Your Music Playlist for New Years Eve

After you've boldly downloaded "Auld Lang Syne" to your iPod, what ELSE goes on that playlist for midnight December 31st? Well, if your guests have been welcoming in Father Time for two or three decades, then they probably remember watching Johnny Carson greeting the New Year with Doc Severinson and the NBC Orchestra. A generation earlier might remember Guy Lomabardo and the Royal Canadians doing "Auld Lang Syne" at midnight. In the '80's Dick Clark became the perennial New Years television host with musical guests.

I enjoyed many New Years Eves during the 1980's at the Henry J Kaiser Auditorium in Oakland, California, where the Grateful Dead would kick off their second set at the stroke of midnight with Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour". As the balloons fell from the ceiling, rock impressario Bill Graham would make a triumphant entrance as Father Time...on one memorable occasion, he rode a giant smoking "joint" across the hall above the partying crowd below.

For the pop and jazz oriented crowd, Frank Loessers "What are You Doing New Years Eve" is a favorite, whether you play Barry Manilow's version, or a rendition by Diana Krall or Lee Ann Womack. This could segue very nicely into Abba's "Happy New Year".

The Eagles "New Years Eve" with vocals by Joe Walsh should catch fire with the "classic rock" aficionados in your crowd, and you could follow that up with "New Years Day" by U2 from "Under a Blood Red Sky".

And for those younger guests, roll into "New Years Day" by Death Cab for Cutie.

Then to mellow out the party, you can't beat J.J Cale's "After Midnight". There are two wonderful versions of this song by Eric Clapton, one electric rendition and one un-plugged.

Then if your guests are hanging out, and the punch bowl is empty, it's time to put on the traditional good-night hint "Show Me the Way to Go Home". For those that don't leave, it's time to pass out the pillows, and tell them you'll wake them up for the Rose Bowl Parade.

Happy New Year