Turkey Day and Christmas Coming Home

Hi all. Happy Thanksgiving- there’s so much to be thankful for: family, friends, good health, food, music, and amusing grammar errors just to name a few!  In addition to commemorating all that we are thankful for, we also consider Thanksgiving the official beginning of the Christmas season.  And let’s be honest, next to food, Christmas is what many of us really get excited about! Radio stations start playing holiday tunes, stores are festively decorated, and Christmas lights brighten up everybody’s days.  This truly is the best time of the year!  In the spirit of such a wonderful season, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite Christmas songs with you.

1.  The First Noel- Josh Groban & Faith Hill

The instrumental introduction to this song is wonderful in and of itself, but Josh Groban and Faith Hill’s golden melodies are simply phenomenal.  Their powerful rendition is one of my absolute favorites to listen to during the Christmas season.

2. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen- Barenaked Ladies

So, I’m not a huge fan of this song, but this version makes me happy every time I hear it.  The magical blend of the voices, coupled with the foot-tapping rhythm of the strumming and drumming makes it incredibly fun to bop your head to.

3.  Christmas Coming Home- Lennon & Maisy Stella

I recently discovered these girls while perusing YouTube, and I have fallen in love with them.  Lennon, 12, and Maisy, 8, are two young Canadian sisters whose pure voices are truly a joy to listen to.   Lennon’s voice has a raspy yet innocent quality to it, and Maisy’s alto voice is a bit clearer but less refined.  Together, the two create a magical performance.  Mostly performing cover songs, or songs original to other artists, the girls caught my eye with their version of “I Won’t Give Up,” by Jason Mraz.  I already love his emotionally  powerful version, but their acoustic performance is so simple and amazing.   So, you can imagine my excitement when I discovered their new Christmas single, “Christmas Coming Home.” This is another head-bopping tune with sleigh sounds and jingle bells clinking in the background.  Personally, I love how their voices blend and how they sing every note in a notably artistic fashion.  The innocence of childhood is magnificently represented in this playful song that’s sure to become a Christmas classic!

~ Happy Holidays ~

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss [Them] Goodbye

Phew! I don’t know about you, but I am so happy that the presidential election is over.  THANK THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am literally jumping for joy at this particular moment (making typing somewhat challenging), because I can finally turn on the TV without hearing a stupid political ad.  Don’t get me wrong, democracy is an amazing privilege that we sometimes take advantage of here in the United States.  But, the extreme measures that politicians use in trying to win an election, whether it’s a presidential election, a senatorial election, or even a county election, are downright ridiculous.   The main problem I have with politics (and had with this election) is the amount of money spent on political campaigns- it’s outrageous and, in my opinion, pointless. In Connecticut, Linda McMahon spent 100 million dollars on two senate bids over the past three years, and she didn’t even win her election! (either of them!!) This year’s presidential race costs have been estimated at around six billion dollars.  Six billion dollars?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Do you know how much of the national debt we could have payed off with six billion dollars?  Or how about feeding the hungry??  Helping Hurricane Sandy victims???  But, no.  Instead of doing any of these things, politicians spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on the thirty second advertisements that we’re forced to watch on TV, on YouTube, listen to on the radio, etc.; ads that most people detest and find ways to skip through.  If you’re like me, you mute the videos on YouTube, change the channel on the TV, and just turn off the radio in disgust.  Finally, after months and months, the political-ad torture has ceased.   For that, the song “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye,” by Steam is wonderfully appropriate.  Kiss them goodbye- we are done with you politicians!! (at least until the next election).

P.S. Many of you recognize this song because it is part of the soundtrack of Remember the Titans– a great movie!

Anywhere But Here, Sandy!

As I sit here ready to write about my new favorite song, Hurricane Sandy’s wrath is beginning.  The trees are whipping back and forth, and the rain is falling harder and faster by the hour.  Hopefully I’ll be able to finish before the power goes out!  I never thought I’d be happy that classes have been cancelled because of a hurricane, but while I’m stoked about no school, I hope there’s no significant damage caused by it!  Coincidentally, my song choice for this also applies to the weather.  Well, sort of.  It’s “Anywhere But Here,” by Safetysuit.  I’m willing to bet that particularly in the northeastern states, many people are wishing they were anywhere but where the storm is hitting!

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I love this song!  I heard it first on a TV show or a movie (sadly, I can’t remember which exactly) and since I figured out the title, I’ve been listening to it non-stop.  That’s pretty much why I need new songs all of the time- I listen to a few songs over and over and over until I get tired of them and am ready for something else. This song is all about love (gasp!) and for girls like me, it feels totally relatable.  For those of us who have yet to find “the one,” we all hope that there’s someone out there.  In this song, the artists are singing from the opposite point of view- from the perspective of someone who’s in love with a person who has no idea.  It’s romantic, like a love letter put to music.  But, it’s also sort of rock-ish which may symbolize how the singers are ready to fight for that love.  Who knows?  All I know is I wish some guy would sing this song to me!  Take a listen and decide for yourself:

P.S. Since I haven’t found anything hilarious enough to share with you all (aside from a random weather video), I thought I’d tell you about this guy: Ryan O’Shaughnessy.  He was on Britain’s Got Talent earlier this year, and he’s an incredibly gifted performer.  In his audition, Ryan sang an original composition very similar to the song above.  He sang about a girl he’s been in love with who had never noticed his admiration.  How adorable! The first time she heard this song was when he sang it in front of a crowd of thousands of people- soooooooo romantic!! I LOVE IT!! (I will accept the huffs and puffs about so many exclamation points because he is worth it!

P.S.S. I love a good accent- and Irish is definitely a good one!

Elevator Sandwhich Tunes

Currently, I am still jamming away to the awesome soundtrack from my new favorite movie, Pitch Perfect. Therefore, I have no new musical selections to share with you this week.  However, I do have a somewhat amusing rant prepared because I know you are all eager to have something to read (wink).  Anyway, so I went to visit my sister at VCU over Fall Break.  She lives on the ninth floor of the new dorm near the Landmark Theater.  Unlike most people, I typically prefer to take the stairs whenever possible because I have a significant fear of elevators, and I particularly hate the feeling you get as the elevator arrives at the appropriate floor and your stomach somehow feels like it’s jumping out of your body.  However, nine stories is quite a hike, and I figured I could tough it out just this once. My mistake.

As we’re walking into the elevator, the door starts to close and tries to smash me into a Lindsey sandwich.  Just my luck!  The one time I go to ride the elevator, and it almost eats me alive!  Okay, maybe it wasn’t that life-threatening, but I still have a hefty bruise to show for it.  So, after I barely made it into the elevator with my life and all of my limbs in tact, I began to think about how much I hated elevators.  And then, I thought about the elevator music playing in the background (a genre I’m not too fond of).  Personally, I find elevator music to be awkward.  In fact, it’s more awkward than an awkward silence, because instead of thinking about talking to the random stranger standing next to you, you’re thinking of how awkward it would be to talk over the music. Plus, there are hardly ever any words.  Lyrics are 75% of what makes music fun, because you can sing along to them! Don’t get me wrong, I love me some instrumental music, but really. Elevator music isn’t fun to hum to, and it isn’t catchy; it’s just plain annoying, and I don’t feel too bad about not liking it!

Essentially, I learned two things from this whole experience that I am now passing on to you: elevators like to eat people, and elevator music makes (nerve-wracking) elevator rides awkward.  Bet you’ll think twice before you step onto an elevator again!

However, I realize that somewhere out there, elevator music enthusiasts do sit and listen to nothing but elevator music all day long.  Well, to each his own and all that jazz.  So, just for them, here’s 10 hours of their favorite music in one handy-dandy YouTube video:

Blog, Gangnam Style!

So, I think that in addition to blogging about my favorite song of the week, I will talk about something humorous in the music world each week.  For today’s bit, the title gives it away. I think everyone is surprised about how popular Psy’s “Gangnam Style” has become; it’s taken the US by storm!  I’m still gawking at the fact that I actually heard it on the radio this morning (and sadly, I listened to it!).  The song is almost entirely in Korean, and yet people who have absolutely no idea what he’s saying are captivated.  Let’s be honest, most of us love that Psy is randomly singing and dancing weirdly.  It’s certainly interesting how today’s pop culture is so influenced by weird artists and songs.  Why else would Ke$ha or Lady Gaga or anyone else like them be famous?  Nonetheless, from college marching band performances to flash mobs and several parodies, “Gangnam Style” is all the craze right now!

Here’s the song itself that’s become so popular:

Here’s Oregon’s Marching band performing it (and dancing accordingly):

And here’s our neighbor, good ole VCU, doing a flash mob using the song!

As for my favorite song of the week, I’d say it’s “The Power of Two” by the Indigo Girls.  It’s definitely a throwback to our parents’ generation.  I love it how it starts with the acoustic guitar- it really reminds me of a great summer road trip.  I guess I like it because it’s fun and catchy; I can sing along to it and it just makes me feel happy 😛 So, here it is:

Enjoy!

P.S. Could you take a second to tackle this poll please? Thanks!!