So I think I’m starting to come down with a cold. That’s always good news isn’t it. I can’t exactly take off yet either since I’m taking off for a whole week next week. If it’s still acting up I’ll ask for part of Saturday off. And there is something weird going on with my right eye again. It’s very very red. So I took out my contacts and I’m not going to wear them until it goes down which it looks like it’s doing. I mean when I had the contact in it was bright red. Now it’s not so bright red. Not pink though. You’d think today would be a good day for me since a year ago I got out of the hospital with a clean bill of health. The counselors always liked me since I did participate and had an upbeat attitude once I got on my meds and was talking to people. They loved me because well I didn’t just sit there say oh it’s society’s fault or deny my part in what happened. Trust me there was a guy my age that didn’t really admit his part. He was more of it was other people’s fault that they called the hospital and stuff. Yeah you can’t recover if you don’t admit your part in it. His part was that he was taking drugs and wouldn’t really admit it. Not to mention he was so busy trying to get out of the hospital to save his job. There were many of us in there predicting he’d be back one day. Wonder if we were right. On that note squiby time. Well my gastly changed is now a Haunter. I must say I love the picture of this haunter. Kinda looks like he’s in a tongue sticking out contest with my shelldar. I think I’m going to adopt another gastly and once it gets to be a haunter freeze it. Anyway today’s video is Who Let the Dogs Out. Ok we all know this song so I’m just getting it out there. I heard the other day and it’s been in my head for awhile. So I ask you. Who let the dogs out? Today’s tip is now that we know octopuses have been seen using tools someone has to train them for assassinations. Think of the money.

As the decade draws to a close, everyone’s minds are on the changing times.  Some are concerned with the economy, healthcare reform, and our education system.  While I agree that all of those things are important, I prefer to spend my free time mulling over the more entertaining points in life.  In the coming weeks, this blog will bring you the best of the 2000’s, from music to fashion to television and beyond.  We’re kicking off the holiday season with one of my favorite topics: one-hit wonders.  The following is a list of my personal favorite one-hit wonders throughout the decade; is yours on the list?  Leave us a comment with your favorite hitter and quitter over the past 10 years and check back through the end of the month for more BEST OF THE 2000’s.

Among my favorites in the year 2000 were:  Aaron Carter (Aaron’s Party), Alice Deejay (Better Off Alone), Baha Men (Who Let The Dogs Out?), BBMak (Back Here), Bloodhound Gang (The Bad Touch), Eiffel 65 (Blue), Hoku (Another Dumb Blonde), Macy Gray (I Try), Nine Days (Story of a Girl), and Wheatus (Teenage Dirtbag).  I refuse to pick a winner for this year, so the title gets a two-way split between Macy Gray and Nine Days.

2001 proved to be less fruitful than the dawn of the millenium, but satisfying nonetheless with hits from chart crashers like:  Afroman (Because I Got High), Alien Ant Farm (Smooth Criminal), Blu Cantrell (Hit ‘Em Up Style), Crazy Town (Butterfly), and Willa Ford (I Wanna Be Bad).  My prize goes to Blu Cantrell; every hits station in the country had that jam on a ten-song rotation.

We hit a lull in 2002 that lasted through 2004 (I blame Bush), so I’m going to combine those three years here.  The Calling (Wherever You Will Go), Jimmy Eat World (The Middle), The Ataris (The Boys of Summer), Fountains of Wayne (Stacy’s Mom), Stacie Orrico (More To Life), and Eamon (Fuck It).  If you ask me, the winner is clear; Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” was a SMASH and still gets played heavily at house parties across the country.

2005 brought a bevy of songs about the fairer sex.  Whether they were kicking ass or falling in love, girls were clearly the favorite topic in songs like:  Brooke Valentine (Girlfight), The Click Five (Just The Girl), DHT (Listen To Your Heart), and Howie Day (Collide).  One song in particular still gets a fair amount of playtime on my iPod.  My high school friends deemed it “my song” that year, two of my favorite reality stars showed up in the video, and those little band boys rocked the swoopy hair before their time:  The Click Five’s “Just The Girl“.

Coming back from the mid-decade lull, 2006 brought us a landslide of chart-toppers who then proceeded to drop off the face of the Earth (or, you know, the hits list … whatever).  Brooke Hogan featuring Paul Wall (About Us), Daniel Powter (Bad Day), Gnarls Barkley (Crazy), James Blunt (You’re Beautiful), Panic! At The Disco (I Write Sins Not Tragedies), and Saving Jane (Girl Next Door).  As much as I would like to bestow this honor upon P!ATD (kisses, Brendon Urie!) or Saving Jane (holding it down in COLUMBUS!), I would have to be a patron of the short bus to not recognize the insane hit-dom of JAMES BLUNT’s “You’re Beautiful“.  I believe I took a piss less often than I heard that song in 2006.

If 2005 was all about girls, 2007 was all about yourself as an individual.  The artists were letting us know how THEY did things.  Some could argue that we agreed, as all three of these songs were undeniable hits; others could make the point that we didn’t agree (since we never wanted to hear from them again).  Either way, these songs were all over the airwaves just two short years ago.  Baby Boy da Prince (The Way I Live), DOE (The Way I Are), and Ingrid Michaelson (The Way I Am).  While I enjoyed all three songs and listen to them still, I have to award Ingrid Michaelson’s “The Way I Am” and the one-hit wonder of the year, for her use of proper English.

I don’t feel it’s fair to claim any of the hits of 2009 as being “one-hit wonders” until another year or two have passed, as no one can predict whether they’ll come out with anything else, so 2008 will be the last year I consider.  The big four last year were:  MIA (Paper Planes), Sara Bareilles (Love Song), Shwayze featuring Cisco Adler (Corona and Lime), and Wyclef Jean featuring Akon, Lil Wayne, and Niia (Sweetest Girl).  Again, I had a tough time choosing the winner.  I personally enjoyed all four songs, so I’m going to make my decision based on my friends’ opinions (keep in mind that 99% of my friends are beefcake boys).  According to them, the clear champion is Sara Bareilles’ “Love Song“.  I’m as surprised as you are.

After settling on the top 8, I think I almost have to pick a winner.  I’ve put a lot of consideration into this and I think the best one-hit wonder of the 2000’s is James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful” (for sheer airtime alone), followed closely by Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” and Macy Gray’s “I Try“.

There you have it, folks.  Disagree with my winners?  Find a hole in my list?  Leave a comment below to have YOUR favorite one-hit wonder of the last decade added to this piece.

With many apologies to my sister Amy, I have got to say that the Miley Cyrus song Party in the USA has to be the absolute worst song I have heard in a long time.  I have listened to it a number of times, mostly because I have a 10-year-old daughter, but I have also listened to it on my own when it has come across my radio dial.  I have tried to like it, I really have, but the distorted vocals just keep reminding me of the Johnny Bravo episode of The Brady Bunch where Greg was hired because he fit the suit.  Other than the fact that is seems to put a smile on Molly’s face when she sings along, I can’t really find any other redeeming value to this song.  It is just plain irritating.  Having three kids, I have been subjected to a lot of bad music over the years, and for the most part I just grit my teeth and let them listen.  Stephanie was a big Britney fan, and at one time I could recite almost all the words to Oops, I Did it Again in my sleep, and I have had to watch the video to Lucky more times than I really care to remember.  Some of the music I didn’t mind so much, like when Alex got the Jonas Brother’s CD and had me play it every time he was in the car.  I also don’t mind Taylor Swift, but that song of hers about Romeo and Juliet get stuck in the brain for hours as soon as I hear it.  The other song that often gets stuck in my head is the LeAnn Rimes song from Coyote Ugly, but I think in that case it is not so much the song, but the movie I find irritating.  It is one of Stephanie’s favorite still, and I have a feeling Maureen would be a tad bit embarrassed to admit she likes it too.

So, I wanted to try and give Miley the benefit of the doubt, and I started a list in my head of the most irritating songs I could think of.  Please do not try this at home.  I am a trained, self-proclaimed specialist in this field.  You will only hurt yourself if you try.  Instead, let me do the work for you.  If you choose to keep reading, I have included for you my list of the Top 10 most irritating songs to me.  There are no magic criteria here, it is just my opinion.  I have restricted my choices based on the effect the song has had on my life personally, and also on the songs place in American Pop Culture.  Although there is any number of songs by Yoko Ono that would literally tear my spine out, the chances of me having to listen to them, accidentally or otherwise, are very slim.  For that reason they are not included.  Mostly the list will include songs that you know so be warned.  There is a good chance that you will be humming one of these tunes later today or tomorrow.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

So here we go, starting with number 10, let the countdown begin:

#10 Friends in Low Place -  Garth Brooks

This one makes the number 10 spot not so much for the original song, but for the sheer number of times I have been subjected to drunken karaoke versions of the song.  For some reason, this is also a popular song at wedding receptions.  The playing of the song is usually instigated by the Best Man or one of the other grooms men, as they circle around the groom to bellow out the chorus at him.  Most of the other lyrics seem to be muddled or forgotten, as this usually takes place towards the end of the night when the chance of sobriety is completely lost.  Also completely lost is the fact that the song is inappropriate for a wedding.  Listen to the lyrics guys.  They are dumping on the bride.  If you find yourself at a wedding and this song is suggested, just say no.  That is unless your intent is to break up the marriage before it even starts.  The bride will be pissed.

#9 – The Sweet Escape – Gwen Stefani w/Akon

Gwen can go ahead and send her thank you note directly to Akon for landing her on this list.  Although she did have a runner-up song of her own that could have easily made this list on its own merit with Hollaback Girl, it was Akon’s unrelenting “Woo Hoo” throughout this song that won it the number nine position.  Another favorite of my daughter Molly, it takes a quick hand and an even quicker ear to get it off the radio before she notices it.  But since the song starts right out with that damn “Woo Hoo,” it is an almost impossible task.  Alex will often try and help me out by talking very loudly directly at Molly when he hears the song begin to give me a chance to change the station, but as Molly gets older she has become wise to this ploy.  Woo Hoo.

#8 – Who Let the Dogs Out – Baha Men

For many people, this song would probably rate higher on the list, but two factors keep it relatively low on my list.  First, this song truly was just a fad song.  The highest it climbed on the Billboard Pop chart was only #40, and second it faded almost as fast as it arrived.  The only reason I have included it at all is because of its rampant use at sporting events.  The Baltimore Raven most notable used the song on their way to winning the Super Bowl in 2000, and while with the Seattle Mariners, Alex Rodriguez used the song as his walk up music.  Most people don’t even remember that there was an actual song beyond the catch phrase, and I doubt that anyone has heard or played the entire song in a very long time.  The song has basically become a joke, but is still often used in television and film for a quick laugh, most recently in the hit film The Hangover.  I believe you would have a very hard time finding anyone who would actually admit to liking the song, but the fact that the basic tag line has survived and is so recognizable, I feel it has earned it’s spot here on my list.

#7 – Barbie Girl – Aqua

I would never have thought it possible to get two equally annoying yet different voices on one record until I heard this song.  And I heard it a lot.  It only reached #7 on the American charts, but it was a number one hit all over the world.  It was also a hit with my oldest daughter and can unfortunately still be heard on the radio today.  The first time I heard the song myself, I actually thought it was some kind of radio joke.  But Mattel didn’t think it was a joke and the company filed a lawsuit claiming copyright infringement.  But the courts ruled that the song was protected under the First Amendment and that Barbie’s existence in the public domain left her open to parody.  So it was a joke, right?  Without the lawsuit, this song probably would not have gotten the airplay it did, and possibly would not have made it on the list.  It can be argued that Barbie Girl is a classic piece of Bubble Gum Pop, but for me the song is as irritating as a mosquito bite, so it will remain on my list.

#6 – Poker Face - Lady Gaga

I am pretty sure I just heard a collective gasp from all the Lady Gaga fans out there, but trust me on this one; ten years from now this song is Barbie Girl.  It is the only current song that appears on my list, and that might be the main reason it is here.  I still hear the song way too much.  And it was annoying from the very first time I heard it.  I will admit that I do enjoy Lady Gaga’s other hit song Just Dance, but it lacks that same mind numbing repetitiveness that Poker Face subjects us with.  Only time will tell for sure if this song will live up to its irritating legacy, but for now it is not going to disappear from my list.

#5 – The Chicken Dance – Werner Thomas

I credit Werner Thomas with creating this up-tempo polka tune because that seems to be the only thing that most people seem to agree upon about this song.  The tune itself is more than 50 years old, but the story and actual title of the piece varies from source to source.  It is the only instrumental tune on the list (don’t give me that crap about lyrics, I have yet to hear a recorded version with lyrics) and as far as I can tell the tune has never appeared on any music charts here in the United States.  But the fact that everyone reading this can hum the tune and knows when to flap their arms, shake their butts, and make little chirping beak faces with their hands, proves that the song meets the criteria I set of American Pop Culture, so it lands right here at number five.  My inclusion of The Chicken Dance is bound to bring distain form some readers, probably even more so than my inclusion of Lady Gaga.  But damn it, it’s my list.  It stays!

#4 – Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm – Crash Test Dummies

Dumb title, dumb song, dumb band.   The Billy Bob Thornton, Sling Blade, Karl Childers asinine mumbling chorus makes this song bad enough, but have you ever really tried to listen to the lyrics?  The song just makes no sense.  There’s a boy whose hair turns from black to white because of a car accident and a girl with birthmarks all over her body.  What the hell is this song about?  I can’t quite explain it.  Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm.  It very easily could have been number one.

#3 – Tubthumper - Chumbawumba

This song makes the number three spot because just like a cold sore on a prom queen, it just keeps popping up.  I have to admit, when I first came up with the idea of this list I couldn’t even remember the name of the song, but I knew it had to be included.  What I can never forget is the mish-mosh of nonsense lyrics.  “I get knocked down, but I get up again, no you’re never gonna keep me down.”  Please, for God’s sake.  Stay Down!  Even the name of the band is irritating.  I know very little about this band, and to be honest I don’t want to know anything about them.  I get the general idea that the song is about the working man and that no matter what “the man” does to him he’s just going to keep coming.  It is basically flipping a giant middle finger at the establishment, but Johnny Paycheck did it much better with Take This Job and Shove It and it didn’t make me want to stab my eardrums with knitting needles. 

#2 – Macarena – Los Del Rio

The only thing that kept this song from being number one was the fact that I have actually not had to listen to it in quite some time.  But taking into account its place in American Pop Culture, this song takes the cake.  This song spent 14 weeks at number one on the Billboard charts, tied for second as the most weeks ever.  The song still retains the number five position on Billboard’s All Time Top 100.  And who can forget the robotic Al Gore attempt at the dance during the 1996 Democratic National Convention.  Unlike the equally irritating Who Let the Dogs Out, this song was not a fad, and it still enjoys airplay at wedding receptions and bar-mitzvahs all across the country.  Grandmothers and young children everywhere are still willing to jump out onto the dance floor to give this one a try.  I will be waiting it out at the bar.  Better make it a double.

#1 – Mambo # 5 – Lou Bega

Another hot hit with the wedding reception crowd, this one I still hear all the time.  Besides the fact that I just heard this song again about a week ago, the main reason this makes the number one spot is that I find the artist just as irritating as the song.  Lou Bega is not Hispanic.  He is not even Spanish.  He’s German.  Ok, so his mother was from Sicily and his father was Ugandan, which did give him a somewhat exotic look, but he is about as Latino as me.  His real name is David Lubega, see how he cleverly just dropped the whole David thing, and he was born raised and still lives in Germany.  The song was “sampled” in its entirety for a 1949 song of the same name, and all Mr. Lubega did was provide his own lyrics.  And aren’t we all happy he did.  The main portion of the song is the “little bit” lyrics that also provide most of the irritation.  I do remember that the show Friends used the song extensively in their advertising because the first woman named on the list was Monica.  Myself, I prefer my German artist angry yet stoic.  Give me those 99 Luftballoons any day.

So, there you have it.  My 10 most irritating songs.  Take a little time to digest them and let me know what you think.  I actually had a lot of fun putting this list together, and I suppose I should give credit to another of my favorite blog sites, Listverse.  I have added them to my Blog Roll if you care to visit them, but it can be very addicting.  I might even visit this format again sometime myself.   But remember, this was all just for fun.  Please don’t threaten my life if I made fun of one of your favorite songs.  If one of your favorite songs was on this list, you have a lot more to worry about than just me.

Her yaz sezonunda kesinlikle bir tane herkesi çok şaşırtan film çıkıyor.Genelde fazla beklentisi olmayan ve sadece eğlence vaat eden bu prodüksiyonlar bir bakıyorsunuz inanılmaz bir hasılat yapıyor.Bir de üzerine seyirciden de tam not oluyor.İşte 2009 yılının yazında devasa prodüksiyonların yanında daha makul sayılabilecek The Hangover bunu yaptı.Beklenmeyeni vererek, çok beğenildi.

Filmi şöyle özetleyebiliriz aslında: “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”.Düğününden önce Las Vegas’da bekarlığa veda etmek isteyen kahramanımız yanına arkadaşlarını da alır ve Vegas’ın yolunu tutar.İlk gecenin sonunda ise olay felakettir.Damat adayı ortalıkta yoktur.Otel odasında kime ait olduğu bilinmeyen bir bebek ve gerçek bir kaplan mevcuttur.Bu açıdan senaryoya baktığımızda açıkçası ben öyle bir sıradanlık görmüyorum, ki bilen bilir klişe işlerden hiç haz etmem.Ayrıca ilk okuduğunuzda bile insanın kulağına eğlenceli geliyor.Nitekim Jon Lucas ve Scott Moore‘un yazdığı senaryonun kanlı canlı halini izleyince de aynı şeyi hissediyorsunuz.Salt eğlence!

Filmin yönetmeni ise Borat‘ın senaryosunu yazan ekipten Todd Philips.Kendisini Starsky & Hutch ve Road Trip‘in yönetmenliğinden hatırlayanlarınız da vardır.The Hangover‘da bence gayet iyi bir iş çıkarmış.Zaten çok özel bir yönetmenlik beklemiyorsunuz.Ancak Philips o kadar da baştan savma bir iş yapmamış.Buradan tam not verdiğimi rahatlıkla söyleyebilirim.

The Hangover‘ın asıl olayı ise kadrosu.Çünkü birbirinden eğlenceli 4 adamı bir araya getirmişler.Damat adayı olarak Justin Bartha‘yı izliyoruz.Bartha‘yı National Treasure ve Failure to Lunch zamanından sevdiğim için bana izlemesi oldukça zevkli geldi.Ed Helms, kız arkadaşının sözünden çıkmayan basiretsiz ve sıkıcı bir adam rolünde.İlk kez karşılaştığım bir aktör doğrusu.Ama bana falza Amerikan geldi.Bradley Cooper için ise tam anlamıyla çatlak bir öğretmen diyebiliriz, ki bu dörtlü içerisinde en eğlencelisi de o.Cooper da son zamanlarda yükselen bir grafik çiziyor.Sanıyorum önümüzdeki senelerde Hollywood’un aranan isimlerinden biri olacak.Ve Zach Galifianakis…Genelde Hollywood yapımı komedilerde karşılaştığımız inanılmaz derecede sıradışılığın tüm detaylarına sahip ve bu detaylara rağmen diğer filmlerde olduğu gibi itici değil.Ana karakterler haricinde bir de Heather Graham ile Mike Tyson görüyoruz kısaca.Filme renk kattıkları kesin.Özellikle kendini canlandıran Tyson‘ın bulunduğu sahnelerde epey güldüm.

T.I., Kanye West, Baha Men gibi geniş bir soundtrack içeren The Hangover son zamanlarda izlediğim en eğlenceli filmdi.İnsanda Las Vegas’a gitme isteği uyandırıyor.Kesinlikle izlemelisiniz.2009′un en eğlenceli filmlerinden…

C

Who Let the Dogs Out on Green St., San Francsico

by Eli Altman

Who Let the Dogs Out? was originally created for Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival season in 1998. A visiting hairdresser from London apparently recorded it from a float in a parade and brought it back to the U.K. with him where he played it for his producer friend. Soon it was covered by the Baha Men and wound up on the soundtrack of Rugrats in Paris. When the song was released as a single in 2000, it reached #40 in the US, #2 in the UK, went Platinum and won a Grammy; not bad for a one-hit wonder.

The song got played, overplayed, and then faded into the distance. In a poll, it made Rolling Stone’s list of Top 5 most annoying songs. Now the only time you hear it is in reruns and bad jokes.The Baja Men are probably two years away from an episode of Where Are They Now?

No one can say they didn’t see this coming. There’s a very natural life cycle at play here. Just like ice turns to water which turns to steam; Who Let the Dogs Out? went from fun to funny to annoying. That’s the way these things work. That’s why when I saw the van pictured above, I was amazed that a living artifact from a 2000 one-hit wonder was still with us.

This name surprised me a bit because most of us want names that are timeless— names that will still resonate in a hundred years if our companies are lucky enough to last that long. As a name for a company, Who Let the Dogs Out? challenges this idea because most one hit wonders are anything but timeless. While the song name definitely fits with a dog walking business, I will be amazed if people remember the reference in twenty years. But then again, maybe more time will work to their advantage. By now they have to be sick of people asking them about the song, or trying to sing it from memory when they drop their dogs off in the morning. You have to have pretty thick skin to be able to laugh at the same jokes I’m sure they’ve heard hundreds of times by now.

Maybe when the song completely fades from our memories, the name will take on a life of it’s own. I have to give them credit— the name isn’t boring and it definitely stuck in my memory. It clearly passes the first test of company naming. So I guess if they’re cool with all the jokes and song references, then more power to ‘em.

The Mariners may not have won their first World Series yet, but they have had some important impacts on the game of baseball.

Perhaps their greatest contribution may be the advent of the intro song, a musical selection played in honor of each individual player’s appearance (most often affiliated with at-bats).

The M’s were one of the first franchises to regularly play music before each hitter’s at-bat. That unique aspect of the game quickly spread to other teams and other positions. These days, even pitchers have their own intro music and it is considered a rarity to take the field without a tune.

The Mariners promotional staff has been behind a number of great musical selections since 1993, when they first began playing intro songs. Using our way-back machine to relive the glory days, we’ve come up with a list of 11 of the best intro songs in team history, complete with music videos. Enjoy.

11. Welcome to the Jungle

Artist: Guns N’ Roses

Player: Randy Johnson

Year: 1995

A divine intersection of music, incidence, and individual, Johnson emerged from the left field bullpen of the Kingdome to the sound of this tune for, as they say in the concert business, ONE NIGHT ONLY!

The scene was set perfectly: Ninth inning, Game 5, American League Divisional Series.

Taking on the New York Yankees, the M’s were looking to extend a magical playoff run that had embodied the final month of the 1995 season.

Locked in a close contest and facing no tomorrow with a loss, manager Lou Piniella called upon his ace to take the hill in relief. The moment, along with the audio selection, was nothing if not serendipitous.

Johnson stalked menacingly towards the mound as a crowd of more than 50,000 rose to its feet and lost its collective mind. The noise that greeted The Big Unit’s warmup tosses could rival that of any real, live Guns N’ Roses concert.

That solitary place in time wasn’t validated until the bottom of the 11th inning, when Edgar Martinez and Ken Griffey Jr. brought home a victory on a double and a slide.

But it was Johnson who was credited with the win, and for providing us a memory of man and melody that still blisters our eardrums fourteen years later.

10. Thriller

Artist: Michael Jackson

Player: Ichiro Suzuki

Years: 2001-Present

The Mariners’ right fielder has been passionate about his song selections during his eight-year tenure with the ballclub. One of his earliest selections was arguably the greatest pop hit ever recorded.

Leading off games for the M’s during his first few years in Seattle, Ichiro would bend and flex his way to the batter’s box to the tune of Michael Jackson’s iconic Thriller.

The pairing of one legend with another was befitting of the superstar that Ichiro had become. On top of that, it didn’t hurt that almost every fan in attendance could recognize and appreciate the song that Ichiro was announced to.

These days, Thriller has been put on the backburner for Ichiro’s at-bats. But being the eclectic guy he is, you just never know when No. 51 might break out the world’s No. 1 pop single one more time.

9. Thunderstruck

Artist: AC/DC

Player: J.J. Putz

Years: 2007-2008

Serving as the team’s closer for two full seasons, Putz was in need of an intimidating song suited for a late-inning relief specialist. Enter, Thunderstruck.

The ominous AC/DC hit coincided with a dimming of the scoreboard lights and a baritone announcement of Putz’s imminent arrival from PA announcer Tom Hutyler.

The moment was Trevor Hoffman-esque (as a member of the San Diego Padres, the All-Star closer would enter games to the tune of Hell’s Bells, also by AC/DC), albeit short-lived. As of 2009, Putz was a setup man for the New York Mets.

8. Whatta Man

Artist: Salt-N-Pepa

Player: Dan Wilson

Years: 1994-2005

You don’t often associate a white guy from the midwest with urban R&B music, but as far as Dan Wilson is concerned, the pairing couldn’t be more apt.

As the team’s longest-tenured catcher in history, Wilson spent the majority of his years making the walk from the on-deck circle to home plate with Salt-N-Pepa’s hit single signaling his at-bat.

Though perhaps not Wilson’s first choice of musical literature, the tune was played in reference to the backstop’s nickname: Dan the Man.

Not a finicky person when it came to his song stylings, Wilson stuck by his team-appointed symphony for the remainder of his years wearing a mask. The result: perfect harmony.

7. Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It

Artist: Will Smith

Player: Shigetoshi Hasegawa

Years: 2002-2005

One thing the Mariners music team has become famous for over the years is finding songs that pay homage to a player’s name, or in this case nickname.

Shigetoshi Hasegawa, aka “Shiggy,” had a nickname that sounded a lot like “jiggy.” And because of that, he was bestowed the gift of the ultimate late-’90s musical fiasco in the form of Will Smith’s Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.

Perhaps it wasn’t the most fear-inducing song available, but Shiggy made it work. In 2003, the reliever posted a 1.48 ERA, recorded 16 saves, and even earned his one and only All-Star selection.

It’s safe to say everyone got jiggy when Shiggy was pitching.

6. Zombie Nation

Artist: DJ Florian Senfter (aka DJ Splank)

Player: Kazuhiro Sasaki

Years: 2000-2003

The M’s closer for three seasons, Sasaki was one of the first athletes in the U.S. to adopt the German-borne techno hit.

Though he didn’t officially enter games to Zombie Nation, Sasaki’s appearances would often culminate in the blasting of the tune across Safeco Field.

In fact, it often seemed that Zombie Nation became the soundtrack to Sasaki’s life.

If Kaz threw a strike, Zombie Nation played.

If Kaz recorded an out, more Zombie Nation.

By the end of his run with the Mariners, the team was probably blasting Zombie Nation when Kaz had to take a leak.

Hate it or love it, the infectious tune is still played occasionally in the friendly confines and on a much more widespread basis at sporting events around the globe.

5. Ole, Ole, Ole

Artist: The Fans

Player: John Olerud

Years: 2000-2004

Another example of the music team matching a song to a player’s likeness, “Ole” became much more than just the first three letters of John Olerud’s last name.

For the better part of five seasons, the former first baseman’s at-bats came to resemble international soccer matches. Up to the plate walked Olerud, out from the speakers came the unofficial soccer anthem of the world.

M’s fans, drunk or not, couldn’t help but sing in unison with the simple, catchy lyrics.

In essence, the arrival of John Olerud became a whimsical karaoke festival.

Since 2004, Ole, Ole, Ole has been missing from Safeco Field’s playlist. But rest assured, M’s fans, if you want to hear Olerud’s intro music once again, all you have to do is catch any soccer match being played virtually anywhere.

*Side Note: In the post-Olerud years, Ole, Ole, Ole did make a cameo appearance during the 2007 season. The song was reinterpreted as Jose, Jose, Jose and was sung when outfielder Jose Guillen came to bat.

4. Bad to the Bone

Artist: George Thorogood

Player: Jay Buhner

Years: 1993-2001

From the very first year the team started pairing music and players, Jay Buhner was associated with one very memorable song: Bad to the Bone.

Another example of a play on one’s nickname (Buhner was affectionately referred to as “Bone”), the popular ’80s blues riff was reinvigorated in the early ’90s thanks to the Mariners and Buhner.

The team’s right fielder became so synonymous with the tune that the song’s Wikipedia entry credits Buhner for his association with it.

For eight years now, Safeco Field has been Bone-less. But should Jay Buhner make any kind of special appearance on the grounds, you can bet that George Thorogood’s masterpiece will trill from the audio system once again.

3. Macarena

Artist: Los del Rio

Player: Luis Sojo

Years: 1995-1996

There are two very distinct things I remember about the Macarena.

The first is being in fifth grade and having our elementary school music teacher spend a month teaching us the Macarena dance that would become as famous as the song.

The second is Luis Sojo during the 1995 season, meeting each and every opposing pitcher head-on with the song that would ultimately become the world’s greatest one-hit wonder.

Before Macarena mania took the world by storm in the mid-’90s, Sojo had adopted it has his own.

A part-time starting shortstop, second baseman, and third baseman, Sojo would go on to have a career year in 1995, thanks in some way or another to his song of choice.

Fourteen years later, the Macarena is long since dead. Its mysticism, however, still resides in the memory of Luis Sojo and the remarkable ‘95 season.

2. Hip Hop Hooray

Artist: Naughty By Nature

Player: Ken Griffey Jr.

Years: 1993-1999, 2009

In the summer of 1993, Ken Griffey Jr. made a seemingly innocent song selection for his at-bats, taking a single off of Grammy-winning group Naughty By Nature’s 19 Naughty III album. Unbeknownst to Griffey or the Mariners at the time, the song would take on a life of its own as the superstar’s personal anthem.

Almost immediately, fans embraced Griffey’s introductory concerto.

Mimicking dancers from the song’s music video, faithful Kingdome dwellers would raise their arms above their heads and sway them side to side in rhythm with the beat. It started with teens, then spread to kids, and eventually became so popular that adults couldn’t help but join in the craze.

By 1995, the team had a video board display that coincided with Junior’s plate appearances and the playing of the song. The big screen graphic prompted the uninitiated to sway their arms in the air with everyone else.

Even after Griffey was traded from Seattle following the 1999 season, he still couldn’t shake his old-school hit.

When the city’s golden boy found his way back to Safeco Field for the first time in 2007 — this time as a member of the Cincinnati Reds — the team greeted his return with Hip Hop Hooray.

Now sixteen years since the song first became part of Griffey’s lore, it is still played to this very day when he digs into the batter’s box in the stadium that he built. A Seattle Mariner once again, Griffey might not ever be able to rid himself of Naughty By Nature’s single. And that’s just fine with us.

1. Who Let The Dogs Out?

Artist: Baha Men

Player: Joe Oliver

Year: 2000

Consistently rated as one of the most annoying songs in history, Who Let The Dogs Out? owes its entire existence to the Seattle Mariners organization.

Back in 2000, an employee of the team discovered the song which had been penned two years earlier and recorded and re-recorded by a number of different artists. At the time, the most recent version of the soon-to-be-hit was courtesy of a Bahamanian group called the Baha Men.

Using his very best judgment, and completely unaware that he was about to unleash a virus upon the world, the team employee opted to play the song for backup catcher Joe Oliver, mostly as a joke.

Two days later, the joke took a more serious turn when starting shortstop Alex Rodriguez requested (i.e. stole, pilfered, ripped off) the single as his personal entrance music. So long, Joe Oliver.

As the season wore on, Who Let The Dogs Out? became increasingly popular.

From Safeco Field it spread to other stadiums and arenas around the world of sports, and eventually found its way to the radio waves and MTV. Within weeks of being first played for Oliver, the song had become an international sensation.

In September of that same year, the Baha Men traveled to Safeco Field to play a pregame concert for fans, acknowleding the success the song had obtained thanks to the Mariners.

Nine years since it first became a hit, Who Let The Dogs Out? is still being referenced in pop culture on a seemingly everyday basis. It may not be the world’s greatest song, or even that likable to most fans, but it is and has become a global hit thanks in large part to the Mariners.

Random Access
“the Next Wave
of Modern Rodk”

August 4, 2009

Dreaming – Blondie - Essential: Picture This Live
Dizz Knee Land – Dada – Sorryeverybody
Can’t Stop The World – The Go-Go’s - Return To The Valley Of The Go-Go’s
All You Need Is Love – Pavarotti & Friends – Pavarotti & Friends for Cambodia and Tibet
I Need A Lover – Pat Benatar – Extended Versions: The Encore Collection
-
Helter Skelter – Pat Benatar - Greatest Hits Live
If It Makes You Happy(live) – Sheryl Crow – Hard To Make A Stand
Life’s Been Good – Eagles - Eagles Live
Once In A Lifetime – Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
Whammy Kiss – The B-52’s - Nude On The Moon – the B-52’s Anthology
–
The Weird Al Show Theme - Weird Al Yankovic – Running With Scissors
CNR – Weird Al Yankovic – CNR – Single
Happy Birthday - Weird Al Yankovic – Weird Al Yankovic
My Life - Billy Joel - 52nd Street
The Wild Life – Bananarama – The Essentials: Bananarama
In My Life – The DiVinyls - What A Life
This Is Your Life – The Killers - Day & Age
My Life Would Suck Without You - Kelly Clarkson – My Life Would Suck Without You – Single
Wild Life – INXS – Kick
-
Terror Cutbacks - Capitol Steps - Obama Mia!
Buy, Buy American Pie – Capitol Steps – Campaign and Suffering
American Pie - Madonna – Top Hits RH59
Eat To The Beat – Blondie – Eat To The Beat
Dog Eat Dog – Adam & The Ants – Kings Of The Wild Frontier
I Wanna Be Your Dog – Joan Jett and The Blackhearts – Up Your Alley
Happy Dog – Blondie – No Exit
Who Let The Dogs Out - Baha Men – Top Hits 546

Random Access
“the Next Wave
of Modern Rock”

July 14, 2009

Out In The Streets – Blondie - No Exit
Let Me Out – Knack, The – Get The Knack
Kick It Out – Heart – Essential Heart
Out Of Touch – Pat Benatar – Extended Versions: The Encore Collection
Time out – Bananarama – Ultra Violet
Who Let The Dogs Out – Baha Men – Top Hits 546
-
Human – The Killers – Day & Age
Dance! – The Pretenders – Get Close
Dance This Mess Around – The B-52’s – Party Mix/Mesopotamia
Murder On The Dance Floor – Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Promo only August 2002
Slipped My Disco – The Tubes - T.R.A.S.H. (Tubes Rarities And Smash Hits)
Disco Dancer – Devo – Greatest Hits
Once I Had A Love (The Disco Song; 1978 Version) – Blondie – Parallel Lines
–
I Want A New Duck – Weird Al Yankovic – Dare To Be Stupid
New Toy – Lene Lovich – Just Can’t Get Enough-New Wave Hits Of The ’80s, Vol. 3
What’s New Puzzycat – Flying Lizards – Top Ten
The New World – X – More Fun In The New World
When I’m 84 – Capitol Steps - Obama Mia!
Never Get Old – David Bowie – Reality
Good Die Young – Divinyls – What A Life
Keep Young And Beautiful – Annie Lennox – Diva
Beautiful – The Go-Go’s – Return To The Valley Of The Go-Go’s
-
Express Yourself – Information Society – Virgin Voices – A Tribute To Madonna
What It Feels Like For A Girl - Madonna – Music
A Girl’s Gotta Do – The Waitresses - Best Of Waitresses
Hey Now (Girls Just Want To Have Fun) – Cyndi Lauper – Twelve Deadly Cyns…And Then Some
As Girls Go – Suzanne Vega – 99.9 F
I Wish I Was A Girl – Counting Crows – This Desert Life

Who? Who? Who? Who? Who? (or is it woof, woof, woof, woof?) The Baha Men released this popular ear worm in the summer of 2000 that got everyone asking, “who let the dogs out?” Although we may never know who actually let the dogs out (Shaggy?), here’s a fact for you: The Baha Men are from Nassau, Bahamas and have said that their musical style was  born out of the traditional Junkanoo sound.

Tra le infinite e molto spesso divertenti classifiche riguardanti il mondo della musica ce ne sono almeno un paio davvero degne di nota. Sono quelle basate sulla filosofia de “il peggio di..”, più simpatiche e in un certo senso più appassionanti di quelle trite e ritrite tipo 100 Best Songs o Best Albums Ever etc etc.  A  questo proposito è necessario menzionare spinner.com, portale che spesso si è preso la briga di fare questo tipo di indagini. C’è la Worst Band Feuds ad esempio, storiche quelle tra Nirvana e Pearl Jam piuttosto che tra Blur e Oasis; oppure c’è la Top 20 Worst Song Ever che, nonostante alcuni abbagli, piazza al primo posto Who Let The Dogs Out? (2000) dei Baha Men..non male! E poi la mia preferita, Worst Lyrics Ever. A mio personale giudizio il primo posto va a 50 Cent – su spinner.com al 18esimo su 20 – per la sua ricercatissima metafora “I love you like a fat kid loves cake”, da 21 Questions.. meraviglioso.

Vi lascio con un video trovato parecchie volte in rete alla voce “peggior video di sempre”… Se trovate qualcosa di peggio siete obbligati a segnalarlo!

Random Access
March 31, 2009

Viva la Vida – Coldplay – Viva la Vida
The New World – X – More Fun In The New World (Remastered & Expanded)
Can’t Stop The World - The Go-Go’s – Return To The Valley Of The Go-Go’s
The World We Live In – The Killers – Day & Age
It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) – R.E.M. – Eponymous
Living In The Real World – Blondie – Eat To The Beat [Bonus Tracks]
–
Ave Mary A – Pink – Funhouse
Love Story (Pop Mix) – Taylor Swift – Love Story (Pop Mix) – Single
She’s So High – Tal Bachman – Tal Bachman
Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper - She’s So Unusual
It’s All Been Done – Barenaked Ladies – Stunt
Rules For Living – Blondie – The Curse Of Blondie
Mesopotamia (1990 Remix) – The B-52’s – Nude On The Moon
—
Yoda – Weird Al Yankovic – Dare To Be Stupid
I Wanna Be Your Dog – Joan Jett and The Blackhearts – Up Your Alley
Dog Eat Dog - Adam & The Ants – Kings Of The Wild Frontier
Who Let The Dogs Out – Baha Men – Top Hits 546
Happy Dog – Blondie – No Exit
Quiche Lorraine – The B-52’s – Time Capsule: Songs For A Future Generation
Dog & Butterfly – Heart – Essential Heart
–
Hippychick – Soho – Hippychick (Single)
New Toy – Lene Lovich – Just Can’t Get Enough-New Wave Hits Of The ’80s, Vol. 3
If You’re Gone – Matchbox Twenty – Mad Season
When I’m Gone – 3 Doors Down – Promo Only Radio October 2002
If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too? – Mental As Anything – New Wave Hits Of The ’80’s: Just Can’t Get Enough, Vol. 8
If You Leave – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Pretty In Pink Soundtrack
Take Your Pain Away – Eurythmics – Revenge

Sometimes, television and movies rely on a series of tried and true methods to entertain and inform. Some might call them tools of the trade. Others might call them lazy, unimaginative cliches.

Either way, these “tools” need to be put back in the toolbox, locked up and dropped into Challenger Deep never to be seen again. This is the first installment of a continuing list. Suggestions for future entries can be left in the comments section.

SONG
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen or Jeff Buckley or John Cale or Rufus Wainwright or the Baha Men¹ No song has been maligned more by the media. This song has been covered more than 180 times², according to Wikipedia, and it’s probably been used in just as many TV shows, movies and even newscasts. (Jeff Buckley’s version, which is Cohen’s favorite, is probably the one most used.) Its haunting melody and adaptable lyrics make it a versatile song to play behind a variety of different scenes (hero brooding over unrequited love, punctuating tragedy, sex scenes). But its overuse has turned it into the equivalent of on-screen elevator music, which is a shame. Oh, and for the record, I’m a fan of the John Cale cover.

“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen

When action cliches collide: the Fat Slovenly Techie (played by Kevin Smith) in "Live Free or Die Hard" makes way for Trope 2.0, the Smartass Techie (played by Justin Long).

CHARACTER
The Smartass Techie This is an action cliché that’s morphed over the years. In the 1980s, the Techies were Stereotypical Nerds (taped glasses and pocket protectors). Througout the 1990s³, it used to be the Fat and Slovenly Techie. But with the acenssion of geek culture, the Techie has been upgraded to be a bit hipper supporting character. Sure, they still obsess over Star Wars, Dr. Who, and online gaming, and they might have a touch of asthma, allergies, OCD, Asperger’s or all of the above. But they’re quick with a stinging quip or obscure reference, they dress a little better, and they look a bit cuter. They are the bastard love children of Real Genius‘ Chris Knight and Weird Science’s Gary Wallace and Wyatt Donnely with a bit of Xander Harris sprinkled in for good measure. In fact, the Techie is a bit like the Ugly Duckling in romantic comedies who still looks quite stunning even before she’s transformed into the Sexy Bombshell. Also, weirdly, the Techie tends to be white and male (Alec Hardison of TNT’s Leverage and Chloe O’Brian of Fox’s 24 being the exceptions), which certainly isn’t what the makeup of most corporate IT departments looks like. For examples, see Justin Long in Live Free or Die Hard and Fran Kranz in Fox’s Dollhouse.

¹No, the Baha Men haven’t done a cover of Hallelujah. Yet.

²Interestingly, Hallelujah isn’t Cohen’s most covered song. That belongs to Suzanne, according to The Independent.

³Everything from Twister (where a young Philip Seymour Hoffman played the cliché) to Titanic had the Fat and Slovenly Techie. I think the turning point for the cliche was 1998’s Enemy of the State, which had The Fat and Slovenly Techie (played by Jack Black) but also had two Smartass Techies (played by Jamie Kennedy and Seth Green). I discount Sneakers (1992) and Hackers (1995) because the techies are the leads.

Random Access
March 10, 2009

Destination Unknown – Missing Persons – The Best Of Missing Persons
They Got Lost – They Might Be Giants – Severe Tire Damage
The Whole World Lost Its Head – The Go-Go’s – Return To The Valley Of The Go-Go’s
Lost! – Coldplay – Viva La Vida
I Lost On Jeopardy – Weird Al Yankovic – The TV Album
All I Really Want – Alanis Morissette – Jagged Little Pill Acoustic
–
Who Can It Be Now? – Men At Work – Puttin’ In Overtime
Who’s That Girl (She’s Got It) – A Flock of Seagulls - 20 Classics Of The 80’s
Who’s That Girl? – Eurythmics - Greatest Hits
Who Let The Dogs Out – Baha Men – Top Hits 546
Who’s On First – The Credibility Gap – The Bronze Age of Radio
Who Needs Sleep? – Barenaked Ladies – Stunt
Who Will Save Your Soul [Live] – Jewel – Hands [Single]
—
Virus Alert – Weird Al Yankovic – Straight Outta Lynwood
Communicate – The B-52’s – Bouncing Off The Satellites
Telecommunication – A Flock of Seagulls – 20 Classics Of The 80’s
Complicated Girl – The Bangles – Everything
Barbie Girl – Aqua – Aquarium
Nothing Is Real But The Girl – Blondie – No Exit
Dizz Knee Land – Dada – Sorryeverybody Vol. 1
–
Hella Good – No Doubt – Promo Only Radio April 2002
Good Morning Sunshine – Aqua – Aquarium
Good Stuff (Schottische Mix) – The B-52’s - Hallucinating Pluto (Single)
Look Good In Blue – Blondie – Essential: Picture This Live
God Knows I’m Good – David Bowie – Space Oddity
Be Good Johnny – Men At Work – Puttin’ In Overtime
A Change Would Do You Good – Sheryl Crow – Sheryl Crow
Goodbye To You – Scandal – New Wave Hits Of The ’80’s: Just Can’t Get Enough, Vol. 8

This week’s theme is one that is close to my heart: cats and dogs. I think you are either a cat or a dog person and anyone who says that they like both equally are in denial. Me? I’m absolutely a dog person, although I have always had a cat and I’ve had a habit of only ever having had a ginger cat. Apparently ginger cats are nearly always male. You can get a ginger female, but it is incredibly rare. 

In any case, I tried to give our canine and feline friends fairly equal time when it came to choosing the music and we started off with ‘Who Let the Dogs Out?’ by the Baha Men. I knew that the ‘Baha’ was short for Bahamas, which is where the group were all born, but I had no clue as to what their style of music – ‘Junkanoo’ – was about. I’ve since done a bit of research.

Junkanoo is more than just a musical style; it represents a whole cultural phenomenon. The music itself is very primitive and incredibly infectious. The basic musical instruments are made in the Bahamas and consist of the drum cowbells, horns, whistles, scrapers and brass. Twice yearly huge Junkanoo street parades are held where special Junkanoo costumes, music and dance are on display. It sounds absolutely amazing. Find out more at http://junkanoo.com

‘Who Let the Dogs Out?’ was released in 1998. The video clip still stands up as great entertainment in its own right, so here it is for you:

Thanks to all those dog and cat lovers who agreed to contribute to our vox pops. Loved the comment: “Dogs have masters and cats have slaves.” My little dog Charlie is 11 now and we have been through thick and thin together. He is my lttle mate. Charlie even has his own blog, although he hates the fact that he has to wait for me to type it up for him. Charlie put in a special request for some classic rock. He’s a bit of a boy like that. So, especially for Charlie, I played some Led Zepp – ‘Black Dog’ (in memory of Charlie’s companion Coco who passed away last year) and AC/DC with ‘Givin’ the Dog a Bone.’

‘Fraid Pussy Bite Me’ is a fantastic piece of early Calypso from the King of Calypso, Mighty Sparrow. Born in 1935, he is still going strong at 73 years of age. His lyrics are famous for being witty, ironic and ribald. He also frequently comments on social and political issues in his songs and recently endorsed Barack Obama and presented him with a CD of a song he had recorded in his honour, “Barack the Magnificent”.

The track I played, ‘Fraid Pussy Bite Me’ is from The Renaissance CD, a hot compilation of classic tracks where Sparrow displays his versatility. Well worth the search if you can find a copy.

It’s been suggested that pets resemble their owners. In which case it should be pointed out that my pup Charlie is in incredibly good shape for his age, but Felix the ginger Abyssinian, talks way too much. Charlie has insisted that I include a photo of him which was taken recently while he was being given a massage. I suppose that I should add that, yes, we are both also a bit goofy!

My Roy Orbison song this week was ‘Hound Dog Man’ from the album Blue Angel. And I really covered a lot of other musical territory, crossing generations and genre with wild abandon. Check out the complete playlist below:

Who Let the Dogs Out -  Baha Men

The Alley Cat Song - Peggy Lee

Bear Cat - Rufus Thomas 

Fraid Pussy Bite Me - Mighty Sparrow

Sam the Hot Dog Man - Lil Johnson

Hound Dog - Big Mama Thornton

Call Me The Wolf - Howlin Wolf

How Much is That Doggie in the Window? - Patty Page

Puppy Love - Paul Anka

The Puppy Song - Harry Nillson

Pussy Cat - Ross Hannaford Trio

The Love Cats - The Cure

Stray Cat Blues - The Rolling Stones

Pink Panther (with vox pops) - Hollywood Studio Orchestra

Black Dog - Led Zeppelin

Givin the Dog a Bone - AC/DC

Rain Dogs - Tom Waits

Stray Cat Strut - Stray Cats

Bird Dog - The Everly Brothers

Stray Dogs and Alley Cats - The Lonesome River Band

Hound Dog Man - Roy Orbison

Top Cat  Theme song

Teach Me Tiger - April Stevens

What’s New Pussycat? - Tom Jones

Year Of The Cat - Al Stewart

How Come My Bulldog Don’t Bark? - Howard Tate

I Wouldn’t Treat A Dog (The Way You Treated Me) - Bobby Bland

I’ll Be Doggone - Marvin Gaye

Walking The Dog - Rufus Thomas

Pussy Cat Dues - Charles Mingus

Next week: to celebrate the Oscars, I’ll be playing music from all my favourite films (not necessarily Oscar winners).

Tune into The Theme Park with Lyn McCarthy on BayFM 99.9 Tuesdays 2-4pm Sydney time. Also streaming at http://www.bayfm.org

Charlie’s blog: http://possumcreeklodge.blogspot.com/

Got a song stuck in you head?  Yahoo! Music calls that a brain itch.  That’s the Baha Men pictured at left.  According to this blog article  Who Let the Dogs Out is the worst brain itch song ever.  They actually call it (and I disagree) the worst song ever.  Check out the list to see who else made it, and you can add your own nominations in the comment thread.  Over 1,000 other people have already. 

What I hate is getting a tune stuck in my head that I only know a few words to.  Or sometimes even to a song I hate.  Last week it was Jesus Take the Wheel.  I don’t care for  that song AND only know the chorus.  I was ready to slam my head in a door until I forgot the few words I did remember.

unfortunately, #1 happened to me today.  i really don’t know why.

1 – beautiful, james blunt

2 – love train, o’jays

3 – who let the dogs out, baha men

4 – a long december, counting crows

5 – no woman no cry, bob marley (especially if you just returned from a vacation in jamaica)

6 – ants marching, dave matthews band (yeah.  i went there)

7 – we built this city, jefferson starship

8 – how to save a life, the fray

9 – anything by celine dion

10 – convoy

So, I have just gotten back after a 10 hour drive (total) for a two hour audition in Chicago. Let me tell you that it was a veeeeeerrrrrryyyyyy long day. It started off at 6 this morning, only having arrived in Chicago at, like, 11 (EST) or 10 (CST). Needless to say, me and my mom had an hour to kill. But, needing to go to the restroom for the past 30 minutes, and the car on low, we stopped at a shell gas station…disgusting bathroom. I was scared a roach was gonna come crawling out of the pipe that didn’t have a cover on it. Then came the fun task of driving around the area what felt like 50 times looking for a parking space. Then, when it was 11, my mom just dropped me off at the dance studio where it was held, and she went off looking for a parking space. Walking in, I’m immediately tripping over what seemed like 90 kids auditioning. My favorite quote from the whole day was a mom, dad and their daughter walked up in front of me to the check in booth. The dad walked up to the counter and said, “Is this for the princess audition?” The daughter turned away from her father, embarrassed, and a guy sitting right under the counter snickered, realizing at this moment what he was getting himself into. Then, came the sitting and waiting, and then the fun started. We filled out an application that is normal in all auditions, then we went into the actual audition room, signed in, got a number, got measured, and got a headshot taken. Waiting even more, listening to Disney music as sung by pop stars of today, like “it’s a small world” as sung by the Baha Men (anyone remember them?). Then, we were introduced to the adjutants(?) and our choreographer, and learned our moves and everything. Once we started to move, the temp just flew up like 30 degrees…there were fans, but no one thought of turning them on. >:( So, pushing through the hotness, we finished the routine. Then, getting put into groups of six, we auditioned, they said thank you, and we left. Then started the drive home, which felt even longer. Now, I’m back home, after driving for 10 hours….and thus starts snake eats tail! (Jordan, that’s a little inside joke)