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Playlists: songs about coolness

January 31, 2024 Peter Kimpton

A shade better …


By Loud Atlas


’Sup. Last week's noms: ’ppreciated. My hair's slicked. My shades’re on. And I’m leanin’. Let's do this.

Bellbottoms are cool. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion are exploding with blues. So cool.

A Sharp Dressed Man is cool. ZZ Top've got bearded cool.

A Smooth Operator is cool (but he's a fraud). Ask Sade. She's got smooth cool.

Wearing Sunglasses After Dark is cool. Dwight Pullen's got 50s rockabilly cool.

Being a Bohemian Like You is cool. Dandy Warhols've got 90s hipster cool.

Digable Planets're cool cos they're well digable. Rebirth of Slick is (Cool Like Dat).

Boplicity is a jazz bop. Miles Davis blows a brassy cool.

It's Hip To Be Square, 'pparently. Huey Lewis & The News've got 80s geometric cool.

The Rezillos're cool and uncool at the same time. How cool. I Can't Stand My Baby's got punky uncool cool.

Three Cool Cats are better than one. Too cool. The Coasters've got vocal cool.

Squeeze're cool - four kinda cool stories, man. Cos it's Cool for Cats.

Who's cool? Daddy Cool. Boney M.'ve got crazy disco cool.

I'm Hip. So says Blossom Dearie. She's got nice jazzy cool.

Play It Cool like Freddie King. Cool blues.

Stay cool. Peace.


Ace Cool A-List Playlist:

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Bellbottoms (happyclapper)
ZZ Top - Sharp Dressed Man (Marconius7)
Sade - Smooth Operator (Maki)
Dwight Pullen - Sunglasses After Dark (TarquinSpodd)
The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You (Uncleben)
Digable Planets - Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat) (Nicko) 
Miles Davis - Boplicity (BanazirGalbasi)
Huey Lewis & The News - Hip To Be Square (Marconius7)
The Rezillos - I Can't Stand My Baby (severin)
The Coasters - Three Cool Cats (Nicko)
Squeeze - Cool For Cats (Noodsy)
Boney M. - Daddy Cool (Uncleben)
Blossom Dearie - I'm Hip (pejepeine)
Freddie King - Play It Cool (Nicko)

Badass B-List Playlist:

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five (bluepeter)
Bob McFadden - The Beat Generation (happyclapper)
L'Orange - Cooler Than Before (untergunther)
The Kinks - David Watts (ParaMhor)
The Rolling Stones - Cool, Calm and Collected (Suzi)
The Capitols - Cool Jerk (Maki)
Young-Holt Unlimited - Soulful Strut (MussoliniHeadkick)
Delroy Wilson - Cool Operator (George Boyland)
Hector Rivera - Playing It Cool (pejepeine)
Lupe Fiasco - Gold Watch (tincanman2010)
Fun Lovin' Criminals - Scooby Snacks (Traktor Albatrost)
The Jam - Carnaby Street (ShivSidecar)
Chet Baker Trio - Love For Sale (nosuchzone)
Young Tiger - Calypso Be (severin)
King Missile - Jesus Was Way Cool (Shoegazer)
Screamin' Jay Hawkins - I Am The Cool (Fred Erickson)
Betty Hall Jones - This Joint's Too Hip For Me (severin)

Guru’s Wildcard Picks:

Confidence Man - C.O.O.L Party
Echosmith - Cool Kids
OutKast ft Norah Jones - Take Off Your Cool
Yīn Yīn - The Perseverance of Sano

Cool people, cool kids, cool lovers and a cool sound.

These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations in response to last week's topic: Composed: songs about coolness. The next topic will launch on Thursday after 1pm UK time.

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, trip hop Tags songs, playlists, coolness, style, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, ZZ Top, Sade, Dwight Pullen, The Dandy Warhols, Digable Planets, Miles Davis, Huey Lewis and the News, The Rezillos, The Coasters, Squeeze, Boney M, Blossom Dearie, Freddie King, Dave Brubeck, Bob McFadden, L'Orange, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Capitols, Young-Holt Unlimited, Delroy Wilson, Hector Rivera, Lupe Fiasco, Fun Lovin' Criminals, The Jam, Chet Baker, Young Tiger, King Missile, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Betty Hall Jones, Confidence Man, Echosmith, OutKast, Norah Jones, Yin Yin, Loud Atlas
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