I’m featuring my Phil Maq Hall of Fame artist, Nanci Griffith, on my show this week as my spotlight artist. Here’s a little video for your listening – and viewing – enjoyment!
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.
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ Trainarrives at the top this week with a comedic video! It’s not the first time they’ve been there, but this time it’s the good list! QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
Top 10 Videos and Performances for the week of August 19, 2012
1. 50 Ways to Say Goodbye—Train
2. The Wind—Zac Brown Band
3. Pontoon—Little Big Town
4. One More Night—Maroon 5 with Adam Levine
5. She’s So Mean—Matchbox 20
6. Takin’ Pills—The Pistol Annies
7. Wide Awake—Katy Perry
8. Over—Blake Shelton
9. Come Over—Kenny Chesney
10. Whistle—Flo Rida
1) “50 Ways to Say Goodbye”—There is a line and a video sequence in Train’s “50 Ways to Say Goodbye” video that recalls the plot of an old Jack Lemmon movie called “How to Murder Your Wife.” This would be a compliment. One of the ways she supposedly died is that she “fell in a cement mixer full of quicksand.” In “How to Murder Your Wife,” Jack Lemmon plays a lifelong bachelor who drunkenly marries the very pretty Virna Lisi. Once he realizes what he’s done and because he writes a newspaper column, he conceives a plot to kill off his fictitious wife. He does it by throwing her into the “gloppita gloppita machine”—which is his name for a cement mixer. Jack Lemmon doesn’t actually do it, but the courtroom scene is quite ingenious! If that movie was the inspiration for that line, I have new respect for Train! Either way they have the new No.1 video this week!
2) “The Wind”—The Zac Brown Band may have peaked but there is a lot to like in their video!
3) “Pontoon”—Aww. Little Big Town’s “Pontoon” may be heading in to shore. It sure was a blast for most of the summer!
4) “One More Night”—Normally, I don’t like melodramatic videos because the song doesn’t warrant such a treatment. I totally buy Adam Levine in his role as a boxer!
5) “She’s So Mean”—For some reason, I like watching the girlfriend torture the guys in Matchbox 20!
6) “Takin Pills”—The Pistol Anniespoke fun at themselves and all other women’s bar bands as they describe and show life on the road! I like this video a lot!
7) “Wide Awake”—Surprisingly, I still like watching Katy Perry’svideo, even though it’s been around for quite awhile now. I like the special effects, particularly when the young Katy stomps her foot to get past the guards and the floor falls away!
8) “Over”—Blake Shelton’s video run for this song may be “over.” C’mon now. I moved him from the bad list on to the good list. That doesn’t happen very often.
9) “Come Over”—I know I have neglected to put Kenny Chesney’scinematic black-and-white video on my list, but that’s because I didn’t know he was in the video. I thought only model Amber Lehman Styling was in it. Huh. Silly me………………….
10) “Whistle”—Flo Rida hangs around for another week. QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
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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Even though Ed Sheeran’svideo is probably on its death bed, it still has enough negative energy left in it to vault over every other bad video to reach the top……………. QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
Worst Videos for the week of August 19, 2012
1. The A Team—Ed Sheeran
2. Cowboys and Angels—Dustin Lynch
3. Drunk on You—Luke Bryan
4. 5-1-5-0—Dierks Bentley
5. Settle Down—No Doubt
6. Let’s Go—Calvin Harris and Ne-Yo
7. Scream—Usher
8. Glass—Thompson Square
9. Wanted You More—Lady Antebellum
10. Ho Hey—The Lumineers
1) “The A Team”—The title of Ed Sheeran’s song reminds me of the lousy TV show from the ‘80s, but I would much rather watch that instead of this video…………….
2) “Cowboys and Angels”—You know, neither one of the groups mentioned by Dustin Lynchdeserves such a bad video……………..
3) “Drunk on You”—Luke Bryan’s video is starting to stumble and fall like it’s,,,I don’t know, Drunk?……………….
4) “5-1-5-0”—Well, the popularity for Dierks Bentley’svideo appears to have peaked abruptly and it has fallen dramatically. I am amazed when I actually see people come to their senses…………
5) “Settle Down”—No Doubt’sfreak show carnival appears to be catching on, but not with me……………….
6) “Let’s Go”—And you are……………………………..
7) “Scream”—I think whimper is more like it………………
8) “Glass”—Thompson Square’svideo seems to be pretty resilient for something that’s supposed to be made out of glass…………
9) “Wanted You More”—Wow. Lady Antebellum actually made a depressing video. Shock me!
10) “Ho Hey”—I heard that The Lumineers did this video on the same set used for the Sawmovies. Well that might explain a few things…………………………. QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
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.
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ “Summertime” and Jessica Daylestay on top for a third straight week! Just like I wish summer could go on for ever, “Summertime,” the song seems to be just as strong! QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
Top Ten Songs for the Week of August 12, 2012
1. Summertime—Jessica Dayle
2. A Salty Dog—Procol Harum
3. (Kissed You) Good Night—Gloriana
4. Over—Blake Shelton
5. Pontoon—Little Big Town
6. The Sun Is Shining—The Fireman (Paul McCartney
7. Angel Eyes—Love and Theft
8. The Wind—Zac Brown Band
9. Come Together—Arctic Monkeys
10. Number One—The Gin Blossoms
1) “Summertime”—I’m going to continue where I left off from last week’s entry, with more lyrics of Jessica Dayle’s song. The next line is Kick off our flip-flops/Now we’re dancing in the creek. Once again, I have an immediate visualization of this joyous fun, and wish I could be there, too, dancing in the creek! I don’t ever remember doing that. Running in and out of a creek because it’s too cold? Yes. I’ve splashed water with my feet. But dancing in a creek? Everyone should be so lucky to have that experience!
2) “A Salty Dog”—I caught Procol Harumlive this week at the DTE Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan this week. They played a mixture of old and newer songs including classics like “A Whiter Shade of Pale” and “Simple Sister.”Guitar work from Geoff Whitehorn was really great! The incredible moment of the evening, as the sun was still pretty high in the sky, and as lead vocalist and pianist Gary Brookerintroduced the song by saying that, “We don’t really like playing this song before it gets dark,” provided a memory that will last a lifetime! I’d heard him play “A Salty Dog” a couple of times before with a backing band, but having his own dedicated band made all the difference in the world!
3) “(Kissed You) Good Night”—Gloriana’s good song hangs tough for another week at the three spot!
4) “Over”—Blake Shelton may be peaking for me, but he treads water for another week at number four!
5) “Pontoon”—Little Big Town’s “Pontoon”fights the current and moves up again! I especially like the break in the song where they all pause to take a deep breath before singing the chorus again!
6) “The Sun Is Shining”—The sun may be setting for Paul McCartney’s song this week……….
7) “Angel Eyes”—Love and Theft hang tough before dropping off!
8) “The Wind”—“The Winds” seems to be changing for the Zac Brown Band this week…………….
9) “Come Together”—The Arctic Monkeys did a pretty decent cover of The Beatles’“Come Together”at the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Olympics. It was the highlight for me!
10) “Number One”—I have been hooked on this Gin Blossoms’cover of The Rutles’“Number One”which would be twice removed from The Beatles’ “Twist & Shout” and, therefore, three times removed from The Isley Brothers’original version! The Gin Blossoms pump a little more energy into the song, and do the only true worthy cover of a Rutles song! Now that may seem more like an insult instead of a compliment, but I honestly mean it as high praise! QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
Anyone who has ever played video games, or had a child who played them is probably familiar with the music from the Zeldaseries of games. If you are, then the following video should be of no surprise to you. If you aren’t, then you, hopefully, should find the recommended music video a pleasant surprise, since the music for “Zelda” has been some of the best music out there—and not just for video games! Lindsey Stirling is an eclectic violinist who adapted some of the themes to create her “Zelda Medley.”
I want to thank Kevin at Speedy Auto Service in east Livonia, Michiganfor bringing this high quality medley to my attention!
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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The Zac Brown Band’s “The Wind” finally blew Little Big Town’s “Pontoon” off the top spot. I guess we’ll see how long they can sustain those winds…………………… QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
Top 10 Videos and Performances for the week of August 12, 2012
1. The Wind—Zac Brown Band
2. Pontoon—Little Big Town
3. 50 Ways to Say Goodbye—Train
4. Over—Blake Shelton
5. Wide Awake—Katy Perry
6. One More Night—Maroon 5 with Adam Levine
7. She’s So Mean—Matchbox 20
8. Little Talks—Of Monsters and Men
9. Whistle—Flo Rida
10. Blow Me (One Last Kiss)—Pink
1) “The Wind”—There are so many stupid parts of this video that just make me laugh! I crack up when they go duck hunting and the robotic Zac Brown pretty much destroys all of the birds with his super weaponry!
2) “Pontoon”—I like the camera angle when Little Big Town sing on their pontoon!
3) “50 Ways to Say Goodbye”— Pat Monahanof Trainhas met his love match because as much as he’s singing about what terrible things happened to her, she’s working just as hard at trying to make it look like he killed her!
4) “Over”—The use of fire in Blake Shelton’svideo turns the “heat” up a notch—way better than the desert imagery!
5) “Wide Awake”—I just saw Katy Perry’svideo again before I started writing this and I have to admit that it’s really colorful!
6) “One More Night”—I think Adam Levine as a boxer seems very realistic! I’m so glad that no payphone’s were harmed during the making of this video…………………
7) “She’s So Mean”—Yeah, she really is mean, Matchbox 20. I don’t care how pretty she is, I have absolutely no idea why anybody would hang around with someone who had such behavioral problems…………
8) “Little Talks”—Of Monsters and Men might be getting ready to take a “little walk” off of this list………….
9) “Whistle”—Keep whistling Flo Rida!You’re doing all right!
10) “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)”—Pinkhas put together a career that has shown that she really knows how to use the video medium. This one is right up to her high standards! QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
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.
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ Dierks Bentley climbed to the top on CMT’scountdown, so likewise, he gets the same bad honor on my list. Sorry, Dierks……………………. QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
Worst Videos for the week of August 12, 2012
1. 5-1-5-0—Dierks Bentley
2. Drunk on You—Luke Bryan
3. Cowboys and Angels—Dustin Lynch
4. The A Team—Ed Sheeran
5. Scream—Usher
6. Let’s Go—Calvin Harris and Ne-Yo
7. Settle Down—No Doubt
8. Springsteen—Eric Church
9. Glass—Thompson Square
10. Ho Hey—The Lumineers
1) “5-1-5-0”—Sorry Dierks, but #1 on CMT when you’re already on the “Q” Bombs list will more than likely get you the #1 spot as leader of the trash heap. This is an unusual situation for me because I actually like the video more than the song…………………
2) “Drunk on You”—It finally looks like Luke Bryan is starting to go away as he falls from the top spot………….
3) “Cowboys and Angels”—It looks like Dustin Lynch’ssong is going to be around for a while, which means the videos will be, too. ODWITS!
4) “The A Team”—Ed Sheeran’s bleak cinematic look about a bleaker subject is one big depressing video. But not as depressing as the subject he’s covering…………
5) “Scream”—I wish that I had any kind of reaction, including a scream, when I see Usher’svideo…………..
6) “Let’s Go”—For whatever reason, I don’t run across Calvin Harris and Ne-Yo’s video very often, which means that I can’t really remember why I don’t like it anymore. That’s a good thing…………………
7) “Settle Down”—I have never understood the fascination for No Doubt or Gwen Stefani. However, having said that, I really don’t mind the song, I just detest the carnival of freaks in the video and the jarring camera work……….
8)“Springsteen”—With some luck, this might be the last week for Eric Church. I read in Rolling Stone in May that Springsteensupposedly sent a handwritten note on the back of the set list about how he and his family liked the song. I guess if I had a song written about me, even if it wasn’t very good, would possibly be a favorite of mine, too…………….
9) “Glass”—If we break the glass, will this Thompson Squarevideo disappear…….
10) “Ho Hey”—Oh, hey. You guys still around………………………. QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
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.
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ Jessica Daylespreads out her towel on her favorite rocky beach because she knows she’s going to be around for awhile.“Summertime” stays on top for a second week! Competition, though, is getting tough………. QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
Top Ten Songs for the Week of August 5, 2012
1. Summertime—Jessica Dayle
2. The Sun Is Shining—The Fireman (Paul McCartney)
3. (Kissed You) Good Night—Gloriana
4. Over—Blake Shelton
5. The Wind—Zac Brown Band
6. Pontoon—Little Big Town
7. Angel Eyes—Love and Theft
8. A Salty Dog—Procol Harum
9. Little Talks—Of Monsters and Men
10. Bright Red—Vanessa Peters
1) “Summertime”—I’ve described many of the musical elements that I like about Jessica Dayle’ssong, but it’s about time I start to focus in on the lyrics. The verses are detailed descriptions describing a lush creek setting: “There’s lazy pollen floating on the breeze/Blue sky, baby buds, new waxy leaves.“ I have never wanted to look at baby buds in my life—but I do now! The acoustic accompaniment of Fred Malletteon Banjo, Craig Newnes on acoustic guitar, a spine tingling simulation of the wind played by Charlie Hase on pedal steel guitar plus the words create an atmosphere that just transports the listener to this real life location! Ahh, summertime!
2) “The Sun Is Shining”—Paul McCartney may be peaking. “The Sun Is Shining” is my own personal surprise hit of the summer!
3) “(Kissed You) Good Night”—Glorianarecorded the perfect song about second guessing what should have happened on a date, from both male and female perspectives, when they each felt strongly about each other but were too shy to make a move!
4) “Over”—I’m not usually into too many big production country ballads, but Blake Shelton has changed my mind with this one! The string arrangement adds to the dramatic effect!
5) “The Wind”—I think the warp speed solos on this Zac Brown Bandsong are so fast that I almost laugh every time I hear them!
6) “Pontoon”—It seems that the “Pontoon”has dropped anchor in a secluded cove so that Little Big Towncan hang around!
7) “Angel Eyes”—Love and Theft appear to be ready to drop off the list, but “Angel Eyes” was a favorite of mine for most of the summer!
8) “A Salty Dog”—Procol Harum’s prog-rock masterpiece makes an appearance on my list. I imagine this will not be the last appearance. The string arrangement and the lyrical description, the incredible, almost impossible to reach high notes, all combine to provide a glimpse of what heaven may sound like!
9) “Little Talks”—Of Monsters and Men’s run on my list is probably ending………..
10) “Bright Red”—Vanessa Peters reappears on the good list. Good to see you, Vanessa! QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
For as long as I’ve been on the radio, and definitely for as long as I’ve been writing a blog, I will occasionally make a reference to a song being “One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded!” (GSER)
I would usually follow that by saying that I would eventually start a category for it, but then never get around to it.
Well, now I’m getting around to it!
My radio show, “Theme Attic,” is on Wednesdays 12PM-4PM ET.
I’ll select a song to celebrate and then give my thoughts about it. Nothing really brand new here that hasn’t been done before. But since I have a website, I can collect them and lay out what my own greatest songs are.
Even though I always emphasize new music and artists, it’s always fun to take a short drive through the legendary artists, since they influenced those other artists!
But a song doesn’t have to be old or done by a legendary Theme Attic Hall of Fame member to be thus honored.
I can think of several songs that are only a few years old or less that I could identify as One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded.
This will be fun, and hopefully you will join me on my journey!
If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq!
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Another Labor Day weekend is here, and it seems only fitting that Wally Pleasant should get special recognition!
From his “Houses of the Holy Moly” album, “Stupid Day Job” is song with a chorus that sticks to you like an encounter with a no-pest strip,
One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded is “Stupid Day Job” by Wally Pleasant!!!
(Try getting this one out of your head after you watch it!!)
Also, this was my Video of the Year for 2011! (That was a time when I used to watch videos fairly regularly.)
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.
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ “Pontoon” and Little Big Town just keep riding the waves!!!!! QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
Top 10 Videos and Performances for the week of August 5, 2012
1. Pontoon—Little Big Town
2. The Wind—Zac Brown Band
3. 50 Ways to Say Goodbye—Train
4. Wide Awake—Katy Perry
5. Over—Blake Shelton
6. Little Talks—Of Monsters and Men
7. She’s So Mean—Matchbox 20
8. One More Night—Maroon 5 with Adam Levine
9. Whistle—Flo Rida
10. (Kissed You) Good Night—Gloriana
1) “Pontoon”—It’s probably just me, but I get a kick out of the mini snare drum that the drummer is playing on!
2) “The Wind”—The robot in the Zac Brown Band’s video has a variable seed drill as a finger. Man that could come in handy!
3) “50 Ways to Say Goodbye”—I like the mariachi feel to the song and I’m glad someone was smart enough to put them in the video!
4) “Wide Awake”—I still enjoy seeing the hypnotic eyes in that topiary cat!
5) “Over”—Blake Shelton’s song is strong and pulls the video up even higher!
6) “Little Talks”—Alright! I decided to look up the lyrics to Of Monsters and Men’s song and the lyrics are creepy, too, so they match the video. They also seem to have a positive leaning, so I feel better now. …..
7) “She’s So Mean”—Matchbox 20 reappear after many years away from the music business and Rob Thomas has a nasty girlfriend in this video. I mean, she “scratched his records!!!” Well, now. That’s the worst kind of mean!
8) “One More Night”—Well, I am stunned! Maroon 5 withAdam Levine starring as a boxer, have put together their own little updated version of “Raging Bull”…and it’s really good!!!!
9) “Whistle”—Flo Rida put together a hot summer video with a very catchy song!
10) “(Kissed You) Good Night”—Another week on the list for Gloriana….. QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
For as long as I’ve been on the radio, and definitely for as long as I’ve been writing a blog, I will occasionally make a reference to a song being “One of the Greatest Songs Ever Recorded!” (GSER)
