One bonus of our Subaru is that it has both a CD player and a cassette player. On occasion we break out the 10- and 15- year-old mix tapes that have been packed away unheard in boxes. Yesterday I was listening to an unlabeled mix tape given to me by a friend in high school. It was exciting, trying to guess what song would come on next, and fun singing along with crowd-pleasers such as “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John: “You can’t keep me in your penthouse, I’m going back to my plow! OHHH ohhh OOOHHHH Oh-uh-oh-oh-oh!”

So now I have an idea for a mix CD: male singers who can transition effortlessly from their regular singing voice to falsetto. So far I have mentally compiled a list: Elton John, Jeff Buckley, Mike Roe, and John Lennon. I think it will have to be heavy on 70’s singers since that was the last time falsetto was really fashionable in pop/rock music. Who else should be on my CD?

Speaking of 70’s singers, guess who’s back!? CAT STEVENS! Or should I say, Yusef Islam. I thought there was no way he could be any good these days but his new single, “Where True Love Goes,” (links to youtube video) is classic Cat. A bit subdued, and no “Moonshadow,” but solid, almost totally solid! Here are some reviews of the new CD. When I wrote a humor column in college, one of the installments gave a list of requirements for any guy who wanted to date me and owning a Cat Stevens album was on there. Also on the list was NOT folding underwear. (And no, the future Dr. G did not own such an album, but I let it slide).