Kind of what I imagine Prof. Sacks' life to be like. ("The Last Waltz" via Wikimedia Commons)

Last week we hit you with a great playlist from Prof. Kontes of the Classics Department. This week, it’s all about Sociology.  I had the pleasure of sitting down with Professor Howard Sacks on my radio show last October to play some of his favorite tunes.  He regaled me with stories of growing up listening to Bob Dylan (even skipping school the day he first heard him).  His playlist was a journey through music from Tin Pan Alley and the Mississippi Delta, to Ethiopia and France.  Like a modern-day Alan Lomax, Sacks even collected his own recordings with the Gambier Folklore Society (did you know “Dixie” was written in Ohio? He did).  Here are some of the highlights from our conversation:

“The Man I Love”-Billie Holliday

“(Night Time Is) The Right Time”-Ray Charles

“When I Paint My Master Piece”-The Band

“It’s Over”-Roy Orbison

“K.C. Moan”-The Memphis Jugband

“Sitting On Top Of the World”-Doc Watson

“Bougie Ya Motema”-Doctor Nico

“Yekermo Sew”-Ethiopiques

“Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright”-Bob Dylan

How cool is this guy?