Lyrics Quiz: Best Songs of 2001

Since 1996 I have been making best songs of the year lists and on the tenth anniversary I like to look back on those with a lyrics quiz. Keep in mind that this list was made back in 2001 and may not reflect I how I view them today. If you want to know my current songs from that year, I suggest you keep an eye out in a week or so. As always leave your guesses, both artist and song title, in the comment section or e-mail me. If you are correct I will un-bold the lyric. Please keep in mind the lyrics quiz is for entertainment purposes only so please only use your own meandering mind to guess them.

1. When I touch your hand, it’s then I understand the beauty that’s within. It’s now that we begin.
2. She checks out Mozart while she does Tai-Bo. Reminds me that there’s room to grow. (Drops of Jupiter - Train; guessed by Anonymous)
3. Well I woke up in too many beds with girls I didn’t know. I’ve seen lots of brothers at top, and I’ve watched them come and go.
4. You know I'm seeing it so clear. I've been afraid to tell you how I really feel, admit to some of those bad mistakes I've made.
5. It’s getting so lonely inside this bed. Don’t know if I should lick my wounds or say woe is me instead.
6. I shake my jelly at every chance, when I whip with my hips you slip into a trance. (Bootylicious - Destiny's Child; guessed by Anonymous)
7. I remember Christmas in the blistering cold in a church on the upper west side. Babe, I stood their singing, I was holding your arm, you were holding my trust like a child. (New York, New York - Ryan Adams; guessed by Anonymous)
8. I’m not gonna hate on you in a magazine, I/m better than that. I’m not gonna compromise my Christianity.
9. I can’t love my business if I can’t get a trick down on Sana Monica where tricks are for kids.
10. It seems to have a vague, haunting mass appeal. But lately I’m beginning to find that I should be the one behind the wheel. (Drive - incubus; guessed by AJ)
11. Pick me up, oh, from the bottom, up to the top, love. (Everyday - Dave Matthews Band; guessed by Anonymous)
12. Hey, don’t write yourself out yet, it’s only in your head you feel left out, or looked down on. Just try your best, try everything you can and don’t worry what they tell themselves when you’re away. (The Middle - Jimmy Eat World; guessed by Anonymous)
13. Oh no, I see, a spider web is tangled up with me. And I lost my head, the thought of all the stupid things I'd said. (Trouble - Coldplay; guessed by Anonymous)
14. See you at my job, you carrying yourself so well. I made myself a promise not to get emotional.
15. Sometimes I love you, sometime you make me feel blue. Sometime I feel good, sometimes I feel used. (Fallin' - Alicia Keys; guessed by Anonymous)
16. My tea’s gone cold and wonder why I got out of bed at all. The morning rain clouds out my window and I can’t see at all. (Thank You - Dido; guessed by Anonymous)
17. I’m finding my way back to sanity again. Though I don’t really know what I'm going to do when I get there.
18. I got this (expletive deleted) that after twelve million sold, mommy’s a narcoleptic always sleeping on (name). Gotta tie back of her head like Duece Bigalow.
19. I got half of mind to scream out loud. I got half a mind to die. So I won’t ever have to lose you good. Won’t ever have to say goodbye. I won’t ever have to lie.
20. Would you tremble if I touched your lips, would you laugh, please tell me this.
21. Your faith in me brings me to tears even after all these years. And it pains me so much to tell that you don’t know me that well.
22. She wants a car with a cup holder arm rest. She wants a car that will get her there. She’s changing her name from Kitty to Karen. (Short Skirt/Long Jacket - Cake; guessed by AJ)
23. You share the same last name. As a joke I sent a bottle of whiskey, as you choked, I knew it made you feel dirty.
24. I'm not trying to pressure you. Just can’t stop thinking ‘bout you You ain’t even really gotta be my girlfriend. I just wanna know your name and maybe some time we can hook up, hang out, just chill.
25. Two blondes, both arms feeling like Fonzie. You can find me drunk, whipping it might crash. Or find me chilling with crackers who like thrash.

Around the Tubes - 1/14/11

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on The Ricky Gervais Show, Skins, Being Human, Drugged, Law and Order, Big Love, Funny or Die Presents, and Heavy.

- The Ricky Gervais Show returns for its second season tonight at 9:00 on HBO, but why wait until then to watch it when you can watch the entire season premiere below. For those that wish to download the episode for later viewing, you can also download it free on iTunes. And do not forget my review of the first season of The Ricky Gervais Show.



- MTV has certainly not skimmed on the marketing for its new scripted series Skins, even premiering it after a special airing of Jersey Shore. The show finally hits this side of the pond Monday at 10:00 and here is a promo which kind of looks like a serialize version of The Prodigy’s Smack My (Expletive Deleted) Up video. Martin Luther King Jr. would be proud.

- Wonder what Being Human is (besides a show premiering on Syfy Monday at 9:00), well here is a primer video:

What Is Being Human?


- On the heels of last year’s Drug Inc., National Geography featuring a three episode follow up, Drugged, over two days starting Sunday with High on Marijuana at 8:00. That is followed by High on Cocaine and on Monday at 9:00 there is High on Ecstasy. All three episodes will look at what each effects each drug has on the human brain and body.

- Law and Order fans will want to head over to its Facebook page where you can enter to win the First Year DVD Collection autographed by Dick Wolf, Law & Order SVU Zip Hoodie, Law & Order Mug, and a Law & Order Sound Gavel. I wonder if the sound gavel makes the “chung chung” sound when you pound it.

- Big Love returns for its final season this Sunday at 9:00 on HBO (for those that need to catch up like me, season four was just released on DVD) and here is a promo of the upcoming season:



- In other HBO news, Funny or Die Presents also returns this weekend at midnight tonight. Here is a preview of something you may see:



- Even more television premiere news (c’mon, it is freezing outside, it’s not like we have anything better to do) A&E is launching its new original series Heavy Monday at 10:00 where twenty-two individuals participate in a six-month weight loss program. Each episode will focus on two new subject.

- What would football be without a little alcohol? And if plain old beer isn’t enough for you during the Patriots-Jets rubber match, here are some drink suggestions from Dobel tequila.

TEAM JETS

DOBEL Diablo
Sizzle like Sanchez with this fiery, Spanish-themed drink.
1 1/2 oz DOBEL tequila
1/2 oz Creme de Cassis
1 lime wedge
Ginger beer

Method: Combine Maestro DOBEL tequila, orange curacao and vermouth with ice, shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

TEAM PATRIOTS

DOBEL Neat
Don’t want to mess up your hair? Try this – inspired by Pretty Boy Brady! This cocktail blends elegance, with a touch of arrogance – just like Brady.

2 oz DOBEL Tequila

Method: Combine DOBEL Tequila and ice, shake and strain into a chilled snifter,

Introducing Clicker

You know Universal Remotes are useful in that they eliminate having to go from remote to remote to turn on all the components of your home theater system. But do you know what they are missing: a bottle opener. If you have ever thought that or have sat down with a beer only to realize you forgot to take off the cap, well I have a product for you: Clicker a Universal Remote that can operate up to nine devises and, yes, even has a bottle opener attached to it. And with the Super Bowl in three weeks away, this makes for a great, and very practical, conversation piece, or a great gift for someone nice enough to invite you to their Super Bowl party (because going to a party without bringing something would be rude).

The Clicker is no novelty item; it is a fully functional Universal Remote, check out the picture above for the layout. You can program up to eight devises at a time including your TV, DVD player, Cable box, DVR, Satellite, CD, AMP, VCR and it also supports twin view and Picture-in-Picture functions. Programming is similar to other Universal Remotes in that you have to punch in codes that correspond to you devise, I would recommend checking out the online manual to see if your devises are compatible. For those not on the list there is a “Learning function” where you hold up the Universal Remote with the devise’s factory remote. The Clicker will take two AAA batteries to use.

I have owned a couple of high end universal remotes that turned into very expensive paperweights, but maybe the greatest draw to the Clicker is its price, only $25. Seriously, there is no reason to spend over a hundred dollars for a one of those fancy touch screen remotes (who’s advantage is the ability to let the internet program the remote for you), when the Clicker is almost as good for a tenth the price. And of course, you can also open your beer while watching the game with the Clicker. Head over to myclicker.com to learn more and to buy one, of which there is plenty of time to get shipped in time for Super Bowl Sunday, and as I write this, shipping is free.

Full Disclosure Notice: The Clicker Universal Remote was given to me for to purpose of reviewing the product.

Feed Your iPod vol. LIII: Sad Songs and Waltzes

Cake released their new album this week after a six year hiatus, Showroom of Compassion and it is pretty much what you would expect a Cake album with monotone singing and quirky lyrics. One thing that is missing from their album, and their last couple, is an off the wall covers which they have done in the past ranging from Gloria Gaynor to Black Sabbath. My favorite of their covers is of Willy Nelson’s obscure gem Sad Songs and Waltzes but adding a horn to the track, but keeping the melancholy. Sad songs and waltzes may still not be selling for the fourth straight decade, but the song is still worth a lesson and maybe the Teens (is that what we should call this decade despite the first three years are technically teen years?) will finally be the decade of sad songs and waltzes.


Cake – Sad Songs and Waltzes




Sad Songs and Waltzes – Willie Nelson

Previewing Lights Out

If you didn’t go into Lights Out knowing that it was about a boxer, you may mistake the opening scene for yet another medical show with a lifeless, bloodied remains of a man laying in a solitary room. But the beaten body is that of Holt McCallany (Three Kings) as Patrick Leary, you can call him Lights, after his last fight as a boxer who is only accompanied by his wife, Catherine McCormack (Braveheart) who waives off the doctor to sew up his cut herself.

The show quickly jumps five year and Lights living almost every ex-boxer cliché, he squandered it all away by lavishly living, gifts to his family: wifey gets a medical degree, pops gets a gym, sister gets a diner, and his brother gets an MBA to manage his finances which he poorly invests away, leaving Lights to appear at bingo parlors and cheesy local advertisements; but he hasn’t quite hit rock bottom just yet because he has yet resorted to the one place careers go to die: Dancing with the Stars.

With his wife in school, Lights has because Mr. Mom to his three daughters, Meredith Hagner (Royal Pains) is the materialistic oldest, Ryann Shane (Amelia) is the middle studious one (which reminded me of Modern Family in the first episode), with Lily Pilblad (Fringe) as the runt of the family who is too young to remember daddy as a fighter and wonders why he is getting punched by other dudes whenever old fight footage comes on television. Lights also has an obligation to his father / trainer Stacy Keach (Titus) who seems to care more about his failing gym than his own failing health. And he does not seem to get any help from his brother Pablo Schreiber (Vicky Christina Barcelona) who has put him in his financial troubles.

It is a good thing for Light Out that the boxer stays out of the ring because it is very hard for sports stories to work (there were only four sports movies released in 2010) when you can flip on ESPN at any given time and see something more amazing than anything a writer can dream up. Friday Night Lights didn’t hit its stride until it focused most of its storylines off the field. When Light Out does focus on the sport is some of its weakest spots like a training montage in episode three that you cannot help but think of Rocky or Lights encounter with a Mixed Martial Arts fighter which may be the most unbelievable part of the show, which says a lot considering the lead character is a Caucasian American former Heavyweight champion (something that hasn’t happened in my lifetime).

Light Out is reminiscent to Men of a Certain Age in that it is depressing to watch. But where there is a glimmer of hope for Ray Romano and his buddies, it seems like things get progressively worse for Lights with every passing episode trying to dig himself out of his hole, only to find himself deeper in it as he has runs in with Bill Irwin (Rachel Getting Married), a shady businessman, Billy Brown (Race to Witch Mountain) as the man who took his title five years ago, and Brown’s fight promoter Reg E. Cathey (American Psycho) who would like to see that rematch finally take place.

Lights Out airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on FX. You will be able to stream episodes on Hulu after they air.

The 25 Best Movies of 2010

Due to my dislike of movie theaters, it should be noted my best movies list is compiled of movies released on DVD in 2010.

1. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

2. Zombieland

3. Inception

4. (500) Days of Summer

5. Kick-(Expletive Deleted)

6. Shutter Island

7. Toy Story 3

8. Hot Tub Time Machine

9. Easy A

10. Up in the Air

11. 2012

12. She's Out of My League

13. The Hurt Locker

14. Moon

15. Predators

16. The Crazies

17. The Losers

18. Iron Man 2

19. Sherlock Holmes

20. Get Him to the Greek

21. The Jones

22. Couples Retreat

23. Frozen

24. Grown Ups

25. The Men that Stare at Goats