15x15 — QuadW Foundation

If you were to make a list of your 15 favorite songs by 15 different artists, what would it include?

Music surrounds and defines our lives. You might remember your dad’s favorite song, or that jam band that takes you back to a college Friday night. A ballad instantly reminds you of your first middle school dance. Or maybe there’s a song you like just because. When putting it all together, it might be a trip down memory lane, a snapshot of your current life, or feelings you could never put into words. Creating a 15x15 playlist has proven to be all of these things and more for those who’ve done it.

Music was integral to Willie’s life. A talented singer, he performed with his band CloverStreet in high school, on albums, and in festivals like South by Southwest. Before he left for college, his mother asked him to list his 15 favorite songs by 15 different artists. It was an introspective, fun, and therapeutic process that, when finished, was an insightful and interesting way for Willie to express himself.

We invite you to put your own list together and, if so inclined, share it. You can email us with your list at info@quadw.org, and we will post it on our blog so that others might find a new favorite song or a kindred spirit. Willie connected with others through music, and we want to connect with you.

Lisa Tichenor
January 2023

Much of my relationship with Willie included music. When he was leaving for college, after waiting a year because of his treatment, I asked him to leave me a list of his fifteen favorite songs by fifteen different artists. Although Willie did not get to it before he left, my husband Mac organized Willie, Taylor, and himself to each give me their list for Christmas that year. Willie titled his “15X15.

Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson - As a baby/toddler, whenever Willie would fall and cry, I picked him up and danced and sang this song with him. However, the words I used were, “Willie has a boo-boo, has a boo-boo, has a boo-boo, Willie.” Worked every time…
Baby Beluga by Raffi - This was the first song Willie learned the words to, and we played it in the car constantly. Now I play it in the car with Taylor’s son, Michael.
Under the Sea by Samuel E. Wright (Soundtrack Version) - Willie was 3 when the Little Mermaid came out. He loved it but was terrified by the Sea Witch - I had to take him out to the lobby in the movie theater. He conquered his fear by listening to the sound track over and over.
Rocky Mountain Way by Joe Walsh - we were driving out to my grandparents’ ranch in west Texas and stopped at a truck stop for gas. I told him he could buy one thing, and he chose a cassette tape, The Best of Joe Walsh. We drove west into an intensely beautiful orange sunset singing “Rocky Mountain Way” at the top of our lungs.
America by Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, and the West Side Story Chorus - This West Side Story song served to annoy him, which I considered a success. Every time the subject of Puerto Rico came up, I would go into the intro of this song and the family would scatter.
Black Dog by Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin was my all-time favorite band for much of my life. Whenever we listened to it, Willie loved to get right up in my face and sing, “Big legged women ain’t got no soul!”
Macarena by Los del Río – This song is such a memory of Willie and Taylor’s middle school experience, including Cotillion dance lessons. When their great-grandmother was staying a few days for Christmas, the boys and their cousins performed it for her. Every time they had their backs to her, Willie would moon her. I got a picture. :)
Hole in My Soul by Aerosmith - One year, I decided the boys should have a clothing allowance each semester over which they had complete control. The first semester, Taylor bought a leather jacket and a camera lens. Willie bought the complete works of Aerosmith.
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by Vivaldi - One summer, we traveled to Paris and got tickets to a chamber music performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at San Chapele in Notre Dame. It was hot and Willie didn’t want to go, but we insisted. It transformed his musical awareness. From that point on, he borrowed from Taylor’s extensive classical collection to listen to as he went to sleep.
Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson - Willie was quite taken with the local talent of Kelly Clarkson and her amazing success. He loved her voice and would blast this song and sing along, matching her note and volume.
All Over You by Live - We sang together the first line of the song but would change it to “Our love is like Walter” as a shout out to his beloved cousin.
Power in the Blood by Barbara Mandrell - Willie loved an old Barbara Mandrell collection of gospel songs I had. One day, when I was sitting with him during a blood transfusion, he broke into this song to make me laugh.
Break My Heart I’ll Burn Down Your House by CloverStreet - CloverStreet performed this song for the first time when I was in the audience, and I had not heard it before. “If you want to pretend this never happened then I’ll pretend that I’m not burning down your house.” When Willie came to this line in the song, he looked at me and I burst out laughing, then he gave me a slow wink, just like he always did at some point when he was on stage, ever since he was a little boy.
Blessed Be Your Name by Matt Redman- This became the musical prayer of the friends who surrounded Willie in his final days and has been sung in his memory thereafter.
Soco Amaretto Lime by Brand New - CloverStreet decided to cover this song in the Highland Park High School Literary Festival talent competition. When they won best original song, they had to clear up with the judges that they were playing a cover, a Brand New song that was not their own. I think that made the win even more fun for them.

CHARLIE HAGGARD
September 2022

Bastards of Young by The Replacements – An intro to end all intros - the guitar, Paul’s howl, it still blows my mind every time I hear it. When I discovered The Replacements it felt like a Rosetta Stone for everything I had grown up loving about rock and punk music. This was the missing piece. It was loud, fast, groovy, poppy, sensitive, anthemic, painful and forceful all at the same time. “Bastards of Young” was my gateway drug and it’s still my favorite. The line “the ones who love us least are the ones we’ll die to please” may be the most personally resonant line I’ve ever heard in a song. I dunno though, that may change as you keep reading - as you’ll see I speak a lot in hyperbole.
Oh! You Pretty Things by David Bowie – Bowie is another favorite - and trying to pick my favorite version of Bowie, let along my favorite song, is nearly impossible. But the groove on the chorus of “Oh! You Pretty Things” is like comfort food, it’s something that always brings me back home when I’ve wandered too far mentally and sonically. The song as a whole is so dramatic and transgressive and inspiring, and then you get this absolute banging head bobbing stank face inducing chorus… It actually made this decision pretty easy.
Dammit by Blink 182 — I was out with my friends one night and they almost threw me out of the car when I claimed that this song was the best American folk song of the last fifty years. That’s not even my own original idea - I stole that from a Blink themed podcast - but I believe it. The first time I heard this song I was in sixth grade at Slider and Blues for my YMCA football team’s end of season celebration. Our coach had edited together a slightly action packed, mostly funny and oddly sentimental highlight reel for us to have as a keepsake - this song was the final song in the video and it was another lightbulb moment. It was the first time I realized I wanted to play in a band, and I wanted to make music like this.
Vapour Trail by Ride — Breaking with the theme here for a minute - I don’t really like Ride all that much as a band. Their music never really connected with me but THIS song… this feels so right it makes me uncomfortable. Sometimes I have to turn it off because it brings up something so intensely familiar that I can’t handle it. I really don’t know how to explain what this song does for me, but it feels like home.
Girls by The 1975 — Back on brand now - my favorite song from my current favorite band. The guitar riff, the rhythm of the melody, the unabashed brightness. For a band that goes through as many styles in one album as Bowie did in his whole career this song is representative of everything that gets me about the band. The harmonies on lines like “I’m not your saaaaaaavior” and “makin chaaaanges” make me feel like I can take over the world (just go listen to it).
Fantasy (ODB Remix) by Mariah Carey — This song is just plain fun. The beat mixed with the Tom Tom Club sample and ODB’s hype all over the place make it nearly impossible to sit still while listening. And she sounds fantastic as per usual. The opening lines - “Oh, when you walk by every night, Talking sweet and looking fine, I get kinda hectic inside, Mmm, baby I'm so into you, Darling, if you only knew, All the things that flow through my mind” when written out don’t do much - but the way she delivers it, is so sweet, so fresh and so unabashedly open it brings a tear to my eye.
Take Me Home by Phil Collins — I first heard this song while working the music for Mr. Robot. The producers were extremely hands on with the music selection, and I was often left scratching my head at their choices. This was no exception. But when I saw it cut to picture I instantly got it, and I instantly fell in love with the song. It starts out barely audible from a boombox on a park bench and slowly grows into a scene stealing anthem as Brian Stokes Mitchell dumps six million dollars on the ground in Central Park - setting it all on fire. One of the coolest pieces of work I’ve been part of in my professional career.
Here Come The Warm Jets by Brian Eno — Eno is a master, and this proto ambient masterpiece can calm my nerves, bring be back to reality and keep me inspired pretty much no matter what mood I’m in.
Atlantic City by Bruce Springsteen — To get completely serious for a moment - this song was one of the first things that helped me feel better after my mother passed. I’m not really a lyrics person but when they hit me they hit me hard. This isn’t a song about actual human death but it is about longing, and grief, and hope, and promise. “Everything dies baby that’s a fact, but maybe everything that dies someday comes back”. The way Bruce delivers that line that helped me accept my grief while giving me hope that one day in some way shape or form I’ll get to see my mom again and give her a hug.
Me and My Dog by Boygenius — Another song that cuts me to my core, I normally can’t get through this song without getting emotional. To me, the first few stanzas capture young love at its most vulnerable and uncertain point. You lay everything out on the table and hope you’re met with the same in return. Falling in love has never sounded so thrilling and terrifying at the same time.
Rainmaker by Harry Nilsson — Harry’s another all-time favorite, and picking one song is extremely tough. But groove and the drums are what seals the deal for me. His voice is great as always, but the breakbeat on the bridge just before the last chorus slaps so hard, I’ve always wondered why this hasn’t been sampled in more (or at all) hip hop.
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man by Prince — Back on my contrarian vibes - not a huge Prince fan (I know, I know…) I like the idea of Prince way more than I like him in execution. But I do love Sign O The Times and this song is the best on the album in my opinion. Musically it’s driving and poppy. Lyrically - it’s the epitome of Prince’s attitude. The bridge jam drags on a bit, but again, peak Prince. Running on pure ego and absolutely staying true to himself. And THAT I do love about The Purple One.
Blister by Jimmy Eat World — Probably the most straightforward rock song on what otherwise was a very progressive and experimental major label album. The chorus breakdown is what does it for me. This is weird I know - but I see lots of parallels between this song and Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, I will not be explaining any further :-)
The Way It Is (Live 98/99) by Bruce Hornsby — My first exposure to this song was through “Changes” by Tupac. I remember my folks stopping at an outlet mall driving back from New Braunfels after Thanksgiving and “Changes” came on in one of the stores. The piano line stuck to me like glue and my dad explained the idea of sampling and who Bruce was. Years later I got to see Hornsby with my parents at the Lakewood Theater, completely knocked my socks off. Choosing the live version here for the completely bombastic outro. Killer.
Arch Drive Goodbye by Eve 6 — Last but not least - the final song on the final (relevant) album of one of the most underrated pop rock bands of the 90s/00s. I’ll never understand why these guys weren’t one of the biggest stadium band in the world, and this is a great example of why. I don’t know anyone who likes Eve 6 as much as I do, and that’s cool - I don’t really get it either, but I’m glad I do, so I can revisit whenever I want and still be blown away every time.
Well - there you go, for better or worse. These songs feel like and extension of who I am and where I come from. I’ve been listening to this playlist a lot recently and even though I’ve heard all of these songs hundreds of times it still feels fresh and inspiring. At a time when we literally have all recorded music throughout history at our fingertips it can be extremely difficult to find things that are truly meaningful and personal, but this exercise helped me focus in on what I love about music - rhythm, melody and a clever yet blunt turn of phrase. I hope you enjoy.

MARY KATHERINE CLARKE
July 2022

“The hardest part about putting this playlist together was narrowing down my list of songs. I’ve had a lot of favorites over the years...I never thought I’d choose some of the ones that made the final cut.”
July 15, 2022

As a millennial who grew up in the 90s and early 2000s, I’ve created a lot of mixed CDs and playlists over the years. When thinking through my 15x15, the hardest part about putting this playlist together was narrowing down my favorite songs. I’ve had a lot of favorites over the years. At first, I added any song with any sort of meaning over the course of my life. I thought I would either chronicle my life through song or draw mostly on the “oldies but goodies” like the 90s country music I used to obsess over. I never thought I’d choose some of the songs that made the final cut, largely because they are so new. I also started to realize that my playlist changes depending on the audience. I might send a very specific playlist to my sister because she would just “get it,” whereas I’ve created an entirely different playlist for a stranger as a type of introduction to who I am.

In the end, for my top 15x15 playlist (I now have many in the works), I went with my playlist made for a stranger which reflects my 15 favorite songs by 15 different artists in this particular moment. Some of these are from growing up, and some came across my radar just this year. There’s a little bit of every genre, but there is a reason I like them all. I hope you enjoy listening to the playlist as much as I enjoyed making it!

Someday by Kygo, Zac Brown – I first heard Kygo in the car of my German friend while driving through Spain, and I was obsessed. It was before he made it to America and the mainstream airwaves. I grew up listening to country music and still do when I need a pick-me-up. When Kygo partnered with Zac Brown to create this song, it worked (surprisingly), and I listen to it all the time.
32 Flavors by Ani DiFranco – This song was a staple in the high school playlists I created and played on my discman. It never gets old for me!
Sometimes by Ben Rector – My husband introduced me to Ben Rector, and I always come back to this song. Maybe because it has the sound of the early 2000s and represents life for millennials, who’ve lived their entire adulthoods with social media and the inability to truly leave most anyone behind.
Galileo by Indigo Girls – My mother-in-law and I discovered that we both love this song. I first listened to it 20 years ago and still love it.
Hallelujah by Oh Wonder – My husband sent this to me and said it was an “MK song.” He was right.
How Can I Make It OK? by Wolf Alice - I love this band right now, this song, and how it aptly describes my life as a mother, daughter, wife, and friend.
The Four Seasons Recomposed: Spring I by Max Richter – this Max Richter version always makes me happy. I can see why they used it on Bridgerton!
Feathers & Gasoline by Smith & Thell – folksy, indie music has always held a special place in my heart.
Coastline by Hollow Coves – so relaxing…take me back to the beach, please.
The Space Between by Dave Matthew Band – just classic.
Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles – a song from my childhood that always calms me.
Songbird by Fleetwood Mac – I’ve always found this band interesting, and I particularly love this song, which a friend sung live at our wedding.
In the Heights – I can’t have a playlist without a Broadway song. This opening song to In the Heights was my introduction to Lin Manuel Miranda. I saw him play the lead in In the Heights on Broadway, and he had all the buzz as an emerging musical genius. It was a hip-hop version of Rent-style storytelling. Fast forward a decade, and we now have Hamilton and movies In the Heights, Tick Tick Boom, Encanto, Moana…the list goes on. Choosing a favorite song is impossible. “Wait For It,” “96,000,” “It Won’t be Long Now,” “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” and “Come to Your Senses” (written by Rent’s Jonathan Larson and directed by Lin Manuela Miranda in Tick Tick Boom), to name a few, are all amazing.
The Fox by Nickel Creek – I came to know this band in high school and listened to them through college, watching them at Stubb’s when they came around. Years later at the library, my daughter picked out a book, The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night, with these lyrics (originally a traditional folk song from England). It was beautifully illustrated by Peter Spier, a special and notable illustrator, and she was particularly drawn to it. We read it over, and over, and over, making this song that much more meaningful.
Light of a Clear Blue Morning by The Wailin’ Jennys – - this is a cover of a Dolly Parton song. I listen to both versions, depending on my mood, but it always puts me in a better headspace when I’ve had a rough day.
Bonus Track: What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong – it’s the song my dad chose for his dance at my wedding, the book my children are drawn to at nighttime, and the general anthem for our lives, reminding us that at the end of the day, the world is beautiful, and we are blessed with the opportunity to live in it.