This is It

As Friday marked the 1 year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, I would like to reflect on my love for Michael Jackson.

I grew up in a household where Michael Jackson was loved. The Thriller album was “the best album ever” in my house, and I grew up thinking just that.  What could be bad about the album? Thriller was one of the most exciting and new things people had heard and, more specifically, seen. When I was 8 years old my mother took me to California and we went to Disneyland. One of the best/coolest attraction at that time was watching the Beat It video/mini movie in 3D, (an incredible technology at the time which is so passé now) and it is one of my fondest memories from that trip. My parents had just gotten divorced and L.A. had been an escape from my life at home. Beat it was an even more welcome escape. It was angry but exciting and, in a dancy-street-gang- fight way, expressed how I felt. Anyways, what I’m trying to say in a roundabout way is that I cared a lot about Michael Jackson, and I know he meant a lot of things to a lot of other people. Not only was his music loved, but he pioneered the music video/short film art in a way that was never done before. I’d like to talk about my top 5 Michael Jackson moments. 

1) Billie Jean- Yes Michael, we all know by now that Billie Jean is not your lover. She’s just a girl that thought you were the one. The other thing we know is that this song is awesome. For me, being able to tell a song by the first few notes is not something uncommon. Yet, I guarantee when anyone hears the first few notes of Billy Jean they immediately know what it is. And in this ode to an obsessed fan, we start to see the first real signs of Michael paranoia.

2) The Thriller Video- I know that I have mentioned this in other posts, but what this video did was change the face of music videos forever. Not only was this video its own mini movie, but it was entertaining and starred Vincent Price the creepiest of all men. It also invented a dance routine that many people would parody later on. As my mom always said, “that video was soo creepy”. Nowadays, the graphics are far superior to what they were in the 80's, but at the time that this video was released the graphics were so cool and interesting and scary that it even scared my mother.

3) Black or White- Song and Video- Yes, this is one of my favorite Micahel Jackson songs, and yes, I once again, love the music video. It’s not only because of Macauley Culkin, and it’s not only because Tyra Banks makes a small appearance. It is because the song is so catchy, and because the video is so all over the place bizarre. Macauley raises the amps so high that when he plays a guitar riff it sends his overbearing father to Africa only to find Michael Jackson and dancing tribe men? Now that is bizarre but still so fun to watch. The end of the video features a technique called morphing where people are dancing and singing and each face morphs into the next. It was pretty cool at the time and was only used in two other films before that point.

4) Smooth Criminal- Ok I do like the alien ant farm remake, but the original still holds a spot in my heart. This song is ultimately about extremely dark themes. Michael is making sure Annie is ok after being attacked and, yes, the incredibly fast beat doesn’t necessarily match the tone. But, it is because of the beat that the song succeeds. Many times when describing something awful a singer will use a very slow tune to evoke feelings of sadness and empathy. Michael does not do that here. Rather he almost makes it as if the song is from the point of a criminal who is fleeing the scene. Something interesting about the short film/music video is that it takes place in the 1930's and while the song is questioning if Annie is ok, it is actually a girl named Katie who is kidnapped and held hostage by 1930's mob boss (played by Joe Pesci). It is also one of his less believable short films, as he turns into a robot and spaceship, at the end of the video, to save everyone through the aid of a lucky star.

5) The way you make me feel- Does anyone else think of Center Stage when they hear this song, or is that just me? This song was written by Michael Jackson and produced by Michael and Quincy Jones. I love this song because unlike all the other songs I've listed, this song is happy and upbeat, and talks about expressions of love without being sappy or without having a slow tempo. I know that the love in this song is mostly superficial but it is still fun and expresses what is like to be crushing on someone. I also love all the high pitched random noises Michael makes in this song. I often try to imitate them but never succeed.

I could mention songs from the Jackson 5 and how I loved I want you back and ABC but those days were not really Michael's crowning moments in terms of changing the way we viewed pop/rock crossovers forever. I’m not sure Michael was aware of what his impact on music would be when he started working on the Thriller album. But he did change the way we view music videos, and he changed our expectations for all artists to follow. I know his out of music antics are less than desirable, but that doesn’t change the fact that Michael changed music and pop culture forever. RIP Michael. Your awesome tunes and amazing mini movies will always be cherished.

Songs of Summer

Every summer one pop hit dominates the radio, and subsequently, every time you hear it that summer you want to barf. Yet, when that song comes on two years later, it evokes a feeling of nostalgia for summers past. Entertainment Weekly has claimed that this year's summer runaway hit is Taio Cruz's Break Your Heart. Although later they also claimed that Jason Derulo's Ridin Solo could be the second runaway hit. If only songs like V.V. Brown's Shark in the Water or Sarah Bareilles King of Anything could be the hit of the summer. But alas, they are not mainstreamed enough yet.

In the meantime let me reflect on some of my favorite songs of summer. Note that many of them may not be as popular as you would assume.

First let me talk about Hot in Herre by Nelly. Ohhh the summer of 2002. I was a camp counselor and bus counselor at a camp with no A.C. and how this song rang true for me. Every day the bus driver would listen to Z100, and why wouldn’t they when there are kindergartners- fifth graders on the bus? Nelly’s hot jam came on every single day and all the little kids would sing a long: “Its getting hot in herre so take off all your clothes.”Admitedly I was a bit horrified, but none-the-less, I bobbed my head a long to Nelly’s bodacious rhymes.

My other favorite summer song of 2002 (well if EW can say two so can I!) was Jason Mraz’s The Remedy. Jason Mraz was, at the time, a talent that I couldn’t really comprehend. He had so many rhymes and such speedy delivery that I couldn’t help but be impressed. Later, while I was interning at WMG and researching his latest album We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things I read that Jason plays a game with other songwriters where he is given a phrase and has to come up with a song based on that phrase. Most of the time they are extremely quick phrasing songs (see Dynamo of Volition on We Sing).Yet, The Remedy, written about how his life was changed after his close friend was diagnosed with cancer, still holds a near and dear place in my heart and will forever be a light and sweet reminder of the summer past.

In 2003 my favorite summer song was Boys of Summer (the cover) by The Ataris. Now this will be the only song on my list with the word summer in the title, but it had to be said. I loved this cover. It was punkier (and you all read that I used to be into more punk style pop, the stage with I like to call the –groan- blink182 phase) and more upbeat then Don Henley’s original, and it still made me feel like going to the beach….Or at least makes me remember all the fun times I had while riding to work in my car.

In 2004 I had two songs which I loved. The first was Pharrell’s Frontin featuring Jay- Z. I loved the soft and sultry, yet fun hip hop vibe of the song. It was super exciting to me at the time because I hadn’t really listened to non-mainstreamed hip-hop that much and couldn’t get enough of this song. The other song I loved was Phantom Planets’ California. Yes, as my sister can attest, I loooved the O.C. when it first came out. I couldn’t get enough of it, and this was the theme song. What had started as a short summer show, boomed to success and became one of the most popular teen shows on t.v. This was largely due to the soundtrack (Thank You Alex Patsavas), but also because of the ritzy Orange County Community and loving family that was the Cohens. Regardless, anytime I hear this song all I think about is that summer I started watching the O.C. and forcing my sister to tape every episode for me while I was abroad.

In 2005 my favorite summer song was The All American Rejects Dirty Little Secret. When I got the AAR’s first album, It was the first album where I was able to predict, without fail, which songs would be singles, and I did that for their next album Move Along as well. I listened to that album my entire trip to California that summer (I frequently went to California in the summers for vacations).

The Summer of 2006 was devoted to KT Tunstall. Yes, I didn’t listen to her before she got popular in the U.S, which I admit is embarrassing, but that summer all I could listen to was Suddenly I See. This song theoretically became popular because of the movie The Devil Wears Prada. But I will chalk up my love for KT because of her righteous female empowerment tunes and because of my love for Black Horse and The Cherry Tree. Theoretically, I should put some random, terrible, gym-like covers of popular songs for the summer of 2006, because I spent so much of it at Curves, and trust me, that place does NOT have good music. But I will stick with KT instead.

In 2007 what other song could I choose but Rhianna’s Umbrella? I mean come on. That hit was EVERYWHERE. Admittedly, I didn’t really like Rhianna until she came out with Umbrella, but that all changed once I heard this tune, which I still maintain is not at all sexual, even though she grinds with an umbrella in her music video. My friend Betsy came to visit me that summer and this song was #1 on the mix I made for her, and how could it not be? I mean seriously? Ella…Ella.

In 2008, I would say there are about a million songs I could choose from. This was the summer I started interning at WMG and was exposed to so much good music. I didn’t even know what to do with myself. My mainstream hit was definitely Viva La Vida by Coldplay, since that song was on the radio every minute and is still one of my favorite albums ever. It takes a lot for a song to still be awesome after being overplayed and not make me change radio channels whenever I hear it. Coldplay managed to do just that. The other two songs I would choose are Oh by Eric Hutchinson. Now I loved Eric for many reasons. The first was that he was so adorable, and yes I got to meet him in person and acted like a fool. The second is the fact that I loved every song on his album Sounds like This and recommended it to my friends and family ad-nauseum as a result. But the biggest reason is the fact that he is talented. When he came to WMG to perform he sang his song All Over Now and proceeded to show us why the song HAD to be a hit. His reasoning was because it had the same chord progression of just about every major hit out there (including but not limited to Material Girl, and Little Red Corvette). Oh was one of my favorites on his over-played album that summer. My other favorite summer hit was the much less popular song by Spoon You Got Yr Cherry Bomb. Yes its risqué, but it is so darn catchy! How can you not bob your head and tap your feet when listening to it?!

Lastly my summer song of 2009 is Jordin Sparks Battlefield. Yes this song is pretty lame, but I would venture to say that it is mine and my husbands “song.” Not because our love is a battlefield, but rather because my husband, for no reason, at the most random times would scream out BATTLEFIELD. GET YOUR ARMOR! It still cracks me up thinking about it, since we had just gotten married, and he continued to do this for months at a time.

My song of 2010? I will let you know once the summer is over. Post your favorite summer songs below!

Music Videos: The Miniature Movie

Today, when posting Thinking About Something by Hanson in my 5 songs, I realized that I hadn’t seen the video. As soon as I saw the few opening seconds to the video I almost peed myself with excitement. Hanson decided to do a parody of the Blues Brothers (movie), specifically the scene where Ray Charles sings Shake Your Tail Feather. Now I’m hoping all of you readers have seen the Blues Brothers, but in case you haven’t click the text of the song above. My mom used to watch the Saturday Night Live sketch when it first came on SNL. So of course high expectations were held for the movie, and it didn’t disappoint. To date it remains the most successful Saturday Night Live sketch-turned-movie. I’m not sure how John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, or John Landis did it, but the first movie featured a bevy of musical celebrities including Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Cab Calloway, and Ray Charles. In the particular scene I am mentioning Ray Charles owns a music exchange (or pawn) shop, and the boys go in to get some musical instruments for their upcoming gig for themselves and their band mates. Yet, what they aren’t aware of is Ray’s skills on the piano and how his music incites the crowd inside and outside the store . Hanson evokes the same feelings and vibe of the original movie clip in this video. It’s as if Taylor Hanson is channeling Ray through his sunglasses. What’s magical about this video is they were able to take the idea that music can unite everyone around and incite an organized dance number! Who knew everyone in Tulsa (where they filmed the video) would all of a sudden break into the same exact dance! Whatever the case, Hanson paid respect to the movie without changing or updating the classic too much.

This got me thinking of other videos that were based on movies. The first example I thought of was Madonna’s Material Girl. Madonna was already established as a fashion icon and sex symbol when Material Girl came along. Yet, what better way to cement her status than to emulate the ultimate sex symbol Marilyn Monroe. Madonna takes on the scene from the 1950’s Film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. In the scene in question, Marilyn is dressed in a strapless pink gown, with a large pink bow, her hair coiffed to a T, and is being courted by various suitors. See the resemblance? What Madonna ingeniously did was take the concepts of the song Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend, sung by Marilyn Monroe in this scene, and update it for the new generation. The ideas of both songs are the same. Both women like shiny expensive things and are materialistic. Yet, Madonna, in her video ends up falling for a man who impresses her with flowers and not diamonds.  Interestingly enough, Marilyn has many other women in this song-and-dance scene to whom she is preaching. Madonna, on the other hand, does not. I’m not sure if it is because she wanted to only keep the focus on herself, and make sure that no one could upstage her sex appeal, or if it was a way of her telling the narrative of the video. Whatever the case, it was a definite departure.

 

Another music video parody is Michael Jackson’s Bad. The dance moves and setting of this music video was clearly inspired by West Side Story, specifically the song and dance number Cool.  Cool is actually one of my favorite numbers in the entire West Side Story. In the film, Riff is trying to make everyone cool off and channel their anger into their next fight (or dance moves!). Michael obviously updated this number quite a bit and took mostly just stylistic techniques from the Bernstein musical. What I have posted is just the music video to Bad, but Michael Jackson also put out an 18 minute movie which was reminiscent of West Side Story, and which was directed by Martin Scorsese. Both stories involve street gangs in an urban area who conveniently get out their aggression with gang violence through dance. Both videos include organized dancing and solo dance routines. Michael obviously updated the dance moves for the new generation (including but not limited to moves like the moonwalk) and also didn’t have any women in the video. 

The past three examples have all been music videos that parody/or were inspired by movies which all contained musical numbers. Yet, there are many other options I could mention which are all based on movies that have no musical numbers. A few examples of these types of music videos are: Fountains of Wayne’s Stacy’s Mom which parody’s the excellent scene from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, where Judge Reinhold envisions Phoebe Cates coming out of the pool, while in the restroom. The Decemberists were inspired by the film Rushmore in their music video Sixteen Military Wives. In this video they created a fictional school with a temperamental student (with a similar haircut to Jason Schwartzman in the film) on the model U.N. team who wore a uniform and expressed rivalries between the students at the school. The Killer’s drew inspiration from Moulin Rouge (I know a movie with musical numbers) for their video Mr. Brightside. The colors, motifs and themes were all the same in this video as it was in the original movie, with Brandon Flowers (the lead singer) playing Ewan McGregor’s part. The Foo Fighters also decided to parody a movie in their video for Everlong. In this case they parodied the Sam Raimi horror classic The Evil Dead, in a dream sequence.

And the list goes on…. Obviously many artists decided to take inspiration from film for their music videos which are essentially 4- 10 minute “mini films,” and who could blame them? With so many genre’s and classics to choose from it’s a wonder that people come up with their own concepts these days. I thank artists who do come up with their own material (as long as it isn’t the bizarre- see post below). But I also welcome the artists who draw inspiration from great movies just so that viewers can giggle and get a real sense of nostalgia from their artistic piece. 

For a really amusing music video-movie tribute see Paula Abdul’s Rush Rush which was inspired by Rebel Without A Cause and stars Keanu Reeves (!).

Lyrics: Say What?!

As I drove to work in my car this morning I found a random cd and popped it into the stereo. I realized immediately that I had made that cd in my freshman year of college. I was extremely excited because I knew what was in store; a lot of Ben Folds, Keane, the Postal Service, and other freshman year favorites. What I did not imagin ewas when I heard the Oasis classic Champagne Supernova that I would be in for a lyrical treat. I started listening intently and wondered, What exactly is a champagne supernova? and how exactly can one Slowly Walk Down a Hall, Faster than a Cannonball? This got me thinking about other great songs which have lyrics that I don’t really understand. Chalk a lot of strange lyrics to being written in a drug induced state, but that aside, what message am I supposed to take from the following songs and their lyrics?

My first classic example is Beck. I had heard Beck many years ago; Specifically the song Loser (I want to say I saw it on I Love the 90’s on VH1 but I can’t be positive). Anyways, I was excited to hear a song that was a sort of rap by a skinny white guy with a two note guitar strum. I also liked the fact that Beck didn’t just say he was a loser in English, but he did it in Spanish as well! Genius! What wasn’t genius however was his use of lyrics in the entire rest of the song! Take for example the first few verses: In the time of chimpanzees I was a monkey. Butane in my veins and I’m out to cut the junkie. With the plastic eyeballs, spray-paint the vegetables. Dog food stalls with the beefcake pantyhose. Kill the headlights and put it in neutral. Stock car flamin’ with a loser and the cruise control. Baby’s in Reno with the vitamin d.

Ok, are any of you confused? Because I sure am.  The first line of the song…ok, he wasn’t a chimp, but a monkey, maybe makes a little sense. The second line, obviously drug referencing. But the third line? Spray paint vegetables? And Beefcake pantyhouse? I’m so confused! What is happening in your mind beck that would cause you to write such utter gibberish/nonsense!?

Later in the song Beck sings: Forces of evil on a bozo nightmare. Ban all the music with a phony gas chamber. ’Cuz one’s got a weasel and the other’s got a flag. One’s on the pole, shove the other in a bag…Trade the cash for the beef for the body for the hate.
And my time is a piece of wax fallin’ on a termite who's chokin’ on the splinters.

What in the world? Yes bozo nightmare sounds pretty freakish to me since I have an unnatural fear of clowns, yet, what in the world is he talking about with all the animal/bug imagery.

The next example I would like to look into is Seal’s Kiss from a Rose. This song was a mainstay on the Batman Forever soundtrack (scenes of which you can see in the video), yet, this doesn’t really make sense with batman or anything else for that matter. Seal sings: There used to be a graying tower alone on the sea. You became the light on the dark side of me. Love remained a drug that's the high and not the pill. But did you know, That when it snows, My eyes become large and The light that you shine can be seen.
Baby, I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the gray. Number one question-what is the gray? I can’t really say. Is he the graying tower? Is it a lighthouse? Where is the light coming from? I feel like this song belongs in an episode of LOST since it has so many unanswered questions.

What about Fall Out Boy? I’ll admit that the first time I heard Sugar Were Going Down I had no idea what they were actually saying, let alone figure out what the lyrics meant. Yet over time I realized the song had something to do with G-d Complexes and bedposts: Lie in the grass, next to the mausoleum. I'm just a notch in your bedpost. But you're just a line in a song. Drop a heart, break a name. We're always sleeping in, and sleeping for the wrong team. We're going down, down in an earlier round. And Sugar, we're going down swingin. I'll be your number one with a bullet. A loaded God complex, cock it and pull it. These lyrics aren’t terrible. I’m just confused. Why a G-d complex?  Is he a trained assassin since he says he’ll be your number one with a bullet? I get it. He likes a girl, but she’s not so great or treats him badly or something. Is he going to kill her?

So far I have only spoken about songs not current, or songs that came a few- too many years ago. I find the greatest lyric abuser out there today is Owl City. In his hit Fireflies, Owl City basically talks about hanging with fire flies and dreaming. That song can be explained, although limitedly, that everything takes place in a dream. So, theoretically anything goes. Cough Cop Out Cough. Yet, in his song Hello Seattle Owl City sings: Hello Seattle, I am a mountaineer.  In the hills and highlands. I fall asleep in hospital parking lots. And awake in your mouth. Hello Seattle, I am a manta ray. Deep beneath the blue waves. I'll crawl the sandy bottom of Puget Sound. And construct a summer home. Hello Seattle, I am the crescent moon. Shining down on your face. I will disguise myself as a sleeping pill. And descend inside of you.

Ok, first off, the last line creeps me out. That being said, who or what is Seattle? If it is a place then why in the world is the protagonist of the song changing constantly into different animals and/or random things?  Is this a love song to a girl named Seattle? If so, is the protagonist of the song constantly trying to change her? Why can’t this song be a clear cut love song like Plain White T’s Hey There Delilah. Why must I read so much into this song to figure it out?

Maybe one day I will have a PHD in musicology and will be able to analyze each phrase and give you some answers, but for right now I am just bewildered. Post your favorite odd lyrics below!

Wacky Music Videos

Music Videos were the first thing that I watched on MTV. The summer before the 7th grade, I didn’t really go to camp. Instead, I stayed home and took art classes. I’m not sure if this was because I didn’t care for summer camp or because I felt like I had grown out of it. Anyways, that summer they had a “Brand Spankin New Music Week” and I was treated to videos by a ton of artists I had never heard of. It was at this point that I was introduced to my favorite music video of all time, Blur’s Coffee and T.V. This video chronicles the journey of a milk carton to find the missing boy on his side, and make their family whole again. On the way he encounters many difficulties including scary cans and bottles in a back alley. See the full video here.

Now I’m as big of a fan as anyone when it comes to creative and interesting music videos, even if they don’t necessarily have anything to do with the song. Take for example OK Go’s music video for their song This Too Shall Pass, which featured an inspired Rube Goldberg Machine, and which recently won a webby award. I’m also a fan of the long spectacle video - see Michael Jackson’s Thriller or Justin Timberlake’s What Goes Around…Comes Around. But recently there have been a slew of creative, yet bizarre, spectacle videos to come out, and I’m not really sure what to make of them or how I feel.

Let’s use the classic example. If you haven’t already seen Lady Gaga’s Alejandro video, then you are living in a box. I read somewhere that Alejandro is Gaga’s homage to Gay Love. Yet, I think it is a clear and classic homage to Madonna. Not only does Gaga wear a machine gun pointy bra (cones much gaga?). But she also has an obscene amount of religious imagery (see Madonna’s Like a Prayer) and it is also presented in a controversial manner. Also, in the middle of the video, Gaga also has a strangely choreographed number which is reminiscent of the dance moves in Vogue, including a face framing move very similar to the vogue pose itself. She also seems very sexually free in this video, using a whip and gyrating with a lot of half naked men. This again evokes Madonna in her video Erotica. So far what I got from this video is that she loves Madonna more than anything else, but what did this 8:44 video have to do with the song Alejandro? And why couldn’t the video at least take place in Mexico? (It is possible that it did, and there were just no realized locations in the video). I watched this video with my husband and we were both extremely confused. I had seen Gaga’s and Beyonce’s Telephone, and felt while it was bizarre, and didn’t necessarily fit with the plot, it was very colorful and interesting. Yet, I didn’t feel the same way about Alejandro which is a shame since it is one of my favorite songs off of her album.

The next video I want to touch upon is the recently released California Gurls by Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg. Now this video should have been cut and dry. The chorus of the song goes California Girls were Unforgettable, daisy dukes, bikinis on top, sun kissed skin so hot we’ll melt your popsicle (woah woah) California Gurls we’re undeniable, fine, fresh, fierce, we got it unlocked. West coast represent now put your hands up (ohh woahh). Ok In my opinion this video should have been a piece of cake (not literally, like it is, but figuratively). How hard would it have been for Katy to make a video in California with a million great locations to choose from? All one needed to do was hop around the beach or a pool club in daisy dukes with a bikini top! Seriously! Why would Katy make a video about being in a candy land? Replete with cupcake/ donut/ and candy bras, and gummy bears who give you the finger?  This video is mostly sugary sweet, but doesn’t have a purpose. Don’t get me wrong; If the video was called sweet girls, or candy girls (and there have been songs with titles like this) then this video would totally make sense. Or if the song really didn’t have any theme at all then this would be acceptable as well. But it does have a theme Katy! Don’t get me wrong I love this song, and I love Snoop. But would one make a video for the song I Kissed a Girl  without a bunch of sexy girl imagery? Would one make a video for Waking up in Vegas  without slot machines, casinos or Elvis?  No one wouldn’t.This is evidenced by the fact that Katy's previous videos had all the right imagery. So why stop now?

Click on the song title to view the video and post your favorite bizarre music videos below!

Song Sampling: Everybody's Doing It

Much to my horror, around two months ago, I heard the opening bars to Bittersweet Symphony and wondered to myself why the Verve’s song was on the radio at the time. Little did I know that this was also the opening bars to Jason Derulo’s Ridin Solo. I’m not really sure why Jason felt like he needed to sample that song in order for Ridin Solo to be a success, but like I said in my title, everybody these days are sampling songs. 

Back in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s song sampling was a rare occurrence. Most of the time it was used as a baseline or back-beat to a rap song. For example a good and legal use of sampling was Rick James’ Super Freak in M.C. Hammer’s U Can’t Touch This.  Unlike Hammer Time, a completely bad and most likely illegal case of sampling was Vanilla Ice’s use of Queen’s and David Bowie’s Under Pressure baseline in his song Ice Ice Baby. Vanilla claimed that the baseline was different (see interviews on MTV), but it wasn’t. It was freakishly the same. Yet these days sampling is running rampant over the airwaves. 

In 2009 and 2010 alone I can think of at least 10 sampled songs off the top of my head. According to www.whosampled.com in 2010, so far, there have been 365 songs that have used samples! Most of these songs are hip hop/rap but some of them may surprise you. Take for example, B.O.B. Many of you may not really think much of B.O.B since his only tracks to date have been collaborations with Bruno Mar’s Nothin On You and with Hayley Williams of Paramore in the track Airplanes from his upcoming release “The Adventures of Bobby Ray”. Now I was surprised at the track he sampled, mostly, because in some weird way I felt like a song should be around 10 years old before it is sampled. Then, in a way, a rebirth could make the song fresh again. But B.O.B doesn’t feel the same way. On his track Not Lost B.O.B and TI sample Coldplay’s Lost. That song came out in 2008! Seriously!

Then there are a few songs where the samplings aren’t as heinous in my opinion. Take for example Enrique Iglesias’s I Like It which samples the 80’s classic Lionel Richie’s All Night Long. Call me what you will, but I would totally party, carumba, and fiesta with Enrique.And yes there are a lot of reasons why I shouldn’t like his music, but I can’t actually help myself.  So when he sampled Lionel I was totally cool with it. Again as stated earlier, the songs should at least be 10 years older, and he met that category head on. 

One could argue that songs like Right Round by Flo Rida and Kesha which sampled another 80’s classic You Spin Me Round by Dead or Alive, took what was a campy 80’s song(best known to the 2000’s generation, as the song from the beginning scene of wedding singer) and made it popular again. Adversely, one could say that they took a song which noone knows , and made it into their own song; So that ten years from now, when another artist samples Right Round, the generation 2000’s will be telling their children, “oh that song was by Flo Rida” (and not be Dead or Alive). 

My worst sampling offender award goes to Eminem who sampled no less than 6 songs on his upcoming album “Recovery.” Don’t get me wrong, I love Em, and “Recovery” is one of my most anticipated releases for me this summer, but 6 songs seems like a lot. Couldn’t he get some more new material like he did for his song Love the way you lie as opposed to sampling such artists as Black Sabbath (Changes) and Leslie Gore (You Don’t Own Me)? The worst sampling choice he possibly could have made (some may argue it as a stroke of genius) was using Haddaway’s one crossover hit What is Love which is only known to me for its use in the Night At The Roxbury sketches. Really Eminem what were you thinking?

Obviously there’s the good and bad about sampling. I can’t say that I don’t get excited every time I hear the opening bars of Edge of Seventeen, only to find out that it is the Stevie Nicks version instead of the awesome Bootylicious. I also can’t say that Black Eyed Peas use of The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Maps amazing guitar baseline in their song Meet Me Halfway is bad at all. Yet, I’m still on the fence about a lot of samples like Justin Bieber’s hit Love Me’s use of the Cardigans classic, or Iyaz’s use of Janet Jackson’s song Again in his song Solo. 

Getting back to Ridin Solo, as catchy as the song is (the song is being hailed by EW as the second breakout hit of the summer) I still feel semi offended by its use of Bittersweet symphony.  But then I found out, while researching for this blog, that the Verve themselves used the Andrew Oldham Orchestra’s orchestral version of the Rolling Stones Last Time for the base of their entire hit. So who is Jason Derulo really sampling? The Verve? Or the Stones? 

Food For Thought: Does Gaga’s Alejandro sample Ace of Base’s Don’t Turn Around? Check both of the songs out here and let me know.  http://www.whosampled.com/sample/view/19324/Lady%20Gaga-Alejandro_Ace%20of%20Base-Don%27t%20Turn%20Around/

*To hear all the songs mentioned in this article, check out the supplemental music box on the right. All the songs, when clicked on, will bring you to a youtube video of the song. 

She's Not Herself Tonight

Does anyone remember the days when Christina Aguilera was a girl, just as dirrty as Britney spears, but with a much more powerful voice. Back then, both women were entertainers; their videos and lyrics were raunchy at times, poignant and emotional at other times. Yet, without a doubt, Xtina had such an immeasurable talent, that in a war between the two of them (were they ever featured on celebrity death match?) Xtina would win hands down.

That being said, with a four year hiatus after her back to basics album/tour, I was expecting a lot from the new album. Luckily for me, the album was released last week and was also available for listening on Aol’s listening party (http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/#/1). Last week happened to be an exceptional week for releases, bringing me many joyful hours at my desk listening to Rooney, against me, Tokyo police club, Travie McCoy, and Hanson. That being said, I was particularly interested to hear what Xtina’s album was all about.

I had heard “not myself tonight” on the radio, and woohoo her crude song which she performed within her bionic medley, at the MTV movie awards, but  was not overly thrilled with both of them. So when I began listening to her new album I was surprised at her lack of enthusiasm, and her lack of vocal ability in these songs.

In an age where the voice box is used so frequently, and anyone with a hooked up mic can sound like T-pain, it shouldn’t really be surprising to me when someone with talent uses a voice altering tool. As I said above, Xtina has an incredible voice, why try to alter/lessen that voice on this album? In a world of lady gaga, wouldn’t she try to impress upon the adoring public that yes she still can belt it out? There were only a few places in this album’s 18 tracks that I thought Xtina really showed any vocal talent at all.

Firstly, on the song You Lost Me; yes, it is a slow song, but it shows her beautiful range. The song starts slow, and Xtina uses her upper register, only as the song progresses does her deep soulful tone come through. It really shows us, the listener why we bothered to listen to your hits in the first place.

Don’t get me wrong, as a 7^th grader “genie in a bottle” was my favorite song, but unfortunately, on this album Xtina’s faster songs pale in comparison to her slow songs. It almost seems in songs like Desnudate Xtina is trying to be something or someone she isn’t. In fact I think this song in particular would fit right along in the Pussy Cat Doll repertoire. I'm not sure if it is because she feels the need to compete with the vapid, and obscenely sexual overtones of most of today’s artists, but in terms of making people want to buy her album she needs to get back to her basics.

So all in all I would say that this album is only ok. She excels in slow songs like You Lost me and All I need and if I had to pick a fast paced song that I liked best on this album, it would be Prima Donna.

Check the album out for yourself and let me know your thoughts/If you agree.

If I could write you a blog to make you fall in love....

So, as you are reading this, you are probably thinking to yourself, why should I read a random individual's views on music, well in that vein let me tell you a few things about myself, to let you all in on why I believe I am an ultimate music enthusiast.

I am the youngest of four children, and when I say youngest I mean that the sibling who is closest in age to me is separated by 12 years.That meant, generationally, my music preferences began in the 90's however, my siblings (who were born in the 70's) influenced me with music from the 70's and 80's. My mother used to be the head of the elementary school choir, and played the piano and the accordion. My father was in small bands through college, and eventually become somewhat of a classical pianist. They both tried to instill in us a love for music, especially classical (my dad's favorite) by forcing all of us to take piano lessons. Now I don't know if you have ever been forced to do something you're not really interested in, but I went through 3 piano teachers, and didn't find a love or desire to do it at all. To this day only one of my siblings plays the piano and reads sheet music. I may have been more inclined to take lessons or to be interested in classical music at all as a child, if my dad had actually been around, instead of the barely there father that he was. But in typical acts of youth rebellion, I had no desire to even listen to classical music, just because my dad liked it so much. My mom used to only play the oldies station when we were in the car, calling 90's (and 80's) music "crap" so all throughout my childhood I listened to CBS fm. At first I was able to hear songs from the 40's, 50's and 60's. Now- a-days they play hits of the 60's 70's and 80's.  The oldies station gave me a lot of great musical influences. Specifically, Elton John, Billy Joel, The Temptations, The Rolling Stones, and most importantly, the Beatles, just to name a few.

It wasn't until the 6th grade that I started listening to mainstream radio (z100 was the only channel i really listened to back then since it was the cool thing to do in my middle school), and that summer I also started watching MTV religiously. MTV was still mostly music television back then, with only the Real World and Road Rules as their reality programming. I used to run home from school every day to watch TRL, and pop up video, say what, and just any music video that came on the air. My eyes were glued to the screen absorbing every single thing about the videos, even the artists I didn't appreciate at the time (Korn, Marilyn Manson or most hard rock).

In High school I used to play a game with my friends; After shelling out countless dollars on cds (since there was no itunes back then for me to sample/choose which songs I liked) I would base my choice on a single that I  liked, and then listen to the whole cd, and guess which song would be the next single. 9 times out of 10 I was right. My sister, who worked for showtime at the time, used to come to me and ask me for music for her television promotions. I used to gladly oblige, knowing that the songs could not be mainstream yet, and really needed to be on the cusp of their potential popularity. I would pour over songs, and cds, thinking about which song would fit perfectly to the promotion she had described to me, and to this day, I still help her with her ventures. I was one of those people who constantly made new mixes (still do) and brought along 300 cds with me on every vacation, because I couldn't decide which songs I would want to listen to.

While I was in high school I listened to some rap, r&b, hip hop, some rock, but mostly listened to pop and punk.Once I got to college, my music tastes completely changed, I started diversifying my repertoire, listening to British radio through itunes, and getting as many music recommendations from friends as possible. I started listening to much more indie bands, some pop and very little punk, and more rock and classic rock. My freshman year roommate and I made a play-list of songs called "songs most often heard in 734" (our dorm room number) and the list grew as the year went on.

There were many times that I used music as a safety net. A safe place I could go when I needed time to think, or to relax. Many times I would fall asleep just listening to music. Freshman year was also the year I decided to not go on the Veterinarian path I had set out for myself, and pursue a career in the music industry instead.

My sophomore year of college I started taking music classes. In order to be a music major, one has to play an instrument, and of course as you read earlier, I could not. So  I mostly took these classes because they were fun, and my teacher that year was particularly kooky. It was my first classical music class, and as I was in college, I could finally move past the stigma of my dad's love for the classical arts, and enjoy what I was listening to. We unfortunately didn't get to the romantic classical period in that semester, but I was fortunate to take that class another year, since romantics are my favorite classical artists.

The summer after sophomore year, throughout the rest of my college experiences I had internships in the music industry, from a digital music company, to MTV networks, to a record label, I really felt like I had found my niche. Being at a record label, I was able to listen to new and upcoming music in a way I hadn't been able to before.

So whether its the fact that I cried the first time I heard Tupac's changes, and Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini (variation 18). Or the fact that I pumped my fists in the air any time a snow patrol song (not chasing cars) was used in a television series. Or the fact that I can name which artist is playing at almost any given time (including less than 30 seconds worth a clip). Or the fact that I cringe when shows have outdated music playing (not like classic rock, but something that was so last year). For these reasons and more I consider myself a music enthusiast.

If you are wondering what to expect from my blog, I plan on reviewing some new albums, posting some new artist information, posting discussions about videos and songs that are out and all an all just a big page devoted to my love for music.