2008 in Review

I love DJ Earworm's mash-ups, and he just did one of the top 25 songs of 2008, according to Billboard.

Idol Thoughts

No Idol Thoughts from last week...it was a busy one (more on that to come).

I thought everyone did pretty well (to varying degrees, of course) on Wednesday night. The worst for me were Syesha and David Cook (I just thought that was a very strange performance). The best was Jason, and I'm saying that totally objectively. I wasn't (as) blinded by lust (as usual) because I wasn't crazy about the outfit. I probably wouldn't have liked Kristy, but I don't know because I used that time to put my dishes away.

I watched about 20-30 minutes' worth of last night's extravaganza. I'm pretty cynical about Idol Gives Back, but it does raise millions of dollars, so maybe I shouldn't be. Although it's sort of hard not to be cynical when ExxonMobil is written at the bottom of my screen and they make millions of dollars every second. Some quick thoughts:

I hate "Please Don't Stop the Music" but I really loved, to a strange degree, Jason's part of the song. I also love watching people who know how to dance well. I'm pretty much the whitest white that ever whited, so my dancing ability is restricted to swaying from side to side completely out of time with the music. It's ok though, because one of the things white people like is standing still at concerts.

Bleep Bloop (although I have Tifaux, so mine just goes "ding.")

I felt sort of embarrassed for Terri Hatcher when she sang "Before He Cheats," but I forgot about that embarrassment when I saw the violinist from Band from TV. Wait, I just looked them up and Terri is in the band. I wasn't ever aware that this existed, although their name makes much more sense now. Apparently the infinitely sexy violinist is Jesse Spencer, who looks a lot less hot on my monitor than he looked on TV last night.

Ding

Why is the "acquitted" rapist Kobe Bryant telling me to give money? Why does he have a white person's flesh-colored band-aid on his face? Now that I think about it, do they even make darker-colored band-aids for African Americans? Who knew that Curad was racist? Who knew that before his rape trial, Kobe had an endorsement deal with Nutella? Who knew that this paragraph would go so far off-topic?

Ding

Heart!!!!! Ann Wilson sounds as great as ever! Ahhhh!! Fergie. Actually, she didn't sound too bad. What is going on tonight? First I'm obtaining enjoyment from a Rihanna song that isn't "Umbrella" and now I'm digging Fergie. Has my brain officially been broken?

Ding

"525,600 Minutes!" I love this song, but the performance isn't so great. Kristy's mike is turned up too loud. Not as good as the version on my original Broadway soundtrack.

Ding

Robin Williams as the Russian Idol is uncomfortable, unfunny, and goes on way too long.

Ding

I was promised by pictures from the taping that there would be white outfits, yet there is one minute to go and Mariah Carey is "singing." Oh, here it is. "Shout to the Lord." I'm a little put off by this. What if they're not Christians? I know Jason, Brooke, and Archie are, and I assume Kristy is, but the others? Did they have a say if they're not? What if they're Buddhists? Some people were pissed that they performed a song from "Rent" and then followed it up with this. It sounds good though, so I'll ignore the lyrics and look at Jason, and in honor of the full-body shot of Jason I'll think of some appropriate lyrics from Salt N Pepa: "Oooh, how you doin' baby? No, not you. You. The bow-legged one. Yeah. What's your name? Jason...that sounds sexy."

Girls, what's my weakness?

Top 20 American Idol Performances

Because I go through withdraw on the weekends...
In season order

Season 1:

Cheesy Group Sing: California Dreamin'


Season 2:

Cheesy Group Sing: For the Longest Time


Season 3:

Semi-finals: Lisa Leuschner, "Sweet Thing." Robbed, I say!


Semi-finals: Jon Peter Lewis, "A Little Less Conversation"


George Huff, "Take Me to the Pilot"


Season 4: Semi-finals: Nadia Turner, "There's a Power"


Semi-finals: Bo Bice, "Whipping Post"


Carrie Underwood, "Alone"


Bo Bice, "Spinning Wheel" and "Vehicle"



Season 5: Semi-finals: Ace Young, "Father Figure"


Semi-finals: Bucky Covington, "Thunder Rolls"


Chris Daughtry, "I Walk the Line"


Paris Bennett, "The Show Must Go on"


Season 6: Hollywood Week: Blake Lewis, Chris Sligh, Tom Lowe, and Rudy Cardenas, "How Deep Is Your Love"


Blake Lewis, "You Give Love a Bad Name"


Season 7: Hollywood Week: Josiah Lemming, "Grace Kelly"


Semi-finals: Alexandrea Lushington, "Spinning Wheel" Bonus points for doing "You Know I'm No Good" during Hollywood Week


Semi-finals: Jason Castro, "What a Day for a Daydream" and "I Just Want to Be Your Everything"

An Open Letter to American Idol Contestants Past, Present, and Future

Dear Contestants,

We've been over this before, but apparently we haven't learned. "Piece of My Heart" is NOT a happy song. Please do not smile while you are singing it.

Sincerely,

Jenny G

The Cure

The Cure is in my holy trinity of bands which also includes Depeche Mode and Pink Floyd. I hate to admit it, but while DM is my favorite band of all time, TC and PF definitely have more musical talent, and I think Disintegration is the best album ever. I once read that Robert Smith said he's not a depressed person, but when he's depressed he writes, and not many people can accurately describe being in a dark place like Mr. Smith can. Listening to him describe lost love can literally make my heart ache. Of course, The Cure also has some great, uptempo songs as well, like "Lovecats," "Friday I'm in Love," and "Let's Go to Bed." Many of these are sung with tongue planted firmly in cheek, but I still think they're great and bop along to them after curling up in the fetal position listening to the sad ones.

Here's Fascination Street, from Disintegration:



Because I feel it all fading and paling
And I'm begging
To drag you down with me
To kick the last nail in
Yeah! I like you in that
Like I like you to scream
But if you open your mouth
Then I can't be responsible
For quite what goes in
Or to care what comes out

Four Walls Won't Hold Me Tonight

For Day 5 of 25 DoN, I want to give a shout-out to Thriller, which was released 25 years ago this week. Doesn't that make you feel old? I'm resisting the urge to rant about PennDot because I have nothing nice to say about the fact that they neither plowed nor salted the roads today. Anyway, Thriller has been mind-bogglingly successful, having sold 104 million albums, making it the top-selling album of all-time (although this has been disputed), and it's only one of three albums to remain on the Billboard 200 for a full year. It has gone 27x platinum; spent 80 weeks in the top 10, including 37 consecutive weeks at number 1; it was the only album ever to produce seven top-ten singles; and it was the best-selling album of 1983 and 1984 in the U.S. Today 600,000 copies of Thriller are sold every year in the U.S. Thriller won Michael Jackson 7 Grammys and 8 AMAs.

Yes, Michael Jackson is in the midst of a downward spiral that has lasted well over a decade so far, but the pop music scene in the 80s belonged, undeniably, to Michael Jackson. Thriller has only 9 songs, but 7 of them are excellent. "The Girl is Mine" is a complete pile of crap ("Paul, I think I told you; I'm a lover, not a fighter."). I happen to like P.Y.T., but compared to Thriller's other tracks, it's filler. That leaves you with the gems: "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," "Baby Be Mine," "Thriller," "Beat It," "Billie Jean," "Human Nature," and "The Lady in My Life." Yes, it's pop, but it's pop at its finest.

Enjoy some clips from before pop music was about untalented skanks getting out of cars while not wearing underwear.

Songza

Check out Songza, the online jukebox. I haven't had a lot of time to play around with it to see what the selection's like (although I did pull on my hair and pull on my pout and listen to "Fascination Street" by The Cure), but you type in the name of an artist or song and play it. You can also create a playlist. I haven't had any lag or buffering yet which certainly beats my radio station's stream that buffers every 5 seconds.

RIP VMAs

I didn't watch the VMAs last night, but I did see Britney Spears's performance. Yikes. Although I don't really understand saying she's fat. Sure, she could have been a little more toned, especially since she was on TV in a bikini, but come on! I'd kill to look like that! If she looks like a sumo wrestler, as she was described by one news outlet, what the hell do I look like?

Yes, I know the VMAs have sucked for the past couple years, but I haven't watched them since oh, 1996 or so. Now, I totally understand that I'm pretty well out of MTV's target demographic, but I remember when I used to love the VMAs and they had cool artists back in the day (early to mid 90s). I first heard Depeche Mode on the VMAs and I remember Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Bjork, and other artists that don't massively suck ass. What a mess the popular music industry has become. Everything is so insipid. There was a little flicker of hope with the New-New Wave thing that was going on a few years back, but that fizzled out. I'm sure Dim and March know a million new cool bands that are out now whom I've never heard of, but I'm talking more popular stuff. Not all popular music sucks, although a large portion of it does.

Staying on the topic of the VMAs, I can't stand Sarah Silverman!!! Ohhh, I'm so edgy; I said "vagina" on TV. HAAAAATE.

Also, am I the only one who noticed that the beginning of Rihanna's Shut Up and Drive is exactly the same as Blue Monday by New Order. Actually, it's closer to Orgy's cover with the guitars, but still. Why does Rihanna exist? Why do people like her??

That's all for now; not too much going on here.

Easter

Good Friday

Graphic content

Maundy Thursday

Does anyone know what a jaded, faded, faded, jaded, jaded mandarin is?

Fun fact: Peter (Paul Thomas) went on to be a porn star making and directing hundreds of movies. Highlights of his filmography include Pizza Girls, We Deliver; Caught from Behind 2: the Sequel; Stiff Competition; Fantasex Island; Oral Majority; Furburgers; and Erotic Explosions 5.

I Don't Want Your Blood Money!

This is Rusty's favorite. We're both in love with this movie and I have good memories of the two of us watching and singing. Well, she was singing and I was "singing."

Noooooo!!!!!!!

This is unacceptable.

*Hurls Disintegration across the room.*

A Special Treat

This doesn't fit in chronologically, but since it's one of my favorites (and also Dim's), and there isn't another song for today, I decided to post it.

My Temple Should Be a House of Prayer

That voice gives me chills.

Palm Sunday

In honor of my yearly tradition of watching Jesus Christ, Superstar, I'll be posting clips all week.

My Favorite Love Songs

I hate Valentine's Day. It's a Hallmark holiday that sets unrealistic expectations, depresses single people and people in bad relationships, and encourages the idea of money equaling love. I do, however, have a soft spot for love songs. Here are some of my favorites.

Lady by Styx - This song is dripping with Velveeta, but for some reason I would melt if someone ever sang it to me.

Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac - No one ever said they had to be happy love songs. "If I could/maybe I'd give you my world/How can I/When you won't take it from me?" Haven't we all felt this way when we were in the throes of unrequited love?

Somebody by Depeche Mode - "I don't want to be tied/to anyone's strings/I'm carefully trying to steer clear of those things/But when I'm asleep/I want somebody/who will put their arms around me/and kiss me tenderly/Though things like this/make me sick/in a case like this/I'll get away with it." This song is not only gorgeous with its simple piano accompaniment, but it perfectly sums up the way I feel about love and relationships.

Damaged People by Depeche Mode - This song is sad but sweet. It's a great song for people who have been burned in the past but are willing to give it another try. "We're damaged people/drawn together/by subtleties that we are not aware of/Disturbed souls/playing out forever/these games that we once thought we would be scared of"

Stories of Old by Depeche Mode - This song is about someone who is initially resistant to love but gives in at the end. It talks about the balance of being yourself yet being part of something larger.

I Want You Now by Depeche Mode - This is definitely a lust song rather than a love song, but I included it because Martin Gore's vocals perfectly capture the desperation of wanting and needing someone right at that moment.

Annie's Song by John Denver - This was one of my Guilty Pleasure Saturday submissions a few weeks ago. This is such a simple and sweet song and we could all be so lucky as to have someone write something like this for us.

Last Dance by The Cure - This is another love song that isn't happy, but love isn't always happy. If you've ever come across an old flame or the "one who got away" and you realize that that part of your life is over and you can never go back, you can relate to this song. "But Christmas falls late now/flatter and colder/and never as bright as when we used to fall/and even if we drink/I don't think we would kiss/in the way that we did/when the woman was only a girl."

Lovecats by The Cure - Even though this song was meant to be ironic and was written to mock the accusations that The Cure was a goth band, it's upbeat and it's fun. I love the silly cat sound effects, the scatting, and the way the melody darts all over the place like, well, cats. "We're so wonderfully wonderfully wonderfully/wonderfully pretty/Oh you know that I'd do anything for you/We should have each other to tea/We should have each other with cream/Then curl up by the fire/and sleep for awhile/It's the grooviest thing/It's the perfect dream."

Just Like Heaven by The Cure - A perfect ode to lost love. Smith and Co. have a knack for lyrics that can break your heart.

Lovesong by The Cure - I know that saying Lovesong is your favorite Cure song is like saying Stairway is your favorite Zeppelin song, but I have been madly in love with this song since the first time I heard it years and years ago and I'll never get tired of it, except for 311's version. All copies of that need to be burned. This song was a wedding present from Robert Smith to his wife; it doesn't get much more romantic than that.

Confession

I'm not a top 40 fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I can't get enough of Nelly Furtado's song, "Say it Right."



It's so smooth and new-wavey! I think Nelly has a grating voice, but it doesn't bother me in this song. Upon researching it, I see I'm not too far off with the new-wavey thing. Apparently the song was inspired by "Here Comes the Rain Again" by the Eurythmics, which is in my top 100 favorite songs of all time. Get a better vocalist, take out the all the superfluous "heys," and rewrite some of the lyrics (by the way, I think the line in the last verse should be "another bridge that I laid," not brick) and you have an excellent song on your hands.

*Note* Chris just came downstairs and asked what the hell I'm listening to. He clearly has no taste.

My Christmas Gift to You

Wow. Check out the video for "Christmas Shoes" by Newsong, a Christian group I had never heard of before I heard this horrifically treacly song. Apparently some Dickensian-looking child is sent to the store by his father to buy a pair of shoes for his mother so she looks nice for Jesus when she kicks the bucket. The kid doesn't have enough money for the shoes so he scams the guy in line behind him into kicking in the remainder. There are so many things wrong with this song and video.

Nothing could be worse. Oh wait, I was wrong.

Merry Christmas, everyone! I leave you with some '80s goodness.

Check it Out

Dammit, March! You beat me to it. Oh well, I don't have anything else about which to post :).

Battle of the album covers. Some of my favorites are in there! It's not letting me imbed, so I'll just link.