Yo Abe, Spin Me That Beat Again!

So Blender is a modern day musik magazine who recently interviewed Senator McCain and Senator Obama asking them to state their top ten favorite songs. Here is the outcome:


BARACK OBAMA
1. Ready Or Not - Fugees
2. What's Going On? - Marvin Gaye
3. I'm On Fire - Bruce Springsteen
4. Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones
5. Sinnerman - Nina Simone
6. Touch The Sky - Kanye West
7. You'd Be So Easy To Love - Frank Sinatra
8. Think - Aretha Franklin
9. City Of Blinding Lights - U2
10. Yes We Can - will.i.am

JOHN McCAIN
1. Dancing Queen - ABBA
2. Blue Bayou - Roy Orbison
3. Take a Chance On Me - ABBA
4. If We Make It Through December - Merle Haggard
5. As Time Goes By - Dooley Wilson
6. Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys
7. What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
8. I've Got You Under My Skin - Frank Sinatra
9. Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond
10. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters



Granted we all subconsciously knew that McCain wouldn't like anything past 1978 but I think everyone here is surprised by not only one, but TWO ABBA SONGS! Also, how conceited must Obama be to pick a song where he himself gives a speech in. I'm not going to say one way or another who I'm going to vote for (McCain) but I will say that each list has its own quirks and substantial amount of predictability. C'est la vie. If you want to read Randy Newman's and Girl Talk's assessment of the list you can read the whole article here

The State Formerly Known As "The Union"

So here is little essay I wrote a little while ago in school for my current events class.

“Tonight the state of our union is strong – and together we will make it stronger.” These words uttered by President George W. Bush are a testament to how the government and media want us to see the world and how “we the people” long to see the world. The fact still remains that the state of our nation and world is weak and feeble. Even years after out initial invasion into Iraq, U.S. troops still remain causing controversy, both in America and the Middle East, about both the length of our visit and even our initial purpose. Was it America’s place to intervene? Is it America’s place to intervene in any foreign affairs? My belief is that the state of our union is spiraling toward despair and destruction. Please note that this belief is not only held about my view of our nation, but of our world and its affect and effect of our nation to it. With tragic events such as Anna Nicole Smith’s death that our news crews believe that they absolutely must report on every “breaking” detail about this “crisis” of a girl who, other than her sex appeal, had nothing going for her. If our nation waits on hand and knee for it to change itself, nothing is going to happen. If we truly long to change, we must do it ourselves. How else are we going to rule out prejudice; teach our children differently.? How will change come about our people; according to Barrack Obama, we would have to vote for him. Yet what people don’t realize is that they have the power to change not only themselves but also the world around them. The fact of the matter is that people are the problem, not foreign diplomatic troubles or Iraqi conflict. If “we the people” truly long to hold our forefathers’ truths to what they truly are, then we all need to realize that humans are naturally evil, literally evil. If we all selfishly act however we want to then conflict will continue to arise. What citizens need to do is be people of love, what this means is that we need to love as Christ loved. As cliché as that sounds, it is truer than most Christians want to declare. When Christ was on the earth, he calmed storms, resolved problems and basically stuck it to The Man harder than anyone ever has. There are few people today who would willingly die for their beliefs. For people, maybe, but not their morals. It is this writer’s belief that America should not meddle in international affairs until we can establish and maintain ourselves. I’ll go ahead and say that I don’t support the war in Iraq and that I think it is one of the several mistakes our government has made during this past reign. If America dealt only with situations that directly affected it, such as embargos or personal threats, I believe that its reputation would slowly begin to be restored. Sure, we should always help our allies when they call, but invading a country because of a false pretense, that’s ridiculous. Christians and nonbelievers alike are equally responsible. In my opinion, the state of the world is in shams and at certain times, I am ashamed to call myself American.

Monthly A-Z Playlist: August 2008 (Return To The Abyss)

Each month, I make a playlist consisting of an artist of every letter of the alphabet. This month, every song either pertains to the ending of summer or the beginning of the school year (for those of us still in the education system). This is August 2008:

1. The Homeless And The Hummingbirds - Alaska In Winter - Alternative - Dance Party In The Balkans
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The tactfully selected lyrics to this song make me want to immerse myself in they're simple truth. I encourage you to do the same.

2. Back In The U.S.S.R. - The Beatles - Pop/Rock - White Album
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I chose this one because school is like the U.S.S.R..... wait a second.

3. Careful Where You Stand - Coldplay - Rock - Sparks (EP)
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So with everybody freaking over the new Viva La Vida CD (as they should be), I thought it would be nice to remember some early roots of the once again successful masters of fist-pumping, steering wheel drumming, hairbrush singing musik.


4. Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want (The Smiths Cover) (Instrumental) - The Dream Academy - Pop/Rock - An Evolution Of Dreams

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So with all of the coming of age, high school remembrance movies flooding back into our minds let us not forget one of the greats. "Ferris Beuller's Day Off" is a pinnacle movie for anyone who is living and which scene best exemplifies the ideology of seizing the moment and capturing those precious minutes that pass us by? Cameron admiring "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" with this sweet cover in the background and the increasingly progressive cinematography towards the eyes and dots. All the premature Family Guy fans are scratching their heads wondering why Stewie isn't mentioned here.

5. Rise - Eddie Vedder - Soundtrack - Into The Wild: Music For The Motion Picture
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"Such is the way of the world, You can never know, Just where to put all your faith, And how will it grow." I think this explains the increasing pressure everybody feels and surprisingly enough, Eddie Vedder did a good job. Appreciate it, now.

6. When I See You - Fantasia - RB - Fantasia
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Girl pressure. Awesome.

7. We Got The Beat - The Go Go's - 80's - Beauty And The Beat
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Girl power. Scary.

8. Gladiator From "Gladiator" - Hans Zimmer - Soundtrack - Cinema Themes And Music
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"What we do in life echoes through eternity."

9. Carried Home - Iron & Wine - Folk - Boy With A Coin-EP
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So many people loved The Shepard's Dog and I was not one of them. Appreciate this EP that came before the album and wish that it had been more like this.

10. So Far To Go [ft. Common & D'Angelo] - J Dilla - Hip Hop/Rap - The Shining
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Sweet beats on hot streets. Living life and dodging strife. Loving and learning, hating and yearning. With so far to go we have to time to appreciate women for what they are: human beings. Drop that sentimental beat!

11. Don't Give Up - Kate Bush & Peter Gabriel - Pop - So
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Two of the best 80's pop artists combining to encourage us. Thank you Lord.

12. Running Wild (1956) - Les Paul - Jazz - Progressions: 100 Years Of Jazz Guitar
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This doesn't really have anything to do with anything except that Seth , my father and I recently saw Les Paul at a jazz club and this one is one of my favorites he does so.... yes.

13. For The Actor - Mates Of State - AltElectronic - Bring It Back
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When the annoying teacher has got you down, listen and groove to this pop sensation and remember that it's going to be okay. "Relieved and now we see the road."

14. Hip Hop Hooray - Naughty By Nature - Hip Hop/Rap - 19 Naughty III
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This groove is just good to unload your junk into the dorm room to because it makes you raise your hands and you won't get anything done.

15. Perfect Timing (This Morning) - Orba Squara - Pop - Sunshyness
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It's going to be a good day guys. Seriously. Give thanks.

16. Don't Stand So Close To Me - The Police - Rock - Zenyatta Mondatta
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So since we all know that Sting was a vicious teacher before he became a vicious bassist here is a little treat to remind you of the terrors of student-teacher rapport.

17. I Want It All - Queen - Classic Rock - Classic Queen
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So since I'm a senior this year (whoop whoop?) I thought that you all should know that this is my anthem for the year. It's my year, my town, my power to reign.

18. Rock 'n' Roll High School - Ramones - Punk Rock - Mania
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Shake your fist and relive the glory days Johnny!



19. Don't You (Forget About Me) - Simple Minds - Rock - The Best Of Simple Minds
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The theme of "The Breakfast Club." Is it me or do sweet summer/school jams make you raise your fist?

20.Timberwolves At New Jersey- Taking Back Sunday - Rock - Tell All Your Friends
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Make this agreement with your best friend and rock the world. You against them baby.

21. Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2 - Rock - The Best Of 1980-1990
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So I know that this song is a little more dramatic than any of our lives but still, "how long must we sing this song?" Can't we fix the world? It'll look good on the résumé! Was that racist?

22. Hot For Teacher - Van Halen - Classic Rock - The Best Of Both Worlds
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Let's all hope that this video happens to us.

23. More Than You'll Ever Know - Watermark - Alternative - Songs For My Buddy Buddy
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Nothing like having this song in the foreground as you walk up the stairs and into the halls in slow motion. Seeing that friend that even though you spent every day of the summer with them, it's still like you've missed them more than they'll ever know.

24. Your Phone's Off The Hook, But You're Not - X - Punk Rock - Los Angeles
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This debut album is the fourth most selling punk album of all time and this is the best track on the album. It doesn't have anything to do with the theme unless punk gets you angry. If it does then start the pit!

25. Hellfire - Yellow Fever - Rock - Cats And Rats
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I don't know what this song is about but just stop reading and listen.

26. My Love, My Love (We've Come Back From The Dead) - ZAO - Hardcore - The Fear Is What Keeps Us Here

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So I'm a pretty big ZAO fan and I thought this one would be good because sometimes teenagers look like zombies in the morning and this one is about the walking dead so yeah. Take that society! Zombies are still cool!