30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 30

Day 30 – Your favorite song at this time last year

"Okkusenman" (author unknown)

I couldn't stop listening to this song back then. Before my life took an abrupt left at Albuquerque, I played this song to death on my mp3 player, and it was good.

This is the best version, imo: a remix of the original version and one of the many commercial releases done by a female J-pop band whose name I can't seem to locate.

Enjoy.

And, yes, I skipped day 23 on purpose, because I'm not sure it will apply to me.

Day 23 – A song that you want to play at your wedding -

/forever alone/

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 29

Day 29 – A song from your childhood

"Dirty Laundry" by Don Henley

I have no idea what attracted me to this song when I was younger. Maybe it was the beat, the sweet, sweet synth beat, Don Henley's smooth vocals, I don't know, because I certainly didn't understand the meaning of the lyrics until much later.

The song is a scathing attack on television news transforming from information to entertainment. Those of you who keep at least an ear to network and/or cable news understand, as I do, that even though this song was recorded back in 1982, it still holds true, perhaps even moreso, today.

Although, in one way, this song played a vital role in the slow, inexorable corruption of my mind, because of one word: "Crap". "We all know that crap is king," he says, and I giggled. Boy, did I giggle. I was, like, 6-7 at the time, and that word being in a song just blew my mind.

Now, some 30 years later, I can make a lewd reference to the end of the last paragraph with my eyes closed. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thanks, Don. In one small way, you helped create a monster.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 28

Day 28 – A song that makes you feel guilty

"...Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears

*sigh*

Yes, I totally bought into Britney when she first came out. (musically, I mean. Not as in... "came out", because to my knowledge she hasn't done that yet. ...she's just kissed multiple women.)

I feel ashamed for liking this song when I did. I don't dislike it now, but I don't like it enough to call it a "guilty pleasure". But you know what I'm even more ashamed of?

...I bought the CD.

Yes, folks, I have a copy of ...Baby One More Time sitting on my shelf.

I intend to review it when I get this crate off the ground, but for now, just sheer, unadulterated guilt.

...don't judge me...

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 27

Day 27 – A song that you wish you could play

"Lady" by Little River Band

The piano and guitar on this song are both amazing. In fact the whole instrumentation melds with the vocals beautifully. This is an incredible song.

Background note: this group is one of two in which I loved more than one of their songs but didn't know who the artist was until much later in life. (Lady, Lonesome Loser, Reminiscing)

The other? Steely Dan. (Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Do It Again, Reelin' in the Years)

Just a bit of randomness about me.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 26

Day 26 – A song that you can play on an instrument

"Mama Said" by Metallica

Back when I believed I could learn to play guitar, I learned the chords to this song by ear and played it and sang to entertain myself.

I got rid of the guitar when I just gave up. I don't know if I can ever get back to that.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 25

Day 25 – A song that makes you laugh

"Confessions, Part 3" by "Weird Al" Yankovic

Without a doubt the best song on Staight Outta Lynwood, and one of my favorite songs of his; indeed, this song easily makes top 10 of my favorite songs of all time.

The layers of metahumor in this song are amazing: Al skillfully skewers the song's premise, encapsulating the entirety of both songs into a single verse before launching into aweXome. He also subtly pokes the layering effect of modern R & B, even using it to deliver two punchlines at once at the end of the second verse:

FYI, It was not a cold sore

(Not a cold sore)

Oops, my bad!

(Hope you're not sore at me!)

As for the song itself, it comes on at full throttle from the start and doesn't let up. In the "vein" of the first two Confessions letting his girl in on some deep, dark secrets, Part 3 presents us with a laundry list of things, according to the song itself: "...that should scare you away...".

These new Confessions range from the silly:

...remember when I told you that I knew Pauly Shore?

Pauly Shore? That's a lie.

I don't know what I said that for!

To the unhygenic:

I haven't changed my underwear in twenty-seven days...

To the... utterly bizarre:

Oh, and sometimes in private,

Really like to dress up like Shirley Temple

And spank myself with a hockey stick. (Hockey stick)

As a side note, I have two very specific musical pet peeves: long musical introductions to songs, and songs that don't end (a.k.a "repeat and fade").

This song is beautiful because it actually has an ending. An actual story-like ending (spoiler alert):

The song itself ends teasing a fourth Confessions installment, indicating that he's not "...even halfway down the list...", when the girl he's singing to storms out of the room to the singer's utter disbelief.

Hey, where you going?

Honey?

...what?!

W-was it something I said?

*sigh* Women...

Perfect end!

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 24

(For those of you wondering what happened to Day 23... good question. Maybe I'll answer it later. Anyway on to...)

Day 24 – A song that you want to play at your funeral

"Bother" by Stonesour

I love this song. It fits my mood perfectly right now. I want this blaring as the drag the empty casket that serves as my memorial from the funeral to its final resting place (I plan on going out not leaving enough to bury) ^^

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 22

Day 22 – A song that you listen to when you’re sad

"Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap

For those of you not hip on old, outdated internet memes, let me go over the particulars:

In 2005, the prime-time soap "The OC" had a season finale where someone got shot or something, and it was done in slow motion set to the bridge of this song.

Not long after (if you consider two years "not long"), Saturday Night Live did one of their "Digital Shorts" called "Dear Sister" that spoofed this scene, which, in turn led to a plethora of spoofs and parodies of this theme. See the Know Your Meme entry on it here.

Well, me, not satisfied with just one part of a song, I sought out the whole thing and listened to it, and it is a very emotional song. When I need a good purging of sadness, this is a good song to purge it to.

And it's a capella, so that hooked me right away.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 21

Day 21 – A song that you listen to when you’re happy

"Mr. High and Mighty" by Gov't Mule

This song is 100% feelgood from the opening guitar lick to the the very end. The energy of it is unbelievable, and the raspy, angry vocals just lace it with that "I'm better than you" vibe that make a good mood even better.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 20

Day 20 – A song that you listen to when you’re angry

"Break Stuff" by Limp Bizkit

Yeah, Limp Bizkit isn't exactly good music, but, honestly, when you're in a pissed-off mood, the driving guitar lick and the angry vocals resonate well. And, well, quite frankly, when you're that deep into the anger, you don't really care who's singing as long as it matches the mood.

So, I suppose Limp Bizkit is the $2 hooch of angry metal. Tool/APC, Korn, Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin, et al may have better music, but when you really want to get drunk on your anger, go with the cheap shit.

Which would explain what happened at Woodstock '99, actually...

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 19

Day 19 – A song from your favorite album

"(Untitled)" by Eminem

I have no intention of doing a full review of Recovery, mainly because there are only so many ways you can say "THIS IS AWSEOME!!!"

This track is the best example I can give.

Yes, the lyrics are goofy, but that can be forgiven, considering it's a freestyle.

The flow is amazing (Like Troy Polamalu's hair, boy!), and it's just fun to listen to.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 18

Day 18 – A song that you wish you heard on the radio

"Fuck You" by Cee-Lo

Radio stations have no balls.

Television stations have no balls.

They're so worried about offending 1% of the population that they're willing to alienate the other 99%.

I mean, the vast majority of people won't care if someone says a "bad word" on the radio or TV. It's just people who either:

a) believe they know better than the rest of the world what is "good" and "proper" and so they seek to ensure all such expression is removed from public consumption

2) people who don't want to bother raising their own children and teach them about shit like this so they always seek a State-sponsored solution (this option is also called the "think of the children" option)

or

III) people who don't want to deal with their own shit, so they devote their focus on the outside world, wanting to "make the world a better place". (This option also encompasses the previous two)

...who want to see songs like this, ideas like this, and words like this removed from public discourse.

And why are words "bad" anyway? The only thing bad about Carlin's "seven dirties" are their reputation. As far as I know, nobody has died, or even been injured, directly by the utterance of any word, let alone one of these.

In fact, I would wager that's why "Fuck You" is so popular: because it uses a "bad word". If such words weren't given the "bad boy" image and reputation that they've been given over the millennia, this song, although it is still amazing in its own right, would not be nearly as beloved as it is.

Okay, rant over. The song: it hearkens back to old school Motown in all the right ways. Cee-Lo's vocals carry the song all the way through, and the angry vocal breaks just punctuate it perfectly.

The lyrics, even in the "clean version" - which doesn't have the same impact. As much as I hate to agree with Dane Cook, "Fuck" is the ultimate insult, complete with the "Fff", the "Uhh", and the "CK". "Forget" just falls flat, imo. But anyway - are nice and filling, but there is one small issue with it that I must address:

In the chorus, he's singing to the guy who stole his girl. "I see you drivin' 'round town with the girl I love...". But in the verses, he's talking to the girl herself. "I said Baby, I'm sorry, I can't afford a Ferrari...". Hell, he even switches subjects in the middle of the chorus "I said if I was richer, I'd still be wit'cha..."

I'm of the mind that you should pick a subject and run with it. Shifting back and forth like that takes me out of the song a bit. I mean, I think this song would be improved greatly by changing the parts singing to the guy and shift it so that it's all about cussing out the girl. Something like,

"I see you drivin' 'round town with another man, and I'm like "Fuck you!"

I guess my style and my money weren't in yo' plans; I'm like "Fuck you and fuck him too!""

See? Simple change, keeps you into the song.

But, then, who am I to second-guess Cee-Lo? Regardless of that one issue, it's still an amazing song that you'll never hear on the radio as it was intended.

And that, my friends, is a shame.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 17

Day 17 – A song that you hear often on the radio

"Unchained" by Van Halen

When I used to shuffle through my mix of radio stations, I'd always stop when I hear this song.

Yeah, the driving guitar lick and DLR's raspy vocals are fine enough, but the real kicker for the song is the vocal break just before the last chorus.

That, for me, is my single favorite moment in music, where Diamond Dave decides, in the middle of recording the song, to compliment the producer about his suit. (and, yes, that's his voice on the track)

Whether it was extemporaneous or staged, to me, is irrelevant. It was still awesome, and I loved hearing it on the radio.

...you know, back when I listened to radio...

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 16

Day 16 – A song that you used to love but now hate

...I'm not going to win many hearts over this one...

"We Are the Champions" by Queen

I still adore Queen, but I can't stand this song any more. It's just played to death. It's a staple on classic rock stations, where it gets played at least once a day, sometimes more.

They play it back-to-back with "We Will Rock You", which is virtually untouchable, but once that last guitar fades out, so do I.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 15

Day 15 – A song that describes you

"Unwell" by Matchbox 20

This should come as a surprise to absolutely nobody.

My second choice was:

"Imaginary" by Evanescence

I tend to get stuck in my head a lot. Reality is a place I visit only rarely, if at all - which is why I refer to it as the "Other World". The world I created for myself is much better than the one that I was born into, and I have trouble dealing a lot of the time.

But, then, if I didn't spend so much time there, I wouldn't be able to make stuff like this.

As for the music, Matchbox 20 and Evanescence are among my favorite artists. A Rob Thomas/Amy Lee duet would make me JIMP. Seriously.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 14

Day 14 – A song that no one would expect you to love

Okay, given everything else I've said and done on this list, and all the other posts I've made among my other forums (Twitter, FB, Tumblr), you seem to have a pretty good idea of what kinds of music I like, and what kinds I probably don't.

This may surprise you. Then again, it might not. But I loved this song the moment I first heard it, not knowing who it was. Hell, I thought at first it was a Christian rock song. (THAT would be a surprise)

Thankfully, it wasn't, but who it actually is... well...

"Larger Than Life" by the Backstreet Boys

...really.

Yes, really.

You thought the most embarrassing revelation was that last one? Oh, no.

But, seriously, I LOVE this song. I don't love BSB - most of their stuff was total pop garbage - but I can't not love this one. It's got a driving beat, the synth is pretty sweet, and the song itself is a thank-you to their fans. That makes its awesomeness more awesome.

If I lose fans over this, I'd have to say... "Woah, I had fans? Cool."

Anyway, there it is. It's out there.

No regrets.

Moving on.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 13

Day 13 – A song that is a guilty pleasure

"Hit 'em High (The MonStars Anthem)" B-Real, Busta Rhymes, Coolio, LL Cool J, and Method Man, "Space Jam" soundtrack

Yeah, I know. It's a blatant marketing gimmick: get five popular rappers to do a collab for a movie about basketball. Get it? Five guys? Because there's five guys on a basketball team?

Yeah, totally doomed to fail, right?

Well, I'd be right there along with you... if this song weren't so damn catchy!

I mean, here you have five all-stars of rap in their prime: B-Real of Cypress Hill, Coolio, Method Man of the Wu-Tang Clan, LL Fucking Cool J, and Busta Fucking Rhymes. Big names doing what is, really, a silly song celebrating the movie's villains, the MonStars. They could easily have just phoned it in and called it a paycheck.

They fucking killed it!

The only one who sounded like he might have been just paychecking it was Coolio, but with him it's hard to tell.

Seriously, on paper, everything about this song screams "Bad! Fail! Avoid at all costs!" But, to paraphrase ESPN anchor Kenny Mayne: songs aren't played on paper; they're played inside boom boxes.

Listen to it. Give it a chance. You'll be bouncing as early as the first line.

In fact, give the whole soundtrack a shot. Seal's cover of "Fly Like An Eagle" is amazing, and, of course you can't badmouth R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly". Just about every track on there is at least good, most great.

...but, of course, that's because all the suck was taken up by "Buggin'"

Yeah. That.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 12

(Thanks to Blogger taking an extended dump last night, I'll be pulling a double for this one)

Day 12 – A song from a band you hate

There are actually few bands that I actually hate (other than Creed, which I've already covered). I can tolerate most music, and even if a group's music is bad, bland, or just stupid, I don't necessarily hate them.

Even the easy hate targets I can't say that I hate. Nickelback? I like some of their harder stuff, and "Rockstar" is just too much fun not to sing along to. Daughtry? His/their stuff is pop pablum, sure, but it's listenable.

Even Van Hagar doesn't inspire hate for me; I still dig on Van Halen's old stuff, and listening to the stuff with Sammy Hagar as lead makes me more sad than angry. And Gary Cherone? I'll have a special episode based around that ill-conceived pairing.

So, I'm going to have to go outside my normal genre-based comfort zone and pick on music I don't normally listen to: country.

Again, I don't hate country as a genre. I like a few country songs as well, and a few country artists. And seeing as how if and when I go to Lone Star Steakhouse for my semi-regular dose of their ranch dressing that I HAVE to listen to it, I've learned to tolerate it, and make fun of it - not out of hatred, but because I'm just a smartass like that.

But there is one guy that inspires just as much hate if not moreso than Creed, and I'm fairly certain you'll agree:

"I Love This Bar" by Toby Keith

In the world of uber-patriotic, chauvinistic, unabashed rednecks, Toby Keith is king. If ever there was a man who would drive me to renounce my American citizenship, it is Mr. "We'll Put A Boot In Your Ass; It's The American Way" here.

The thing is, he's not really that intense of a singer. Even when he's flying the flag at full staff and getting ready to chow on raw venison, his vocal style comes off as... well... bored.

I chose this song specifically for two reasons: 1) it's the song of his that's freshest in my mind, having heard it at a bar very recently, and b) it's a good example of what his songs are like lyrically and vocally. It comes off as having a trait most people associate with rednecks: laziness. Like he's not even trying.

And that's what infuriates me the most: How can you have that much bombast, that much over-the-top militaristic love of God and country be that fucking boring? And, worse, how does he still have fans?!

/sigh/ There isn't much else to say... primarily there isn't much else to it. Rest assured that this is my last foray into the realm of country music. I can't go back there. I won't go back there.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 11

Day 11 – A song from your favorite band

Had a lot of material to pick from, so I went with the aweXome:

"Lookin' Down the Barrel of a Gun" by the Beastie Boys

The Beastie Boys are my favorite music thing, person, group, and/or menagerie ever. Looking forward to their new disc, but I thought I'd go back in time to a disc that many have said was their crowning work: Paul's Boutique.

You can feel the energy in this piece from the first drumbeats all the way to the last lines, in the bell ring that precedes each verse, and in the half-second sample of the opening guitar from Mountain's "Mississippi Queen" at the start of the second verse.

The shout-outs come fast and furious in this one, even moreso than most other B-Boy songs. I may be wrong on this, but I think "Barrel" has more shout-outs per capita than any other B-Boy song outside of Hello Nasty's "Dedication", which doesn't really count, since it's song entirely composed of shout-outs.

Anyway, bask in the awesome that is Ad', D, and MCA.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 10 (Day 11 Edition)

Sorry this is late; I fell asleep last night. Anyway...

Day 10 – A song that makes you fall asleep (Ironically enough)

"A Horse With No Name" by America (Listen to it here)

Not much to say about this one: the combination of acoustic guitar, droning lyrics, and almost no variation of tone make this song a snoozer. It's like an acoustic cover of Nelly reading the dictionary, only not as potentially entertaining.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 9

Day 09 – A song that you can dance to

"Party Up (Up In Here)" by DMX (Listen here: normal explicit)

I had completely forgotten about this song until I pulled my copy of "...and Then There Was X" out of my visor and popped it into my car CD.

I was bopping, head-shaking, and moving as much as I could safely while driving.

I love DMX (trivia: "DMX" stands for "Dangerous Man of the Unknown"). I only know of a few of his songs, but this CD is pretty good, and his rap style comes off like a Rottweiler: he talks, you better fucking listen!

This track, and really, DMX himself, is unique because, although I hate edited tracks with a motherfucking-ass passion, he doesn't fuzz or blank them out; he fills them in with his voice going "Woo!" or "What?!" and other stuff. I put both versions up so you can hear how both versions are sweet in their own way.

The driving beat, DMX's flow, and the sweet, sweet horn track make this a get yo' ass up and shake it song!

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 8

Day 08 – A song that you know all the words to

Now, there's a hole with no bottom. Well, with so many to choose from, I decided to go with one that's fun for me to sing:

"Brian Wilson" by Barenaked Ladies (Listen to it here)

I may perform this song later; I'm just not up for it today. Let me know in comments or by message if you want to hear it.

I'm just to messed up to make witty comments right now. Suffice to say that I like this song and this group - mostly their old stuff up to and including Stunt.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 7

Day 07 – A song that reminds you of a certain event

"Monty Got a Raw Deal" by REM (Listen to it here)

Back when I was in college, I was on the fencing team... back when there WAS such a thing as a fencing team, and during away meets, I brought along my trusty tape player and my copy of Automatic for the People (Fluorescent yellow plastic FTW, yo!) And this, by far, is my favorite track on that album.

I love the minor-chorded gutiar opening, the mandolin-laced transition between the verses and the chorus, and Michael Stipe's voice is just awesome.

So, yeah, to me, REM = fencing. Sweetness.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 6

Day 06 – A song that reminds you of somewhere

"So Much To Say" by Dave Matthews Band

Decent song, but it will be forever tied with Florida for me.

Many years ago, my grandma died of breast cancer. The family drove from Indiana to Florida(!) to be at the funeral.

My only link to sanity while I was down there was a tape player and a copy of Crash by DMB, and this song is the one that stuck out among all the tracks to me.

On a side note, I didn't cry. I was... peaceful.

I miss her though; she was one of the few members of my family I still claim as mine; one of the few who loved me for who I am instead of what I could do for them.

...

...okayimdone.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 5

Day 05 – A song that reminds you of someone

I came -> || this close to posting another song, but the less I'm reminded about her, the better, so I went with this instead:

"Third Eye" by TOOL (Listen to it here)

"Today, a young man on acid realized that matter is merely energy condensed into a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there's no such thing as death, life is just a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.

Here's Tom with the weather." - Bill Hicks (1961-1994)

This isn't as much a meme entry as a shoutout to my cousin Terry Million. During my misspent youth, he was the one I misspent most of my time with. He's a great guy and an amazing artist. He opened my mind to many things, including the band TOOL.

Our paths took us in different directions, both physically and philosophically, but still, I wouldn't be what I am had he not been in my life.

As for the song itself, it took many years to grasp its full meaning, intent, and impact on me, but I'm eternally grateful for having been introduced to it.

At 13:45, it is a long one, but it's not so long that you start to lose interest, as each note, word, and anticipatory instrumentation draws you in deeper. It opens with three statements by the late, great comedian Bill Hicks. If you want a mind-opening experience, find some of his bits and listen to him. He's like late-career George Carlin only with about one-quarter of the cynicism, because he genuinely believed mankind could pull itself out. (Watch this to see what I mean).

But I digress...

The song is ultimately about drugs, unashamedly so. So much so that it actually sounds like an acid trip. I imagine that this song would be enhanced by ingesting a mind-altering substance, but I wouldn't know. (Any insight into this would be appreciated)

The tone and tempo of the song slowly builds over time, until the climax at the end. It does repeat itself, and the lyrics and drum seem to be off-time, with the lyrics in 4/4 time and the drums in 3/4. Oddly enough, though, it works, and makes for a mind-blowing finish to an amazing song.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 4

Day 04 – A song that makes you sad

"Going Through Changes" by Eminem (Hear it here)

I tried very hard not to use more than one song by a particular group or artist, but I can't help it. Eminem has been big for me these past several months, and this song more than fits today's theme.

"Going Through Changes" outlines the artist's slow, inexorable decline into addiction and suicide after the death of his best friend, the rapper Proof, and shows how true love can bring anyone back from even the deepest abyss.

The hook of the song is sampled directly from the chorus of "Changes" by Black Sabbath. The contrast in tone is striking because although both songs deal with loss, Sabbath's song is pining for a lost love, while Eminem is trying to find a way to survive without someone he grew up with, close as brothers. Even so, Ozzy's slow, pining declaration seems to fit perfectly in each section of the song.

The issues touched on in this song are the issues that are present all through Recovery: the death of Proof, the price of fame, Em's own disappointment in his previous work, and his drug addiction and near-fatal overdose. In this track, however, they're woven into a narrative that illustrates the fall and fall of Eminem in the years following Proof's death. The emotion carried by the song is a complete contrast to the near-monotone delivery. In fact, the delivery amplifies the emotion by not getting in its way - Eminem has a voice and a style that can overpower any song. This song shows he can do subtle as well.

There'll be at least one more Em song on this list. You have been warned.

BTW, if you don't at least tear up the first time you hear Hailie say "Daddy", you have no soul.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 3

Day 03 – A song that makes you happy

"Motteke Sera-fuku (Lucky Star Theme)" Watch here

Screw your judgment.

I love Lucky Star, and am unrepentant in doing so. After seeing scenes chopped up in YouTube Poops, I sought out the series and watched it. Needless to say, once I started watching the series in full, I was completely hooked.

Okay, now that that's out of the way...

I fell in love with this song from the first moment I heard it... on a video that had little to do with Lucky Star and more to do with Konata buying sausage.

There has never been a moment where hearing this song has not lifted my spirits. It's a happy, peppy, upbeat song about those cute little sailor-suit school uniforms.

What else can I say about this song? If you don't like it... MOTTEKE!

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 2

Day 02 – Your least favorite song

I hemmed and hawed on this one for a while, tossing several choices back and forth before finally deciding on...

"My Own Prison" by Creed (listen here)

No band makes me reach for the radio knob faster than Creed, and no Creed song makes me want to stick a flaming shish-kebob into my eardrums like My Own Prison.

Some background: Me and religion, particularly that of the Judeo-Christian variety, parted ways many years ago. Why would take too long to explain - suffice to say that I have learned things that I can't unlearn, not that I would if given the chance - but as a result, I'm not a fan of blatantly religious or religious-advertising songs.

Don't misunderstand; I'm not disparaging anyone else's right to believe what they want. It's when people try to make you believe what they believe that gets me angry. I don't advertise my lack of religion to you, so please don't advertise your religion to me. Good? Good.

Now then, this dovetails into my utter hatred for Creed. A lot of their music has subtle Christian overtones that make it hard to listen to to begin with.

...that and trying to marry such ideas with the man who sings them, Scott Stapp, with all his personal, legal, and public problems, is mind-twisting, to say the least. Yeah, hypocrisy doesn't sit well with me either, but we'll leave that here, as that is just one petal on the hate flower I have grown for Creed.

This song in particular makes no attempt to hide its Christian roots, its preachiness, or its suck. Stapp's voice is particularly hard to listen to on this track, aside from the lyrical content, as he tries to wring a bucket of pathos from a thimble of material. You can tell that he's trying REALLY hard to evoke an emotion from the listener, but all he does is make me cringe. Listening to his voice in general is like slowly rubbing my soul with steel wool.

Add to that the lyrics... wow. I think Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank summed it up best.

"I hear a thunder in the distance
See a vision of a cross
I feel the pain that was given
On that sad day of loss
A lion roars in the darkness
Only he holds the key
A light to free me from my burden
And grant me life eternally" - Creed, "My Own Prison"

Again... wow! These lyrics are about as subtle as a bible flung at your throat. If I wanted to be proselytized to, I'd go back home.

Even outside the issues I have with the singer and the lyrics, it's just plain unlistenable. Even if you had a random person hum the melody over the instrumental track, it would still suck sixteen balls and a long shaft... not to mention the pool table itself.

Anyway, I hate this song. My hate for this song could fill three Olympic-sized swimming pools before you get to the real seething anger. It's brooding, preachy, blatantly religious, and just plain sucks as a song.

30 Songs in 30 Days - Day 1

(It's still May 1st somewhere...)

Hey, everyone!

While I work up the courage to finish recording my first review and/or post a text review of some kind, I thought I'd give you an idea where I'm coming from musically with a 30 Songs in 30 Days meme.

Music has always been a part of my life, and I tend to retain things I hear more than things I see, and I impress/annoy friends and family with my ability to recognize and sing songs after only hearing a little bit of it.

That's why I'm choosing to go this route primarily with my reviews, but I will probably review other things in my other blog(s).

For now, though, let's jump in with...

Day 01 – Your favorite song

"Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)" by Jim Croce

This song is, to me, the perfect song. It tells a whole story from beginning to end in the course of the lyrics. The instrumentation is amazing without overpowering the singer. And Jim Croce's voice fits this song perfectly: hovering between calm confidence and emotional surrender, but never quite reaching either.

Jim Croce is one of my favorite singer/songwriters. He knows how to tell a story well, based on his other, more well-known songs, and nothing he does is overdone or underdone: the lyrics aren't overly emotional or bland, and his singing is likewise.

A lot more songs that you will see on this list are more emotionally attached to me, but this one will always and forever be my favorite.