Songs for Your Soiree

Discussion Policy

Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Every party needs music. David Malitz, who writes about pop music for The Post, put together playlists for three very different outdoor parties: a grown-up sit-down dinner, a brunch with lots of children and a big cocktail party.

Intimate Dinner for Six

"Come Away With Me," Norah Jones
"My Baby Just Cares for Me," Nina Simone
"Alison," Elvis Costello
"Blue in Green," Miles Davis
"Songbird," Eva Cassidy
"Ordinary People," John Legend
"Summer Wind," Frank Sinatra
"Break Your Promise," the Delfonics
"Harvest Moon," Neil Young
"Changes," Seu Jorge

Brunch With Kids

"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," the Beatles
"Stay Up Late," Talking Heads
"(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," Otis Redding
"Me Myself and I," De La Soul
"Jump Up," Dan Zanes
"I'm a Little Dinosaur," Jonathan Richman
"Eastern Standard Time," the Skatalites
"Istanbul (Not Constantinople)," They Might Be Giants
"Rock Lobster," the B-52s
"Three Little Birds," Bob Marley

Cocktail Party for 50

"Dance With Me," Nouvelle Vague
"A Minha Menina," Os Mutantes
"Everyday People," Sly and the Family Stone
"The Noise of Carpet," Stereolab
"Lebanese Blonde," Thievery Corporation
"Where It's At," Beck
"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," Nancy Sinatra
"Let Me Down Easy," Bettye Lavette
"One (Blake's Got a New Face)," Vampire Weekend
"Playa Azul," Los Amigos Invisibles

Listen to audio clips for some of these tunes.