Not sure what Crank That Hit! means? Go here.

I’m excited to discuss this week’s Crank That Hit! theme, but I have to work up to it first. Where to begin? Ah, yes…

I just got back from a mini-vacay in Washington, D.C. Ostensibly, I was there to attend a conference for theater critics, and while I did go to several interesting events, my trip really revolved around social time.

(Among others, I spent a lot of time with Kerri, who went on the trip with me, and Maggie, who is doing a law school internship in our nation’s capital.)

And let me tell you this: For the first time in years, I had a fantastic time. Before, almost every one of my trips to the capital resulted in tears, and not because I remembered who was in the White House. Hey-o!

On an eighth grade trip, my friend Thomas and I got in a huge fight over (ahem) a girl I was dating, and in grad school, I went there with my then-boyfriend. Let’s just the horrific events of that particular voyage ended up in a major Off Broadway play. No joke.

But this time? Awesome. Part of the awesomeness was due to staying in my friend Amy’s apartment. She’s currently working for the government in Baghdad, and she let Kerri and I stay at her place. It felt so homey! On Sunday, I woke up realizing I could actually make brunch, if I had bothered to buy any food. And that got me thinking: Brunch, whether you eat in or dine out, demands a certain type of soundtrack. You’ve just woken up, you’ve probably slept in, and now you need some music to ease you into the day. It can’t be too slow, or you’ll go back to bed, but it can’t be hardcore rock or dance, because your nerves can’t take it.

When you need the perfect brunch soundtrack, I say… Crank That Hit!

(1) “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay — Was there ever a more perfect brunch band than Coldplay? Even Viva La Vida, their new, supposedly “harder” album is like the sound of French toast: Both are alluring, both can be savored, and both can get kind of syrupy. But for me that’s fine, because I take my Coldplay like I take my aforementioned toast: In small servings, and not every day.

If I listened to the band too much, I’d get bored, but every now and then, their melancholy tunefulness totally is just the tonic. “Viva La Vida,” a current number one single, is the perfect epitome of their sound, because it’s lovely without being insistently catchy. Chris Martin’s extended low notes convince me to spread jam with an elegant sweep of my arm, but the song isn’t so aggressive that I get distracted and jam up the table. (Also? That stabbing string section is killer.)

It may sound like I’m paying the song a backhanded compliment by saying it isn’t instantly catchy, but I’m not. This song rewards a close listen, but it can settle into the background in a way that, oh, a DMX hit never will.

(2) “Expo ’86” by Death Cab for Cutie — What can I say? I love Death Cab. Their lyrics are brilliant. Their music is interesting. The mood they create is a cross betwen bittersweet contemplation and silent contentment. They make the perfect soundtrack for the last day of the weekend.

The song “Expo ’86″ comes from the album Transatlanticism, which was Death Cab’s last offering before they signed to a major label. A rollicking rhythm and lovely melody make it perfect for the energetic opening salvo of chopping all the peppers for your veggie scramble.

(3) “Constant Craving” by k.d. lang — A controversial choice? Possibly, since k.d. lang’s biggest hit has a dark, minor-chord sound. Could it be too somber for brunch? Should it be the song that you play before a Six Feet Under marathon instead of a plate of eggs florentine?

Maybe, but I think lang’s smooth, gorgeous vocal makes this song the aural equivalent of candlelight. It’s sleepiness always gets me in the mood for settling back and staring quizzically at the crossword.

(4 ) “To Zion” by Lauryn Hill — Oh, Lauryn Hill! Will you release another album?

Please?

Becasue The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is one of the best albums of all time. There. I said it.

And “To Zion” is one of its best tracks. It’s a tearjerking tale about L-Boogie’s decision to have a child, despite the supposed risk to her career, and it ends with the kind of gospel chorus shout-along that I wish I could use as the soundtrack to my daily routine. How awesome would it be to go to CVS for mouthwash if you had people following you around singing, “Marching, marching, marching, marching… for mouthwash marching, marching, marching!”

(5) “Only This Moment” — Royksopp

Okay, I wasn’t entirely correct when I said dance music has no place at brunch. Songs like this one, from Norwegian duo Royksopp, are dreamy and swooshy enough to get you in the mood for cleaning dishes. The Undertanding, the album featuring the single, is a great brunch soundtrack from start to finish, but this song is a particular favorite of mine. The interplay of the male and female vocalists make it a fun sing-along.

Your turn! Which songs make you brunch crazy? Egg happy? Ready to go back to bed for a mid-afternoon nap?