It's Grilling and Chilling Season

Send me your tunes!

When you can use the world “vernal” to describe what is happening outside, that means one thing and one thing only: Grilling and Chilling season is here![1] And let me tell ya, it could not have come soon enough. While G’ing&C’ing[2] cannot cure the world’s problems, it certainly can help alleviate some of the stress that comes with them. That’s better than most things.

I’ve written at length about my views on Grilling and Chilling - you can read all of that in these places if you want - so I won’t go spouting the same things over again. My thoughts haven’t really changed on the practice. It’s still very very good.

More importantly, though, I have prepared the beginning of this year’s Grilling and Chilling playlist. That is what this newsletter is primarily about. To me, and perhaps only to me, constructing this list is the most important thing that I will do all year. More crucial than paying taxes, eating, and voting combined. Without this playlist the world would not survive. It is the single load-bearing wall keeping the Earth from spinning right into the sun.[3] You’re welcome.

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This year’s playlist is much more upbeat than last year’s. While the hallmarks - the inclusion of songs by Steely Dan and Jason Isbell - remain, the focus this year is more on the party side of Chilling than the porch-sitting aspect. Chilling, of course, contains multitudes. While it is certainly never manic, it can be fairly high-key. What I’m saying is that as long as the vibes are sick, it’s Chilling. I’ll call that the Unified Chill Theory. Being outside in the backyard, with the sun out, is always going to give any event a certain party vibe, which this year’s playlist truly captures. It’s more high summer than long summer.[4] We all need a little more pep in the step.

Another big part of this year’s list is its focus on the international. So far, I’ve added Brazilian, French, Italian, Mexican, and Caribbean songs to the list. I’m sure there will be some other stuff in there soon. I’m hoping to find a certified Uzbek Banger to put on there. Some of the broadening of regional scope is because it’s fun to pretend that you are on the French Riviera in the 60s, cooking up some jambon.[5] Another part of it is that Grilling & Chilling is not just an American pastime. People all over the world Grill & Chill. Cooking food over heat outdoors, while hanging out with your family and friends is a universal experience. Why not celebrate that in the playlist? This newsletter is read all over the world so it should represent as much of the world as possible.[6]

So, without further ado, here is the dang list!

Enjoy it! I’m sure it’ll change in the upcoming months, but this is the base. Let me know if there’s anything that you think I should add. I might or I might not!

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[1] It also means I have to start taking my allergy meds again, but that’s less exciting.

[2] Don’t like that abbreviation? Too bad! You’re going to be seeing a lot of it.

[3] Another one of my patent-pending “Dylusions of Grandeur.”

[4] Want me to explain what this means? You’re out of luck! Figure it out.

[5] That’s French for ham, baby.

[6] I.e., the US and the UK. HI Nancy and Andy!