The Collins Playlist

Billy Collins and music.. Isn't that the perfect combination? I decided to take some time to research all of the music that Collins mentions in his poetry. I also took the liberty to link you guys to all of it. A real playlist of Billy Collins' music. ;) Enjoy!

From I Chop Some Parsley While Listening to Art Blakey's Version of 'Three Blind Mice'

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fOM08TXG8E - Art Blakey, 'Three Blind Mice'
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR6gghkLCoQ - Freddie Hubbard, 'Blue Moon'

From Snow 

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jymS_7zyy7c - Thelonius Monk, 'Ruby My Dear'
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBBys5TLxCI - the Ronettes, 'Walking in the Rain' (Collins just mentions the artist, I took the liberty of choosing one of their songs.)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MppGqwQdXY - George Thorogood and the Destroyers, 'Bad to the Bone' (once again Collins just mentions the artist)

From Another Reason Why I Don't Keep A Gun in the House

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3217H8JppI - Beethoven's 9th Symphony (Collins mentions him, so I took one of the most famous symphonies - because Collins was listening to a symphony)

From Sunday Morning with the Sensational Nightingales (He doesn't name any of these songs, I took the most listened to song from each)

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yhHIqsOanI&list=AL94UKMTqg-9BcJfPk1ifNHcqFyucBm1UV - The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, 'Leaning on the Everlasting Arms'
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHIP7-KaP_Q&list=AL94UKMTqg-9CfGmlEzRH_5ceDGyvEHwMv - the Dixie Hummingbirds, 'Lord, I Want You to Help Me'
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ij3HxwmtdQ&list=AL94UKMTqg-9BKBKzejuCNRjvD6f2x-SZA - Soul Stirrers, 'Lord, Remember Me'
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd7MrEOFcMs - the Swan Silverstones, 'Saviour Pass Me Not'
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L77wwwxvuKQ - The Sensational Nightingales, 'Somewhere to Lay my Head'

From The Best Cigarette (A beautiful poem, with a lovely piece in it - only the composer was named)

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK6iAxe0oEc - Berlioz, 'Symphony Fantastique'

From Tuesday, June 4, 1991 (In this poem he only mentions the song, Nina Simone is just awesome so I picked this one)

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BguiWbW5j3Q - Nina Simone, 'You Don't Know What Love Is'

From Piano Lessons 

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTYtZa2XrDQ - Horace Silver, 'Filthy McNasty'
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUvIdEWiQms - Bill Evans Trio, 'It Might as Well Be Spring'

From Nightclub

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1T3s5QY-WI - Johnny Hartman, 'The Nearness of You'

From Some Final Words

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CTYymbbEL4 - Johan Strauss, 'The Blue Danube Waltz'

I hope these songs prickled your skin as much as they prickled mine. Some really lovely stuff in between there! I am really happy I spent my afternoon researching Billy Collins' taste in music.