Alrighty - so now that Blogger is back online i can get back to my 30 Days of Music challenge ( which admittedly, is being stretched across, like, 2 months ). So todays prompts were a bit of a challenge - let me explain :
Day 21 - A song that, for you, is a guilty pleasure.
Alright, so to me " guilty pleasure " would mean that its a song that maybe no-one else likes and you should be just a little bit embarrassed about liking. Well, when i think shame and embarrassment, i think Ke$ha....
However, i quite like this song. I think its because its catchy and the film clip is hilarious ( hey, James Van Der "Douche "! ) but if anyone asked me i'd say " Kesha? Hell no - what a talentless, skanky-looking hack ! ". So just let me bop around to this song and dont give away my secret, ok?
Day 22 - The song that gets stuck in your head the most.
The song that gets stuck in my head the most? There is no such thing. Lots of song get stuck in my head once i hear them, but there is no specific song that just worms itself into my brain and stays there constantly. So, let me just post the song that is stuck in my head at the moment, thanks to Mick who was singing it while he washed the dishes this morning...
" Be With You " by Mr Big... i was a little kid when this came out yet i think i know every word ( except what the rest of them are singing in harmony during the curious. Indecipherable! ). And i dont know where Mick heard this to just randomly start singing it this morning but there you go.... have a listen and let it get stuck in your head too!
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
30 Days of Music - Days 19 + 20
Well... thank the good freakin' Lord that Blogger is working again! I tried last night and this morning to make a post and it just wasnt happening - much longer and i may have suffered withdrawals. But fear not, because Blogger is back online and so is the 30 Days of Music challenge. Where are we at ?
Day 19 - A song that makes you want to dance
So there are heaps of songs that make me wana dance - old school stuff like " Jailhouse Rock " or " Love Shack ", cheesy 80's pop songs, stuff from my childhood in the 90's. But when i really thought about it i had to go back to the days when i was a pub-rat and spent 4 hrs of a Saturday night on the dancefloor and i settled on this one -
Even though the video clip is typical Euro-trash crap, " Put Your Hands Up For Detroit " was one of my favourite pub/club dancing songs because everyone would get way into it - its a real party song. " Put your hands... put your hands up for Detroit... i love this city! "
Day 20 - A song that makes you wana rock out!
My answer for this prompt had to be a real rock song, not some light-rock crap they try to pass off as rock on the radio sometimes these days ( do i sound older than my 27 years ? ) So whats the best song for rocking with a party full/ car load of your friends?
Oh yea - you know, i know it, anyone who's ever heard it knows it - this song rocks! How can you not rock out to the chorus? Go on, try it... you cant not!
Day 19 - A song that makes you want to dance
So there are heaps of songs that make me wana dance - old school stuff like " Jailhouse Rock " or " Love Shack ", cheesy 80's pop songs, stuff from my childhood in the 90's. But when i really thought about it i had to go back to the days when i was a pub-rat and spent 4 hrs of a Saturday night on the dancefloor and i settled on this one -
Even though the video clip is typical Euro-trash crap, " Put Your Hands Up For Detroit " was one of my favourite pub/club dancing songs because everyone would get way into it - its a real party song. " Put your hands... put your hands up for Detroit... i love this city! "
Day 20 - A song that makes you wana rock out!
My answer for this prompt had to be a real rock song, not some light-rock crap they try to pass off as rock on the radio sometimes these days ( do i sound older than my 27 years ? ) So whats the best song for rocking with a party full/ car load of your friends?
Oh yea - you know, i know it, anyone who's ever heard it knows it - this song rocks! How can you not rock out to the chorus? Go on, try it... you cant not!
30 Days of Music - Day 17 + 18
Woo hoo - well and truly past the half way now! I have traditionally not been very good at sticking with these types of continuous memes and even though these posts arent generating the comments i hoped they would, i'm still going strong. So, anyhoo....
Day 17 - A song you want to share with the world
Its called " Falling Slowly " and its from a little indie film called " Once ". The reason i want to share it is because its such a sweet, beautiful song and whenever i mention it and the film it came from everyone goes " Huh? Never heard of it ". So even though it won an Academy Award for Best Song and should therefore be better known ( one would think... ) i feel like so many people are missing out. So, as Molly Meldrum would say - do yourself a favour and have a listen to this one...
Day 18 - A song that makes you want to sing out loud?
Seriously, over the years there have been literally hundreds of osngs that have made me want to sing out loud, and i quite often have ( just so's you know, the best place for singing out loud is alone in your car. Apologies to all the other drivers on the road out there that have been witness to one of my impromptu concerts ). Funnily enough though the first one that came to mind when i read this prompt was " I Like It Loud " by Cassie Davis...
Its a good pop song - as opposed to all the crappy generic stuff i dont like at all - and i really appreciate a good pop song. Plus its all girl-power and party-hard and a really great song for putting on when your getting ready for a night out. Love a bit of shouty girl pop!
Day 17 - A song you want to share with the world
Its called " Falling Slowly " and its from a little indie film called " Once ". The reason i want to share it is because its such a sweet, beautiful song and whenever i mention it and the film it came from everyone goes " Huh? Never heard of it ". So even though it won an Academy Award for Best Song and should therefore be better known ( one would think... ) i feel like so many people are missing out. So, as Molly Meldrum would say - do yourself a favour and have a listen to this one...
Day 18 - A song that makes you want to sing out loud?
Seriously, over the years there have been literally hundreds of osngs that have made me want to sing out loud, and i quite often have ( just so's you know, the best place for singing out loud is alone in your car. Apologies to all the other drivers on the road out there that have been witness to one of my impromptu concerts ). Funnily enough though the first one that came to mind when i read this prompt was " I Like It Loud " by Cassie Davis...
Its a good pop song - as opposed to all the crappy generic stuff i dont like at all - and i really appreciate a good pop song. Plus its all girl-power and party-hard and a really great song for putting on when your getting ready for a night out. Love a bit of shouty girl pop!
You Know That Album ? ( The Redux )
So after doing this mornings 30 Days of Music challenge post in which i touched on my love for The Goo Goo Dolls, i was reminded of a post i made waaaaaaaaaaay back when i started this version of my blog. Way back on December 20th 2007 in fact. It was a post about how most of us have one album that we love, or loved at a specific time in our lives. I wanted to share it with you - i had approximately 2 regular readers back then so i figure some of you need to play catch ups, plus i really love this post. Instead of just linking and hoping you'll click over, i'm going to re-post the whole thing... i hope you enjoy it!
You know that album ? The one that you loved all the way through, or the one that reminds you of a certain time in your life or specific event, or the one who's songs kept you company during rough times ? Everyone has one of those albums and, for me, its " Dizzy Up The Girl " by The Goo Goo Dolls. Its the album that i will always come back to, no matter what. I was reminded of it yesterday ( by a god-awful rendition of a Goo Goo Dolls song on the radio ) and so i was playing it today, whilst i got ready for work, and put it on in the car. Its funny how comfortably i can slip back into the feelings the songs give me, how i may have changed, my circumstances, my life, but the songs resonate the same way.
" Dizzy Up The Girl " was released when i was in Year 9 and it remained my favourite album all the way through high school. I listened to it with my friends but, more often then not, i'd listen to it by myself, shut away in my room. Everyone knew " Iris " - to my friends it was a love song from a movie soundtrack, or just a really good Top 40 song, but to me it was something different. The chorus to that song almost summed up exactly who i was for the formative years of my life. I know one of you out there has blogged about the same chorus fairly recently, but here's my take :
" I dont want the world to see me/
Cause I dont think that they'd understand/
When everything's made to be broken/
I just want you to know who i am ."
Yes, its contradictory - you dont want to be seen, but you do. By one person. I think for me, that was part of the point. I DIDNT want the world to see me, EXACTLY because i didnt think they'd understand - in fact, my major problem was terrified of people knowing, and not liking the real me. I thought people would judge me, they'd find me tto smart, or too quirky, or too uncool, or too " whatever " and i lived in fear of being judged and humiliated by those judgements. But at the same time, i wanted to be broken down and just have at least one person really, truely know me, and love me anyways. I'd wanted to break down barriers and have at least one person, whether it be a friend or a boyfriend or whoever, know my innermost thoughts and feelings and ideas and be able to look at me and say " You know what ? You rock! ". And what is weird is that i found myself singing that song again in the car today - and wanting exactly the same things.
But it wasnt just " Iris " - i connect to almost every single song on the album, and those that i cant find a deeper personal meaning in are, at least, still good songs. " Slide " despite seemingly being about abortion ( i've had that discussion/disection with a friend too - i'm sticking with the abortion theory ) was the first, and only song, i have ever sung solo in front of people, and i love it for that. The only reason i COULD sing it in front of people - classmates, on a school excursion, because i was the only one who actually knew the words - is because i loved it so much. I couldnt have got up the courage to sing a song i had no feeling for.
" Name " was the same kind of thing as " Iris " - just wanting to find that someone who knew me and wouldnt go sharing my secrets with the world, who wouldnt risk my humiliation or embarrasment. Plus, it has that great guitar bit towards the end where i could imagine that Johnny Rzeznik was singing just to me. " Black Balloon " was a comfort to me when i was really depressed and contemplating killing myself. I just liked thinking that maybe someone would miss me too. I later found out the song is actually about heroin addiction, but everytime i hear it, i think back on how bad i used to be and am glad that its not that way anymore. " Slave Girl " was a cover, and not technically a fantastic song, but i liked the rhythm - it was a song i could rock out to in front of my bedroom mirror.
I have other albums too - " Tuesday Night Music Club " by Sheryl Crow, " Hybrid Theory " by Linkin Park - albums that arent technically brilliant, that werent absolute best sellers, but that meant something to me in a time and in a place and that i'll always come back to. I guess thats the best part of music- you can always come back to it, and it will, if you love it enough, almost always come back to you.
YOU KNOW THAT ALBUM?
You know that album ? The one that you loved all the way through, or the one that reminds you of a certain time in your life or specific event, or the one who's songs kept you company during rough times ? Everyone has one of those albums and, for me, its " Dizzy Up The Girl " by The Goo Goo Dolls. Its the album that i will always come back to, no matter what. I was reminded of it yesterday ( by a god-awful rendition of a Goo Goo Dolls song on the radio ) and so i was playing it today, whilst i got ready for work, and put it on in the car. Its funny how comfortably i can slip back into the feelings the songs give me, how i may have changed, my circumstances, my life, but the songs resonate the same way.
" Dizzy Up The Girl " was released when i was in Year 9 and it remained my favourite album all the way through high school. I listened to it with my friends but, more often then not, i'd listen to it by myself, shut away in my room. Everyone knew " Iris " - to my friends it was a love song from a movie soundtrack, or just a really good Top 40 song, but to me it was something different. The chorus to that song almost summed up exactly who i was for the formative years of my life. I know one of you out there has blogged about the same chorus fairly recently, but here's my take :
" I dont want the world to see me/
Cause I dont think that they'd understand/
When everything's made to be broken/
I just want you to know who i am ."
Yes, its contradictory - you dont want to be seen, but you do. By one person. I think for me, that was part of the point. I DIDNT want the world to see me, EXACTLY because i didnt think they'd understand - in fact, my major problem was terrified of people knowing, and not liking the real me. I thought people would judge me, they'd find me tto smart, or too quirky, or too uncool, or too " whatever " and i lived in fear of being judged and humiliated by those judgements. But at the same time, i wanted to be broken down and just have at least one person really, truely know me, and love me anyways. I'd wanted to break down barriers and have at least one person, whether it be a friend or a boyfriend or whoever, know my innermost thoughts and feelings and ideas and be able to look at me and say " You know what ? You rock! ". And what is weird is that i found myself singing that song again in the car today - and wanting exactly the same things.
But it wasnt just " Iris " - i connect to almost every single song on the album, and those that i cant find a deeper personal meaning in are, at least, still good songs. " Slide " despite seemingly being about abortion ( i've had that discussion/disection with a friend too - i'm sticking with the abortion theory ) was the first, and only song, i have ever sung solo in front of people, and i love it for that. The only reason i COULD sing it in front of people - classmates, on a school excursion, because i was the only one who actually knew the words - is because i loved it so much. I couldnt have got up the courage to sing a song i had no feeling for.
" Name " was the same kind of thing as " Iris " - just wanting to find that someone who knew me and wouldnt go sharing my secrets with the world, who wouldnt risk my humiliation or embarrasment. Plus, it has that great guitar bit towards the end where i could imagine that Johnny Rzeznik was singing just to me. " Black Balloon " was a comfort to me when i was really depressed and contemplating killing myself. I just liked thinking that maybe someone would miss me too. I later found out the song is actually about heroin addiction, but everytime i hear it, i think back on how bad i used to be and am glad that its not that way anymore. " Slave Girl " was a cover, and not technically a fantastic song, but i liked the rhythm - it was a song i could rock out to in front of my bedroom mirror.
I have other albums too - " Tuesday Night Music Club " by Sheryl Crow, " Hybrid Theory " by Linkin Park - albums that arent technically brilliant, that werent absolute best sellers, but that meant something to me in a time and in a place and that i'll always come back to. I guess thats the best part of music- you can always come back to it, and it will, if you love it enough, almost always come back to you.
30 Days of Music - Days 15 + 16
Good morning and welcome again to the veritable jukebox of hits that is my version of the 30 Days of Music challenge ( as found on Facebook. Search it ). I think, now that i'm halfway through, i'm pretty much set on doing a post every second day, and combining the two prompts. Anyhoodle:
Day 15 - The song you hate the most
Gawd there are a lot of songs i really do not like. And they change too - sometimes a song comes out that i hate and then it grows on me, sometimes i love a song the first time i hear it and then they play it 10 million times until it grates on my nerves. Oh, and some artists are like that too - some stuff i like, some i cant stand. One such artist is Britney Spears. I'd say 98% of the time her music falls into the " stuff i think is shite " category ( though her new one is pretty damn catchy ) and its been that way since the "Hit Me Baby ( One More Time )" days. So - one specific song of hers that i just really hate?
Yuck. The whole earnest sentiment she's going for here just made me nauseous. Yuck, yuck, fake, yucky yuck.
Day 16 - Post a song from your favourite band/artist.
Easy - even though most people only know them for a handful of songs that made the chart my favourite band of all-time is The Goo Goo Dolls. Their album " Dizzy Up The Girl " was like a drug for me during high school - i played 3 or 4 times a week at least, everytime i felt sad or depressed, and i just wanted to share it with everybody. It was just so profoundly "me " back then ( even though some of the subject matter - you know, like heroin addiction and abortion - had no personal meaning to me at all ). So, lets go with my favourite track off that album -
Even though " Iris " spoke much better FOR me, " Name " was everything i wanted for someone to say TO me, and Johnny Rzezniks voice just felt so raw and honest. I know this all sounds really "music snob" and like i'm trying really hard to be a Rollingstone reviewer but thats just how this song was for the over-thinking, sensitive, depressed teenage girl i was. Listen to it, hear it and then try not to love it....
Day 15 - The song you hate the most
Gawd there are a lot of songs i really do not like. And they change too - sometimes a song comes out that i hate and then it grows on me, sometimes i love a song the first time i hear it and then they play it 10 million times until it grates on my nerves. Oh, and some artists are like that too - some stuff i like, some i cant stand. One such artist is Britney Spears. I'd say 98% of the time her music falls into the " stuff i think is shite " category ( though her new one is pretty damn catchy ) and its been that way since the "Hit Me Baby ( One More Time )" days. So - one specific song of hers that i just really hate?
Yuck. The whole earnest sentiment she's going for here just made me nauseous. Yuck, yuck, fake, yucky yuck.
Day 16 - Post a song from your favourite band/artist.
Easy - even though most people only know them for a handful of songs that made the chart my favourite band of all-time is The Goo Goo Dolls. Their album " Dizzy Up The Girl " was like a drug for me during high school - i played 3 or 4 times a week at least, everytime i felt sad or depressed, and i just wanted to share it with everybody. It was just so profoundly "me " back then ( even though some of the subject matter - you know, like heroin addiction and abortion - had no personal meaning to me at all ). So, lets go with my favourite track off that album -
Even though " Iris " spoke much better FOR me, " Name " was everything i wanted for someone to say TO me, and Johnny Rzezniks voice just felt so raw and honest. I know this all sounds really "music snob" and like i'm trying really hard to be a Rollingstone reviewer but thats just how this song was for the over-thinking, sensitive, depressed teenage girl i was. Listen to it, hear it and then try not to love it....
30 Days of Music - Day 13+14
So...my 30 Days of Music Challenge may just turn into a more prolonged theme. Yes, i've skipped a few days, partly because i was busy doing other things and partly because the lack of comments on my music posts were giving me the poo's. Anyhoo, i thought maybe if i stretched things out a bit it wouldnt be so "music, music, music! ". So, after a weekend break, i present to you the prompts for days 13 and 14 of the challenge....
Day 13 - For you, what song defines the '00's?
Seeing as we've only just finished living through this decade you would think i would have hundreds of songs running through my head but the only one i kept hearing was this:
The late Noughties was where i finally found my confidence - i stopped wallowing in the blackhole of depression and started loving myself. Which, in turn, made me believe ( sometimes ) in my own sexiness, and being able to ( sometimes ) convince cute boys of the same thing! So what song would be better to choose than " SexyBack " by Justin Timberlake?
Day 14 - What song was your first record/cassette/CD/MP3 purchase?
Hold on to your hats ladies and gentleman, this one is going to get embarrassing!
Oh yea baby - East 17! Please bear in mind that i was 8 years old when i bought the " Walthamstow " album - it was 1992 and i saved up my pocket money for a few weeks in order to buy my very first cd. Boy band pop was awesomely cool and East 17 were waaaaaaaaaaay better than Take That ( at least they seemed that way at the time ). Believe or not, i still have this album in my cd cabinet but i havent listened to it in over a decade. Perhaps today would be a good day for a repeat listen?
Day 13 - For you, what song defines the '00's?
Seeing as we've only just finished living through this decade you would think i would have hundreds of songs running through my head but the only one i kept hearing was this:
The late Noughties was where i finally found my confidence - i stopped wallowing in the blackhole of depression and started loving myself. Which, in turn, made me believe ( sometimes ) in my own sexiness, and being able to ( sometimes ) convince cute boys of the same thing! So what song would be better to choose than " SexyBack " by Justin Timberlake?
Day 14 - What song was your first record/cassette/CD/MP3 purchase?
Hold on to your hats ladies and gentleman, this one is going to get embarrassing!
Oh yea baby - East 17! Please bear in mind that i was 8 years old when i bought the " Walthamstow " album - it was 1992 and i saved up my pocket money for a few weeks in order to buy my very first cd. Boy band pop was awesomely cool and East 17 were waaaaaaaaaaay better than Take That ( at least they seemed that way at the time ). Believe or not, i still have this album in my cd cabinet but i havent listened to it in over a decade. Perhaps today would be a good day for a repeat listen?
30 Days of Music - Days 11 + 12
These music posts dont seem to be getting too many comments so i feel like i'm doing them mainly for myself but anyhoo, i'll carry on... if only to prove that i can keep a theme challenge going for the required amount of time! So day 11...
Day 11 - For you, what song defines the 80's ?
Do i even have to explain this one? Title song from the biggest selling album of all time, geniusly talented ( if somewhat personally dubious ) artist....yada, yada, yada.
Day 12 - For you, what song defines the 90's ?
Because the 90's the decade i grew up, the one where i really started to love and appreciate music, where i started out a 6 yr old listening to teeny bopper pop and finished up a cranky 16 yr old girl rocking out to the Foo Fighters, Live and Silverchair.... i've had a tough time answering this one. However, i thought really hard and came up with this -
I think " All The Small Things " by Blink 182 sums the decade up for me because its kind of a middle ground between the boy band pop that i started with and the grunge/metal/rock boys i ended up with. Plus its a funny song and one that everyone at my school loved when we were in Yr 10. It might have been released in 1999 so it only just makes the 90's, but its the song that defines the decade for me...
Day 11 - For you, what song defines the 80's ?
Do i even have to explain this one? Title song from the biggest selling album of all time, geniusly talented ( if somewhat personally dubious ) artist....yada, yada, yada.
Day 12 - For you, what song defines the 90's ?
Because the 90's the decade i grew up, the one where i really started to love and appreciate music, where i started out a 6 yr old listening to teeny bopper pop and finished up a cranky 16 yr old girl rocking out to the Foo Fighters, Live and Silverchair.... i've had a tough time answering this one. However, i thought really hard and came up with this -
I think " All The Small Things " by Blink 182 sums the decade up for me because its kind of a middle ground between the boy band pop that i started with and the grunge/metal/rock boys i ended up with. Plus its a funny song and one that everyone at my school loved when we were in Yr 10. It might have been released in 1999 so it only just makes the 90's, but its the song that defines the decade for me...
30 Days of Music - Day 10
Ok - todays prompt for the 30 Days of Music challenge is kind of hard.
Day 10 - For you, what song defines the 70's ?
Well, for someone who wasnt born until 1984 its kind of difficult to judge what defines an era i didnt live through. I really only have my parents album collection and the soundtrack of movies set in that decade to go off ( and, you know, what i know of history and what not ). So, with all that in mind, i'm going with this song...
Oh yea - " Rock and Roll All Nite " by Kiss! There were so many genres of music prominent in the 70's so i went with Kiss because they were a little bit glam, a great big chunk of rock and had those amazing costumes that incorporated 70's fashion. I also think this song defines the decade where the focus moved away ( a little ) from the protesting of the late 60's/early 70's and onto more of a crumbling of those stifling societal expectations. You know, less of the traditions of the 50's and 60's and more of the " me, me, me! " attitude that would filter on into the 80's...
Ok, yep, kind of deep for a music post, but there you go. Thats my song. Play the video, turn your speakers up all the way, and rock on people!
Day 10 - For you, what song defines the 70's ?
Well, for someone who wasnt born until 1984 its kind of difficult to judge what defines an era i didnt live through. I really only have my parents album collection and the soundtrack of movies set in that decade to go off ( and, you know, what i know of history and what not ). So, with all that in mind, i'm going with this song...
Oh yea - " Rock and Roll All Nite " by Kiss! There were so many genres of music prominent in the 70's so i went with Kiss because they were a little bit glam, a great big chunk of rock and had those amazing costumes that incorporated 70's fashion. I also think this song defines the decade where the focus moved away ( a little ) from the protesting of the late 60's/early 70's and onto more of a crumbling of those stifling societal expectations. You know, less of the traditions of the 50's and 60's and more of the " me, me, me! " attitude that would filter on into the 80's...
Ok, yep, kind of deep for a music post, but there you go. Thats my song. Play the video, turn your speakers up all the way, and rock on people!
30 Days of Music - Days 8 + 9
Another combination post, because yesterday being Easter Sunday i was a bit busy doing other stuff, and i just couldnt bothered trawling through YouTube when i finally did get a chance to sit down. But i digress - where am i up to? Oh yea, days 8 and 9 of the 30 Days of Music challenge. So wheres the music?
Day 8 - Whats the last song you listened to?
Thanks to Mick, the last song i listened to was " Need You Now " by Lady Antebellum. He was playing it on his phone while i ate my breakfast. If it weren't for him i would have had to have found a video for Josh Groban's version of " Crying " ( originally by Roy Orbison ) because thats the last thing i heard on the radio. I dont mind Josh Groban but i didnt like his interpretation, so i'm glad i got to go with Lady Antebellum instead!
Day 9 - Whats the earliest song you can remember from your childhood?
When i try and think back to music in my early childhood i remember roadtrips to the beach at Nelson Bay, around 4 and half hrs drive away - which means we needed a lot of music to get us through the trip. It was the late 80's but my mum and dad were teenagers in the 70's so we got a bit of AC/DC, a dose of Dr Hook...and a lot of The Eagles. And the one Eagles song that sticks out in my mind?
Oh yea, " Hotel California " - how many times i did hear this song on family holidays? Luckily its a fantastic song that i really enjoy, even to this day. If it comes on the radio while i'm in the car, i'll turn it up and sing along to the words i know. The Eagles rock!
Day 8 - Whats the last song you listened to?
Thanks to Mick, the last song i listened to was " Need You Now " by Lady Antebellum. He was playing it on his phone while i ate my breakfast. If it weren't for him i would have had to have found a video for Josh Groban's version of " Crying " ( originally by Roy Orbison ) because thats the last thing i heard on the radio. I dont mind Josh Groban but i didnt like his interpretation, so i'm glad i got to go with Lady Antebellum instead!
Day 9 - Whats the earliest song you can remember from your childhood?
When i try and think back to music in my early childhood i remember roadtrips to the beach at Nelson Bay, around 4 and half hrs drive away - which means we needed a lot of music to get us through the trip. It was the late 80's but my mum and dad were teenagers in the 70's so we got a bit of AC/DC, a dose of Dr Hook...and a lot of The Eagles. And the one Eagles song that sticks out in my mind?
Oh yea, " Hotel California " - how many times i did hear this song on family holidays? Luckily its a fantastic song that i really enjoy, even to this day. If it comes on the radio while i'm in the car, i'll turn it up and sing along to the words i know. The Eagles rock!
30 Days of Music - Day 7
Wow - cant believe i've made it a whole week! fair enough, i've combined two days prompts a time or two but the point is i've stuck with the whole challenge thing for a week. Yay for me and my consistency! Anyhoo...
Day 7 - What song do you listen to when chilling out?
Umm, chilling out - whats that? No, seriously, when i do get a chance to chill out its usually with Mick and Flynn in the house aswell, and its usually with the tv on and a book/magazine/laptop. So i really didnt have any idea what to do for this one. And then i remember that time before i was partenered up and when i didnt have a small, demanding toddler running my house and i recalled that i quite often liked to put 5 discs in my cd player and let them spin. Sometimes i even did a theme day - like " The All Goo Goo Dolls Day " or " All Country Music, All The Way " or " All Movie Soundtracks, All The Time ". So, bearing that in mind, i decided to go with a song off a Broadway musical soundtrack, one that makes me happy and uplifted and that i like to play every New Years Eve -
" Seasons Of Love ", from the musical " Rent ", which i saw on Broadway in December of 2004 and have loved ever since. The video is actually the opening credits of the film version of the musical, so its a slightly different version to the one of my cd, but i love it just the same....
Day 7 - What song do you listen to when chilling out?
Umm, chilling out - whats that? No, seriously, when i do get a chance to chill out its usually with Mick and Flynn in the house aswell, and its usually with the tv on and a book/magazine/laptop. So i really didnt have any idea what to do for this one. And then i remember that time before i was partenered up and when i didnt have a small, demanding toddler running my house and i recalled that i quite often liked to put 5 discs in my cd player and let them spin. Sometimes i even did a theme day - like " The All Goo Goo Dolls Day " or " All Country Music, All The Way " or " All Movie Soundtracks, All The Time ". So, bearing that in mind, i decided to go with a song off a Broadway musical soundtrack, one that makes me happy and uplifted and that i like to play every New Years Eve -
" Seasons Of Love ", from the musical " Rent ", which i saw on Broadway in December of 2004 and have loved ever since. The video is actually the opening credits of the film version of the musical, so its a slightly different version to the one of my cd, but i love it just the same....
30 Days of Music - Days 5 + 6
So...because yesterday was Polly Dolly day and by the time i finished putting together my set i was completely blogged out... i didnt do yesterdays " 30 Days of Music " prompt. So excuse me while i mash two days together and catch up a little, ok?
Day 5 - What song do you listen to when your sad?
The first song that came to mind for this one was Johnny Cash's version of " Hurt " ( originally by Nine Inch Nails ). And if i'm not sad enough before i even start to listent to this son, i end up in tears anyway because the combining of the pounding piano and the emotion in Johnnys voice just bring me undone. A brilliant cover by an absolutely brilliant and legendary artist....
Day 6 - What song do you listen to when your angry?
When i'm angry ( or upset/angry...whatever ) i like to either lock myself away in my room or go out for a drive and pump something loud, rockin' and vaguely metal-ish - which, since high school, has quite often been something by Linkin Park. " Hybrid Theory " was one of my favourite albums in Year 12 and i've enjoyed their stuff ever since ( even though some of the new stuff is a bit more tame than the older songs ). So i could have picked maybe 90% of the Linkin Park back catalogue to fit this category but i decided to go with " No More Sorrow " off their " Minutes To Midnight " album. Please enjoy.
Day 5 - What song do you listen to when your sad?
The first song that came to mind for this one was Johnny Cash's version of " Hurt " ( originally by Nine Inch Nails ). And if i'm not sad enough before i even start to listent to this son, i end up in tears anyway because the combining of the pounding piano and the emotion in Johnnys voice just bring me undone. A brilliant cover by an absolutely brilliant and legendary artist....
Day 6 - What song do you listen to when your angry?
When i'm angry ( or upset/angry...whatever ) i like to either lock myself away in my room or go out for a drive and pump something loud, rockin' and vaguely metal-ish - which, since high school, has quite often been something by Linkin Park. " Hybrid Theory " was one of my favourite albums in Year 12 and i've enjoyed their stuff ever since ( even though some of the new stuff is a bit more tame than the older songs ). So i could have picked maybe 90% of the Linkin Park back catalogue to fit this category but i decided to go with " No More Sorrow " off their " Minutes To Midnight " album. Please enjoy.
30 Days of Music - Day 4
Good morning and welcome to Day 4 in my participation in the 30 Days of Music challenge. On Day 4, i need to tell you:
What song do you play when your feeling happy?
As soon as i read this prompt, one song popped straight into my head - " All I Wana Do " by Sugarland. I get the feeling that some of you may never have heard of Sugarland ( who are great country music duo ) and this would be the part where i get to prattle on about eclectic my tastes are. That, however, shall remain to be seen with my future video choices. What i will say is this a sweet country/pop song thats fun and sexy and great for singing along ...all the things i want to do when i'm happy. Hell, i've even started playing this song when i want to GET happy - you know, like on Monday mornings on the way to work. And this song will definately be making the playlist for my wedding reception, simply because its so joyful and makes me want to get funky with my fella ( as influenced by lyrics such as " I dont wana get baby, lets turn off the phone ... " ). What song gets you in the happy mood?
What song do you play when your feeling happy?
As soon as i read this prompt, one song popped straight into my head - " All I Wana Do " by Sugarland. I get the feeling that some of you may never have heard of Sugarland ( who are great country music duo ) and this would be the part where i get to prattle on about eclectic my tastes are. That, however, shall remain to be seen with my future video choices. What i will say is this a sweet country/pop song thats fun and sexy and great for singing along ...all the things i want to do when i'm happy. Hell, i've even started playing this song when i want to GET happy - you know, like on Monday mornings on the way to work. And this song will definately be making the playlist for my wedding reception, simply because its so joyful and makes me want to get funky with my fella ( as influenced by lyrics such as " I dont wana get baby, lets turn off the phone ... " ). What song gets you in the happy mood?
30 Days of Music - Day 3
Todays prompt:
What song has the highest play count on your iTunes?
Now, before we get to the clip, let me just say this - i dont have an iPod. I mean i do - i have a really old iPod Shuffle, one of the tiny square ones - but i dont use it. Havent used since i stopped goingt to the gym. Consequently i dont really have any playlists on our iTunes and most of the music is Micks. So what gets the most plays?
Naughty By Nature - " Holiday ". I know this one came out when i was in high school and its a great track to dance around the house to, but its definately more of a " Mick " song than it is an " Amy " song. Still, if i had an iPod i still might have this on my playlist, just for a bit of dance-y fun!
What song has the highest play count on your iTunes?
Now, before we get to the clip, let me just say this - i dont have an iPod. I mean i do - i have a really old iPod Shuffle, one of the tiny square ones - but i dont use it. Havent used since i stopped goingt to the gym. Consequently i dont really have any playlists on our iTunes and most of the music is Micks. So what gets the most plays?
Naughty By Nature - " Holiday ". I know this one came out when i was in high school and its a great track to dance around the house to, but its definately more of a " Mick " song than it is an " Amy " song. Still, if i had an iPod i still might have this on my playlist, just for a bit of dance-y fun!
30 Days + Music = Challenge!
Alright, so i may be a little late jumping on this bandwagon but after discovering that the very funky Tutu Ames is doing a 50 day music challenge i thought " hey, thats something i'd like to get in on! " .... except that i dont think i could quite keep it up for 50 days, so i decided to go with the 30 Day Music Challenge thats being touted on Facebook ( search it... its got its own page ). I planned on starting yesterday except that i went roadtripping for the day with my parents and Flynn to a beautiful, HUGE, manicured garden ( pics and post to come! ) so today i'll be catching up with the prompts for days one and two of the challenge.
Day One: What is your favourite song right now?
Cue " Party Rock Anthem " by LMFAO -
I am just loving this song right now - it makes me wana dance, and the film clip is a total cack up! Its not a song where you have to think about the lyrics, you just listen to the beat and go with it. Its fun, and right now, fun is what i'm into...
Day Two: Song that was #1 when you were born?
Ok, when i Googled this i got some conflicting results for the week of my birth, so i went with the song that was #1 the year i was born...1984 -
I have to admit, seeing as this was released the year i was born, i hadnt really heard the original version until i heard - and loved - the remixed version used in Baz Luhrmans " Romeo and Juliet ". But, thanks to Baz, i love this one too - Prince is definately funky, and kind of edgy and just a little bit " What the?! " ... which are all the things which make this song great...
So, lets consider my blog a jukebox of my personal favourites for the next month. There will be other posts too, of course, and maybe more than one a day sometimes. If you feel like playing along, go check out the page on Facebook and getting your playlist happening!
*Edit* A couple of people mentioned they love " Purple Rain "...but that was the wrong link! It was supposed to be a video for " When Doves Cry " which means that my " Romeo and Juliet " reference now makes sense!
Day One: What is your favourite song right now?
Cue " Party Rock Anthem " by LMFAO -
I am just loving this song right now - it makes me wana dance, and the film clip is a total cack up! Its not a song where you have to think about the lyrics, you just listen to the beat and go with it. Its fun, and right now, fun is what i'm into...
Day Two: Song that was #1 when you were born?
Ok, when i Googled this i got some conflicting results for the week of my birth, so i went with the song that was #1 the year i was born...1984 -
So, lets consider my blog a jukebox of my personal favourites for the next month. There will be other posts too, of course, and maybe more than one a day sometimes. If you feel like playing along, go check out the page on Facebook and getting your playlist happening!
*Edit* A couple of people mentioned they love " Purple Rain "...but that was the wrong link! It was supposed to be a video for " When Doves Cry " which means that my " Romeo and Juliet " reference now makes sense!
Day 16/30
Day 16/30 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
piece of cake, seriously. there are a number of songs that makes me cry, but this one takes the win, because it never fails - every single time I hear the song, I break down in tears.
Holes in the Floor of Heaven - Steve Wariner
now, if you've been around here for a while, you know that I am an atheist, and therefore do not believe there are places called heaven and hell. but for this song, it doesn't matter what I believe in, because the lyrics just have a sense of power over me and I find myself relating to every aspect of the music.
the song is the story of a man who remembers losing his grandmother, and then his loving wife. he believes that when it rains, it means that those people are looking over him and watching him live his life.
the song has even more emotional value to me now that I'm married. the third verse goes "my little girl is 23, I walk her down the aisle. it's a shame her mom can't be here now, to see her lovely smile." and low and behold, I was 23 years old when I got married, and my mom WASN'T there to see me smile. it's one of those soulful songs that just makes you think of those who have passed on and wonder what really happens when you die... at least that's what it does for me.
anyway, if you'd like to listen to it (I wouldn't recommend doing so at work), here's a YouTube video of the song, and you can find the lyrics right here.
30 Day Challenge
Day 01/30
Day 01/30 - your favorite song
I'm going to have to pick my most recent favorite song, because I honestly don't have a favorite song EVER. I enjoy so many different types of music and have loved so many songs that I can't possibly pick one all time favorite. but I'm absolutely thrilled to share my most recent favorite... I've been wanting to blog about it anyway, so now's the perfect time!
If I Die Young- The Band Perry
[read the lyrics here]
this song is so, so, so beautiful. it's a morbid concept to sing about, I suppose, but the lyrics are beautiful and the harmony and tone of Kimberly Perry's voice is just perfect. the band actually consists of three Perry siblings (Kimberly, Reid, and Neil), and together, they each bring something different to the band that just WORKS.
I can't explain how this song makes me feel. it just makes me feel... content. like it's perfectly okay to speak about death and how you'd want to go out when it's your time to go. now, I don't believe in higher spirits or religion or God... given that fact, you'd think it would be difficult for me to relate to some of the lyrics, but it's not. I can understand the want and need to become something wonderful when you die, and the longing to make an impression on the world to ensure that you're remembered.
anyway, so that's my favorite song as of late, and I watch the video on YouTube at least three times a day, and I even walk around the house singing it. if you'd like to see the video, play the video below! enjoy!
if you'd like to see the rest of the 30 Day Challenge, click here!
I'm going to have to pick my most recent favorite song, because I honestly don't have a favorite song EVER. I enjoy so many different types of music and have loved so many songs that I can't possibly pick one all time favorite. but I'm absolutely thrilled to share my most recent favorite... I've been wanting to blog about it anyway, so now's the perfect time!
If I Die Young- The Band Perry
[read the lyrics here]
this song is so, so, so beautiful. it's a morbid concept to sing about, I suppose, but the lyrics are beautiful and the harmony and tone of Kimberly Perry's voice is just perfect. the band actually consists of three Perry siblings (Kimberly, Reid, and Neil), and together, they each bring something different to the band that just WORKS.
[image courtesy of The Band Perry website]
I can't explain how this song makes me feel. it just makes me feel... content. like it's perfectly okay to speak about death and how you'd want to go out when it's your time to go. now, I don't believe in higher spirits or religion or God... given that fact, you'd think it would be difficult for me to relate to some of the lyrics, but it's not. I can understand the want and need to become something wonderful when you die, and the longing to make an impression on the world to ensure that you're remembered.
[image courtesy of The Band Perry website]
anyway, so that's my favorite song as of late, and I watch the video on YouTube at least three times a day, and I even walk around the house singing it. if you'd like to see the video, play the video below! enjoy!
if you'd like to see the rest of the 30 Day Challenge, click here!
I Ain't Got No Beiber Fever!
Oh.My.God.... argh! Justin Beiber is in Sydney! I think i'm going to pass out i love him so much!!!!
Ok, no, not really. I know who is but i'm so NOT in love with him. That song " Baby " drives me absolutely mental and the heartfelt yet super-cheesy lyrics just make me want to gag. The dude is 16, looks 12, and if he grew his hair much longer i could mistake him for a girl. ( As a side note, have you ever noticed how the most popular members of boy bands are always the girliest looking ? See Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys and Mark What-his-face of Take That as evidence ). So why am i even talking about the Bieb?
Well, he's doing a press tour through Australia and was due to appear on a morning tv show today. After much spruiking - like 2 weeks of it - that he would be performing live on the show, and after a petition to have him perform live out on the street instead of in the studio.... the gig was cancelled. By police. Because of safety concerns. Apparently thousands of teenage girls had camped overnight in the middle of Sydney so they would be front row for his performance and, even hours before he arrived, some of them had passed out or had been crushed into barricades, and had to be taken away in ambulances. Some of the others wouldnt do as police instructed in regards to moving back from the stage/spreading out a little/quitening down so.... bam! Concert cancelled! Unlucky hysterical teenage girls!
What amuses me - aside from the fact that they braved the cold overnight, camping on concrete, and STILL missed out - is that i totally dont see the appeal of Justin Bieber. He's illicited a reaction like the Beatles and Elvis Presley did, but he is nowhere near - NOT EVEN CLOSE - to being as talented as either of those artists. He doesnt write his own songs, he doesnt play his own instruments and knows only the most basic of dance moves. Sure, he has that whole " nice boy " thing going for him - he's the boy you could take home to meet your mum ( you know, as opposed to, like, Eminem ) - but aside from that, i cannot fathom what made all those girls so completely ga ga.
I guess they just got themselves a bad case of so-called Beiber Fever - and if its contagious as it appeared on tv and i'm unlucky enough to catch it, promise me, dear readers, that one of you will find a way to kill me before it infects everyone i love?
Missing You: Teenage Me Edition
So - my sister and i were chatting the other day and she started talking about stuff she missed about " being a teenager ". Ahem - what ? My sister is only 18 years old! Yes, she works almost full time and she has a car loan to pay off and is all done with school, but i had to gently remind her that at 18 years of age, she is still technically a teenager. But it got me to thinking - as depressing as most of my time as a teenager was, what do i miss about the teenage me ? You know, things i had, or did, that i DONT have, or do now......
1. " Rollingstone " magazine - I used to buy " Rollingstone " magazine every month and read it cover to cover. I devoured all the articles, reviews, critiques, everything i could and i discovered some great albums and artists because of what i read in " Rollingstone " - stuff like Nikka Costa, Pete Yorn and Rilo Kiley. I'm not exactly sure why i stopped buying it. I think i can blame America. When i moved to the US i didnt have the money to buy all mny regular magazines, and unfortunately " Rollingstone " was the one that fell by the wayside.
2. Lunch breaks during the last year of high school - ah, lunch breaks, my favourite part of the school day. They were even better than normal during my final year of high school because for a while we " seniors " had what was known as the Year 12 Rec Room - we had a fold out sofa that we could sit/lie on, a stereo, a microwave, kettle and sandwich toaster at our disposal. It kind of rocked not having to share all our stuff with the junior grades - we were big fish in our little ocean! Rock on man! Even when our school had to up and move sites and we'd lost our Rec Room we started bringing picnic blankets and had our own little Year 12 territory on the grassed area of the playground. We'd lost the sofa and the appliances, but we still had a stereo, so each lunch break was like a mini music-fest with your friends. I miss that feel good vibe...
3. Posters on my bedroom wall - i loooooooooooved having posters on my bedroom wall, from the time i was old enough to ask mum to buy me magazines. I used to get a music/film magazine called " Smash Hits " ( which, as you may have guessed, was eventually replaced by " Rollingstone " ) and tear out the posters of my favourite stars, and plaster them to my walls and cupboards. I'd change them monthly - coincidetally, when the new issue came out - but i still had my favourites. Early on, i believe i had a picture of Dean Cain in his " Lois and Clark " days that was kept up for quite a while - but then, thankfully my tastes matured. There was a particular poster of Gavin Rossdale from Bush ( or now better known as Mr Gwen Stefani ) that i had posted on the side of my wardrobe, closest to my head, so it was the first thing i saw when i woke up and the last before i fell asleep. Gavin Rossdale was ( IS ) totally hot!
4. Bonfire parties in winter - pool parties seem to be all the rage here in Australia during summer, but what did we teenage type party people do in winter ? Bundle ourselves up and still have our parties outdoors, with everyone sitting around a huge old oil drum that had been set up as bonfire. The highschool parties i went to didnt really match the parties we saw on tv - it was more set up the bonfire, set up some old logs and stuff as seats and get your drink on. Which would lead to much talking, shouting and occasional making out. Oh, and also random groups of people yelling out " Hey, lets go for a walk " and then you end up losing yourself down some dirt road with only the glow of your mobile phone to guide you back.... yep, that was me.
5. School holidays - or the Americans amongst you would call " summer vacation ". We dont get a whole season off - down here the school year is broken up into four terms/semesters and you have a two week break between three of them and five or six weeks between the end of the school year at Christmas time and when school goes back in January. Its not so much what i got up to during school holidays ( going away with my family, bike tag, three day sleep overs at friends houses ) that i miss - rather its all that free time off! As a working adult it would be som awesome if i could have a five week period off, with pay. Seriously. Awesome.
1. " Rollingstone " magazine - I used to buy " Rollingstone " magazine every month and read it cover to cover. I devoured all the articles, reviews, critiques, everything i could and i discovered some great albums and artists because of what i read in " Rollingstone " - stuff like Nikka Costa, Pete Yorn and Rilo Kiley. I'm not exactly sure why i stopped buying it. I think i can blame America. When i moved to the US i didnt have the money to buy all mny regular magazines, and unfortunately " Rollingstone " was the one that fell by the wayside.
2. Lunch breaks during the last year of high school - ah, lunch breaks, my favourite part of the school day. They were even better than normal during my final year of high school because for a while we " seniors " had what was known as the Year 12 Rec Room - we had a fold out sofa that we could sit/lie on, a stereo, a microwave, kettle and sandwich toaster at our disposal. It kind of rocked not having to share all our stuff with the junior grades - we were big fish in our little ocean! Rock on man! Even when our school had to up and move sites and we'd lost our Rec Room we started bringing picnic blankets and had our own little Year 12 territory on the grassed area of the playground. We'd lost the sofa and the appliances, but we still had a stereo, so each lunch break was like a mini music-fest with your friends. I miss that feel good vibe...
3. Posters on my bedroom wall - i loooooooooooved having posters on my bedroom wall, from the time i was old enough to ask mum to buy me magazines. I used to get a music/film magazine called " Smash Hits " ( which, as you may have guessed, was eventually replaced by " Rollingstone " ) and tear out the posters of my favourite stars, and plaster them to my walls and cupboards. I'd change them monthly - coincidetally, when the new issue came out - but i still had my favourites. Early on, i believe i had a picture of Dean Cain in his " Lois and Clark " days that was kept up for quite a while - but then, thankfully my tastes matured. There was a particular poster of Gavin Rossdale from Bush ( or now better known as Mr Gwen Stefani ) that i had posted on the side of my wardrobe, closest to my head, so it was the first thing i saw when i woke up and the last before i fell asleep. Gavin Rossdale was ( IS ) totally hot!
4. Bonfire parties in winter - pool parties seem to be all the rage here in Australia during summer, but what did we teenage type party people do in winter ? Bundle ourselves up and still have our parties outdoors, with everyone sitting around a huge old oil drum that had been set up as bonfire. The highschool parties i went to didnt really match the parties we saw on tv - it was more set up the bonfire, set up some old logs and stuff as seats and get your drink on. Which would lead to much talking, shouting and occasional making out. Oh, and also random groups of people yelling out " Hey, lets go for a walk " and then you end up losing yourself down some dirt road with only the glow of your mobile phone to guide you back.... yep, that was me.
5. School holidays - or the Americans amongst you would call " summer vacation ". We dont get a whole season off - down here the school year is broken up into four terms/semesters and you have a two week break between three of them and five or six weeks between the end of the school year at Christmas time and when school goes back in January. Its not so much what i got up to during school holidays ( going away with my family, bike tag, three day sleep overs at friends houses ) that i miss - rather its all that free time off! As a working adult it would be som awesome if i could have a five week period off, with pay. Seriously. Awesome.
A Year In Review - Insomniatic Style
So here it is, as previously mentioned - my year in review post. To clarify, these are my favourites of the year, not necessarily the technical " best ". I think ranking things as " best " is, well, best left to the experts. Favourites however, are completely subjective. Also, please note that this list is comprised only of things i have seen, heard, bought or experienced for myself. ( Side note - anything that may have been released in the US as of late 2007, but not released here til 2008, obviously counts as 2008 Footnote - the listed items are not in an particular or signficant order ). You may not agree- hell you may not even have heard of some stuff, let alone liked it. Its all about me, me, me - that being said, i formulated this list for all you people, so have at!
Films:
1. The Dark Knight - two words: Heath Ledger. Wait, two more: posthumous Oscar. I went into this hoping it wasnt all hype, and it wasnt. Heaths performance is so brilliantly dark that even minor plot holes or that horrid accent Christian Bale uses as Batman could sink this ship.
2. Juno - this just had the quirky, kind of dark, not-everybody-is-gonna-get-it kind of humour that i love. Ellen Paige just does the biting wit so well, and she has just the right amount of freckles to be believable as the odd girl ( rather than the gorgeously pretty popular girl ). I kind of loved the whole mature storyline as played out by kids thing aswell. Total winner.
3. Hellboy 2: The Golden Army - who doesnt love Hellboy? He's big, he'd red and he's grumpy but he's just trying to keep the world safe. Lets face it, he's really just a romantic at heart - the whole Hellboy/Liz thing, despite being a a mixed species romance, is totally gorgeous. Ooh, and also, lots of stuff blows up and there's tonnes of fighting and cool stuff like that.
4.There Will Be Blood - sure this movie is long, but Daniel Day-Lewis is so mesmirising that you never once look at the clock. Its no wonder he won the Oscar for this film - everything he does is just so unbelievably watchable. Paul Dano is kind of a revelation too.
And my least favourite?
Tropic Thunder - I know this one is going to be a controversial pick, but i couldnt even watch all the way to the end of this. I understand what they were aiming for, but it just fell flat for me. Plus, I think i'm kind of over Ben Stiller. He has no range: he's either the sweet, goofy romantic or aq gung-ho idiot. I'd love to see him do something closer to his work in " Reality Bites ". I just think he needs to moves past the crazy faces and dicks in zippers.
___________________________________________________________________
TV Shows
1. How I Met Your Mother - i really got into this show this year. I totally want to date Ted and Barney ? Barney is the shit-funniest character on TV. Don't judge me, but i would totally have a one stand with Barney.
2. The Amazing Race - yep, I am still in love with this show. I know their are about a thousand other reality shows i could be watching, but The Amazing Race lets me indulge my travel fantasys ( oh, and the fantasy of winning a million dollars ).
3. Big Bang Theory - aww, Leonard is just so darn cute. I'm just hoping that at some point Penny is going to realise it, rip off his glasses and drag him to her bedroom. And Raj has all the potential in the world ( as realised when he volunteered for that drug trial ). But its Sheldon - man Sheldon cracks me up. He's just so weird....
4. So You Think You Can Dance Australia - loved this show! So vibrant, and sexy and stylish and fun. I sooooooo wanna go and take dance lessons, except i'm kind of likely to trip over my own feet and sprain an ankle or something. I'll just keep my dancing on the pub dancefloor and far, far away from a national, television stage.
5. Greys Anatomy - the season of Izzy and George ( which was kind of awkward ), Alex and Rebecca ( which was kind of sad ) and Callie turning lesbian ( or has she ? ). McDreamy was still hot, McSteamy was still waaaay hot although, unfortunately, Meredith was still mopey. Will that change in the new season ? Doubtful - but as long as the boys stay hot and the romance and gossip stays scandalous, i'll keep watching.
And my least favourite?
The Moment of Truth - O.M.G. This is just trainwreck TV. I cant understand why anyone would want to watch this program. Its basically just repulsive people admitting to scandalous and hurtful things in a bid to make money. I'm all for the trailer park trash of shows like " Jerry Springer " but this ? This is just nasty. Much like the " contestants " on the show....
___________________________________________________________________
Songs:
1. " My People " by The Presets - the ultimate dancefloor anthem for this year. For all of you not in the know, The Presets are an Australian dance/electronic outfit and this is the song that had me dancing everytime i heard it. " I'm here with all of my people! "
2. " Use Somebody " by Kings of Leon - my favourite love song of the year. And by love i mean i could totally use somebody like Caleb Followhill... love me Caleb, I'll love you back!
3. " Thats Not My Name " by The Ting Tings - this song is just so catchy! And, despite the fact my local radio station played it about a million times a day, i'm not sick of yet. Its different and fresh and.... its just so damn catchy! Its my loungeroom/car sing-along-song. You know, the way you sing at the top of your lungs and pretend like your a total rock star ? Yep, you have one of those too.
4. " Kids " by MGMT - totally loving the trippy, psuedo-psychedelic pop by these guys. And " Kids " is getting a lot of airplay right now, and its my favourite song off " Oracular Spectacular ". It may just be my anthem for the summer and, therefore, makes this list.
5. " Leave Out All The Rest " by Linkin Park - ah, my emo song of the year. Everybody needs a soft/loud/soft.loud rock song that they can play when they are feeling either melancholy ( I wanna die right now... boo hoo hoo ) or angry ( You are all going to regret this when i'm gone, bitches ! ). Linkin Park usually fits the bill for that kind of song, and this song falls into that category. Ah, Linkin Park - with me since Year 12.
And my least favourite?
" I Kissed A Girl " by Katy Perry - Puh-lease Katy Perry: you did not kiss a girl and even if you did it was only to impresf the horny drunk boys. I cannot stand songs like this. Firstly, Katy cant sing all that well but that doesnt matter so much in these days of slick production. The issue here is the song is a complete novelty, just sung to titillate and shock. So its gets a little controversy and then radio starts playing the crap out of it. Which only makes me hate it more. I just find it so sad that people are able to build a ( brief ) career out of such an annoying, and utterly crap, song.
___________________________________________________________________
Albums:
1. " Pretty.Odd " by Panic At The Disco - sweet, sweet pop music, with an old-school Beatlesque twist. " Nine In The Afternoon " very narrowly missed out on a place in my favourite songs - its just pure, sweet, sunshiney pop at its best. And so is the rest of the album.
2. " Duets " by Reba McEntire - I know what your thinking: a country album. But Reba is like the queen of country and she's an all round brilliant artist, which is why she inspires artists like Carole King, Kelly Clarkson, Don Henley and Justin Timberlake to sing with her. The song she does with Justin - which he wrote for mind you - is just gorgeous, and the duet on " Because of You " with Kelly is near about as good as the original.
3. " Only By The Night " by Kings of Leon - hello, best rock album of the year. If you havent already bought it/heard it/ heard OF it, then what the hell is wrong with you ? Seriously, yoiu cannot escape the genius of " Sex On Fire " and the aforementioned " Use Somebody " so why try ? Just go and buy the album and love it. Now.
4. " Across the Universe " soundtrack by the cast of the film - if you dont know the film, its a musical using the songs of The Beatles so, thusly, this is a collection of Beatles songs sung by the cast ( who include Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess and a cameo by Bono ). My pick for the best is " Hey Jude " which, with its " Naaa, naaa, naaa, na na na na! " has been the song i turn to for a pick me up and Evan Rachel Wood singing " Blackbird ". Gorgeous song such by a gorgeous girl in a gorgeous, pure voice.
5. " The Odd Couple " by Gnarls Barkley - alternatley, the album i've found myself either playing with windows rolled down in my car, or choosing to dance around the house to while i do housework. " Run! " is a great song for vacuum dancing AND cruising the streets and " Blind Mary " is just too cute. Need to get your party ( or housework, whatever takes your fancy ... ) started ? Choose Gnarls Barkley.
And my least favourite ?
Note, that there is no entry for this one. I'm not in the habit of buying music i dont like and, although it is possible to misjudge the strength of an album ( by buying ti based on one song or the strength of previous albums by that artist ), that didnt happen this year. Hell, i wasnt even forced to listen to a crappy CD by a friend - you know, whilst chilling out, or on a roadtrip - so, consequently there is no one album i can choose as my least favourite this year. Yay for my ears!
___________________________________________________________________
And that be all. The years pop culture as rated by me is now over. Leave a comment, tell me what you agrred/disagreed with, how mad you think i am for a particular choice, or even just leave your own choices for favourite. Peace out yo!
Films:
1. The Dark Knight - two words: Heath Ledger. Wait, two more: posthumous Oscar. I went into this hoping it wasnt all hype, and it wasnt. Heaths performance is so brilliantly dark that even minor plot holes or that horrid accent Christian Bale uses as Batman could sink this ship.
2. Juno - this just had the quirky, kind of dark, not-everybody-is-gonna-get-it kind of humour that i love. Ellen Paige just does the biting wit so well, and she has just the right amount of freckles to be believable as the odd girl ( rather than the gorgeously pretty popular girl ). I kind of loved the whole mature storyline as played out by kids thing aswell. Total winner.
3. Hellboy 2: The Golden Army - who doesnt love Hellboy? He's big, he'd red and he's grumpy but he's just trying to keep the world safe. Lets face it, he's really just a romantic at heart - the whole Hellboy/Liz thing, despite being a a mixed species romance, is totally gorgeous. Ooh, and also, lots of stuff blows up and there's tonnes of fighting and cool stuff like that.
4.There Will Be Blood - sure this movie is long, but Daniel Day-Lewis is so mesmirising that you never once look at the clock. Its no wonder he won the Oscar for this film - everything he does is just so unbelievably watchable. Paul Dano is kind of a revelation too.
And my least favourite?
Tropic Thunder - I know this one is going to be a controversial pick, but i couldnt even watch all the way to the end of this. I understand what they were aiming for, but it just fell flat for me. Plus, I think i'm kind of over Ben Stiller. He has no range: he's either the sweet, goofy romantic or aq gung-ho idiot. I'd love to see him do something closer to his work in " Reality Bites ". I just think he needs to moves past the crazy faces and dicks in zippers.
___________________________________________________________________
TV Shows
1. How I Met Your Mother - i really got into this show this year. I totally want to date Ted and Barney ? Barney is the shit-funniest character on TV. Don't judge me, but i would totally have a one stand with Barney.
2. The Amazing Race - yep, I am still in love with this show. I know their are about a thousand other reality shows i could be watching, but The Amazing Race lets me indulge my travel fantasys ( oh, and the fantasy of winning a million dollars ).
3. Big Bang Theory - aww, Leonard is just so darn cute. I'm just hoping that at some point Penny is going to realise it, rip off his glasses and drag him to her bedroom. And Raj has all the potential in the world ( as realised when he volunteered for that drug trial ). But its Sheldon - man Sheldon cracks me up. He's just so weird....
4. So You Think You Can Dance Australia - loved this show! So vibrant, and sexy and stylish and fun. I sooooooo wanna go and take dance lessons, except i'm kind of likely to trip over my own feet and sprain an ankle or something. I'll just keep my dancing on the pub dancefloor and far, far away from a national, television stage.
5. Greys Anatomy - the season of Izzy and George ( which was kind of awkward ), Alex and Rebecca ( which was kind of sad ) and Callie turning lesbian ( or has she ? ). McDreamy was still hot, McSteamy was still waaaay hot although, unfortunately, Meredith was still mopey. Will that change in the new season ? Doubtful - but as long as the boys stay hot and the romance and gossip stays scandalous, i'll keep watching.
And my least favourite?
The Moment of Truth - O.M.G. This is just trainwreck TV. I cant understand why anyone would want to watch this program. Its basically just repulsive people admitting to scandalous and hurtful things in a bid to make money. I'm all for the trailer park trash of shows like " Jerry Springer " but this ? This is just nasty. Much like the " contestants " on the show....
___________________________________________________________________
Songs:
1. " My People " by The Presets - the ultimate dancefloor anthem for this year. For all of you not in the know, The Presets are an Australian dance/electronic outfit and this is the song that had me dancing everytime i heard it. " I'm here with all of my people! "
2. " Use Somebody " by Kings of Leon - my favourite love song of the year. And by love i mean i could totally use somebody like Caleb Followhill... love me Caleb, I'll love you back!
3. " Thats Not My Name " by The Ting Tings - this song is just so catchy! And, despite the fact my local radio station played it about a million times a day, i'm not sick of yet. Its different and fresh and.... its just so damn catchy! Its my loungeroom/car sing-along-song. You know, the way you sing at the top of your lungs and pretend like your a total rock star ? Yep, you have one of those too.
4. " Kids " by MGMT - totally loving the trippy, psuedo-psychedelic pop by these guys. And " Kids " is getting a lot of airplay right now, and its my favourite song off " Oracular Spectacular ". It may just be my anthem for the summer and, therefore, makes this list.
5. " Leave Out All The Rest " by Linkin Park - ah, my emo song of the year. Everybody needs a soft/loud/soft.loud rock song that they can play when they are feeling either melancholy ( I wanna die right now... boo hoo hoo ) or angry ( You are all going to regret this when i'm gone, bitches ! ). Linkin Park usually fits the bill for that kind of song, and this song falls into that category. Ah, Linkin Park - with me since Year 12.
And my least favourite?
" I Kissed A Girl " by Katy Perry - Puh-lease Katy Perry: you did not kiss a girl and even if you did it was only to impresf the horny drunk boys. I cannot stand songs like this. Firstly, Katy cant sing all that well but that doesnt matter so much in these days of slick production. The issue here is the song is a complete novelty, just sung to titillate and shock. So its gets a little controversy and then radio starts playing the crap out of it. Which only makes me hate it more. I just find it so sad that people are able to build a ( brief ) career out of such an annoying, and utterly crap, song.
___________________________________________________________________
Albums:
1. " Pretty.Odd " by Panic At The Disco - sweet, sweet pop music, with an old-school Beatlesque twist. " Nine In The Afternoon " very narrowly missed out on a place in my favourite songs - its just pure, sweet, sunshiney pop at its best. And so is the rest of the album.
2. " Duets " by Reba McEntire - I know what your thinking: a country album. But Reba is like the queen of country and she's an all round brilliant artist, which is why she inspires artists like Carole King, Kelly Clarkson, Don Henley and Justin Timberlake to sing with her. The song she does with Justin - which he wrote for mind you - is just gorgeous, and the duet on " Because of You " with Kelly is near about as good as the original.
3. " Only By The Night " by Kings of Leon - hello, best rock album of the year. If you havent already bought it/heard it/ heard OF it, then what the hell is wrong with you ? Seriously, yoiu cannot escape the genius of " Sex On Fire " and the aforementioned " Use Somebody " so why try ? Just go and buy the album and love it. Now.
4. " Across the Universe " soundtrack by the cast of the film - if you dont know the film, its a musical using the songs of The Beatles so, thusly, this is a collection of Beatles songs sung by the cast ( who include Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess and a cameo by Bono ). My pick for the best is " Hey Jude " which, with its " Naaa, naaa, naaa, na na na na! " has been the song i turn to for a pick me up and Evan Rachel Wood singing " Blackbird ". Gorgeous song such by a gorgeous girl in a gorgeous, pure voice.
5. " The Odd Couple " by Gnarls Barkley - alternatley, the album i've found myself either playing with windows rolled down in my car, or choosing to dance around the house to while i do housework. " Run! " is a great song for vacuum dancing AND cruising the streets and " Blind Mary " is just too cute. Need to get your party ( or housework, whatever takes your fancy ... ) started ? Choose Gnarls Barkley.
And my least favourite ?
Note, that there is no entry for this one. I'm not in the habit of buying music i dont like and, although it is possible to misjudge the strength of an album ( by buying ti based on one song or the strength of previous albums by that artist ), that didnt happen this year. Hell, i wasnt even forced to listen to a crappy CD by a friend - you know, whilst chilling out, or on a roadtrip - so, consequently there is no one album i can choose as my least favourite this year. Yay for my ears!
___________________________________________________________________
And that be all. The years pop culture as rated by me is now over. Leave a comment, tell me what you agrred/disagreed with, how mad you think i am for a particular choice, or even just leave your own choices for favourite. Peace out yo!
A Monday kind of Thursday
I had one of those days today. Nothing much at all went wrong, just it was an odd kind of day. I had very little to actually do at work ( apparently my colleague and i are just too damn efficient ), yet the day seemed to fly by; my mind wandered off on really random tangents but i alway smanaged to think my way back around to what i was supposed to be doing; it was grey, overcast and relatively cold for this time of year, but i didnt seem to mind, as long as it managed to rain. So, in honour of my odd day, here are just a handful of random, stupid things that you probably dont care to read:
1. Tonight is the first night that i have not successfully completed the task on my " To Do " list. This, however, is excusable. Tonights task was to clean the spiderwebs off the outside of my house - i'm hardly going to do that in the rain now, am i ?
2. Looooooving the Australian Open at the moment. Am taping away while i listen to Baghdatis vs Safin, knowing that i'll have to get to bed soon and wont get to see the end of the match. Did however watch all of Roddicks match last night and will watch any Nadal match i am home for. Mmmm, Rafael Nadal....
3. My head is buzzing with plans for my best friends hen's night. I have a resturant to book, theme to decide upon and then invites to get out. Plus there are games to think of that are appropriate in a retsurant setting, decorations, party favours, and a list of challenges to complete at the local pubs. So much pressure on my poor bridesmaids head!
4. Very excited about getting a gym membership for my birthday. I'm havign visions of dropping weight, adding toned muscle, and becoming a professional tennis player. Mmmm, Rafael Nadal....
5. I broke the aerial on my car yesterday. I parked in the under cover parking at the shopping centre where i work and, unbeknownst to me, my aerial got caught in a grate covering a light on the ceiling. When i started backing out i hear this weird grating noise and then snap! Broke about 4cm off the top! What a fucker... but at least i still get radio reception.
6. I've come to realise that i really hate those erectile disfunction adds they play all bloody day long on the radio. You know, the ones about getting your sausage to sizzle this summer, being longer and stronger with some women moaning liking she's having the greatest orgasm of her life ? I know i dont have a penis, but you cant help but hear the ads and start thinking about sex. And the last place you want to be thinking about sex is at work, with only two other women and two incredibly dorky, unattractive men for company, knowing you are not getting any, from anyone, anywhere, any time soon. Mmmm, Rafael Nadal....
7. Ben Lee's album , " Ripe ", completely rocks. Check out his duet with Mandy Moore plus the song " Just Say Yes ". Perfect intelligent, melodic, singer-songwriter pop.
And thats it. Like i said, it was an odd kind of day. Embrace it with me....
1. Tonight is the first night that i have not successfully completed the task on my " To Do " list. This, however, is excusable. Tonights task was to clean the spiderwebs off the outside of my house - i'm hardly going to do that in the rain now, am i ?
2. Looooooving the Australian Open at the moment. Am taping away while i listen to Baghdatis vs Safin, knowing that i'll have to get to bed soon and wont get to see the end of the match. Did however watch all of Roddicks match last night and will watch any Nadal match i am home for. Mmmm, Rafael Nadal....
3. My head is buzzing with plans for my best friends hen's night. I have a resturant to book, theme to decide upon and then invites to get out. Plus there are games to think of that are appropriate in a retsurant setting, decorations, party favours, and a list of challenges to complete at the local pubs. So much pressure on my poor bridesmaids head!
4. Very excited about getting a gym membership for my birthday. I'm havign visions of dropping weight, adding toned muscle, and becoming a professional tennis player. Mmmm, Rafael Nadal....
5. I broke the aerial on my car yesterday. I parked in the under cover parking at the shopping centre where i work and, unbeknownst to me, my aerial got caught in a grate covering a light on the ceiling. When i started backing out i hear this weird grating noise and then snap! Broke about 4cm off the top! What a fucker... but at least i still get radio reception.
6. I've come to realise that i really hate those erectile disfunction adds they play all bloody day long on the radio. You know, the ones about getting your sausage to sizzle this summer, being longer and stronger with some women moaning liking she's having the greatest orgasm of her life ? I know i dont have a penis, but you cant help but hear the ads and start thinking about sex. And the last place you want to be thinking about sex is at work, with only two other women and two incredibly dorky, unattractive men for company, knowing you are not getting any, from anyone, anywhere, any time soon. Mmmm, Rafael Nadal....
7. Ben Lee's album , " Ripe ", completely rocks. Check out his duet with Mandy Moore plus the song " Just Say Yes ". Perfect intelligent, melodic, singer-songwriter pop.
And thats it. Like i said, it was an odd kind of day. Embrace it with me....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
