Song of 7/29/10: Mamma Mia By ABBA. This song makes me laugh. (I keep trying to start my blogs with “so” and I have to catch myself to make sure that I don’t, it’s a really easy started and I’m trying not to let it stay a habit). The song itself is a kind of sad cycle of a woman getting hurt but forgiving the man she loves. It’s an easy habit to fall into, love makes us do some absolutely crazy things. but when you watch the video, it’s hard to take those white outfits and that hair seriously.The song itself was very popular in the late 70′s and for ABBA fans it’s monumental (and the name of the musical that came from ABBA music and was later turned into a film). I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself to be a die hard ABBA fan but I enjoy the bounciness every once in a while. It’s the kind of song I listen to that I feel I should be singing along, even if I’m in a terrible mood. I’d never seen the video before today and like I said, it’s ridiculous. Oh Man. It’s just a sign that the times have changed and things that are popular one moment may never be popular again (although don’t be surprised if you’re clothing ends up being vintage some day and your children want to wear it and think it’s cool). I guess, though, that it’s harder for music to go out of style because it will always be important to the ones it’s important to. Even as they grow older, they pass on the love of it to their decedents and so on and so forth. While it isn’t always the case, it’s a nice cyclical process when it occurs. But those outfits and that hair. I can’t get over that.
Song of 7/28/10: Re: Your Brains by Jonathan Coulton. So my CoWorker James showed me this song today. He prefaced it by saying “Marla, this is your new favorite song.” I’m not sure it’s my favorite song (sorry to contradict you James) but it is epically entertaining nonetheless. “I’m not surprised to see you haven’t thought it through enough You never had the head for all that bigger picture stuff.” the song is seriously funny. This all came about from me playing Plants Vs. Zombies today and I was talking with him about it. Since I’ve been squashing the Zombie attempt to attack my garden, it was nice to hear them talking about eating something else. Plus Jonathan Coulton is pretty talented when it comes to singing. There is nothing better than someone singing about something entertaining, like Zombies, and doing it well!
The reason I chose the specific version of the video that I did is Stephen Torrence makes awesome videos. He has a variety of music videos up where he translates popular music into ASL. CSUN had a great Deaf and Hard of Hearing population and while I was there I was able to learn some of the language and get to know the culture of that group. It was always a lot of fun to go to ASL Class, learn something and then go into the dorms and try to put it into practice. I like videos like this because it makes music more accessible and makes ASL more accessible. It’s easier to learn the language when I can hear it, see the ASL word and see what it means all in one place. It’s handy for learning (especially if you know the basics but are relatively rusty). It does, however, really make me miss CSUN. Oh man. I miss school. Maybe I’ll run away and take up a life fighting Zombies. Note to self: Read the Zombie Survival Guide again.
Song of 7/27/10: Game On by The cast of The Guild. A new music video by the cast of The Guild was released today. This one is a Bollywood parody. It’s awesome because first of all, Bollywood needs to be mocked (while I think the costumes are beautiful and the culture surrounding it is deep and spectacular, I firmly believe that not everything is song worthy and I can’t really stand watching Bollywood movies for that reason). It also helps that last fall semester I took a Hinduism class and there is a part that references the Hindu gods. It made me laugh, this whole video is just hilarious. That’s one of the things I really like about The Guild. You don’t need to play World of Warcraft to appreciate it. Everyone who would have heard of it is someone who probably knows someone like that if anything. For instance, I’ve never played WOW but I know a lot of people who do so I can still find the stereotypes funny. Plus the song is really creative and the actors who do most of the singing know how to sing and the actors that dance know how to dance. It utilizes everyones talents. I know they were worried about topping Date My Avatar. This wasn’t better but equally as awesome by every means. I really enjoyed it. I even LOL’ed for real.
Song of 7/26/10: Psycho Killer by the Talking Heads. This song makes me laugh in an ‘lets look at ourselves honestly‘ kind of way. It’s super easy to get stuck in your head and the Talking Heads are seriously adorable (see video). I think this song proves how talented the Talking Heads were. They may not have had the best singing voices (or even decently good ones) but they were good lyricists and I think that can go a long way. So I’m looking at the song on wikipedia and in case you’re wondering, the person on the end who looks like a girl, really is. I also really like the fact that this song is bilingual (even though I don’t understand any French, thank you translations). It’s a seriously good song that says a lot about being a good person, about how you shouldn’t talk when you have nothing to say and you should always be polite. Well that’s my interpretation. According to Wikipedia, the song is actually a semi-narrative of a killer actually committing murders. But hey.. to each their own! (although my interpretation seems to be waay far off from the intended one, it still makes me smile)
Song of 7/25/10: Buffy Theme Song by Nerf Herder. Today’s song is dedicated to all of those AWESOME people at the San Diego Comic Con. I wish that I could go but alas both money and massive social anxiety keep me away. I heard good things about it though, because SDCC is completely epic and had so many awesome celebrities and panels and awesomeness. Maybe someday I’ll get to go but in the mean time, I’ll enjoy my nerdiness in private. Or outwardly. Some things you just can’t hide. (Plus Joss Whedon shows are really amazing, my favorite writer by far.)
As for yesterday, I wanted to see if I was going to get responses to being Rick Rolled (which people would have to read this blog in order to have a reaction so no worries there) but it’s also kind of fascinating to me. The whole Bait and Switch concept is interesting but the fact that being Rick Rolled began as a stalker thing is also interesting. The song in and of itself is uber creepy. A man wholeheartedly in love with a woman is sweet but a man who is obsessed with a woman is unsettling. (anyone obsessed with anyone is unsettling). But does anyone have any thoughts on the rickrolling phenomenon? I think it’s… upsetting and way too catchy!
Song of 7/23/10: The Kids Aren’t Alright by The Offspring. This music video is kind of completely bizarre. Cool bizarre but still bizarre when bodies are coming out of other bodies and everything is just mashed up together. But, I think that’s what I like about it. That it seriously embodies the song, a group of people whose lives did not end up the way that they thought they might (although in the video, they end up literally connected to each other), I dunno you just really have to watch it. I’m not sure that I can even do it justice.
The thing I like about this song is that it’s applicable to everyone. Although not everyone comes from a rundown neighborhood or a fancy area, not everyone can end up where they want to or think they might or even try to get to. I left San Diego to go to college (and graduated in four years) but I still have friends who are living at home pretending they go to community college when they are in fact not going anywhere and working at the local YMCA to pass the time. It’s not always circumstances that dictate where you’re going to end up but also the kind of person you are (although circumstances will often effect it). I think it says a lot about a persons character as to what they make of their live, whether they are trying to achieve their dreams or not. At this point, at the age that I’m at, it’s hard to imagine that anyone would have achieved their dreams by now, but it does matter if they are trying. I have friends back home who said they wanted to become firefighters or join the military or even just leave San Diego, who haven’t because they are all just talk no action. That’s probably why I don’t see/talk to them anymore. Oh well, life goes on and I’m definitely out there trying.
Song of 7/22/10: Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Deep Blue Something. This music video is completely 90′s and completely adorable. I’ve always liked this song but as per usual, I’ve never seen the video. This video held no surprises but was still completely adorable. I like this song because I feel like Breakfast at Tiffany’s is an interesting franchise and this is one of the three things that were important to me from it (the others being the book and the movie. I think I had a poster once but I’m also pretty sure it was a gift so it doesn’t really count). If you’ve never read the story, it’s a really good one by Capote
Song of 7/21/10: Tub Thumping by Chumbawamba. I watched Fanboy tonight. I really liked it. I was impressed by the fact that it was not mocking to fanboys but mocking of Star Wars and had a bunch of cameos. “The movie is a love letter to Star Wars and a Love letter to an Era,” said some director guy on the DVD commentary, “they’re just ordinary guys that just happen to have a passion for something that they wear on their sleeves.” I love that analogy. This movie is just seriously fun. I like being able to pick out the references, some go over my head but most I got and found hysterical. It’s not a movie that someone outside of this culture would understand, probably think it was completely bizarre but I really enjoyed it. “it’s a good time to be a geek.”
One of my favorite scenes had to be a mock on the trash scene. They were all in a trash room and it resembled the scene from Star Wars. They hear a noise and freak out. It was so hysterical. Thank you Air Vent for that hilarity.
This song came from the beginning of the movie. It was in the first few minutes of the movie and it made me smile. This song was basically a one-hit-wonder for Chumbawamba. Although it was by no means their only song or their only CD (which by the way, everything else is actually pretty good), it was the most popular with radio play as far as I can tell. It’s kind of carefree, encouraging almost: get back up once you’ve been torn down. I think it fit nicely with the movie because, let’s face it, fandom is not always the most popular and it’s easy for others to mock it. But it’s important to get back up again.
Song of 7/20/10: Bliss by Muse Today’s song is dedicated to Nick, who picked it out last night after a grueling decision between several Muse songs. This one mostly one because I would find a copy of the video with an embed code and because it’s pretty. Although I wasn’t a muse fan before nick, most of the reason I like Muse in general is because of their ability to put me into a trance like state without even trying. It is some of the only music I’ve ever heard that is truly relaxing and not necessarily just there. It’s a good mix of rock and electronic, which is not only a good combination but also well done. I don’t really think I’ve given Muse a fair chance but after listening to them for a while, I really think I can get into it.
