elton john

The supermarket where I shop plays music of a certain vintage (which, as we’ve recently discussed, could be anything from last year's Billboard Top 40 to ditties from the War of 1812). The other day it happened to be Fleetwood Mac’s "Don’t Stop". As I browsed the selection of veggie sushi, I thought of how appropriate this particular song is for the commencement season (forget about Clinton campaigning to it back in the 90s), especially a commencement season in which there isn’t exactly a lot of cockeyed optimism being dished out for the class of 2010.


Photo by bitzcelt

Of course, my brain started whirring and I tried to think of other oldies radio staples and bona fide pop classics (very loosely defined as songs at least as old as the kids I’d dedicate them to) that would suit the occasion. I came up with the following mental mix tape that I’d offer up to the country’s newest crop of college grads. Feel free to chime in in the comments section with your own (more current/eclectic) selections.

The past two weeks have been chock full of news about upcoming genre-bending film adaptations of the Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice.  Elizabeth Bennet slaying zombies!  Mr. Darcy doing combat with Predator!  Highbrow time travel!  Yes!

More details after the jump...