idolfornia dreamin'

I had every intention of watching American Idol on Wednesday night.  Seriously.  The Deucecast, which usually records on Wednesday nights, and my involvement in the excursion into podcasting excellence typically prevents me from watching the show on Wednesday when it airs... we try to get it viewed via DVR on Thursday evening, but sometimes it is Friday.  And even Sunday. 

This past Wednesday was free and clear, though.  The show's cohost, Mikey, had a sick offspring and felt the need to stay at home (pansy), which pushed the show to a rare Thursday night recording date... so after church activities, the plan was to get home and watch Idol with The Lovely Steph Leann.

However, Campbell needed formula.  Oh, and The Lovely Steph Leann needed floss.  And Degree Powder Fresh Deodorant.  And even though I had eaten at church, she had not.  Which meant a trip to Wal-Mart, which is always out of the deodorant she needed.  So that meant a trip to Publix.  Oh, and I'm also trying to find some of those Hyland's Colic Tablets, which Publix is out of, but I remember Wal-Greens having Hyland's Teething Tablets, which is similar. And that meant a trip to Wal-Greens.  And somewhere in there was a stop at Panera Bread for The Lovely Steph Leann's requested Fuji Apple Salad, no tomatoes, no onions.

By the time I got home, it was almost 930.  By the time I got changed and settled, it was almost 10.  And then we started watching Idol... we got through one single performance before I just spoke up and said, "I can't do it.  I'm dying."  This was after I had drifted a few times through Seacrusty's babble. 

But now, its Friday afternoon, and somehow, some way I have made it through a few days without finding out what happened on the show! 

So now...

THIS IS

AMERICAN

IDOL

We are shown a quick clip of last week's results show, in which Little Skylar Laine said goodbye... and this leaves the front runner guy, Phillip2... the main frontrunner, Jessica Sanchez... the dark horse (no pun intended.. or maybe...), Joshua Ledet... and the one who it can be argued is there about 3 weeks too long, Hollie Cavanagh.

Tonight is two themes... first, "California Dreamin'", which are songs about California, or songs written about California.  Or songs that have California in the title.  Or songs that feature John Phillips or any other members of the Mamas and the Papas, the artist of "California Dreamin'".  Or a song written by anyone who had been sexually abused by their father, like Kristy McNichol had written about, at the hands of John Phillips.  Or any song written by anyone who has ever heard of California.  And so on.

Secondly, its "Songs They Wished They Had Written", which means any song you want, or at least any song licensed by Idol... as in, "I like that song.  Um... I wish I had written it.  Yeah, thats' it.  So I'm singing that one!" 

Annie Barrett from EW commented that next week's theme will be "Songs". 

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' ROUND

First up, its Phillip2... he's doing Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?", a great old 60s rock tune.  Sans guitar, P2 takes his growly voice to the mic, and sounds pretty good.

Creepy Uncle Steven Tyler said, "You are living proof that the road to success is always under construction!"  Wait... what?  J-Lo loved it, and Randy the Dawg said it started a bit rough, but found its way a little longer into it... and then he loved it. 

For Hollie Cav's first song, she's taking on Journey's "Faithfully", which I reckon is California Dreamin because... they are from California?  Because then-lead singer has heard of California?  Because they probably played at a few arenas there over the years?  Who knows.

Anyway, the song isn't bad.  She has that quivering lip thing going on during the last "I'm yo-o-o-o-orrrsss!!!" final line, which to my untrained musical eyes, looks like it means something good. 

Randy the Dawg loved it.  Creepy Uncle Steven and J-Lo both agreed.

Next up, here's Joshua Ledet... first, here's Jason Derulo, who's been involved in this songwriting contest with Idol, trying to declare how this is his Now, and is wearing a blinged out neckbrace.  Wicked odd.

Back to Joshua Ledet!  He'll be doing a cheesy song called "You Raise Me Up", this generation's "Wind Beneath My Wings".  I don't think there is an un-cheesy way of doing this song.  And though Joshua's voice is good, and the song sounds fine, to me its just a boring picture of a mountain and a river on an inspirational poster set to music. 

Eh.

Of course, Creepy Uncle Steven Tyler, J-Lo and Randy the Dawg spend an hour and a half telling them how much they were raised up. 

So, for J-Sanch's California Dreamin' song, she's doing Etta James' "Steal Away"... and since J-Sanch is actually FROM California, really, any song she wants to do would be a California connection.

Once again, brilliant vocals.  Yet, plywood chemistry.  However, I think we need to start learning how to begin to learn how to start accepting that Jessica Sanchez will likely be The Next American Idol.  Just suck it in and breath out and take it. 


DUET TO IT!

I am struck by how odd it is that Joshua Ledet and Phillip2 are singing "This Love".  That is a song by Maroon 5.  And while Maroon 5 hails from California, hence the "California Dreamin'" spot, its frontman, Adam Levine, is one of the four judges on NBC's "The Voice", which is probably American Idol's biggest singing competition reality show competition.  I would think that Idol wouldn't want to give Maroon 5 and Adam Levine any press... but perhaps they figure "Hey, we're Idol.  We squash The Voice."  So be it.

You know what?  This version of "This Love" isn't perfect... but darn it, they both look like they are having more fun with this than anyone has looked in weeks.  The piano player is on his feet jamming, as are the other musicians.  Love this.

DUET TO IT TOO!

And whether this wraps up the California Dreamin' or this begins the Songs I Wished I Had Written, all I can tell you is that Jessica Sanchez and Hollie Cav are swinging.  Like, they are both sitting on rope swings, doing a duet to "Eternal Flame" by The Bangles. 

"Eternal Flame", by the way, one of the first five Cassette Singles I ever bought.  I remember "Paradise City" by Guns N' Roses was first, and soon after was "Shiny Happy People" by REM, "When I See You Smile" by Bad English and this Bangles classic, though I don't know in what order.  Just sayin'.

And as the judges give their two cents worth--they liked the guys a whole lot better, in the background, Phillip2 and Joshua Ledet are swinging on the rope swings.  Hilarious.

Oh, and Fast Forward through the unexpected Group Song

ROUND TWO... SONGS YOU WISH YOU'D WRITTEN... OR JUST, SONGS

Phillip2 says he wished he had written Damien Rice's "Volcano".  And here comes Jimmy Iovine, who says this song helped Phillip2 to stop sounding like everyone else and start sounding like himself. 

Dude, I totally dig this song.  I'd never heard it previously, but Phillip2 sits on a stool, on a darkened stage, with an awesome cellist sitting and playing nearby.  Not just a good song, but a great performance.

Hollie Cav says she wished she had written Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me".  And here comes Jimmy Iovine, who says to not oversing this song. 

Standing behind a piano, from the waist up, she looks like she's wearing an elegant black dress, and she is all fine and such, but when she steps out you can see its a black pant suit, and that kinda kills the look.  She also says "don't pah-tronize" and not "don't pay-tronize".  That could cost her the show.  And she's got this Michael Stipey Losing My Religion arm swingy thing going on there.

The song was pretty good.  But not brilliant.  Creepy Uncle Steven says she should have shown more emotional.  J-Lo says the same thing.  Randy the Dawg said she needs a song that "gives her a moment" and this song had no moments.

Joshua Ledet says he wished he had written James Brown's "Its a Man's Man's Man's World".  And here comes Jimmy Iovine, who says that it was a thrill to see this song being done by Joshua.

I gotta tell ya, the guys are owning me tonight... between Phillip2's "Volcano", their "This Love" duet, and now this song from Joshua Ledet, Dude Power reigns. 

You knew Joshua would scream at some point, and he does, but this time its warranted, and his scream is kept in check.  That was a great, great performance all around, with the vocals and the backup singers and the music and such.

And rightfully so, the judges just totally geek out. 

Finally, Jessica Sanchez says she wished she had written Billie Holliday's "And I Am Telling you That I'm Not Going".  Here comes Jimmy Iovine, and he is raving about her version of this tune.

She channels her inner blackness in this song, and sounds awesome.  J-Sanch is blowin' it right on up, doing her thing, hitting all the notes, and all that... but I then turned to The Lovely Steph Leann and said, "Tell me, as a music aficionado, what you thought of that song." 

The Lovely Steph Leann thinks for a second, and says, "Well... I don't think you are familiar with this song (I'm not), but this song builds.  The thing about it is, she didn't have time to really build it.  She did fine, she sounded good and all, but she didn't get the chance to take that into the part where she just screams it and gets all emotional and such, because this is an emotional song."

Of course, the judges loved it.  Over and over.  Its Friday, and I think they are still talking about it.

The Lovely Steph Leann:  You didnt like it?
Me: I did.  Again, I think she's got an incredible talent, but she's a stick in the mud charisma wise.
The Lovely Steph Leann:  I thought she connected well, better than some of her other stuff

It is funny to me, though, that Hollie Cav was cautioned to not "oversing", so she chose something deep and personal and sang without oversinging... but Joshua Ledet oversang the crap out of that song, and it was awesome.  Jessica Sanchez oversang the crap out of her song, and it was much ballyhooed.  Hollie Cav should haven't thrown down on her tune. 

And I'm afraid dear, sweet Brit Hollie will pay the price. 

My Best to Worst for the Night:  Joshua Ledet's "Its a Man's Man's Man's World"... Joshua Ledet & Phillip2's "This Love"...  Phillip2's "Volcano"...  J-Sanch's "And I Am Telling You That I Am Not Going"... J-Sanch's "Steal Away"... Hollie Cav's "Faithfully"... Phillip2's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?"... Holly Cav's "I Can't Make You Love Me"... J-Sanch & Hollie Cav's "Eternal Flame"...  Joshua Ledet's "You Raise Me Up"

The Results are in the very next post!  Keep scrolling!

My Favorite Tunes, Part I

So, for about 16 years, my favorite songs have really remained unchanged.

Some songs that could be considered are "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney & Wings, "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John, "Running from an Angel" by Hootie & the Blowfish, "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers, "Roam" by the B-52s, "Dilemma" by Nelly (ft. Kelly Rowland), "Come Undone" by Duran Duran, "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon,

At #5 on my list is "Head Over Heels" by Tears for Fears, from the album "Songs from the Big Chair". The opening tune is melodic, and on the album version, there is an awesome instrumental that leads to a live version.

"Head over Heels" had been developed nearly two years prior as part of a segue with the song "Broken", which was previously a stand alone B-side to the 1983 "Pale Shelter" single. As the two songs share the same piano/synth motif, "Head over Heels" eventually came to be sandwiched in between two bookend parts of "Broken" in live performances. This placement carried over to the final track listing of the Big Chair LP, with a studio recording of "Broken" preceding the song and a live reprise following it. The song features guitarist Roland Orzabal on lead vocals.

For #4 on the list, "Not the Only One" by Bonnie Raitt, from the "Luck of the Draw" album. I like it because its bluesy, it jazzy, its sweet and its fun. "I was in a daze, movin' in the wrong direction... Feelin' that I'd always be the lonely one... Then I saw your face, on the edge of my horizon... Whisperin' that I wasn't the only one... The lonely one..." I've managed to get alot of Bonnie's stuff, and you know what... I really like it.

At #3, its the smooth sound of Brenda Russell, backed up by Joe Esposito, with "Piano in the Dark". It was actually on her album "Get Here", though the title song was actually covered by Oleta Adams for a huge hit.

You know how, sometimes, the lyrics can be really, really cheesy, but if the right voice sings it, the cheese goes away? Alicia Keys gets a pass on that with "Fallin", because the lyrics are kinda dumb. Same thing with "Get Here". No one would take it seriously... unless you have a voice like Oleta Adams singing it. But I digress.

As written on February 28th (the bottom of the column), music is difficult for me to rank. But I've made a decision. So, for the first time in 16 years, I can declare that I have a new favorite song.

At #2, from both the original soundtrack to the highly underrated movie "Boomerang" starring Eddie Murphy (the soundtrack is really good too, introducing Toni Braxton, and a great song from TLC) and "The Bliss Album...? (Vibrations of Love and Anger and the Ponderance of Life and Existance)" which, itself is also a very good R&B, hippity hoppity album...


Funny thing is, the album featured in this video is not the album that features the song. "I'd Die Without You" by P.M. Dawn

And my favorite song, from the album "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" (a superb CD, possibly one of my favorites)... I can't put the video on here, so just go here and watch it.

Whats your favorite song?

Sad Songs Say So Much

So, Tom Reynolds has written a book about the saddest, most depressing songs ever written. I haven't seen the list, but I already know what they should be... for the last three hours, I've been listening to sad stuff on the iPod to confirm my selections... now, while I'm ready to go cry myself to sleep now, I'll let you know that I'm sure there is stuff I didn't think of that tomorrow, I'll smack my head and say "Crap... why didn't I include 'I Can't Make You Love Me' by Bonnie Raitt??"

...crap. Why didn't I include "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt"? Okay, consider that tied with Keith Whitley at #20.

Anyway, I'll assume that you all agree with me unless I hear otherwise, right? Right. So, here we go.

Dave's Top 10... No, Make It 20 Saddest, Most Depressing Songs, Like, Ever
20) "Don't Close Your Eyes" by Keith Whitley... a brilliant country artist who, typically, died from alcohol poisoing following an all night dringing binge. Its a man with a woman, begging her not to close her eyes for fear that she will start thinking of the one she really loves--and its not him.
Death from cat scratch fever line: "Maybe I've been a fool, holding on all this time, lyin' here in your arm knowing he's in your mind"
Ouch.

19) "Don't Cry" by Guns'N'Roses... I really went back and forth between this and "November Rain", finally deciding on this, my favorite GNR song. Axl Rose at his nasally best.
Insult GNR in front of Drew Morris line: Don't you take it so hard now and please don't take it so bad. I'll still be thinkin' of you and the times we had...baby
Actually that line is said "and the times we hay-ya-ya-ya-yad oh baybay"

18) "I Can't Stay Away From You" by Gloria Estefan & the Miami Sound Machine... okay, so get this. In high school, I made a mix tape (remember those?) of sad songs, and I called it "You Lost the One You Love and Need an Excuse for Suicide Mix". Very encouraging. Anyway, this song, "Can't Stay Away From You"? On the tape twice. It was that powerful.
Stomach punch line: "Hold on to every bit of hope, thats all I'll ever do. Hoping you might change your mind to call me up and say how much you need me too"
Gloria can sing the depressing stuff--she appears later in our list.

17) "Nothing Broken But My Heart" by Celine Dion... say what you want about Celine, but before she got so self absorbed, thin and married to the fat guy who looks like Rob Reiner, she was a pretty good singer. This is early Celine, at her best.
Stuck in a GNR concert with a Celine shirt line: "Baby, since you left me you might think that my world's been torn apart, but if you see me, baby you'll see that nothing's broken. Nothing's broken but my heart."
I've had my heart truly broken three times in my life. Its not fun, trust me. However, I contend that everyone should go through it once in their life.

16) "Black Balloon" by The Goo Goo Dolls... You know, I don't even know what this song is about... I just know its pretty painful. So, since this only partially qualifies, let's add...
16) "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers... from the opening line, the opening guitar, its a heartbreak. Bill Withers has one of my favorrite soul voices, and this song is just depressingly cool. Since the song is more of a repeat, its hard to give a gut punch line, but I will mention this is featured in Notting Hill, in the four seasons walking scene, one of the coolest uses of a song, not to mention one of the coolest scenes I've ever watched in any movie.
15) "These Days" by Rascal Flatts... a big, heartbroken salute to all those who have stood by, checking the phone constantly, just in case you were away and missed the phone ring, or you had your cell phone under a blanket and couldn't hear it for some reason, or today was the day your answering machine messed up and didn't take calls... even though you know the reason the phone has not rung is because she hasn't called you back. Oh, Indya Lawless, you wretched female... why didn't you call me?
Smack me now line: "Punch the clock, head for home, check the phone (just in case), go to bed, dream of you, thats what I'm doing these days"
Oh whatever. Like you've never done that. Stop it.

14) "There's a Light In Your Eyes" by Blessid Union of Souls... even though this song is a decade old, I only realy discovered it a few years ago. Really really heartbreaking. Just fast enough to keep you moving along, but melancholy enough to make it hurt.
Throw Yourself out the window line: "It's been a while since I've seen you so how have you been? Did you get my letter I wrote you, but I did not send?"
I think that line is one of the most simple, yet painful lines in any song.

13) "With Or Without You" by U2... this is really for Mikey more than anything else.
Kicking over the Bear's chair in the museum in front of a Latta line: "My hands are tied, my body bruised, she's got me with nothing to win and nothing left to lose"
You chicks are evil. Seriously.

12) "One Last Cry" by Brian McKnight... it's all about giving your heart one last chance to mourn your lost love, then tell yourself you are getting over it. Of course, it never works out that way.
Drinking battery acid line: "I saw you holding hands, standing close to someone else. Now I sit all alone, wishing all my feelings were gone"
Maybe this is just here because as I sat all alone, I saw Allison Hodnett standing very close to John Glasscock, holding hands at the Troy weekly movie, one day after she asked ME to the movie, then promptly stood me up. Hey, it was in 1994, but it still sucked. okay, I wasn't all alone, I think I went with Michelle Dudley, but still.

11) "Never Had a Dream" by S Club 7... Yes, its pop at its cheesyworst, but its still pretty hard hitting. I think this song is personal, because this is what Steph would think about me when she loved me and I didn't feel the same.
Kick in the crotch line: "There's no use looking back or wondering how it should be now or might have been, this I know, but still i can't find ways to let you go..."
Though this song hurts a little, thinking about what Steph was feeling, thats nothing compares to "Standing Still" by Jewel. That song just messes me up.

10) "I'll Be Okay" by Amanda Marshall... this little gem was from the movie "My Best Friend's Wedding", and I'd be willing to bet out of all 6 of my readers, 6 of you have never heard it. Maybe Steph, only because I forced it on her. Its a fun little ditty about the joy of watching your best friend, and love of your life, end up with someone else. Without sounding too American Idol, I love the raw emotion that Amanda Marshall has in this song.
Hot fire pokers in the eye line: I want you to be happy, you're my best friend. But it's so hard to let you go now and all that could have been. I'll always have the memories, she'll always have you, fate has a way of changing
when you don't want it to"
Not good times. Bad times. Bad times.

9) "Secret Garden" by Bruce Springsteen (the Jerry Maguire dialogue version)... The Boss is at his best here, but throw in the best, most painful lines from the flick ("You've got to be fair to her. She loves you. If you don't love her, you've got to tell her") and you've got a knife-in-the-heart classic.
Phillipshead screwdriver through the skin between your fingers line: "She's got a secret garden where everything you want, everything you need will always stay a million miles away"
You know, that movie gets better with age, I think.

8) "Somebody Lied" by Ricky Van Shelton... holy crap, this song is bad. A country song, no less, about a guy who gets a call from his ex, and he's trying to refute claims that he's been crying, that he's been showing her picture to strangers, that he's been breaking down around town.
Trailer in a tornado line: "If the rumors were right, would you be here tonight to help this old heart heal? Well, don't worry, it wasn't me... just someone whose world was torn in two. Someone who looked alot like me and loved someone like you. So forget the tears I've never cried, I'll be somebody lied"
Dear Lord... I need to go kiss Steph to remind myself how happy I am.

7) "She's Always a Woman" by Billy Joel... While the above Springsteen song was my Amy Wible song in the 90s (well, there was also "Sailing" by Christopher Cross, but that's on a different list), this one belonged to Cindy Howell.
Put on a white hood and go to Ensley Line: "She'll promise you more than the Garden of Eden, then she'll carelessly cut you and laugh while you're bleedin'"
Amy recently got married, so I hear, but I have no clue what happened to Cindy. Hmm. I think I'll write an article on this topic soon.

6) "Until I Fall Away" by the Gin Blossoms. Perhaps the essential 90s rock angst song. Hurts me now. I think I'll go slam my head against the wall. Of course, I'm still reeling from that stupid Ricky Van Shelton song. Heck, put that at #6, and this one goes to #8.
Set your hair on fire line: "There's no good answers, and no new questions. Another personal disaster, there's nowhere to go but down"
Just the music, even without the words, depresses me

5) "King of Pain" by Alanis Morissette... There's a song by the Police that really hurts (thats my soul up there), with its cryptic lyrics of pain and curt (thats my soul up there). Though it might be sacrilege to say I like (thats my soul up there) Alanis' version better, though only slight (thats my soul up there)
Falling out the top of a Georgia Pine line: I have stood here before inside the pouring rain with the world turning circles running 'round my brain. I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign but it's my destiny to be the king of pain
Seriously, as much as I love Sting singing this, Alanis' unplugged take on this is incredible.

4) "Here We Are" by Gloria Estefan... the opening chords of this song are just haunting, and Gloria voice is piercing and cutting. Classic Estefan.
Putting drills to your temple line: "And though no one knows whats going on inside and all the love I feel for you is something I should hide, when I have you close to me, the feelin's so sublime... there's nothing I can do to keep from loving you"
Anytime you have to use the word "sublime" to describe your relationship, there's something to discuss.

3) "On My Own" from Les Miserables... Eponine sings the song about loving a guy who loves another girl... and she ends up dying while carrying a love letter from said girl to said guy.
Carve out your heart with a spoon (cause it'll hurt more, you twit) line: "I love him but every day I'm learning all my life I've only been pretending. Without me his world will go on turning, a world that's full of happiness that I have never known"
Make sure you get the Les Miserables Highlights version, with Kaho Shimada. The Original Cast Recording, with Frances Ruffelle, is good, but Kaho's Highlight version is far superior in sound and arrangement. Trust me on this.

2) "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Connor... more effective when the video is with it. Painful, heart ripping lyrics, sung simply by Sinead, before she freaked out on SNL.
Playing in 280 Traffic Line: "Its been 7 hours and 16 days since you took your love away..."
Come on, who hasn't been dropped like a bad habit, then counted the days after? Heck, my first breakup with Cindy Howell, I was counting minutes.

1) "This Song Remembers When" by Trisha Yearwood... just a simple song about a girl who's gotten past her heartbreak, until she hears the song--"their song"--that brings it all back.
Dipping Chips in Cyanide Line: "After taking every detour, getting lost and losing track, so even if I wanted, I could not find my way back... after driving out the memory about the way things might have been, after I'd forgotten all about us, this song remembers when."
Yeah, been there, Trisha.. been there. Not so much now that God sent me Stephanie, but there was a time...

Anyway, now's the part of the show where Tommy shakes his head and tells me what I missed.