Song Of The Week: The Amy Edition

I'm going to steal a comment made on the (lazy) YouTube video because I can:

"Gorgeous song. Probably the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. Video is kind of creepy though. It's like a tribute to a dead person. This woman is so incredibly talented, it's heartbreaking to see her in the state she's in. I hope this song is a huge hit, it deserves to be!".

Those would probably be my sentiments as well. I'd prefer to hear this repeatedly over the Christmas period instead of The Pogues or whoever wins X Factor in the coming weeks.

I'd actually like to see this get to number 1. It would be a huge morale boost to Amy (since her mum can't get through to her). Even though the accolades she keeps on getting, don't mean crap to her, maybe if she tops the Christmas charts, that might stop her going the same direction as Kurt Cobain and other troubled singers .

It wouldn't be the first time a depressing song topped the UK Christmas charts:

1986: Jackie Wilson - "Reet Petite"
1987: Pet Shop Boys - "Always on My Mind"
1988: Cliff Richard - "Mistletoe & Wine"
1989: Band Aid II -" Do They Know It's Christmas?"
1990: Cliff Richard - "Saviour's Day"
1991: Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody" / "These Are the Days of Our Lives"
1992: Whitney Houston - "I Will Always Love You"
1993: Mr Blobby - "Mr Blobby"
1994: East 17 - "Stay Another Day"
1995: Michael Jackson - "Earth Song"
1996: Spice Girls - "2 Become 1"
1997: Spice Girls - "Too Much"
1998: Spice Girls - "Goodbye"
1999: Westlife - "I Have A Dream" / "Seasons In The Sun"
2000: Bob The Builder - "Can We Fix It?"
2001: Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman - "Somethin' Stupid"
2002: Girls Aloud - "Sound Of The Underground"
2003: Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules - "Mad World"
2004: Band Aid 20 - "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
2005: Shayne Ward - "That's My Goal"
2006: Leona Lewis - "A Moment Like This"

See? How many of those songs aren't depressing? A more complete list can be found here on Stereogum.

Song Of The Week: D,O, double G, and the Stripes edition

Snoop Dogg- Sensual Seduction:


The White Stripes- Conquest:


Worst song of the week: Tay "I assure you, my voice is real; My momma cross-bred with some frogs" Zonday with 'Cherry Chocolate Rain':


Previous SOTW posts are here.

Song Of The Week: Everybody Knows Edition

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals with 'Everybody Knows' (the official video can't be embedded for some reason):



Some other great songs of the same name:
The Divine Comedy: Everybody Knows
The Fratellis: Everybody Knows (Live)
Leonard Cohen: Everybody Knows
Queens Of The Stone Age: Everybody Knows (You're Insane)
Rufus Wainwright: Everybody Knows (Cohen Cover)

Previous SOTW posts are here.

Song Of The Week: Baxter's Better And The Expert Edition

Tom Baxter with his new single 'Better' from the album Skybound:



Messiah J And The Expert and their Superfamous Supertune:



Other songs that I've had stuck in my head:

Babyshambles: You Talk
Talib Kweli: Everything Man
The Shins: Sleeping Lessons
Paul McCartney: Ever Present Past (Justin Timberlake could learn a few moves from this man)

Click here for previous songs of the week.

Songs Of The Week: Queens Of The Future Edition

The Futureheads- Broke Up The Time:



If you don't like the video, you're not the only one- I'm sure it's just a temporary one. If you do like the song, you can download the song from their website or stream the song from their MySpace page.

Queens Of The Stone Age with their new single "Make It Wit Chu" and a similarly crappy video:



Kanye West's mother and manager Donda tragically died this morning. Here's 'Ye performing Hey Mama with his mama, of all people:

Song Of The Week: Legendary edition

John Legend- Another Again



I only chose this because I can't find the awesome Groove Armada tune I heard on Rick's show featuring someone who sounds identical to one my favourite artists, Rhymefest (Check out Blue Collar- one of the best rap albums of 2006).

Jay-Z interview and performance on David Letterman- Roc Boys (official video):



Ryan Adams- How Keep Love Alive/Pearls On A String:



Foo Fighters: Long Road To Ruin (video by the Learn To Fly director):



Daft Punk: Harder Better Stronger Faster from Alive 2007:



The trailer to Sigur Ros' new film Heima, released today on DVD. Total Film called it "The greatest concert film of TF's lifetime". Sounds promising, even though the band themselves seem like the most boring people on earth:



Here's a fool looking like a tool. Impressive feat, I know. Des Bishop with his half-arsed Irish translation of House of Pain's 'Jump Around' called 'Léimigí Thart'.

Tá an ghráin agam ar an asal seo. Tá súil agam go tachtóidh sé ar Kit Kat. Níl fhios agam faoi an leitriucháin seo ar chor ar bith. Ní scríobh mé aon rud mar seo le cupla bliain agus tá brón orm ma rinne mé buineach amach as an teanga seo (fiú abháin teanga a bhfuil ag fáil bás). Athríonn sé cinneall aisteach freisin ag scríobh poist ar blog le ainm cosúil le Pedro Monscooch. Seo é Des ag "canadh" ag an Oireachtas ar an dereidh seachtaine seo caite:

Song Of The Week: The Band Of Horses edition (now with 100% more cowabunga)

Here's the brand new video and single from Band Of Horses called "Is There A Ghost" from their album "Cease To Begin". It's certainly a grower of a tune:



When searching for the video on YouTube I came across a similarly named band called Horse The Band. Here's a cover they did of the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles:



For some reason, someone uploaded another song of theirs ("Anti-Pizza") to footage from the TMNT movies. The video had the following description which I found hilarious:

A music video, a work of art, a retrospect, a documentary, and an epic adventure of a life time. SATAN!

Song Of The Week: Anything but Nelly edition

This week, I have been mostly listening to Timbaland (feat One Republic)- Apologize:



It should be credited to One Republic featuring Timbaland and not the other way around since this song isn't really produced by Timbaland so much as he just programmed some different drums over it shouting "Ay, Ay, (lower pitch) Ay". Here's the (much better) original by One Republic in a (much better) fan-made video:



Here's Nelly acting like a royal fool during the recent BET Hip-Hop awards. Look out for such lyrical gems as "They call me Mister Intellectual, I keep a bunch of vegetables". Seriously:



*Bonus* Une télécharger gratis pour vous:
Mick Boogie, Terry Urban and 9th Wonder: The Graduate (Hosted by Kanye West)

League Crew/Kanye West - Intro
Kanye West & 50 Cent - Flashing Lights (Mick Boogie Mix)
Kanye West & Nas - I Wonder (Terry Urban Mix)
Kanye West & Jay-Z - Never Leave Me Down (9th Wonder Remix)
Kanye West & Jay-Z - Big Brother/Encore (live)
Kanye & Mos Def - Good Night
Kanye West - I Still Love Her
Kanye West - Stronger (Original Unreleased Verse)
Kanye West & Nas - Major League (Mick Boogie Mix)
Kanye West & The Notorious B.I.G. - Kicks Open Doors (Terry Urban Mix)
Kanye West - A Million And One
Kanye West, Little Brother & Lil Wayne - Breakin’ My Heart (Mick Boogie Mix /Produced by 9th Wonder)
Kanye West - Champion (live)
Kanye West & Jay-Z - Everything I am (Terry Urban Mix)
Kanye West - Freestyle
Kanye West & Common - Get ‘Em High (A-Trak Remix)
Consequence & Kanye West - Complications (Mick Boogie Mix)
Kanye West & Ludacris - Breathe In (9th Wonder Remix)
Kanye West & Talib Kweli - The Bounce/Two Words (live)
Kanye West - Two Words (9th Wonder Remix)
Kanye, Dr. Dre & Busta Rhymes - Imagine 2008 (Terry Urban Remix)
Kanye West, Consequence, & Patti Labelle - Anything
Consequence & Kanye West - Skillz (Terry Urban Mix)
Kanye West & Common - Glory (Mick Boogie Remix)
Kanye West & Termanology - Everything (The Diddy Song)
Kanye West & Consequence - Don’t Forget ‘Em
Kanye West, Common & Lupe Fiasco - Southside (Terry Urban)
Kanye West & Little Brother - Naaw (9th Wonder Bonus Track)

Download it here (only when the server is in a good move)

Via the wonderful amfmpm.org come these fantastic mashups which shouldn't work (but totally do):

The Red Paintings covering Gary Jules covering Tears For Fears vs. Linkin Park: Numb World

Busta Rhymes vs. Berlin: Touch My Breath Away

Song Of The Week: Lethal Bizzle Editionizzle

Lethal Bizzle: Police on my back (sampled from a song of the same title by The Clash- View a live performance here). The single has been released for over a week but since I have no radio at work, I hadn't heard it before. There's not a huge amount of good new songs this week.

Update:

Jay-Z is back with that Skateboard P clown with "Blue Magic". It's his first single from his new "American Gangster" inspired album due for release next month. To be honest, that song is the definition of "meh". The Simpsons may have made it up but Jigga is all about the take-over, you see.

Song Of The Week: The "No Chopstick! Spoon!" Edition

Spoon doing their best Thin Lizzy impersonation performing "Underdog" on last night's Saturday Night Live.

One of my all-time favourite songs is also called "Underdog (Save Me)" and it's by Turin Brakes. Check it, yo.

Song Of The Week: Alicia Keys is so purty... edition

This week, Alicia Keys returns with the new single "No One" from her upcoming album "As I Am". Here's the official video:


I love her and that's all I have to say on the matter. Other music videos which are pretty cool this week:

Duke Special & Neil Hannon: Our Love Goes Deeper Than This
Emmy Rossum: Slow Down (My future ex-wife does Imogen Heap)
Lupe Fiasco: Dumb It Down (Curtis Jackson fans take note)
Queens Of The Stone Age: 3's & 7's (Is this new?)
They Might Be Giants: I'm Impressed (Bleeding paper!)

Click here for previous SOTW posts.

Song Of The Week: Collective Edition

Animal Collective- Peace Bone:

To be honest, I'd love to post Beirut again, but I have to give some other guys a chance. Anywho, click here for previous songs of the week.

Song Of The Week: Welcome to the Good Life edition

"Good Life" by Kanye West feat everybody's favourite robot voice, T-Pain. The video was made by Jonas & Francois, the same guys who did the fantastic Justice: "D.A.N.C.E." video which was my SOTW a few weeks back:



A equally brilliant song and video by Beirut called "Nantes":

I'll update this at a later time when the huge headache I currently have goes away. See my previous SOTW posts here.

Song Of The Week: The Feisty edition

Feist perfoming "1234" on David Letterman last week with a backing choir featuring members of Broken Social Scene, The New Pornographers, The National, Grizzly Bear, and Mates of State. Check out Nialler9's competition to win some tickets for Feist at the Tripod tickets. I'd enter it but I don't know the answer.

Some other cool music videos I've had on heavy youtube rotation this week:

Cadburys Gorilla: In The Air Tonight
Mitchell Brothers: Michael Jackson (Produced by Calvin Harris)
Operator Please: Just A Song About Ping Pong
Reverend And The Makers: He Said He Loved Me
The Wombats: Let's Dance To Joy Division

*Bonus music videos in concert form*
HBO broadcast Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/ LoveShow last week and will be released on DVD later on this year. Here's the entire show:

-Preshow Interview
-FutureSex/ LoveSound
-Like I Love You
-My Love
-Seniorita
-Sexy Ladies
-Until The End Of Time
-What Goes Around
-Chop Me Up
-Rock Your Body
-Medley
-Damn Girl
-Summer Love
-Losing My Way
-Cry Me A River
-Lovestoned
-SexyBack
-Speech
-Another Song
-End

Previous SOTW posts.

Song of the week 9

This week, I've been mostly listening to Common: "Drivin Me Wild (feat Lily Allen)". Here's the video:

Aww, I was kinda expecting the Aston Martin would blow up in the end. Lily Allen looks somehow cute in an astronaut suit so much so that she should wear it all the time but the video behind the concept is very odd. Check out a behind-the-scenes video here to find out what's going on in Common's head. Also, Jeremy Piven in a Common video? Now, that's cool. What next? Kanye West in Entourage? Oh, SNAP:


Click here to find the previous Song Of The Week posts.

Song of the week 8

Here's a weekly post to let me get my sleep on and not worry about what I'm posting. Click here for the previous instalments. This week, I've been mostly listening to KT Tunstall's "Hold On". Here's the video:

Had it not been for a crappy cameraman and a lack of particapation from the special guests, I would've posted a song from NYC's Screamfest '07 with T.I. and Ciara. What made it special are the cameos from Jay-Z, Sean Combs, Kanye West and 50 Cent.

Here's some shaky-cam footage of Kanye performing "Can't Tell Me Nothin" from his upcoming album "Graduation" that will soon end Fiddy's career (hopefully). MTV break down the evening's events here.

Song Of The Week 7

Due to an awful work-only radio I'm forced to listen to, I have no way of hearing new songs at work so I have to rely on checking the most popular newly released music videos of the past week. It's tough work. For every truly great song there's about 400 remixes of Chocolate Rain but I think I've said all I can about Tay Zonday two weeks ago.

Hot Hot Heat: Let Me In

Here are some of the other videos I've had on heavy YouTube rotation:
Talib Kweli: Hot Thing/ In The Mood
Sleepy Brown ft. Big Boi & Pharrell: Margarita
Elvis And Lisa Marie Presley: In The Ghetto
The Chemical Brothers: The Salmon Dance

Click here to view past SOTW posts. As always, this is also known as the regular lazy post of the week to let me chillax.

Song Of The Week 6

This week, I have been mostly listening to "The Pretenders" by Foo Fighters. Enjoy the song in video form below. I'll replace it with the official video as soon as it's released. Click here to view past "Songs Of The Week" posts. As always, this is also known as the regular lazy post of the week to let me chillax.

Update: The official video is up now.

Song of the week: Number 5

Common: The People (not to be mixed up with this or even this)

There isn't a great selection for a new music video this week. 50 cent released his new video for "Ayo Technology" featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland which is God-awful. Check it out:



Awful, isn't it? The intro is pathetic: "So special. Un-forgettable. Fifty cent (cent). Jus-tin (tin). Timba-land (land). Damn (Damn)". And then "super-producer" Timbaland comes in with his "Block Party" ringtone sample which he stole. The rapping by 50 is diabolical, which might explain why his last three singles "Amusement Park", "I Get Money" and "Straight To The Bank" made no impact at all in the charts when they were released. Curtis might as well have stolen a full verse from Ice Cube or someone since he's paying too much of an homage to his work and to every other artist associated to Compton. He sounds like he's repeating everything he's said before in his hundred mix tapes. He's definitely no Talib, Jigga, Mos Def or Common when it comes to wordplay.

On a related note: I also hate you Tay Zonday! You, with your fake voice and 12-year-old-like freaky face. Learn to sing and stop posting songs on youtube. That bastardo is everywhere these days. Chocolate Rain is being copied and remixed to no end. Some of the remixes and spoofs are actually quite good. Others... not so much. I don't know what to make of the following though...


Another "song" making the rounds is Spiderpig. Check out the full song here. Apparently, it's number 13 in the Irish charts, which goes to prove the theory I had two weeks ago about the Irish buying into fads as soon as one stops they buy into another. Expect it to knock Journey (of Sopranos fame) from the top spot in a week. There's even a real life version of Spiderpig here. It's got web-slinging action between buildings and everything. I'm sure the Spiderpig was funny in the film at one point. Now it's getting played on the radio.

This is the weekly lazy post with my favourite song of the week. Here are my last Sunday song posts: 29/07/07, 22/07/07, 15/07/07, 08/07/07. I went on a bit of a rant in this one so it wasn't as short or lazy as I would have wanted it to be. Sorry for making you read.+

Song of the week: Number 4

Linkin Park: "Bleed It Out"

It's apparently the new single from a Linkin Park gone soft but there isn't an official video yet so here's a performance they gave on Saturday Night Live. Mike Shinoda seems to be having waaay too much fun here. It's as if he's channelling SNL staple Jimmy Fallon, constantly grinning like a muppet through every word. There's not a lot of options this week for a good new song. I would have said Kaiser Chief's "The Angry Mob" but for the awfulness of it all. They ran out of ideas after incuding an "oooaaaOOOAAAHHH" in most of their songs. Another possible song would be the Simpson theme tune since it's Simpson fever right now.

This is the weekly lazy post with (suprise, suprise) my favourite song of the week. Here are my last Sunday song posts: 22/07/07, 15/07/07, 08/07/07.

Edit: I found the official video. Tis mighty lame. Jack Johnson nailed the backwards video in "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing".