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...