Out of Office Reply

As the the summer school session came to its end I became increasingly busy and unable to post as often as usual. Now I am on vacation for 2 weeks which again leaves me unable to post. I just got back from NYC the other day and I am heading down to Florida today! I will be there for a little over a week, so I apologize in advance for not being able to post until I return.



Exciting news though...when I was in NYC my friend and I made it on to TRL, which was exciting for me! Not only that, I got randomly chosen to talk to the hosts of the day Aly and AJ about the Hills, so I definitely had some camera time.

Aly & AJ hosting TRL the day I was on
I do have it taped on my DVR. Will I post it here? No. I think its more fun to keep some anonymity when writing a blog. It's like how you're always a little disappointed when you finally see a picture of a local radio personality, cause you always pictured them differently in your mind. I'd rather leave it to your imagination. But if you happened to catch TRL on Monday, I was that girl saying Whitney was my fave character on the Hills!

Anywho, be back next month!

Who did it Better?: Umbrella

A new version of Rihanna's song Umbrella has been brought to my attention. I was watching the season premiere of MTV show the Hills and I heard a wonderful acoustic version. At first I thought that it might be Mandy Moore singing, but have since discovered that it is in fact Marie Digby. Her version of the song is available on iTunes and below she performs it "live".

LOVE IT!

So who did it better?! I personally enjoy both.

P.S. This Digby person is one of those girls who is so naturally pretty it's annoying!...to girls at least.

P.P.S. Ever since Rihanna came out with this song I have been misspelling "umbrella" as "umbErella". Luckily I have been catching the mistake before I publish...hopefully. Damn her pronunciation of an imaginary syllable!!

Who Did it Better?: Dancing Inmates

I am sure everyone has seen the CPDRC inmates dancing to Thriller by now. It's kind of old news, but did you realize how many more videos of them there actually are?! The prison is the Cebu Provincial Dentention and Rehabilitation Center and the coreography is done by a Mr. Byron F. Garcia who said:

Using music, you can involve the body and the mind. Inmates say to me: 'You've put my mind off revenge, foolishness or thinking how to escape'.

Good for you Mr. Garcia. We certainly enjoy your efforts!
Read more here.

So here are a few of the videos of the inmates, coupled with the original video from the artists.

I dedicate these to people like Mr. Garcia who are being creative with the prison system...it is definitely needed.

Thriller - Michael Jackson
View the LYRICS to this song.





Radio Ga Ga - Queen
View the LYRICS to this song.

I Will Follow Him - Sister Act (the movie)
View the LYRICS to this song.

This is one of my personal favorites. Does anyone else find it ironic that inmates are performing it?




You can find more inmate videos on Youtube including Hail Holy Queen, Algorithm March, Dayang Dayang, and more!

She Get it or Got it from her Mama?

First, I must apologize for my absence lately. I have become very busy with extra stuff at work plus the winding down of the school session. I doubt anyone even noticed anyway....so down to business....

Mr. Will.I.Am of the Black Eyes Peas is coming out with a solo album (drops Setember 25th) and has released his first single off of it "I Got it from my Mama".


Will.I.Am
The basic message of the song is something that we have all heard before: if you want to know how a girl is going to turn out when she is older then look at her mother. If her mom is hot, the girl will be hot, if her mom is ugly, the girl will be as well, and so on. I am lucky enough to have a beautiful mother so this "rule" does not particularly bother me. It is unfortunate for those girls whose mother's aren't ...."looking their best", I'll say.

When I first heard this song it immediately reminded me of a song that I love by Juvenile titled "Mama Got A** (She Get if from her Mama)". It's not exactly the same message as that of Will.I.Am, but very similar. Personally I like the Juvenile song better.


Juvenile

In terms of the actual videos...I don't really like either, but that is because I really don't enjoy any video that includes women half dressed and dancing seductively. If I heard Will.I.Am's on the radio, I would probably get bored and change the station....or I would be reminded of how much I like Juvenile's "version" and put that on. I'm a little dissapointed with this first single of Will's. I hope he comes out with better.

I dedicate both of these to girls who may not have the best looking "mamas"...prove these guys wrong.

I Got it from My Mama - Will.I.Am

View the LYRICS to this song.




Mama Got A** (She Get it from her Mama) - Juvenile

View the LYRICS to this song.

Ho - Ludacris

View the LYRICS to this song.

The other day I mentioned that there are many rap songs that I enjoy despite their actual lyrical content. Today I provide examples of such songs. One of the best examples is the Ho song by Ludacris.

I enjoy Ludacris mainly because he is creative and witty. This song is a great display of his sense of humor. I find it hilarious, and I definitely sing along to it in my car.

I was reminded of this because of the controversy that surrounded Imus and his stupid remarks. That incident brought a lot of attention to hip-hop artists and their use of the word "ho". People started claiming how offensive it was and blah blah blah.

Now I am a woman, and if someone specifically referred to me as a "ho" then I would definitely be offended. When it is used to describe other women in rap songs however, I really don't care. I think people have forgotten that hos actually do exist in the world!...


OMG that's amazing! If you type the word "ho" enough, a picture of Paris Hilton magically appears! Crazy!

Favorite Lines:

Come on playa once a ho always
And hos never close they open like hallways
An heres a ho cake for you whole ho crew
an everybody wants some cuz
hoes gotta eat too...

Hey ho how ya doin, where ya been?
Prolly doin
ho stuff cuz there you ho again

Please note that in the song not once does he say that all women are hos. He is only referring to those who actually are....




Oh geez..not again! Ok, how bout I stop typing the word "ho" and get to the video.

I was a little disappointed when I saw the video. I am not a fan of the way it is animated. At first I thought that maybe they couldn't find any "actresses" willing to portray hoes, but then I realized what a silly thought that was. There are women out there who would do anything to get on camera!




OK, enough!!

I dedicate this to all the real hos out there...be safe!

Naggin - Ying Yang Twins

View the LYRICS to this song.

Another example of a song that is offensive to women, yet I don't care cause I love it!

Most offensive line:

Imma tell ya what I cant stand
When a woman play the role of a man

Say that to my face and I lose all respect for you.

Favorite Lines:

Shoo fly dont botha me, will I get with her? Probably
Then I thought about it, I wont
Do I really want to, I dont
The headache I really dont want
So imma leave her alone
Cause I can do bad on my own
That's why she gone

*Sigh*....I remember singing along to these exact lines back in the day, only I replaced the 'her's, and 'she's with 'him's and 'he's, and the "bad" with "better"....I could relate at the time.

My version:

Shoo fly dont bother me, will I get with him? Probably
Then I thought about it, I wont
Do I really want to, I dont
The headache I really dont want
So imma leave him alone
Cause I can do better on my own
That's why he's gone

I dedicate this to anyone who has to deal with constant nagging....sucks for you.

FEATURED DEDICATION: Walked Out of Heaven - Jagged Edge

View the LYRICS to this song.

This song was requested by reader 'themapples' who says:

I would like to dedicate this song to my GF, we have hit a rough patch in our realtionship and this song really expresses how I feel. I have done things that I think have pushed her away from me and I feel so guilty for that. I dedicate this to anyone one who has felt like they walked out of an amazing thing in there life and dont know what to do......

Thank you for your dedication, I am sure your girlfriend will appreciate it.

Big Things Poppin (Do It) - T.I.

View the LYRICS to this song.

First I have to say that I loooooooove this song, and it has nothing to do with what he is saying (cause I really have no idea). That is actually how I feel about most rap songs. If they have a good beat, melody, and hook, I'll love it no matter what they are saying...to a certain extent. I think this is another one of those songs where the rapper talks about how great they are. Regardless, this is definitely a song I rock to in my car.

I have more than a few obervations for this one so I am gonna go ahead and post the video first.

I dedicate this song/video to those of you who are just doin it everyday!

Observations:

1.) I give you props for workin out and stayin in shape Mr. T.I., but you need to eat a few sandwiches before you go walking around with your shirt off like that...hence, my gift to you :



Paulie T.I. want a cracker sandwich?

2.) I don't know how I feel about this facial expression:

He does it quite a bit, and I find it unattractive, sexy, and scary all at the same time. This next one however, is just plain scary:

Calm down dude, don't pop a blood vessel.

3.) Uhhhh....nice product placemet Nokia. Did they foot the bill for this video?

I think I'll stick with my ipod for now, but good effort

4.) Favorite Line: "...Who you think u finna scare?"

Only in the past couple years have I become familiar with the use of "finna". The Source provided me with the etymology of the word.

It began with : fi'n - v. (derived from "fixin") Getting ready to do something. "I'm fi'n to tell you what's up wit Sheila and Snoopy."

And from that came: finna - v. going to. "Son, I finna bust a cap."

Don't you just love the example sentences they used?! I know at least half of you would add "in yo ass" to the end of the sentence for "finna"....or am I the only one?

5.) It really bugs me the way guys today wear their hats tipped to the side like this:

Everytime I see this, it takes so much will power to not walk up to the guy and just flick the hat off his head

6.) To be continued? What exactly will be continued? You walking around with your posse more? Can't wait!

7.) For anyone that watches MTV, did you notice that for awhile they played parts of this video during the ending credits of like EVERY show? It was a bit much.

Overall the video doesn't impress me much. It's a step up from showing off cars, half-necked girls, and throwing money at the camera, but it is still lacking. Love the song, the video...not so much.

Icky Thump - The White Stripes

View the LYRICS to this song.

I won't even pretend that I know what this song is about. People have their different theories but I don't care enough to venture a guess. What I find interesting about this duo is that there was a time when people didn't know if they were brother and sister or a divorced couple. According to Wikipedia they are divorced.

Icky Thump is a purposly mispelled "Ecky Thump" which is an exclamation of surprise or shock, often used to mock the Northern dialects of Lancashire and Yorkshire.

I like the video because it is more creative than most....and they stick to their usual red, black, and white color scheme. Now obviously scenes in the video are set in Mexico, and it seems like they were going for a spanish sound in the song, but it comes off as Scottish sounding to me. Am I completely wrong here? *Sigh*...I don't feel qualified to critique their music so I'll just say I respect the video and leave it at that.

I dedicate this to........?

The Voice Within - Christina Aguilera

View the LYRICS to this song.

Technically, whenever I post a song that someone else hasn't requested, then it is my request I suppose. Today, however, is a bit different. This is my choice and my request for a reason. Whenver I am going through a difficut time or in a situation where it is hard to trust my gut, this song always ends up on repeat on my stereo. It's one of those times again, so here it is.

A lot of the time what you feel you need to do, will make you feel like crap, but in the end it is for the best....at least you hope it is. I hope it is.

I don't feel like much of a critic today so I will have to skip that part and just get to the video.

I dedicate this to anyone who needs to trust their voice within no matter how difficult it is....today (and for many more to come) that includes me.



This is so much harder than I ever imagined. I'm sorry.

The Price of Reality - Amen

View the LYRICS to this song.

This song was requested by blogger SiD who writes the blog A Space For Music Liberation. He said,

The video for [this] song really got me into the band, who are led by the enigmatic Casey Chaos.

This post is a perfect example of why I ask for song suggestions. I have never heard of this group and probably....make that definitely... wouldn't have posted it unless it was requested. But I am all about posting for the people, so request away! I love to discover new bands and music, and a great way to do that is to find out what other people like. I will even go as far as posting country if someone REALLY wanted me to...obviously that is not my genre of choice.

Frankly, this video scares me a bit. The blood makes me uncomfortable and I was afraid that the lead singer would bite the head off the crow at some point (think Ozzy). I did actually think the girls in their uniforms dancing with the guns was kind of cool, but only for artistic reasons.

This song is dedicated to you SiD! Thanks for the request.

Teenagers - My Chemical Romance

View the LYRICS to this song.

I'll keep the rock theme today and post the newest realease from My Chemical Romance. I absolutely adore this song. It is one of my car favorites. This group had me at "Helena". I rarely buy CDs anymore so I am definitely not an MCR expert, but I usually love the songs that are released.

The video immediately reminded me of the video for Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (minus the janitor). Apparently I am not the only one who thinks so. Watch both and see if you agree.

I don't feel like thinking and analyzing much today, so I will be completely predictable and dedicate this to......TEENAGERS. Didn't see that one coming did you?

Teenagers - MCR


Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana

Beautiful Girls - Sean Kingston

View the LYRICS to this song.

I am very annoyed that YouTube has started this "embedding disabled by request" crap. If I were an artist I would want as many people as possible to be able to share my music and the video.

Anyway...this is the first single and video from the up-and-coming 17 year-old, Sean Kingston. It samples Ben E. King's Stand By Me. I can definitely see me rockin to this song in my car! Sean said:

I heard the track 'Stand By Me,' one night in the studio while listening to the radio and asked J.R. if anyone had ever used that sample. He made the beat immediately and I wrote down the lyrics within an hour - it happened very quickly. I loved the way it turned out and I think my sound is a lot different
than what else is out there. It all just worked and we knew we had something
special with the track. I'm also singing about something people can relate to -
I'm singing about being in love with someone who you think is your world but
they don't see it that way and you have to end the relationship.

Well that saves me the trouble of having to figure it out myself! Sean notes that he writes all of his own lyrics and does not use profanity. Personally I don't care if an artist writes their own songs or not, and I don't mind a little profanity. He seems like a kid who has got his head on straight, but we'll have to wait til he is really famous to find out how accurate that is. I remember thinking the same thing about Lindsay Lohan and look how that turned out.

You can read more about Sean on his myspace page. His debut self-titled album drops July 31st.

I can't share the actual video here so I will have to settle with footage from the video shoot. The video is pretty good. It is set in two time periods, the 50's and the present which I think is a good way to interpret the fact that he sampled an old song. I would have liked it better if it actually showed a story instead of people just dancing around. You can see the full video here.

I dedicate this to those people who, just like Sean said, are in love with someone who you think is your world but they don't see it that way...something better awaits you.

Wall to Wall - Chris Brown

View the LYRICS to this song.

Poor little Chris has too many girls that want him and he can't choose. Boo effing hoo.


I really don't have much to say about this song. It's not quite the most original content, and a bit shallow. It seems like Mr. Brown needed another song to fill a slot in his album repetoire, so this was written within a minute or so to remedy that. At least the video isn't quite as trite as most hip-hop videos, although I'm not so much a fan of the vampire theme.

I feel as though I am being harsh, but I think it's because I find cockiness very unattractive. Writing a song about how many girls you have to fend off causes me to roll my eyes and tell you to get over yourself!

Least favorite line:

Another two just came and said they love me on the radio
Two twins, thats the coolest scenerio

Ugh! Seriously??!

The song itself is pretty boring to me. Could I see myself rockin to this in my car? No
Could I see people rushing to the dance floor in a club if this came on? No

My favorite part ould have to be the two little kids dancing in the beginning. The rest I could do without.

I dedicate this to guys (and girls) who need to get over themselves. There's a fine line between confidence and cockiness, and it's sooo not attractive when you cross it.

Misery Business - Paramore

View the LYRICS to this song.

I have been so caught up in older songs that I have neglected the new. That being said, here is a new one from Paramore. I won't pretend that I know anything about this group, but I could definitely see myself rockin to this song in my car (which is how I judge all songs). I like the video, it has kind of a Mean Girls/Heather's vibe to it.

This song is from Paramore's album Riot!, and the cover of it reminds me a lot of No Doubt's Rock Steady album.

No Doubt - Rock Steady

Paramore - Riot!

Favorite line

Second chances: they don't never matter, people never change
Once a whore, you're nothing more, I'm sorry that'll never change

I think every school has that one bi**h who thinks she's the shizz, but we all know why the guys really like her. I would like to think that people can change, however some don't.

I dedicate this to those girls who have stolen a good guy away from a bi**h and put her in her place. Good job.

Who did it Better?: Proud Mary

View the LYRICS to this song.

Orginally I was going to compare Ike and Tina's version of this song with Beyonce's performance of it at the 2005 Kennedy Center Honors, thinking that Ike and Tina did the original. I was surprised to find that I was wrong! I actually had to do a little digging to find who did the true original, and good ol' Wikipedia gave me the answers.

Various people (Elvis, Prince, Beyonce & Jewel) have performed this song, but the orginal was done by the rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. The most famous cover version was done by Ike and Tina.

Proud Mary - Creedence Clearwater Revival

This version wasn't as different as I thought it would be from Ike and Tina's. My favorite thing about it is the way the lead singer pronounces "burnin" and "turnin". I also enjoy the fact that they have a big wheel on the set actually turning. I'd have to say that the performance itself doesn't compare to Tina. She makes it much more exciting. This version I can see myself dozing off to while Tina's version makes you wanna get up and dance!



Proud Mary - Ike & Tina Turner

This was done only 2 years after the release of the original which surprised me, especially since the original did well on the charts. It seems to me that one should wait at least five years to re-do a song unless the original was really bad and not popular. Ike and Tina took this and made it their own however. My ignorance about the original performers proves how successful they were.

Like I said, this performance is much more entertaining and entergetic. Is is just me, or does Ike look like a villain character from a Diney movie? I just can't quite put my finger on which one. They should have kept him off camera and just stuck to his vocals. We all know Tina is the real star.




Proud Mary - Beyonce at the 2005 Kennedy Center Honors

Just because I was going to orginally post this before I discovered the true orginal artist, I still will. Beyonce performed this for Tina Turner who was one of the honorees at the Kennedy Center Honors that year. I have said this before, and I will say it again, I am pretty much sick of Beyonce but I can't deny that she is a good performer. As much as I hate to admit it, she did justice to Tina's performance. It's a good thing her weave is sewn on well cause it could easily fly off they way she's whipping her head around. As we have recently seen though, she prefers to attack her audience with pyrotechnics, not hair.

I hate when artists tell the audience to stand up. When they all do, they end up either standing there all awkward not knowing what to do, or they dance when they shouldn't, like the man shown with 1:48 left in the video.

At these awards, when musical artists are honored they have a current, popular young artist come and perform one of their classic songs for them. Now this is a nice thought, but if it were me being honored I'm not sure I would enjoy it. It's like saying to the honoree: "you're over the hill so here's someone younger to do what you used to be able to". I swear if you watch closely you can see the sadness in the eyes of the honorees for a split second.

...and of course the question again is: Who did it better?

My vote is definitely for Tina....forget Ike.

Made & Re-Made #2: I'll Be There

View the LYRICS to this song.

This is a classic song, so there is a chance that more than one person has redone it, but I don't care. These are the only two versions I care about.

I'll Be There - The Jackson 5

Ahhh, the days when Michael Jackson was still cute and normal. I enjoy watching old performances of the Jackson 5. This particular one was a 1971 television performance. Thier clothes are a little spacey, but the performance is classic. The second song they go into is "Feelin' Alright", but we don't care about that one right now....it's worth watching though just to see Diana Ross dance with the group on those toothpicks she tried to pass off as legs.

It's great how she pulls Michael out of the way twice so she can be the center of attention. The combination of her yellow outfit, chicken legs, and bad dance moves leads me to believe that Diana Ross was the actual inventor of the funky chicken, and this is where it all started...



Before we get to the re-made version of this song I had to show the modern-day performance of it by the Jackson 5 just so you can see the drastic difference. Before I even get to that though, I'll ease you into it with this, so the shock isn't too much for you:



I do wonder what is going on inside his head. It really kind of makes you sad when you actually see all at once, the metamorphisis that resulted in this performace:



Lisa Marie, sweetie, you must have seriously seen something that no one else did.


You have to admit that Michael is talented...I mean how many artists do you know who bring themselves to tears during their own performance?


I'll Be There - Mariah Carey

Along with Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, Patti Labelle, Celine Dione, etc., Mariah Carey is one of the best female vocalists of our time. There are not many artists who can use the recording from a live performance on their CD. I have her "Number 1's" CD which contains this performance, and it is practically flawless. The male singer, Trey Lorenz, is an amazing singer himself. It's too bad he wasn't more successful.

I dedicate this song to anyone who really needs someone to be there for them. Be thankful if you already have that.

Who did it Better?: Say You, Say Me

View the LYRICS to this song.

I was never really a fan of Lionel Richie. I am pretty indifferent when it comes to his music. The only reason I am posting this song is because of the person who did their own take on it. Scroll down if you can't wait to see who.

Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie

I had never seen this video before I looked it up. I immediately noticed that it was used in the soundtrack of a movie. Normally I wouldn't have cared which one, but the faces looked so familiar to me that I had to find out. The movie is the 1985 film White Nights starring Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines, Jerzy Skolimowski, Helen Mirren, and Isabella Rossellini.

Mikhail Baryshnikov was the one who looked extremely familiar to me, but I couldn't quite place him. Then I remembered that he was in the last season of Sex in the City. He played Carrie's love interest who selfishly whisked her away to Paris.

I dedicate this to Lionel Richie himself who is speculated to be a grandfather soon! On second thought, I'll dedicate it to Nicole too....she needs all the support she can get.



Say You, Say Me - Stacy Ferguson on Kids Incorporated

Now we come to the reason I chose this song. I absolutely loved the show Kids Incorporated when I was younger so I was very surprised when I found out that Stacy Ferguson, aka Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas, was one of the cast members.

Stacy Ferguson, "Fergie"
I got to meet all the members of BEP when they performed at my school years ago, before they were really known. Meeting Fergie up close was a bit shocking. Let's just say the view of her on stage is much more flattering then the right-in-front-of-you view. If I had known then that she was in Kids Incorporated, I would have been much more excited to meet her.

On this Kids Incorporated episode titled "Stacy and the Clown", Fergie sang "Say You, Say Me". Now I have seen Stepen King's tv mini-series "It", but the clown in this episode seriously freaked me out more than Pennywise.

I really would like to know the premise of this episode. It seems like it had to be something incredibly ridiculous.

Coulrophobia:

Coulrophobia is an abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns. It is not uncommon among children, but is also sometimes found in teenagers and adults as well. Sufferers sometimes acquire a fear of clowns after having a bad experience with one personally, or seeing a sinister portrayal of one in the media.

I dedicate this to those people who suffer from coulrophobia....I understand now.

Now the question is....who did it better?

Don't Worry, Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin, + 8 Things About Me!

View the LYRICS to this song.

This song was requested by fellow blogger vagabondtramp who says:

One of my all time favourite songs is don't worry be happy by bobby mcferrin. No matter if i'm depressed, happy, or somewhere in between, it always makes me feel better. It makes me forget about the troubles i've got and allows me to just enjoy the song. If you could do a post for that song, i'm sure it'll make someone's day a bit better :)

Thanks for the request and I hope it does make someone's day better!




Vagabondtramp also tagged me to tell 8 things about myself so let's see if I can do this:

1. I don't eat cereal with milk. I eat it dry. I didn't think this was weird until my boyfriend claimed it was.
2. I have a hidden talent that I have stopped doing because people tend to continuously ask me to do it after they know I can. I also never do it for guys because I think it would freak them out (no, it's not sexual....get your head out of the gutter). I have done it for my boyfriend though cause it helped me pull off a pretty good April Fool's Joke.
3. I have been playing piano since I was five.
4. I am jealous of people who can play the violin well. I took lessons in Jr. High but never got as good as I wanted...I may take it up again someday.
5. I want to own my own business someday and make the Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans.
6. My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
7. I am a first generation American.
8. I worked at Disney World in Magic Kingdom for 9 months.

So now that I have done my list I think I will tag....LovelySmiles!

Hakuna Matata - Disney's "The Lion King"

View the LYRICS to this song.

When I hear "Don't Worry be Happy" I'm reminded of this song too. I loved this movie. Too bad Simba's Hakuna Matata mentality was shattered when he realized the home he left behind was in shambles because of him.

Lesson: This "no worries" phrase doesn't cut it if you have responsibility for people other than yourself...such as entire kingdoms.


Jonathan Taylor Thomas:

speaking voice for cub Simba

Jason Weaver:

singing voice for cub Simba

Who did it Better?: I Drive Myself Crazy - N'Sync

View the LYRICS to this song.

I had a completely different idea for today's post, but then I stumbled across a video on YouTube that I found very amusing. Some guys did their own version of the music video for N'Sync's "I Drive Myself Crazy", and I think they did a better job than the actual video....but I will let you judge for yourself....

I dedicate today's posts to talented amateur artists...the professionals don't always do it better. Also- keeping the lyrics in mind- I dedicate this to the people that realized they let someone go that they shouldn't have.

I Drive Myself Crazy - N'Sync

Observations:

1.) Justin's hair is a very disturbing, unnatural blond color. The only other male I can think of with such artificial blondness is Zack Morris.



2.) Chris. The braids? Whose idea was that and WHY? Promise us you'll never do that again.

3.) Poor Lance didn't going crazy because of a girl. He went crazy because he had to pretend to be straight for so long!


4.) Joey's girlfriend is totally a full-on Monet.





Drive Myself Crazy - ?

Jack Thomas and Dan Hasty did this for their senior video project, and I fully enjoy it. Obviously they did not have access to the same type of equipment that the professionals did, so you can't really compare the cinematograpy - don't i sound like i know what i'm talking about?...not really? Anyway... Based on just the video, I think this one is funnier than the N'Sync version. I didn't realize until watching this the second time through that it's not N'Sync singing. The vocals on this one are definitely not the same as in the N'Sync video, so whoever did it, great job!

P.S. I love the bunny ears.



Now the question is....who did it better?

Made & Re-Made #1: Toy Soldiers

I have decided to start a new "series." Every once and a while I will post a song in its original form, and then a new version of it created by another artist. This includes rappers who use the chorus from an old song as a hook in their new one. The first of this series is Toy Soldier. The orgininal was sang by Martika and then Eminem later used the chorus in his own version.

Toy Soldiers - Martika
View the LYRICS to this song.

I've read the lyrics to this song and I still can't quite grasp what it's about. Maybe someone can enlighten me with their theory. Whatever she is singing about however, she is very passionate about it in the video. I loved this song when I was a kid, and I actually like the "remake" done by Eminem.


...is it just me, or does Martika remind you of actress Shannyn Sossamon from A Knight's Tale?


Shannyn Sossamon

Like Toy Soldiers - Eminem
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I never had the patience to actually listen to this song and figure out what Eminem is talking about, so I was pleased to see that the YouTube member that posted this video provided the following description:

"Like Toy Soldiers" is a song by rapper Eminem on his worldwide hit album Encore, that tells the story of his feuds in an attempt to settle down the rap community. He speaks his heart about problems with The Source magazine and its editor Benzino, as well as Murder Inc. Records. He explains the beef between Ja Rule and 50 Cent. He finishes off the song by offering a truce to his enemies.

I respect Eminem as an artist...except for the disturbing song in which he kills his wife...but I will ignore that for now and give him props for this one.

Star Spangled Banner (United States National Anthem)

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(although if you're American you SHOULD already know them)
....and apparently Jimi Hendrix wrote the Star Spangled Banner....who knew?!




In honor of the 4th of July, it seems appropriate for today's post to be patriotic- and what is more patriotic than the Star Spangled Banner? The first video is one of my favorite Saturday Night Live clips. Maya Rudolph makes fun of those people that try a little too hard to make their version of the National Anthem unique, and end up taking it just a little too far. It makes me laugh every time I see it.


Whitney Houston is one of the best female singers out there, so today I will post her version, ignoring her past with drugs and Bobby Brown, her tendency to sweat profusely every time she sings, and her current unsettling relationship with Brandy's little brother Ray-J (is that still going on?). Sing it Whitney!


Today's post is dedicated to all my fellow Americans. Happy 4th of July!

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I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor

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I am super stressed this week, which has led me to this song choice. It doesn't only have to be about surviving a failed relationship. This is a great song for anyone who needs to get through any type of difficult time. I like to put it on when I am stressed. Also, it just so happens that anytime I wish I could just get away, to make myself feel better I imagine myself spinning around in circles on roller skates, wearing pink spandex, a sequined top, and a bow tie. It works.

I dedicate this to anyone who feels that they need to survive anything.

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She Works Hard for the Money - Donna Summer

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I felt this was an appropriate song for a Monday. Watching old videos are always enjoyable for so many reasons.

A few comments/observations:
*I was very annoyed by the woman's reaction to the guy smacking her rear in the restaurant. If it were me he would have been smacked right back.
*I don't know about you, but I would be a bit creeped out if I looked out of my kitchen window and saw Donna Summer standing there staring and singing to me with no expression on her face.
*For a split second her daughter looks like the indestructible cheerleader from the show Heroes.
*The dance sequence in the street reminds me of another video....hmmm....make it night time, turn the dancing workers into zombies, add a few shimmies and hand-clapping over the head, slip a sequined glove on the woman's hand, and it's Thriller!

I dedicate this to all you hard working women!....sorry men, today's not your day.

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Don't Mess With My Man - Nivea

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This song was requested by a reader. Apparently someone needs to be told to back off. It is one thing to pursue someone when you do not know they are in a relationship. People who are fully aware that the person they are pursuing is happy and in a good relationship, yet still persist, are incredibly disrespectful and pathetic - especially the ones who are just looking for a hook up. There is one person I would love to dedicate this too, but I will keep it to myself. Let's just say, Miller time was over a long time ago.

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Who Knew - Pink

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Today is an example of how a song can be interpreted differently depending on the person. The music video usually shows how the artist (or director) sees it, but it can be slightly different for you. In the video, this song is about the ending of a relationship that was supposed to last forever. When I heard the song I interpreted it differently. I found it to be about losing someone unexpectedly to death. Recently in my town, five girls who had just graduated from high school were killed in a car accident. It is one of those things that shocks and saddens everyone in the area, not just those who knew the victims. I am a fairly recent alum of Virginia Tech so I was also affected by the tragedy that occured there just a couple months ago. It is always hard losing someone to death, but I have heard many times that there is nothing worse than losing a child. I dedicate this to anyone who has lost someone to an unexpected tragedy, especially parents who have lost children.

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Hey Jude - the Beatles

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This is one of my favorite songs of all time. It reminds us that if you think you've found that one, go get him/her and don't let them go. If you play it cool, you're only hurting yourself in the long run. I usually don't include the lyrics in my posts because I provide a link to them, but I love this song so much I put a few of my favorite verses below:

Hey jude, dont make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.
...
And anytime you feel the pain, hey jude, refrain,
Dont carry the world upon your shoulders.
For well you know that its a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder.

Hey jude, dont let me down.
You have found her, now go and get her.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.

I dedicate this to anyone who knows who they want, but hasn't worked up the guts to tell them yet. The question becomes, if that person is already with someone else, do you say something?

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Ben Jelen - Come On

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This song didn't become as big of a hit as it should have. Unlike the Beatles song, this guy is telling the girl that they belong together. I dedicate this to anyone who realizes who they want to be with and has the guts to tell him or her. I certainly wouldn't be able to.

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Right Now - Van Halen

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Modern technology has enabled us to stay connected to the world in increasingly innovative ways, yet at the same time we are becoming more disconnected from each other. This video is a fairly old one, but it is still relevant today. It reminds us of what is going on right now in our world whether we realize it or not. We often lose sight of the world outside of our own bubbles. People on cell phones are a great example. You could have missed out on meeting a great person right beside you on the subway because you were too busy in your own little world. I dedicate song this to those who try to pop their own bubble and become more aware of the world around them.

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FEATURED DEDICATION: Go-Go Gadget Gospel - Gnarls Barkley

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This song was requested by reader "Edit"! He just started his first job in the "real world" today so it is dedicated to him. To him, this song represents being his own person and being free to take on life. Congrats on the job and good luck out there!

It's My Life - Bon Jovi

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This is my "freedom" song. My high school senior quote was from this song due to parents who were a bit overprotective. I don't think I've ever actually seen this video until now, so I just noticed that the girl in the video is Shiri Appleby from the show Roswell. Roswell just happens to be one of my favorite shows ever so that was a nice surprise. Isn't the guy Timmy from the "New Lassie" show? Anyway, I enjoy this song. I dedicate it to people who realize they need to get out and live a little.

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Dream a Little Dream of Me - Ella Fitzgerald

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Most Elle Fitzgerald songs remind me of summer. I dedicate this one to anyone who is at work daydreaming and does not want to be there on a beautiful summer day. That's exactly how I feel right now.

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What Hurts the Most - Rascal Flatts

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First off I apologize for not posting everyday, but it is getting to be harder to keep up.

Next, I am not a big fan of country music, but there are a few songs I like such as this one. The beginning is really sad...in fact the whole thing is. In the video the girl loses someone because he died, but you can relate to this song if you've lost someone in any way, shape, or form, and wonder what could have been.

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Just Like a Pill - Pink

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I dedicate this to anyone who has been in any kind of toxic relationship. I have been there...you want out, but the other person just keeps sucking you back in, and it doesn't do any good for either of you. This applies to both friendships and dating relationships. For those in toxic dating relationships, the next song is also for you.

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Irreplaceable - Beyonce

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I have gotten to the point where I really can't stand Beyonce anymore, but I love this song so I will tolerate her for now. I haven't studied the lyrics to this song, but there is one line in the chorus that I would change:

"I could have another you in a minute".

I'm sure she didn't mean it literally, but it implies that she could have another guy who is the same exact way in a minute....meaning she's really just starting a vicious cycle. I would change the line to:

"I could have a better you in a minute"

or better yet

"I could have better man in a minute"

...at least that way she is making it clear that she is upgrading.

I dedicate this to any guy or girl that deserves better than the person that they are in a relationship with. Don't tolerate any less than you deserve....you can find better.

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Summertime - Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald

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I can't believe I almost forgot this song which is obviously more of a classic than the Will Smith song below. I remember hearing this song in my house many times as a child.

This one is dedicated to summer as well. Enjoy!

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Summertime - Will Smith

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In honor of the first official day of summer, today's one and only post is this classic Will Smith song. I think this is still his best to date. I used to play it every year after the last day of school. I will definitely be blastin this song in my car today with the windows down and my shades on...just how i like it!

I dedicate this song to....SUMMER! Have a great one.

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Summer Girls - LFO

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I noticed that tomorrow is the official first day of summer and it immediately reminded me of this song. I will admit that I used to sing along to this on the radio despite the fact that I HATED it. The tune is catchy but the lyrics...well they are incredibly stupid. I orginally despised this song because of the Abercrombie & Fitch line in the chorus. However when I actually read the lyrics to the entire song I was amazed by their inanity. I honestly believe that whoever wrote this simply tried to find words that rhymed, regardless of whether or not they made any sense. Example:

Youre the best girl that I ever did see

The great larry bird, jersey 33

When you take a sip, you buzz like a hornet

billy Shakespeare wrote a whole bunch of sonnets

My response: "Are you serious??!" Should we be surprised that these guys were one-hit-wonders?

I dedicate this song to stupidity.

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U + Me = Us (Calculus) - 2ge+her

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I loved when MTV created this fake boy band, and I fully enjoy this song. I ignore the fact that addition cannot be classified as calculus, but that is the beauty of the song. It mocks bad boy bands and all their marvelous stupidity. At least this song has somewhat of a common theme, which is more than I can say for the LFO song. I dedicate this to people who recognize stupidity and make fun of it!

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Impossible - Christina Aguilera

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I don't think there is an actual video for this song (at least I couldn't find it), but I love it so much I'm posting it anyway. This is a "video" done by a youtube user. I am dedicating this one to people who have trouble communicating their feelings. I think all of us can relate to this on some level. It's not easy putting yourself out there, but in the end, even if you get hurt, I don't think you'd regret it. It's worse wondering "what if?"...it's worse not letting someone you care about really know how you feel.

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El Scorcho - Weezer

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I love Weezer, and this song reminds me of my undergrad days when I discovered it. I always thought it would have been nice to have a guy that I liked sing this to me....I'm such a cheesy romantic. You will soon be able to tell that I love and have watched too many romantic comedies because it's only in those that things like serenades to reveal one's feelings for you, happen.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICHARD!!

Today, this one and only post is dedicated to my amazing boyfriend on his birthday. I love you sweetie and hopefully next time I will be able to share it with you. HAVE A GREAT DAY!!

Just the Two of Us - Will Smith

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In honor of Father's Day (or Baby Daddy Day), all of today's songs are for fathers: good, bad, divorced, or deceased.

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Butterfly Kisses - Bob Carlisle

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Dance with my Father Again - Luther Van Dross

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Father of Mine - Everclear

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Hate (I Really Don't Like You) - Plain White T's

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I like this song because I rarely say I hate anyone, but there are a few that I really, really, really don't like.

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Umbrella - Rihanna ft. Jay-Z

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I had a great night out with my friends last night and we were singing along to this in the car. So I dedicate this one to the ROC chicks aka the "god squad".

For some reason my videos aren't posting today, so I will try again tomorrow. The archives are always open for dedications so feel free to go through those! They are all listed in the left sidebar. Thanks!


~Dedicated

I Don't Want You Back - Eamon

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WARNING: Todays songs have explicit lyrics.

I dedicate today's songs to all scorned lovers. Even if you haven't been cheated on, sometimes you put up with so much shit with someone you finally just say "f*ck it!"...I certainly have in the past.

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F*ck You Right Back - Frankie

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I dedicate this to the girls.

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Someday - Mariah Carey

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I deicated this to all those foolish boys who let a great girl go, and are regretting it.

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