Jam of the Week

I'd heard Radioactive by Imagine Dragons before, but it really became imbedded in my head during the NBA playoffs when the below LeBron James/Beats commercial ran approximately every ten seconds.

It's a testament to how much I like the song that I never got tired of it. I'm going to link to the video against my better judgment because I like the song that much. The video is, um, interesting. If you ever wondered what happened to Lou Diamond Phillips, now you know. o_0

As for the song, I love the slow build to the chorus and its thumping beat. The "Whoa, oh, oh" part gets me every time! lol. Enjoy!

Jam of the Week

I'm a horrible blogger. You know it. I know it. I haven't been inspired to write anything lately, so I haven't. *hangs head in shame* BUT...I have been listening to this song a lot lately because it's on my current work-in-progress' playlist. I'm pretty sure my heroine stops whatever she's doing and nods whenever she hears it. She's in this position and can't find it within herself to care. I love it (the song and my heroine's predicament). Enjoy!

Jam of the Week: My Birthday Edition

Today is my birthday. Woot, woot! Anyway, last night as a birthday present to myself I saw Kelly Clarkson in concert. She was amazing! Say what you want about her, but the girl can sing her butt off.

But it almost didn't happen.

When the tickets went on sale, I had no clue. I'm usually pretty good about keeping track of that stuff. All I know is a few days after they went on sale, a DJ mentioned it on the radio. I was like, "Say what, now?"

I immediately hightailed it to my computer and went to ticketmaster.com, but of course all the good seats were long gone. Here's something you should know about me. I'm hella spoiled when it comes to concert seating. I don't do nosebleeds. I like to be as close as possible.

I decided to wait to buy tickets. I've played this game more than once. It's not uncommon for (good) seats to be released the closer the concert date approaches. So I checked Ticketmaster every few days. Nothing.

Yesterday morning, I woke up early just to check Ticketmaster. Nothing but nosebleeds. At some point during the day, a lone seat close to the floor popped up, but someone was faster than me and snatched it up. Boo!

For the rest of the day, I went back and forth about just getting a nosebleed seat, but I couldn't pull the trigger. Spoiled, remember?

But I really wanted to see Kelly. But I didn't want to watch a speck on stage. Oh, the quandary.

So yeah, at 3:30, the concert was taken off Ticketmaster's page. No!! I called Ticketmaster and got a recording that tickets could now only be be bought at the venue. I hunted down the venue's box office number on their website. I called and asked if they had any tickets. Nope. Sold out. This was around 4:00.

I decided to wait until 5:00 to try again. I called and got a recording. The box office opens 2 hours before the show. The concert started at 7:30. Fine. I finished up some actual  job-related work, programmed the box office number in my phone, gathered all my stuff and headed to my car. By the time I got to my car, it was about 5:25.

I called. Got the recording. Waited 5 minutes. Called. Someone answered! Do you have 1 ticket? "We have one ticket available, but we don't sell tickets over the phone."

I told her it wouldn't be a problem. I'd be there shortly. It just so happens that I work close to the venue, my one saving grace. I gunned it, arrived, ran up to the box office and asked if they had a ticket. They still had it. I bought it and the rest is history.

Yeah, kinda ridiculous. But worth it.

I haven't done a Jam of the Week in a while (ya know because I haven't been blogging, but whatever). Still I couldn't let my birthday pass without putting one up.

So yeah, this song was written and recorded before I was born, but we can't let facts stand in the way of a good story, can we? They're obviously singing about me, right? :)

So I present to you... Jamie by the Jackson 5.

Jam of the Week

The Jam of the Week is not the one playing on Pandora as I type. I heard it and thought, hey, that could be the JotW, but I decided to choose another song by this group (although I do love the song playing on Pandora). The song playing is No Scrubs by TLC.

But the Jam of the Week is Creep by TLC.

I love TLC. I have all their albums and listened to them nonstop, especially CrazySexyCool, whose lead single was Creep. I'm pretty sure I got the CD for Christmas and spent the entire winter break listening to it and memorizing ALL the lyrics to ALL of the songs. Good times.

Creep was the song that turned TLC into full-fledged pop stars, which was cool for them, but not really what I was concerned with. I just remember loving the CD. It still jams today.

I wish I had more to say, but when I really love something, it's hard for me to articulate why. The love is just a part of me that I can't dissect. And that's how I feel about Creep, CrazySexyCool, and TLC.

So enjoy.

Jam of the Week

Since I blogged this week (even if they were teeny tiny posts), I'm giving myself permission to do a Jam of the Week. I've had this song lined up for a few months weeks now. I like it because it's supersweet. And I'm a big sucker for sweet. The sentiment behind the song can't be beat.

However...

The lyrics themselves, especially in the first verse, crack me up. Maybe it's because I fancy myself to be a writer that I don't find the lyrics to be, umm, very sophisticated. I don't think the writer can expect to win any songwriting contests with:

If you be the cash I'll be the rubberband You be the match Imma be your fuse Boom! Painter baby you Could be the muse I'm the reporter baby You could be the news Cause your the cigarette And I'm the smoker We raise a bet... Cause you're tha joker Truth tho... You are the chalk And I could be the blackboard And you can be the talk And I could be the walk

See what I mean? Or am I being too harsh?

I do love the song though. That's why Miguel's Sure Thing is the Jam of the Week.

Jam of the Week: In Memoriam Again

This is the third Jam of the Week in a row that I've picked a song by an artist that either recently died or the anniversary of their just occurred. And how appropriate is that Aaliyah's "At Your Best You Are Love" just started playing on Pandora as I typed this. Fifteen years ago this week, Tupac died. I think I've mentioned that I'm not the biggest hip hop aficionado out there, but I do like it. I grew up listening to it on the radio and watching the videos on BET, so it does hold a special place in my heart. Tupac holds a special place in my heart.

I love that he rapped about his life and how he hoped that things would and could get better. There are so many songs I could have chosen, songs that I still love, but the song I chose is extra special to me. I'm pretty sure it was his first single. It definitely came out while I was still in elementary school. I remember being struck by the lyrics and the story he told even though I was so young. I memorized all the words. I'm pretty sure I still remember most of them.

Although the song is at least twenty years old, the story still resonates. He was right then and he's right now.

This week's Jam of the Week is Brenda's Got a Baby.

RIP, Tupac.

Jam of the Week: In Memory

I'm such a bad blogger. Getting into a routine is hard for me. I want to do better. I would promise to do better, but how can I make such a promise based on my history? Sigh. :( Anyway, this post was supposed to happen two weeks ago. *hanging head*

Nick Ashford was one half of Ashford & Simpson. He and his wife, Valerie Simpson, co-wrote some of the world's most iconic R&B songs, including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand," "You're All I Need to Get By" and "I'm Every Woman."

Wow. And that's not even an exhaustive list. I think on some level I was aware that they'd written these songs, but I wasn't totally aware until he died a few weeks ago and I read some obituaries.

What I did know is that as Ashford & Simpson, Nick and Valerie sang "Solid Like a Rock," a song I absolutely adored as a small child. I remember watching the video on BET and thinking Valerie was so cool because she wore socks with heels. (It was the 80s, what can I say).

So, in honor of Nick Ashford, this week's Jam of The Week is Solid as a Rock.

Jam of the Week 1: Remembering Aaliyah

Last week, I was reminded that Aaliyah died in August 10 years ago, so I decided that this week's Jam of the Week would be one of her songs. Then Nick Ashford died. So this week will have two. Mr. Ashford will have his day tomorrow. Back in the 90s, I was a teenager. There were four singers that were hot then and I loved them all. Brandy, Monica, Aaliyah, and Mya. They were all around my age and singing songs that I could relate to, but special in their own right.

My junior year I got Aaliyah's One in a Million CD. I wore that bad boy out. Played it over and over. My high school made an annual trip to Big Bend National Park. I'm pretty sure I listened to that CD the ENTIRE way. Hours upon hours in that van. I still laugh about how I tortured one of my friends by randomly singing one of the songs at any given time to him on that trip. Good times.

I can't believe it's been 10 years. I remember hearing the news on the radio and praying it wasn't true, that the DJ was making a sick joke. But it was and he wasn't.

I admit I wonder about the what ifs of her career and life. My heart twinges in sadness every time I hear one of her songs. But I am happy that I still have memories and her CDs to listen to whenever the mood strikes.

RIP, Aaliyah.

This is my Jam of the Week. If Your Girl Only Knew, my favorite song from One in a Million.

Jam of the Week

I think I've mentioned, once or twice, that I'm a huge Maroon 5 fan. I loved their first single, Harder to Breathe, because it was loud and angry.  Adam Levine, the leader singer, was pissed and I felt that. I haven't looked back in my fandom. Anywho, they have a new single called Moves Like Jagger. It's funny because the last time I saw them in concert I remember thinking that Adam reminded me of Mick Jagger the way he strutted around the stage. I'm assuming someone mentioned that to him. Or maybe Adam and I have a telepathic connection that defies all logic. Yeah, that's it. :)

And Christina's my girl, so I'm happy she adds her flavor to the song.

Enjoy!

Jam Of The Week

Hot Chelle Rae's Tonight Tonight

This song is my jam. When I hear it on the radio, I turn it up and start dancing even when I'm in my car. The song isn't serious or meaningful. It's all about having a good time. And sometimes that's all that I need in a song. I've never heard another song from this band, so I have no idea how talented they are or if they'll ever have another hit.

But like the song says, "La la la, whatever, la la la, it doesn’t matter, la la la, oh well, la la la."

I love, love the bridge when they break it down and my booty starts shaking even more.

Fave line - "Even the white kids!"

Enjoy!

Jam Of The Week

Sade's By Your Side

Sunday I had the privilege of attending a Sade concert. A friend invited me and I jumped at the opportunity.

I'm not going to front like I'm a huge Sade fan and have all her CDs. I know who she is and have a few of her songs on the old iPod, but that's about it. I went because I love concerts, and I was curious to see what Sade, who's been around a long time doing her thing of mellow R&B, would do. I also relished the chance to become more exposed to her music. She doesn't do the loud banging hip hop music (which I like by the way - sometimes) so she doesn't get played on the radio much or at least not the stations playing the latest hits.

With that said, I immensely enjoyed the concert. I knew it wasn't going to be a raucous affair, and it wasn't. Instead, she sang her butt off and the band played their butts off.

In addition to becoming more exposed to her music, I wanted to find a few songs to download to add to my Sade collection. I am the nerdiest, so I took notes during the show, of course. Then, I had to choose which one would be the Jam of the Week. After a ton of back and forth, I went with By Your Side. It's a gorgeous song with a very sweet, uplifting message. When I need to chill, I could totally put this on repeat.

But really you can't go wrong with any of her songs. Hope you enjoy.

Jam of the Week...Drums, Please

I had such an easy time picking out this week's Jam of the Week. I love when that happens. If all goes according to plan, today will be the 21st STRAIGHT day of 100 degree weather. In other words, it's a typical summer in Dallas/Fort Worth, which makes this week's Jam of the Week totally appropriate.

Summertime by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

I love this song. The memories it conjures up of being a kid, just having fun hanging out, playing outside or running when you heard the ice cream truck coming down the street and NOT having to go to school are priceless. Those were the days.

The song has a cool groove that you can't help but bob your head to. It's probably the last "cool" song the Fresh Prince released. The Fresh Prince never was a "hard" rapper, and he became supremely uncool as the hard or "gangsta," a term I've always hated) rappers became the norm in the 90s.

But still, even those who call him corny love this song because they can relate to everything in the song regardless of how or where they grew up.

It's a classic.