Pandemic Playlist: Top 5 songs to make your weekend meal prep, the best time ever
Alright, let's admit it. Cooking on the weekends is hard. Add to that the fact that we're still under lockdown and it's so easy to throw in the towel and open up, yet another packet of instant noodles.
But, what if cooking didn't have to be such a chore? What if we could take this mundane activity and turn it into a special episode of 'how to make the most of quarantine' as you whip up some of your favorite delicacies and really treat yourself to something special?
That's right, this week's playlist is a special recipe with some top-grade ingredients designed to make your weekend super special. So let's dig in!
Calypso King & The Soul Investigators - 'Home Cooking, Part 1'
This song is one of the funkiest, grooviest tracks out there. It's like the intro to your own personal sitcom!
As founders of as well as the house band for Timmion Records, The Soul Investigators have performed for decades both as an accompanying act to acclaimed neo-soul artists like Nicole Willis, Ernie Hawks, and Bardo Martinez, as well as releasing instrumental albums under their own name.
Their sound was built around the idea of taking funk and stripping it down to the bare essentials, and they did so at a tiny cottage in a desolate suburb in Finland. And from those recordings was born the 'Home Cooking' album and the eventual underground success of one of the most underrated funk bands ever. To that end,' Home Cooking' is a wonderful testament to how a small town band managed to create something amazing in a less than ideal space and stay true to their roots even as they embarked on tours across the US and UK.
Apart from their remarkable story, 'Home Cooking, Part 1' is really just a fantastic track to groove to as you prep your weekend meals.
Listen to 'Home Cooking, Part 1' HERE.
Jimmy Buffett - 'Cheeseburger in Paradise'
"Cheeseburger in paradise / Heaven on earth with an onion slice / Not too particular not too precise /I'm just a cheeseburger in paradise"
A weekend cooking playlist could not possibly be complete without the inclusion of a song about someone trying to eat healthy food during the day and dreaming of glorious cheeseburgers at night.
'Cheeseburger in Paradise' was inspired by Buffet's experience of being forced to eat canned food and peanut butter while stranded on a boat in the Caribbean, and finally being able to eat a 'cheeseburger in paradise' when he made it back to land.
And while we may not be stranded on the treacherous waters, we sure are stranded at home and are often forced to eat canned food and peanut butter when we run out of groceries. Whether you're dreaming about a cheeseburger or making one for yourself this weekend, this song is the perfect soundtrack for the ongoing saga that is your weekend cooking experience.
Weezer - 'Pork and Beans'
One of Weezer's most famous songs, 'Pork and Beans' also gained infamy on account of its music video featuring the most viral videos and internet personalities of the times, many of whom brought on the early days of meme culture.
The song itself was a Weezer's response to being told by executives at Geffen to write more commercial music. So naturally, the group wrote a song about how you can mix pork, beans, and candy if you want to and nobody should tell you that you're not allowed to. Given that the band's lead singer Rivers Cuomo is a vegetarian, the song is really just a metaphor for how the world tries to change you but you should feel free to be yourself.
But in addition to that, it's also a great reminder that when you're cooking for yourself you can make whatever you want and indulge in any combination you like, because, after all, this is your weekend. And you get to decide what goes!
Killer Mike - 'Southern Fried'
Referencing delicacies like sweet potato pie and sour apples all the way in the first verse, this sone gets your mouth watering right off the bat. But for a song called 'Southern Fried', this one isn't actually about the food itself - it's a song representing Southern pride, including taking pride in one's neighborhood and roots, including hip-hop, as well as referencing what life is like for black people in the South.
Mike even throws a bit of body positivity and gives his wife a shout out on this song!
But in addition to its amazing lyrics, Mike's flow and the song's beat are the perfect accompaniment for when you're whipping up a five-course meal full of Southern comfort foods.
The Four Clefs - 'I Like Pie, I Like Cake'
Who doesn't, really? This adorable little ditty has the lead singing that as much as they love pies and cakes and everything their lover makes, what they love most of all is their lover themselves. This song is so lighthearted and easy to listen to, it makes for the perfect song to put your legs up to as you enjoy your freshly prepared weekend meal.
Listen HERE.
Pandemic Playlist is a daily list of songs that will keep you entertained instead of feeling drained while you're isolated at home. Look out for a fresh selection of great tunes from MEAWW to refresh your mood every day!