BitchTapes

Take it and Make it Your Own from BitchTapes on 8tracks Radio.

Sometimes, you see something you like and you just know you have to have it for your own. When this happens to musicians, a cover is born. For this week’s BitchTapes, enjoy these songs originally written/performed by men, but sung with their own signature flair by female vocalists. Track list after the jump!

We're reposting a thank-you mix from last year for all of you who subscribed these past two weeks. Because of you, we met our goal! You're the best.


We are overwhelmed with love and support shown by our readers these past few weeks! Here's a mix of gratitude, with selections the whole office helped select, which features upfront appreciation ("Thank You" by Boyz II Men, "Thank You Friends" by Big Star), to some covers that make saying "Thank You" even more fun (Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66's "With a Little Help From My Friends, Martha and the Vandellas' "Danke Schoen," and an amazing version of Stevie Wonder's "You are the Sunshine of My Life" by Betty Chung). We truly can't say thank you enough, subscribers and readers are the reason we can keep doing what we do, but hopefully between the following ten tracks you'll get the idea. Track list after the jump!

Music good for: eating bowls of soup, drinking hot cider or cocoa from an oversized mug, cuddling with your pet(s), knitting scarves, drinking wine or hot toddies. Track list after the jump!

Fireplace Grooves from BitchTapes on 8tracks Radio.

BitchTapes: The Daily from BitchTapes on 8tracks Radio.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been spending a whole lot of time with preschoolers lately. Amongst some of the things we teach the tykes are the days of the week. I’ve grown tired of the “Sunday, Monday, Tuesday…” song after singing it nearly every day for the past two weeks, so I thought I’d create a BitchTapes to remind myself of the joys that days of the week can bring. Use this mixtape to refresh your memory if you ever find yourself forgetting which day comes next.

This week on BitchTapes, we’re taking a trip back to 1968 to visit the country of Brazil and the glory that is tropicália.

Keepin' it Tropical(ia) from BitchTapes on 8tracks Radio.

October is here again and the weather here in Portland is starting to shift. Yep—it’s fall, a time of transition. For some, it means headin’ back to class, and for others it marks the end of their favorite season. For me, it means crankin’ out a cozy mix of songs about autumn to help me get through the days of spiked cider and pumpkin pie. Luckily we’re just two weeks into this season and still have lots of time left to enjoy the changing leaves, windy currents, and the reinstatement of sweaters. So listen up as we say goodbye to summer and hello again to fall.

BitchTapes: Autumn from BitchTapes on 8tracks Radio.

Even those of us with all-but-zero religious upbringing can have a soft spot or two (or even 11, as you can find itemized below) for music on holy and unholy topics—with and without a splash of irony. (I actually sung every Sunday at a drive-in church in Florida in my late teens, but that's another story.) If you too can get into some jams about Jesus or dance to some devilish ditties, here's a mix for you.

Heaven, Hell, God, and the Devil from BitchTapes on 8tracks Radio.

School Daze from BitchTapes on 8tracks Radio.

Summer's winding down and those of us who are students are gearing up for another tough year. Even if you've been in school for years, something about the first few days always makes ya nervous–like summer camp, but perhaps with more sex, booze, and drama. It still feels like summer, so maybe you're not so motivated to get back into an academic mindset, but never fear, your lazy brain will make the change once it realizes that you're nose deep in work. Here are some songs about being back in school, being reunited with your besties, finding new friends, basking in the last days of freedom, and of course, school spirit (but not really). Tracklist after the jump!

Although it's often used as a stand-in for elevator music, bossa nova really doesn't deserve the square reputation it's somehow acquired. When it began, it was actually considered cool and bohemian (bossa nova literally translates to "new trend"). If you've never listened, it's time to give bossa nova another try, and what better way than to check out the many great ladies of bossa nova past and present? It's super '60s, the perfect soundtrack to your Mad Men kick and ideal mellow end-of-summer music. This mix can only provide a small sampling of the bossa that's out there, but it's enough for you to temporarily pretend you're lounging on the beaches of Brazil, wearing a retro swimsuit and sipping a daiquiri.

Sexy Jamz from BitchTapes on 8tracks.

"Why do I have a playlist labeled 'Sexy Jamz' with nothing in it?" I exclaimed one day while looking through my computer's music library, "...your life," a friend said jokingly. I scoffed. But basically, the statement was true—when you're buried neck deep in papers, books, and homework, there's just no time to get down and dirty. But now it's summer, so you must just have all the time in the world to get nasty, right?

Okay, maybe it's not always quite that simple, but here are some songs that might make you feel like an awkward tween again.