Whataya What from Me

I should preface this post by saying that I have not watched American Idol in 5+ years. Also, I am not a huge fan of Adam Lambert.

But I cannot get his song OUT OF MY HEAD. I have been singing Whataya What from Me ALL WEEKEND. I swear it drove Mike crazy yesterday. Mainly because I really only know the refrain so that's what I just kept singing over and over again. I started to annoy myself. . .

Anyway, I posted the video below. Now you can get it stuck in your head too. Enjoy. :)

Grammy Performance

Last week, the Grammys were on TV. At times, I felt like the performers were picked just for me. All of my favorites were on - Bon Jovi, P!nk, Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum, Beyonce, etc.

And of course - Lady Gaga!

However, Lady Gaga's performance, which opened the show, was even better because she sang a duet with Elton John. I adore Elton John and Lady Gaga so I felt like this performance was just for me. It was awesome. Luckily, it was available for purchase on ITunes so I can listen to it whenever I want!

Tongue-in-Cheek Christmas

It's no secret that I love Christmas music, but what may surprise you is that I really like songs that kind of make fun of Christmas. As long as it is tongue-in-cheek and not in a mean way, I think those types of songs are hysterical.

One of my new favorites is the Christmas Can Can by the group Straight No Chaser. It's an all male a cappella group. Most of their songs are done in a funny and clever way.

I found this animated video for the Christmas Can Can online. It's hysterical. I have no idea who did the animation but it was someone who really got the cheekiness of the song!

Rob Thomas!

This week, I went to see Rob Thomas in concert with a friend.

It was AMAZING.

I'd seen Rob Thomas with Matchbox 20 a few years ago but seeing Rob Thomas solo was just as good. Plus, Carolina Liar and One Republic were the opening acts so it was just a great night of music all around.

For me the highlights were the acoustic version of Ever the Same, a cover of That's Alright, and the acoustic version of Bent.

What I love about seeing Rob Thomas in concert is that he sings the songs you love in a new way but you still recognize and love them. It's not like some concerts where the people do things in such a new way that you do not even recognize the song. I hate that.

Anyway, here's a treat for Friday - the acoustic version of Ever the Same. Enjoy!

What's Awesome Now? Taylor Swift on SNL

Taylor Swift was really funny on SNL. I was not sure she would be good when I heard that she was hosting. But, she was really able to make fun of herself - which I think is necessary for the host.

I loved the opening monologue with her Monologue Song (la la la).

Check it out. It's funny. (Plus she disses Joe Jonas which makes me really happy because I have an irrational hatred for the Jonas Brothers).

What's Awesome Now? Glee

My new obsession is the show Glee. I just love it. It's so hilarious.

I also love that they pick a random variety of songs to feature. Although I must say, it has not been great for my budget as I like to go to Itunes and buy songs after watching the show. Oh well, at least they are not that expensive.

One of my favorite moments so far is the Glee version of Gold Digger. I've featured it below. Enjoy!

Where I Stood by Missy Higgins

Yesterday, I was finishing up the dreaded task of cleaning out my closet. To make this chore more palatable, I decided I needed music. So, I put my IPod on random.

I LOVE when I rediscover music that I forgot about. It's such a nice surprise because you rediscover something fun without actually having to pay for it.

In this case, I came across the song Where I Stood by Missing Higgins. I have no idea where I first heard it but at some point, I downloaded it from ITunes.

It's kind of a sad song (big surprise that I like it, I know) but it's very poignant. Anyway, the music did help me finish up the closet cleaning. Now, it's on to my dresser. . .

Two Amazing Irish Bands

Over the last week, I saw two amazing Irish Bands in concert.


On Friday night, I went to see Snow Patrol. They were incredible. They sang my favorite song of all time - Open Your Eyes - which made me super happy. We also had pretty good seats which were a plus.

The Plain White T's opened for them, and they were also fantastic. It did kind of suck that we sat in the wrong seats for the entire opening act and had to endure a bright light in our eyes for no reason but whatever. The music was good so that's all that counts.

On Tuesday, I went to see U2 in concert. It was AWESOME!!!! I think that Bono is the epitome of cool so to have the opportunity to see him perform live was just amazing.

They sang such a good mix of music too. Lots of the old stuff and a few of their newer songs which I like - Vertigo, Elevation, etc. The encore included Where the Streets Have No Name and With or Without You, which are two of my favorites. In my opinion, With or Without You is one of the most romantic songs ever written.

During the show it was pretty cold outside, but we did not care. It was worth a little discomfort and a ton of traffic to see the show. And as a plus, the opening band was Muse. They sang the 2 songs that I really like so all was well.

What are the odds of seeing 4 amazing bands for the price of 2 and hearing all of my favorite songs by each band? What a fantastic week.

Here's a clip from the U2 Concert. This is With or Without You. So awesome.

Josh Groban Is Funny?

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Josh Groban. He's just awesome. There's no doubt about it.

This week Josh Groban had a guest starring role on Glee. He played himself and was in the show for all of 5 minutes. His role on Glee showed the side of him that I like best - his ability to make total fun of himself and his image. Most people do not realize how funny and self-deprecating he can be, but if you read any of his blog posts or see him in interviews, then it's very obvious.

Josh has been on Ellen numerous times, but his appearance where they sang a duet was just too funny. Josh and Ellen just ham up Total Eclipse of the Heart - which as it is a super melodramatic song is ripe for a parody. Ellen has a surprisingly good voice too! Anyway, it's my favorite television appearance of his ever. Here it is:



I also really liked when Josh sang the TV theme medly at the Emmy's. I think it surprised a lot of people that he would immitate the voices on South Park and rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. As I said, he does not take himself too seriously.



Maybe his next CD should be a spoof on classic songs. That would be funny.

Where's the Love for Springsteen?

So I took an informal poll yesterday and was SHOCKED to find out that no one really likes Bruce Springsteen. How is this possible? He's basically an American institution. His songs are so much a part of pop culture that I actually studied them in one of my college classes.

Anyway, I love you Bruce. I may not be able to recite all of your songs but I will totally rock out in my car to Born to Run, Dancing in the Dark, Hungry Heart, or Radio Nowhere.

Springsteen is actually one of the five people chosen this year to receive the Kennedy Center Honors. That is so cool. I wonder if they will get Bon Jovi to be one of the tribute performers. That would make my day.

On a more serious note, sadly today is the anniversary of the September 11th attacks. It's hard to believe that they occurred 8 years ago. In many ways, it seems like yesterday. In memory of those attacks, Springsteen wrote The Rising. It's a good song but not my favorite. However, it seemed approproiate to post in honor of the day.

Open Your Eyes

From some people who read my blog, there has been surprise that Open Your Eyes by Snow Patrol is my favorite song.

The song is amazing so I'm not sure where the surprise comes from. Maybe it is because it was not one of Snow Patrol's most famous songs.

Aside from the song just being awesome, it became my ultimate favorite when it was used at the end of the pilot of the Black Donnellys - one of my favorite TV shows of all time. The music just fit so perfectly with the last 5 minutes of the show.

There is so much drama and tension in this ending. Tommy throws away his own life dreams and ambitions to protect his family. He gets sucked into a word that he never wanted to be a part of. It's just so good!

Below is the clip of the ending. My favorite part of the song comes 3 minutes in. It's just an awesome riff. And, the director of the episode timed the climax of the scene perfectly with it. It's cinematic brilliance!

You're Still Great LeAnn!

LeAnn Rimes has been getting a bad rap lately. Sure she's got some personal issues, but I'm not ready to turn my back on her.

Plus, she still has an amazing voice.

When You Love Someone Like That is one of my favorite songs that she sings. It's a duet with Reba - so it's automatically awesome - but it was never released as a single. Few people know this song but it's great.

Enjoy and Happy Friday!

I Won't Dance

Sometimes out of the blue, a random song pops into my head. Usually the song corresponds to my mood. I have been in a great mood because I had a fantastic weekend and a wonderful Monday. Thus, the song that came into my head is one that I associate with some of my best memories.

When I was a little girl, I used to watch old musicals from the 30s, 40s, and 50s with my grandfather. Watching these musicals - from the Bandwagon to Gigi - with him are some of my favorite childhood memories.

Last night while riding the wave of euphoria from having several good days in a row, I Won't Dance became stuck in my head. I remember hearing Fred Astaire sing this song, but for the life of me, I cannot remember what movie it was in. Oh well, that does not matter.

And then I found the best thing. A recent version of it, which is awesome. I've posted the video here. This song is just so much fun. Very tongue-and-cheek. One day, I'd love to perform it for karaoke. However, that means I actually need to go to a karaoke bar and get up the nerve to sing, but that's a post for another day. . .

Already Gone

Have you heard about the controversy around Kelly Clarkson's new single - Already Gone? Many people - Kelly included - think it sounds a lot like Beyonce's Halo. And, the same guy did work on both arrangements.

Both songs have a similar opening but I think that the similarities end there.

Although I like Halo, I really like Already Gone. The video for it is super cool too. It has an orchestra of instruments being played without people! How cool is it to see violins and cellos with bows moving and no one moving them?! How did they do that?

Anyway, here's the video.

Anthem of Inspiration

I find a lot of comfort and inspiration in music. I'm attracted to many different types of music from classical to punk. What I need from the music determines what I play. Anger music = punk or rock. Destressing music = classical. Fun music = pop. And, well you get the picture.

When I need inspiration or comfort, one of my favorite groups is Secret Garden. It's a New Age group comprised of an Irish violinist and a Norwegian piano player (he's also the composer). I find their music very soothing and at times very inspirational. Their most famous song is You Raise Me Up, which Josh Groban made famous. However as much as I love Josh, I still like the original version with Brian Kennedy's voice better, and it came out several years before Josh released it. I was actually really sad when You Raise Me Up became such a hit because I felt like something special had been stolen from me and given to the masses. I know that is not true, but prior to the song becoming so well known, I had considered it my personal anthem of inspiration.

Secret Garden now has a new CD, and I have found a new inspirational song. Let's hope that Josh Groban stays far away from it so that it can remain mine alone. :)

The lyrics are pretty powerful - here are just a few:

Sometimes we stumble,
Sometimes we even fall,
And we can't find a friend,
Can't comprehend it all;
And we are lost,
With nothing to hold on to,
When we can't find the answer,
Sometimes a prayer will do.

And though we wonder,
Uncertain if we will get through.
To face the future,
Sometimes a prayer will do.

The vocals in this arrangement are incredibly powerful as you can hear in the clip below. Tracey Campbell provides them and her voice is very soulful. The song has a gospel edge to it which I think is pretty cool.

Long Live Mozart!

Yesterday, I read this article that said that Mozart might have actually died from strep throat. So sad to lose a great musical genius to such a common disease. Oh well, I guess that's what happened in a time without antibiotics.

But this article got me thinking about classical music. I LOVE classical music. It must come from years and years of playing classical violin music.

Usually I prefer Russian composers to German composers. I really like the music of the ballet, and Russians were kings of the ballet. However, I have great respect for the German composers too. Frankly some of the hardest music I have ever played was written by Mozart and Bach.

Below is a clip of one of my favorite Mozart pieces. Now I could try and be all cool and edgy and pick one of his lesser known works but why bother. I really love Serenade in G major, K. 525 Eine kleine Nachtmusik aka A Little Night Music - one of his most famous pieces of music. It has all of the great features of Mozart's compositions. It sounds very pretty and simple, but it's ridiculously hard to play (trust me I've suffered through many an orchestra rehearsal trying to keep up!).

I cannot help but wonder what great music we would have had if it had not been for that darn strep throat. After all, Mozart was only 35 when he died! All of that untapped potential. Who knows if he had even hit his peak!

What's That I Hear?

I came to the realization at work today that I am bored with all of my music. This happens to me occasionally. I realize that I've been listening to the same CDs or artists for a while and it's time for something new. Even songs that are my favorites become boring. When I am skipping more songs on a playlist than I am actually listening to, I know it's time for a change. I'm sure I'll go back to my old favorites later, but for now, I need a break!

I decided to buy myself some new CDs. When I am buying an entire album, I like to buy the actual CD. I'm definitely an ITunes person but more for individual songs.

The first album that I decided to buy today is the new Green Day CD. I really like Green Day. They feed my spirit when I am angry or stressed out. When I need to vent some frustration I like to blast American Idiot. I also will listen to Boulevard of Broken Dreams when I am mad at the world. It's angsty that way.

I already know that I really like one song from this CD. I've been OBSESSED with 21 Guns lately. It's an amazing song.


I also decided to buy some more mellow music. I need something for when I am feeling low key or when I need something to calm me down. Usually classical music does the trick here, but this time, I decided to buy the new CD by The Fray. I really like Never Say Never off of this CD and the rest of the songs seem to be along the same vein. It should be good!



Lastly I needed something that was fun. I decided to buy David Cook's CD. Yes, he was on American Idol, but he has a pretty good sound. The songs of his that I hear on the radio are catchy. I also love the video that is done backwards. It's super cool! And, let's face it, he's really cute. I do not mind owning a CD with him on the cover! Plus, his kind of music is fun road trip music, and I have a bunch of those coming up.

I'm open to buying more music. I have to create a new playlist to keep me from getting bored! All suggestions are welcome.

For now, I'll leave you with the video for 21 Guns. It's truly awesome.

Look to the Rainbow

When I was very young, my mother used to sing me Irish lullabies. For some reason, I've had one of them stuck in my head lately.

It's Look to the Rainbow from the musical Finian's Rainbow. Maybe listening to my mom sing this song is what inspired my love of musicals. Who knows.

My mother has an absolutely beautiful voice. I tried to find a video online that did justice to her rendition, but it could not be done. Below is the version by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir featuring Shane Warby. It's beautiful too but in a different way.

Listening to it brings back memories of my childhood.

Sad Songs

Sometimes I am in the mood to listen to sad songs. I actually have a special list on my IPod just for them. I know that sounds a little crazy but there are times that I just need to give in to sadness, nostalgia, etc. Usually I will watch a sad movie or listen to some sad songs and then I'm over it.

Anyway, I was listening to my sad songs list today at work. Whenever I listen to this playlist, I always get stuck on "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt. It tops my list of the most wistful and sad songs. There is something so powerful about the story - a woman who knows that no matter how much she loves this man she cannot make him love her back. And that their relationship has come to an end.

Bonnie Raitt has such emotion when she sings this song. I can feel the sorrow pouring out of her. If you haven't heard the song in awhile, watch the attached video. You'll see what I mean.