Country vs Rap.

One thing I don’t think I mention to much on here is my love for country music. I could listen to country music all day long and never get bored. If I am sad I listen to a slow song. If I am feeling up beat I will listen to a jovial tune. If I am feeling angry I will pick a strong willed woman song. Whatever my mood country music has something that will fit.

Now generally when I mention my love for country music I get laughter. For those who don’t know I am from Massachusetts. About an hour out from Boston. Country music isn’t exactly a Boston girl’s jam. However, I definitely fit the bill for a Boston girl. I am a tiny girl with a huge attitude. I am not afraid to say what is on my mind. But the country side of my has a large heart and I really can connect with country music above all other music….especially rap.

This brings me to my point. Many people who make fun of my love of country, are those who adore rap music. I don’t know how many times I have heard the “what do you get when you play a country song backwards…truck back, wife back, blah blah.” Do you know where that little diddy came from?! A country song! Yup pretty funny that your insult to country music is a country song. Song in question is here:

But it got me to thinking. Rap music is known to follow their own trends that are ALWAYS the same. So I thought what do you get when you play a rap song backwards. Here is what I came up with:

You get out of jail, clean and sober, pass anger management, pull your pants up, gun in the safe, relationship back, dignity back, brains back, class back….

I could go on forever.

We all have our own preference in music. But one thing is for sure, if you look for it you can find the negative in any genre of music. So why don’t we all just enjoy the music we choose to enjoy and try not to dig on others for their choices? Otherwise this post will be made into a song!

That is a promise!

Craig David via Ed Sheeran?

Have you ever heard a song that reminds you so much of music you liked when you were younger that you just can’t stop listening to it? That is exactly what happened to me when I heard Ed Sheeran’s new song “Don’t”. For days I was searching the radio channels looking for this song because it just put me in a good mood. I could not figure out why this song made me so happy. Especially because the song isn’t exactly upbeat in the lyrics department. The song is about a guy who is cheated on by a girl. But nonetheless I would turn the volume all the way up and sing every word.

After about the 100x listening to the song I realized that it was the accent that was perking me up. But I have heard plenty of Ed Sheeran songs and this one just had something more to it. So the accent couldn’t be everything. And then I figured it out…Ed Sheeran reminded me of Craig David.

Now even people my age don’t remember Craig David. For the most part he was a one hit wonder. But I bought his CD and fell in love with every song. I think his voice mixed with the beats of his songs just hit the right chord with me. Whatever it was I was totally obsessed with his album and Ed Sheeran brought me right back to that happy place.

I thought this happy place was a great way to start the Monday and I wanted to try and get some of you bloggers there as well. Let me know what current song has brought you back in time to a favorite artist or song and what is it about them that just reminds you so much of that other artist?

I then charge you to go on Youtube and find both songs to start off your Monday. I will leave you with mine below!

Happy Monday!

Craig David- “Fill Me In”

Ed Sheeran- “Don’t”

I admit- I am a kill joy!

I know many of you bloggers enjoyed the Pharrel Williams song “Because I’m Happy.” I also know that when I commented on your posts about it I also mentioned that I did not care for it. I am not sure if it was because it was just way too up beat for me or if it was merely that the song got on my nerves. Either way I did not care for the song.

But then I watched the Lego Movie.

In that movie the “average guy” lego was obsessed with the song “Everything is Awesome.” The “lego master” girl that he falls in love with was highly irritated by the song. And I realized that in the lego movie I would be the “lego master” girl without all the awesome abilities. But in the movie it was showing that when someone is clouded by experiences they tend to be jaded and not be able to appreciate the simple things, like that song. That would explain my life. A song about being happy just doesn’t resonate with me because I spend my time caught up in everything else I don’t take the time to just be happy.

The songs really mirror each other and it was amazing to me how similar they are yet no one has pointed it out.

Here are just a few similarities:

Because I’m Happy: “Here come bad news talking this and that, yeah,/Well, give me all you got, and don’t hold it back, yeah,/
Well, I should probably warn you I’ll be just fine, yeah,

Everything is Awesome: “Lost my job, there’s a new opportunity/ More free time for my awesome community.”

They both show that even though bad things happen there is always a positive way to look at it.

Because I’m Happy:”Because I’m happy”

Everything is Awesome: “Everything is awesome,”

Their title repeats over and over and over and over throughout the song. Just in case it didn’t sink in the first 100x…

And both songs are very insistent that nothing will change how they feel. They are happy because everything is awesome and nothing will get in the way of that!

                          

 

I think after seeing this movie and comparing the two songs I need to take the time to enjoy the simple things. I need to be able to just be happy and see how awesome life is. The songs might be irritating but their point is clear. Life is too short to not be happy.

 

So be happy my friends and happy Friday!

 

My Love Hate Relationship With Miley Cyrus

I have been putting off writing this post because frankly I keep changing my mind about how I feel about this girl. I will admit I watched Hannah Montana when it was on T.V (and yes I was far too old to be watching it but I have a younger sister so I get a free pass right?). I thought she was quirky, funny and just an all around pretty good child actress. Of course my interest in here began because of her father Billy Ray, my achy breaky heart still beats for him- don’t care how old he is! But we all have seen how cute little Hannah Montana has started to grow up.

The Blurred Lines performance at the VMA’s was shocking to say the least. But lets face it people, she WANTED to shock you. This girl knew exactly what she was doing and she got exactly the type of attention she wanted, ALL OF IT. This girl has been in show business most of her life thanks to her daddy, she is not oblivious to how the industry works. But knowing this did not make me any more happy that the Hannah Montana I loved was gyrating to a pretty degrading song about, well for lack of a better description, rape in a tan scantily clad bikini looking outfit. Couldn’t there be a way to shock the audience without stooping to that impossibly low standard?

But then she came out with the song Wrecking Ball. Now yes the video is, well shocking again. She rides around on a literal wrecking ball and is naked or very close to it for most of the video. However, when she was questioned about it she claimed it was art. And you know what? She might actual be telling the truth. The song is about a girl who is basically ruined in a relationship. The metaphor her sans skin body is portraying is how she stripped down her walls for someone and they weren’t able to do the same. Oh and did I mention in this song Miley can actually sing. And no I don’t mean autotuned perfection I mean Miley has a voice!

Now I actually really relate to the song and I can even relate to her artistic approach even though it may not have been the path I would take. I have since listened to lyrics in some of her other songs and I have to say this girl is actually a better role model than we are all giving her credit for. Here are just three examples from 2013 alone:

1) “Remember only God can judge ya
Forget the haters ’cause somebody loves ya”

2) “I never meant to start a war
I just wanted you to let me in
And instead of using force
I guess I should’ve let you win”

3) “I came into this world by myself
So I don’t need nobody else
We have just begun
So much to do, so young
Don’t be afraid of alone, you’ll get it done on your own”

But Miley there is one thing I won’t forgive you for. Making room for this parody of Wrecking Ball with Hulk Hogan! I cannot unsee this!!

So bloggers, how do you feel about Miley Cyrus? Love her? Hate her? Both? Let me know!

I Was Infected By The Biebz

Have you ever really liked a song but were really confused as to why you or really anyone in the world liked the song? “Call Me Maybe” was that song for me. I was literally obsessed with this song for the longest time. I would rock out to it in the car. I would watch multiple hilarious video renditions of it like this one. But honestly I could not figure out what the hype was about this song.

For starters the singer is a complete unknown artist. Sure she has a great voice but no one had even heard her name before this song. As far as I know she wasn’t even signed to a record before this song came out.

Added on to that the song is really just “Call Me Maybe” repeated billions of times with a few words added in for the verses. It couldn’t have taken all that much thought process to really come up with the lyrics to the song. And I will be the first to tell you I am definitely a lyric snob. I only like music I can relate to.

The one thing the song has going for it is the tune is catchy. And I mean REALLY catchy. Once you hear it it is very hard to get out of your head. But this now goes full circle- people have to hear it to get it in their head and if the artist is unknown and the lyrics arent stellar how did it get so widely publicized?

And then I learned the key. Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber got wind of this song and they tweeted about it and posted a dance video about it. Then the song took off like wild fire. But this now makes the song an even bigger guilty pleasure. I have fallen prey to the influence of the Biebz?!?! Say it isnt so! But even their dance video is kinda fun to watch… ahhh what does this mean?!?!

I could have gone my whole life not knowing the reason this song got stuck in my head for months at a time but now that I know I would like the Men in Black to come and erase my mind. Please?

Did the Biebz get you on this one too? Please tell me I am not alone!

Cestlavie’s Twisted Mixtape

So recently I became blogging buddies with Jen Kehl. On her blog she hold something called “Twisted Tuesday Mixtape”. She also encourages her blogging buddies to participate by posting their own “mix-tape’s” on their blog. I have read many people’s mix tapes. Some are dedicated to a friend, some a lover, some a family member and some a time in their lives. I dabbled with many different ideas for my mix-tape. I thought of making one for my 13 year old sister and all we have been through, I thought of making one for my best friend. But, none of them really excited me. But then it came to me!

I decided to create a “Relationship” mix-tape. This would be the tape that runs the gamet from the beginning of the relationship to the bitter end. This is for any girl who is still in the dating world. Without further ado- my mix-tape:

Relationship Mix-Tape:

Mandy Moore- Crush

Alright girls, this is that first feeling you get. You know this stage. When you look at him but quickly look away because you aren’t quite sure he feels the same. Just the thought of him makes you smile. But, nothing has really happened just yet. You are basically an admirer for now. This is where it all begins 🙂

 

Taylor Swift- Our Song

Now you have hooked him and you are finally dating. You are in the honey moon stage here. Everything seems promising and you are both blissfully looking towards the future!

Brad Paisley- Then

This is the moment when you believe he is the guy you are going to marry. Everything has just gotten better and better and you can’t imagine your life with anyone else. But, don’t get comfortable ladies- what goes up must come down.

Brandy and Monica- The Boy Is Mine

You are still head over heels in love here but some other girl is starting to encroach on your territory. This is where you make your claim for your man and get prepared to fight. But the groundwork for distrust is laid and things are starting to fall apart.

Luke Bryan- Do I

Alright, this is the moment where you start questioning everything. He just doesnt seem to care as much anymore and you begin to wonder why you are even fighting. Is it worth it?

Band Perry- Done

Nope its not worth it. You can’t fight for both sides. A relationship is a two way street. Moving on. He will miss you. His loss.

I hope this made you smile at least a little. Of course there are amazing relationships out there and this in no ways means I dont believe in true love. But I think every one of us go through this kind of relationship before we find the right one. I’m still on that journey.

So ladies (or fellas) what are the songs you listen to during the various stages of your relationships?

Never, “Thats When I’ll Stop Loving You” NSYNC

So lately a lot of my blogging buddies have been posting flashback posts. I have really enjoyed reading each and every one of them but I have been pretty sad that I haven’t been able to contribute any flashbacks of importance to me, until now.

As everyone knows, the VMA’s were last Sunday. I was snuggled up on my couch watching anxiously for the moment all us girls were waiting for. No, not Miley Cyrus twerking. Yes I saw and while that could be a whole other blog post, that only distracted me from the main event.

The main event I am talking about of course is the NYSNC reunion. If you were a girl in the 90’s you knew the importance of the boy bands. Back in the day you had to pick a team, team NSYNC or team Backstreet. Now of course, all of us listened to both bands but NEVER would we admit it. No! You had to pick one and you were their fan girl and only theirs.

Did it make any sense? No! They had very similar music so it would only make sense that we would like both if we liked either. But, in our heads they were competitors and we had to chose. And we did. I was team NSYNC. Particularly, team J.C *swoon*.

So when those boys popped up out of the stage after JT uttered “you asked for it”. I was transported into the body of pre-teen me. The music was running through me and suddenly I was in my childhood bedroom dancing along to Darrin’s Dance Grooves (anyone else remember this?) and learned the steps to “Bye, Bye, Bye).

I will say the performance was too short, but I am hoping this is a sign of a reunion tour. If it is you better believe I will be in the audience repping the “digital get down”.

Did any other girl have a similar reaction to the NYSNC reunion? If not what band would bring you back to your childhood?

 

Rolling Right Off My Top Song List

Alright, I am a 90’s chick. That being said I have a soft spot for 90’s Alternative music. When it comes on the radio I like to roll my windows down, tap on my steering wheel, and sing at the top of my lungs. This music brings me back to when I was young and carefree and had all these crazy ideas about how love and relationships would be in my later years.

Pandora, has given me a way to touch in to this gold mine of music and bring me back to the carefree days of my childhood. The other day at work I was bobbing along to this very station when one of my old favorite songs came on. Not remembering the name or the band for this song I decided to pull up the information on Pandora. To my surprise the title was “Roll to Me” by Del Amitri.

I continued bobbing along to the song singing what I thought was all the right words. For the life of my I could not figure out why the song would be named “Roll to Me”. I decided to run a Google search to solve my confusion. To my horror I found out that I had been singing the song wrong all these years, and in all honesty the ACTUAL lyrics made me like the song less!

I will focus on the first time the title comes up in the song, verse one. The REAL first one is as follows:

Look around your world pretty baby
Is it everything you hoped it’d be
The wrong guy, the wrong situation
The right time to roll to me
Roll to me

Now I had all the lyrics correct up until, “..to roll to me.” All these years I believed the singer was saying ‘The right time, the wrong me.” Now before you start laughing hysterically at me, hear me out.

I think MY lyrics send a much better message. First off, in the real song is he trying to woo some 50’s diner waitress who is still wearing her skates while he sings to her? Or maybe he is wooing a diehard cyclist who doesn’t dismount her bike for their encounters? Either way, he never explains why she is “rolling” to him but whatever the reason, this girl has issues.

However, in MY version of the song the guy is explaining why they hadnt worked and why the song is needed. All up until this point he had been the wrong guy, in the wrong situation, it was the right time but it was the wrong him. He wasnt the guy he needed to be to be with her, but he is now. I thought this was such a sweet and rare sentiment. So rare apparently it was only in my head!!

So bloggers, what version of the song do YOU like better and why?

Whitney Houston: Flags Half Staff?

I want to start this post by saying that I am deeply saddened by the death of Whitney Houston. Not only was she a fantastic singer and a true inspiration but she was also a talented actress. I understand that this woman dealt with alot of personal demons and that she struggled with substance abuse throughout her life but her talent will never be forgotten. I remember one song in particular that always got me through when I was doubting myself. I would like to share this song as a tribute to her:

I have heard alot of talk over the last week that because she was a substance abuser she “had this coming”. I really find this quite an unfair statement. I don’t think any one of us can honestly say we understand what it was like to live in her shoes. How many of us could step into the spotlight and have our privacy completely stripped away. How many of us could be critiqued daily on the clothes we wear, our performances, our day to day activities and anything else someone decided to talk about? I think this type of lifestyle is very misunderstood and just because someone is “famous” and has money we like to assume they are happy. This is too often not the case. Look at the string of celebrities that have died just recently from substance abuse. Just because they lost the battle with their own personal demons does not mean that their death is any less significant. No one can deny that Witness Houston was a music icon and she deserves to be recognized.

That being said I do NOT believe that she deserves to have the flags flown at Half Staff in New Jersey to honor her death. This debate has sprung up and many people have conflicting opinions. I believe that the flag should be flown at half staff ONLY for fallen soldiers. I don’t believe this honor should be bestowed on ANYONE else. I think when we start doing this for more than just the fallen soldiers the symbol begins to lose its meaning.

Whitney Houston deserves to be honored by an increase of record sales. According to a NY Times article, “She sold 101,000 albums in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, compared with 1,700 the week before.” This increase is deserved. She should be honored for her talent and the music that she has left in our hearts. I also feel her being honored at the Grammys was deserved and I hope that they also honor her at the Academy Awards. There is no doubt that she is a legend and she deserves to be honored in the appropriate venues.

 

What is your opinion? Should the flags be flown at Half Staff to honor Whitney Houston’s death?

Josh Krajcik

Ok so many of you have read my posts about how much I love to sing. Well this is not another one of those posts…well not exactly. Tonight marks another night of one of my new favorite shows “The Voice”. I was never one for American Idol but X Factor hooked me and now this show has me reeled in as well. At this point in the show I dont have favorite singer but rather a favorite judge: Adam Levine. I mean what isnt there to love? Awesome personality, amazing voice, gorgeous eyes, and how can you not wanna stare at those tattoos??? But I digress…my love from this show is a direct result of my love of X Factor and there is no one else to thank for that but Josh Krajcik.

I fell for Josh on the audition episode. He was poised to be one of those funny auditions with the crazy mom and the funny back story…but he was SO much more. Josh came out on stage and sang “At Last” and he absolutely killed it. Hear it for yourself:

From then on I was hooked. Each week proclaiming “if Josh gets kicked off I am boycotting the show.” I would vote for him until I fell asleep calling the vote number. However, to my dismay he came in second to Melanie Amaro. This however has not stopped him. He is currently working in California on a record. That is something that really makes me love these shows. Even if a contestant doesn’t win as long as they show promise and have a strong following they still get the chance to live out there dream. And so I watch on…hoping that one day I will have a chance to try out for one of these shows. Until then I will live vicariously through my favorites.

So bloggers- do you watch any of these shows? Have you had a contestant get you hooked?