Welcome to our second installment of Parsons Playlists. Our second playlist is from Music Library Associate, Melanie Armstrong and is a tribute to songwriter Adam Schlesinger, whose career was cut short on April 1st, 2020 due to complications from Covid-19.

Melanie says: “I first became aware of Adam Schlesinger’s work when I discovered the band Fountains of Wayne in the early 2000s. But come to find out, I had already heard his amazing pop sensibility thanks to the title song of the 1996 movie That Thing You Do!. He wrote music for many other TV, Broadway and film projects and also for the musical TV series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which happens to be one of my very favorite recent TV shows. I also threw in a couple of TV Christmas songs since I blog about holiday programs with my husband. So please enjoy this sampling of his amazing and alas too short career! This music will definitely make you smile though, and that’s quite a legacy to leave behind.”

Fountains of Wayne – “Stacy’s Mom” (2003) (probably the biggest hit of the group’s career)

Fountains of Wayne – Welcome Interstate Managers album cover (2003)

The Wonders – “That Thing You Do” (1996)

Josie and the Pussycats – “Pretend To Be Nice” (2001)

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Cast featuring Santino Fontana – “Settle for Me” (2015) (A delightful Emmy-nominated little Fred & Ginger musical pastiche)

Hugh Grant & Drew Barrymore in Music & Lyrics – “The Way Back Into Love” (2007)

Fountains of Wayne – “Radiation Vibe” (1996)

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (featuring Rachel Bloom) – “You Stupid Bitch” (2016)

Stephen Colbert – “Another Christmas Song” (2008)

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Cast – “California Christmastime” (2015)

Cry-Baby Musical Cast – “Nobody Gets Me” (2007)

Fountains of Wayne – “Hey Julie” (2003)

The Monkees – “Our Own World” (2016)

12th studio album by the Monkees, produced by Adam Schlesinger and released in 2016

Ivy – “Edge of the Ocean” (2001)

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Cast (featuring Michael Hyatt) – “Antidepressants Are So Not A Big Deal” (2019) (Won Emmys for Outstanding Music & Lyrics and Outstanding Choreography)

Adam Schlesinger, Rachel Bloom and Jack Dolgen celebrating their Emmy win for “Antidepressants Are So Not A Big Deal”

Fountains of Wayne – “Sink to the Bottom” (1996)

Adam Schlesinger – Youtube Playlist

Spotify Playlist (with bonus songs!)