RIP Andy Griffith

Before I get started today, I do realize it has been a long while since I've posted any sort of blog here. Recently I've been content to post random songs that come to mind on the page on Google+. I guess you could consider it slacking on my part. I apologize.

Oddly enough though, it is death that has brought me back here with the post for today. Yes death. But not just any death, my friends. The death of one of television's greats, Andy Griffith.

As many of you know, Andy Griffith was an American actor and comedian, best known for his roles in shows and movies such as A Face in the Crowd, Matlock, and his namesake, The Andy Griffith Show. Many of his roles in shows were well past our time, including mine. But I have to admit, I did rather enjoy watching the old reruns of The Andy Griffith Show.

So, I leave you today with the well known theme song to that show. And Mr. Griffith, do enjoy your trip down to the fishin' hole. It'll definitely be the best one you've ever laid eyes on!

The Fishin' Hole composed by Earle Hagen and Herbert W. Spencer; words by Everett Sloane (http://youtu.be/6PVUit1-0Ck)

Well, with that, I bid you good day everyone. I will try to start posting more too by the way. Here's your more info links. ;P

Andy Griffith: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Griffith)
The Andy Griffith Show: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Andy_Griffith_Show)

Sweet Child O' Mine - Harp Style

I debated on whether or not to share this one with you today, as it's technically just a cover of a great song. And I'm sure we all know how most covers turn out. But what about the few "good" ones? Well I figure if they're that good, might as well share em eh? ;P

And besides, I do enjoy promoting lesser known music groups!

Sweet Child O' Mine - Electric Harp Duet by Camille and Kennerly: (http://youtu.be/kIPj3hLNYls)

It seems that these multi-talented twins, Camille and Kennerly Kitt, known as the "Harp Twins," aren't just good at strumming the strings. Not only have they gained a couple million views on YouTube from their remakes of hit rock and pop songs, but they also have acted in a few movies, landed spots in television commercials, and even been featured recently in a two-page photo spread in National Geographic Magazine's article "A Thing or Two About Twins."

Honestly, I knew nothing about these two till a couple of days ago. So I'm going to recommend doing what I do: dig through their channel some and check stuff out! I will, of course, put a link to that below. I know I saw Stairway to Heaven in the list somewhere...(insert shifty eyes).

Oh by the way, I do hope you like my new posting layout with the video in the middle. It does help my flow a lot more doesn't it? I'm not sure why I didn't think of it earlier actually. Hmm.

Remember to feel free to leave any comments, recommendations, and et cetera below or on the page on Google+. That's all I have to say today (I think), so enjoy your weekend and peace off! (Sorry Toby for stealing your line! xD)

More info: (http://www.camilleandkennerly.com/About.html)
Camille and Kennerly's channel: (http://www.youtube.com/user/CamilleandKennerly?feature=watch)

Mister Rogers Remixed | Garden of Your Mind

Now this really isn't much for today, but it had Mister Rogers in it, so I just had to share it!

Mister Rogers Remixed | Garden of Your Mind: (http://youtu.be/OFzXaFbxDcM)

Like I said, this really isn't too much. This was a real nice remix done up by Symphony of Science's John Boswell for PBS Digital Studios. I'll put a link for more of his works below. I definitely recommend checking them out. As for this, simply enjoy!

Symphony of Science's (John Boswell's) YouTube channel: (http://www.youtube.com/melodysheep)

A Little Japanese Rock

Well here we are again at another good ole Monday! Don't you just love it? :P

It has been a while since I posted a completely non-English song, so I figured I'd go ahead and show y'all this one. Enjoy guys!

Shissou by LAST ALLIANCE: (http://youtu.be/l9tkt5XcUQk)

Note: The volume on this is a little low. So go ahead and turn it on up!

Any anime buffs out there will probably recognize this one real quick. LAST ALLIANCE (ラスト・アライアンス) is a Japanese rock band based out of Machida, Tokyo that has been playing since 2002. They are well known for their opening and ending theme songs for such anime series as  RD Sennō Chōsashitsu, Hajime No Ippo: New Challenger, and Ouran High School Host Club; the latter of which this song is from. To date, they have released five studio albums, eight singles, and a mini-album, the most recent of which was released in June 2011.

As a side note, if you like watching fairly humorous shows, I'd definitely recommend that you check out Ouran High School Host Club. ;P I'll put a link to the wiki article down here.

More info on LAST ALLIANCE: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Alliance_(band))
More info on Ouran High School Host Club: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouran_High_School_Host_Club)

Eurovision 2012 Winner!

I have to say, I'm getting a kind of late start this week, but I am here now to inform you of a definite winner!

As I'm sure many of you probably already know (outside of the U.S. at least), the Eurovision Song Contest is now over and done with for this year, bringing a brand new victor into our midst. Loreen of Sweden with her song, Euphoria!

Euphoria by Loreen: (http://youtu.be/Z4PMQB5zmAU)

Born Lorine Zineb Noka Talhaoui of Stockholm, Sweden, Loreen has had a pretty well off singing career even before this big win. She took part in the first Sweden's Idol competition in 2004, placing fourth overall. And her hit single My Heart is Refusing Me, released in February of 2011, peaked at number 9 on the Swedish charts and earned two platinum awards.

But last Saturday night, May 26th, by a margin of 113 points, Loreen won the Eurovision Song Contest with a final score of 372 points! And now her song is currently topping charts throughout Europe! Well deserved I'd say!

Also, this win brings Sweden's total win count over the history of the contest to five! Only two below the leader, Ireland, with seven wins.

More info on Loreen: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loreen_(singer))
More info on Eurovision: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_Song_Contest)
Score Chart of Eurovision 2012 Grand Final: (http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/by-year/contest?event=1593#Participants)

Playlist Time! (April 23 - May 25)

Alright guys! Here we have one playlist, as promised. It isn't too too long, as there weren't too many shared this time around, but I still hope you enjoy it! Just for a recap, this one covers the posts from April 23 to May 25 (yesterday). It also includes the lovely songs featured in my evil game. ;P

Enjoy!

Pinoyzic Review Playlist (April 23 - May 25): (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL48FBCCCCA60B2FB4)

As always, comments, suggestions, and etc. are more than welcome!

We're Out!

Well, it has been a busy past couple of weeks, and this is the first time in a while now that I've gotten a chance to put a song up for you guys. I apologize, but with finals out of the way I can finally give my attention back to y'all! ;) And now that summer break is upon us, I figured that sharing this song would be appropriate. I have to say, I enjoy their performance on this video.

School's Out by Alice Cooper (http://youtu.be/XbNEOJMGFAo)

This lovely rock classic was released in 1972 by the hard rock great, Alice Cooper of Detroit, Michigan. As many of you may know, Cooper is well known for his theatrical performances on stage, sometimes featuring things like fake blood, guillotines, and boa constrictors. Throughout his more than forty year long career, he has released a total of twenty-six studio albums, the most recent one in September of 2011. Also in 2011, his original band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I'd say he is one of those busy guys eh?

Oh, as a little footnote here, I'll be getting on giving you guys that long overdue playlist sometime today or tomorrow. Till then, enjoy!

More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Cooper)

The Game's End

Okay, so I realize that I've kind of neglected my duty in bringing you the answer to the game. I ran into a bit of stuff that had to be done, so for that I apologize. So, I bring you the long awaited answer!

imSuck's HMV Hell 1 (http://youtu.be/xLq4DB9egb8)

Released on July 19, 2006, HMV Hell 1 started a line of many different versions of Halo music videos, not all by imSuck. Simply typing "hmv" into YouTube search brings up a list of over 87,000 results! (Of course, we do know how search results end up being...)

Music videos are not all imSuck has contributed to the YouTube community. Glancing at his channel, you can see various other videos for tips, tricks, and other comic relief. This includes another favorite of mine, Frequency, which pokes fun at the Ozone hit Dragostea Din Tei. Here it is if you want to check it out: (http://youtu.be/YTPuTxalalo)

Unfortunately, he seems to have been slacking a little with making new vids. Hopefully he'll come back with some soon. He definitely has some eager fans!

And that concludes the game! I'm sure most of you are mad. I'm sorry. At least have some fun with it! ;-P

I guess I should also inform you that this week will be a heavy week for me, and so I will probably not be posting as much as I would like. So just bear with me eh?

More info (HMV Hell mini-site): (http://www.hmvhell.com/)
HollywoodHalo on Facebook: (http://www.facebook.com/hollywoodhalopro)
imSuck's YouTube channel: (http://www.youtube.com/user/imSuck?feature=watch)

Halo: Combat Evolved

Okay, I figured I'd go ahead and wrap up the clues with this final one. This is the one that should give it all away. But being the twisted person that I am, I'm pretty sure none but the biggest nerds would get it (insert evil laugh). I'll be posting the big answer later on today for those of you that want to know if you got it right. But in the meantime, here is your final clue!

Halo: Combat Evolved Theme (http://youtu.be/GXdxUYKlQQY)

You're all gonna hate me for this. ;-P

Halo: Combat Evolved is the hit game released by Bungie, Inc. on November 15, 2001. It is the first game launched in the now highly popular, multi-billion dollar Halo franchise. Set in the twenty-sixth century, it follows the story of a cybernetically enhanced super-soldier and his A.I. companion as they fight off an alliance of alien races for the survival of the human race, and for all the sentient beings in the galaxy. I have to tell the truth, Bungie weaves a story of human adventure, heroism, and steadfast will to survive throughout the five games and numerous books in the series that is comparable to the masterful storytelling of George Lucas in the Star Wars movies. And by now, it has the same cultural impact that those movies had as well!

Now I know that my game is a hard game to play, so I'm gonna help y'all again. There is a video somewhere on YouTube that has all seven of the songs that I've given as clues in it (the last seven songs posted). And that video pertains to the game Halo: Combat Evolved. As another give away, I'll just say this: "Halo music video." Good luck! ;-)

More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(series))

Waitin' Till it Drops

Alright guys, this will probably be the only post I'll be able to shoot off today. I've got a concert (The Fray!!) to go to tonight!

Rooftops by lostprophets (http://youtu.be/-z5FWlUN1go)

This one is another personal favorite of mine. I'd definitely rank it in my top three, that's what you do to good songs after all! Lostprophets hails from Pontypridd, Wales and was formed in 1997. They tend to have a kind of rock/metal style with a little punk mixed in. I would compare them loosely to Linkin Park, but only if I had to. So far, the band has released five albums, the most recent at the beginning of this month, and have gotten a couple of top ten songs and a number one single on the UK charts.

As planned, I'm going to wrap up my game tomorrow with a couple more clues and the big reveal! Once again, I'll remind you that you're trying to find how these songs (currently 7) fit together. And the answer is on YouTube!

More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lostprophets)

I Walk Alone

I figured that I would come around one more time today with another clue. This is a personal favorite!

Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day (http://youtu.be/tijW_SrCoxs)

Boulevard of Broken Dreams is the most successful song by American punk rock band Green Day. It has sold over 2.1 million copies in the U.S. and ranked number one on Rolling Stone's Reader's Choice: Singles of the Decade list in 2009. I can definitely see why. There's just something compelling about the song and its lyrics.

Once again let me remind you that you're trying to figure out how this song and the last five songs go together. And the answer is waiting for you to find on YouTube. Only a few more songs left!

More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boulevard_of_Broken_Dreams_(Green_Day_song))
More info on Green Day: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Day)

Coming Down is the Hardest

 Okay, it's time once again audience for another clue!

Learning to Fly by Tom Petty (http://youtu.be/s5BJXwNeKsQ)

Tom Petty gives us a true example of what we call classic American rock. He can indeed be called a product of the culture of the seventies and eighties with his "smooth" and almost comforting musical style. Even today he continues to wow the young and old alike at his concerts. In his heyday, Petty toured and performed with great artists such as Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. After all, he is more than qualified to be on par with them, selling over 60 million albums over his entire career!

Remember now, for the game you are to find out how these songs fit together. Like I said, your answer will be lurking in the depths of the all powerful YouTube!

More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_petty)

We're All Rather Daft

I'm back with another clue to the game! The sound is kinda low on this one, so go ahead and turn your volume up.


Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk (http://youtu.be/gAjR4_CbPpQ)


This is one we should all know as well. Daft Punk is a French electronic music duo that came to fame in the 1990s because of their great dance/club style beats. Since their start, they have been quite successful, releasing several albums that have been in top charts worldwide. They're even the ones that scored the film Tron: Legacy in 2010 (great movie btw)!


Now I feel a little bit sorry for you guys out there trying to guess the answer, so I've decided to drop you a big clue into the right direction. However you decide to guess, the answer to this whole game is going to be in YouTube somewhere. From that, you should be able to figure it out. It's all a matter of which now. ;-P


More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daft_Punk)

Feeling Blue?

Alright it is time for yet another clue to the little game we're playing! Remember now, look back at the last two posts (Cut Deep and What's Perfect?) and compare them with this one to try to figure out how they are related! Don't worry if you can't get it. I don't expect anyone to get it until the end of the week with the last post. :-P


Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65 (http://youtu.be/68ugkg9RePc)


Now Eiffel 65 should be well known to many of you, especially if you're a nineties baby! They are a eurodance group from Turin, Italy formed in 1998 and are most known for the song I have here. The song actually reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. as well as number one in many other countries. Amusingly, the band's name was chosen randomly by a computer program and the "65" at the end was accidentally added by someone writing down a phone number.


More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiffel_65)

Cut Deep

I bet you're ready for the next clue in my game eh? Well no more waiting, here it is!


The First Cut is the Deepest by Sheryl Crow (http://youtu.be/dK9eLe8EQps)


Sheryl Crow, as many of you may know, is a popular American "country rock" singer with a nice nine Grammys under her belt. She has also sung many duets with such artists as Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, and Eric Clapton. Pretty great huh? This particular song is her version of a song of the same name written by Cat Stevens in 1967. It is actually considered one of Sheryl's biggest hits, staying on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 36 weeks!


Now remember, the whole purpose of this game is to figure out how the songs are related. And like I said, it won't be in any normal way, trust me. ;-P


More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheryl_Crow)

What's Perfect?

I have to admit, I like playing games. I'm sure some of you out there will agree. That's why I'm going to play a little game with you guys! You see, I have a set of songs all lined up to share with you guys. All of these songs are connected in some slightly unexpected way. It's your job to figure it out, starting with this first song!


Perfect Day by Hōkū (http://youtu.be/hHybxGEcbZY)


Hōkū, born Hōkū Christian Ho, is a Hawaiian singer, songwriter, and actress. She is the daughter of the popular entertainer Don Ho. Truthfully, she may not be too well known to many of you. Be that as it may, her songs have been featured in such movies as Legally Blonde, Snow Day, and Arizona Summer. That is if you watch those movies. ;-P


So there we go. Let the games begin!


More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoku)

The Fires Continue

Who shouldn't start off their day with a little jam to some good rock music?!


Through the Fire and Flames by DragonForce (http://youtu.be/0jgrCKhxE1s)


DragonForce is a power metal band formed in 1999 in London, England. As you can tell from this song, they are popular for their long and fast guitar solos. And who can blame them! Through the Fire and Flames here is considered the band's most successful song, appearing in several video games such as Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Audiosurf.


Want to know how crazy beast they are? While recording this song, one of the guitarists broke his string. But they decided to keep it recording and left it on the final album version!


More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DragonForce)

Candy Candy!

The strangeness I'm about to show you comes from a friend of mine. You know who you are creature of infinite strangeness. :P


Candy Candy by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (http://youtu.be/UoK8DaJRDaM)


For those of you paying attention, you may notice that I have featured a song by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu before. It was in one of my very first postings on Google+, before I started this blog. Here's the link to that post: (https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/104018233376388167769/104018233376388167769/posts/UENgDAqJvSs)


Looking back, I can tell I really neglected giving you information about the artist, which is completely the opposite of what my blog's purpose is! I'm going to try to fix that now.


Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is the shortened stage name of Kiriko Takemura of Tokyo, Japan. She started off as a fashion blogger, but eventually moved on to a professional career in modeling for fashion magazines such as Kera! and Zipper. In 2011 though, she began pursuing a musical career, releasing her first single in July of that year (the song in the above link). That of course eventually leads us to the psychedelic wonder of the song I have here, her newest hit released in March of this year.


These songs always make me wonder about the Japanese obsession with strange color patterns. That's culture though eh? ;-)


More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyary_Pamyu_Pamyu)

Playlist Time! (April 9 - April 20)

As promised, here is that nice big playlist of the songs from the last two weeks! Remember now, the last eight on this playlist are the four from the children's songs posts and the four from the American Idol artist posts.

So no more delaying, here you go! Enjoy!

Pinoyzic Review Playlist (April 9 - April 20): (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2B5607443272CB8C)

As always, remember that comments, suggestions, and etc. are more than welcome!

Cue the Lights (American Idol 4/4)

Alright, it's time for me to reveal the last American Idol artist I'll be sharing with you guys! Thanks goes once again to my wonderful girlfriend for her superb knowledge of the show. :P

Light On by David Cook (http://youtu.be/4i8ZCp3-n7w)

David won the seventh season of American Idol in 2008, the year before Kris Allen's win. He is one of the few real rockers that has come out of the show. Like his fellow winners, he too loved music as he was growing up, forming a band with a friend while in high school and writing his first song at fifteen. Since Idol, he has release two albums, both of which have reached the top forty in several countries.


And that's it! Once again, for your ease of access, here's the links to the posts of all the songs and artists in this nice little showcase:
1) Before He Cheats Carrie Underwood (http://pinoyzic.blogspot.com/2012/04/cant-cheat-her.html)
2) My Life Would Suck Without You Kelly Clarkson (http://pinoyzic.blogspot.com/2012/04/yes-it-would-suck-american-idol-24.html)
3) Live Like We're Dying Kris Allen (http://pinoyzic.blogspot.com/2012/04/you-gotta-live-american-idol-34.html)
And the fourth on is here!

Remember, I'm always taking suggestions, ideas, critiques and anything else you want to throw at me! Feel free to comment or message me!

More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Cook_%28singer%29)

You Gotta Live (American Idol 3/4)

Now I have to admit, I had to ask my girlfriend about the next two American Idol artists that I'm sharing with you, because she happens to know much, much more about the show than me. So thanks hun! ;P

So, let's just go ahead and get started with this good ole Arkansas boy!

Live Like We're Dying by Kris Allen (http://youtu.be/YbfeSImDntw)

As the winner of the eighth season of Idol in 2009, Kris Allen has always loved music. He began playing the viola in elementary school and went on to play the instrument in his high school orchestra. And then he won a spot in the Arkansas all-state orchestra! If that isn't enough, he also taught himself how to play guitar and can even play piano! After his big break on Idol, Kris has gone on to make two studio albums, one of which is to be released this year.

More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris_Allen)

Yes, It Would Suck (American Idol 2/4)

Well I'm back again with the second installment of my American Idol artist showcase! Who is it this time you ask? The very first Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson!


My Life Would Suck Without You by Kelly Clarkson (http://youtu.be/cRM70Jw7F4M)


When Kelly won American Idol back in 2002, she started off singing songs that had more of a pop-styled influence. As the time has gone on however, she's begun to sing more rock-styled songs, just like this one here. In her ten years as an artist, she has so far sold over 21 million albums worldwide, as well as earned numerous awards. Billboard has even ranked her the fourteenth best selling artist in the 2000s!


More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Clarkson)

Can't Cheat Her! (American Idol 1/4)

In the spirit of creativity, I have quickly thought up another great idea for a post series! This one I'll release over the next two days for another total of 4 posts!


What the theme you ask? Well I have two in mind actually, but I think I'll go with this one first. You'll just have to wait for the next one (:-P). Ready? The theme is American Idol! Yes that show that's been going on forever. I must admit, it's not what it used to be, but come on. You know that it has done its job of turning out some pretty great singers. One of which is a certain Carrie Underwood!


Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood (http://youtu.be/WaSy8yy-mr8)


Now for those of you that don't know, Carrie won the fourth season of American Idol back in 2005 and is arguably the best success story from the show. Since then, she has released three studio albums, with one more due on May 1st of this year. She also has released fifteen singles, twelve of which have reached number one on the charts. Carrie even tied with Reba McEntire in the Guinness Book of World Records as a Female Country Artist with the Most Number One Hits!


More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_Underwood)

Hangin' Low (Children's Songs 4/4)

Since I will be pretty indisposed later on today, I figured that I would go ahead and wrap up my little children's songs post series. So here we go, song 4 of 4!


Do Your Ears Hang Low? (http://youtu.be/Asilllx2dbg)


This one should be very familiar to just about everyone out there. It's one of the most well known English language children's rhymes. And like many songs like this, there are many, many different versions. I personally haven't heard the version that's in the video here actually. I guess I should note as well that some of those versions can get rather lewd. Go figure.


And there you have it! Four children's songs from around the world for your enjoyment! In case you wanna look through them again here they are (or you could just hit the previous post button ;P) :


1) Au Clair De La Lune (http://youtu.be/IYLTc3tGdzc)
2) Bahay Kubo (http://youtu.be/V1WkH58rV3I)
3) Kookaburra Song (http://youtu.be/bgFZJqXS45M)
And #4 is in the link above and video below!


Now that that's wrapped up, feel free to suggest more themed posts either in the comments below or on the page at Google+!


Just for an added bonus, here's a great site that has children's songs from all 'round the world. Enjoy! (http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=eh)


More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Your_Ears_Hang_Low%3F)

Kookaburra (Children's Songs 3/4)

Well I'm back again today with another installment to my children's songs series! The last of which will be today! Meanwhile, here's today's song! I decided to travel a little ways to the other side of the world for this one. ;-)

Kookaburra Song (http://youtu.be/bgFZJqXS45M)

The Kookaburra Song is a popular Australian nursery rhyme written in 1934 by Marion Sinclair. She was a music teacher at a girls' school in Melbourne, where she first performed the song. Needless to say, the girls there fell in love with it, and it has gripped the hearts of the world ever since!

Here's a page with lyrics and an mp3, because the video's sound quality isn't too good (sorry!): http://alldownunder.com/australian-music-songs/kookaburra-song.htm

More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kookaburra_(song))

Nipa Hut (Children's Songs 2/4)

Alright, continuing now with my theme of children's songs, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to share one from the Philippines!

Bahay Kubo (http://youtu.be/V1WkH58rV3I)

A bahay kubo, or nipa hut, was the traditional housing in the Philippines before the Spaniards arrived. These days they're usually used as storage, which explains all the mentions of various vegetables in the song I guess! The bahay kubo in Filipino culture also seems to represent the idea of communitiy and safety, just like a former song that I posted of the same name (http://pinoyzic.blogspot.com/2012/03/bahay-kubo.html).

Though it's a nice little song, from what I've heard, it isn't as popular anymore as it used to be. That's the price we pay for pop culture eh?

More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nipa_hut)

By the Light of the Moon (Children's Songs 1/4)

I'm going to fit a little news here at the top of this post, please feel free to scroll down if you just wanna get to the music. Don't worry, you won't hurt my feelings. ;P


As I said in my last post, this week is going to be a busy week for me. So I apologize once again if I skip a chance to post here and there. I also figured that since last week's posts only included a few songs, I'll just combine the songs from this week and last week into one big playlist at the end. Sound good?


Also, I thought of a little something new recently. Why not link a few posts together in a kind of "themed" post series? Sounds great to me! So why not start off with a nice and simple theme eh? Children's songs!


Right about now you're probably thinking "What a random and strange topic," but don't worry, I'll definitely try to pique your interests.


I'm going to start off with a favorite of mine from the great country of France!


Au Clair De La Lune (http://youtu.be/IYLTc3tGdzc)


Now, as with most children's songs, the history of this song is somewhat obscured. It is thought to have originated in France sometime during the eighteenth century, though the author is unknown. It is known, however, that the earliest recording of it was made by a certain Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville in April of 1860, over one hundred and fifty years ago!


More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Au_clair_de_la_lune)

Ayt!

Well, between an upcoming midterm, a calculus test, and a four to eight page paper, this week's posts will be just as skimpy as last week's. I'm just going to apologize in advance.


I've been kind of struggling as well to find certain songs to share on here. It's not that I'm running out, its just that I can't decide on them.


Here's a song for you today that made it through my decision process. It's another one from the good old myx TV channel.


Ayt! by Sponge Cola (http://youtu.be/0LZcTclk0Cc)


This song comes from the Pinoy rock band's self-titled third studio album, released in 2008. That's about the same time I was in the Philippines, which is why I remember seeing it on TV. The title of the song, according to the band's singer, Yael Yuzon, comes from the popular slang phrase for "all right." This is just another example of the awesome originality of Filipino music, that's why I like it!


More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponge_Cola)

The Big Guy

After spending the day yesterday at the good old Franklin Parish Catfish Festival, I felt like showing off a local guy to everyone!


Rest of My Days by Big Al Cherry (http://youtu.be/IK9NP-2jzoU)


Now this guy here is really cool, I've actually hung out with him. He's a real down-to-earth kind of guy. Al Cherry (pronounced "sherry") isn't just some cool Christian rapper though, he's also a high school math teacher by day and a radio personality by night. He is just an all around awesome guy!


More info: (http://www.bigalmusic.net/about/)

Don't Forget

Okay, I'm slacking a good bit on my posting this week. Sorry about that (seriously)!


I've been looking around for a good song to share for today and I think I found one! Sorry but I went back to the Eurovision list on this one. :P

Never Forget by Gréta Salóme & Jónsi (http://youtu.be/p8RS0eulXDo)

Now this one is the winning entry for Iceland into the contest this year. It reminds me a lot of the song from Norway in the 2009 contest. I just love the nice whimsical, fairytale-like sound of it. And the video gives such a perfect visualization of the story! You know how I just love stories! ;)

More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest_2012)

Keep Your Head High!

I just thought of a perfect song to share with you guys! I actually saw this on the Filipino music channel myx a few years back when I went to visit some family in the Philippines. Definitely a great channel, just saying!


Taas Noo by Amber Davis (http://youtu.be/VGlSq98eZCM)


Now I love this song for two reasons. One is because it's Filipino and I have a Filipino ancestry that I like to connect to. Two is because the song itself tells a tale of the fortitude of the Filipino people. It literally tells how strong, diligent, and patient they are. The lyrics "pero laging taas noo" even mean (loosely translated) to always keep your head up. I just love the all around pride in being a Filipino in this song! (:


More info on Amber Davis: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_Rowley)

Do It Again

Now I've been mulling over all day about the song that I would share, so long that I didn't realize how late it was (sorry!).

I had a lot of trouble finding a good video for this song. All the ones on YouTube were fan made ones that were rather poor. The one I have here is the best I could find from there. I strongly suggest you go ahead and skip to 0:24 on it when it starts. But hey, at least it has lyrics!

Again by YUI (http://youtu.be/-ye_EoVcODw)

I found this lovely song a few years back when it was topping the Japanese song charts and had been announced as the opening song for the anime Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (which is great :P). It was released in 2009 on YUI's fourth studio album and is actually her fourth number one single! It even sold over 95,000 copies in its first week!

I feel a little bad for sticking you with a pretty off video of her performing this great song. But not to worry, I dug around some more and found an official video! That is if you don't mind that its a Chinese website. ;P

Here's that link: (http://vlog.xuite.net/play/QWc3ZUgyLTIwMDIyMzQuZmx2/YUI-Again-PV)

More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Again_(Yui_song))
More info (for those curious) on Fullmetal Alchemist: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist)

Call From My Ex

I figured that I would throw out this lovely Mexican country/ballad song for you this evening. :)

Llamada De Mi Ex by La Arrolladora Banda El Limon (http://youtu.be/Yx8m91tgjpw)

This little jewel has been riding the Billboard Regional Mexican Songs list at number one and the Latin Songs list at number five for the past few weeks. With good cause I think! I enjoy smooth sounding songs like this. Kind of makes me want some good nachos though (haha :P).

The interesting thing about the band is that they have actually had many different incarnations over the years. In fact, the band can be dated all the way back to the 1960s! That's a love of music right there!

More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Arrolladora_Banda_El_Lim%C3%B3n)

P.S.: Looking through the charts on Billboard.com is a pretty great way to find interesting music! ;P

Remember Love

As I mentioned yesterday on Google+, I am featuring a band today that I literally just found yesterday!

Love Remembers You by Samestate (http://youtu.be/0uIdnZOW4II)

This newer Christian band actually got its start in Kansas by a group of guys all attending the same university, MidAmerica Nazarene University, just a little ways outside of Kansas City. I personally really like the sound that they present with their songs. It's very reminiscent of the more popular band NeedToBreathe.

I for one will be keeping up with these guys!

More info: (http://www.facebook.com/Samestate/info)

Official site: (http://www.samestatemusic.com/)

Given A Second Chance

Here's an old favorite of mine from the Floridian (from Florida) rock band, Shinedown. What can I say, I'm a sucker for songs that tell a good story!


Second Chance by Shinedown (http://youtu.be/H25ORRgLxdA)


Though the band really didn't like the song when they first wrote it, it actually became one of their biggest hits. It topped several charts in at least eight countries. It also reached number one on the Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks, Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, and Hot Modern Rock Tracks lists, making it the third song to ever top all three.


More info: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Chance_(Shinedown_song))