Challenge Accepted 2.0

The Challenge: Graceland by Paul Simon

The Challenger: Todd

Rating: Weak

Response: Dashboard by Modest Mouse

Before I go into Dashboard, I feel compelled to tell my side of the Graceland story...since Todd likes to exaggerate it a little more every time he tells it.

What really happened is that like ten years ago, a bunch of us went down to El Paso for the weekend, though I don't remember why. (Seriously, WTF is in El Paso?) Nevertheless, I ended up riding back in the front seat with Todd, while Bobby and Amanda rode in the back (they luckily had portable CD players). Todd did something to annoy me and to get back at him, I put Paul Simon's Graceland on the Repeat 1 on the car stereo. I seem to remember that I was joking when I laid down and used his hand a pillow. Somehow I feel asleep and being good friend and diligent driver that Todd was, he never moved his hand and ended up listening to Graceland for about 90 minutes straight. (Not three hours or whatever other bullshit Todd would have you believe.) Pretty lame story huh? Well...I still hear about every time I go home and at least once a month via text, email, or blog. I don't mind though...Todd was been a great friend for many years and telling this story is a way to prove it. Oh well...moving on.

Dashboard by Modest Mouse seemed all too easy for this one, but it really is a perfect answer so I had to go with it instead of picking something with less of a connection. (Not bragging...just right.) It is a new song, having come out this year. It is an awesome song. I heard it once on one of the rare occasions that I was in a car listening to the radio and downloaded it as soon as I got home. It is an addictive song, even if you can't understand the lyrics. For those of you who can't...here is the official Millie review.

The Opening Line: "Well it would've been, could've been worse than you would ever know, the dashboard melted but we still have the radio." Nothing exceptional about this line musically. But let's face it...as long as you've got tunes, you're alright.

As the song progresses, the car deteriorates. It moves onto..."Well the windshield was broken but I love the fresh air." Then we progress to "Well the car was on blocks but I was already where I want". In between each line is the standard "Well it would've been, could've been worse than you ever know, the dashboard melted but we still have the radio".

It Ends: "Every dawn you're surprising and the evening was consoling saying "See it wasn't quite as bad."

So there it is. It is actually a pretty positive song when you think about it. After all...everythign usually ends with "See it wasn't that bad..." It has a great beat and it is possible to sing along to. (I use the word possible because it isn't easy to sing it but it isn't that hard either.) Overall...it is worth downloading.

So Todd...once again I laugh at your challenge. Step it up my dear friend...you can do better.

I apologize for the lazy blog...I had fully intended to break down the latest soundtrack that I downloaded but I just don't have the energy that it would take to do it justice...since I am competing with Andrew's blog on the subject. I blame my slacking on too much sushi and laughing with good friends. (The perfect way to spend an evening I must say.) Tomorrow is another day.

This Diamond is Forever

As I was stumbling through various blogs on this fine Wednesday evening...I found one that is devoted entirely to proving that Barry Manilow is better than Neil Diamond. The nice thing about a blog is that you can write about whatever you want...even if it is COMPLETELY untrue...as is the case with said mentioned blog. Hello...Neil is the 3rd highest selling adult contemporary artists of all times!!!!! Where is Barry you might ask...not in the #1 or #2 stop I can assure you. Why...because Barry is good but Neil is GRRRReat!!!!

I could spend hours blogging about the greatest of Neil Diamond...but I won't for two reasons. The first is that I am exhausted from staying up last night screaming at Blogger. The second is because it is not necessary. I will steal a line from one of my all-time favorite movies...What About Bob? to elaborate further on this. You see..."there are two types of people in the world: those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't." Truer words were never spoken.

Before I go into my list of the Essential Neil songs...I must touch on Neil's role in Saving Silverman. Saving Silverman was a pretty good movie...but having Neil in it is what pushed it from 'nice to watch once' to 'must watch it every time it is on Comedy Central' movie. I love the fact that the main characters have a Neil Diamond cover band. (If I could find one...I would join.) When Neil actually appeared in the movie...I remember squealing in delight because let's face it...you can never get enough of Neil. (DISCLAIMER....I do not think that Neil is attractive...but his talent gives him quite the sexual appeal.) It is worth watching the movie just to see Neil.

Moving on...let's talk songs! There are dozens of Neil songs that should be on everyone's iPod...but in case you are just getting started...here is my essential list of Neil that you should never leave home without.

Cherry Cherry - Just try not to sing along with this one. It is too catchy...instinctively you will start to sing and maybe do a little dance. Yes the song is about sex...but it is tasteful. The line: "Won't need bright lights no no we won't, gonna make our own lighting." Great tune.

America - So you can't be an American and not love this song!!! This song is my favorite of all patriotic songs because it is full of hope. It is another song that is easy to sing to...actually it is more like shout to. This is not a song that you can sing under your breath...it deserves to be sung from the soul. Warning...as you sing...you will feel compelled to do that embarrassing fist pump in the air thing that should only be done by bad ass guys after slaying the dragon or some other manly act. America is the best song in concert because everyone else is shouting the lyrics and doing that damn fist pump thing so you are not alone in your geekiness. It is a feel good tune and that is never a bad thing. The line: "Every time that flags unfurled they're coming to America."

Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon - This song is on the list because it has a powerful opening. It is not your usual happy go lucky Neil tune. The opening lines of this song let you know up front that the song is love song while at the same time it lets you hear the yearning in his voice. You can hear him pleading to the girl that might slip away. It is impossible to sit and listen to the song and not be wishing that the "girl" will take Neil's hand as asked. The Urge Overkill remake of this song for Pulp Fiction was decent...but it lacked the passion that Neil conveyed in his version. For the line it only seems fair to go with the opening of the song: "I love you so much I can't count all the ways I'd die for you girl and all they can say is "He's not your kind".

Hello Again - This is a more recent favorite of mine, as the other songs on the list have been favorites since I was about seven and had my first Neil Experience (a girl does not forget something like that). I think that the fact that I can relate to this song is the reason that I love it. It is simple and openly-honest which makes it vulnerable and I understand that. The line: "And to feel this way when I hear you say Hello."

Sweet Caroline - (You didn't really think that this one wouldn't be on this blog did you?) So this is the money song. It is hard to know where to start because there are so many points to discuss about this song. Let's start with the obvious...it is Worlds Greatest Sing-a-long Song! Sure...it sucks that Boston stole it for the Red Sox considering that Neil has been a lifelong Yankee fan...but the Boston point will probably be null and void in a few days so let's move on. (I am looking forward to singing it without feeling like a traitor.) There are dozens of sporting teams who get their crowds engaged by playing this tune...because everyone knows it and loves to sing it. It is an optimistic love song...which is also a good thing. Next...it sold over a million singles...which is no small feat. It is also a sure thing when it comes to karaoke. You cannot go wrong singing this song because even if you don't know it...everyone else does and will join you and carry you to the end. Finally...the little known fact that matters only to me is that it was a vital key to my success in quitting smoking (19 months and counting damn it!). A good friend told me that this song helped him quit and to give it a try. Whenever I felt like I needed a cigarette, I picked up the phone and called him and we sang the whole damn thing. I felt better and no longer felt the need to smoke. Sounds crazy...but it worked. I even burned a CD of nothing but this song and listened to it the entire way home to fight the urge to smoke in the car. The line: "And when I hurt, hurting runs off my shoulders, how could I hurt when I'm with you?" How can you hurt when listening to Neil...honestly?

So let's recap...Neil can sing, write, act, love, motivate sports teams, and help people quit smoking. If he ran for President...imagine what he could accomplish.

Neil verses Barry...no contest. Neil would whoop his ass any day of the week.

WTF BLOGGER??????????

If you would like to read the blog that I just spend over an hour writing...please look at the blog called In A Land of Make Believe.





WTF BLOGGER? WTF?

Does Anyone Remember The Box?

Okay...how is it that I am the only person who remembers The Box? Seriously...WTF? I know it existed because I remember getting bitched out by my dad for using it back in high school. (The Fresh Prince said it best...parents just don't understand.) Neither Google nor Jeeves remember The Box...though Wikipedia seems to say think that The Box became MTV2.

For all of you non-believers...The Box was a video jukebox that allowed you to order the popular music videos for like $4.99 or something outrageous like that. Think TRL only you didn't have to listen to Carson or see a bunch of dumb girls scream over *Nsync for the billionth time and with ALOT of static. It was only accessible on network TV so that meant that I had to disconnect the cable in my room to watch it (which no doubt caused the static). Hence my father's frustration...First...what the hell was The Box? Second...why in the hell was he paying for cable if I was just going to disconnect it? Third, what made me think that my "keen fashion sense" enabled me to fuck around with a bunch of live wires? (Not my words...his.) That should have been the end of my brief affair with The Box...yes? No...in true Millie form...I got my friends to order videos and watched them on my TV. This lasted for about three months until all of my buddies were banned from using it too!!! I am guessing that someone else's dad was bitching about it at a game or something and my dad ratted us out. Nevertheless...it was great while it lasted.

So what made me think of this? Well it started a few weeks ago when I was discussing the classic video for The Backstreet Boys song "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)". Before I continue...can anyone please explain to me where in the hell they were back from? They had like one song before Everybody so it made absolutely no damn sense. But I digress....Moving on. So Dino and I were discussing the finer points of the song and the video and I mentioned that I ordered the video several times back in the days of The Box. He stared at me blankly and said that he had never heard of The Box. So I asked the other resident of the office who retains useless information regarding bad music and he had no clue about the video (my reenactment of the monster dance in the video did not bring back any memories but it did inspire a great deal of laughter) or The Box.

So this launched my quest to find The Box. I am sorry to say that it has been a fruitless effort. Super Pop Culture Legends Andrew or Victor...if you can offer anything...it would be greatly appreciated because Chief and Dino think that I am slightly crazy.

Since I cannot find any good info on The Box...I have decided to celebrate it by recapping a few of the videos that I seemed to watch over and over again. This will shine some light on The Box and all of it's glory.

Backstreet Boys' Everybody (Backstreet's Back) - So I already mentioned this one but it truly deserves its moment. This video was awesome!!! I think that I liked it because it was monster themed and had a Thriller feel to it, only not scary. I think that I knew the whole dance routine back in my prime...though I just remember the whole leg swing...neck rocking part. I could never figure out what Kevin was supposed to be...but I guess he was the best he could with what he had. Let's face it...geeks are not scary!!!! Great video...YouTube it!

*NSYNC's Tearing Up My Heart - So this was my first and all time favorite *NSYNC song. The young lads were fresh and peppy and looked like the guys that I hung out with at school only they sang of luv. I was smitten from the start. How was I supposed to know back then that I really, really stood NO chance in hell with Lance Bass? I was like 15. Whatever. It was a great video.

She Moves' Breaking All The Rules - Okay...for the record...it took me about ten minutes just to remember a damn line from this song in order to Google it to find out who in the hell did it. So as much as I liked it at the time...it clearly didn't have that much of a lasting effect on me. Nevertheless...I seem to remember buying the CD and thinking that they were better than The Spice Girls, which is like saying that a broken toe is better than a broken finger...guess what...they both suck. Anyway, in my young naive days...I thought they were great. I don't know what happened to them...(neither does Jeeves) and I don't know what happened to my copy of their CD. I do know that you can buy the video of their cover of Its Your Love on iTunes but you shouldn't because it is not very good.

Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On - So thank God that they didn't list which video you requested because this one would have really pissed my father off. I mean, VH1 played the damn thing every hour!!! You couldn't escape it. Nevertheless...I would request it (or convince someone else to) and get all excited when it came on. Just seeing the white glove reach out of the car would get me all emotional because in true girlie form...even the video made me cry. "I'll never let go" either I guess.

Aqua's Barbie Girl - Is there anything that needs to be said with this one? After all...it is summed up by "Life in plastic...its fantastic!"

98 Degrees' Because of You - There wasn't enough static in the world that could cover up young Nick Lachey's amazing arms in this video. (Drew's weren't bad either.) The song was just okay...but it didn't matter. I remember Amanda and I ordering while on the phone together(3-way calling was the bomb!!!!) and watching it with the volume down while gossiping in the wee hours of the morning.

So there it is in a nutshell...my brief love affair with The Box. I look back now and somewhat understand frustration felt by those who got stuck with the bill but that is not the point. The point is that it DID exist and it was briefly enjoyed by the youth of Albuquerque. Much like the child who believes his parents when he is told that Rover has moved to a dog farm where he gets to chase cats all day and eat steak for every meal...I believe that my beloved Box morphed into MTV2. This way...it is not gone...just different. And it means that it continued to bring joy into my life with great programming such as Wildboyz.

Whatever happened to The Box...it is remembered fondly by me at least.

And speaking of boxes...here is Dino in a box!

Why is Dino in a box???? Because we have decided that he is coming to New Haven with me next summer.

In A Land of Make Believe

Political feelings aside...I have to admit that I still love Green Day. Not in the crazy way of my youth...when I watched their Jaded in Chicago Concert at least three times a week. I no longer have Billie Joe posters in my locker (but thanks to TJ I had that damn MC picture in there for weeks!!!!) and don't wear Basket Case shirts anymore. I would not wait in line for 7 hours to get tickets to see them in concert, and I would not go to WalMart at 1201 on the day that their new album is released because I just don't care like I used to. All that said...I still love their music and I never get tired of hearing their songs.

I have shown them no love on this blog because I strongly disagree with a lot of what they have said over the past few years. Yet as I drove home from the store tonight...one of their songs came on the iPod and made me feel like I was seeing an old friend that I hadn't seen in years. Thus...a blog in celebration of their songs that to this day I still love.

Paper Lanterns (played 59 times on the Millie iPod) - This song is early Green Day...and unless you are a super fan...I doubt you know it. I think that everyone who has ever moved on from anyone can relate to this song. It seems very un-punk of Green Day, but I never really thought that they were that punk to begin with. The opening line is decent and the chorus is singable. The line: "I do not mind if all I am is just a friend to you but what I want to know right now is if you think about me too?" Who can't relate to that feeling?

2000 Light Years Away (played 48 times on the iPod)- Also early GD but popular enough. This is the song that Billie Joe wrote for his future wife after he left for a tour shortly after meeting her. How hot is that? It is another song that shreds the credibility of Green Day with punk fans but whatever. It is the opening song on the album Kerplunk and it is awesome. The line: "I hold my breath and close my eyes and think about her because she is 2000 light years away." Awww....what it lacks in punk rock edge it makes up for in sweetness.

She (played 51 times on the iPod) - There is no reason for me to explain why this song is a favorite one on my mine....unless you haven't heard it or you don't know anything about me. Therefore...No line.

If you haven't caught on yet...I am picking one song from each album. I am skipping Insomniac because it SUCKED!!! Talk about a total let down album. I don't care how big of a fan you were...there was nothing nice to say about this one. This was their sell-out album if you ask me.

Nice Guys Finish Last (played 73 times on the iPod) - This song is one that I like to listen to when I want to feel like a badass. I am not sure why it has that effect on me but it does. It is on the Millie workout playlist. It is a funny song, a real song, and let's face it...just an overall kick ass song. The line: "I'm so fucking happy I could cry." 'nuff said.

Castaway (played 45 times on the iPod) - If you would have asked me to pick a song off of the Warning album a few weeks ago...it would have been Church on Sunday because I thought it was the most truthful and real song written by the band. I still like it...but I don't agree with the last verse anymore so I am changing my pick for the album to Castaway because I like the idea of song. In a weird way...it is actually kind of inspiring. Yet another example of the lack of punk in Green Day. The line: " Spontaneous combustion in the corners of my mind, leaving in a lurch and I'm taking back what's mine."

Poprocks and Coke (played 121 times on the iPod) - This song was one of two new songs on the greatest hits album which made it stand out. There is one reason that this song is in my heart. It was the last song that Bobby karaoked before he passed away. It was two days before I left for boot camp and the last night I ever saw my best friend. The line: "So I'll see you there."

Seriously...WTF was Shenanigans? Worst Green Day Album EVER.

Moving on...bringing us to...American Idiot. It is hard to pick a song off of this album. The title track is one of the more cleverly written songs by the band. Holiday has the best beat and thought-provoking lyrics as well. Wake Me When September Ends was not bad...but exploited. This album is a work of musical art. My pick...

Jesus of Suburbia (played 65 times on the iPod which is no small feat considering that the song is nine minutes long!!!!) - Okay...so it isn't actually that hard to pick a song. Reviewing the choices...it is the clear winner. What other nine minute song can say that it is amazing from start to finish? The lyrics are awesome! The beat is perfectly timed to speed up and re-excite you just as you are about to move onto the next song. It is impossible to pick one line because every line is great. I will compromise...see the song is broken into parts and will select one of those....Part 2 City of the Damned.

Much to the dismay of Green Day fans...there has not been a new album since American Idiot. Sure they have don't a few single tracks...but no album. Oh well. No blog about Green Day would be complete without mentioning my favorite all time Green Day moment. Drum roll please....


Theme to The Simpsons' Movie - Isn't it lovely when two great things get together and make even greater things? (Todd and Brooke...talking about you two love birds!) Somehow I had no idea that Green Day was covering the theme song and thus making a cameo in the much anticipated movie. It was a wonderful surprise! No line...any Simpson's fan knows what I am talking about.

Read With Caution

Let's be honest...We've all heard of them...we all love to watch them even if we won't admit it. You know what I am talking about...that's right...Dumb Ass Movies. The kind that require absolutely no effort to follow the plot (assuming of course that there is one in the first place). Sure they aren't going to win any academy awards...many have actually won Razzies...that is not the point. The point is that it doesn't matter if you are trying to shake some one's words out of your head or avoid starting on another damn paper for class (both happen to be true in this case), throwing in one these movies are a sure way to get away from thinking in general. So here is my tribute to Dumb Ass Movies:

Eurotrip: Okay, so this movie is new on the list for me, having only recently made it into the rotation. The basic plot of this movie is that recent high school graduate Scotty is dumbed by his sweetheart and embarks on a whirlwind trip of Europe (betcha didn't see that one coming) with his friends. The beginning scene were Fiona dumps Scotty is only funny because it isn't happening to you. A previous blog refers to Matt Damon playing a punk rocker who is singing about scoring with Scotty's girlfriend on the DL, which is the reason that I was able to stick with the movie the first time that I watched...because it really is dumb. The fun picks up and if you can get over that fact that the situations are not entirely plausible, it is worth watching. Highlights include Scotty mistaking his super hot female pen-pal for an old man sexual predator, a robot-dance showdown with a mime in front of the Louvre (ending with a kick in the crotch to the mime who falls down saying in robot voice "Error, Error".) a not so pleasant nude beach, the German take on Hammertime, Jenny getting drunk and consequently making a poor choice when selecting a make-out buddy, and naughty fun at the Vatican. All the while, poor Scotty is haunted by various versions of Scotty Doesn't Know all throughout Europe.

Undercover Brother: Okay any movie with a token white guy going to be funny...but Neil Patrick Harris as that white guy takes it it to another level. Rag on Doogie Hauser all you want, but Neil is a funny actor. So this movie is funny for a few reasons...but honestly it is really because of the awesome performances of Neil and Chris Kattan. Their over the top whiteness is the what make the movie...as well as remind me of myself. Both stars have defining moments in the film. Chris Kattan's comes when he is cannot stop himself from busting a groove to the Mary J Blige hit Family Affair. Neil's comes when he is gets called a sissy and responds by ripping the heart out of the poor guy who utter those words. Good flick...trust me.

The Burbs: Okay so this one is borderline, since the plot is tolerable and not that stupid. Tom Hanks plays the typical overworked suburban dad who is trying to take a vacation. His neighbors manage to convince him that his new neighbors murdered the old man down the street. The laughs start rolling in as a they attempt to determine the truth in the burbs. Highlights include: thoughts of satanic rituals, bags of garage being beat with a stick, electrocutions, a king gesture that gets mistaken for a doggie ransom note, and Carrie Fisher as the disapproving wife. All of the tomfoolery is being watched by neighborhood teen Ricky Butler, who is rightfully played by Corey Feldman, who steals the show with classic lines like "Dude you are going to miss the pizza guy!" and later on "The pizza dude is here!". In spite of all of this, there is only one real reason to watch this movie and that is see broken and bandaged Tom Hanks completely freak out towards the end of the movie. His character has an understandable break down as he explains that they have the problem, not the scary neighbors. He announces that they are the lunatics as he throws a chair into the street in front of the house that they caused to explode. He then lays down on the gurney and asks to be taken to the hospital because he is sick. When no one moves quick enough, he jumps up, throws the gurney into the back of the ambulance, and climbs on in. It is a classic freak out moment and the best part of the movie. God I love this street!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (The movie, not be confused with the TV show which is dumb but not funny and not worth watching nor blogging about.): This movie is DUMB...but I love it. I seem to remember having it on VHS and watching it over and over as a young teen. The good thing (or maybe the sad thing) is that it still makes me laugh to this day in spite of the fact that I can recite the movie line by line. So I know that you know the plot so I will skip to my favorite parts of the movie. First, is when David Arquette's character who has recently been turned into a vampire and flies up to Luke Perry's window. As he is begging to be let in, he pleads "Come on man I'm hungry." to which a confused Luke Perry replies " Come on man you're floating!". I guess you have to see it but it is funny. Second...after Merrick (played by Donald Sutherland) rescues Luke Perry's character for the second time, Buffy asks if he knows him. Merrick replies no but it seems that the young man has a habit of passing out in front of him whenever he passes by. Next, Luke Perry's character attempts to hit on Buffy early in movie, only to rebuffed in true Valley Girl fashion. When he introduces himself as Pike, she responds that Pike isn't a name, it is a fish. I always wanted to meet a Pike in order to steal this line. Finally, my favorite part of the movie is when Buffy is shocked when she finds out that she has been dumped by her boyfriend. "You broke up with my machine??" she asks in horror. It just reminds of bubblegum days of high school and makes me smile. How far we've come indeed Rob Thomas.

So my apologies for a less than stellar blog today. Writing about these movies does not have the same mind-numbing effect as watching them I guess. The lack of sleep plus the fact that my brain is thinking of a million other things are not a good combo for great blogging. Assuming my slacker nature continues to get the best of me, perhaps will I finally respond to RK's challenge of Graceland from last week instead of writing my paper later tonight.

Top 5 Waylon Moments

If I don't force myself to take a break from my music obsession...I might never stop so here is a music free (mostly) blog.

So we all know that I LOVE C. Montgomery Burns (favorite Simpson's character EVER) but as with many things in life...you can't have one without the other. You don't get Monty without Waylon Smithers and honestly, that is okay. I like Mr. Smithers...I actually think that in "real life" we would probably be friends. (Yes I well aware of how crazy that sounds...deal with it!). So here is my tribute to Springfield's most "loyal" assistant...Waylon Smithers Jr.

To blantantly rip off Wikipedia...Mr. Smithers is your stereotypical closest gay man...though the show's producers say that he is techinically "Burns-sexual", which I guess means that he only enjoys the company of Burns. (Who can blame him??? 8>)...kidding.) I do know nor do I care if Waylon is Burns-sexual, Homer-sexual, or anti-sexual...etc...I just know that my heart goes out for Waylon. Here is a list of my favorite Burns-sexual moments so far on the Simpsons.

#5: In Lady Bouvier's Lover...Burns ask Waylon for help composing a love letter so he recites "Darling One, read my words and hear my heart speak of a love soft and undying; a love that will be with you always. Sincerely, yatta yatta yatta." Then Waylon tells Burns that is the birthday card that he sent him on his last birthday and starts to cry. It is quite touching...

#4: In Lisa verses Malibu Stacy, Lisa asks Waylon for help tracking down the inventor of the Malibu Stacy doll. When he turns on his home computer, a naked picture of Burns comes up and says in broken English "Hello Smithers, you are quite good at turning me on."

#3: In Mother Simpson (one of my favorite episodes...but we'll discuss that another night), when Burns and the police arrive at the Simpson's house, Burns discovers that Waylon had recorded over "Ride of the Valkyries" with a recording of Abba's "Waterloo". (Disclaimer...I know that it is merely a stereotype that all gay men like Abba. No offense intended.)

#2: Burns Baby Burns...when Burn's son Larry disobeys him...Burns asks Smithers to take off his belt: Smithers replies "With Pleasure Sir". Hmmmm...

And the best Waylon Burns-sexual moment is

#1: This Little Wiggy...Lisa's message-rocket breaks into Burns' office it lands in Burns' suit. He says "Smithers there is a rocket in my pocket." Waylon replies, "You don't have to tell me Sir."

My heart goes out to you Waylon Smithers....your Da Bomb in my book!

Gobble Gobble

Happy Turkey Day Folks!

I wasn't going to blog tonight...but I have to report my pick for "Worst Part of the Day." This infamous title goes to.....(drum roll please)....

Johnny Rzeznik and the Goo Goo Dolls for the most terrible half-time performance EVER!!!

Okay so maybe not ever...but it was pretty damn awful. The song choice was terrible....the sound was terrible...Johnny looked terrible...and those damn dancers made no sense and looked horribly out of place.

I have been a loyal supporter of the Goo for 12 years....and I am starting to think that it was good while it lasted...but perhaps the ship has sailed.

Joshua Radin = Underated Artist

So if you follow the Millie blog, you have at least heard of Joshua Radin. If you ever discussed music with me, you know that Joshua is close to my heart. Either way, it is always a goal of mine to expose my blogging buddies to unknown artists that I love. So here is my list of the top 5 songs by Joshua in hopes that you find a place for them too. (In order by 5th greatest song to best song ever.)

#5 Closer (played 22 times on the Millie iPod): Honestly, I cannot say why this song is the number 5 song except that it is appealing but not as much as the songs I will discuss in the near future. There is no line that draws you into the song. It has no real meaning to me but yet I never turn it off. It is simply a sweet song that I love.

#4 Today (played 39 times on the Millie iPod): So this song is also a very sweet song that is easy to listen to. It is haunting because I think that we have all been in the situation where today is the day that we are finally going to make that leap...only to get ready to jump and realize that we are a day too late. It sucks. It is worse than taking the chance and getting rejected, since at least this way you know. When you never take the chance, you spend your life wondering. (I think John Michael Montgomery also sang about this but I digress.) Yet...the part that gets me is my pick for the line of the song: "You looked right through me like there was no one else.". Okay, so I have been here too...and this sucks even more. This song is a combination of what goes wrong with love, yet still manages to be romantic. If that isn't amazing...I don't know what is.

#3 Only You (played 35 times on the Millie iPod): This song is kind of cheating, since it is a cover. It is one of the few covers that I enjoy as much as the original. (FYI...the original version was performed by Yaz so take that for what that is worth.) RK and Todd are probably the only ones who reads this blog that remembers (or knows for that matter) about the first time I heard this song. This song doesn't really fit in my life anymore...but it reminds me the good ole days and why there is a small part of me that misses them. "Only you" earns the number 3 spot because it is one of the songs that narrates a part of my life that I keep close to my heart. Todd once said that the fact that it means little now is a symbol of me getting older and wiser. (whatever) After today I agree with the first part. I guess I should be pleased. I will not list a line...since this song is little more than a reminder of the past to me...and I really don't need reminding of those days. (Not to be taken in a bad way.)

# 2 These Photographs (played 128 times on the Millie iPod, making it the #6 played song overall): So I first heard this song on an episode of Scrubs and I was hooked from that moment on. (A Previous Millie blog mentions this song if you need more info.) I said once before that it is HOT because it is real. Sure we women love the sappy romantic nonsense...but it is the real stuff that captures our hearts. The song talks about the everyday moments that can capture a man's heart, which is nice to believe in. The line that speaks to me while writing this blog is " ...When you talk on the phone, you speak to me and I am truly no longer alone." This song inspires me to believe that I would actually be able to give someone "photographs" of the real Millie that could captivate someone. Of course, this is unlikely since the only pictures of me are either in uniform or being SUPER Geeky...and I doubt that I am going to captivate anyone dressed up as Sally from the Nightmare Before Christmas.

#1 The Fear that You Won't Fall (played 91 times on the Millie iPod). In all fairness...this is a late arrival, having gone from 13 times played to 91 in the month of November. I can't really explain why this song is #1 so I will leave it with a line (not the line but deal with it.): "Sometimes it's easy to say but it's harder to feel this way." Honestly, who can't relate to that feeling, no matter where you are in life?

So in closing...Joshua Radin has somehow managed to hack into the mind of Millie. If you haven't heard his music...download at least one of songs mentioned above. Or if you are against downloading (??????????) let me know and as long as you are not an blogger stalker and I will send you a "mix" to enjoy.

Happy Turkey Day my friends. I will make every attempt to blog tomorrow but no promises since I think that it is going to take an obscene amount of alcohol to survive the day.

Dear Jon Bon Jovi

In case anyone is keeping track...it is only 25 more days until I get to see the legend in concert (again) and I can't wait!!! I am pretty certain that I know the playlist, but here are a few songs that I wish that the band would include. So Jon if you are reading this...please take into consideration that I have your entire catalog on my iPod, eleven t-shirts, and I have attended 7 of your concerts...therefore I think I have earned a special request or two.

This Ain't a Love Song

Thank You For Loving Me

Always

In These Arms

The Edge of a Broken Heart

I apologize for the short and no effort blog. I promise I will do better tomorrow night.

Sexy Never Left

So four days after it appeared in my mailbox, I am finally done with this week's double issue of People Magazine. (Having a funeral and family in town can really set you back on pop culture studies...let alone starting that damn paper I need to write for class). Now back in my earlier days, I used to love the Sexiest Man Alive issue however it impresses me less every year. Not ripping on Matt Damon...but I really think that this one is a stretch. Sure he was nice to watch in the Bourne Series but I can't imagine that he is the type of guy that you would rattle a girl so much that she would spend all day hoping she would get to hear his voice.. Again...not ripping on Matt or any of the other guys in the magazine but I just don't care.

So rather piggyback off of what the fine people at People Magazine wrote about guys that everyone already knows are good looking...I am going to piggy back off a different article. One that is very near and dear to me...Sexy Songs from the past 20 years...at least according to People Magazine. Rather than discuss all twenty songs...I will only mention the ones that I actually have any sort of opinion about, which shockingly is not that many.

1987-1989: Don't care.

1990: Wicked Game by Chris Isaak - I think that this was an obvious pick for the sexiest song of 1990...since in my opinoin that only other song released that year that comes close is Nothing Compares 2 U. I have never really studied the lyrics of this song since it doesn't matter Chris Isaak is singing about because it just sounds hot. I knew the chorus of course but I have never looked at all the lines (even though there is only like ten that just keep getting repeated). This article inspired me to take a closer look and all I can say is WOW!!! Even more surprising than that the fact that this song slipped under my radar is the fact that it is not the opening line that haunts me. It is the second line. Nevertheless...it is a great pick.

1991-1992: Don't care

1993 - Can't Help Falling in Love by UB40: All I can say is...YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! First of all...this is a cover so it should be ineligble based on that factor alone. Second of all, nothing about UB40 is sexy. Finally...the song was used as the love theme for a movie about a stalker. NOTHING is sexy about a stalker unless it is Jon Bon Jovi doing the stalking. Speaking of DA MAN...this brings me to the real injustice of this pick. 1993 is the year that Bed of Roses came out. Bed of Roses is one of the sexiest ballads ever written. End of story.

1994- 1997: Don't care

1998 - I Don't Want to Miss A Thing by Aerosmith: I agree that it is a sexy song, and looking back at the other songs released during this year...I would have to say that it is a toss up between this song and Crash into Me by The Dave Matthews Band. More importantly, I feel compelled to say that 1998 was a pretty shitty year for music...what with the releases of classics such Barbie Girl, MMMBop, Wannabe, and Brimful of Asha.

1999 - Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls: One might think that I would be sick of blogging about this song...but you would be wrong. I never get sick of this song. It is the sexiest song on the People list...quite possible the sexiest song ever. Every time I hear it (or write about it) I fall in love with it all over again. I have mentioned hot lines in previous blogs but the nice thing about this song is that all of the lines are hot so I can mention another one without repeating myself. "All I can taste is this moment and all I can breathe is your life, cause sooner or later it's over and I don't want to miss you tonight." (This is the only line I will mention in tonight's blog.)

2000 - Don't care

2001 - Hero by Enrique Iglesias: Clearly this is a sexy song...but it is also very sweet. It is not overtantly sexy, which is nice. It is also very catchy in the sense that it has also been stuck in my head for the past couple of weeks for some reason. I think that the reason that I like this song so much is because it seems to understand that sometimes the damsel in distress just needs a hero.

2002 - Your Body is a Wonderland by John Mayer: The title alone should tell you that this is a sexy song. I don't think that it is sexier than Where Are You Going which also came out in 2002 (a week before I left for boot camp if I remember correctly). It is about equally as sexy as Here is Gone which is also a 2002 release. However it is no where near as sexy as The Honey & the Moon, which pretty much went unnoticed during 2002. (It wasn't until it was on the American Wedding soundtrack in 2003 that anyone paid any attention to it.) I am not surprised that my beloved song (#1 played song on the Millie iPod if anyone is keeping score) didn't make the list. It is a sexy song yet a sad song. I also kind of like that short of the people who read my blog...most people have never heard of it so it is sort of a secret between my blogging buddies and I.

2003 - 2004: Don't care

2005 -You're Beautiful by James Blunt: Okay when this song first came out, I was in total awe. I seem to remember that the first time that I hear it left me speechless. (Not an easy feat by any means.) There is no doubt in my mind that it was the sexiest song of 2005. There is also no doubt that it was the most overplayed song of 2005 and the opening line makes me ram the car in front of me. I love this song...I just can't bear to hear it.

2006 - Sexyback by Justin Timberlake: This has to be a joke. Just because a song has the word Sexy in it does not make it a sexy song. Furthermore...if you have to tell people that you are "bringing sexy back" you are probably not achieving the intended goal. (See Simpsons episode 3F21 if my point is unclear to you. The last scene nails my point. Although the debate is about being cool verses being sexy, the same rules apply.) In my humble opinion...the sexiest song of 2006 was Be Without You by Mary J Blige.