“Q” Bombs: October 14, 2012

Posted on October 27, 2012 by PhilMaq

A “Q” Bomb, like an “H” bomb, will be my term for a music video that I consider to be subpar in music, video, or both. This will be a recurring weekly list that will focus on the worst videos that are currently on TV. I don’t, as a rule, go searching for old music videos, so that’s why it will focus on solely on current or recent videos.
I hate to be so negative about music, but when an artist takes a “bad” song and then brings more attention to it by creating a “bad” video to support it, it will appear on this list. I honestly hope, and it could happen, that this list will be less than 10 items, but I have serious doubts that that possibility will happen. We are, after all, talking about an industry that uses art for huge profits. The companies can’t help themselves.
However, at this point, I will not do a 10 worst music list. I see absolutely no reason to waste time reemphasizing bad music. Once is enough.

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Six weeks and going strong for Rascal Flatts on the stinky list, but watch out guys. Taylor Swift is making a strong move towards the top……………
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Worst Videos for the week of October 14, 2012

1. Come Wake Me Up—Rascal Flatts
2. Blown Away—Carrie Underwood
3. Cowboys and Angels—Dustin Lynch
4. Too Close—Alex Clare
5. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together—Taylor Swift
6. Ho Hey—The Lumineers
7. As Long As You Love Me—Justin Bieber and Big Sean
8. Walk the Sun—Anna Moon
9. Good Time—Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen
10. Hall of Fame—The Script and will.i.am

1) “Come Wake Me Up”—Rascal Flatts moved into the Top Ten on CMT meaning that this video is not going to make a quick exit……………….
2) “Blown Away”—Carrie Underwood and melodrama keep her near the top for fans on CMT…………
3) “Cowboys and Angels”—Dustin Lynch’s washed out looking video continues to rise on CMT’s countdown. It may take both “cowboys and angels” to remove him from that list…………
4) “Too Close”—Alex Clare is moving “too close” to the top of VH1’s list…………
5) “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”—Taylor Swift’s song has crossed into the Top Ten on both VH1 and CMT. Unfortunately, it looks like this one’s going to be around a lot longer than I thought…………………..
6) “Ho Hey”—The Lumineers start to disappear-ay……………..
7) “As Long As You Love Me”—Justin Bieber hurls on stage and I guess everyone “still loves him.” The performance may have been better than his video……………….
8) “Walk the Sun”—I don’t think that the “sun or Anna Moon” can get me to like this song…………….
9) “Good Time”—Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen didn’t fall off the list fast enough. I’m worried “Good Time” is turning into a simbie for me. ODWITS!
10) “Hall of Fame”—I haven’t seen The Script’s new video all that much, so my opinion may change, but honestly, I don’t get what makes The Script as popular as they are without throwing will.i.am into the mix………………
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Phil’s Faves: Songs, October 7, 2012

Posted on October 21, 2012 by PhilMaq

This will be a personal weekly Top Ten list of what I consider to be the best songs that I listened to the previous week. Most songs will be current, but there are no boundaries. I’ve already stated on this web site that I am obsessed with music. I am constantly hunting it down whether it’s online, on CD, from my personal collection, from a library (Yes, I think the library is a great source of music–especially for music that you aren’t sure about.), TV, or radio. Since most of these sources mostly emphasize new music, the odds are pretty good that most of the songs on this list will be new. But in my search, I don’t use any boundaries for the other sources. I am just looking for good music that I haven’t heard, or happened to forget about. Everyone, including myself, has forgotten way more great music than they can ever remember-even if they are also music fanatics.
Also, there will be no rules concerning songs on this list. A song can show up or drop off a number of times. This will be the most volatile of my lists. It all depends on how much music I am exposed to during the week and what I find interesting. On really obscure stuff, I will try to include the source, if I know it.

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Halloween looms in the distance, but Jessica Dayle’s “Summertime” reaches double digits as it reigns on top for a 10th week! A few autumnal songs appear to represent for their season………………………
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Top Ten Songs for the Week of October 7, 2012

1. Summertime—Jessica Dayle
2. Stars—Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
3. Maybe I’ll Fly—Barbara Lynn Doran
4. My Bet’s I’m a Fool—Jessica Dayle
5. The Leaves Are Changing—Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys
6. Copperleaf—Dana Falconberry
7. Sweet Cider—Gathering Time
8. She’s So Mean—Matchbox 20
9. Time Is Love—Josh Turner
10. After School-Randy Starr

1) “Summertime”—All right. Hard to believe, but I may have finally reached my limit on analyzing Jessica Dayle’s superb musical gem! I still haven’t gotten tired of it, and I smile every time I hear it! Find it at jessicadayle.com or iTunes.
2) “Stars”—A song that begins with the incredible lyric, “I lit a fire with the love you left behind,” and the fact that Grace Potter can’t look at the stars anymore because they remind her of someone who now brings her pain is an amazing personal revelation—and a great start to a song!
3) “Maybe I’ll Fly”—Barbara Lynn Doran plateau’s for another week……………..
4) “My Bet’s I’m a Fool”—My “bet’s” Jessica Dayle’s other song has unfortunately peaked……..
5) “The Leaves Are Changing”—Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys play some really nice folk/bluegrass. The songs are usually upbeat like the title of their second album, “Release Your Shrouds.” If autumn could ever sound upbeat and happy along the lines of Jessica Dayle’s “Summertime,” this song would be a perfect example—even as she sings about a “co-wo-wo-wold winter!”
6) “Copperleaf”—Dana Falconberry explores the Michigan landscape on her new CD, “Leelanau,” which is a separate peninsula in the Lower Peninsula west of Traverse City. She almost makes losing summer as the leaves change sound like fun!
7) “Sweet Cider”—Gathering Time, a singing folk trio, have put together a nice happy paean to apple cider! (Could there be an unhappy one?) Find it at gatheringtimetrio.com or iTunes!
8) “She’s So Mean”—“She’s so mean” she’s getting Matchbox 20 kicked off this list. I think this is the best thing they’ve done since “Unwell!”
9) “Time Is Love”—Josh Turner is ending his run……….
10) “After School”—A wistful “angsty” song from 1957(?!!!) by Randy Starr, a male singer who later wrote songs for Elvis Presley, scored a minor hit with this little song about a boy anxiously waiting for a girl after school who wonders if he’s being played for doing it. A hefty dose of whistling and a few echo drenched handclaps draw the listener’s attention away from the fact that this might be a sad song…but we never find out. I really like this haunting melody! You can find the song on youtube.com. QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ

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Phil’s Faves: October 7, 2012

Posted on October 21, 2012 by PhilMaq

This will be a personal weekly Top Ten list of what I consider to be the best videos currently available on TV. I don’t, as a rule, go searching for old music videos, so that’s why it will focus mostly on current or recent videos. For this category, I am also going to include any live performances on talk or variety shows that I see during the week.

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“Pontoon” makes getting to the top worth it as it stays there for another week!
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Top 10 Videos and Performances for the week of October 7, 2012

1. Pontoon—Little Big Town
2. She’s So Mean—Matchbox 20
3. Lovin’ You Is Fun—Easton Corbin
4. Stars—Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
5. 50 Ways to Say Goodbye—Train
6. That’s Why I Pray—Big & Rich
7. One More Night—Maroon 5 with Adam Levine
8. Everybody Talks—Neon Trees
9. Guess Who’s Knockin’—Ryan Bingham
10. Some Nights—fun.

1) “Pontoon”—I would still like to slide off the back of Little Big Town’s “Pontoon!”
2) “She’s So Mean”—Will Matchbox 20 be the ones to finally put an end to Little Big Town’s royal reign…………………………………
3) “Lovin’ You Is Fun”—Easton Corbin looks like he’s finally catching on! I like that because this video will keep summer around for a while!
4) “Stars”—Grace Potter & The Nocturnals seem to be in the right place at the right time—moving up when the other videos are getting worn out!
5) “50 Ways to Say Goodbye”—Yeah, Train is finally starting to lose interest to me………..
6) “That’s Why I Pray”—I really wish I knew how sincere Big & Rich are about their song, because I think it’s really good, but they have based their careers on being partiers and buffoons………
7) “One More Night”—It might be “one more week” for Adam Levine & Maroon 5…………..
8) “Everybody Talks”—I have to admit that I didn’t think I would ever put Neon Trees’ video on my faves list. It was kind of creepy while the song sounds happy. But I also knew that I would have a different opinion if it were out around Halloween—especially since it was a homage to campy sci-fi monster movies. I just didn’t think it would hang around long enough to make it to October. Well it did, and naturally, took the top spot on VH1 this week. Being used in a major commercial helped it along as it took many months to climb up the list. Way to stick it out, Neon Trees!
9) “Guess Who’s Knockin’”—Ryan Bingham did a blistering performance of this blues song centered around an incredible guitar riff on Jay Leno’s show! My monitor is still smoking!
10) “Some Nights”—fun. makes it through another week…………….. QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ

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“Q” Bombs: October 7, 2012

Posted on October 21, 2012 by PhilMaq

subpar in music, video, or both. This will be a recurring weekly list that will focus on the worst videos that are currently on TV. I don’t, as a rule, go searching for old music videos, so that’s why it will focus on solely on current or recent videos.
I hate to be so negative about music, but when an artist takes a “bad” song and then brings more attention to it by creating a “bad” video to support it, it will appear on this list. I honestly hope, and it could happen, that this list will be less than 10 items, but I have serious doubts that that possibility will happen. We are, after all, talking about an industry that uses art for huge profits. The companies can’t help themselves.
However, at this point, I will not do a 10 worst music list. I see absolutely no reason to waste time reemphasizing bad music. Once is enough.

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Rascal Flatts stays on top for a 5th week………………………………..
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Worst Videos for the week of October 7, 2012

1. Come Wake Me Up—Rascal Flatts
2. Blown Away—Carrie Underwood
3. Cowboys and Angels—Dustin Lynch
4. Too Close—Alex Clare
5. Ho Hey—The Lumineers
6. Walk the Sun—Anna Moon
7. As Long As You Love Me—Justin Bieber and Big Sean
8. Oh Love—Green Day
9. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together—Taylor Swift
10. Good Time—Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen

1) “Come Wake Me Up”—Rascal Flatts, why do you guys keep hitting the snooze alarm……….
2) “Blown Away”—Carrie Underwood continues to climb the charts and looks like she’s going to anchor down for awhile and not get “blown away”……
3) “Cowboys and Angels”—Ironically, many cowboys have left this world and ended up as angels………………….
4) “Too Close”—Alex Clare moved into the top ten on VH1. I guess Newton’s Third Law of Motion, “To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction: or the forces of two bodies on each other are always equal and are directed in opposite directions,” is in effect on my “Q” Bombs list and VH1’s. The Lumineers move down one slot, but Alex Clare moves up one spot to take it’s place. Gee, couldn’t they both have gone down…………………
5) “Ho Hey”—The Lumineers finally slipped a touch this week. Maybe the beginning of the end has started………………………
6) “Walk the Sun”—Anna Moon hits that exposed, raw nerve. The longer this video sticks around, the more pain it will inflict………….
7) “As Long As You Love Me”—Justin Bieber is still hanging around on VH1, but he’s not causing me much grief…………………
8) “Oh Love”—It looks like Green Day are getting ready to do the honorable thing and fall off…so I’ll leave them alone………………….
9) “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”—Taylor Swift hung around with her video too long and has now become a nuisance. Sorry, Taylor………………………
10) “Good Time”—Owl City’s video and song is far from a “good time” for me……
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Halloween Hauntings: Milton the Monster

Posted on October 18, 2012 by PhilMaq

Halloween is just around the corner, so I wanted to share with you the opening to one of my favorite ghoulish cartoons, Milton the Monster. Enjoy!

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Phil’s Faves: Songs, September 30, 2012

Posted on October 17, 2012 by PhilMaq

This will be a personal weekly Top Ten list of what I consider to be the best songs that I listened to the previous week. Most songs will be current, but there are no boundaries. I’ve already stated on this web site that I am obsessed with music. I am constantly hunting it down whether it’s online, on CD, from my personal collection, from a library (Yes, I think the library is a great source of music–especially for music that you aren’t sure about.), TV, or radio. Since most of these sources mostly emphasize new music, the odds are pretty good that most of the songs on this list will be new. But in my search, I don’t use any boundaries for the other sources. I am just looking for good music that I haven’t heard, or happened to forget about. Everyone, including myself, has forgotten way more great music than they can ever remember-even if they are also music fanatics.
Also, there will be no rules concerning songs on this list. A song can show up or drop off a number of times. This will be the most volatile of my lists. It all depends on how much music I am exposed to during the week and what I find interesting. On really obscure stuff, I will try to include the source, if I know it.

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Jessica Dayle’s “Summertime” stays on top and reaches double digits! I don’t feel the end is in sight yet. Green Day may have something to say about that……………….
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Top Ten Songs for the Week of September 30, 2012

1. Summertime—Jessica Dayle
2. Maybe I’ll Fly—Barbara Lynn Doran
3. Oh Love—Green Day
4. My Bet’s I’m a Fool—Jessica Dayle
5. Lover Please-Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers
6. Wonderful Summer—Robin Ward
7. Stars—Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
8. She’s So Mean—Matchbox 20
9. Time Is Love—Josh Turner
10. Pontoon—Little Big Town

1) “Summertime”—Let’s follow Jessica Dayle’s lead, turn off the TV and visit our favourite (“ou” because she’s Canadian), nature spots before it gets too cold!
2) “Maybe I’ll Fly”—Barbara Lynn Doran continues in the runner up spot for another week!
3) “Oh Love”—It’s not really classic Green Day, but it’s good enough!
4) “My Bet’s I’m a Fool”—I personally am not betting on how long Jessica Dayle is going to be on my countdown!
5) “Lover Please”—A snappy little instrumental from Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers from their “Back in Your Life” album! It’s a throwback to 60’s surf music and it rocks—but not too hard!
6) “Wonderful Summer”—Robin Ward put out a wistful end of summer ballad in the early 60’s that popped into my head this week, so I had to hunt it down!
7) “Stars”—That haunting melody from Grace Potter & The Nocturnals is getting into my head!
8) “She’s So Mean”—I think Rob Thomas and Matchbox 20 is getting close to the end of their run……………
9) “Time Is Love”—I think Josh Turner is running out of time on this one………………
10) “Pontoon”—Once more around the lake, please, for Little Big Town, and then the “pontoon” can be put up for the winter………… QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ

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Phil’s Faves:Videos, September 30, 2012

Posted on October 15, 2012 by PhilMaq

This will be a personal weekly Top Ten list of what I consider to be the best videos currently available on TV. I don’t, as a rule, go searching for old music videos, so that’s why it will focus mostly on current or recent videos. For this category, I am also going to include any live performances on talk or variety shows that I see during the week.

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Little Big Town beat the odds and returns to the top of my faves list for a third time and for the ninth week! I had “Pontoon” at the top for the first time way back on June 10, 2012! I can’t believe that it’s still around to become #1 three and 1/2 months later! That could only mean one thing:There really aren’t that many good videos out there right now. Since some old favorites disappeared, I decided to give a little love to a few lesser videos that I have ignored. I’m not trying to be nice. It’s just the product that’s out there right now…………….
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Top 10 Videos and Performances for the week of September 30, 2012

1. Pontoon—Little Big Town
2. 50 Ways to Say Goodbye—Train
3. She’s So Mean—Matchbox 20
4. One More Night—Maroon 5 with Adam Levine
5. Lovin’ You Is Fun—Easton Corbin
6. Stars—Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
7. That’s Why I Pray—Big & Rich
8. Time Is Love—Josh Turner
9. Some Nights—fun.
10. Come Over—Kenny Chesney

1) “Pontoon”—I am not proud to admit that I still watch Little Big Town’s video every time it comes on! Welcome back to the top!
2) “50 Ways to Say Goodbye”—I guess Train is really going to stick around for awhile. Right now, they haven’t overstayed their welcome!
3) “She’s So Mean”—But not mean enough to keep Matchbox 20 from moving up higher!
4) “One More Night”—Alright. I still like Adam Levine and Maroon 5’s video, but that awful nonsense line (“Ooo-woo-pooo-poo-poo-pooh”…ad infinitum), the second worst ever written—right behind “Moves Like Jagger’s,” nonsense line, is really getting to me now………..
5) “Lovin’ You Is Fun”—Not much movement for Easton Corbin, but things may change…………
6) “Stars”—I’m not sure if I’m really that sold on Grace Potter & The Nocturnal’s new video, but I liked the song the first time I heard it!
7) “That’s Why I Pray”—Big & Rich’s video keeps returning to the list because every time I see it, the song rings true and speaks to me!
8) “Time Is Love”—Josh Turner’s song is growing on me, but the video for it is a pedestrian one……………
9) “Some Nights”—A strange little Civil War-type reenactment from fun.. Apparently, these guys like to film fights (“We Are Young”) and do it in a big way………
10 “Come Over”—Kenny Chesney hangs out for another week…………….. QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ

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“Q” Bombs, September 30, 2012

Posted on October 15, 2012 by PhilMaq

A “Q” Bomb, like an “H” bomb, will be my term for a music video that I consider to be subpar in music, video, or both. This will be a recurring weekly list that will focus on the worst videos that are currently on TV. I don’t, as a rule, go searching for old music videos, so that’s why it will focus on solely on current or recent videos.
I hate to be so negative about music, but when an artist takes a “bad” song and then brings more attention to it by creating a “bad” video to support it, it will appear on this list. I honestly hope, and it could happen, that this list will be less than 10 items, but I have serious doubts that that possibility will happen. We are, after all, talking about an industry that uses art for huge profits. The companies can’t help themselves.
However, at this point, I will not do a 10 worst music list. I see absolutely no reason to waste time reemphasizing bad music. Once is enough.

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Rascal Flatts stays on top for another week, but Carrie Underwood is making a serious move towards the peak………………………..
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Worst Videos for the week of September 30, 2012

1. Come Wake Me Up—Rascal Flatts
2. Blown Away—Carrie Underwood
3. Cowboys and Angels—Dustin Lynch
4. Ho Hey—The Lumineers
5. Too Close—Alex Clare
6. As Long As You Love Me—Justin Bieber and Big Sean
7. Wanted You More—Lady Antebellum
8. Oh Love—Green Day
9. Walk the Sun—Anna Moon
10. Good Time—Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen

1) “Come Wake Me Up”—Please, Rascal Flatts, wake up and get off the list…………
2) “Blown Away”—I wish I were “blown away” by Carrie Underwood’s song and video, but my musical principles are too strong for that…………………….
3) “Cowboys and Angels”—I wish one of these two groups would save Dustin Lynch and let him show his true potential…………………..
4) “Ho Hey”—Ho Hey what happened? The Lumineers jumped into Vh1’s Top Ten this week! Must be that “infectious” chorus sung by a small stadium………………
5) “Too Close”—Alex Clare’s song and video just seem “blah” to me……………….
6) “As Long As You Love Me”—Justin Bieber starts to slide down on VH1. I don’t know if we’re really done with “Biebs”………………………………..
7) “Wanted You More”—This Lady A video is so boring it’s a struggle for me to get “bugged” enough to write something about it……………..
8) “Oh Love”—Green Day’s song isn’t a great one, but it deserves a better video than this one……………….
9) “Walk the Sun”—Seriously? Is this where we’re at in videos these days—something that looks like a retread of Richard Simmons’ “Sweatin’ to the Oldies?” How original………………
10) “Good Time”—I’m still not feelin’ any love for Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen’s video………………………………………….. QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ

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Phil’s Faves:Songs, September 23, 2012

Posted on October 13, 2012 by PhilMaq

This will be a personal weekly Top Ten list of what I consider to be the best songs that I listened to the previous week. Most songs will be current, but there are no boundaries. I’ve already stated on this web site that I am obsessed with music. I am constantly hunting it down whether it’s online, on CD, from my personal collection, from a library (Yes, I think the library is a great source of music–especially for music that you aren’t sure about.), TV, or radio. Since most of these sources mostly emphasize new music, the odds are pretty good that most of the songs on this list will be new. But in my search, I don’t use any boundaries for the other sources. I am just looking for good music that I haven’t heard, or happened to forget about. Everyone, including myself, has forgotten way more great music than they can ever remember-even if they are also music fanatics.
Also, there will be no rules concerning songs on this list. A song can show up or drop off a number of times. This will be the most volatile of my lists. It all depends on how much music I am exposed to during the week and what I find interesting. On really obscure stuff, I will try to include the source, if I know it.

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Seasons have changed but Jessica Dayle’s “Summertime” refuses to leave as it stays on top for a ninth straight week! Three songs about peace for the International Day of Peace make an appearance to round out other great songs!
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Top Ten Songs for the Week of September 23, 2012

1. Summertime—Jessica Dayle
2. Maybe I’ll Fly—Barbara Lynn Doran
3. Oh Love—Green Day
4. My Bet’s I’m a Fool—Jessica Dayle
5. She’s So Mean—Matchbox 20
6. Time Is Love—Josh Turner
7. Pontoon—Little Big Town
8. Give God the Blues—Shawn Mullins
9. For Pete’s Sake—The Monkees
10. Peace, Salaam, Shalom—The Chants for Peace Project featuring Rhonda Bantsimba and Jeanne Mackey

1) “Summertime”—Seasons have changed but neither fall nor winter is going to keep Jessica Dayle from enjoying her “summertime.” In the coda, the chord changes also give the song a warm feeling. Once again, it’s another musical hug! In this segment, Jessica sings: “When winter winds blow we’ll cuddle up with the memory/Of summertime my babes and me.” So “summertime” can last all year long in Jessica’s world. I really like that!
2) “Maybe I’ll Fly”—Barbara Lynn Doran may be flying as high as she’s going to get here, but the sky’s the limit for her with songs like this one!
3) “Oh Love”—Oh, yeah! Green Day keeps moving up!
4) “My Bet’s I’m a Fool”—I personally wouldn’t bet against Jessica Dayle so I see no reason why she would bet against herself. On the other hand, you’ll probably win that bet only one time. She has her own style of retribution…and you’re not going to like it. The song, on the other hand, is a winning bet with a big payoff! Check it out!
5) “She’s So Mean”—I wonder if this song is a true story. Regardless, it’s a good subject for a rockin’ song!
6) “Time Is Love”—Josh Turner is really starting to get under my skin. It’s catchier than I thought!
7) “Pontoon”—It’s about time to put Little Big Town’s boat into storage for the winter…..
8) “Give God the Blues”—Shawn Mullins puts out a smoldering slow blues number about the problem of religion and fanatics told from an angle of sympathy for God. There are many great lines in the song about how so much is done in God’s name, but usually for the wrong reasons, so it “gives God the blues.” I think this is one of the best songs of the year—especially, lyrically!
9) “For Pete’s Sake”—The Monkees put out a few “peace and love” songs and this is one of them. I’m not sure if the title references Peter Tork or is just a cliché to say it’s so obvious that we should just all get along by loving each other. Taken from their “Headquarters” album, Mickey Dolenz does a nice job on lead vocals and there’s some really good organ bits! The song is way too short—just like the movement that it came from………
10) “Peace, Salaam, Shalom”—Jeanne Mackey helped put out a collection of chants about peace and love called “Home to the River of Love” by the Chants for Peace Project—a group of 22 singers and instrumentalists. This particular chant is about peace sung in English, Arabic, & Hebrew, and features extremely spirited vocals by Rhonda Bantsimba as well as Jeanne Mackey. It’s sung as if their group could bring peace to the world just by themselves alone. But they can’t and need more help. This is their gift to everyone else to do their share!
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Phil’s Faves: Videos, September 23, 2012

Posted on October 12, 2012 by PhilMaq

This will be a personal weekly Top Ten list of what I consider to be the best videos currently available on TV. I don’t, as a rule, go searching for old music videos, so that’s why it will focus mostly on current or recent videos. For this category, I am also going to include any live performances on talk or variety shows that I see during the week.

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Maroon 5 and Adam Levine punch their way to the top spot, but competition looks kind of weak right now as two artists, Little Big Town and Taylor Swift have two entries apiece (?) on the list!
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Top 10 Videos and Performances for the week of September 23, 2012

1. One More Night—Maroon 5 with Adam Levine
2. Piece of My Heart—Faith Hill on CMA Music Festival 2012
3. Ronan—Taylor Swift for Cancer Benefit
4. Pontoon—Little Big Town
5. Lovin’ You Is Fun—Easton Corbin
6. She’s So Mean—Matchbox 20
7. Born This Way—Little Big Town
8. 50 Ways to Say Goodbye—Train
9. Come Over—Kenny Chesney
10. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together—Taylor Swift

1) “One More Night”—Adam Levine loses and wins at the same time. I wish the song were as good as the video, but the video is GREAT!
2) “Piece of My Heart”—Faith Hill recently appeared on an ABC CMA Music Festival. This is usually broadcast around the beginning of the school year. Faith—looking better than she did twenty years ago while rocking a sweater and skin tight jeans, and sounding just as good, floored me with a version of her first hit, “Piece of My Heart!” I forgot she even did this song. But instead of the familiar country sound, Faith gave it the full Janis Joplin treatment—even getting down on her knees! It reminded me—and the goosebumps I got were the proof — just how good she really is! WOW!
3) “Ronan”—One more sad week with Taylor Swift. You can find the video elsewhere on my website.
4) “Pontoon”—Finally, after many months, Little Big Town reaches number one on CMT! It’s about time everybody else caught up to me!
5) “Lovin’ You Is Fun”—Easton Corbin is catching on, but it’s not a ball of fire at the moment. It should have caught on three or four months ago……………..
6) “She’s So Mean”—Matchbox 20 moves up again in spite of the fact that it looks like Rob Thomas is wearing green eye shadow…………………..
7) “Born This Way”—Little Big Town seem to be currently riding a “pontoon wave” where they can’t do anything wrong. They turned in a country bluegrass version of a Lady Gaga cover that was really sharp at a CMT performance!
8) “50 Ways to Say Goodbye”—Maybe Train decided to hang around a little bit longer. That’s OK with me for this video!
9) “Come Over”—Kenny’s almost off the list, but I think that this is one of his better songs and videos!
10) “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”—Probably the last good thing I can say about Taylor Swift’s video for her single from her upcoming “Red” album, is all of the musicians in their animal outfits as everyone jumps up and says “Whee-eeeeeeeee” to start the chorus. “Never Ever” is a very weak initial single in my opinion. I think it’s a “bear” song and only sold well because she has so many fans and hadn’t released anything new in a while. It’s the equivalent of The Beatles’ “Lady Madonna.”
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