A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

THE STATE OF THE STATES: A few weeks back, when I asked for help putting together a kid-appropriate iPod playlist covering each of the 50 states, there were a few requests that I post the results. These are their stories. A few quick notes: (1) I used a lot of the songs you suggested, so thanks; (2) I think I broke all of the rules I provided at some point or another; (3) I'm still missing Washington (my home state -- but try to find a non-depressing, kid-appropriate, listenable song about Washington) and Montana, and Springsteen's "Nebraska" is so depressing that I think I need to replace it, so if you have suggestions, please let me know; (4) it was a metric ton of fun just going on iTunes and listening to songs by bands I'd never heard, and a lot of the songs that I picked fall into that category; (5) things that don't exist in iTunes were not eligible, so sorry Marsha and Rockapella; and (6) I freaking love "Sink, Florida, Sink," so whoever suggested that, thanks again.

Okay, here's the list, in order of admission to the Union:

1. "Delaware Rain," Rick Menck
2. "Pennsylvania 6-5000," Brian Setzer (yes, I know it's a phone number)
3. "Jersey Girl," Bruce Springsteen (I know I should have used the Waits version, but I think his voice is a little rough for Spaceboy)
4. "Georgia on My Mind," Ray Charles
5. "Conecticut," Scary Chicken
6. "Wave Backward to Massachusetts," Hallelujah the Hills (I'm not actually sure this mentions Massachusetts, but it's kind of an irresistable song)
7. "Shut Out the Light," Bruce Springsteen (Maryland is kind of tangential, but Maryland is a hard state)
8. "Sweet Carolina Girls," General Johnson & the Chairmen (I'm using this for both South Carolina and North Carolina, but there's enough hormonal joy in here for both)
9. "I Still Hate New Hampshire," Elijah Wyman (again, it doesn't actually mention the state, but it's a fun, unambitious little song)
10. "Sweet Virginia Breeze," Robbin Thompson
11. Bonus song: "Sweet Virginia," Rolling Stones (has nothing to do with states and is totally inappropriate for children, but at some point Spaceboy is going to have to start learning to be cool, and it might as well be now)
12. "New York, New York," Cat Power (I think this song scares Spaceboy a little bit)
13. "Rhode Island Is Famous for You," Erin McKeown (Spacewoman loves this one)
14. "Long Vermont Roads," Magnetic Fields (I probably should have used this for Missouri instead)
15. "Old Kentucky Home," Randy Newman
16. Bonus song: "Lincoln and Liberty," Dan Zanes
17. "Tennessee Jed," Grateful Dead (I wish there were an abridged version for this playlist)
18. "Ohio," CSNY
19. "Louisiana 1927," Randy Newman
20. "Indiana," The Samples
21. "Mississippi," J.J. Grey & Mofro
22. Bonus song: "Jackson," Lucinda Williams
23. Rejected bonus song: "Travelin' Riverside Blues," Led Zeppelin (gratuitous detailed description of hand job)
24. "Illinois Anthem," Chicago Farmer
25. Bonus song: "Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago," Soul Coughing
26. Another bonus song: "Chicago (Acoustic)," Sufjan Stevens
27. "Alabama," Neil Young
28. Bonus song: "Birmingham," Randy Newman
29. "Maine," John Linnell (I was trying to figure out if using Linnell songs was cheating, and decided that it wasn't, but I was still going to try not to get lazy and rely on too many)
30. "Route 66," Chuck Berry (feels cheap and tangential, but like Maryland, Missouri is tough)
31. "Arkansas," John Linnell
32. Bonus song: "Arkansas Traveler," Michelle Shocked (which wears on me, but it's pretty good for a 4 1/2-year-old)
33. "Lake Michigan," Rogue Wave (cheating -- this is about the lake, not the state)
34. "Sink, Florida, Sink," Against Me! (cheating -- doesn't mention the state; also, please don't tell Spaceboy what "fuck" means, and if you hear him yelling it, please don't tell anybody where he learned it)
35. Bonus song: "Monday," Wilco
36. "That's Right (You're Not from Texas)," Lyle Lovett
37. Bonus song: "Memories of East Texas," Michelle Shocked
38. "Iowa," Dar Williams
39. "Wisconsin," Butterfly Joe
40. "California Stars," Wilco
41. Bonus song: "California," Dan Zanes
42. Bonus song: "California" (2005 version), Phantom Planet (while we're here, can I just complain that you can't get Wax's "Southern California" on iTunes?)
43. "Minnesota," The Push Stars
44. Bonus song: "Minneapolis," That Dog
45. "All the Morning Birds," Jolie Holland (tangential, but good)
46. Bonus song: "Oregon," John Linnell
47. "True Dreams of Wichita," Soul Coughing (cheating -- doesn't mention Kansas)
48. "West Virginia," The Only Children
49. "Nevada, California," The Jayhawks (cheating - it's about a town in California)
50. "Nebraska," Bruce Springsteen
51. "Colorado," Stephen Stills
52. "Rocky Raccoon," Beatles
53. "How Do You Get to South Dakota?," Travelin' Smiley Whippersnappers
54. "Idaho!," Daddy a Go-Go
55. "Wyoming," The Lucksmiths
56. "The Beehive State," Randy Newman
57. "So Long, It's Been Good to Know Yuh," Dan Zanes & John Doe (cheating -- it doesn't actually mention Oklahoma, but how could I leave off a song by Woodie Guthrie about the Dust Bowl sung half by John Doe?)
58. "New Mexico," Johnny Cash
59. Bonus song: "The Railroad Cars are Coming," Dan Zanes & Donald Saaf (Saaf is not a professional musician -- he is a painter and Zanes's brother-in-law -- but he is probably my favorite folk singer right now)
60. "Hotel Arizona," Wilco
61. "Anchorage," Michelle Shocked
62. "Hawaii 5-0," The Ventures
63. Rejected bonus song: "Hawaii," The Young Canadians (such coarse language!)
64. Bonus song: "Nova Scotia," Dan Zanes and Donald Saaf