Playlist For Mom

Today is my Mom's Birthday, so I decided to share my playlist of songs that remind me of Mom and the music I know/am pretty sure she likes.  It mostly involves The Beatles, Elton John, Steven Curtis Chapman, Amy Grant and Casting Crowns.

Mom:

1.)    Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me-Miley Cyrus

2.)    Somebody To Love-Queen

3.)    She Loves You-The Beatles

4.)    Can’t Buy Me Love-The Beatles

5.)    I Want To Hold Your Hand-The Beatles

6.)    A Hard Day’s Night-The Beatles

7.)    I Feel Fine-The Beatles

8.)    Eight Days A Week-The Beatles

9.)    Ticket to Ride-The Beatles

10.) Day Tripper-The Beatles

11.) Yesterday-The Beatles

12.) Paperback Writer-The Beatles

13.) Yellow Submarine-The Beatles

14.) All You Need Is Love-The Beatles

15.) Hey Jude-The Beatles

16.) Let It Be-The Beatles

17.) Here Comes The Sun-The Beatles

18.) In My Life-The Beatles

19.) All My Loving-The Beatles

20.) I Wanna Be Your Man-The Beatles

21.) I Saw Her Standing There-The Beatles

22.) Twist and Shout-The Beatles

23.) No Day But Today (Live)-Idina Menzel

24.) Photograph-Ringo Starr

25.) Love Me Do-Ringo Starr

26.) Carmina Burana-Trans-Siberian Orchestra

27.) Voice of Truth-Casting Crowns

28.) Where Were You-Francesca Battistelli

29.) Phone Call to God-Brett Eldredge

30.) Keep Your Eyes On Me-Tim McGraw, Faith Hill

31.) Lifesong-Casting Crowns

32.) Praise You In This Storm-Casting Crowns

33.) Set Me Free-Casting Crowns

34.) Princess Leia’s Theme-John Williams

35.) Into the Maw-John Powell

36.) Bridge over Troubled Water (Spotify Exclusive)-Josh Groban

37.) Shine On-The Coats

38.) Mr. Grinch-The Coats

39.) Philadelphia Freedom-Elton John

40.) Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds-Elton John

41.) The Boys Are Back In Town-Thin Lizzy

42.) Jesus Is Just Alright With Me-The Doobie Brothers

43.) The 12 Days of Christmas-Straight No Chaser

44.) Chain Gang-The Nylons

45.) Happy Together-The Nylons

46.) Poison Ivy-The Nylons

47.) Drift Away-The Nylons

48.) Part of Your World-Jodi Benson

49.) The Bitch is Back-Miley Cyrus

50.) Some Gave All-Billy Ray Cyrus

51.) Bohemian Rhapsody-Queen

52.) Love Can Move Mountains-Celine Dion

53.) I Hate You Then I Love You-Celine Dion and Luciano Pavarotti

54.) Testify To Love-Wynonna

55.) I Don’t Know Why-Shawn Colvin

56.) The Adventures if Han-John Williams

57.) Out In The Highways-Steven Curtis Chapman

58.) Cinderella-Steven Curtis Chapman

59.) The Asteroid Field-John Williams

60.) Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord-Godspell

61.) Day by Day-Godspell

62.) Seasons of Love (Live)-Idina Menzel

63.) You Say-Lauren Daigle

64.) Bennie and the Jets-Elton John

65.) Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting-Elton John

66.) I Saw Her Standing There-Elton John and John Lennon

67.) Tiny Dancer-Elton John

68.) Somebody to Love-George Michael with Queen

69.) Yellow Submarine-Ringo Starr

70.) Don’t Stop Me Now-Queen

71.) The Girl Is Mine-Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney

72.) Say Say Say-Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson

73.) The Way You Make Me Feel-Michael Jackson

74.) Billie Jean-Michael Jackson

75.) Thriller-Michael Jackson

76.) Run Through The Jungle (Live)-John Fogerty

77.) London Skies A John Lennon Tribute Medley-David Lanz

78.) Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters-Elton John

79.) Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (Live, Moscow 1979)-Elton John

80.) Crocodile Rock/Get Back/Back in the USSR (Live, Moscow 1979)-Elton John

81.) Rocket Man (Live, Moscow 1979)-Elton John

82.) Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me-Elton John

3/6/2020 Releases of Note

Last week was pretty uneventful, I had a bad cold or possibly a 48-hour flu I needed to recover my mental and physical strength from.  I did hear a lot of the singles I hadn't heard last week, plus a new live version of Demi Lovato's "Anyone" taken from the Grammys.  Now, here's what's coming out later today/tomorrow depending on what time zone you're in.

Cream-Goodbye Tour; Live 1968: A collection of four shows by the Power Trio, one in Oakland, one in Los Angeles, one in San Diego and one in the Royal Albert Hall.  Each features their hits "White Room," "Sunshine of Your Love" and "Crossroads."  I was going to see a Cream tribute on Sunday that would've featured the entire "Disraeli Gears" album, featuring Ginger Baker's son and Eric Clapton's nephew, but I was too sick to go.

Mandy Moore-Silver Landings: Mandy Moore is a pop star best known to the people around me as the voice of Rapunzel in Disney's Tangled and Ralph Breaks The Internet.  As such, she is the second Disney Princess voice to perform a concert at Seattle's Paramount Theatre, the first being Idina Menzel, Elsa's VA.  I thought about going to the show, but couldn't afford it, but the singles have been great and it helped me find some of the songs from Tangled on Spotify.

Blue Oyster Cult-Agents of Fortune; 40th Anniversary-Live 2016: Blue Oyster Cult already released a more standard live album in January featuring tracks across their discography, but this release is a track-by-track live performance of the album their hit "Don't Fear The Reaper" was on.  As such, there are some lesser-known tracks getting the spotlight here, including some I've not heard before.  Sadly, there doesn't seem to be a live version of "Godzilla" as a bonus track/encore on this release.

Allen/Olzon-Worlds Apart: A metal album with both a man and a woman vocalist, this is their first album together and it sounds like a great metal experience.  There's some great harmonies, great singing and amazing guitar work.

King Crimson-Cat Food; 50th Anniversary Edition: A four-track EP from the prog-rock band responsible for Greg Lake and the song "21st Century Schizoid Man," this features a track, a live version of that track, a remix of the aforementioned track and the original single's B-side.  Hopefully, it will live up to some of their other releases, "21st Century" was covered by both Gov't Mule and Ozzy Osbourne and King Crimson themselves covered David Bowie's "Heroes" in tribute, all of which are great recordings.

2/28/2020 Music Releases of Note

Well, last week's Ozzy album was excellent, it was nice to hear a variety of themes in the lyrics, such as the concept of extraterrestrial life (Scary Little Green Men), being faced with death, God and the afterlife (Holy For Tonight) and a callback stylistically to the first Black Sabbath album with heavy bass and Ozzy playing harmonica (Eat Me).  Also, last year's hit "Take What You Want From Me" with Post Malone and Travis Scott returns, making this quite a good release.

Due to the nature of Spotify, there are a pair of singles that haven't been shuffled to the top yet, a single with Noah Cyrus as the guest voice, and a new single from a punk band from Seattle I saw four years ago, The Pink Slips.  What's fun about The Pink Slips is their lead singer is also a famous musician's daughter, in this case, Grace McKagan, daughter of bassist Duff McKagan, so it all ties together.

This week has two major releases I'm looking forward to and both of them are Southern Rock, coincidentally enough.

The Allman Brothers Band-Trouble No More (50th Anniversary Edition): This appears to be a box set of various Allman Brothers tracks throughout the last 50 years, starting with tracks from their first release like "Whipping Post," featuring songs from their 1971 Fillmore East concerts, the instrumental "Jessica," songs from their late 1980s revival like "Gambler's Roll" and a live version of "Low Down Dirty Mean" (fun fact, this era of the band was the era I first learned about, because Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus mentioned spending time with keyboardist Johnny Neel in their autobiographies, and bassist Allen Woody (yes, that is his name) played on Billy Ray's cover of "I Walk The Line"), continuing to presumably their last live performance in 2014.

The Outlaws-Dixie Highway: The Outlaws were a 70s Southern Rock Band famous for the songs "There Goes Another Love Song" and "Green Grass and High Tides."  Their lead guitarist, Hughie Thomasson, played in Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1996 to 2007, when he started this new version of the band.  Shortly after, though, he passed on, meaning this will not have any of the original members.  However, it does have Thomasson's blessing, and with Skynyrd retiring and the recent deaths of Gregg Allman and Tom Petty, the new Outlaws have a good, defiant declaration with their first single: "Southern Rock Will Never Die."

Thoughts From Fire Emblem; Three Houses

This is Edelgard, the House leader of the House I chose to teach, the Black Eagles, and the future Empress of the Adrestian Empire.  She is talking about the soldiers of a rebel army the Black Eagles were ordered by the monastery to fight, which were led by a Lord who sought vengeance over the Church of Seiros executing his son.  As soon as I found out that fact in game, I wasn't so keen on putting my students into this battle.

It was common not long after the game's release to think of Edelgard as a villain for opposing a Church, however, Rhea, who leads this Church, almost seems to revel in shows of force as a way to "show those who would oppose us such opposition is futile."  Also, I cannot endorse a religious organization that performs executions, it reminds me too much of Pope Leo attempting to kill Martin Luther or the current US administration declaring itself Holy, flawless and the incarnation of God while dehumanizing Hispanics, the LGBTQ+ community and Muslims.  Edelgard, though, seems to know the danger of too much power in too few hands.

Also, I voted for Mayor Pete in the primary.

Good films for Lent

Well, it's Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, when everyone indulges as much they can in whatever they plan to give up for the next 40 days.  I must confess, when people ask me "what are you giving up for Lent?" I tense up a bit.  I do have unhealthy habits, but I remember one Lent I gave up Skittles and Starbursts and afterward, I didn't want to go back to eating them.  Suppose I give up a website that gives me issues from time to time and stop missing it over the next 40 days, do I just say after Easter to my peers there "Sorry, guys, my life is better without you, it just took having a significant break for me to realize this, Bye?"


However, when I struggled with the concept of giving something up and the anxious potential ramifications, my Pastor at my old Church, Bellingham Covenant, had a bit of wisdom.  "More than giving something up, you should put something on."  Giving up something can be a hollow, empty ritual if we forget we're giving up things so we can better focus on God.  Last year, during the Lenten season, I saw three films that helped me feel Lent more.


-Godspell-I already have praised this film quite a bit on this blog, but seeing it during Holy Week last week put it into perspective.  The Disciples are joyous in their serene fields, playing with each other.  It reminds me of part of the opening of the Led Zeppelin concert film "The Song Remains The Same," where Robert Plant and his wife are smiling as they watch their children play on their farm.  It's lighthearted, innocent and makes you smile.  Then you get to Jerusalem.  Jerusalem is depicted as a junkyard, it doesn't look clean, safe or like anywhere you should be at night.  And yet, they must.  Jesus must do what God needs him to do.  He is crucified, agony ripping through all of his disciples.  After he has passed, they gather his body, but they don't mourn.  In defiance, they run through the streets, carrying his body, declaring "Prepare Ye The Way Of The Lord!"  Death didn't win after all.


-The Shack-I read the book when it came out and it put so much into perspective at a time when I desperately needed it.  I was incredibly excited to hear of the movie adaption in the middle part of last decade and was amazed that they showed so many plot points I remembered.  I always will remember the scene of the main character in the cave on the seat of judgment, being asked to judge an abused small boy.
"I can't."
"You already have, that boy is your father."
I also love that the actor and actresses for the Trinity looked like what I imagined from the book's description and they used the term "I am ESPECIALLY fond of him/her!"  In these days, we hear way too much about God's wrath.  The New Testament wouldn't exist if God's Love wasn't more powerful.


-Wonder Woman-Okay, this may seem like a weird choice to some, but hear me out.  I actually re-watched this last Lent and after (SPOILERS) Diane has killed the German General she thought was Ares, only for the gas to kill the entire village of civilians she had just rescued, she is visited by Ares, the god of war.  Ares details how he no longer plays an active role in conflict, he merely gives humans the formulas, blueprints and tools with which to build weapons and plans to let humanity's mistrust of each other take it from there.  He then shows Wonder Woman a vision of a world without humans, total paradise with trees blossoming.  Wonder Woman shakes it off, violence is no means to achieve this end  The two get into a fantastic battle with tanks being tossed like toys and lots of pyrotechnics.  Steve Trevor, Wonder Woman's love interest, hands her his match, trying to tell her something she can't hear due to a recent nearby explosion.  Steve launches the plane with all the gas bombs on it, taking out both him and the entire arsenal, keeping any more Allies from being exposed.  Due to missing the information, Wonder Woman goes on the warpath against Ares, which pleases him, him hoping Wonder Woman will grow in rage and kill them all.  However, Wonder Woman recalls what Steve said, "I can save today, but you can save tomorrow."  Wonder Woman calms down and states while Ares is right that humanity is cold and destructive, they are so much more than that, full of kindness, compassion and the desire for peace.  She finishes Ares, ending World War I.  The whole sequence, when I watched it by myself, reminded me heavily of the temptation in the Wilderness.  An evil figure asks a God (demigoddess in Wonder Woman's case) to not do what is right, be selfish and listen to their own impulses.  They refuse, ultimately banishing the figure from their presence.


This year, I'm also going to try to help out every Wednesday at the Vespers service.  Hope you have a safe Lenten season.

The Exact Listing of My first Party playlist

I decided to look back at my older "Party Rock" playlists, specifically, the first one, and list its contents as a retrospective for hitting 100 of these.  The music holds up well, though I've had Spotify for about 11 months now, so not much has changed, and I only didn't recognize one song.  I mostly use Spotify to discover new music I've never heard before and see what's worth buying or if something would be a good gift for someone I know.

Anyway, here's the first Party Rock playlist I made, simply called Party, probably made sometime last June.

1.)    See You Again-Miley Cyrus

2.)    You Drive Me Wild-The Runaways

3.)    I Want You To Want Me (Live at Budokan 1978)-Cheap Trick

4.)    Why Can’t This Be Love? (Live)-Sammy Hagar and The Circle

5.)    You Drive Me Wild-Joan Jett and The Blackhearts

6.)    Panama-Van Halen

7.)    Why Can’t This Be Love?-Van Halen

8.)    Party-Demi Lovato

9.)    Living After Midnight-Judas Priest

10.) Don’t Stop Believin’-Journey

11.) Jet City Woman-Queensryche

12.) Hot Blooded-Foreigner

13.) Hot Blooded (Live with Kelly Hansen)-Foreigner

14.) Fast in My Car-Paramore

15.) She Loves You-The Beatles

16.) Don’t Stop Me Now-Queen

17.) Panama-Jani Lane and George Lynch

18.) GNO-Miley Cyrus

19.) You Really Got Me (Live)-The Kinks

20.) Yankee Rose-David Lee Roth

21.) Godzilla-Bear McCreary feat. Serj Tankian

22.) We’re An American Band-Grand Funk Railroad

23.) Bound For Glory-Black Star Riders

24.) Sweet Child O’ Mine-Guns N Roses

25.) Tush-Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

26.) Fresh Start-Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

27.) Rock and Roll-Led Zeppelin

28.) Black Dog-Led Zeppelin

29.) Rock and Roll All Nite-Poison

30.) Rock and Roll-Sammy Hagar and The Circle

31.) American Rock and Roll-Don Felder

32.) You Shook Me All Night Long-AC/DC

33.) You Could Be Mine-Guns N Roses

34.) Day Tripper-The Beatles

35.) Fat Bottomed Girls (Live, Bohemian Rhapsody Soundtrack)-Queen

36.) Cake/Black Dog (Live)-Idina Menzel

37.) Whole Lotta Love-Led Zeppelin

38.) Whole Lotta Love (Live)-Sammy Hagar and The Circle

39.) Whole Lotta Love-Santana and Chris Cornell

40.) Whole Lotta Love-Zepparella

41.) The Boys Are Back in Town-Thin Lizzy

42.) Tacky-Weird Al

43.) Eat It-Weird Al

44.) Breaking the Law (Live 2015)-Judas Priest

45.) Breaking the Law-Judas Priest

46.) I Can’t Drive 55 (Live)-Sammy Hagar and The Circle

47.) Crazy Train (Live 1981)-Ozzy Osbourne

48.) Whiskey in the Jar-Metallica

49.) Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Live)-Queen

50.) Shout-The Beatles

51.) Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi Show Theme-Puffy AmiYumi

52.) Fat Bottomed Girls (Live At The Bowl version)-Queen

53.) One And The Same-Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez

54.) All My Love-Joanne Shaw Taylor

55.) Wild Thing (Live in Japan 1977)-The Runaways

56.) New Orleans-Joan Jett and The Blackhearts

57.) New Orleans-Gillan

58.) Neon Angels On The Road To Ruin-The Runaways

59.) Tall Cool One-Robert Plant

60.) Heavy-Glenn Hughes

61.) Hey Elvis-Billy Ray Cyrus, Bryan Adams and Glenn Hughes

A book called "The Story of My Life."

Last month, my Mom got me this book called "The Story of my life" and I really love reading and following the prompts.  I don't often get around to it, but I like reminiscing and seeing what I remember, like I remember Mom as always giving me the Thomas the Tank Engine and Chip N Dale VHS tapes, baking and always being scared if I started crying or being upset.  One prompt I really liked was "what happened in history the year you were born?"  I tapped my own memories of stuff people said, things I'd seen written, and added some things from Wikipedia, most of which were just old memories that had been buried.


The Berlin Wall Fell as Germany reunited, heralding the soon collapse of Communism in Europe.


Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne and Bon Jovi took part in the Moscow Music Peace Festival.  Motley Crue also released the Dr. Feelgood album and with it, their concert-ending anthem “Kickstart My Heart.”


Ozzy Osbourne went on his first tour with guitarist Zakk Wylde.  The tour also features Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler.


Students protest in Beijing, leading to the murders in Tiananmen Square.


Ken Griffey Jr. debuted for the Seattle Mariners, who also traded for 6’10” left-handed pitcher Randy Johnson, both of whom would lead the Mariners to their first playoff run six years later.


Hair band Enuff Z’nuff debuts and their first single, “New Thing,” hits #67 on the Billboard Hot 100, with their second single, “Fly High Michelle,” hitting #47.


Hair Metal band Warrant debuts, making a splash with “Down Boys” and “Heaven.”


Latin Pop singer Selena, played by Jennifer Lopez in her biopic, debuts.  Three years later, she becomes the namesake of a different pop singer.


Tim Burton’s movie “Batman” was released, featuring Danny Elfman making the score, Prince contributing the licensed music and performances by Michael Keaton as Batman and Jack Nicholson as Joker.  Elfman reuses his Batman theme in “Justice League” almost thirty years later, the film causes a rise in dark superhero films in the early half of the 1990s and Keaton goes on to play the Vulture in the MCU also almost thirty years later.


Alice Cooper returned to form with the “Trash” album, which featured songwriting from Desmond Child and Joan Jett, and guest musicians Aerosmith (except Brad Whitford, who doesn’t contribute for reasons unknown), Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora.


“Field of Dreams” was released, I was born after my parents saw the movie.


After a five-year break, the Godzilla series returned to Japanese theatres with “Godzilla vs. Biollante.”  This film was scored by Koichi Sugiyama, famous for making the music for the Dragon Quest video game series, and introduced the character Miki Saegusa, played by Megumi Odaka in all of her appearances.  Odaka is only 17 when this film debuts, and according to Toho Kingdom, at this point in her life, hasn’t seen a Godzilla film before and is actually somewhat scared of the Godzilla suit when she first sees it.  However, befriending suit actor Kenpachiro Satsuma helps her grow into the role.  This film’s music also coaxed Akira Ifukube out of retirement by using his Godzilla theme as a rock song, which he “did not like!”


The Simpsons debut on TV.  Seinfeld’s Pilot also debuts.


Full House enters its Third Season, the last in which Jodie Sweetin has curly hair.


The World Series is interrupted by an Earthquake which rocks the Bay Area.  Both teams in that World Series are in the Bay Area (San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics), so play is held up for a significant amount of time.  This earthquake creates the basis for a Full House episode.  The Giants went on to win the World Series 4-0.


During a week in May, Billy Ray Cyrus undergoes a series of events that lead to the songs “Where’m I Gonna Live,” “She’s Not Crying Anymore” and “Some Gave All.”  This ends up landing him his first album deal later in his life.  (No, this isn’t stalker-dom, he told the audience at the show I was in attendance for and I remember.  Some of the details are also in his autobiography)


Super Mario Land is released for the Game Boy, introducing Princess Daisy, now a Super Smash Bros. fighter.


George Bush Sr. is sworn in as President.


Nirvana releases their debut album “Bleach,” containing the songs “School,” “About A Girl,” “Love Buzz” and “Negative Creep.”


Back to the Future part II is released.


Taylor Swift (pop singer/songwriter), Elizabeth Olsen (actress in Godzilla 2014 and as Scarlet Witch in the MCU), Corbin Bleu (actor/singer in High School Musical), Trace Cyrus (guitarist/frontman of Metro Station and older half-brother of Miley), Aly Michalka (Phil of the Future actress, singer in Aly & AJ), Bebe Rexha (pop singer), Brie Larson (actress as Captain Marvel and in Kong Skull Island), Michelle Wie (professional golfer) and Internet comedian Allison Pregler (I’m guessing on that last one, she referred to a 1978 Sesame Street special as airing when she was “Negative 11 years old”) were also all born.


The Heisei era begins in Japan with the death of Emperor Hirohito from old age.


Voyager 2 reaches Neptune.