Nostalgic for the 90s

Remember this group? Mark, my little brother, introduced Kai to me and hearing this song has made me feel nostalgic. For what, I don't know. The early 90s were a pretty carefree time for me. Maybe that's what I'm reminded of. Kai was the 2nd Filipino act signed by a major label, after Jocelyn Enriquez. Too bad they've broken up and gone their own way. Two members teamed up with Sway from American Idol and a member of Innerlude to form "6th Day" but it's a different sound. Anyway, thought some of you who liked them might enjoy hearing this.

21 Days of Gratitude: Day 11

Today I'm grateful for music. For the songs and lyrics that give voice to my feelings. For the rhythms and rhymes that stir my emotions and comfort my soul. For the movements and melodies that take me to a different place in time and pushes me forward in my life's journey.

Victor Hugo said it best when he said music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent. Writing is how I express myself best, but more oftentimes than not, music is what inspires me to put pen to paper. Or fingers to keyboard in this case. As a consummate observer of life, I participate by soaking in my surroundings, taking in the sights, smells and sounds around me. I turn to music to evoke these images recorded in my mind, bringing forth memories that move me to expound on my feelings.

As much as I love my Zune, when I have to put in time in front of the computer, the easiest way to add a soundtrack to my writing is to turn to my Myspace page and let my playlist run in the background. I add a new song now and again if one catches my ear, but the majority are my personal classics, ones I've enjoyed for a long time and have special meaning to me. Sometimes for the newer songs I'll take a break from writing and look up the lyrics and have my own private karaoke party. C'mon, I'm Filipino. I can't write about music without mentioning karaoke.

I'm posting my playlist and when I have time I will update this post to link them to their lyrics (if applicable) or the artists' website (how did we function before internet?) for my own convenience. Truth be told, this is just a tiny fraction of the variety of artists and music genres I listen to, but they're all I could find so far on Playlist.com.

I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

The Way I Am -

Falling in Love in a Coffe Shop - Landon Pigg

You Give Me Something - James Morrison

Love Song - Sara Bareilles

She - Elvis Costello

The Prayer (featuring Charlotte Church) - Josh Groban (the playlist mislabeled this one)

Moody's Mood for Love - Elliott Yamin

The Nearness of You - Norah Jones

Overjoyed - Stevie Wonder

One Flight Down - Norah Jones

At Last - Etta James

Whenever, Wherever, Whatever - Maxwell

Sunday Morning - Maroon 5

Lost Without U - Robin Thicke

The Way I Are - Timbaland

Together Again - Janet Jackson

Let's Make a Memory - Bon Jovi

Whoops Now! - Janet Jackson

Falling Down - Duran Duran

Nite Runner - Duran Duran

Biggest Part of Me - Take 6

Fragile - Sting

Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae

Don't Know Why - Norah Jones

That's All - Michael Buble

Let's Stay Together - Al Green

We Could Be in Love - Lea Salonga

What Am I to You? - Norah Jones

Take Off Your Cool - Norah Jones

It Never Entered My Mind - Miles Davis

September - Earth Wind & Fire

That's the Way of the World - Earth Wind & Fire

Time to Say Good Bye - Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman

Thank You - Dido

This Ain't a Scene, Its an Arms Race - Fall Out Boys

The Only Difference - Panic at the Disco

Spoiled - Joss Stone

Music - Joss Stone (featuringi Lauryn Hill)

That's How you Know - From Enchanted

(Another Song) All Over Again - Justin Timberlake

Requiem - Mozart

Voi Che Sapete - The Marriage of Figaro

Fantasy Impromptu - Chopin

Silence - Beethoven

Sinfonia - Philharmonia Baroque

Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water-bath is to the body.
- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Sara Bareilles is awesome....

What can I say....I have a thing for well-written lyrics and catchy tunes. :) Plus she's an awesome pianist with a strong, refreshing voice. And a fun website on top of that! www.sarabareilles.com

Hey, can you be a fan without wanting to go see a performer live at your earliest opportunity? Hmmm.. I know she'll be at KISS 106.1's BFD this summer. But really. I don't do that whole mashup of bands who do a couple or so songs and leave. Not to mention the screaming teens and tweens.

However, I can't accuse only under-18ers for getting super overexcited. When we screened Narnia there was a preview of the Jonas Brothers' movie Camp Rock (sheesh...) Granted they are cute boys, but we had KISS 106.1 interns at well past voting age squealing and bouncing in their seats. When we went to see Duran Duran, there were women past child-bearing age offering blood-curdling shrieks whenever John Taylor moved on stage. Just for that I'm skipping the New Kids on the Block stop in Seattle if they have one. Sorry, Mary.

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Love Song by Sara Bareilles

Head under water,
And they tell me to breathe easy for a while.
The breathing gets harder, even I know that.

You made room for me but it’s too soon to see,
If I’m happy in your hands.
I’m unusually hard to hold on to.

Blank stares at blank pages.
No easy way to say this.
You mean well, but you make this hard on me.

I'm not gonna write you a love song,
'Cause you asked for it,
'Cause you need one, you see.
I'm not gonna write you a love song,
'Cause you tell me it's,
Make or breaking this.
If you’re on your way,
I'm not gonna write you to stay.
If all you have is leaving,
I’m gonna need a better reason to write you a love song today.
Today.

I learned the hard way,
That they all say things you want to hear.
My heavy heart sinks deep down under you,
And your twisted words, your help just hurts.
You are not what I thought you were.
Hello to high and dry.

Convinced me to please you.
Made me think that I need this too.
I’m trying to let you hear me as I am.

I'm not gonna write you a love song,
'Cause you asked for it,
'Cause you need one, you see.
I'm not gonna write you a love song,
'Cause you tell me it's,
Make or breaking this.
If you’re on your way,
I'm not gonna write you to stay.
If all you have is leaving,
I’m gonna need a better reason to write you a love song today.

Promise me you'll leave the light on,
To help me see with daylight, my guide, gone.
'Cause I believe there's a way you can love me because I say,

I won't write you a love song,
'Cause you asked for it,
'Cause you need one, you see.
I'm not gonna write you a love song,
'Cause you tell me it's,
Make or breaking this.
Is that why you wanted a love song,
'Cause you asked for it,
'Cause you need one, you see.
I’m not gonna write you a love song,
'Cause you tell me it's,
Make or breaking this.
If you’re on your way,
I’m not gonna write you to stay.
If your heart is nowhere in it,
I don’t want it for a minute.
Babe, I’ll walk the seven seas when I believe that there's a reason to,
Write you a love song today.
Today.

Message in a Bottle

Watched The Police in concert last night at the Key Arena. Awesome, awesome show. It was simply amazing. Three guys rocking the arena with songs I grew up with. These guys are real musicians. Sting's voice is still sexy and haunting, Stewart is a genius on percussion, and Andy is truly gifted. I've seen bands that just make a lot of noise rock the arena, but these were three guys playing music AND rocking the arena.

I have to be honest though and say I was never a big fan of The Police. I knew their music, it was part of my formative years when MTV only played videos. I hear them and I think junior high. I really liked Sting when he went solo, and he was the real draw for me when Gareth asked if I wanted to go. However, after last night, I'm converted. I have a huge crush on Stewart Copeland, the drummer. He's just incredible with the sticks. Gareth asked me what I liked so much about him and I said, "I don't know. There's something endearing about him. He looks like he was the geek in high school who became the rockstar." But from his younger photos, I don't think he was a geek. He was actually pretty hot.

His current publicity photos don't do him justice. He has this great mane of silver hair and a beatific smile. A drummer with glasses. So cool!

None of them have lost their touch. They actually sound younger than their years, and I appreciate their music more so now. Sting and Stewart are in prime shape. Andy Summers? Not so much, but he played around on stage more than Sting, and his fingers are still incredibly nimble.

I was watching some old concert clips on Youtube, and sound quality notwithstanding, they sound so much better now. Their younger performances had an unpolished, almost manic drive. Last night, they were flawlessly smooth. Sophistacated rock stars. Oxymoron? Well it applies here. You could say they've slowed with age, but I think, like anyone who's matured and gained more experience, The Police just knew how better to entice, entrance, draw out the pleasure and satisfy their fans.

I get a little OCD when I find something I like, so I've been scouring YouTube for clips of Stewart. I think this one gives great insight to his gift: