**MIXTAPE ALERT** This is Not a Love Song

Valentine's Day is a tricky occasion for many of us to have live through. Whether you're 'in a relationship', 'happily single' or 'it's really complicated, seriously I couldn't explain to you what's going on between us if I had a million years' everyone wants to know what you're doing for Valentine's Day.

Are you going to waste £10 of you're hard-earned, or not really that hard-earned in my case since I work in media and stare at a screen for the majority of my day, money to see a truly, god-awful chick flick and receive a present that you honestly can find no use for.

It's fine if you like that kind of thing but for the cynical folk like me another second of this mindless lovefest cannot be tolerated. In the spirit of all things cynical I have whipped up a 15 track mixtape that features anti-love songs about heartbreak, cheating, lying and a whole lotta crying. That should stop you feeling lovesick.

Tracklisting:
1. February 14th- Huggy Bear
2. Beat Your Heart Out- The Distillers
3. No- Vivian Girls
4. Only Loved at Night- The Raincoats
5. I Love You Eddie- The Crystals
6. Single Again- The Fiery Furnaces
7. Love und Romance- The Slits
8. This Isn't It- Giant Drag
9. I'm Blue- Shangri-Las
10. Don't Wanna Hold Your Hand- thee headcoatees
11. A Real Man- Sleater-Kinney
12. Legs- PJ Harvey
13. I Don't Wanna Be Friends With You- Shop Assistants
14. Cheated Hearts- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
15 Girlfriends Don't Keep- Bratmobile

This is Not a Love Song from Steph88 on 8tracks.

**MIXTAPE ALERT** The Obligatory Christmas Mix

Short one but I had to post this mixtape since I've posted a Christmas mixtape every year on Don't Dance Her Down Boys and I'm a sucker for tradition.

So here it is, Christmas. It exists. Deal with it.

Tracklisting:
1. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer- The Crystals
2. Christmas is Cancelled- The Long Blondes
3. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)- Darlene Love
4. Christmas Wrapping- Summer Camp (Waitresses Cover)
5. December Will Be Magic Again- Kate Bush
6. Santa Claus- Throwing Muses
7. All I Want for Christmas- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
8. Just for Now- Imogen Heap
9. Home Sweet Home (at Christmas)- Viv Albertine
10. Black Christmas- Poly Styrene

**MIXTAPE ALERT** Don't You Wish You Never Met Her

Yes February is the month when everyone truly loses their minds and starts humping the nearest lamppost confusing the soulless act with love (I'm bitter).

Since this month will be filled with sickly sweet valentines mixtapes, eurgggh (I'm VERY bitter), I thought I'd give my own take on love and offer up a mixtape of what I believe to be the most creepy, obsessive love songs around.

This really is an excuse for me to play loads of PJ Harvey and 60s girl groups since they were the ones who did crazy, obsessive love songs best.

Some songs may not seem that strange at first but sometimes you have to use your imagination a little for example if you imagine that Mary Wells' 'guy' doesn't actually know she exists then the song starts to sound proper creepy.

Don't You Wish You Never Met Her Mixtape
1. Rid Of Me- PJ Harvey
2. My Guy- Mary Wells
3. You Keep Me Hangin' On- The Supremes
4. Golden Thing- Throwing Muses
5. A Fool In Love- Ike and Tina Turner
6. He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)- The Crystals
7. Legs- PJ Harvey
8. Me & Her- Heavens To Betsy
9. P.R.D.C.T- Bratmobile
10. Nowhere To Run- Martha and the Vandellas
11. Some Unholy War- Amy Winehouse
12. I Just Love You More- Kate Nash

**DDHDB's DOES CHRISTMAS #12**

I really don't have to say anything for this one, it's just a classic.

You can't go wrong with The Crystals anyway.

*MIXTAPE ALERT* Sixties Girl Groups

The Chantels

I'm in love with the sixties at the moment so I thought I would make a mixtape of my favourite songs, and a few really good ones that I just found today, with you.

The songs and style really reflect the era that they were living in and what it was like for women. The girls sounded feminine, fierce and passive all at once. I love that contradiction because I believe one of the great things you can do with music is not always to challenge the status-quo but to acknowledge it. To honestly show society the twisted way it functions is the best cure for the ailments of this world.

I also can't say no to a good pop song. Kate Nash's new album is meant to be influenced by music of this era as well so look out for that when it comes out next year.

Tracklisting:
1. He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)- The Crystals
2. Give Him A Great Big Kiss- The Shangri-las
3. Dancing in the Street- Martha & the Vandellas
4. The Shoop Shoop Song- Betty Everett
5. You Keep Me Hangin' on- The Supremes
6. Be My Baby- The Ronettes
7. Chapel of Love- The Dixie Cups
8. Maybe- The Chantels
9. One Fine Day- The Chiffons
10. (Love Is Like A) Heatwave- Martha & the Vandellas
11. Remember (Walking in the Sand)- The Shangri-las
12. Then He Kissed Me- The Crystals
13. Please Mr Postman- The Marvelettes
14. (The Best Part of) Breakin' Up- The Ronettes
15. Baby Love- The Supremes