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.

Jam of the Week

Marsha Ambrosius' Late Nights, Early Mornings

For the past couple of months, I've been listening to Marsha Ambrosius' CD Late Nights, Early Mornings nonstop, so I thought it more than appropriate to feature one of the songs on the CD as the Jam of the Week. The only problem is there's more than one worthy candidate.

I finally settled on Late Nights, Early Mornings because it is very appropriate to my budding career as a romance writer. The song is very sexy as are my books. These are the feelings I try to convey when I write. The song definitely sets the mood. ♥ :) ♥

The video also has a much appreciated safe sex message. My characters always practice safe sex and I don't appreciate it when it's not addressed in some manner in other contemporary novels.

And yeah, most importantly, I just love the song. I hope you do, too!

P. S. Oh, oh, oh! How could I forget the most important part of the video?!! The hot guy! His name is George Something or Other. He's a football player. A HOT football player. I've almost cast him as my hero a few times, but he hasn't been quite right. I'm thinking it's time that he is right. I mean, how could he ever be wrong?

Jam of the Week

Bruno Mars' The Lazy Song

I like this song because it's funny and clever. But more importantly, because I think I was his muse.

Yeah, this could be the Jam of the Week every week. Sigh. I fight my inherent laziness every day of my life. I am the Queen of Procrastination. I know what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. And that's my problem. I end up telling myself I have time to do it. Most of the time, it's not that I don't want to do it (unless it's cleaning), but sitting on my couch surfing the Internet or watching TV is so much easier and requires little to no effort.

Don't get me wrong. I do get things done (I'm a perfectionist nerd after all), but not in as timely fashion as I would like. Or I end up running out of time before I can make sure everything meets my overly demanding standards. Which bugs me to no end.

Maybe one day, I'll conquer this flaw. But not today. There are websites that will perish if I don't visit them RIGHT NOW.

Jam of the Week: In Memoriam

Earlier this week, I  heard Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal on Pandora. Because I was at work, I couldn't turn the volume up to 100 and sing along out loud, but I wanted to. It has long been my favorite MJ song, and I knew immediately that it would be Jam of the Week. What I didn't realize until this morning while listening to the radio is that tomorrow, June 25, is the anniversary (is that the right word) of Michael's death, so it made my selection even more appropriate.

I've loved Smooth Criminal since I was a kid. When I was in elementary school, someone made the bright decision that the gym floors needed to be redone (varnished? Is that the right word?). Looking back, I'm confused about why they didn't do this over summer break, but whatever. They redid the floors, which meant we couldn't go in there. But we still needed to have P.E., so they made us go into the school auditorium, where the gym teacher made us watch Moonwalker over and over again. Why that movie? No idea. I do know it freaked me out. It's so weird.

Except the Smooth Criminal part. That I loved and still do. It just makes me happy to hear it. It's my jam.

Here's the superlong movie version of the video. I like this version better than the shorter radio edit video because you  can actually see what's going on.

R.I.P., Michael.