The joint is jumping, and with Christmas silly season in full swing at the bar, our guest writer Flatfrog causes more than tapping feet and belly laughs with fabulous choices from last week's topic
Read moreNow for something completely different: whimsical, strange and silly songs
Sometimes the most sensible way to deal with a serious world is to get silly with it. From Spike Milligan to Jacques Tati, this week we look at music's most inventive, surreal and strange wonders of whimsy
Read morePlaylists: songs about meals and mealtimes
When and what to eat in between the complexities of life and relationships? Inspired by your song nominations, this week's guest writer DiscoMonster cooks up some tasty playlists from the musical menu
Read moreWell tasty: songs about meals and mealtimes
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, elevenses, afternoon tea or midnight snacks? This week it's time to serve up a musical smorgasbord that's as much about the social setting and time of day as the food
Read morePlaylists: songs about intelligence
Intelligence comes in all forms, from brain to skin to feet. This week's guest writer ParaMhor comes up clever with playlists from last week's topic that, from Tom Tom Club to Tom Lehrer, will make you feel sharp
Read moreThink on: songs about intelligence
What does it mean and how does it feel to be clever, smart, savvy, canny, brainy, or have clout? Or the opposite? What is emotional and musical intelligence? It's time to play out these ideas in song
Read morePlaylists: songs about winter
Winter blues? Shivery nights? Dark mornings? Warm your cockles with these perfect playlists that shed a global light on this inspiring season, created by our guest writer Sidecar Shiv from last week's topic
Read moreWinter is coming … in the form of song
Snow, ice, frost, storms, survival, and darkness? Well, it’s not all bad. Hunker down in the Song Bar snug, and get cosy with the culture and wonders of a musical winter
Read morePlaylists: songs about misunderstanding
Etta Jones to Dr John, the Cure to Bob Dylan, if you were unclear about misunderstandings, then our guest writer Suzi straightens it out with perfect playlists inspired by last week's topic
Read moreHow ironic? Songs about misunderstanding
Don't take this the wrong way. Historic shambles to the pitfalls of predictive text, friends falling out to argumentative relationships, this week it's all about songs where language and more is a barrier
Read morePlaylists: elegies and other remembrance songs
Soaring soul to gentle lament, Ray Davies on his sister to Lou Reed's farewell to Andy Warhol, guest writer barbryn's beautiful playlists inspired by last week's elegy topic will leave you moved and inspired
Read moreAt the cemetery gates: elegies and other songs of remembrance
Away from all the political turmoil, it’s time for musical rest, something poetic. Honouring soldiers or victims of war to family, friends or lost fellow bandmates, suggest music that remembers the departed on a personal, profound and beautiful note
Read morePlaylists: songs about the apocalypse
Star date 9/11/2016, and in his final log, the admirable Admiral EnglishOutlaw records the last available data about humanity on the eve of election doomsday, with songs from last week's catastrophic topic
Read moreThe naked truth is nigh – again: songs about the apocalypse
Apocalyptic tunes? From calamitous elections to climate chaos, the world may be going to hell in a handbasket, but let's try and carry ourselves there with dignity, humour and music to match
Read morePlaylists: songs about the colour or term yellow
From double lines on road or rail, to fruit, teeth, eyes, dog, or snow, guest writer treefrogdemon's choices of songs from last week's topic will have you feeling sunny side up and mellow
Read morePumpkin up the volume: songs about the colour or term yellow
Sunlight to stars, ribbons to rivers, animals, birds, to flowers and vehicles, from the firey to the sickly, have a look into the musical and other cultural associations of this sublime colour
Read morePlaylists: songs with a gripping or intriguing narrative
Leading us first into the magical world of an Irish boozer via the portal of the great James Joyce, this week's guest writer Uncleben plays out a prize-winning tale of supreme storytelling in song
Read moreWhat happened next? Songs with a gripping or intriguing narrative
It's not just about the story, but the way it's told. Suggest songs that, using plot or perspectives, twists or timeframes, play out musical page-turners you just can't put down
Read morePlaylists: songs about fear
A shivering Shivaree to the phobias of Jasmine Sullivan, Public Enemy's politics to Kate Bush running, this week's lists by guest writer DiscoMonster will shake you awake
Read moreShears of a clown: songs about fear
Physical phobias to worldly worries, horror, panic, dread, to jittery unease, name everything in song that teases the imagination, from scary clowns to spiders, to insecurity in love
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