Mondays Suck…

That is all.

PS – Here are a few Monday Morning Music Videos for you….hope you enjoy and have a great day!

Sunday Night Video Flashback Pt. 32!!!

Okay, I’m tired as hell but here you guys go. Hope you enjoy!

V

Rhythm Is a Dancer – Snap!
“Rhythm Is a Dancer” is a song recorded by the act Snap!, released as a single in the second quarter of 1992, from the album The Madman’s Return. It was written by Benito Benitez, John ‘Virgo’ Garrett III (aliases for German producers Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti), Thea Austin and Durron Butler and produced by Snap! It achieved a huge success in many countries, topping the charts in France, Ireland Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK.

The track features lead vocals by Thea Austin, and a rap from Turbo B, containing the line “I’m serious as cancer when I say rhythm is a dancer”. The line, widely felt to be somewhat tasteless, has become infamous as it regularly features in polls to find the worst song lyric of all time[citation needed]. However, this line has been used extensively in hip hop since at least 1987 (J.V.C.F.O.R.C.E.’s 1987 release ‘Strong Island’ features the lyric) – an album of the same name was released in 1989 by Red, Black and Green, and Rakim has used it more than once (“I Ain’t No Joke”, “Eric B is President”).

The music video for “Rhythm Is a Dancer” was directed by Howard Greenhalgh and shows singer Thea Austin and a backup band at a rocket-type factory filled with smoke. Austin and her group perform the song on elevated platforms while a group of dancers dance on a closed ground platform below them. Interpersed throughout these scenes are animated shots of flickering astrology maps and animated figures dancing.

Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now – Starship
“Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” is a song co-written by Albert Hammond and Diane Warren, recorded by Starship. Featured as the theme to the romantic comedy film Mannequin, it hit #1 in the Billboard Hot 100 on April 4, 1987 and reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart for four weeks the following month and became the UK’s 2nd biggest selling single of 1987. At the time, it made Grace Slick the oldest female artist to have a number one single in the United States, though the record was later broken by Cher’s “Believe” in 1999. The song also received an Oscar nomination for “Best Original Song” at the 60th Academy Awards. It was released on the album No Protection in 1987.

In a radio interview, Albert Hammond said that the idea for the song came from his impending marriage to his live-in girlfriend of 7 years, after his divorce from his previous wife was finalized. He had said to Diane Warren, “It’s almost like they’ve stopped me from marrying this woman for seven years, and they haven’t succeeded. They’re not gonna stop me doing it.”

Breakin’… There’s No Stoppin’ Us – Ollie and Jerry
Ollie & Jerry was a short-lived dance music duo comprised of Ollie Brown and Jerry Knight. Knight was formerly a member of Raydio alongside Ray Parker Jr.

Their two biggest hits came from soundtracks. “Breakin’… There’s No Stoppin’ Us” was the theme of the movie Breakin’ and hit #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The song also reached #5 in the UK Singles Chart. The duo’s second single, “Electric Boogaloo” (from the movie Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo), did not hit the pop charts but did climb to #43 on the dance chart.

Lay It Down – RATT
“Lay It Down” is one of the most famous songs made by the glam metal band Ratt. “Lay It Down” was the first single released to promote their second album, Invasion of Your Privacy.

This song reached #40 on the Billboard Hot 100 during the summer of 1985, becoming Ratt’s second (and last) Top 40 hit. The song was co-written by Ratt vocalist Stephen Pearcy, bassist Juan Croucier, and guitarists Robbin Crosby and Warren DeMartini.

The music video shows lead singer Stephen Pearcy having a birthday party as a child. After he makes his birthday wish, he gets a vision of the future in which the band plays in what looks to be an abandoned building. The woman in the video is Playboy model Marianne Gravatte, who is also the model on the cover of Invasion Of Your Privacy.

The Nail in the Coffin…

Apparently, tonight’s Flight of the Conchords was the last one…..EVER.  And while it had it’s moments, it definately was not as funny as it once was.  Hate to say it, but i’m kinda glad it’s over with.

Anyway, here’s the video from tonight.  Enjoy!

Everyday Sounds Montage – Flight of the Conchords

“Petrov, Yelyena and Me” – Flight of the Conchords

Flight of the Conchords: The Broadway Musical

The final ever (?) Flight of the Conchords scene

Sunday Night Video Flashback Pt. 31!!!

Here you go!!!

As always, comments and suggestions are always welcome.

V

Every Little Step – Bobby Brown
“Every Little Step” is a single released by R&B singer Bobby Brown in 1988 on the MCA label. It had a cultural impact comparable to Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean’, only on a smaller scale. The video featured Brown twisting, turning, and spinning, creating a new era for dancers from the local clubs to the school dances. The video also featured Brown’s stair step haircut that became the norm for urban blacks across the country.

Released as the fourth single on his second album Don’t Be Cruel, it reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the Hot Black Singles chart, and #6 on the UK Singles Chart. Brown also raps on the song in the video version. This version is available on The Remix Album Dance!…Ya Know It!.

Let’s Groove – Earth, Wind & Fire
“Let’s Groove” is a 1981 song from the album Raise! by the R&B act Earth, Wind & Fire. The song peaked at #3 in the US and in the UK. It also spent eight weeks at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in late-1981/early-1982 and was the 2nd biggest R&B song of 1982. The single was certified gold by the RIAA. The music video of Let’s Groove was the first video ever to be played on Video Soul on BET. Let’s Groove was Grammy nominated for Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group.

Need You Tonight – INXS
“Need You Tonight” is the fourth song on INXS’s 1987 album Kick as well as the first single from the album. It was also the only single of the band’s to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It also achieved their highest peak at number two on the UK Singles Chart. While it would arguably become the band’s signature song, it was one of the last songs recorded for the album.

The song is also notable for its promotional music video which combined live action and different kinds of animation. Directed by Richard Lowenstein, the video was actually “Need You Tonight / Mediate”, as it combined two songs from the album. For “Mediate”, it segues into a tribute to Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues”. The members flip cue cards with words from the song, followed by a Kirk Pengilly saxophone solo. Beneath the lyric “a special date” in the “Mediate” portion of the video, the cue card shown reads “9-8-1945″. This refers to the date 9 August, 1945 which was the date the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. As the date is in the Australian format, with the day first and month second, American observers sometimes confuse the date for 8 September, 1945.

The video won five MTV Video Music Awards including Video of The Year and was ranked at number twenty-one on MTV’s countdown of the 100 greatest videos of all time.

Express Yourself – N.W.A.
“Express Yourself” is a song recorded by American hip hop group N.W.A. The song, off their 1988 album Straight Outta Compton, samples Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band’s song of the same name. Unlike most songs on the album and by N.W.A, the song is almost devoid of profanity and violent content.

The song’s vocals are primarily handled by Dr. Dre though an extended version features interludes from Ice Cube and MC Ren.

The song’s lyrics center around ideas of free expression and the constraints placed on rappers by radio censorship. They also speak of the fact that other “rappers” are afraid to express themselves for fear of what other people might think and that they try to be like everyone else.

I told you I was Freaky…

Okay so here are the music videos from FOTC tonight.  The second season is almost over, and I’m really disappointed at how it’s ending.  The finale better knock my and a lot of other people’s socks off, or they’re gonna have some issues selling tickets for their upcoming tour.

I’m just sayin’.

“Bret’s Day” – Flight of the Conchords

“I Told You I Was Freaky” – Flight of the Conchords

Sunday Night Video Flashback Pt. 30!!!

Okay…halfway though March.  Let’s see what I can find for you today!

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(Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
“(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” is a song by the rock band Blue Öyster Cult from their 1976 album, Agents of Fortune. It was written and sung by the band’s lead guitarist, Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser, and is built around Dharma’s guitar riff that opens the song and reappears throughout. The edited single version was Blue Öyster Cult’s biggest US hit, reaching #12 on the American charts in November 1976. The song remains a staple tune on classic rock radio playlists. In 1997, Mojo magazine ranked “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” at #80 in the “100 Greatest Singles of All Time”. Rolling Stone magazine voted the song “Best Rock Single” of 1976, in 2004 the magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” ranked it at #397, and in 2009 it was named the 55th best hard rock song of all time by VH1. The reaper is a reference to the Grim Reaper, a traditional personification of death in European-based folklore. Lyrics such as “Romeo and Juliet are together in eternity” have led many listeners to interpret the song to be about a murder-suicide pact, but Dharma says the song is about eternal love, not death.

Too Shy – Kajagoogoo
“Too Shy” is a song written and recorded by English New Wave/pop music band Kajagoogoo in 1983. Released as the first single from their debut album White Feathers, the song was an immediate hit in Germany ,spending 5 weeks at number one; and in the UK two weeks at number one in the UK Singles Chart. “Too Shy” was also very successful in other European countries, peaking in Switzerland at #2, Sweden at #4, Austria at #4, and Netherlands at #5.

Assisted by heavy rotation on MTV, the song later became a success in the United States, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. “Too Shy” is Kajagoogoo’s only significant hit in the U.S., where the band is widely regarded as a one-hit wonder. In the UK, however, Kajagoogoo had some more hits after “Too Shy”, including two Top 10 hit singles: “Ooh to Be Ah” and “Big Apple”, both in 1983, but the latter taken from their follow-up album Islands.

The track was produced by Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran and Colin Thurston, who had produced Duran Duran’s first two albums. In 2006, “Too Shy” was ranked number twenty-seven on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the 80’s.

The 12″ maxi single’s B-side, “Take Another View”, a non-album track, often performed live, was included on the 2004 re-issue of White Feathers, which contained several bonus tracks, including the instrumental version of “Too Shy”, originally featured on the B-sides of both the 7″ and 12″ singles.

The song is also included in the computer game The Sims 2: Open For Business in the Sims’ language, Simlish. An instrumental version of this song is also featured in the hit game “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories”, on the fictional “Wave 103″ station which plays New Wave tracks.

Take On Me – A-Ha
“Take on Me” is a song by Norwegian New Wave band a-ha. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Alan Tarney for the group’s first studio album, Hunting High and Low, released in 1985. The song combines synthpop with a varied instrumentation, which includes acoustic guitars, keyboards and a synthesizer.

“Take on Me” was originally recorded in 1984, and took three times to chart in the United Kingdom, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart in November 1985. In the United States the song reached the top position of the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1985, mainly due to the wide exposure of its memorable music video on MTV; directed by Steve Barron, the video features the band in a pencil-sketch animation/live-action combination called rotoscoping. The video won six awards, and was nominated for two others at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards.

Two videos were made for the song. The first release of “Take On Me” in 1984 includes a different instrumentation, and was featured in the first video, which shows the band singing with a blue background. The second video was directed by Steve Barron, and filmed at Kim’s Café and on a sound stage in London, in 1985. The video used a pencil-sketch animation/live-action combination called rotoscoping, in which the live-action footage is traced over frame by frame to give the characters realistic movements.

Girls Just Want To Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” was the first major single released by singer Cyndi Lauper as a solo artist. It gained renown as a feminist anthem, an award winning video and a worldwide smash hit.

With the inclusion of promotional releases, the single has seen about 40 individual versions of release. The most common is a 7″ vinyl single (with varying cover artwork) released in 1983/1984 (depending on the country) and the second most common is a 12″ vinyl single (also with varying cover artwork) released in 1983/1984.

The song was written by Robert Hazard, who recorded it in 1979. He wrote it from a male point of view. For Lauper’s version, she changed the lyrics slightly to allow it to be performed by a female and Hazard approved the minor changes. Her version appeared on her 1983 debut solo record, She’s So Unusual. It is a synthesizer-backed anthem about the roles of women in society and is considered by many to be a feminist classic of the era. Gillian G. Gaar, author of She’s a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll (2002), described the single and corresponding video as a “strong feminist statement”, an “anthem of female solidarity” and a “playful romp celebrating female camaraderie.”

The release of the single was accompanied by a quirky music video shot in the summer of 1983 and produced by Mother Studio in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It cost less than $35,000, largely due to a volunteer cast and the free loan of the most sophisticated video equipment available at the time. The cast included wrestler “Captain” Lou Albano in the role of Lauper’s father while her real mother, Catrine, played herself. Lauper’s attorney, Elliot Hoffman, appeared as her uptight dancing partner. Also in the cast were Lauper’s manager, David Wolf, her brother, Butch Lauper, and a bevy of secretaries borrowed from Portrait/CBS, Lauper’s record label.

Lorne Michaels (Broadway Video, SNL), another of Hoffman’s clients, agreed to give Lauper free run of his brand new million dollar digital editing equipment, with which she and her producer created several first-time-ever computer generated images of Lauper dancing with her buttoned-up lawyer, leading the entire cast in a snake-dance through New York streets and crashing a giant party.

“They Came, They Saw, They Conchord.”

Here is the one music video from last night’s lackluster Flight of the Conchords.

Maybe they need more hair gel?

“Fashion is Danger” – Flight of the Conchords

Sunday Night Video Flashback Pt. 29!!!

Okay, I’m super tired and I had to bang this out at the last minute.

Remember, suggestions are always welcome!!!

V

White Wedding – Billy Idol
“White Wedding” is a song by Billy Idol that appeared on his album Billy Idol (1982). According to “the Big 80’s:Episode I” of VH1’s Pop-up Video trivia show, Idol claims it was written to show his displeasure with his sister’s fiancé. It is often considered his most successful song, although other Idol songs charted higher. It reached #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 on its original release, and reached #6 in the UK upon its release there in 1985.

The music video, featuring Idol attending a gothic wedding, is one of his best-known videos. The bride in the music video is played by Perri Lister, Idol’s real-life girlfriend at the time. In a memorable scene from the video, Idol forces the wedding ring onto the bride’s finger and cuts her knuckle. Lister insisted that her knuckle actually be cut in order for the scene to appear more realistic. MTV removed this scene from the video. The video was filmed in a real church outside of London. The MTV-edited version of the video is included on the DVD portion of The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself CD/DVD package.

Lovesong – The Cure
“Lovesong” (sometimes listed as “Love Song”) is a song by the English alternative rock band The Cure, released as the third single from their eighth studio album Disintegration in 1989. The song saw considerable success in the United States, where it was their only top ten pop hit; in the United Kingdom, however, the single only charted in the top twenty.

The title of this song is widely disputed, as it varies between “Lovesong” and “Love Song” on many official Cure releases. The artwork for the album Disintegration uses both, “Love Song” on the tracklisting and “Lovesong” on the lyrics sheet. When released as a single in 1989 the artwork displayed the title as “Lovesong”, and subsequent releases of Paris and Galore both also use “Lovesong” exclusively, whilst 2001’s Greatest Hits compilation uses “Lovesong” on the tracklisting and “Love Song” within the liner notes. 2004’s Join the Dots also uses “Lovesong” within the booklet presentation.

Upon release as a single, the song received worldwide success, and first peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it the group’s most successful single in the US to date. The song also charted at #2 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, #27 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and #18 on the UK Singles Chart. Robert Smith originally wrote the song for his long-time girlfriend and then fiancée, Mary, as a wedding present.

Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor) – Robert Palmer
“Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)” is a 1978 song recorded by Robert Palmer and written by Moon Martin. The song appeared on Palmer’s 1979 album Secrets and was a hit, reaching # 14 on the top 40 charts in 1979. It was remixed with heavier guitars and drums for the greatest hits collection “Addictions, Volume 1″.

The song was featured in the season 2 Scrubs episode My First Step, when Julie Keaton (Heather Locklear) was first introduced to the show.

The song was also was also featured in the Indonesian sitcom, “My Many Wives”.

The song was also used in an advertising campaign for reruns of the medical drama House M.D. on the station USA.

The song was also used in the 2002 South Korean film Chingu.

The song was also used in 2005 movie “Just Like Haven”.

Jason Greeley sang the song on Top Five night of season two of Canadian Idol.

I Think We’re Alone Now – Tiffany
“I Think We’re Alone Now” is a song written by Ritchie Cordell. It was initially a 1967 hit for American recording artists Tommy James & the Shondells, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 during a 17-week stay. The recording was produced by Cordell and Bo Gentry.

Rock critic Lester Bangs called the single “the bubblegum apotheosis”. Cordell wrote or co-wrote many songs for James, including “Run, Run, Baby, Run” (the B-side to “I Think We’re Alone Now”), the follow-up single “Mirage,” and 1968’s “Mony Mony.”

“I Think We’re Alone Now” has since been covered on numerous occasions. In 1987, a version by Tiffany reached #1 in the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand. Several other cover versions have charted as well, including those by The Rubinoos (#45 US, 1977) and Girls Aloud (#4 UK, 2006).

Twenty years later, the song was re-popularized when American singer Tiffany covered the song for her first album Tiffany (1987). The song spent two weeks at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 (and was unusually followed on the top spot by another Tommy James & the Shondells cover, “Mony Mony” by Billy Idol) and three weeks at number-one on the UK Singles Chart. The Tiffany version went quadruple platinum in the US in a thirteen week chart run. The video was shot in a shopping mall which echoed the way her early career had been promoted.

When George Tobin, Tiffany’s manager, gave Tiffany the cassette of the original version by Tommy James & the Shondells, Tiffany hated the idea of recording a version of her own for her album mostly because she thought the song wasn’t modern or hip enough. It turned out to be her biggest hit once she recorded it.

“I Think We’re Alone Now” was not the first single off Tiffany’s debut album. The first single was “Danny”, but radio started picking up “I Think We’re Alone Now”, another track on the album. It became a runaway number-one hit and was the eighteenth highest selling single for 1987 and the thirty-second highest selling single in Australia for 1988.

This version is referenced in the alternative group Weezer’s song “Heart Songs” on the band’s 2008 Red Album but in the song it is mentioned that it was sung by Debbie Gibson, another teen idol who was around at the same time as Tiffany. When Rivers Cuomo wrote the song, he had noticed the oversight on his part and that he knew that the song was recorded by Tiffany but he left the part in the song where he mentions Debbie Gibson singing the song.

Anybody Up for some Korean Karaoke?

As always, here are the music videos from last night’s Flight of the Conchords!

The guest appearance by Art Garfunkel was a pleasant surprise as well!!!

Simon & Garfunkel Gig – Flight of the Conchords

“Demon Woman” – Flight of the Conchords

Korean Karaoke – Flight of the Conchords

Sunday Night Video Flashback Pt. 28!!!

Crap, I almost forgot to post it this week…NOT!!!

Enjoy!

Step By Step – New Kids On The Block
“Step by Step” was the biggest selling single from New Kids on the Block. Written by Maurice Starr, it was a huge worldwide hit selling over 6.5 million copies worldwide making it one of the biggest selling singles of 1990. It was the first single from the album of the same name, it was released in June 1990. The song spent three weeks at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was eventually certified platinum, it also spent two weeks at #1 in the Canadian Singles Chart, in total “Step by Step” spent five weeks at #1 in the North American charts. It also peaked at #2 on the UK Singles Chart and was also top 10 hits in the Australian, French, German, Irish and Norweigan charts. “Step by Step” was initially not meant to be recorded by the New Kids on the Block but was meant for one of Maurice Starr’s other groups, but once the New Kids heard the song they insisted on making it a record for themselves, which it thus did and became their biggest selling single. It is also one of their signature songs.

The song is widely regarded to be one of the greatest pop group songs of all time

I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight – Cutting Crew
“(I Just) Died in Your Arms” is a power ballad written by Nick Van Eede and performed by his band, Cutting Crew. It was their biggest hit, peaking at #1 in the United States, Canada and Norway, and reaching the Top Five in the UK, South Africa, Sweden and Switzerland.

The words “I just died in your arms tonight” originally came to Van Eede while he was having sex with his girlfriend, “death” being an often-used metaphor for orgasm. Writing down the phrase, Van Eede later used it as the hook to “(I Just) Died In Your Arms.”

First released in Britain, the song peaked at #4 on the UK charts in August 1986. Upon its release in the United States, the previously unknown band’s debut single shot to number one on May 2, 1987, and stayed there for two weeks. It also reached #4 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, #24 on Billboard’s Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and (in a remix version) #37 on the Hot Dance/Club Play chart. The song spent three weeks at #1 in Canada.

Jack and Diane – John Cougar Mellencamp
“Jack and Diane” is a 1982 hit song written and performed by American singer-songwriter, John Mellencamp, then performing as “John Cougar”. It appears on Mellencamp’s album American Fool. It was chosen by RIAA as one of the Songs of the Century. The single spent four weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 at number one in 1982, and, to date, is the biggest hit single ever for Mellencamp, especially with its accompanying music video.

According to Mellencamp, “‘Jack and Diane’ was written after watching Splendor in the Grass, [a 1961 movie starring Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty]. ‘Jack and Diane’ was a terrible record to make. When I play it on guitar by myself, it sounds great; but I could never get the band to play along with me. That’s why the arrangement’s so weird. Stopping and starting, it’s not very musical.” Mellencamp has also stated that the clapping wasn’t supposed to be included in the finished song. It was recorded with the clapping in order to help keep tempo and then it was to be removed. However, he realized the song didn’t work without it.

The song’s tone and lyrics are evocative of a nostalgia for the novelty of youth, influenced in part by Mellencamp’s own life experiences.

18 and Life – Skid Row
“18 and Life” is the second single from Skid Row’s 1989 eponymous debut album. The band’s first power ballad single, it was written by bandmates Rachel Bolan and Dave “the Snake” Sabo.

The song was to be the band’s biggest hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, but only reaching #11 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, which was previously their biggest market. It was named the 60th best hard rock song of all time by VH1. It was certified Gold on September 13, 1989, when it sold 500,000 copies.

The song was written by Dave Sabo after he read a newspaper article about an 18 year old named Ricky who was sentenced to life imprisonment for shooting and killing somebody with a gun he thought was unloaded.

This song also appears on Skid Row’s greatest hits compilation, 40 Seasons: The Best of Skid Row. Lead singer of Skid Row, Sebastian Bach, released a live version of this on his solo album Bring ‘Em Bach Alive!. It is also a playable song on the video game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s.