Mixed Disc #3: The Dysfunctional Family Album

Ahh...Christmas! For many, the holidays generally mean taking a break from it all and spending quality time with family. A wonderful concept...in theory!...but it doesn't always go as planned. Sometimes, drunk Uncle Billy loses the $8,000 you need to keep your business afloat (although, on rare occasions, he remembers what he did with the money!). It was the wonderful Saturday Night Live skit from 1990 titled "A Dysfunctional Family Christmas" that was the inspiration for the next mixed CD I sent to Chelo in 2001.

The Dysfunctional
Family Album...12/2001
front cover

The Dysfunctional Family Album is one of my favorite mixed CDs. Chelo received it just in time for our first Christmas together. I don't know what I was thinking sending a collection that early saying, "Dysfunction...there's something I'm familiar with...perhaps you want in?"  Somehow, she saw through the unintended message and married me anyway.

It's not just the collection of songs that makes this disc one of my favorites. I'm really pleased with the artwork, as well. Created to look like a doctored, trashy photo album, The Dysfunctional Family Album contains 24 tracks leaning toward the edgier side of things...both in topic and content. There are songs about divorce, sex changes, deadbeat dads, impish offspring, substance abuse, and good ol' bad genetics. You can see for yourself in the "table of contents".

"table of contents"
click to enlarge

As always, click on the song titles from the tracklist below to see the video, if available. Highlights include live Social Distortion, rare Pearl Jam rehearsal footage, Jewel's mystifying vocal transitions taking her from Jennifer Tilly to Kermit the Frog in one sentence, the incredible stage performance of Tom Waits, Danny Elfman's devilish smile during Oingo Boingo's last song of their very last show, and "That Woman's Got Me Drinking" starring and directed by Johnny Depp. While you're here, suggest some other songs that would fit the theme. What would you put on the sequel?

click to enlarge back cover

1. Now I'm Your Mom<><>David Byrne
2. We're A Happy Family<><>The Ramones
3. Your Auntie Grizelda<><>The Monkees
4. Mother's Little Helper<><>The Rolling Stones
5. Son Of Sam<><>Elliott Smith
6. Ma And Pa<><>Fishbone
7. Mommy's Little Monster<><>Social Distortion
8. Father Of Mine<><>Everclear
9. I'm A Long Gone Daddy<><>The The
10. Had A Dad<><>Jane's Addiction
11. That Woman's Got Me Drinking<><>Shane MacGowan
12. Divorce Song<><>Liz Phair
13. Daughter Of Darkness<><>Tom Jones
14. Problem Child<><>The Damned
15. Just Like My Father<><>Violent Femmes
16. Cemetery Polka<><>Tom Waits
17. Uncle Anesthesia<><>Screaming Trees
18. (Sister) Anne<><>Flop
19. Mother Mother<><>Tracy Bonham
20. Daughter<><>Pearl Jam
21. Gigolo Aunt<><>Syd Barrett
22. Little Sister<><>Jewel
23. Mother<><>The Police
24. Only A Lad<><>Oingo Boingo