Phil’s Faves: Videos, January 22, 2012

Posted on January 29, 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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Kina Grannis stays at the top for a second week, but I’m concerned that I won’t be seeing it anymore, since it doesn’t appear to be catching on. I just have to think that other people aren’t seeing it already. Well, let’s celebrate it for another week and worry about what happens later……………………
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Top 10 Videos for the week of January 22, 2012

1. In Your Arms—Kina Grannis
2. Ours—Taylor Swift
3. Lonely Boy—The Black Keys
4. Space Oddity—Jimmy Fallon as David Bowie from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
5. Baggage Claim—Miranda Lambert
6. Even If It Breaks Your Heart—Eli Young Band
7. Care—Kid Rock Featuring Angaleena Presley & T.I.
8. Somebody That I Used to Know—Gotye
9. What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger)—Kelly Clarkson
10. Red Solo Cup—Toby Keith

1) “In Your Arms”—I’m very disappointed that this video appears to be losing steam. How can you not like the little penguins floating in on balloons, or the bat in the cave, or the butterfly—all made out of jellybeans! Don’t let this one die!
2) “Ours”—I guess I like this one better than “Lonely Boy” because it has a plot……
3) “Lonely Boy”—Not much competition should keep this one around for a little while, but you never know…………….
4) “Space Oddity”—Alright! This is flatout one of the best things I saw all week! It’s great and hilarious at the same time! Jimmy takes on David Bowie in his glam days using lyrics about a conversation between Tim Tebow and God ala Major Tom and Ground Control! Pure genius!
5) “Baggage Claim”—This one’s starting to get old…………………………..
6) “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”—I haven’t seen this one enough to pick up the plot yet, but it seems interesting.
7) “Care”—A big hug to everybody that’s hurting—especially Detroit! How could I not like it………………………….
8) “Somebody That I Used to Know”—A creepy looking live art video. I think I like it….
9) “What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger)”—Not the greatest video, but I like the flash dance mob dancing in front of the statue, “The Spirit of Detroit” wearing their old English “D” Tiger baseball caps!
10) “Red Solo Cup”—It’s on life support—like the guy at the end of the video………

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“Q” Bombs: January 22, 2012

Posted on January 29, 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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Avril takes the top spot this week knocking out Luke Bryan. That, my friends, is nothing to brag about……………………….
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Worst Videos for the week of January 22, 2012

1. Wish You Were Here—Avril Lavigne
2. I Don’t Want This Night to End—Luke Bryan
3. It Will Rain—Bruno Mars
4. God Gave Me You—Blake Shelton
5. Tattoos on This Town—Jason Aldean
6. Easy—Rascal Flatts with Natasha Bedingfield
7. Shake It Out—Florence + The Machine
8. Remind Me—Brad Paisley with Carrie Underwood
9. Tonight Is the Night—Outasight
10. Set Fire to the Rain—Adele

1) “Wish You Were Here”—This video—and song, are sooooooooooo annoying! I can’t wait for this one to disappear………………
2) “I Don’t Want This Night to End”—I didn’t think that there could be a more annoying video out there right now, but I guess Luke can thank Avril for that……….
3) “It Will Rain”—Maybe Bruno should become a weather forecaster if he’s so sure………..
4) “God Gave Me You”—How many more months are we going to be subjected to this loser video…………………………..
5)“Tattoos on This Town”—These small town videos are starting to take a toll on me…………….
6) “Easy”—I’ll tell you what’s not so easy: Continuing to write snappy “disses” of a video that refuses to die!
7) “Shake It Out”—My eyes hurt when I watch this video……………
8] “Remind Me” —Uh, what were we talking about…………………..
9) “Tonight is the Night”—Absolutely not! I don’t think I’d like to be friends with anyone in this video………………
10) “Set Fire to the Rain”—Concert videos, in general, are usually pretty boring. This one doesn’t deviate. It’s nice that Adele has a nice large orchestra behind her, but what’s up with that Tammy Wynette hairdo? She’s only 21 for cryin’ out loud. Why make her look older than she is………………………..
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Phil’s Faves: Songs, January 15, 2012

Posted on January 29, 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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Joanie Leeds jumps to the top knocking out Paul McCartney and Steve Martin with her smackdown ode to bloodsucking insects! Hiii-yaaah!!! That makes The Black Keys start to feel kind of “lonely” in the runner up spot. Other than that, plenty of songs have replaced others that have fallen off. The list appears to be kind of volatile these days…………
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Top Ten Songs for the Week of January 15, 2012

1. Mosquitoes—Joanie Leeds
2. Lonely Boy—The Black Keys
3. Best Love—Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers with Paul McCartney
4. In Your Arms—Kina Grannis
5. Hawaiian Boogie—George Bedard and The Kingpins
6. Lonely Blue Boy (Danny’s Song)—Jim Byrnes
7. The Victory—Steeleye Span
8. The Morning Mirror—The Twistin’ Tarantulas
9. Hippy Dance—Pat Bergeson with Dan Shapiro, & Tom Roady
10. Unlucky Lady—Trip Shakespeare

1) “Mosquitoes”—Mosquitoes are favorites for maybe the first time anywhere in the existence of the world—unless there was a list for things that you have to smack to protect yourself! This is a well deserving fun song! It’s just too bad that summer is so far away……………………..
2) “Lonely Boy”—The Black Keys have been patiently waiting while Paul McCartney and Joanie Leeds have topped the list. Let’s see if it pays off for them. I think this is their best song yet!
3) “Best Love”—Still a great song but it’s running up against some worthy competition….
4) “In Your Arms”—I like this song and video and I am truly disappointed that it isn’t catching on. It’s not the first time that musical preferences gravitate to a lesser choice…….
5) “Hawaiian Boogie”—This is another smoldering blues instrumental by George Bedard and The Kingpins taken from their second CD, “Hip Deep!” When the band does this song—and you know they’re going to do it because George plays it on his easily recognizable Hoffner guitar, you know that you had better hold on for a fun ride! Rich Dishman and Randy Tessier work together with George like a “steel drivin’ hammer,” to roll through a song that even people who claim to hate the blues have to love!
6) “Lonely Blue Boy (Danny’s Song)”—This blues artist’s vocals remind me of Eric Clapton or J.J. Cale. That’s really good company to be compared to as he effortlessly lays down a sad vocal. Play this one after The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy” and you better have the number for a help line ready…………………………
7) “The Victory”—This epic group effort by Steeleye Span is probably my favorite song by them! It clocks in at 8 plus minutes and the subject is Lord Nelson’s Trafalgar battle. It is a song that lives up to the legendary fight! Maddy Prior’s vocal is exceptionally great as the song ebbs and flows with fluctuating moods that are sad and full of bravado within seconds!
8) “The Morning Mirror”—The Twistin’ Tarantulas are a band that sits right on the border between rockabilly and psychobilly. Since their songs are usually pretty melodic—and I’m not big on categorizing bands – I like to think of them as a high energy rockabilly group! They are fun to listen to and more fun to see live! On this song, the wry lyrics by Pistol Pete Midtgard, talk about getting older and wiser but not regretting the times that helped to create the wrinkles that he sees in the mirror! The music makes you think of what The Stray Cats might have sounded like twenty years after they started—if they had stayed together……..
9) “Hippy Dance”—Another Pat Bergeson entry! This time it’s the title track from his latest CD! It’s a New Orleans style of swamp-jazz that get’s into your blood!
10) “Unlucky Lady”—Alright, I almost hate to admit this “love song” got to me this week. The harmonies on this pop tune are very good and the song is melodic so I see why I could like it, but the lyrics are awful: “Oh unlucky lady/You are mine!” How many times did that work for you, dude!!??
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Phil’s Faves: Videos, January 15, 2012

Posted on January 22, 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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Hey, there’s a new #1 video this week that is artistically superb! There were also many great live performances that I watched this week. It was a very cool, “indie” kind of week………….
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Top 10 Videos for the week of January 15, 2012

1. In Your Arms—Kina Grannis
2. Ours—Taylor Swift
3. Lonely Boy—The Black Keys
4. Paradise–Coldplay
5. Baggage Claim—Miranda Lambert
6. Marstorm—Uh Huh Her on Jimmy Kimmel Live
7. Too Old to Die Young—Will Hoge on Jimmy Kimmel Live
8. Baby Missiles—The War on Drugs on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
9. Miranda—Surfer Blood on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
10. Red Solo Cup—Toby Keith

1) “In Your Arms”—Wow! I found out while watching VH1 that something like 288,000 jellybeans were used in making this video and it took two years to make! Now that’s what I call vision and dedication! I find it fascinating that a pile of white jellybeans looks like a pile of snow that then morphs into a snow leopard! And that’s only one example of the multiple images that are intricate but soooooooooo cute! I can’t say enough nice things about this video!
2) “Ours”—I still like this video, but let’s face it: Taylor looks pretty “mousy” in it……..
3) “Lonely Boy”—To me, one of the ironic things about this video is that I get the impression that the guy doing the dancing is actually NOT lonely at all!
4) “Paradise”—I even like the beginning of this video when the credits are rolling! It looks like the beginning of a David Lean classic!
5) “Baggage Claim”—I don’t know what else to say about this one. I’m just glad I’m not the one picking my clothes up that were thrown on the lawn!
6) “Marstorm”—This was a very energetic performance by this group that has very nice harmonies! They reminded me of Best Coast!
7) “Too Old to Die Young”—Will Hoge has been a very consistent performer for years lost in that alt/country category that some performers get shoved into. If this performance is any indication, it looks like 2012 should be a banner year for Will!
8) “Baby Missiles”—This is a band that I was not familiar with, but I will catch up really fast! I watched this performance several times in a row when I saw it!
9) “Miranda”—With Surfer Blood joining a major label, they decided to put out one last EP. This rocking jam is from “Tarot Classics” and it was great live!
10) “Red Solo Cup”—All right. I’m finally getting tired of this one…………………

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“Q” Bombs: January 15, 2012

Posted on January 22, 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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Oh, it’s such a painful week. Songs that should have fallen off hung on–and moved up, making the pain hurt even more. I don’t know. I guess some of these bad ones are going to be around for awhile. Luke Bryan moves up to be king of the trash heap……………….
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Worst Videos for the week of January 15, 2012

1. I Don’t Want This Night to End—Luke Bryan
2. It Will Rain—Bruno Mars
3. Wish You Were Here—Avril Lavigne
4. Tattoos on This Town—Jason Aldean
5. God Gave Me You—Blake Shelton
6. Remind Me—Brad Paisley with Carrie Underwood
7. Easy—Rascal Flatts with Natasha Bedingfield
8. Shake It Out—Florence + The Machine
9. Tonight Is the Night—Outasight
10. International Love—Pitbull with Chris Brown

1) “I Don’t Want This Night to End”—What an obnoxiously smug video—especially the longer version! The only part I like is the segment where he’s playing basketball with the girl. Unfortunately, it’s in a barn and the wall is backlit! Huh? But as bad as it is, it’s still better than his last one……………………..
2) “It Will Rain”—I don’t even like sort of watching this video which is what I do when I don’t like one………………
3) “Wish You Were Here”—I just can’t feel sympathy or empathy or Avril in this video. Go wipe that mascara off and get yourself together, girl…………………….
4)  “Tattoos on This Town”—This is a mixed choice for me. I like the song but I don’t really care for smashing mailboxes with a baseball bat. There’s a lot of other ways to actually show how you left your “tattoo on your town”…………….
5) “God Gave Me You”—It’s moving up again! Please! Somebody stop it before it kills again………………………………..
6) “Remind Me” —This song is falling like a floating feather. Where is gravity when it’s really needed………………………..
7) “Shake It Out”—This spastic video is starting to move up, too, when it should have been dead. Just “shake it off”…and out…………………
8] “Easy”—Another song that’s moving back up! Is Mercury in retrograde or something………….
9) “Tonight is the Night”—Uh, I don’t think so…………………………
10) “International Love”—A song that is similar in attitude to The Beach Boys’ “California Girls,” except it’s bigger in scope. It doesn’t even come close to the charm and warmth that that song has……………………………
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Phil’s Faves: Songs, January 8, 2012

Posted on January 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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Paul McCartney stays at the top for another week. The Black Keys are right behind him as several songs move towards the top in a post holidays rush. Steve Martin even has two songs on the list and there are even two instrumentals. A pretty diversified list, I’d say…………..
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Top Ten Songs for the Week of January 8, 2012

1. Best Love—Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers with Paul McCartney
2. Lonely Boy—The Black Keys
3. Mosquitoes—Joanie Leeds
4. The Afterlife—Paul Simon
5. Rare Bird Alert—Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers
6. 7th Galaxy—Dennis Coffey
7. Drip Drop—The Drifters
8. In Your Arms—Kina Grannis
9. Shenandoah—Suzy Bogguss
10. Rainbow Connection—The Moopets

1) “Best Love”— Paul McCartney, along with the rest of The Beatles—and some more than others, always had a respect and fondness for country music. This is probably his best “country” vocal since “Sally G,” another underrated song. Right now, I can’t hear this song enough!
2) “Lonely Boy”—Guitars and drums get lost in this swamp mix that is just perfect! Another simbie that I just happen to spontaneously start singing!
3) “Mosquitoes”—The drums in this song are mixed right up front and would be a very good rock song in almost any era you want to examine! The lyrics get to the “point” and are quite humorous! It’s difficult to make a funny song that’s both cute and good. This one does it with ease! I think Joanie Leeds grew up listening to some good music!
4) “The Afterlife”—Another simbie! The humor in this song is soooooo dry! I just love it that when Paul Simon finally gets to meet God face to face, the only thing he can blurt to say are gibberish lyrics to “Be Bop-a-Lula” and “Oop Poo Pa Doo!” Too funny!
5) “Rare Bird Alerts”—I’ve been listening to this title track instrumental for the past several weeks and it has grown on me. There are a lot of stops in it that always catch my attention. It is a hot bluegrass scorcher!
6) “7th Galaxy”—Dennis Coffey shows that his skills haven’t diminished over the years. They’ve only gotten better, if that’s even possible! One of the nice things on this instrumental is that Dennis always left room for a nice drum break and this song has one as well! Welcome back! We’ve missed you!
7) “Drip Drop”—I dug this song out on purpose and it worked its magic on me all over again! It has an incredible sax solo that had to influence Clarence Clemons, and the rest of the time there is a nice sax rhythm section! A really cool forgotten classic!
8) “In Your Arms”—This song by Kina Grannis is continuing to grow on me—even without the video! I need to check out more stuff by her……………….
9) “Shenandoah”—For some reason, I kept running across this song in the past week. I heard it by Erich Kunzel and somebody else whom I can’t remember. Suzy Bogguss does a very emotive interpretation of this classic from her American Folk Songbook CD! And by being in the right place at the right time, she brings some class to this week’s list! I’m sure she would find that quite funny—if I was counting on her to “bring the class!” But she has such style, even if she downplays it………………………..
10) “Rainbow Connection”—The list finishes off with a purposely non-classy song from “The Muppets Soundtrack.’’ This song cracks me up as Fozzie Bear shills for some dive casino where some of the former Muppets are working as a lounge act as “The Moopets!” The parody skewers the original song for comedic effect!
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Phil’s Faves: Videos, January 8, 2012

Posted on January 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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Taylor Swift starts the year off with a #1 video and two places on the list. There’s a couple of good live performances and a great new video. A nice start so far………
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Top 10 Videos for the week of January 8, 2012

1. Ours—Taylor Swift
2. In Your Arms—Kina Grannis
3. Lonely Boy—The Black Keys
4. Paradise–Coldplay
5. Baggage Claim—Miranda Lambert
6. Northern Island—Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”
7. Norteno Lights—Mariachi El Bronx
8. Uprising—Muse
9. Red Solo Cup–Toby Keith
10. Sparks Fly—Taylor Swift

1) “Ours”—Taylor Swift’s parody of office life continues on where it left off last year! The sequence with her trying to use the copy machine is great: It needs paper, she gets paper. It needs toner she gets toner. The only problem is the machine has disappeared!
2) “In Your Arms”—This was the first new video that I saw this year and I bonded with it immediately! The song is catchy and the video is some time of stop action format like Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer!” It is GREAT!
3) “Lonely Boy”—Even though there doesn’t appear to be much happening in this video. it makes me smile every time! That dude can dance!
4) “Paradise”—I didn’t see this one for several weeks and I forgot how good it is! The cinematography is way beyond most videos! The scenery is so beautiful! Coldplay also did a nice job on their Austin City Limit’s New Year’s Eve Performance! That’s what I was watching.
5) “Baggage Claim”—This is a pretty straightforward concert video, so it all hinges on Miranda Lambert’s performance, and she nails it!
6) “Northern Island”—Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers pick like musical bluegrass fiends on this instrumental performance!
7) “Norteno Lights”—A very solid uplifting performance that featured Dave Hidalgo from Los Lobos on accordion! I need to check these guys out.
8) “Uprising”—I’ve probably heard this song a million times but for some reason, never saw the video. It was really great and matched the intensity of the song!
9) “Sparks Fly”—Might be the last time for now that Taylor has two videos on this list…
10) “Red Solo Cup”—I saw this one a jillion times in the last month. I still watch it. I’m not sure what that says about me…………………

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“Q” Bombs: January 8, 2012

Posted on January 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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The hiatus is over and some familiar unwanted videos have returned. A couple of them should have disappeared for good, but instead they welcomed in the New Year. ODWITS!
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Worst Videos for the week of January 8, 2012

1. Dirt Road Anthem—Jason Aldean
2. I Don’t Want This Night to End—Luke Bryan
3. It Will Rain—Bruno Mars
4. Remind Me—Brad Paisley with Carrie Underwood
5. Poison and Wine—The Civil Wars
6. Wish You Were Here—Avril Lavigne
7. God Gave Me You–Blake Shelton
8. Easy–Rascal Flatts with Natasha Bedingfield
9. Tonight Is the Night—Outasight
10. Shake It Out—Florence + The Machine

1) “Dirt Road Anthem—I have no idea why I continue to run across this video so often. It’s like it never went away even though it’s not on the CMT Top 20 Countdown. I thought when it dropped off the list, it would disappear for good. So far, I’m wrong……
2) “I Don’t Want This Night to End”—Another awful video by Luke Bryan that’s been around for awhile. I must have been busy because it should have irritated me a lot sooner….
3) “It Will Rain”—Apparently, rain won’t keep this video from being shown……….
4) “Remind Me” —Remind me why this song is still on the countdown……
5) “Poison and Wine”—Look. I’ll make a deal with The Civil Wars. I’ll take the wine if they’ll take the…I’m just kidding……………………………..Sort of……….Not really. Just go away……………………………..It’s not even on a countdown! Why do I keep seeing it?
6) “Wish You Were Here”—This is probably the first video that I didn’t want to see of Avril’s. Boo hoo …………………………….
7) “God Gave Me You”—It’s falling pretty good now………………..
8] “Easy”—Dropping like a rock. Finally………………………
9) “Tonight is the Night”—Good luck with that line from a way too generic video………
10) “Shake It Out”—Hanging on for way too many weeks……………………
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Phil’s Faves:Songs, January 1, 2012

Posted on January 14, 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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This is a transition week for listening to music. It will be the last one for holiday songs. I have become emotionally attached to the new No.1, and I guess it’s only fitting that Paul McCartney would be the one to knock “Santa You Can Drive My Sled” out of the “topper of the poppermost spot–a nice Beatles reference,” which is how Pat Woodward of The Fab, Beatles Tribute Band from Las Vegas, referred to it in his e-mail to me! Gear! Fab!
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Top Ten Songs for the Week of January 1, 2012

1. Best Love—Steve Martin with Paul McCartney
2. Chiron Beta Prime—Jonathan Coulton
3. Santa You Can Drive My Sled—The Fab (Beatles Tribute Band from Las Vegas)
4. Lonely Boy—The Black Keys
5. Arbolito—Tish Hinojosa
6. The Afterlife—Paul Simon
7. 7th Galaxy—Dennis Coffey
8. Mosquitoes—Joanie Leeds and The Nightlights
9. In Your Arms—Kina Grannis
10. One Day After Christmas—Da Yoopers

1) “Best Love”—I originally heard this song when Steve Martin’s “Rare Bird Alert” came out. I thought it was OK but nothing special. But that’s how music works. Just like “(I Want To) Come Home,” by Paul McCartney, the song worked it’s way into my subconscious. So when I started working on compiling my year end lists, when I heard it again it exploded in my brain. The melody is a beautiful haunting bluegrass love song, and Paul gets to expand into a different area! I can’t get this simbie out of my head!
2) “Chiron Beta Prime”—My family and I had way too much fun reliving this song during this week! I haven’t checked out the video yet……………..
3) “Santa You Can Drive My Sled”—Well, it looks like the run is finished for now, but I predict that this song will emerge from hibernation every year around the end of November!
4) “Lonely Boy”—A welcome return for this ultra cool song!
5) “Arbolito”—Another week on the list for a family favorite! The little bell as the last note at the end of the song reminds me of Clarence getting his wings in “It’s a Wonderful Life!”
6) “The Afterlife”—Another year end memory of a very good song from an excellent album, “So Beautiful or So What” by Paul Simon! It’s a song with a lot rhythm about what happens after you die. Apparently, there’s a lot of paperwork……………………..
7) “7th Galaxy”—Dennis Coffey has been a guitar hero in the Detroit area for decades. This instrumental demonstrates why! Dennis updates his sound to line up better with probably where he learned to play— from the future, in the 7th Galaxy, of course! Way coooooooooool!
8)“Mosquitoes”—Yes, I know it’s the wrong time of the year for this song, but when played together with The Decemberists’ “June Hymn,” it can feel like summer all over again! This is a very fun pop/rock song! It’s also supposed to be for “young listeners,” but it can stand right up there with Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers’ “Hey There Little Insect!” A true, fun, gem of a song!
9) “In Your Arms”—A nice folk pop tune in a Colbie Caillat kind of vein! That’s a good thing! It kind of caught me by surprise and pulled me back into listening to more current music. Thank you Kina!
10) “One Day After Christmas”—This is my favorite post Christmas song! There really aren’t too many to choose from, but that doesn’t mean that it wouldn’t stack up against other competition! It would not be post Christmas without it! This is from a CD called “One Can Short of a Six Pack,” but there are only 3 Christmas songs on it. Each one is its own gem! It’s set against a slow blues melody and you get to connect the dots on this one where the singer is hoping that his relatives will leave soon because “The toilet bowl won’t flush/And I can’t find the cat!!???” Now, that’s my kind of Christmas song!
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Phil’s Faves: Songs, December 25, 2011

Posted on January 8, 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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The Fab end up topping the final weekly list of the year of what will probably be the only all Christmas list of songs! They end up knocking off Lady Antebellum on a very spirited Christmas ride to the top! Way to go guys! I think this list is a very good mixture of funny/silly and feel good/serious songs!
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Top Ten Songs for the Week of December 25, 2011

1. Santa You Can Drive My Sled—The Fab (Beatles Tribute Band from Las Vegas)
2. Chiron Beta Prime—Jonathan Coulton
3. Arbolito—Tish Hinojosa
4. Jingle Bells (Remix)—Esquivel
5. Very Merry Christmas—Dave Barnes
6. Navidad Y Ano Nuevo—Riders in the Sky
7. Deck the Halls—Lorie Line
8. Christmas Cash—Fred Figglehorn
9. White Christmas—Michael Buble and Shania Twain
10. Walking in My Winter Underwear—Fred Ziwich

1) “Santa You Can Drive My Sled”—Well, it did have enough time to make it to the top! The coolest Christmas song of the season makes the drive without having to slow down for any of the competition! I’m hoping that this is the first track of a forthcoming Christmas CD. Theses guys sound so good on this song that I think they should show their true form and do some Christmas originals of their own! And, you know… some more Beatle covers!
2) “Chiron Beta Prime”—This song, from Coulter’s ingenious CD “Thing a Week Two,” is quickly becoming one of my all time favorite Christmas songs. It’s a sci-fi story about being sent to work in a mine on planet Chiron Beta Prime by the robot overlords…I mean protectors! The premise sounds awfully bleak where the singer has to eat soylent green for Christmas. But it’s so sly and hilarious that it makes you feel good! I’ve heard that there is a video for the song that I keep forgetting to check out. I’ll let you know what it’s …“MESSAGE REDACTED!”……………………
3) “Arbolito”—A very sweet song from her CD “Memorabilia Navidena” that is probably a true personal experience! The song centers on the singer’s history of decorating the Christmas tree over time as her sisters hog putting on the icicles. This song is a sentimental acoustic beauty, and Hinojosa’s voice has never sounded better!
4) “Jingle Bells (Remix)”—Another week of enjoying this silly song! It fits right in with “Chiron Beta Prime!”
5) “Very Merry Christmas”—I can’t help snapping my fingers when this song is on! Believe me, there aren’t too many songs—Christmas or otherwise, that can get me to do that!
6) “Navidad Y Ano Nuevo”—I have no idea what they’re singing, but the harmonies are beautiful as the song lopes along!
7) “Deck the Halls”—Although this instrumental is entitled “Deck the Halls,” it’s actually an interwoven medley that includes “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” I sometimes prefer listening to traditional songs as instrumentals rather than a “ho-hum- going-through-the-motions vocal version. This one fits the requirements—and then some! It is only a sliver on an excellent CD called “Sharing the Season II”—which means that there are other similar albums! The arrangements are crisp and creative! This one moves along at the clip of a runaway sled—but not to worry. Lorie is always in control! The piano lays down the rhythm but also has some very nice upper register “tinkling!” There’s even a fiddle that surprises the listener about halfway through. If someone could have played a kitchen sink, I’m sure she would have thrown that in, too, for good measure! And all of this takes place in slightly more than thirty seconds. I have never heard “Deck the Halls” or “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman” sound happier! It is a true gem!
8) “Christmas Cash”—Ah, the “true” spirit of Christmas! Fred, from his “It’s Hackin’ Christmas with Fred” CD, gets right to the heart of the matter of what people really want for Christmas in a great simbie chorus: “Moneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoney/Moneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoney!” The chorus sounds like it’s sung by the minions from “Despicable Me.” It’s very catchy…and funny!
9) “White Christmas”—Michael Buble and Shania Twain breathe needed and welcome new life into a Christmas standard! It is a very welcome alternative!
10) “Walking in My Winter Underwear”—Fred Ziwich takes a parody turn on a Christmas classic from his “Button Box at Christmas” CD! It’s nice to have a different underwear alternative than the one Bob Rivers did about twenty years ago. Although the subject is still underwear, Fred does a nice job on his accordion to accompany his “dry, tongue-in-cheek” vocal!
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