Tag Archives: pop

November Five-Star Shuffle: “Lake Shore Driving”

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Okay, here are the rules for the November theme, Chris.  Open up iTunes (it has to be a fresh open).  Go to your 5-Star playlist and hit shuffle.  Write about the first song that comes up.  No skips allowed, unless by some crazy circumstance, you hit the same song on your next post.  So here goes.  Wow…

Big Thing
Big Thing

“Lake Shore Driving”
by Duran Duran
from the album Big Thing
1988
Buy the album on Amazon

I’ve been in love with Duran Duran for years.  I came a bit late to the party, missing their early-80s works when they were crazy popular.  Big Thing was probably the album that first got me into them but I quickly added their more popular and poppier albums to my collection.  Big Thing is kind of an odd album coming off the pretty funky turn they took with 1985’s Notorious which saw the once quintet reduced to a trio.  If Big Thing is odd, then “LSD” is an accurate acronym for this weird-ass, but wonderful track. Continue reading November Five-Star Shuffle: “Lake Shore Driving” →

October Soundtracks: Dream a Little Dream

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Dream A Little Dream
Dream A Little Dream

Dream a Little Dream Original Soundtrack
1989
Buy the album on Amazon

This one popped into my head because of a conversation Chris and I just had about Meredith Salenger.  I don’t even remember what the conversation was, but good lord, did I have a crush on her in high school.  In fact, this stupid little movie (and it is dumb, no doubt) is maybe one of my favorite films of all time.  Let it be known, I have a crush on this movie.  It might feature the Coreys and the main single from the soundtrack might be a cover done by a soap opera star, but dang it, this movie has a hold on me.

Continue reading October Soundtracks: Dream a Little Dream →

Cover Friday: “The Chauffeur”

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The Duran Duran Tribute Album
The Duran Duran Tribute Album

“The Chauffeur”
by Deftones (originally by Duran Duran)
from the album The Duran Duran Tribute Album
1997
Buy the album on Amazon

It’s completely rare to have one of my favorite bands covering one of my other favorite bands, particularly in this case when the genres they occupy are so far apart.  The Deftones could probably best be described as alternative metal whereas Duran Duran best epitomize the 80s dance pop/new wave sound.  That kind of sounds like mixing bacon and ice cream.  But you know what?  I’ve had bacon ice cream and it’s delicious.

Continue reading Cover Friday: “The Chauffeur” →

Karaoke Tuesday: “Torn”

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Left of the Middle
Left of the Middle

“Torn”
by Natalie Imbruglia
from the album Left of the Middle
1997
Buy the album on Amazon

Like a wandering storyteller traveling the land, regaling the local townfolk with stories of adventures from afar, I often like to tell new friends and old tales of great karaoke adventures. As I’m also clearly not above self-deprecation, one of the stories I like to share is of the lowest karaoke moment for my dear friend Lance and I.

Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “Torn” →

Karaoke Tuesday: “True”

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True
True

“True”
by Spandau Ballet
from the album True
1983
Buy the album on Amazon

A quintessential classic 80’s song. There are songs that fit that description in all the wrong ways. This is not one of them. Unless you just have never heard it before, as soon as those breathy sighs start, I don’t think there’s a person who doesn’t love this song. It’s pure class (just look at the singer in the video!) and romance.
Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “True” →

May Summer Songs: “Damn Good”

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Skyscraper
Skyscraper

“Damn Good”
by David Lee Roth
from the album Skyscraper
1988
Buy the album on Amazon

Growing up, I was all about country and easy listening music because those were the only two radio stations I could reliably pick up with my clock radio (R.I.P. WSIX 98.6 and Easy 93).  When I heard friends talking about Huey Lewis and the News, I thought he was an anchor on channel 13.  Men At Work became “Minute Work” which I interpreted as some kind of scholastic study method (I was a weird kid).  Eventually though, we got MTV.  Although I missed out on a lot pop music as it was happening, I quickly caught up.

One of the first pop cassettes I bought for myself was David Lee Roth’s Skyscraper and I’m not ashamed to say that I absolutely adore it.  I must have listened to that whole album a thousand times, although It took me a while to make the entire loop,  I’d get hooked on a song, play it through and then quickly rewind and listen again.  I became an expert in knowing just how long to keep the button down so that the track was queued perfectly.  I can feel the vibration of my Panasonic boom box (with Ambience™) rewinding right now.  “Just Like Paradise” and “Stand Up” were perfect singles.  “Hina” was just a bizarrely amazing and beautiful song (it’s also a perfect night song).  But the song that encapsulates a summer song for me is “Damn Good.”

Continue reading May Summer Songs: “Damn Good” →

April Duets: “Time After Time”

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The Body Acoustic
The Body Acoustic

“Time After Time”
by Cyndi Lauper w/ Sarah McLachlan
from The Body Acoustic
2005
Buy the album on Amazon

Cyndi Lauper, or at least my appreciation of her, is in the fine wine/better with age category for me. I didn’t have MTV growing up, but this song is one of the songs I associate with the times I got to watch it at a relative’s, and it was always my favorite of her hits.

Continue reading April Duets: “Time After Time” →

Karaoke Tuesday: “Oh Sherrie”

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Street Talk
Street Talk

“Oh Sherrie”
by Steve Perry
from the album Street Talk
1984
Buy the album on Amazon

This was inspired by Lance’s selection for the day, in that it also falls firmly in the category of “I randomly heard or thought of this song one day and remembered how awesome it is and holy crap I can totally hear myself singing this and I’m going to bust this out at karaoke next time!”

Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “Oh Sherrie” →

Karaoke Tuesday: “Your Love”

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Play Deep
Play Deep

“Your Love”
by The Outfield
from the album Play Deep
1985 Sony
Buy the album on Amazon

I tried to sing this song a couple of times at karaoke and completely botched it.  The song has such a high register, even for me.  I had given up all hope until I heard a buddy sing it a couple of octaves lower.  It took on a completely different vibe – almost sinister.  I’m still trying to master it, but it’s so fun giving it a shot.

Continue reading Karaoke Tuesday: “Your Love” →

Cover Friday: “Hungry Like The Wolf”

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The Duran Duran Tribute Album
The Duran Duran Tribute Album

“Hungry Like The Wolf”
by Reel Big Fish (originally by Duran Duran)
from the album The Duran Duran Tribute Album
1997 Koch Records
Buy the album on Amazon.

I’ve had a few drinks and some Mexican queso fries so I’m feeling a bit silly.  This is a totally fun ska cover of a Duran Duran classic (and Lance karaoke staple).  It takes a song that should be fun to begin with and makes it a total riot.

Continue reading Cover Friday: “Hungry Like The Wolf” →