Post #7 Hand In Hand

    If you have noticed from my previous blog posts, I reference movies quite a bit when talking about certain songs. That is because music and movies go hand in hand. When is the last time you watched a movie that did not have music? I highly doubt you can think of one off the top of your head. I certainly can't. Even silent movies and shows such as the 2011 film The Artist and the cartoon TV show Tom and Jerry  have music, that is how you know what's going on in the show. The purpose of music in movies is to portray a certain mood, point, or feeling. The music is supposed to make you feel a certain way. Maybe you have heard this before, but if you were to watch a sad movie without any music, chances are you wouldn't cry at all or feel the same emotional level that you would have,  had you been watching that movie with music.
     Some music is placed into a certain scene of a movie or TV show just because it perfectly sums up the character or action that the character is doing in that scene. It also can add an element of foreshadowing. For example, if you have ever seen the movie Deadpool, at the beginning of the final fight scene the song "X Gon' Give It to Ya" starts playing. This song lets you know that something is about to go down. It's kind of like pregame music for what's about to happen. As I said before, music is supposed to make you feel a certain way.
     We usually associate some songs with movies. Sometimes we do not know what the song is called or who it is by, but we can name the movie it was in with no problem or hesitation. Most of you out there have seen Shrek, right? When you hear the song "All Star" by Smashmouth, you most likely immediately think of the movie Shrek. Maybe you don't even know the song "All Star." But if you hear it on the radio you think "Oh, it's that one song from Shrek." The same can be said about the John Cale version of  the song "Hallelujah."
     If movies did not include music, I'm not sure I would even watch them... Well, I suppose I wouldn't go that far. But I most definitely wouldn't get the same enjoyment out of them as I do now. Movies can really play with your emotions, and with the help of the right song for the right scene, they can have you laughing, scared, crying, or confused. Just another example of one of the many amazing things about music.

Post #6 Music From The 80's

     Personally, I was never really a fan of music from the 80's. It's bands and artists such as Wham!, Madonna, Tears for Fears, and Phil Collins, just to name a few, that turned me off to 80's music. And as a result, I just kind of wrote off 80's music all together... Or so I thought.
     It wasn't until recently that I realized that some of the most well-known songs out there came from the 80's. Songs that I have always enjoyed and praised to be the true definition of Rock. "I love Rock n' Roll" and "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett, as well as "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor, and "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield are just a few really good examples of what I mean by "true Rock." These are songs that you have heard many times in movies and also, usually a few times, at high school dances. But it's not just Rock that the 80's did well for, there are certain songs that hold a special place in my heart that happen to come from the 80's.
     Michael Jackson had a lot of hits in the 80's with songs like "Billie Jean," "Bad," "Beat It," and the all famous "Thriller." These of course are all well-known songs from "The Prince of Pop" that I personally like.  Pop music really started to take off in the 80's by the way. Hence Michael Jackson's title... 80's pop is probably what I dislike the most about 80's music. Although I do enjoy a majority of Michael Jackson songs, I simply cannot stand "The Way You Make Me Feel." A lot of 80's pop is just annoying and cheesy. "Wake Me up Before You Go-Go" by Wham! and "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins, and perhaps the cheesiest of all "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley are just a few songs that make me want to clout my ears. However, I have a good amount of love for Cyndi Lauper. You know, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." If you have ever seen the 2004 film, Napoleon Dynamite, you have heard one of my favorites of her's, "Time After Time" She is one of the few pop artists of the 80's that I can actually stand.
     Moving on from 80's pop, let's talk about 80's rock. The rock music of the 80's is far more enjoyable to listen to in my opinion. One of the greatest rock groups of the 80's would have to be Queen. Granted, they did form in the 70's but they had so many great songs in the 80's. "Another One Bites The Dust" is one that we should all recognize. "I Want It All" as well as "Under Pressure" (Which was a duo with David Bowie) were also quite memorable songs from Queen in the 80's. To me, Guns N' Roses always seemed a bit overrated and is one 80's rock band that never really appealed to me. Bon Jovi though, no matter how cheesy some of their stuff is, is an 80's rock band that I really enjoy. How can you not sing along to "Livin' On A Prayer" or "You Give Love A Bad Name?"
     Aside from the good and bad 80's music, the most important thing to ever come from the 80's, music-wise, was the formation of The Red Hot Chili Peppers (RHCP) in 1983. Don't be confused, although they did form in the 80's, they are truly a 90's band at heart because that is really when a lot of their stuff took off. But RHCP, and 90's music in general, is talk for another time.

Post #5 The Beatles

     I used to think that the Beatles were really overrated. Don't get me wrong, there were definitely a good number of songs of theirs that I liked, and still do like, but I just didn't understand why many people seemed to praise them as the greatest band to ever walk the earth. Perhaps it was that I had never really took the time to listen to more of their songs. Only the really popular ones such as "Hey Jude," "Let it Be," "Here Comes the Sun," and "Come Together." I understood that they were really the first band to generate such a sound for the time and that makes them special, but really that special?
     It wasn't until a few nights ago that I gained a new appreciation for the Beatles and their music. I was convinced to watch a movie called Across The Universe. This movie is basically a musical that consists of Beatles songs and references. Even characters' names in the movie are references to names included in Beatles songs. I know, you're thinking, "wait a minute, your blogs are supposed to be about music, not movies." Well the two really seem to go hand in hand most of the time, don't they? This movie really opened my eyes, as well as my ears, to many Beatles songs that I had never heard before or had never paid much attention to. Of course they are not the original recordings of the Beatles, but actors and singers who, in my opinion, do a beautiful rendition of their songs. I'm honestly not sure if these songs would have the same effect on me if I had heard them in their original Beatles form.
     The song "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" is one of the songs that this movie had brought to my attention that I previously had no idea existed. And I am now obsessed with it. Listening to it every day since I have watched the movie. The songs in Across The Universe are perfectly tied into the story line of the movie which offers an understanding to the songs' meaning by the way it is used in the movie. Most of the songs are a base for the story line of the movie actually. And some of the other songs just fit in quite perfectly. "Across The Universe" is in fact a Beatles song by the way, if you were not aware. I strongly encourage you to watch this movie and listen to the soundtrack. The movie is currently on Netflix and the album can be found on iTunes as well as Spotify, and of course on YouTube. I still think that the Beatles are slightly overrated. But only slightly now, and I have gained a large appreciation for their music.

"Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" 

Post #4 Music of the 70's

      When you think about the 70's, you probably think about leisure suits, platform shoes, bell bottoms, and disco. The 70's were definitely iconic for disco music with songs such as "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees, "Get Down Tonight" by KC and the Sunshine Band, and "Play that Funky Music" by Wild Cherry. But the 70’s consisted of more than just disco when it comes to music. The 70’s was the birth place of so many great songs and groups. Groups such as Led Zeppelin, Steve Miller Band, Journey, Van Halen, Cheap Trick, and AC/DC are some of the most popular rock groups of the 70’s, bringing us many brilliant and memorable songs that still remain popular today.

     Aside from rock and disco, soul music was also very popular during this time. We’ve all heard the songs “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Diana Ross, “Love Train” by The O'Jays, and “I will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor. If those songs do not scream 70’s Soul Music, then I don’t know what does. If you have not heard of these songs, I urge you to check them out. Soul music just seems to make the soul feel good. Listen and see. Let us now move onto pop. Pop music really wasn’t that popular in the 70’s though. Perhaps you’ve heard of Abba? Abba was considered to be a pop band but really had more of a disco feel to their music. If you have ever seen the 2008 movie, Get Smart, you have heard “Take a Chance on Me” by Abba. (Great movie by the way). Some other popular songs from this group include “Mamma Mia” and “Dancing Queen.” Although they are technically more of an 80’s group, Lipps Inc. does serve as an example of a pop group formed in the 70’s. Their 1979 song, “Funkytown,” is one of their most popular. If you have ever watched the 2004 movie, Shrek 2, you have most definitely heard this song. (Another wonderful movie, I might add).

     Out of the many songs of the 70’s, there is one that really seems to stick out to me, and it holds a very special place in my heart. Why exactly, I am unsure. It is just catchy and makes me want to sing along. Ladies and gentlemen, I leave you with this 1976 work of art, that you may recognize, by Hall & Oates entitled “Rich Girl.”

"Rich Girl" by Hall & Oates