Music of the Curls

Has your mind ever been so full of ideas that you can't seem to get it to focus on any one thing?  That's kinda how my mind has been this week.  However, in the interest of giving you something interesting to look at, here's a song list I've been working on.  You don't have to listen to them all, but I think it's an AMAZING playlist.  These are some of my absolute favorite songs ever:

1. "Haven't Met You Yet" - Michael Bublé
2. "Handlebars" - Flobots
3. "Good Morning" - Chamillionaire
4. "Just Dance" - Lady Gaga
5. "SOS" - Mamma Mia!
6. "I Don't Wanna Be In Love" - Good Charlotte
7. "Don't Stop Believing" - Journey
8. "[AHEM] Off Song" - Reel Big Fish
9. "Thanks For the Memories" - Fall Out Boy
10. "Can I Have This Dance" - High School Musical
11. "Forget You" - Cee Lo Green
12. "The Middle" - Jimmy Eat World
13. "Take A Chance On Me" - Abba
14. "Big Yellow Taxi" - Counting Crows
15. "Shake It" - Metro Station
16. "Pray For You" - Jaron and the Long Road to Love
17. "Drops of Jupiter" - Train
18. "Why Should I Worry" - Oliver and Company
19. "Harder to Breathe" - Maroon 5
20. "Billionaire" - Travie McCoy
21. "Everytime We Touch" - Cascada

I'll apologize for anything in any of the videos.  I didn't actually watch most of them.  I was just getting them for the songs.

Yes, I chose the "Mamma Mia!" version of "SOS".  Yes, I realize Pierce Brosnan is not the greatest singer mankind has ever been blessed with, but I think his style really fits the song and I like this version significantly more than the original Abba version.  I think the male voice adds a lot.

With regards to #8, if you're offended by "bad" words, I'm sorry, but get over it.  There's no reason why certain words are bad and certain words aren't and anyone who tells you differently you can send to argue with me.  That's one of my favorite debates to have (which I will likely post about on here some day).

If you're surprised at all by "Big Yellow Taxi" being on here, you haven't been paying much attention to my posts over the last couple of weeks.

And, of course, no great playlist would be complete without the appearance of at least one Disney song.  Hence, the appearance of "Can I Have This Dance" (which is possibly the only song that can make me cry) and "Why Should I Worry" (which just makes me want to get up and dance around).






While I'm sitting here with the subject just staring me in the face, I'm gonna take a stab at a requested topic brought to you by my bestest friend.  Here's a song you should listen to to set the mood:

"Sell Out" - Reel Big Fish

Having spent a lot of time around people that could effectively be labeled "hipsters" (i.e. they think things are better simply because other people have not discovered them), I have heard much hate for the "mainstream".  HipsTerry (my archnemesis of the music genre) will tell you that all mainstream music sounds the same.  Basically, if everyone likes it, it's not original.

Terry will also tell you that there are several bands he hates because of some style problems.  These style problems include at least one band that he hates because they completely changed their style in order to become more popular and make more money and at least one band that he hates because they play several different styles of music.  Both of these style problems are absolutely WRONG as far as I'm concerned and are an insult to professional musicians as a whole.

Hating on the group that can't choose a style is easy to argue against.  They don't fit a mold, but if they are making it that way, they appeal to a larger audience and prove themselves to be better musicians.  DUH!

Changing your style in order to make more money is often called selling out.  This has some very negative connotations thanks to people like HipsTerry.  As far as I'm concerned, "selling out" is simply a negative phrase for adapting.  As I have ranted about with the church, everything and everyone must adapt to the ever changing world.

If you want to make it as a "rockstar", you're gonna have to do the same as they do in every entertainment industry:  fit what people want.  I'm sorry to tell you, if you want to be completely 100% true to your artistic style, there is a good chance you will never make it in the entertainment industry.  The public is so fickle that until you have made it big and are a household name, you cannot do whatever you want and have enough people like it to make a living.  I'm sorry.  It simply won't happen.

If you want to remain completely 100% committed to yourself and the type of music you love, music will only ever be a hobby.  You probably won't make it.  That's fine.  Music is a great hobby, but the truth is you cannot make it without "selling out".

I'm really quite afraid to think about the philosophical ramifications of that last statement.

Are you willing the sell out or are you simply interested in a hobby?