There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube (but no (Expletive Deleted) in a Box; when it first aired on SNL it was funny, when you’re the 1000th blog to feature it, not so much). I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
Okay, I’m a big history guy so whenever you get a video like this I’m watching it over and over again. It hard to quibble with the selections (okay, maybe a little: no Springsteen, Prince, or Beastie Boys). This video just missed the cut off for The Best Videos of 2006 list but it’s already the video to beat for 2007’s list. Now this is where I link the video in iTunes but there is only one problem, you can’t buy the song. Yeah you can get it if you buy the U218 Singles greatest hit package, but the problem is, I already own all the other songs on the album. And record companies wonder why people still resort to staling songs.
Surely everyone has seen what boils down to as a commercial for the cheesy nighttime General Hospital show, but this version is a much better fit for the song (rumor has it the lead singer of The Fray wrote this song after having a talk with a depressed kid who then went home committed suicide one day) and so transplanting hacks with actually people is a vast upgrade.
This video seemed to escape me when it was originally released a couple months ago even though Eisley is one of my favorite bands in recent years with their album Room Noises, which happens to be the first album I ever reviewed on this site (see: You Humor Me Today) and landed at number four on my Best Albums of 2005 list. Some cool effect throughout the video. The band is currently working on a follow up that should be out this year so look out for that and surely it will be reviewed here whenever it is released.
Just a quick story, when I listen to iTunes I usually have it on shuffle which occasionally pops up some great songs that I haven’t heard in a while. Yesterday it shuffled on Santana featuring Musiq with Nothing at All and I forgot how much I loved the song. In fact if I were to ever try out for some lame karaoke show, this would be my audition song. Well either that or When Doves Cry because you haven’t lived until you have heard my drunken rendition of When Doves Cry.
One last thing I forgot to mention during my TV post was that Showtime send me some promo stuff for The L Word which fourth season starts tonight. Unfortunately they didn't let me check out the first episode like they did for Dexter but they did point me in the way of this not all that safe for work video: The Most Awesome Make-Out Montage and it definately lives up to its title. And if you order Showtime now and you can get an exclusive designer top from The L Word collection (retail value $179). Keep in mind this is more of an offer for chicks, but check out that offer here.
Since 1996, long before I had a blog, I have made of my favorite songs from that year once it concluded. Sometimes songs near the top of those list haven’t stood the test of time while some songs near the bottom have over the years have become some of my favorites. This year I took a list of 162 songs that caught my ear the past twelve months and came back with my top 100 using a complex racking system that makes the BCS look like Middle School algebra. So here are the songs that you should have been listening to this past year:
Even though many don’t ever release Christmas albums, most artists have a holiday song for radio stations to play in December. For years there wasn’t a way to have those songs in your collection unless you sit in tape them off the radio, yes kiddies, this was how we got our music in a time before the internet and CD burners. But in 1987, a compilation of holiday music came out with the biggest names in music titled A Very Special Christmas which is naturally December’s induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame. As an added bonus proceeds from the album were donated to the Special Olympics.
The album was a mixture of rock legends like Bob Seger, with Little Drummer Boy and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s rendition of Merry Christmas Baby, granted his version of Santa Clause Is Coming to Town is more associated with him, but the Pointer Sisters version of that song is what appears on the album. The eighties upstarts represented weren’t too shabby either including Madonna appropriately doing Santa Baby and Whitney Houston’s rendition of Do You Hear What I Hear? And long before the genre became mainstream, Run-DMC’s Christmas in Hollis made the tracklist. But the highlight of the album is my personal favorite Christmas song of all time Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by U2.
Five years later, a second volume was released including contributions from Boyz II Men (The Birth of Christ), Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Christmas All Over Again), and Debbie Gibson (Sleigh Ride). Then in 1997 the third album featured Dave Mathews Band (Christmas Song), Blues Traveler (Christmas), and another personal favorite Hootie and the Blowfish’s rendition of The Christmas Song. 2001 saw the release of the fifth installment and the series also includes Jazz, World Music, Live and Acoustic albums. Today with advent of iTunes you can mix and match your favorites but it would be hard find a better array of Christmas music than that found on the original A Very Special Christmas. Now only had it included The Twelve Pains of Christmas it would have been perfect.
Every once in a while I like to compile a list of songs that I’m currently listening to onto a CD to make drive time a little more bearable so I can avoid hearing that chain hang low song one more time on the radio. So here are some suggestions of songs that you should be listening to these days. This CD comes in at 76:09.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
There’s a good chance you have already seen this video considering it’s already logged over a million views on YouTube in under a week but it’s worth another look. The most powerful image is that of the fighter jets flying over the Superdome. Chilling. The song was supposed to be available in iTunes in starting November, but I have yet to see it. The song of course will be part of the upcoming single disk Greatest Hits. Granted I can’t endorse any U2 retrospective that doesn’t include All I Want Is You.
Much like the album Sam's Town (see Nobody Ever Had a Dream Round Here), the video for the latest Killers video is a little bit of a letdown. Yeah the video is great, but I was expecting something more along the lines of Tim Burton’s to stop motion movies. Instead we get a mix with live action that looks more Army of Darkness than Nightmare before Christmas. Leave it to The Killers to make something great and be disappointing at the same time.
Okay the song isn’t as close as catchy as 1984, but the latest video from Bowling for Soup is equally, if not more entertaining as its predecessor. My personal favorite of the montages has to be the wedgies one. Brings back fond memories for me (but I hope that the revenge doesn’t happen to me at my High School reunion).
I’m still warming up to the latest album by Pete Yorn (see Walk Me Out in the Morning Sun) and this video is helping the cause out. Granted I’m not entirely sure exactly what’s going on, but there’s a good laugh when Pete’s making googlily eyes at the cartoon bird in its dream. Brilliant.
In a story I broke here, I went to a wedding this weekend. That really isn’t of note because it basically like every wedding I’ve ever been too. Well except that I got a little slack for not giving a wedding gift. Am I wrong to think that you should only have to buy someone only one wedding present in their lifetime no matter how many times they remarry? But anyways. Last summer Wedding Crashers did a very good job mocking weddings, although the crashers would have been wise to skip this wedding as all the bridesmaids were married and the only available chicks there were more like to be flower girls than bridesmaids.
As great as Wedding Crashers was as poking fun at the event, it did miss a couple key wedding events first and foremost how every wedding DJ plays the exact same playlist which hasn’t been updated in a decade or so. I think the only song they played that has been released since I hit puberty was some hillbilly song about riding horses and/or cowboys that successfully dropped my IQ a couple points by listening to it. I only know it was a fairly new song because my sister, my hillbilly music expert, informed me of this. But back on topic, it’s like wedding DJ’s haven’t picked up any new music since the advent of the CD. Granted I had to chuckle when he put on Shout (Parts 1& 2) because of the scene in Wedding Crashers. Too bad there were not any unattached chicks there that wouldn’t have been carded at the bar to reenact that scene. Oh well.
But the real genesis of this post is another aspect of a wedding that the movie sadly didn’t address was the first dance song. Now I wrote a dissertation back in college stating that “Your Song” has a direct correlation to divorce. If “Your Song” is I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith, don’t expect to be getting to the bronze anniversary. Also if you are a dude and you get stuck with “Your Song” that was written by Diane Warren, it’s time for your man card to be revoked. It doesn’t bode well for this bride that for the second time had a hillbilly song as “Their Song.” It may have actually been the same song, but I can’t be for certain as all hillbilly songs start to sound alike after a while.
Unfortunately you cannot just declare “Your Song” because it has to happen organically and must be mutually agreed upon without actually being discussed. This usually happens at a romantic interlude, in high school this is typically during your first kiss during a slow dance at Homecoming. Although if you are high school sweethearts you do run the risk of having some pretty cheesy songs being played and no one want I Swear by All 4 One following them ten years later. Them there are the people that miss interoperate song. I don’t know how many weddings I been to in the past decade that have had Crash into Me by the Dave Matthews Band as the first dance not knowing that the song is in the point of view of a stalker. Okay, if you meet your future husband lurking outside your window, the song may fit, but everyone else you may want to find something else.
Since I’m long past the awkward high school dance phase, it is a little easier to set up an organic moment for “Your Song.” And here are some of the songs on the top of my list to use during those situations (in no particular order):
Your Song (Elton John) - Yeah it’s the archetypical “Your Song,” but it’s old enough that not many people will be using it as they all go for Your Body Is a Wonderland if they’ve outgrown Crash into Me.
Have a Little Faith in Me (John Hiatt) - Quite possible the most romantic song ever written, and currently on the top of my list potential “Your Songs.” If Hiatt’s a little too obscure for you, you can also check out versions by Joe Cocker, Jewel, or Mandy Moore.
Every Time I Close My Eyes (Babyface) - Another oldie but goodie, this time from my formative years, back when R&B was good babymaking music. Granted back then there wasn’t many chances fore babymaking back then, but isn’t that what the wedding night for? Then throw in some Mariah Carey and Kenny G for the ladies and it’s like the Jerry Mcguire of music (both dudes and chicks can enjoy).
I Believe (When I Fall in Love it Will Be Forever) (Stevie Wonder) - If Have a Little Faith in Me is the most romantic song ever written, this runs a close second. And High Fidelity has no barring on this song being on this list (okay, maybe a little).
Sometimes You Can’t Make it on Your Own (U2) - Maybe not the most romantic song on the list being that the song is about Bono’s dad, but no one is better at songs about relationships and the song’s theme is a great way to start any relationship especially the marriage kind.
‘Til Kingdom Come (Coldplay) - Kind of obscure as it was stuck in the back of their last album as a not so hidden track. The one drawback is that it doesn’t have a very danceable quality so it hinders its first dance appeal. But say if you are musically inclined and can rework the song and slow it down for that very purpose, it would definitely score extra points for you.
This is in no way a definitive list, just some songs that have popped into my head, so feel free to add your own in the comment section or tell me of a song that has worked for you.
The first and certainly not last induction for U2 into the Scooter Hall of Fame is the album that really turned me into a fan, Achtung Baby. I was fairly young when The Joshua Tree came out so my attention span for music was pretty small and that album was pretty much out of my mind as we went into the nineties. I wasn’t really sold on Achtung Baby when I first listened to the debut single, The Fly. But by the time they released Mysterious Ways, I got they what they were doing.
The album starts off with the crushing guitars of Zoo Station letting you know early on this wasn’t going to be The Joshua Tree II. Bono even lets you know on the song, “I’m ready for what’s next,” and so was everyone listening. But it was the next track that emphasized the album, Even Better than the Real Thing. It’s funny how Nirvana is credited for destroying the self-indulgent rock of the eighties right around the time when one of the few introspective band from the era started to embrace the over the top persona of the rock star.
But even as the sound took a dramatic turn, the major themes of previous albums were there. U2 always writes the best relationship songs that transcend those of lovers to family and friend, and arguably their best is on Achtung Baby, One. Right up there with Every Breath You Take as the most misinterpreted songs of all time, One is more about a failing relationship than a loving one, “Did I disappoint you? Leave a bad taste in your mouth?” That sentiment is also portrayed in Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses and So Cruel, two more songs that really hit close to home.
As I mentioned earlier, it took me a while to fully appreciate The Fly, in fact it wasn’t until I heard the song live, and hearing The Edge start the song off with the chorus, “Love, we shine like a burning star. We’re fallin’ from the sky, tonight” that I finally got the essence of the song and has become one of my favorite of theirs. But my favorite song on the album is reserved for Until the End of World. I was just beginning my era as a moody teenager when this album came out, listening to a lot of the uber-depressing grunge that was big at the time and the song essentially was making fun of me and my flannel wearing posse, Everybody was having a good time except you, you were acting like it was the end of the world.” Now I know better than to focus on the doom and gloom so now when I eat the food and drink the wine, I no longer talk about the end of the world.
Many point to The Joshua Tree as their best work, and maybe so, but this was the album that told the world it’s time to start talk about the band in the discussion of best of all time. It showed that the band didn’t have to make the same record over and over again and could still make great music trying different things. The album even included the first U2 song you can dance to, Mysterious Ways. But it’s only a matter of time until another U2 album makes it into the SHoF.
Aside from the Grammy’s, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is the most reliable awards show out there today, sorry VMA’s, it’s time to get Chris Rock back on the phone. This is obviously based on performances by the best of the best that get inducted each year and is very watchable no matter how much VH1 edits the show, chopping out performances and speeches.
Although in recent years I’ve worried about the show when the 80’s bands start becoming eligible, and with it’s twenty-five year eligibly rule, that came last year. But with last year being headlined by U2, this year was the true litmus test on how the Hall would treat the lean years. And without any marquee names releasing their first album in 1981 it looks like they went back and inducted some of the second and third tier acts that got lost in the shuffle the last decade or so. And you know it’s a bad year for the Hall when Bono or Bruce Springsteen don’t show up to induct anyone. Here are some more thoughts on this year’s festivities and inductees.
- The show starts off with a Wilson Pickett tribute led by Solomon Burke, granted not as good as the one at the Grammy’s. I hope this becomes a tradition where they do a medley of songs by any inductee that died that year. That would be more entertaining and better send off than the tradition Grammy’s “Those Have Passed” montage.
- Blondie is the first inducted with Shirley Manson of Garbage doing the duty. Unfortunately VH1 didn’t subtitle her like with Sherman Hemsley because I couldn’t understand a word she said except when she said in their career, Blondie did it with no ridiculous demand. Um, how about Debbie Harry refusing some of the original members from playing. That was extremely shady. Speaking of which, after seeing her perform it was easy to see Harry and her music really hasn’t stood the test of time.
- This year’s “Really? They Weren’t in Already” Award goes to Miles Davis. He should have easily been a first ballot inductee. If you don’t have Bitches Brew, then you just don’t like music. The best part of his induction was when Herbie Hancock told a story about, when backing with Miles, played the wrong not and Miles stopped for a second, then started playing again, turning Herbie’s wrong note into a right one.
- Lars and James of Metallica are next up to induct Black Sabbath including the clichéd “We would be here if it weren’t for…” And for some reason Sabbath themselves didn’t play even though they were all there instead Metallica went threw a couple of their songs including Iron Man. Is it wrong that I thought The Cardigans did a better version?
- Sting then came up to induct Herb Albert and Jerry Moss. Um, okay, next.
- Instead of a proper induction, Jann Wenner instead read the letter John Lydon of the Sex Pistols wrote on his thoughts of the Hall. Funny stuff, but they should have still should have given them an actual induction.
- Last in this year was Lynyrd Skynyrd, inducted by Kid Rock, thankfully sans Scott Stapp. The Hall really missed a golden opportunity by not have Neil Young, a multiple inductee and has inducted his fair share of artists, do the honors. With the induction of Lynyrd Skynyrd, it begs the question; can anyone above the Mason-Dixon Line name three of their songs? I have their Greatest Hits album, been two of their shows, and I can’t. Speaking of their live shows, either VH1 cut it down, or that was the shortest version of Free Bird ever at just over ten minutes. Usually that song clocks in at forty minutes in concert.
- Lastly, in lieu of the usual all star jam, at the end, there was the prerequisite New Orleans tribute that no award show could go without this time headed by Elvis Costello and Alan Toussaint. I like how Elvis saying he would not make an ant-war speech, actually made one. A nice Mardi Gras touch was added when the weird dude started throwing stuff into the audience. And the child of the 80’s cynic would ask why did they cover the song from Rain Man, but much like Costello, I won’t go there.
Just a quick programming note about the 9th Green, my usual Thursday Toss Up between Lost and Veronica Mars will be postponed due to my local UPN station showing the Cavs vs. the Bobcats game. Seriously, the Bobcats, it’s not like they are playing the Pistons or Kobe. But anyways. I’ll have my Toss Up as soon as I see the new Veronica Mars which will be no later than Sunday.
There is nothing more disturbing than seeing that American Karaoke actually had more viewers. Seriously, people would rather watch amateurs who, if they had any talent at all wouldn’t need a reality show to get a record contract, than see U2 perform? Even the former best karaoker in the land, Kelly Clarkson, performed the first hour. Yeah, America has gone to hell in a hand basket in the past decade, but this has to be one of the saddest indicators yet. But anyways. Here’s my review of the best awards show in recent years, the Grammy's:
- The show starts up with the much hyped duet between Gorillaz and Madonna. Apparently duets these days mean the band plays a song, Madonna shows up at the end, and then quickly goes into her own song sans the cartoons. What a rip off. Plus I really didn’t care to see a 3-D version of the Gorillaz. And weren’t they missing a member? Isn't there an Asian chick in the band? And as much as I railed on the tools that watched American Karaoke, I can understand why anyone would switch the channel after see Madonna in a leotard. Luckily I taped it so I could fast forward.
- Alicia Keys, who won my hottest chick of the night award, came out with Stevie Wonder to give a way too long introduction, but they started to sing Stevie’s song was cool.
- Nicole Kidman was shown in the crowd next to Keith Urban. Interesting post-break up Nicole ends up dating another midget and Tom dates another giant.
- What was with Chris Martin from Coldplay throwing up the Spock hands during Talk?
- The Grammy’s love to do weird back to back performances and tonights was John Legend leading into Sugarland. Legend did a nice jazzier version of Ordinary People with a full band unlike the record where it’s just him and the piano. I was about to fast forward past Sugarland until I heard someone back stage talking through the speakers. Possibly the funniest part of the night. I wonder how fast that guy got fired.
- Seriously, people would rather watch American Karaoke than U2? Someone really needs to explain this to me. Way too much smoke during Vertigo though. It was funny when Mary J. Blige tried to hold Bono’s hand while he was trying to play guitar. The ending with “Coexist” on the screen was great with the Crescent Moon replacing the “C,” Star of David replacing the “X,” and the cross replacing the “T.”
- Worst dressed of the night had to go to Kanye West with the white gloves, shirt open to the navel and the Kool Moe Dee glasses.
- Wait, maybe that should go to Ben Rothertdjmtykjytberger with his jacket of Bettis’ Notre Dame jersey and a hat backwards. Why did they even let him the building looking like that?
- Was that the little girl from the video playing piano during Kelly Clarkson’s performance? It was great after the song and the camera scanned the crowd and she receive a one person standing ovation from the dude from Maroon 5.
- For years, presenters have pulled the “this next performer needs no introduction,” then proceeds to introduce them anyways. Finally Ellen actually says the line and brilliantly walks off stage. And of course Paul McCartney needs no introduction. Plus he even dusts off Helter Skelter during his performance.
- Wow, this must have been the most clothes I’ve seen on Mariah Carey since the pre-Honey days. But what was with the dude talking from the audience?
- They brought out some dude named Michael Bublé who promptly mispronounces “Extraordinary.” Way to waste you only time on primetime TV Michael.
- Kelly Clarkson beats Paul McCartney for best pop album. Using the good old Transitive Property from high school, does this mean Kelly Clarkson is bigger than Jesus?
- More country music up next. Where in the past while watching live, this made for a good bathroom break, but thanks to taping it, I could just fast forward.
- Okay, the next segment was a little hazy, and not sure if this really happened, it was so surreal, but here is the best recollection of what I think I saw. And even though I watched this a couple times to make sure, I can not validate that any of this actually First Dave Chappelle comes out to introduce a tribute possible the only person that makes him look sane these days, Sly and the Family Stone. It’s starts off harmless enough with John Legend, Joss Stone and some dude named Van Hunt who were backed by members of the Family Stone (no Rachel McAdams though), Niles Rodgers of Chic and… Randy Jackson? Then came a duet between Fantasia (how did she win a singing contest) and Devin Lima who I swear was the dude in LFO that didn’t nail Jennifer Love Hewitt (remember Summergirls? Oh never mind). This is the point where I think I was getting a contact high from the TV because Sly’s stash is that potent. Next up was Ciara singing with Maroon 5. Um, okay. Then out comes Will.I.Am doing a rap followed the introduction of Steven Tyler and Joe Perry who really don’t do anything. Then out of nowhere Tyler says, “Sly, let’s show them how we do it back in the day.” Then inexplicatively Sly himself, who is making only his second public appearance in my lifetime, come out with a five foot blonde Mohawk. Please read that last second one more time. Sly then plays a couple notes on his keyboard sings “dance to the music” about five times and just leave before the song ends. I doubt there is a better anti-drug campaign better than this segment.
- Next up is yet another Jay-Z/Linkin Park mash-up. This was really cool at first but now it’s just getting tired. Well that was until Paul McCartney came out to sing Yesterday. And if there was anything that came close to Sly’s oddness it would be Jay-Z telling Sir Paul to “Take ‘em up top.” I think I may still have been high. Oh and Jay-Z just happened to be wear a John Lennon shirt. Too bad Jay-Z didn't come out during Helter Skelter and did a couple bars of 99 Problems like from the mashed-up The Grey Album. Yesterday not the best song here.
- He may have been the worst dressed, but Kanye wins performance of the year with his college battle between KW State and JFU at the Grammy Halftime Show. This should have been the Superbowl halftime show because it was much more entertaining. But I really hope this is the last time we see Jamie Foxx milks Ray Charles memory. Sadly I doubt that will ever happen. It was nice to see the resurrection of Broke Phi Broke too. And how to cap such a great performance, apparently the Gammy’s though a gratuitous shot of James Taylor would do it. Yeah.
- Green Day wins Record of the Year. Yawn. They were so last year.
- How did Christina Aguilera go from the hottest chick on the planet to the trashiest to now looking like drag queen? This is a crime against humanity.
- Even Kanye couldn’t get too made at U2 winning Album of the Year for the second time, the other being The Joshua Tree. Which begs the question, what did Achtung Baby lose to? (Update:Achtung Baby lost to Eric Clapton's Unplugged in 1993. Also up for the award that year - the Beauty and the Beast Soundtrack. I wish I made that last part up. Annie Lennox's Diva and KD Lang's Ingénue rounded out the catergory.)
- For some reason they saved the obligatory old white dude speech for the end. But at least he didn’t whine about music downloads like Michael Green always did.
- I know people won’t like this comment, but I think everyone stopped reading along time ago especially after the Jesus mention, but I’ll say it anyways, Hurricane Katrina was the best thing to happen to Dr. John. Without it he’d be currently hanging around obscurity but with everyone’s guilt, they feel obligated to drag him out to every major event since then.
- The show ends with a great Wilson Pickett tribute, even if Sam Cooke messed up the second verse.
Every once in a while I like to compile a list of songs that I’m currently listening to onto a CD to listen to in the car. So here’s some suggestion that you should be listening to. The CD comes in at 78:15.