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valentines final
Today we’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with music.
You may remember a few months ago when Townsquare 49 contributor Spencer Shroyer, AKA DJ Spencer Lee, helped us build the perfect Halloween playlist. This time we’ve enlisted Shroyer’s DJ skills for Valentine’s Day. Specifically for music themed gift ideas. Something that says…
“I’m in a relationship with you, I care about you, and I know more about you than anybody else. And I’m going to show it by giving you something tailored for you,” Shroyer says.
And what better to tailor than the gift of music? It’s highly customizable, and can be deeply personal. Now obviously the days of making your sweetheart a mix tape are long gone, but Shroyer says you can go digital just as easily.
“If you wanted you could make a cd, which is kind of sterile, but maybe you make a cool case for it. You could put it on a jump drive in a cool envelope. Make it special, add some panache. I guarantee you there’s a heart-shaped USB drive out there somewhere that you could put your Valentine’s Day playlist on.”
Listen to DJ Spencer Lee’s Valentine’s Day Mix:
As far as what to put on the mix, Shroyer suggests classic R&B.
“Like Jamie Foxx says, ‘I want some Marvin Gaye, some Luther Vandross, a little Anita.’”
But really, the music you pick needs to be all about your Valentine, and should highlight your time together.
“Play off of things in your relationship. Like maybe this song was playing on one of our first dates, or we went to a movie and this is a song from the soundtrack, or we took a road trip and this is an album we listened to. Something that has a sentimental attachment to it.”
And he says if you want to go big with your gift, there is plenty of opportunity to do so.
“Maybe they’ve always talked about wanting to play a guitar so here’s a guitar and some sheet music to a song I know you like. Then your Valentine’s Day gift is putting up with them learning a new instrument. You could get them lessons with that. Guitar you could sit through it, but if you get them a violin or a banjo, get some lessons with that,” Shroyer says.
And let’s not forget all the single people out there. Some by choice, and others not. Shroyer explains the latter of the two.
“I think if you’re the single guy or gal on Valentine’s Day you have two outlooks: I might get lucky tonight, or love stinks and I’m going to just kind of wallow in my sadness.”
Shroyer says regardless of which outlook you choose, you’re going to need a good soundtrack.
“If you’re trying to go out and get lucky, I think the soundtrack would be ‘Get Lucky’ by Daft Punk.”
And for the wallowers?
“I like Belle and Sebastian’s ‘Get Me Away From Here, I’m Dying.’ It’s like a jovial wallow. Like ‘I know I’m being kind of ridiculous, but I’m enjoying it.’”
Lastly, you can’t have a discussion about Valentine’s Day music without the obvious topic. The one that is clearly making Shroyer uncomfortable.
“On the Valentine’s Day itinerary will be some, I guess you could say behind-closed-door action? I’m trying to keep it clean for public radio here. So, for ‘late-night Valentine’s Day mood setting’ lets say, I think you should use what you and your partner like to get into that zone. ‘Do I want to go sappy or should I go tongue in cheek like R. Kelly’s ‘Feeling on Your Booty?’’”
But Shroyer says whether it’s playing in your bedroom or your car, you really can’t go wrong with the gift of music. As long as you give it some effort.
“Put in a little time and energy. Something that says ‘I care about you enough to put energy into something.’ That’s really what we’re celebrating here.”
Dave Waldron began his radio career in 2000 as a volunteer DJ at UAA’s radio station KRUA 88.1, where he hosted a weekend music show. In 2004 he was hired as the station’s music director, and held the position until his graduation in 2007. He was hired by Alaska Public Media in 2008 and since then has worked as an audio engineer, editor, and producer. He currently runs his own small business AK Audio Pro, and is a host of Alaska Public Media’s Hometown, Alaska.
