Half-Assed Weekend - January 22 (Music)

So a couple posts ago I talked about how much I love music. A few months ago, there was a trending topic on twitter that was #songsthatnevergetold. So I thought I'd create a playlist of such songs and share them with you to give you an idea of my broad tastes in music. Here it goes, in alphabetical order, because that's how I roll:

Alejandro - Lady Gaga

All I Want - Toad The Wet Sprocket (what the hell does that mean anyway?)

Always be my Baby - Mariah Carey

Angel - Aerosmith

Angel Eyes - The Jeff Healy Band

Anytime - Brian McKnight

Backwards Walk - Frightened Rabbit

Bad Romance - Lady Gaga

Better Together - Jack Johnson

Blue Beard - Band of Horses

Broken -Lifehouse

Building A Mystery - Sarah McLachlan

California Love - Dr. Dre

Catch My Disease - Ben Lee

Come Away With Me - Norah Jones

Crash Into Me - Dave Matthews Band

Cry Me A River - Justin Timberlake

Don't Stop Believin - Glee Cast (No judging. It's a very spirited rendition.)

Don't Wanna Be A Player - Joe

Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds (80s movies rolled into a song)

Don't Dream It's Over - Crowded House

Dreamlover - Mariah Carey

Empty Me - Jeremy Camp (Unplugged)

Evacuate the Dancefloor - Cascada

Every Little Thing - Dishwalla

Everything You Want - Vertical Horizon

Father Figure - George Michael (Don't ask. I don't know why, I just like it.)

Feeling Good - Michael Buble

Fire - Babyface and Des'ree (This song was way hard to find for some reason.)

Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine

The General Specific - Band of Horses

Giving Him Something He Can Feel - En Vogue

Good Life - OneRepublic (This song is currently being used in just about every movie and TV show around, but it's good.)

Good Lovin - Blackstreet

Good People - Jack Johnson

Gravity - John Mayer

Halo - Depeche Mode

Hands to Heaven - Breathe (Look it up on youtube, you'll recognize it.)

Hanging by a Moment - Lifehouse

He is the Love - David Crowder Band

Home - Michael Buble

I Belong To You - Brian McKnight

I Could Fall In Love - Selena (Ever seen the movie? Only one that's made me cry every time I watch it.)

I Feel You - Depeche Mode

I Wanna Sex You Up - Color Me Badd

I Want You - Savage Garden

I'll Be - Edwin McCain

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers

Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice (Word to ya mutha.)

If You Leave - OMD (Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark)

In The Air Tonight - Phil Collins (Yeah, I'm with Mike Tyson on this one)

Invisible Man - 98 Degrees (Shush. I was in junior high when they got started.)

It Feels Like Home To Me - Chantal Kreviazuk (This is the song Hubby and I had our first dance to <3)

Just Another Day - Jon Secada

Just Dance - Lady Gaga

Keep Your Hands To Yourself - The Calling

Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye

Life After You - Daughtry

Love Games - Lady Gaga

Love Story - Taylor Swift

Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson

Mine - Taylor Swift

My Desire - Jeremy Camp (Unplugged)

My Friends - Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd Soundtrack)

No Diggity - Blackstreet

No Surprise - Daughtry

Nothing Else Matters - Metallica

On Bended Knee - Boyz II Men

On Our Own - Bobby Brown (From the Ghostbusters II soundtrack. Yeah that's right.)

Only You - David Crowder Band

Open Skies - David Crowder Band

Over My Head - Starfield

Part of your World - The Little Mermaid

Picture to Burn - Taylor Swift (Peppiest break-up song ever.)

Pieces - Red (If I had to pick one favorite song, this would be it. It's beautiful in every way - musically, melodically, lyrically, everything. It's used in youtube shipper videos galore such as this one. I even got away with doing this song at church a few times. Loved it.)

Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard

The Power of Love - Huey Lewis and the News

Push - Matchbox 20

Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae

The Reason - Hoobastank

Rush Rush - Paula Abdul

The Seed 2.0 - The Roots (The sexual euphemisms in this song are quite funny.)

Sexy Silk - Jessica Cornish

Shameless - Garth Brooks

She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals

She's Got The Look - Roxette

Short Skirt Long Jacket - Cake

Somewhere In The Middle - Dishwalla

Song of Hope - Robbie Seay Band

Songbird - Eva Cassidy

Sparks Fly - Taylor Swift

Stand Out - PowerLine (From A Goofy Movie soundtrack, and I would argue, the best Disney song ever.)

Stomp - Kirk Franklin

Sway - Michael Buble

Take A Picture - Filter

Take You Back - Jeremy Camp (Unplugged)

This Is Me - Dream

This Woman and This Mean - Clay Walker

Thnks Fr Th Mmrs - Fall Out Boy

Thunder (Acoustic) - Boys Like Girls

To The Moon And Back - Savage Garden

True - Ryan Cabrera

True Blue - Madonna

U Drive Me Crazy - 'NSync

Until the End of Time - Foreigner

Valerie - Glee Cast

Wannabe - Spice Girls

Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi

The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson

What Would You Say - Dave Matthews Band

What's It To You - Clay Walker

When I'm Gone - 3 Doors Down

With Or Without You - U2

Without The Girl - Daniel Bedingfield

Wonderwall - Oasis

You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift

You Don't Know Me - Harry Connick Jr.

You Won't Ever Be Lonely - Andy Griggs

Your Guardian Angel - The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Zion & Babylon - Josh Garrels

Yeah, it's 122 songs long, and you probably didn't even read through all of them, but oh well. I felt like doing it and it's half-assed weekend.

Peace!

Music

So today was a good day. Hubby and I finally got the iPhone 4. I've been awaiting this day since last June. As I watched live blogs giving the details on the new iPhone, I was salivating and crossing every finger that by some miracle of the AT&T gods, we would qualify for an early upgrade. Alas, it wasn't to be. We qualified as of today so today we upgraded. Here's the short of it: it's magical. Going from the iPhone 3G to the 4 is like going from a scooter to a supersport motorcycle. It's at least 5 times faster doing everything, plus all the extras like the front and rear facing cameras, the flash, the video capabilities, etc. etc. Love it.

And yes, I realize that it is slightly absurd that I got an new iPhone less than a month after getting an iPad. I have this incessant need to have the latest technology. It's a trait I apparently inherited from my grandpa (my mom's dad). He died when I was 2, so I never really knew him, but apparently he was pretty avant garde with gadgets in his day.

Anyway, to me, the best part of the new iPhone is having twice the amount of storage that I did before. Why? Because now I can put ALL of my music on my phone instead of just about half of it. Just in the few hours I've been listening, I've rediscovered some great music that I forgot I had just because they weren't in the few playlists I elected to put in my nominal 8 Gb phone.

It's reminded me just how much I love music. Music is something I've loved since I can remember. The first cassette tape I remember asking for was the soundtrack for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II movie when I was about 6. Hey, I didn't say I always had good taste. Anyway, the only career goal I've actually adhered to through my entire life is to be a rock star. Most of you probably don't know that I play guitar, bass guitar, drums, and piano, and I spent 4 years on and off running a sound board. Now, let me be clear, I am not some super musician. Guitar is my best instrument, and I'm mediocre at it at best. I am completely self-taught though. Only ever had one guitar class that I took for an easy grade after I already knew how to play.

Although I will never be a rock star, I did get to play for the praise band at my church on and off for about 4 years and even got to lead it for about 4 months before the church imploded on itself. Long story, not going into it. Anyway, that was August of 2009 and I've barely touched my guitar since. This makes me sad. :( <-- See. That's me. Sad. I don't have an abundance of free time since I've been in school full time in addition to a full time job and a marriage ever since that August, but I really got to make time to start playing again.

I'm not sure why I went into this big long spiel. I guess it's just me wanting to get my thoughts out. Final thoughts: I love music. Music is awesome. If I could make it my career, that would be the bestest ever, but sometimes passions are meant to be just that: passions. Perhaps if I was a way awesome rock star, I'd end up hating it and that would really suck.

Rock on.

Christmas is All Around

So, my last couple of posts have been kinda gripey, and I've been kinda grouchy lately, and I'm tired of it. It's December. Christmas is coming up. It's my favorite holiday, so I'm going to spread some Christmas cheer by sharing some of my fave Christmas songs with y'all. They're pretty diverse. All shapes and sizes of Christmas tunes. So beware, a crap ton of videos lurk below. Enjoy!

Little Drummer Boy by Jars of Clay



My absolute favorite version of this song. In fact, I don't even like other versions of this song. It's also the first song I ever learned to play on bass guitar. Yeah, I'm a musician. You know it's hot.

Last Christmas by Taylor Swift



Yep. I'm a Taylor Swift fangirl. What of it? She's about the only good female role model out there for young girls right now. Anyway, if T-sizzle isn't your cup of tea, here's my other fave version:

Last Christmas By Darren Hayes



I'm sure most of you are wondering who in the hell this is. Remember Savage Garden from the mid to late 90s? The band that did the chic-a-cherry cola song? Darren Hayes was the voice of the duo.

My Grown-Up Christmas List by Kelly Clarkson



Love this song. It always makes me tear up the first time I hear it each year, and this is by far the best version of it. Love Kelly Clarkson.

Once In Royal David's City - Sufjan Stevens



So this one is a little non-traditional. I was introduced to it by my friend and former worship band leader, J-Mac. We did it in church more than a couple times...jingle bells and all. Loved it.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays by *NSync



Hey, don't judge. This is one hella peppy song. It'll make even the grinchiest grinch want to boogie around the Christmas tree. Also, I'm thrilled about the NKOTB/BSB tour next year, but NSync has GOT to get back together. Seriously.

Christmas Don't Be Late by Alvin and the Chipmunks



This song never gets old for me. I've always loved Alvin and the Chipmunks and always will. And I still want a hula hoop.

White Christmas by Bing Crosby



It's a classic. That's all there is to it.

Carol of the Bells by The Boston Pops Orchestra



I'm determined to learn the words and sing this song someday. It just has such awesome vocals.

Baby It's Cold Outside by Zooey Deschanel



Ok, so I couldn't get the full version embedded, so this will have to do. I love the movie Elf. I watch it every year when I put up the Christmas decorations. Also, Zooey Deschanel has such a beautiful voice.

I'll Be Home For Christmas by Michael Buble



Ok, so just about anything Michael Buble sings is magnificent, so feel free to check out his entire Christmas album.

The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole



Another classic. Old Nat's voice is just so smooth. Now that I have a fireplace, I might roast some chestnuts.

Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt



It took a while for this song to grow on me, but I love it now.

O Holy Night by Josh Groban



So this is my favorite "True Meaning of Christmas" song. I waited for years for the perfect version, and the first time I heard Josh Groban sing it, I about broke down. So beautiful. Every sound that comes out of that man's mouth is absolute perfection.

All I Want For Christmas is You by Mariah Carey



Yes, of course I had to include this one. I love this song. I don't know many people who don't. It just makes you want to get up and dance. However, this is not my favorite version, this is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H_WKfRDA8w

I couldn't embed it, so click on it. Really, go watch it now. That is my fave version because the movie Love Actually is one of my favorite movies of all time. Not just Christmas movies. If you haven't seen it, don't hesitate. Find it now. Target almost always has it for like 5 bucks. It has nudity coming out the wazoo, but it is hilarious which leads us to our final Christmas song:

Christmas Is All Around by Billy Mack (Bill Nighy)



Good. Freakin. Stuff.

In other news, I found my cat on top of the refrigerator then later got cut off by a short bus from Kentucky on my way to work. Also, my mama is coming over on Wednesday so we can make cookies and do other Christmasy things together. I'm excited, we haven't had a chance to do this for several years. I'm thinking about giving this recipe a shot. If I do, I'll let you know how it goes.

Peace out!