It’s that time of the year again. What better way to kick off the holidays than with Adam Sandler’s hilarious classic, “The Thanksgiving Song?” Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving with your family and friends and eat tons of delicious food!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHI58FM_DB0]
I heard “Untouched” on the radio by The Veronicas about a week ago for the first time and loved it! This morning I heard it once again and have since decided to make it my song of the week. The string introduction in the song is so fierce and the first few lyrics sung are catchy and keeps me listening and dancing along throughout the rest of the song. (Somewhat of a problem when I’m at work and should be sitting still.) Hope you enjoy it!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NLs3odG2Kc]
I’ve been freelancing at Rolling Stone the past two weeks helping out with their “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” online package — be sure to check it out next week! I’ll definitely write a post about it once it’s live so be on the lookout. Most of the songs featured I remember from my childhood, growing up and listening to the oldies with my Dad. At the time, I wished more than anything that he’d change the oldies station to Z100, but I must say I’ve gained a newfound appreciation for classic rock ‘n’ roll over the past few years. So much so, I even have an “Oldies” Pandora channel I listen to at work. I really wish I could live a day in the 50s and 60s and cover a show back then. Not to mention interview Elvis Presley, that would be amazing!
This week instead of my typical “Song of the Week” I’ve picked five of my favorite songs from the rock ‘n’ roll era. I really couldn’t narrow it down to just one, so enjoy my mix of songs for the week!
1. “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC_UILNwWrc]
2. “My Girl” The Temptations
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCRcra2o964]
3. “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfsvE4j4ExA]
4. “In the Still of the Night” by The Five Satins.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBT3oDMCWpI]
5. “Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We8P_Ww27hY]
Honorable mention: “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” by Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers. You have to watch this hilarious video from “The Frankie Laine” show from the 1956. Lymon was only 13 when he wrote this song!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q96ylFiQK_I]
What are some of your favorite oldies songs?
My friend Wendy (her lovely photos have graced You Sing, I Write quite frequently over the past year) sent me this song a while back. I recently found it in my inbox and couldn’t stop listening to it all day today. Its a song that, if you listen closely to the lyrics, has such a deep meaning behind it. This ties into my interview with Ace Enders last night and a lot of what we talked about, specifically the music industry and making what you love to do work, even when people are constantly telling you that you can’t. Be sure to check back for my interview/review of Ace’s performance last night as well as Hellogoodbye. Take a listen to Tennessee based-band 33 Miles‘ song below and let me know what you think!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrBy1N0oILo]
To this day, Halloween is still one of my favorite holidays. Maybe it’s the chocolate. I still remember the first time I saw the music video for Michael Jackson’s song “Thriller.” I had nightmares for weeks! Watching it now, it still creeps me out, but it’s such a classic. I can’t embed the video below, so check it out on YouTube or just watch the dance portion below. Happy Halloween!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un3-Hb9wF9s]
Day four of CMJ and I’m feeling the exhaustion kick in. I’ve seen a bunch of great shows and had some awesome interviews, so stay tuned for those. This week’s song is Swedish singer-songwriter Theresa Andersson‘s “Na Na Na.” I sat down with Theresa before her performance Wednesday night at the Living Room and she talked to me about her latest album (which she recorded live in her kitchen) as well as her incredible live show where she is a one woman band, playing multiple instruments with the help of two loop pedals. It’s really a sight to see. You can get a sense of it below with the video of her playing live in her kitchen.
I also asked Theresa if she gets stage fright anymore since she’s been performing for quite a few years to which she pretty much said no. However, after having to restart her first song of the night she jokingly mentioned our interview by saying, “I really screwed this one up. I had an interview earlier and was asked if I get nervous at these shows anymore and I said, ‘No, I got it.’ You’re getting the whole show tonight.” You never really think of how much one interview can have an impact on a performer since they have tons of interviews lined up throughout the week at a festival like CMJ. So, for my future interviews I think I’m going to stop asking the “stage fright” question, just in case. What do you think?
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2eD4GcLohE]
I recently received a MP3 of “Make You Crazy,” first single off of Brett Dennen‘s third album Hope for the Hopeless, due out this coming Tuesday. A catchy song already making spins on the radio, “Make You Crazy” encompasses the soulful folk music and rich storytelling Dennen is known for. Featuring Afro-Beat King, Femi Kuti, the upbeat rhythm throughout the track drastically alternates from the somewhat more solemn nature of the lyrics within the song.
You can listen to “Make You Crazy” here. Be sure to pick up a copy of Brett’s album in stores next week and come back to read my interview with him from yesterday!
I first came across Joshua Radin when catching the Hotel Cafe Tour this past March and fell in love with his voice. His music is somewhat laid-back and comparable to that of Jack Johnson, having that perfect acoustic singer-songwriter feel. I received a stream of his song, “I’d Rather Be With You” in an email a few weeks ago, right before his second full-length album, Simple Times was released. If you haven’t picked it up yet, definitely do. Incredibly solid, both lyrically and musically, Simple Times has that intimate feel — almost as if you’re sitting in Joshua’s living room as he’s serenading you on guitar.
This week’s song is my favorite track from his recent album. You can listen to it here. Be sure to check out his MySpace for tour dates and more music.
I’ve been a HUGE All-American Rejects fan since back in high school when I heard their first single, “Swing, Swing.” Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to attend a bunch of their shows and meet and interview frontman Tyson Ritter a few times. I’m so psyched for their new album, due out in November, and this week’s song, “Gives You Hell” is their first single off of that album — When the World Comes Down.
The song is strong and definitely has that catchy pop-rock radio friendly feel of their previous hits. Not a huge stray from the AAR that fans know and love, but you can hear the growth of their music since their debut. Whether it be the solid guitar riffs, edgy musical interludes or Ritter’s vocals, the All-American Rejects are back and better than ever. You can listen to the song below.
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I received an email this week that Ray LaMontagne’s video for “You Are The Best Thing” premiered on Amazon’s homepage, so I decided to check it out. I love it! It’s one of those songs that a music video only accentuates the beauty of the lyrics and meaning behind it. Lately, I’ve been listening to various jazz tunes, and with the horns featured throughout the song and light drum beat encompassing Ray’s soulful lyrics, it’s a song that I’ve can’t help but listen to over and over again.
You can view the video here. Let me know what you think! If you like what you hear, check out his MySpace.