Table Set for Joy

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A dinner party needs music that keeps the room warm without taking over the conversation. This tape was made for cooking for friends: warm, joyful and social, with only happy or romantic lyrics, nothing sad or heavy, and no artist appearing twice. It's mostly soul and Motown, with a little disco and jazz, the kind of music that most guests know without having to think about it.

It starts mellow for the cooking and the first glass. Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" is the gentlest possible welcome, Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely", written for his daughter, is pure affection, and Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" brings smooth soul. Sam Cooke's "Cupid" is sweet and light, The Temptations' "My Girl" is a love song half the table can sing, and Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" gets heads nodding over the wine.

As the plates are cleared, it lifts. Chic's "Le Freak" brings funky guitar, Jamiroquai's "Virtual Insanity" is groovy, piano-led and fun, and Diana Ross's "Upside Down", produced by Chic's Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, adds disco sparkle. Then it eases back: Bill Withers' "Lovely Day", with its famous long-held note, is like a warm hug, and Michael Bublé's "Sway" and Nina Simone's "My Baby Just Cares for Me" end the evening with charm and a little swing for the last of the wine.

The songs run from 1958 to 2003, but they share a mood that's happy without being loud. Start it as guests arrive, keep the volume just under the talk, and let it play through as a YouTube playlist; if the night runs long, it's easy to put on again. If the evening is just for two, make a tape for a quieter, more romantic dinner instead.