H. Wade Minter

For the Girls: August 2023

This is the August 2023 playlist for the girls.

The Songs

1. Album cover for 5 Alive!
"Crazy Train" - Carbon Leaf (5 Alive!, 2003)

A driving cover that keeps the original’s heavy-riff energy intact.

2. Album cover for Greatest Hits
"Higher Ground" - Red Hot Chili Peppers (Greatest Hits, 1989)

A funk-rock take built around a tight bass line and a sharp, restless groove.

3. Album cover for Left of the Middle
"Torn" - Natalie Imbruglia (Left of the Middle, 1997)

A late-’90s pop breakup song with a bright chorus and an uneasy edge.

4. Album cover for Resident Alien
"Cruel To Be Kind" - Spacehog (Resident Alien, 1995)

A jangly alt-rock cover that leans into the song’s punchy, singalong hook.

5. Album cover for Love Their Country
"Jolene" - Me First and The Gimme Gimmes (Love Their Country, 2006)

A fast punk-country version that turns a classic into a quick burst of harmony and speed.

6. Album cover for Two Weeks Notice
"Big Yellow Taxi" - Counting Crows (featuring Vanessa Carlton) (Two Weeks Notice, 2002)

A playful cover that adds a breezy, off-kilter feel to a familiar ’70s hit.

7. Album cover for 1200 Curfews (Live)
"Tangled Up In Blue (Live at the Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA -Aug 1992)" - Indigo Girls (1200 Curfews (Live), 1995)

A long live performance that stretches out the Dylan song’s folk-rock storytelling.

8. Album cover for A Best Of Us For The Rest Of Us (Bigger Better Deluxe Version)
"Hungry Like The Wolf (Best Of)" - Reel Big Fish (A Best Of Us For The Rest Of Us (Bigger Better Deluxe Version), 2010)

A ska version that swaps synth-pop polish for horns and bounce.

9. Album cover for Non Stop Erotic Cabaret (Deluxe Edition)
"Tainted Love" - Soft Cell (Non Stop Erotic Cabaret (Deluxe Edition), 1981)

An early-’80s synth-pop standard with a stark, minimalist pulse.

10. Album cover for MTV Unplugged
"Because The Night" - 10,000 Maniacs (MTV Unplugged, 1993)

An acoustic TV performance that strips the song down to its core and gives it a more intimate feel.

11. Album cover for Signed Sealed and Delivered
"We Can Work It Out" - Stevie Wonder (Signed Sealed and Delivered, 1970)

A soulful remake of a Beatles song that folds in gospel touches and a warm, searching vocal.

12. Album cover for The Legend Of Johnny Cash
"Hurt" - Johnny Cash (The Legend Of Johnny Cash, 2003)

A spare, later-career version that makes the song feel raw and reflective.

Genres