Favorite Mellencamp Songs – Sunday, February 10, 2008

I have pretty much always loved Mellencamp. Maybe it comes from the fact that my mom used to crank American Fool when I was young. Maybe it was the fact that I could identify with the lyrics, the sentiment and emotion. He has always been very vocal about farmers and standing up for them. Having grown up in a farming community- not necessarily on a farm, but in the mix. I had worked on farms in my youth for summer jobs. Pretty much all of my friends lived on farms, and that’s the lifestyle and environment for most kids in my area.

For some reason, something strong has always resonated inside me particularly with his Scarecrow album. “Rain on the scarecrow, blood on the plow…”

He just has this power to convey this emotion about what I felt. Kids I grew up with worked morning til night on the farm. Their families put everything into it- and are devastated on those hard years. But they keep doing it- year after year, generation after generation. That’s what Mellencamp sings about, and for about the last 25 years I have felt drawn to his music. While I don’t always echo his ideas and political positions, I still love most of his music. Here are the best of the best.

1. Small Town: (Scarecrow) “I was born in a small town. My parents live in that same small town… That’s probably where they’ll bury me.”

2. Rain on the Scarecrow:  (Scarecrow)“…this land fed a nation, this land made me so proud… Son, I’m sorry that there’s just memories for you now.”

3. Jack & Diane (American Fool)

4. R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (Scarecrow)

5. Authority Song: (Uh-Huh) This song is a SERIOUS anthem. Wow.

6. Pink Houses: I think this song pretty much typifies the whole “Uh-Huh” album.

7. Lonely ‘Ol Night (Scarecrow)
   

8. Your Life is Now

9. Jerry (Mr. Happy Go Lucky)

10. Hand to Hold Onto (American Fool)

11. Hurts so Good (American Fool)
    

12. Crumblin’ Down (Uh-Huh)
    

13. I Saw You First (Mr. Happy Go Lucky)

My Favorite Albums (not necessarily in order) – Monday Jan 21, 2008

1. The Soul Cages (Sting)

This album was like a revolution for me. I hadn’t ever listened to the Police or really liked much of Sting’s solo stuff growing up. In or around 1994 I had gotten a copy of Ten Summoner’s Tales. It was popular, on the radio, and I really liked it. Then I got this album and it changed my world. This really really opened my eyes to the unbelievable style of Sting. I really enjoy the theme that runs throughout the entire album. The storytelling is just amazing. So many great songs. The Wild Wild Sea. St Agnes and the Burning Train. Mad about You. And my all-time favorite song “Why Should I Cry For You?” Numberless days when I have felt frustration and anxiety beyond description when I have come home, put this track on repeat, and cranked it up. After about the second time, it pretty much heals anything. Wow. And the story within- a profound love song from a boy to his father– is unmatched. WOW.

1. Rush of Blood to the Head (Coldplay)

This is an album I was given some time ago. It sat in a drawer somewhere for months on end before the first play. One of the few times in my life when I was SERIOUSLY hooked by about track #3. I haven’t ever (even until today) been able to get enough of this record. It is so good, that it just keeps you wanting more. Wizardry.

1. Memory Man (Aqualung)

Saw Aqualung open for Keane (wasn’t it?) Allie had already been listening to Strange & Beautiful for some time, but I wasn’t convinced. After his life performance, I was fueled with enthusiasm for this one. Then the new album dropped like a nuke, laying waste of everything else. Monumentous. It doesn’t take very long to be a fan of this one- that’s why it was my pick for album of the year 2007.

1. Journey’s Greatest Hits

This is a compilation album, so it’s in a different classification. Steve Perry is a powerhouse. Can anyone really sing like that? Nobody can dispute the admirable voice on this guy. And this album is more than a greatest hits of the band- it’s like a greatest hits of all bands. They just happen to sing all of the songs. Kinda strange that when you first listen, it’s like “this song is pretty good. Wow, this one too. And this one. And that one. And the last 4.” Legendary.

1. Back to Front (Lionel Richie)

This one is kind of the same thing as the Journey compilation. But just not AS powerful. But same thing- one great track after another.

1. Thriller (Michael Jackson)

This album is pretty much a landmark. Landmark for music in general. It pretty much rocked the face of pop music forever. Kind of set the bar for all things entertaining. Solid vocals, legendary images. Who can forget Billie Jean and the moonwalk? Great album through and through. Even the cameos from Paul McCartney and Vincent Price are genius. Too bad  that Bad was more like REALLY BAD or maybe should have just been called NOT SO GOOD. Downhill from there for this guy. How unfortunate.

1. Listen Without Prejudice, Vol.  I. (George Michael)

George Michael turned a real corner with this one. Turned himself from the pop star he was into a serious vocalist. Seems like he really matured and moved on to big things about here. They Won’t Go When I Go, Freedom, Cowboys & Angels- what a very strong performance on this album. If you haven’t listened to it before, do yourself a favor.

1. The Rising (Bruce Springsteen)

This album was written post-9/11 and carries a theme throughout. It really blew me away how well it was written. Lots of visual imagery and feeling in this one. Every time I listen to this album, it seriously gets me emotional. Truly a great recording.

1. Speak for Yourself (Imogen Heap)

Found Imogen via Frou Frou on the Garden State Soundtrack a few years ago. That was such a great soundtrack, it was in heavy rotation. Then I was reading about the band a little and found Imogen’s solo stuff. Love it every bit as much as the band. She is a real risk-taker and a real star. She is very unique in her style, and I absolutely adore it. She is so progressive that I am surprised that she isn’t more popular. But that’s ok with me.

Favorite U2 Songs – Monday, January 21, 2008

1. Bad

2. Pride

3. Where the Streets Have No Name

4. Bullet in the Blue Sky

5. The Wanderer

Pet Peeves – Saturday, January 19, 2008

I first started thinking about this a few weeks ago, but still haven’t gotten it completely out of my head. I was in Salt Lake for work and passed a hair salon that was actually called HAIR DO’S. What the hell?
Did they seriously name their business based on a really bad grammatical mistake? Wow. Great work, genius.
Just don’t get what people are thinking (or not thinking, as the case may be.)
Did they not give this any thought before they ordered their sign? I would expect to sit and stew over what they want to call their business for a long while before it actually gets there. But in this case, it seems like they gave no thought beforehand and just placed the order for their signage anyway. Really?
It is astonishing how often you see apostrophes in places they really shouldn’t be.
They are for possession or contractions. End of story. So if there is no possession being represented- or if you haven’t contracted any words- DONT USE THE PUNCTUATION. Is anyone else bothered by this?
This is what Perdue university has to say about the use of that little mark.
Here is Wikipedia wisdom.

A Look Back at our Christmas – Thursday, December 27, 2007

While we, like everyone else, vow to do things a little bit smarter each year- it still ends up being exhausting. But as the boys get older, it seems to be much more exciting than the previous. This was really the first time that Beckett got excited about things, and Fischer’s got a while to go. We had a great holiday- complete with fresh snow! Looks like there really may be a snowman in the forecast for us after all. That will be an upcoming entry for sure. I will also try to edit some of these small videos we shot and post them soon.
With new year’s approaching, maybe everything will slow down for the rest of the week and let us recover.

For Christmas this year, we decided to work on the basement area for the boys. We got them a fun table and chairs, an easel with a chalkboard and paper to draw on, and did some fun poster prints of them. Photos are above.