
Eagles – “James Dean”
Luscious Jackson – “Deep Shag”
Jungle Brothers – “Sexy Body”
INXS & Jimmy Barnes – “Laying Down the Law”
Jenny Owen Youngs – “F Was I”
Metric – “Ending Start”
A Sunny Day in Glasgow – “Ashes Grammar – Ashes Maths”
We Were Promised Jetpacks – “This is My House, This is My Home”
Moby – “Machete”
The Horrors – “I Can See Through You”
Wilco – “I Can’t Stand It”
Smashing Pumpkins – “Apathy’s Last Kiss”
Stars – “The Last Song Ever Written”
John Maus – “Matter of Fact”
Elton John – “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”
The Cult – “No. 13”
Les Savy Fav – “Rodeo”
Q-Tip – “Blue Girl”
Wilco – “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart”
The Black Angels – “Haunting at 1300 Mckinley”
The Bird & the Bee – “Spark”
The Yardbirds – “For Your Love”
Paul Simon – “The Boxer (Live)”
First Aid Kit – “Emmylou”
Nada Surf – “Jules and Jim”
The Delgados – “Coming in from the Cold”
ESG – “Hold Me Tight”
Pat Benatar – “Promises in the Dark”
The Cure – “10:15 Saturday Night”
Pearl Jam – “Let Me Sleep (It’s Christmas Time) (Live Acoustic)”
Jungle Brothers – “Good Newz Comin’”
Destiny’s Child – “Bills Bills Bills”
The Dismemberment Plan – “Come Home”
Missing Persons – “U.S. Drag”
KRS-One – “Mad Crew”
Glossary – “The Reckless”
Drive Like Jehu – “Good Luck in Jail”
ceo – “All Around”
James Blake – “The Wilhelm Scream”
Sufjan Stevens – “Romulus”
Tim Capello – “I Still Believe”
Glasvegas – “You”
Clint Mansell – “Opposites Attract”
The Sundays – “Can’t Be Sure”
Billy Joel – “You May Be Right”
Adam Arcuragi – “Go With Them”
Roxy Music – “Pyjamarama”
Weezer – “Jamie”
U2 – “With or Without You”
The Beach Boys – “Gettin’ Hungry”
The Beach Boys – “Cabin Essence”
Flying Lotus – “Camera Day”
Tim Minchin – “Storm (Live)”
Fly Pan Am – “Brulez Suivante Suivant”
Billy Bragg – “A New England”
The Swell Season – “Sleeping”
Ani DiFranco – “Albacore”
Jungle Brothers – “Black Woman”
Information Society – “Something in the Air”
Kings Go Forth – “Paradise Lost”
The Cure – “Jumping Someone Else’s Train”
Funkadelic – “Super Stupid”
Neil & Tim Finn – “Edible Flowers”
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – “Maniac”
Akron / Family – “Another Sky”
The Beach Boys – “Ten Little Indians”
Big Star – “Kangaroo”
The Bangles – “Walk Like an Egyptian”
The Beach Boys – “Good Vibrations (Session Highlights)”
Charles Bradley – “The Telephone Song”
Smashing Pumpkins – “Set the Ray to Jerry”
Grand Archives – “Left for All the Strays”
Garfunkel & Oates – “Me, You and Steve”
Childish Gambino – “Be Alone”
Little Joy – “Evaporar”
The Mountain Goats – “For Charles Bronson”
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – “The Heretics”
OMD – “RFWK”

Tuesday's Playlist: 1-24-12

Future Sound of London – “Hot Knives”
X – “Los Angeles”
Adam Arcuragi – “Math”
Childish Gambino – “Freaks and Geeks”
Blondie – “Rapture”
Jawbox – “Cruel Swing”
The Antlers – “Prologue”
Blondie – “Once I Had a Love (The Disco Song)”
Charles Bradley – “Heartaches and Pain”
Charlie Haden & Hank Jones – “We Shall Overcome”
The Jesus & Mary Chain – “Cherry Came Too”
Supertramp – “Goodbye Stranger (Live)”
The Old 97’s – “The Dance Class”
AC/DC – “Thunderstruck”
Howard Jones – “Pearl in the Shell (Extended Mix)”
Stories – “Brother Louie”
Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Lookin’ Out My Back Door”
Gang Gang Dance – “∞ ∞ ∞”
Janet Jackson – “Alright”
Robyn – “Criminal Intent”
Jellyfish – “That is Why”
Serge Gainsbourg – “Ah! Melody”
Lush – “Blackout”
Turin Brakes – “Feeling Oblivion”
Robyn – “Get Myself Together”
Vampire Weekend –“Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”
Quiet Riot – “Cum on Feel the Noize”
David Lynch – “Football Game”
Future Sound of London – “Dead Cities”
Jaydiohead – “Change Order”
Prince – “Walk in Sand”
Jonsí – “Icicle Sleeves (Live)”
Natalie Merchant – “Motherland”
Madvillain – “America’s Most Blunted”
Mekons – “Flitcraft”
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros – “Janglin”
Mekons – “Country”
Ryan Adams – “Burning Photographs”
Sigur Rós – “Ágætis Byrjun”
Mirah – “Nobody Has to Stay”
Eddie Money – “Baby Hold On”
ESG – “Moody”
Orange Juice – “A Sad Lament”
Beastie Boys – “C.A.S.”
The Cure – “A Night Like This”
Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc. (Stanton Warrior Remix)”
Little Dragon – “Recommendation”
They Might Be Giants – “Ana Ng”
Cults – “Most Wanted”
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – “Round and Round”
Fleet Foxes – “Quiet Houses”
The Roots – “Stomp”
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros – “Carries On”
Stevie Wonder – “Where Were You When I Needed You”
The White Stripes – “The Hardest Button to Button”
Camper Van Beethoven – “Come on Darkness”
Peaches – “Search and Destroy”
The Stone Roses – “Fool’s Gold 9.35”
Sigur Rós – “Hafsól”
X – “Delta 88”
Valient Thorr – “Habituary”
Sufjan Stevens – “I Want to Be Well”
Jawbreaker – “Wound”
Fonda – “My Heart is Dancing”
The Bird and the Bee – “Birds and the Bees”
The Futureheads – “I Can Do That”
Medicine – “She Knows Everything”
Eisley – “The Valley”
Wolves in the Throne Room – “Astral Blood”
George Michael – “Round Here”
Aimee Mann – “I Was Thinking I Could Clean Up for Christmas”
Orbital – “Phoebus Apollo”

Weekend Playlist: 1-21-12 & 1-22-12

Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – “She Reminds Me of You”
Krallice – “Litany of Regrets”
Florence + The Machine – “Dog Days are Over”
British Sea Power – “Luna”
That Dog – “Never Say Never”
New Order – “Cries and Whispers”
Paul Simon – “Look at That”
St. Vincent – “Cruel”
The Strokes – “Someday”
Q-Tip – “Vivrant Thing”
John Cougar Mellencamp – “Small Town”
Blonde Redhead – “Luv Machine”
Gang Gang Dance – “Adult Goth”
The Cult – “Little Face”
Interpol – “Success”
Rakim – “Know the Ledge”
Faunts – “Input”
Future Sound of London – “Eggshell”
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – “John Taylor’s Month Away”
The Byrds – “Goin’ Back”
The Fixx – “One Thing Leads to Another”
Galaxie 500 – “Cold Night”
The Who – “5:15”
Kanye West – “Jesus Walks”
George Thorogood – “Miss Luann”
Delays – “The Sun Always Shines on TV”
The Beach Boys – “The Surfer Moon”
Mastodon – “Thickening”
Office of Future Plans – “The Loyal Opposition”
The Old 97’s – “The Grand Theatre”
Lamb – “Heaven”
Radiohead – “Morning Mr. Magpie”
Torche – “Arrowhead”
British Sea Power – “Living is So Easy”
Aimee Mann – “Red Vines”
Interpol – “Memory Serves”
Little Scream – “Red Hunting Jacket”
Espers – “III”
The Jayhawks – “Blue from Now On (Take 2)”
Art Ensemble of Chicago – “Theme de Yoyo”
I Monster – “Daydream in Blue”
Canon Blue – “Honeysuckle”
Hall & Oates – “Say It Isn’t So”
Mew – “156”
Oneohtrix Point Never – “Sleep Dealer”
Neutral Milk Hotel – “Holland, 1945”
Rod Stewart – “Every Picture Tells a Story”
Paul Young – “Every Time You Go Away”
Kaiser Chiefs – “Long Way from Celebrating”
Smashing Pumpkins – “Suffer”
Foo Fighters – “Everlong”
Sleigh Bells – “A/B Machines”
Joe Purdy – “Wash Away (Reprise)”
Iceage – “Total Drench”
The War on Drugs – “Black Water Falls”
Little River Band – “You’re Driving Me Out of My Mind”
David Bowie – “Young Americans”
Sufjan Stevens – “Chicago”
Elvis Costello & the Attractions – “Beyond Belief”
Devendra Banhart – “It’s a Sight to Behold”
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – “Pinned and Mounted”
The Roots – “Finality”
Paul Simon – “Mother and Child Reunion”
Icicle Works – “Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)”
Moby – “Rushing”
Gorillaz – “19-2000”
The Go! Team – “Yosemite Theme”
Feist – “Intuition”
Modest Mouse – “History Sticks to Your Feet”
Echo & the Bunnymen – “Broke My Neck (Long)”
Suede – “This Hollywood Life”
Washed Out – “Far Away”
Oneohtrix Point Never – “Computer Vision”
Prince – “Laydown”
Tame Impala – “Desire Be Desire Go”
R.E.M. – “Two Steps Onward”
Jaydiohead – “99 Anthems”
Os Mutantes – “Baby”
Kate Bush – “Never Be Mine”
Mastodon – “Stargasm”
Woods – “White Out”
Ani DiFranco – “Life Boat”
A Flock of Seagulls – “Tanglimara”
Yaz – “Situation”
Heart – “Crazy on You”
Jimi Hendrix – “Foxy Lady”
Blondie – “Man Overboard”
DeVotchKa – “The Last Beat of My Heart”
Prince – “Sticky Like Glue”
Frank Turner – “Nights Become Days”
Cream – “Tales of Brave Ulysses”
Björk – “Hyperballad”
Motörhead – “Ace of Spades”
Florence + The Machine – “Shake it Out”
OMD – “History of Modern (Part 1)”
Crowded House – “Into Temptation”
The Smiths – “Pretty Girls Make Graves”
Suede – “High Rising”
Lucy Pearl – “Hollywood”
Cloud Nothings – “No Sentiment”
Florence + The Machine – “Strangeness & Charm”
The Kinks – “Big Black Smoke”
Gorillaz – “Rock the House”
KISS – “Makin’ Love”
The Motels – “Take the L”
Bad Lieutenant – “Split the Atom”

Thursday's Playlist: 1-19-12

Glasser – “Glad”
Tom Waits – “Do the Hokey Cokey (Live)”
Cymbals Eat Guitars – “Keep Me Waiting”
Low – “Try to Sleep”
The Feelies – “Change Your Mind”
Travis – “Dear Diary”
Smashing Pumpkins – “Today”
Hothouse Flowers – “Movies”
Echo & the Bunnymen – “Zimbo (Live 1982)”
Be Your Own Pet – “Bicycle, Bicycle, You Are My Bicycle”
The Like – “Square One”
X – “I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts”
De La Soul – “Say No Go”
Orange Juice – “Poor Old Soul”
Cloud Nothings – “Youre Not That Good at Anything”
Ray Davies & Gary Lightbody – “Tired of Waiting”
Fleetwood Mac – “Sara”
Swans – “You People Make Me Sick”
David Arnold & LTJ Bukem – “The James Bond Theme”
The Beach Boys – “Little Miss America”
Tom Waits – “Jitterbug Boy / Better Off Without a Wife”
Frank Turner – “Glory Hallelujah”
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros – “Up From Below”
Fountains of Wayne – “All Kinds of Time”
Moby – “Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?”
Timex Social Club – “Rumors”
Hurricane #1 – “Step Into My World”
Dusty Springfield – “I Think It’s Gonna Rain Today”
Suede – “Sound of the Streets”
Danzig – “Mother”
Peter Gabriel – “Shock the Monkey”
Eddie & the Tide – “Power Play”
Mates of State – “Basement Money”
A Tribe Called Quest – “Clap Your Hands”
Blondie – “Rifle Range”
Ray Davies & Spoon – “See My Friends”
Titus Andronicus – “A Pot in Which to Piss”
George Michael – “Patience”
Gorillaz – “Ghosttrain”
The Cave Singers – “Outer Realms”
King Curtis – “Memphis Soul Stew (Live)”
Dirty Projectors – “Knotty Pine”
The Jesus & Mary Chain – “The Hardest Walk”
Beastie Boys – “The Bill Harper Collection”
The Tough Alliance – “Take No Heroes”
Maxence Cyrin – “Crazy in Love”
The Rural Alberta Advantage – “Live to Tell (We’re Scared Version)”
Samuel Barber / Baltimore Symphony Orchestra – “Adagio for Strings, Op. 11”
Jimi Hendrix – “Red House”
Kanye West – “Flashing Lights”
Patrick Park – “You’re Enough”
The Dears – “Degeneration Street”
Eric B & Rakim – “Microphone Fiend”
Röyksopp – “Forsaken Cowboy”
Kermit & the Muppets – “Rainbow Connection”
Band of Skulls – “Cold Fame”
Austra – “The Villain”
The Duke Spirit – “Procession”
DJ Shadow – “Redeemed”
The National – “Gospel”
Suede – “La Puissance (The Power) (Live)”
The Weeknd – “The Knowing”
Deadmau5 – “Right this Second (Original Mix)”
Midlake – “Rulers, Ruling All Things”
The Dream Academy – “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want”
UGK feat. Outkast – “Intl Players Anthem”
Elbow – “The Birds”
Tammany Hall NYC – “Always on Sunday”
Little River Band – “It’s a Long Way There”
Health – “Triceratops (Acid Girls Remix A)”
Pete Yorn – “For Nancy (Cos It Already Is)”
Trans Am – “Polizei (Zu Spät)”
The Killers – “Somebody Told Me (Demo)”
The National - "Terrible Love"