Here at Macalester, our dining experience is very unique. Not only do we enjoy delicious gourmet meals nightly, we enjoy them to a rockin' soundtrack provided by our very own jukebox. Now there are pros (nostalgia!), and cons ("Dancing Queen") to this constant musical force in our lives. I've decided to dig deep and find out what makes the Mac jukebox tick. After investigating its contents, I've tried my best to compile a few helpful lists to aid you in your mealtime musical selections:
 

Songs heard during dinner 3/9:

On Sunday night, I wrote down what I heard at dinner. Many students have become unsatisfied with the jukebox because of its tendency to play certain songs constantly, and Sunday did not provide many exceptions:

1) Eric Clapton, "Cocaine"

This was the first song to play, at 5:00. "Cocaine" is a popular song in the jukebox, but it is not played annoyingly often. I also found it refreshingly bad-ass for the 5 o'clock crowd.

2) U2 "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

This song is played way too often everywhere. It is a beautiful song from a beautiful album, The Joshua Tree, but Top 40 radio and jukeboxes like ours have played it to death.

3) Ben Folds Five, "Brick"

This is another Café Mac favorite. Whatever and Ever Amen in particular is a popular Cafe Mac album, which is fine, but "Brick" is not its best song. It is, however, its most overplayed song.

4) Counting Crows, "Mr. Jones"

This is an undeniably great song to which I am sure many Mac students have sentimental attachments. It is not played too often now, but we should all restrain ourselves before it loses all meaning.

5) ABBA, "Dancing Queen"

Of course I heard this one! It's gone from fun to grating to funny to so-not-funny-it's-funny-again.
 

Good Songs that have been killed by the Jukebox:

On the "Dancing Queen" note, there are many classic songs that have lost all appeal to Mac students after they spun one too many times in the jukebox.

1) Any ABBA at all.

All right, now a lot of people find them irritating, but ABBA were true geniuses of the disco format. Their songs were irresistible, until we heard them basically every night for two years (trust us, first years).

2) Weezer, "The Sweater Song"

This is probably the most popular Weezer song everywhere, not just in Café Mac. If everyone at Mac does not know the lyrics to this yet, we'll know you've been skipping meals.

3) Nirvana, "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

I'm sorry, but this is just not good eating music.

4) Van Morrison, "Moondance"

It strikes me odd that this is on the list, but it is always on.

5) Michael Jackson, "Billie Jean" and "Beat It"

They were so good, jukebox, why did you ruin them?
 

Tip for avoiding the deaths of more beloved songs:

NEVER PRESS THE "P" KEY. This key selects the most popular songs and plays them.
 

On a side note, I'd like to call attention to a great song that cannot be done justice by its constant spins on the Jukebox: "Sing" by Blur, from the Trainspotting soundtrack, is a stunning, beautiful song with heavy piano and turned-down vocals laden with harmonies. This song is played all the time on the jukebox, but all I can hear of it, as hard as I try, is the piano, drums, and maybe a tiny bit of vocal. "Sing" is a headphones song, which is certainly the antithesis of a jukebox song.
 

Songs that just should not be played:

There are, of course, songs that are mystifyingly popular in the jukebox.

1) Sting, "Brand New Day"

2) The Fugees, "Killing Me Softly"

3) Salt 'n Pepa, "Shoop"

4) Sting, "Desert Rose"
 

On a more positive note, I still love the jukebox. It is a great feeling to hear the right song at the right time, which is why I've listed my picks for best weekend songs at brunch and dinner:
 

Good Songs for Brunch:

1. Deep Blue Something, "Breakfast at Tiffany's"

Not only does it have breakfast in the title; it is the perfect stupid-happy cure for that Sunday morning hangover.

2. Anything by Phil Collins (His greatest hits collection is in the jukebox)

Laugh if you want, but Phil Collins reminds me of my childhood. What could be better to hear while eating waffles in your pajamas?

3. '90's compilation rock like Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket

These create the same feeling as "Breakfast at Tiffany's," only not quite as majestic.

4. Madonna, "Borderline" and "Cherish"

Chirpy, happy, and makes you want to start your day!

5. Squeeze, "Tempted"

If you don't like the Madonna, this is something more mellow to ease you out of bed slowly.
 

Good Songs for Saturday and Friday dinners:

(Four songs to get you ready to party)

1. Madonna, "Like A Prayer"

2. New Order, "Temptation" (from the Trainspotting soundtrack)

3. Foo Fighters, "Everlong"

4. Iggy Pop, "Lust for Life" (from the Trainspotting soundtrack)
 

Of course, all I've supplied you with so far are lists of songs we've pretty much all heard playing in Café Mac. But what about all the other songs hiding out in those jukebox pages, waiting to be played? The jukebox contains (yes, I counted) over 60 CDs. So why do we only hear some of them?
 

Untapped resources in the jukebox:

1. Cat Stevens songs besides "Wild World"

Just because it was covered by a hair-metal band does not mean it is the only Cat Stevens song worthy of our fine dining hall.

2. Anything from Pavement's Brighten the Corners

The jukebox has a Pavement CD! I'll bet you didn't know that (it's on the last page).

3. Mason Jennings, Century Spring

He played at Springfest last year, and we were all in love for those 30+ minutes. Why not rekindle those feelings?

4. All the new editions: Clinic, Apples in Stereo, Q and Not U, The Faint.

Indie rock is conducive to digestion!

5. Squeeze's other hits besides "Tempted"

I haven't heard them, have you?

6. Bob Dylan songs from Desire other than "Hurricane"

"Oh Sister," "Sara," they're all good. And most importantly, they are much shorter than "Hurricane."

7. More of Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation

I don't know why, this just seems like a good idea.
 

Speaking of CDs no one knows are in the jukebox, I found some pretty weird things upon close investigation.
 

Weirdest CDs in the Jukebox:

1. An ancient-looking compilation entitled This is Music that features artists as diverse and frightening as Tiffany, Taylor Dane, and Michael Bolton.

2. Another compilation entitled Super Saver Hits with a generic-looking cover. It features artists ranging from Barenaked Ladies to Carly Simon. There seems to be no apparent rhyme or reason to or for this compilation.

3. An Old Navy hits compilation that someone must have received with purchase of a pair of pants.

4. The only known album by late '90's soft-rockers Dishwalla. It features their only radio hit (which may or may not be about a female God), "Counting Blue Cars."

5. Destiny's Child. Who put this in there?
 

The Café Mac jukebox, like it or not, is a staple of meal-plan life at Macalester. While it receives passing attention during meals, I've tried my best to get inside of this machine and really give it the attention it deserves. So the next time it is Friday night and the lights are low, if you're looking out for a place to go, go to dinner at Café Mac. Remember that the jukebox will be there to pervade your thoughts and always allow you to feel the beat from the tambourine.