What songs/albums would my parents like similar in mood to Aaron Neville and Julio Iglesias?
December 2, 2008 9:46 AM   Subscribe

Looking for pleasant music in the same mood as Julio Iglesias and Aaron Neville that I can put on a CD for my parents to have on in the background at home.

Making my parents a mixed CD for Christmas and possibly buying them one or two.

Want your recommendations for songs/albums that match the mood of the two things they play most: Julio Iglesias's Greatest Hits ("My Life") and Aaron Neville, probably also his greatest hits.

They play music in the background in the living room as they putter around the house on weekends or when they have company.

The mood is: pleasant, happy, sweet, romantic, gentle, occasionally more excited.

Mom describes it as "the kind of thing that can play unobtrusively in the background and add to a nice atmosphere, but which I can really enjoy if I tune into it." So, not just bland atmospheric sound. Stuff that can go under a conversation rather than compete with it, but which you can sing along to if it has the focus.

That could apply to a lot, but I want to match the particular kind of mood Julio and Aaron are examples of.

Julio examples: Moonlight Lady, Me Va Me Va, Amor Amor, To All The Girls I've Loved Before, Ae Ao

Aaron examples: I Don't Know Much, Everybody Plays the Fool, every other song in that warbly voice

Other things in their living room background music stash, but which I hear much less frequently: Enya, Cesaria Evora, Johnny Lang, Chieftains, Dirty Dancing Soundtrack, Out of Africa Soundtrack, Top Gun Soundtrack, various Elvis including some old gospel.

Somewhat related things they have but which they don't play as background music: Buena Vista Social Club, Paul Simon's Graceland, Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, Elton John.

Type of thing I think fits the mood just right: Lionel Richie e.g. All Night Long, Dancing on the Ceiling, Stuck on You. Jackson Browne's Got to Be Somebody's Baby. Probably some Kenny Rogers or Dolly Parton.

I'm going for this particular kind of pleasant, feel-good, relaxed mood as opposed to, say, giddy/excited/dancey. My parents are both 60, but don't have Old People Mindset yet. But newer artists are probably less likely to work than older. Thats still broad, I know, but I appreciate any of your suggestions.

I tried using music-map.com but it wasn't all that helpful. The closest thing it found to Julio was "The Meatshits" for example. Not for mom, thanks!
posted by Askr to Media & Arts (7 answers total)
 
Steve Winwood's "Back In the High Life" album.

The albums "Moondance" and "Tupelo Honey" by Van Morrison. (Maybe some of the stuff after that -- I've always felt his very recent stuff to be way too polished, but the early-to-mid-70's stuff may work.) I personally also think his "Astral Weeks" outshines both those others put together, but it may be a little too jazzy/folky/something-y than what you're looking for (recommending it still because it's gorgeous, and worth your listening to a cut or two and making up your own mind.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:09 AM on December 2, 2008


Charles Brown

He's a blues piano player. More smooth and suave than crusty and sweaty. He may be too mellow for your folks, but he sure is easy on the ears.

And he's got a great Christmas cd.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 10:11 AM on December 2, 2008


Michael Franks
posted by kimdog at 10:30 AM on December 2, 2008


Diana Krall, Norah Jones, David Benoit, Bebel Gilberto.
posted by iviken at 1:16 PM on December 2, 2008


My Aunt listens to music the same way and she loves, loves, loves Alison Krauss. A good compilation is "Now That I've Found You".
posted by andreap at 2:26 PM on December 2, 2008


Nick Drake, Sting, Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell, Belle & Sebastian/Donovan, Cat Stevens, Leonard Cohen, Bread, Stevie Wonder, Jim Croce, John Cale, The Carpenters, Crooked Fingers, Peter Gabriel, Sigur Ros, Willie Nelson, Air...
posted by kristymcj at 3:08 PM on December 2, 2008


Nick Drake, Astrid Gilberto (with Stan Getz), Richard Shindell, Alexi Murdoch and if you want more traditional, Harry Connick Jr's solo piano albums like 20 and 25.
posted by lpsguy at 6:56 AM on December 3, 2008


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