My Take on Gangnam Style

            OK, I swore something to myself a long time ago.  I swore that I would not watch Gangnam Style under any circumstances.  For a long time I kept that promise, but when I heard it crossed a billion views on YouTube I thought, “Ok, it can’t be that bad,” I have now watched it and you know what?  It IS that bad.  I must admit the song is catchy, like the flu, but I do not understand any of it. 

            No, I am not referring to the foreign language thing, that doesn’t bother me.  What I don’t understand is the entire concept.  Why is dance that looks like you are humping a horse so damn popular?  The first thing I notice is, in the first 9 seconds PSY looks like he’s having a bad acid trip, from their it goes straight down hill.  The visuals are totally random, which makes this confusing mess even more confusing to me.  At one point I swear Marilyn Manson makes an appearance.  Don’t believe me?  Look below, this is at about 1:45, look at this and tell me you don’t see Manson!





            Just a few seconds later at about 1:59 it got even more bizarre, would someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?  Are these escapees from some sort of army lab where they test psychotropic drugs?  Why is he pointing there?

 



             My personal favorite comes near the end of the video at about 3:10.  Maybe this is my inner geek coming out, but I swear he looks just like Morpheus!

 

            Now, I know there is even more silliness, like why are they dancing in a rodeo ring, and why is PSY singing while he is apparently taking a dump?  What is he trying to do, make that hip too?  These are just my personal favorites.

            To be fair it isn’t the worst pop song I have ever heard (anything by Justin Beiber).  I just don’t get it.  Am I the only one?  I sure hope not.  If I am, then I will pray for my fellow humans!

Shameless Plug

It's a little late to be posting this, but it made me smile,

Top Ten All Time Favorite Songs

This is the last entry for this review, and to end it I will make it short and sweet!  I will name off my top ten favorite songs.  I'm not going to go into a big explanation into why I love these, I've already done that.  We all know I'm right, so there is no need to prove it any further.  I have enjoyed giving you  a glimpse into my inner workings.  Once it's done please leave. My head is crowded enough without all of you in it!

#10 Where Were You By Alan Jackson
#9 Bother by Stone Sour
#8 When You're Gone by Avril Lavigne
#7 Please Remember by Leann Rimes
#6 One the Road Again by BuckCherry
#5 Blurry by Puddle of Mudd
#4 Tangled Up In You by Staind
#3 Here's to the Night by Eve 6
#2 Zoe Jane by Staind
#1 My Little Girl by Time McGraw

           This series is now over, I will start on my next review Idea.  It going to break away from this, it's going to go into a different realm.  I hope you enjoyed reading these, and I encourage you to listen to any of these songs.  Now, get out of my head.  The voices inside are complaining about it being too crowded.

Top Five Songs Part 5: Country

        We've all heard the jokes about what you get if you play a country music song backwards, your truck, your house, you dog and your wife, but in truth many of them are truly great songs that deserve our attention.  Just as before here are my top five country songs.

        #5 Where Were You by Alan Jackson.  Many people probably consider this a song of opportunity.  It garnered him a lot of exposure on the backdrop of a national tragedy.  I think the reason why I included it is every year I remember the attacks, and I truly do remember exactly where I was when it happened.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  I feel I owe it to those who died to remember it.  After all, those who forget the past are damned to repeat it (yes I know that isn't how the quote goes, but I fell my version is more accurate).

        #4 Whiskey Lullaby By Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss  This song could not be any more depressing, but since that's my thing, I love it.  It takes what sadness can do to you to the extreme, and then does the same thing with guilt.  This song inspired many of my early works, when I first started dabbling in writing.  In a way is set the tone for a lot of what came after.

        #3 Country Boy Aaron Lewis.  This is a fairly new song, but it's awesome!  The message of this is clear, be yourself, and stand up for what you believe in.  Don't trade who you are to make yourself more marketable.  I live by that, and if we all did the world would be a better place!

        #2 There Goes My Life by Kenny Chesney  This song does not apply to me per sea, but what it does do is remind us how our children can sneak into our lives, take them over, and we could not be happier.  I can honestly say I did not give up any dream to have children, but I am going to do everything I can to make sure my daughter's dreams come true!  She is now my life, and what an epic life it is.

        #1 My Little Girl by Tim McGraw  Come on, do I really need to explain this?  In just a few short minutes this song captures everything I feel about my own little girl.  I may sound like I'm beating a dead horse again, but for those of you who have kids you will understand, and for those that don't, well I hope someday you do.

        Well there you go, I didn't lose a single house, wife, dog in any of these songs, a truck was lost, but we will ignore that (not really, I don't have one) .  It's unfortunate that country and pop are becoming so intertwined.  I wish it would stop, because if it doesn't I fear we will lose great songs like these, to the cookie-cutter empire! 

        Just one more list to go, and it's an easy one!

Top Five Songs Part 4: Pop

Ok, I have a question, can someone tell me what the hell a true "pop" song is?  I've seen everything from Metal, to rock to country on "pop" song lists.  To me it simply means cookie-cutter songs, that have a broad appeal and little depth.  They are usually forgotten quickly and replaced by more drivel.  Think about "Call Me Maybe".  Anyway, there are a few songs that appeared in this "genre" that have actually appealed to me for longer than a few seconds.  So here is my top five Pop songs.  Please help me!

#5 The Space Between by Dave Matthews Band:  I have to honest, I do not understand this song at all.  It made the list for one reason only.  The beat calms me down and helps me to visualize.  For a writer that is of utmost importance.  Just don't ask me to explain it.

#4 What It's Like by Everlast:  This song is very easy to understand.  It conjures images of hard times, and harder situations, and asks a very easy question.  The message in this song applies to us all, from the richest CEO to the poorest rural farmer and everyone in between.  Despite it's melancholy overtones, it reminds me of what I have, what I've earned and what I can stand to lose, either through my own fault or no fault of my own.  If you have a vivid enough imagination it could scare the hell out of you.

#3 When You're Gone by Avril Lavigne:  I'm not a big Avril fan, so I only found this song recently, but I immediately loved it.  The message about loss, anguish and love's triumph is powerful.  Anyone who as ever lost someone could easily relate to this song.  Just like What It's Like this song reminds me of all the blessings I have, and at the same time forces me to think about what would happen if they were suddenly taken away from me.  Once again, another song to scare the hell out of you.

#2 Time of Your Life Green Day:  I am well aware that this song has been beat to death in so many montages that it borders on absurd, but that doesn't change the fact that I still really do love it.  It's a good song to just sit and reminisce about the great times of your life.  In the end this song can put a huge smile on my face.  The older I get the more great memories I have and therefore have more to look back on with fondness.

#1 Here's to the Night by Eve 6:  If this song had been out when I was in high school, I would have bribed people to make it our class song.  This is the ultimate song to look back with especially if you are younger, about to graduate from high school or college, or getting married.  It reminds you of where you have been, but for it also reminds me of where I am going.  When one chapter of life ends, another begins.

               Those are it, it was hard for me to come up with this list, and to be honest I think I could have done better, but most Pop songs that held any special meaning for me have long been lost to me and I have unfortunately forgotten them.  I have no doubt there are others that hold a stronger meaning for me, maybe one day I will do an updated list for this.  For now though, let's move on to Country.

Top Five Songs Part 3: Love Songs

Ok, I'm going admit something right now, just to get it out there.  I like love songs.  There, I said it.  I always had a soft spot in my heart for love songs.  As pessimistic as I am, it's true.  I think it's because deep down I want someone to love, and to love me in return.  Who doesn't want someone they can call theirs?  Though I must admit the potion of love has often been a poison to me, but thankfully that has changed.  Obviously these kinds of feelings have a powerful effect on me, and they have been responsible for a lot of my work.  Most of it will never be seen, but there is one example of it in my first anthology book, but I do put my own dark spin on it.  Shall we dive into the mush, make sure you have wading boots.

#5 We Danced by Brad Paisley.  I love this song.  The way it begins sounds like something that can be so real that it just makes sense.  It's probably the one reason why I love it, because it is believable.  There's nothing like just holding your loved one close and just getting lost in the music and this is the perfect song for it.

#4 Please Remember by Leann Rimes This song is a great way to make your heart to sit up and take notice.  You can almost say to yourself "Hey stupid, look at what you had!"  Whether your relationship ended badly or simply because of reasons nether of you can control this song is a great way to look back and grab those memories.  Even of you are married, it can still make you think about what you have and be thankful for it all over again.  In that regard it can save you from a fate of having this song apply to you.

#3 Little Moments by Brad Paisley  I really tried to avoid putting one artist on the same list more than once, but I can't help it.  This song is exactly what it means to love someone.  The little moments.  The big moments are important, but let's face it the little ones are way more common, and whether they are good or bad they define your relationship.  This song is a great way to see those little moments often all in a great light and it drives home the point that they make the best memories.

#2 Faithfully by Journey  OK this song really does apply to me.  I'm not a musician on the road or anything like that, but I do work a lot, and I'm not as home as much as I'd like.  Despite that no one has ever turned my head, or even made me consider leaving.  This song is almost like a trophy to me.  I can honestly say I have always been faithful and I really believe without a doubt I always will be.  What can be better for love than that?

#1 Tangled Up In You by Staind  I know I'm beating the Staind horse (wow that could be taken out of context to easily) to death, but for some reason this band puts out songs that match my thoughts so close it's almost creepy.  This song could not sum up my relationship any more.  Just listen to it and you will understand.

That's not the end of the mush.  If I wanted I could probably make up a top fifty list, but I'm not going to do that, I think you would hate me by the end.  The mush does help me though.  When I listen to these songs I can lift my mind to an almost utopia, though I still tend to see the shadows lurking in the corners.  I can forget about all the B.S. in my life and focus on why I put up with all the B.S..

Next up, pop, don't groan there will be no LMFAO or Ke$ha on the list.

Top Five Songs Part 2: Depressed Rock

So, let's get a little more serious.  While it's very true that Metal gives me energy and puts me in a good mood, my writing usually comes the easiest to me when I am somewhere between depressed and thoughtful.  In order to completely tap into that state of mind I listen to what I like to call Depressed Rock.  You know the types of songs I mean.  The ones with a Rock beat, but the lyrics and tone make you want go see a psychiatrist so you don't slit your own wrists.  It's good stuff.

             5. Blurry by Puddle of Mudd.  This song isn't so much depressing as it is thought provoking.  Don't get me wrong it has its depression element, but to me it's more about a father wanting to simply be with his child and protect him, which I must admit is kind of sad, not that he wants to be a father, but that he is in a position where it has been made difficult.  He obviously cares for his child, but he isn't around much so he wonders about his child and what he is doing.  It makes me think, and when I think I write, a lot.

             4. Jeremy by Pearl Jam.  Do I really need to explain this song?  Good, it could not be any more self-explanatory.  I will say one thing about the protagonist/antagonist I can relate to him on some levels not the mass murder level, but some other ones.  I think in a way many people could relate to a tormented boy, who just wants to fit in.  Just don't go on a shooting spree, talk about solving absolutely nothing!  I prefer to just hide within my words; there I can do whatever what want, including shooting everyone.

             3. Nothing Else Matters by Metallica  This song was on the last album Metallica put out that could be considered Rock.  Anyway, the lyrics and the tone of the song often take me to a place in my mind where I find some of the more depressed ideas I get for writing.  Are you starting to see a theme develop here?  To be honest I'm not totally sure I even get the song on a conscious level, but it hits my sub-conscious like a Mack truck.

             2. Bother by Stone Sour  This is another I don't really need to explain, it is just dark.  The tone is dark, the imagery of the lyrics is dark.  The video, oh man, the video is the shadow of darkness.  I don't listen to this song much, for obvious reasons, but it still ranks high on my list because it is so dark and that's just how I roll.

1. Epiphany by Staind  This song is the closest I have to what I really feel when my mood crashes.  It simply is the way the I feel.  It's a powerful song with a tone that speaks to me on a level I cannot even begin to describe.  I hope one day that I can verbalize these feelings, when I can I believe I will have a best seller on my hands.

           So this is how it is.  Depressed Rock is how I tap into the region of my mind where my creative juices (I hate that expression) flow from.  Sometimes I wonder if it is good that so much of what I write ends up with so many dark tones, or comes from dark places, but it is simply the way things are.  I embrace who I am and who I am is, read my work and you be the judge.

           For my next list I'm going to get a little mushy, sorry.