The Current Music Blog

9:30 Coffee Break: Mad Men Madness

Posted at 8:31 AM on July 23, 2010 by Jill Riley (37 Comments)
Filed under: 9:30 Coffee Break

It's the season four premiere of Mad Men this Sunday on AMC. Set in the 1960's, the show centers around the lives of those working for the advertising firm Sterling Cooper. The show's popularity has really blown up in the past couple years. The season three finale left us wondering about quite a few things: Will Betty leave Don Draper for good? Will the new advertising firm Sterling Cooper, Draper, Pryce be a success? Will Joanie leave her husband?

So whether you're having a viewing party at your house, or putting on your best vintage wear and heading out to the big Mad Men viewing party at Jax Cafe in Minneapolis, today's coffee break will help get you pumped.

And if you're not a fan or regular viewer of the show, sit back and enjoy the 1960's Mad Men theme.

Great suggestions today! Here's what we played (wish we could've had time for more):
Amy Winehouse "You Know I'm No Good"
Bob Dylan "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"
Marilyn Monroe "Happy Birthday"
Astrud Gilberto "Agua de Bebe"
The Beatles "Do You Want to Know A Secret"
Bobby Darin "Beyond the Sea"
The Tornados "Telstar"
Roy Orbison "Shahdaroba"



Comments (37)

Chances Are or Wonderful Wonderful -- Johnny Mathis
Take Five -- Dave Brubeck Quartet
And since they’re probably jumping ahead at least a year, that yeah yeah yeah music by the Beatles would fit right in

Posted by lou | July 23, 2010 9:09 AM


It Won't Be Long - The Beatles

Perfect since it won't be long until the show is on!

Posted by DMM | July 23, 2010 9:10 AM


Bobby Darin epitomizes "cool" for the early sixties "cocktail set". Call Me Irresponsible or Beyond The Sea would be perfect. Also, anything by Esquivel would capture the era.

Posted by Steve-O | July 23, 2010 9:10 AM


Anything from "Music from Peter Gunn (1958 - 1961 TV Series)" by Henry Mancini

Posted by (JL) | July 23, 2010 9:11 AM


"Bye Bye Birdie" by Ann-Margret

The song was once played on Mad Men over the closing show credits. It's appropriate given Don's nickname for Betty is "Birdie." Will Birdie say bye-bye and leave Don forever? I'm dying to know.

Posted by Cat | July 23, 2010 9:13 AM


Gotta have some Louis Prima in there somewhere... Maybe "Just a Gigolo" since Don Draper is something of a man-whore. Or maybe a little Louis Prima/Keely Smith number..."That Old Black Magic" maybe?

Posted by Jen | July 23, 2010 9:14 AM


Stones - "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" (close to advertising as I can get)

Posted by Gripweed | July 23, 2010 9:14 AM


The Andrews Sisters - Rum and Coca Cola

Posted by Allyson | July 23, 2010 9:14 AM


The Girl From Ipanema - Getz/Gilberto

Posted by Oj | July 23, 2010 9:15 AM


Heroin- Velvet Underground
Modern Girls and Old Fashioned Men- The Strokes and Regina Spektor

Posted by marty | July 23, 2010 9:15 AM


"Telstar" - The Tornados
"Theme From A Summer Place" - Percy Faith and his Orchestra

two definitive songs from the era (both have been used on the show)

Posted by IndyR | July 23, 2010 9:17 AM


Ann Margret - Bye Bye Birdie
Doris Day - Bushel and a Peck

Posted by stephanie | July 23, 2010 9:17 AM


lou-

Yes- The Beatles were THE biggest band of 64, so they certainly would fit right in.

I'll also put in a request for Pretty Woman.

Posted by DMM | July 23, 2010 9:19 AM


Misery- Barrett Strong

Posted by Kathy Olson | July 23, 2010 9:19 AM


This is probably a little more of a stretch for my music library. I don't think I have anything pre-1965.

Highway Man - Marc Seales, Ernie Watts

Your Gonna Miss Me - The 13th Floor Elevators

Posted by Nick | July 23, 2010 9:19 AM


Girl From Ipanema... originally recorded in '62...
maybe some good French chason with accordion in honor of Joan...

http://www.lippsisters.com/2010/07/13/more-mad-music-for-s4-part-4-harry-ken-paul-carla/
http://www.lippsisters.com/2010/07/07/more-mad-music-for-s4-characters-choices-supplement-a-childs-first-memories-of-music/
http://www.lippsisters.com/2010/06/29/more-mad-music-for-s4-characters-choices-part-2-joan-greg-bert-pete-trudy-peggy/

ok, I'm done.

Posted by jeanette | July 23, 2010 9:19 AM


Don Cherry - Band of Gold
Marilyn Monroe - I'm Through with Love
Connie Francis - Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool
Terry Snyder - Puttin’ On The Ritz
Nina Simone – Sinnerman

Posted by Joy Z | July 23, 2010 9:19 AM


Secret Love - a buncha people; Doris Day? Sinead O'Connor? k.d.lang? What's your fave?

Posted by Randy W | July 23, 2010 9:21 AM


"The Infanta" by The Decemberists

Another great song played on Mad Men.

Posted by Cat | July 23, 2010 9:22 AM


Manhattan - Ella Fitzgerald

Because it's Ella Fitzgerald - and Manhattan. And I think they played it on the show once.

Posted by Melissa | July 23, 2010 9:22 AM


King of the Road. Either the original, or the Rufus Wainwright version from the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack.

Posted by Amy | July 23, 2010 9:22 AM


Walk, Don't Run - The Ventures

Posted by Oj | July 23, 2010 9:23 AM


I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good - Nina Simone

Posted by Chai | July 23, 2010 9:25 AM


Motor City Madhouse by The Motor City Madman Ted Nugent.

Posted by Pail Ale | July 23, 2010 9:25 AM


Shahdaroba by Roy Orbison

Posted by M | July 23, 2010 9:29 AM


Where Did Our Love Go - The Supremes
Will You Love Me Tomorrow - Shirelles

Posted by Suki | July 23, 2010 9:29 AM


The Sound of Silence or something else by Simon & Garfunkel or Bob Dylan in honor of Kurt & Smitty. I second the accordian songs for Joan!

Posted by Beth Anne | July 23, 2010 9:31 AM


DMM, the Beatles were the biggest band of 1965 and 1966 and 1967 too [though the Monkees might have matched them sales-wise in '67]

And I was in front of the TV on Feb 9, 1964, so I was part of Beatlemania . . .

Posted by lou | July 23, 2010 9:31 AM


In one of the first season episodes when he was visiting his muse, and smoking some weed, they were listening to Kind of Blue. So, how about Someday My Prince Will Come?

Posted by BigDubb | July 23, 2010 9:40 AM


lou- I just thought it was funny you said the Beatles would "fit right in" in 1964. Just made me chuckle.

Maybe I should quit spiking my coffee. =)

Posted by DMM | July 23, 2010 9:42 AM


Any thing by Esquivel - Sentimental Journey?

Posted by SoBeTB | July 23, 2010 9:46 AM


thanks for Telstar! did you know Matt Bellamy's (Muse) dad George was in the Tornados?

Posted by Nicole | July 23, 2010 9:59 AM


Why is MPR The Current spending all morning advertising for a television show on AMC? Soon you guys are going to be like every other radio station if you keep this up. Play good music, and don't pitch a show like "Mad Men" unless you state they are providing support for The Current. Shameful.

Posted by BJ | July 23, 2010 10:05 AM


BJ - really? seriuosly? Maybe you should go live off the grid so you won't be contaminated by the Current's (and the world's for that matter) commercial tendencies. It'll just be better for everyone - win/win - Bye bye

Posted by Give Me a Break | July 23, 2010 10:17 AM


BJ- Just for the record, AMC was not paying us to have fun with a timely, pop culture event taking place this weekend.

Thanks for all the suggestions, it was a good excuse to play some great tracks back to back and bring things out of the norm for 25 mintues.

-Jill R

Posted by Jill Riley | July 23, 2010 10:33 AM


Oh noes! Teh DJs injoy telivishun!!1 Git a rope!

Posted by DMM | July 23, 2010 10:50 AM


Just reading these posts now. Seriously, BJ???? Have a little fun. It's a good show and the topic is timely. Have you ever listened to the coffee break?? And of course they played good music for the coffee break- it's the Current!

Posted by Mr. Sterling | July 24, 2010 1:35 AM


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