Pop Song of the Week: "Gone Daddy Gone"

It's a good thing that my friend C____ never read this blog because she would have hated this video. And as much as I like the song itself, I can't help wishing for C____'s sake that the video wasn't such a FU to epileptics.

On the plus side, I can't help agreeing with the YouTube commenter who lamented the acute shortage of xylophone solos in modern music.

Pop Song of the Week: "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"

I was going to post the Helen Ward version of this song since that is the version I most listen to and that's obviously my favorite. But then when I was doing research on the Internet, I discovered this live cover version -- made by the one singer I would have never associated with this song. And she sings it Latin style as well -- which makes her a honorary Latina.

Sadly, the singer in question is no longer with us but then neither are a lot of people I think about nowadays. Then again it's always depressing to reflect upon the number of young celebrities that I managed to outlive.

Movie Song of the Week: "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"

Yes, I posted the Ted Weems version of this song in an earlier post. Now I post the original version that was used in the 1934 movie Moulin Rouge. (Yes, Baz Luhrmann fans, that title does sound familiar.)

Why am I posting this, you ask? Well, the Helen Ward version has been in my head for the past couple of days so I thought I'd post this version as well. And it didn't hurt that this version had the most unique variation on the traditional Mexican hat dance that I've ever seen.

Contrary to what you might think, the musical numbers were not choreographed by Busby Berkeley but by an imitator named Russell Markert. And the vocalist is supposed to be Constance Bennett, an actress who did one other musical apart from this one.

Pop Song of the Week: "The Passenger"

Someone hinted on another site that I was a necromancer because of my tendency to "resurrect" old discussion threads and between that and my rather obvious affection for site like For the Gothic Heroine, I obviously have more than a few Gothic tendencies. Or at least as many as one would expect from someone of my age and ethnic background. So why not play this song by Siouxsie and the Banshees? it's not exactly a Christmas song but in my mind, it could be.

Besides, could you think of any song lyrics that capture the spirit of Christmas shopping in the age of Trump better than "la la la la la-la-la la! La la la la la-la-la la! La la la la la-la-la la la-la!"?

Movie Song of the Week: "Welcome to Burlesque"

I never thought to associate this song with ice skating until a few weeks ago when I heard it used as background music for one of the recent ice skating competitions that my mother was watching on TV. Indeed, I'm a bit embarrassed that I didn't recognize the tune immediately though it has been a long while since I've seen the 2010 movie Burlesque from which it comes. Oh, well. Even mediocre Cher is more memorable than most singers who aren't Cher and I think it's a bit of a kick to see her go all toast of Mayfair on the audience in this number. I hope you all enjoy it.

Christmas Song of the Week: "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch"

Violinist Lindsey Stirling and singer Sabrina Carpenter fiddle around with a classic Christmas song.

Pop Song of the Week: "Womanizer"

Fifty shades of Britney, give or take forty-seven.

Pop Song of the Week: "The Girls on Fox News"

Believe it or not, this song is not a satire. At least that's what songwriter Austin Cunningham said.

However, it is surprisingly catchy.

Movie Song of the Week: "Red Blues"

Yay, decadence!

Pop Song of the Week: "Too Young to Fall in Love"

No, this is not an excerpt from a recent Matt Damon film but I would not be surprised to learn that the makers of said film were inspired by this video.

For that matter, I was surprised to see Liv Tyler making an appearance in this video, but given the fact that it was made in the mid-1980s, it was more likely that her character was being played by someone who just looked like her.

Pop Song of the Week: "Heaven Knows"

And now a more grown-up version of Taylor Momsen. Three years ago, she recorded this song with her group The Pretty Reckless. It has been compared to the work of Queen and Joan Jett but it actually reminds me of some of Pink's tunes. This being the 2010s, it also includes the obligatory homage to Miley Cyrus as well but you don't have to look at that if you don't want to.

Pop Song of the Week: "Life Sucks...Then You Die"

This tune is one of the few songs from the 1980s that you rarely hear on the radio nowadays. I wonder why.

Pop Song of the Week: "Sick and Beautiful"

And I thought Blue Öyster Cult had an odd Godzilla reference in their song.

Pop Song of the Week: "Boobs"

Eat your heart out, Seth MacFarlane.

Pop Song of the Week: "Spill the Wine"

Eric Burdon's summer fantasy.

Pop Song of the Week: "Stacy's Mom"

I would like to think that all straight men have fantasies about older women in their younger years but this is ridiculous.

Movie Song of the Week: "Sweet Transvestite"

Rick Santorum's worst nightmare.

Pop Song of the Week: "Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury"

Eat your heart out, Britney.



P.S. A tip of the sombrero to the Flick Filosopher for introducing me to this tune.

Movie Song of the Week: "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"

Heh. Marilyn who? You say Nicole Kidman did a number like this as well? You don't say...

But seriously, folks.

This week I post an brief excerpt from my favorite musical guilty pleasure of the last two years: the 2010 musical Burlesque -- a film ironically recommended to me by a female acquaintance. If nothing else, it's nice to see Christina Aguilera and Kristen Bell cast against type. And the other women in the number aren't exactly tough to look at either.

I hope you all enjoy it.