Video Killed The Radio Star - Top 10 Music Videos

I've not done a proper top 10 in aaaaaaaaaaages, not since this one I think. So today I thought I'd come back with a, er, bang - My Top 10 Music Videos! It's been, unsurprisingly, tough to narrow down the list as I do love a good music video. Where would we be without MTV and all the other music channels it spawned? Although it's not on the list, I have to give credit to Dire Straits here - Money For Nothing was the first music video shown on MTV, way back in August 1987 (crikey that's 24 years ago.....)

The list is a real mix of stuff - some pop, some metal, some dance, some rock. I've literally picked the first videos that spring to mind but at the end of the post is also a list of the best suggestions that came up on Twitter/Facebook when I asked for your favourite vids.

My Top 10 Music Videos - in no particular order...

1) November Rain - Guns 'n' Roses
Awesome video - great wedding dress, great guitar solo, and just generally a very unintentionally funny video. It's clearly a great song too, which makes all the difference.

2) Smack My Bitch Up - The Prodigy
Er, if you're of a sensitive nature, look away now. This video has won several polls for the most offensive video ever, was banned for years and just generally caused stacks of controversy as did the song/song title itself! Personally I think it's a great song + video and I don't think it's misogynistic at all, rather I like the way it subverts certain stereotypes. I often wonder if the video would have been so shocking if it had had a different protagonist. However if you'd rather not watch the video (I wouldn't if you're not sure!), scroll down to the very bottom of this post - and I've put a little precis in for you.

It makes into this list for being a great video because of the production and direction and the fabulous imagery - you feel like you're part of it! It's also interesting to note that the video was directed by Jonas Akerlund - who has done several Lady Gaga videos including Telephone and Paparazzi.

3) Like A Prayer - Madonna
Interestingly, another controversial video when it came out - but it's a wonderful video. I like the way Madonna goes to great lengths to tell a story - even though the lyrics of the song are utterly bizarre (is it about sex or religion - or both?)  Madonna, witnessing a murder, flees to a church for sanctuary and then has a bizarre dream about having sex with a saint (possibly Jesus?) Anyway the Vatican banned this video - rather understandably - given the extensive Catholic/religious imagery. It's incredibly famous song and video - I've seen Madonna perform it live and it was AMAZING.

The higher the note, the louder we shout - My Top 10 Karaoke Tracks

I think you might have all guessed this post was coming, especially after this and this and er....this. I've not always been obsessed with karaoke, it's more that I'm now officially allowed to sing in public - something I've refrained from doing since the following episode:

Autumn 2001 - I'm at university, in my room. My then best friend (and now husband) walks in...
Him "Are you okay?"
Me: "Yeah, fine, why do you ask?"
Him: "Well I thought I heard you screaming in pain?"
Me: "Er......no, I was ah, singing along to my Bryan Adams CD"
End of scene, both parties extremely embarrassed, I vow never to sing aloud, in public, again....

Until someone introduced me to the concept of karaoke booths...(I blame @originalrobyn and @leopardprintlou for this). Hence lots of going to karaoke and getting very excited about it. It has since come to my knowledge that there's a fair few of you out there who have *never* done karaoke. I find this quite alarming, it's like not doing fancy dress as an adult. The whole point of karaoke is not to sing well....but to have fun making an absolute tit of yourself with the added benefit of pretending to be a famous person.

So here is my list, I hope that it inspires some of you to go out and have - as Lucky Voice puts it - "most liberating, heart-racing, life-affirming ...experience on earth"....

Top 10 Karaoke Songs

1) Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi....you know you want to, you know all the lyrics and you don't need the tight jeans or the hair to have an awesome time air-guitaring to this one. All together now "oooooh livin on a prayerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"

2) Bad Romance - Lady Gaga...The lyrics of this song completely confound me, as does the random spot of french somewhere towards the end. Plus there's more ra-ra-ra-ing than Boney M could have ever dreamed of. Therefore it is HYSTERICAL singing along to this and pretending to the bacon-wearing lady monster.....luckily for you guys, there are no videos of me doing this.

3) Killing In The Name Of - Rage Against the Machine...I'm not sure fun is the right word here so much as abso-fuckin-lutely rocking awesome doing this one. The lyrics aren't hard and I have to say, yelling FUCK as loudly as possible into a microphone is very enjoyable. Pretending to be Zach de la Rocha - surprisingly good way of spending a saturday night.

4) Like A Virgin - Madonna...had to get a bit of ol' madge on this list, and it was a close call with Like a Prayer, but this one wins hands down for all the inventive dancing you can do whilst singing along to again, the totally bonkers lyrics (Lady Gaga clearly learned hers somewhere). The only thing missing is a lion and a wedding dress - they don't seem to be provided in the props boxes!

5) Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield...this is worth doing if you've got someone who can actually sing in your group. But even if you haven't it's fun pretending to be eyeliner-ed up to the max and belting this little number out.

6) I Would Do Anything For Love - Meatloaf...a surprising little entry this one but so much fun to sing as a duet. Nothing beats staring passionately into your best girlfriend's eyes, begging them to "hose me down with holy water/if I get too hot". I have a fabulous video of two good friends singing this one - but I've been banned from posting it on here. Needless to say it's definitely a go-er.

7) Alone - Heart....er,all I can say is that if you watched the video in yesterday's blog post, your ears might have bled...but it's fucking funny! And clearly an awesome karaoke track. 

8) It's Oh So Quiet - Bjork...what.a.frickin.giggle, is all I can say. Totally love doing this one - it's such a happy song and you get to act out the whole Bjork video. Plus the last time I did this one, the karaoke lyrics didn't say `shush` they said `sush` which after a couple of drinks seemed hysterically funny...maybe you had to be there!

9) The Bad Touch - Bloodhound Gang...unfortunately due to the hysterically dirty nature of the lyrics of this song, I can't sing it without collapsing into giggles every time. It's well worth it though - and you can get reeeeeeeal creative with the dancing to this one - er, `interpreting` the lyrics shall we say.

10) Sweet Child o'Mine - Guns N Roses....yeah ya knew it was coming. It *is* my favourite song after all - and it is the ultimate in air guitarring karaoke numbers. Oh yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh *makes devil horns*

So that's it - am aware that my tastes are quite....specific! So let me know yours - comment below, lets get some karaoke tune lists going. And maybe one time, I'll have Lucky Voice/blog party for anyone who can make it!

Thank you and good night,

Stupidgirl has left the building

A Bumper List Post - 30 Day Song Challenge

Okay so this is a list (30 songs) and a WoTW (music) and a general ramble post all rolled into one. Which is to apologise for the serious lack of blogging over the last few days - bloody real life got in the way. And that little thing called work - gah! 

Anyway I hope you lovely folks out there - and in fact all over the world - are well. Special hello to the lovely people who follow this blog in Israel, Japan, UAE, South Korea + India. Am honoured that you like my ramblings!

So here it is, my 30 day song challenge post. In case you don't have a bloody clue what I'm on about, I think you'll find it's pretty self explanatory. Each day last month I had to pick a specific song that reminded me of something. If you're finding this explanation as clear as mud, just read on.....

WARNING - this is a long post....

Thirty Day Song Challenge:

Day 01 - My Favorite Song: U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name. Just so beautiful. I love it so very much.If you watch the vid, the song starts around 2:30 in.

Day 02 - My Least Favorite Song: All Saints cover of Under the Bridge. Just. So.Wrong.

Day 03 - A Song That Makes Me Happy: Guns'n'Roses - Sweet Child of Mine. As I have blogged before, this song is fucking awesome. It just is. And I think Axl's fit. Sorry about that!

Day 04 - A Song That Makes You Sad: Corinne Bailey Rae – Just Like A Star. This song makes me tear up a lot. It reminds me of when my grandmother died after being ill with cancer. It's such a beautiful song and the lyrics are very poignant.

Day 05 - A Song That Reminds Me of Someone: Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart. This reminds me of several someones but speshly the Wine Wharf ladies, you know who you are!

Day 06 - A Song That Reminds You of Somewhere: Richard Marx - Right Here Waiting. When I was little we drove down the west coast of the US from San Fran to San Diego and this song was CONSTANTLY on the radio. Reminds me of sunshine and blue sea :)

Day 07 - A Song That Reminds Me of A Certain Event: Planet Perfecto - Bullet In The Gun. Not a certain event per se, but the first year of university certainly. I felt like a bullet out of a gun. And slightly out of control.

Day 08 - A Song That I Know All The Words To: Madonna - Like A Virgin. Oh and I LOVE her outfit in this video. NOT the wedding dress, the electric blue leggings bit. I modelled my hen night outfit on this!!!

Day 09 - A Song That I Can Dance To: Jessie J - Do It Like A Dude/ La Gaga - Bad Romance. Bit current I know, but wanted to mix it up a little. These are sure to get me straight on the dance floor. Even if that dancefloor is my kitchen....Oh and I'm not entirely sure what a mandem is....

Day 10 - A Song That Makes Me Fall Asleep: REM - Nightswimming. A very lovely, very calming, very melancholy song. But it's lovely. And husbando likes it too :)

It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside - Top 10 Alt/Indie Love Songs

So, in case you'd not noticed, it's Valentine's Day tomorrow. And like the unoriginal blogger I am, I thought I'd do a slightly Valentine's themed Top 10 list. I know I should be uber-cool and sneery about Valentines Day and how it's just another way for the marketing gods to get us to spend money on shit we don't need or want but.....I'm a real romantic at heart. I spent so many Valentine's Days alone when I was a teenager and was even the butt of several cruel Valentine's related pranks - so to have someone to share Valentine's with is so lovely. Even after 9 years together, husbando and I still give each other a token card + try to spend a little time together on the day.

Having said all that, a few years ago I decided that Valentine's day shouldn't just be limited to your partners - I love all my friends very much and so I always try to send them a Valentine's message too. After all love can be platonic also. So, lovely readers of my blog, here is my Valentine to each and every one of you - my top 10 favourite love songs.

And btw, before you totally freak out and wonder what kind of blog this is, you should know by now that I don't like regular sappy shit. Hopefully at least one of the songs below will be familiar and tug at your heartstrings also.

Creep - Radiohead
If there is a better song about unrequited love, I don't know it. Thom Yorke's impassioned plea and self-misery may not be to everyone's taste, but I absolutely love this song. And, as someone who has `suffered the pangs of unrequited love` this song was my anthem. Nothing says I love you quite so much as "I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo, I don't belong here". Having said that, it's no surprise that the object of his rather obsessive affections runs out the door at the end!

You Look So Fine - Garbage
Another song about unrequited love - but one that I played over and over whilst in pursuit of my husband when I was a university (now I sound like a total looper!!). Rather than the sorrow of Creep, this song, for me, is all about desire and wanting - which comes across so well in the lyrics "I want to take you home/We're wasting time, you're the only one for me". It just gives me goosebumps whenever I hear this song, and makes me smile ruefully, wishing I could go back and tell my 20 year old self not to cry anymore, as she'd end up marrying the person causing the tears!

Crazy - Aerosmith
Well now, aside from possibly being one of my favourite music videos of all time (now there's a top 10 list for the future) - how could you not love Liv Tyler + Alicia Silverstone getting up to no good - I just am totally *crazy* about this song. Yes, it's cheesey, yes, it's big haired naff rock but hell yeah - this list would be nothing without a dirty ditty from Steve Tyler! I'd love to meet (or be, even) the kind of woman that could drive him to write the lyrics "That kinda lovin' turns a man to a slave/That kinda lovin' sends a man right to his grave...That kinda lovin' makes me wanna pull down the shade, yeah!" We've all felt like this for sure - a slave to love, sex and everything in between and Aerosmith sing about it so very charmingly - this song always, but always makes me smile!

Starlight - Muse
I love this song so much that we walked back down the aisle to this at my wedding. It's just such a kick-ass song. I'm not sure it is the most romantic love song ever "I don't know if it's worth it anymore" but Matt Bellamy's pleas to "Hold you in my arms/I just wanted to hold you in my arms" and "My life/You electrify my life" just say it all really! It was such an uplifting song to walk out to and - it allowed me to just add a tiny bit of my rock chick tastes to our rather more elegant + tasteful wedding (my desire to walk down the aisle to Sweet Child of Mine was, sadly, vetoed!).

All Is Full Of Love - Bjork
I don't really have the words to say what this song means to me - but it's my ultimate love song (and another consideration for wedding music, sadly also vetoed on the grounds that it was "too weird" - which surely is never a term that's been used to describe Bjork before....much). Anyway the plaintive melody + Bjork's voice just absolutely haunts me on this one. It totally describes that sensation when you've first fallen in love and you can't think of anything else "Your phone is off the hook/All is full of love/Your doors are all shut/All is full of love". The repetition of all is full of love is so soothing and lovely plus the music video with the Bjorkbot is pretty freakin awesome.

Umbrella - Manic Street Preachers
I was amazed to discover that the music gods that are MSP have done a cover version of Rhianna's 2007 hit - but it is just so cool, as only something created by MSP can be. They've rocked it up big style - love love love the guitars on this one, but what makes it hit my top 10 love songs is also the lyrics.  Slightly cliched they may be, who can beat such gems as "Baby, cause in the dark, you can't see shiny cars/That's when you need me there" and "You can stand under my umbrella". I unashamedly love this song because sometimes, we all need a little bit of support - and to me, love is part of that. Even if you don't agree, it's a great cover version - enjoy!

The Blowers Daughter - Damian Rice
Just. So. Beautiful. I think that this song is actually a very sad love song - about something that has gone terribly wrong. But the repetition of "can't take my eyes off you" just yanks at my heart every time. I think the usage on the Closer soundtrack just makes it more poignant - I shan't say anymore in case you've not seen the film. But anyway, a great song but one you might need tissues for :)

Forever Young - Youth Group
The original version - not the one from the O.C. - and um, another bit of music from my wedding (yeahhhhh I talk about it A LOT don't I - sorry folks!). Anyway, not strictly a love song - more of a political pop song "Are you gonna drop the bomb or not...praising our leaders, we're getting in tune" - it just reminds me of when husbando + I first fell in love, when we were at uni. So it's just personal to us really, but still a great song - and one for sunny summer days, drinking wine and running around having fun. Hope you like it too.

Starcrossed - Ash
Ash's incredible homage to Romeo + Juliet, this list would not be complete without this song! It's just so great - I want to say happy, even though clearly Romeo + Juliet did not have the happiest of endings - but this song is just so full of energy and love. It makes me mouth along to the lyrics when I listen to it on the bus - and when I'm home alone, I sing along enthusiastically. How can you not adore the dulcet tones of Tim Wheeler singing "When your faith turns to despair/Always will my love be there/And never fade away". The guitar solo is also awesome. Listen and love people!

All I Want Is You - U2
Hi, my name is stupidgirl and I'm a.......U2 fan. There, I said it, in public, out loud on my blog. I refuse to live in shame anymore. I know that it's not big and it's not cool but I am a hey-ooge U2 fan. Very sorry if this offends any of you out there who have uber-trendy music tastes, but hey, I never made any pretence of the fact that actually, I am deeply, deeply uncool! So, back to the list + the song. There were so many U2 songs I could have chosen (One, With or Without You at the very least) but for me, this is the ultimate U2 love song. It's so simple and romantic and I get goose bumps every time I hear it. I'll just quote one section of lyrics that sum it all up for me "But all the promises we make/ From the cradle to the grave/ When all I want is you". Even if you think you hate U2 and Bono's preaching, please give this song just one listen, it's worth it I promise.

So that's it! That's my list - as ever thanks for tuning in and please do leave your comment below and share *your* fave love songs - I'd love to broaden my music tastes. In fact, before I go, here are a few of the suggestions that were tweeted at me this afternoon that I liked, so check out the songs + the tweeters!

@petercrosby Chumbawamba - By and By
@_scruffian Kinks - You Really Got Me
@onlyrealhowie Living Colour - Broken Hearts
@nicoleg75 REM - The One I Love
@silverelefanfic Stone Roses - 10 Storey Love Song

I'll be back later in the week with WoTW - Motivation, where I talk about the positive effect that my rock climbing has had on my writing (weirdly) plus the usual interview, photo essay and top 10 next weekend. Thanks for tuning in and have a great week.

Thank you and good night

Stupidgirl has left the building

Oversharing or, 25 things you didn't really need to know about the author of this blog

So, seeing as I have some actual followers out there - including some who actually don't even know me and are following me out of the goodness of their hearts - I thought I would do a little "guide to the world and life of stupidgirl45".


So, where to start? 
Well first, I always like to give you guys something handy to look at, so here is a recipe for one of my favourite dishes - it's my ultimate comfort food. Red Prawn + Mango Curry - one of my best friends first cooked this for me one night before we went out clubbing and guess what, it tasted great at 3am when we got in.


anyway enough with the procrastinating and tootling around on twitter/FB/foruming


Back to the 25 things. I kind of cheated with this one, it's actually from a note on facebook, but, I thought it said quite a lot about me. And it's not one of those boring "my favourite icecream/car/colour/MP" lists. The 25 facts are just me. In fact form. Handy huh - like a cut-out-and-keep-guide. 


So go ahead, cut-out-and-keep-me:


1. I'm deaf  - with a small 'd', I wear hearing aids in both ears and have around 45% hearing without them. Yes I lipread, yes I can tell when people are swearing on the tellybox, no I can't come and sit with you and tell you what those people over there are saying.


2. I've sung on a broadway stage with sting 
3. I buy shoes  - asking for a reason is like asking why I breathe.
Here is a picture of one of my favourite pairs of shoes, they are red and sparkley!

4. I peel the skin off my feet, even when it bleeds - sorry I know it's gross. And I only do this when I am very stressed out. 
5. I'm scared of spiders and snakes and heights and the dark. 
6. I'd rather be too cold than too hot 
7. I am a body facist - but only about myself not other people 
8. I once gave a presentation (that counted towards my degree) on pornographic ancient greek pottery. I didn't get a good mark. 
9. Peanut butter, gin, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and meat on the bone make me gag. 
10. I arrange my books by mood 
11. I get cravings to hear particular songs the way some people get food cravings 
12 I see numbers as colours with personalities. Maybe that makes me either mad or a genius or both 
13. I have webbed toes - this does not help me swim better though, sadly

14. To give me confidence when I'm out, I think WWMMD - What Would Marilyn Monroe Do.... 
15. My imaginary friends were called Scoggles + GooGoo, I was 5. I used to call them on my toy telephone. 
16. I love being tall and then wearing really high heels, who says tall women can't wear f*ck me shoes 
17. When I was 17 I was offered a job as a dominatrix
18. If I could be a tv character I'd be Jessica from True Blood. She looks like this:

 
19. The most important lesson I ever learned is to be happy with what you have and accept the choices you've made. 
20. My role models are Boudicca, Madonna, Germaine Greer, Margaret Atwood and my grandmother who all kick ass. 
21. Outside of my husband, I love my friends more than anything. Some of them read this blog. They know who they are.
22. Sweet Child of Mine is the song I most listen to when I'm getting ready to go out. I really wanted to walk down the aisle to it but didn't have the guts. I regret this.
23. If you haven't done fancy dress properly as an adult, you haven't lived. 
24. I;ve been told I look like Amy Winehouse, Nigella Lawson, Kate Winslet , Madonna, Erin O'connor and Cher. I still think I'm ugly most of the time.
25. Illegitimi non carborundum is my motto, If you dont know what it means, I pity you.


Hope you liked what you read. 


Thank you and good night.


Stupidgirl has left the building