Rocktober Mix: Jacinta

It's time for the Rocktober mixtapes! Yaaaay! Twice a week you will be treated to tasty aural treats served up by our talented Fruitless Pursuers. Anyone who knows me knows that most of my music collection could be classed as 'Guilty Pleasure', so I'm kicking things off with ten of my most favourite and guiltiest pleasures.

1. Defying Gravity - Glee Cast
Bit of a double-ended guilty pleasure, Glee AND Wicked. As much as it pains me to say, I haven't missed an episode of Glee in three years (or however long it's been running. It feels like...forever), and if it wasn't so socially unacceptable I'd probably be one of those freak people that listened to the Wicked soundtrack on repeat for eternity. This team-up is great, and I think the thing I'm REALLY feeling guilty about is that I actually like this version better than the original. Oops.

2. Single Ladies - Beyonce
Oh, I'm sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear you, I was dancing too hard. Like 'Toxic' by Britney Spears, this song has started to become more acceptable in time, but c'mon. I have a reputation to uphold. *puts on Guilty Pleasure pile* *dances away*

3. Eighties Coming Back - Ruffus
I watched (and enjoyed) Eurovision back in the dark ages when most countries sang in their national language instead of English. This song is an Estonian entry from that period, so the english vocals were a BIG DEAL. Also, they didn't wear any glitter. And the song was actually pretty good. Actually, I'm not sure how they qualified for Eurovision in the first place. I'm not too bothered about openly enjoying this song, but I'm slightly hesitant to reveal its origin.

4. Everytime You Cry - John Farnham & Human Nature
It's like...a neatly-wrapped package of guilt. I LOVED Human Nature when I was younger. Posters all over the walls, fan club member, had all the cds & singles, etc etc. I was raised on a healthy diet of Farnsy & Barnsey, so to then have John Farnham team up with Human Nature was like an amazing mind asplosion. The song's quite good, really, but most people of a certain age will snigger upon hearing it again. But then sing along in secret.

5. Wake Up - Britannia High Cast
This is much less about the song, and pretty much completely about the show. Britannia High is AMAZING. Teenagers at a performing arts school who randomly burst into song with highly choreographed dance routines to illustrate an emotional point. It's kind of like Glee crossed with the S Club 7 tv show, but it was way before Glee. Sadly only one season was made so it was but a fleeting nugget of joy. This song may or may not currently be my ringtone.

6. Burnin' Up - The Jonas Brothers
No no, wait! Don't go! I can explain. Actually...no I can't. This is just a rad pop song and I love it. For the record, I don't like any other Jonas Brothers stuff, only this one song. Honest!

7. Keep on Movin' - Five
Five were the boyband it was ok to like, up until it became apparent that it wasn't ok to like ANY boyband (I ignored society's opinions on this matter). This song is, like a fine wine, even better with age. Put four twenty-something girls in a jeep with this song on the stereo, and they'll be recreating that scene from Zoolander quicker than you can say 'Five bad boys with the power to rock you'.

8. 10,000 Promises - The Backstreet Boys
There are a handful of songs that transport me back to the early years of high school, and this is one of them. This was probably my favourite BSB song back in the day, though mature tastes have elevated the ranking of the lulzy 'All I Have to Give (The Conversation Mix)' since then. This song is so 90s it hurts, though a bit creepy considering some members were in their late 20s and more or less singing to 12 year olds. At least today's popstars are all wee babies too.

9. Parlez Vous Francais? - Art vs Science
This is technically a 'trendy' song, so should not really be a guilty pleasure, but I've been to enough festivals where AvS was playing to know that under no circumstances do I want to be associated with people who consider themselves fans of Art vs Science. Snobbery, yes. But there's so many times you can hear an 18 year old proclaim that they know French because of this choon before you want to Hulk out. Bangin' song though. I seat-dance like a mofo whenever it comes on in the car. I also don't mind that silly 'Flippers' song they do.

10. Mysterious Girl - Peter Andre
Imagine a scenario. You're home alone, your regional pop music video show is on the tv, happily blaring away in the background. This song comes on. What do you do? Anyone who says that they wouldn't sing along and get their sexy sway on is an asshole. Or a liar. Or probably both. This song is a part of our horrendous 90s Australian culture and we need to embrace it. *indecipherable Jamaican speakings*

Well, that's MY ten tracks of shame! We would love to hear YOUR favourite embarrassing tunes, so if you feel the urge, head on over to 8tracks.com and link us to your mix after you've made one up. We promise to listen to each and every one of them.*


*unless they are really genuinely terrible.