Southeastidahoan: November 2015

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Special Christmas Edition

I'm foregoing the usual goofy fun this week for a special Christmas edition. Not to sound too cliche, but there's something beautiful about Christmas. Maybe it's because of the memories of that Christmas "magic" we felt as a child. Maybe it's because as we transition from youth to adult we change our viewpoint from "me" to "you". Maybe it's because of our vulnerability that comes from the extreme highs and lows that we seem to experience around this time of year. Maybe it's because we think more of Christ. There are those who would say that thoughts of Christ can't be it since they don't share that belief and yet they still love Christmas. Maybe.

I've put together a list of songs that have at one point or another stirred my heart and moistened my eyes. Who knows what these carols will speak to you? But, I'm guessing at some instance, you'll have a thought to do something good. I would simply encourage you to follow through by acting on that thought and if you do, I am confident that then you'll feel the true Spirit of Christmas. Thank you for listening. It really does mean a lot to me.

I Wonder as I Wander. Rutter, Cambridge Singers.

The King's Singers - Greensleeves

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - John Denver & Rowlf the Dog

Pentatonix. Mary Did You Know.

Carol of the Bells. Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Bing Crosby & David Bowie - Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy 1977

O Come O Come Emanuel. Vocal Point.

Saturday, November 21, 2015

1994's Top 5 Songs

1994. The Year of Ace of Base. They had the #1 song, The Sign, and 3 total in the top 10 for the year. Therefore, I had to put them in the Top 5. Right??? No, really I'm asking.

Beck. Loser. Many considered this to represent Generation X's slacker culture. Beck said it referred to his rapping skills.

Sheryl Crow. All I Want To Do. For some reason this song makes me want to go hang out in California.

Melissa Etheridge. I'm The Only One. Etheridge makes you believe the lyrics.

Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories. Stay (I Missed You). Cute song.

Honorable Mention:

Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting. All For Love. All three of these guys have made it on the blog separately. If you want to jump straight to the singing, start at the minute mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofA3URC1wyk

Melissa Etheridge. Come to My Window. Etheridge had a good year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaY5-LGYJKc

General Public. I'll Take You There. Funky. I'd exchange this for Ace of Base in the top 5, but, as mentioned they had THREE in the Billboard Top 10.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0N_Q0JqH80

Big Mountain. Baby I Love Your Way. The feel good song of the week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utXwIqQj7oE

Salt-N-Pepa. Whatta Man. Features En Vogue and one of the dumbest lines in all of Songdom. See if you can guess which one I'm talking about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8_wmcWecOg

1993's Top 5 Songs

Ugh! Not the most exciting year in music unless you like slow songs and/or gangsta rap. Remember how fun some of the previous rap songs were? Yeah, not so much this year. But, here's a tune that would have made in the top 5 for any year: Proclaimers. I'm Gonna Be.

I felt that I had to include Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You. It was the #1 song for the year and was the Top 40 #1 for what seemed like all year.

Meat Loaf. I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That). Makes a great M & M commercial.

M&M commercial

Arrested Development. Mr. Wendal. From the same album as Tennessee.

Sting. Fields Of Gold. Not exactly upbeat, but a terrific song nonetheless.

Honorable Mention

Shai. If I Ever Fall In Love. Best song by Shai. Did he have any others?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caNRc1ER8p4

Snow. Informer. "Informer" is one of the few words I understand in the song, and that's because it's the title.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StlMdNcvCJo

Here's a spoof of the song by Jim Carrey (Imposter).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Icb_tRTnA4g

P.M. Dawn. I'd Die Without You. Look! Another PM Dawn song. Is it just me or does it sound a bit like the other PM Dawn song (from 1992). I actually like this one better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_qWlPCEnGM

Billy Joel. The River Of Dreams. One of those catchy songs that acapella groups like to perform.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSq4B_zHqPM

Boyz II Men In The Still Of The Nite. Another catchy song that acapella groups like to perform - as demonstrated here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQG37mzhv4w

Saturday, November 14, 2015

1992's Top 5 Songs

Let's start 1992 with the straight up silliness of Right Said Fred's I'm Too Sexy. The original video had too many half-naked bodies, so here's a strange substitute I found.

Tom Cochrane . Life Is A Highway. Well, everyone's heard this a gazillion times, but I'm including it anyway.

Arrested Development. Tennessee. One of the best rap songs ever. Showed the potential of rap music that has rarely been achieved since.

Red Hot Chili Peppers. Under The Bridge. One of my favorite RHCP tunes.

En Vogue. My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It). Better than the other En Vogue song from a previous blog. Just tough competition for 1992.

Honorable Mention:

Boyz II Men. End Of The Road. #1 song for the year. If it wasn't a slow song would have made the above Top 5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDKO6XYXioc

Eric Clapton. Tears In Heaven. Same goes with this beautiful song created after the death of Clapton's son. Have a tissue handy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxPj3GAYYZ0

P.M. Dawn. Set Adrift On Memory Bliss. I can't quite put my finger on why I like this tune, but I do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5lByFc7HiM

Billy Ray Cyrus. Achy Breaky Heart. This song was everywhere. My favorite billboard I saw in the South around this time was "Jesus will heal your achy breaky heart".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byQIPdHMpjc

Queen. Bohemian Rhapsody. You see this 1975 tune in 1992 thanks to the movie Wayne's World.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ

Saturday, November 7, 2015

1991's Top 5 Songs

The class of '91 has more fun! So, nothing but funky in the Top 5 this week. We'll start with C+C Music Factory's Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now). You could hear this played in every sports arena in the country.