The Playlist: Stay a Little Longer

No sooner did lawmakers gavel out the 83rd regular session than Gov. Rick Perry called them back for a special session. So this week's news-inspired playlist starts with "Stay a Little Longer," by Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys.

The easiest way to enjoy the playlist is to download Spotify, which is a free program. But even without it, you can still follow along. Here are this week's other selections:

Because the special session call — so far — is narrowly tailored to the issue of redistricting, we included "Maps," by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Comptroller Susan Combs' announcement that her days of running for office are over made us think of Vic Chesnutt singing "I'm Through." Of course, this led to a flurry of candidates seeking higher office, so we threw in "Move on Up," by Curtis Mayfield.

There's still a chance that some unfinished business from the regular session could be revived in the special session — for example, the authorizing of bonds for campus construction. We added "Building," by Joe Purdy, as a quick acknowledgement of  that issue.

Speaking of higher education, it became clear this week that lawmakers' repeated warnings to the University of Texas System regents to curb their investigative tendencies have not deterred Regent Wallace Hall. In his honor, we have "Can't Stop Won't Stop," by Usher.

Eric Hutchinson's "Food Chain" is a nod to the bipartisan "farm-to-table" caucus winning some key victories in its first legislative session. 

The Trib's Kate Galbraith wrote this week about growing concerns about levels of fine dust in Houston's air, prompting the selection of Maroon 5's "Harder to Breathe." Alana Rocha reported on  a new law prohibiting the use of gas chambers to euthanize animals that have not been claimed or adopted, so we have Patty Griffin singing "Wild Old Dog."

And finally, with lingering concerns about the state's water plan and prospects for transportation funding, we close with The Head and the Heart's "Rivers and Roads."

Enjoy!