Music: Sally’s Song

The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favourite movies. I watched it a few weeks ago and it was the first time I noticed how romantic it actually is. When I say ‘romantic’, I mean sappy and love-dovey, but ‘romantic’ sounds more mature. It’s not a bad thing, just something I noticed. An example, and also one of my favourite songs, is a song called Sally’s Song. My favourite version is a cover by Amy Lee from the album: Nightmare Revisited.

The lyrics are:

I sense there’s something in the wind / That feels like tragedy’s at hand
And though I’d like to stand by him / Can’t shake this feeling that I have
The worst is just around the bend

And does he notice my feelings for him? And will he see how much he means to me?
I think it’s not to be

What will become of my dear friend? Where will his actions lead us then?
Although I’d like to join the crowd / In their enthusiastic cloud
Try as I may, it doesn’t last

And will we ever end up together?  No, I think not, it’s never to become
For I am not the one

Comedy Worth Mentioning: The Lonely Island

The Lonely Island is a comedy troupe consisting of filmmakers Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, and Andy Samberg (aka The Dudes), and they are hilarious. (For more information their names are links to their individual The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) profiles).

I first fell in love with their comedy after watching “J*zz In My Pants” YouTube. I then continued to watch other videos and skits/shows they had made. Their humor is like a drug to me and I have become addicted. Join me, Life is meant to be full of laughter!

last.fm | myspace | facebook | youtube | purevolume

These two videos are currently my favourite videos. 1 because I think they are funny, and 2 they are brilliant music videos – well written, directed, filmed and edited.

Snöblind lyrics (SW and EN) – SEN KOM VINTERN and ALLT ÄR ÖVER NU

Because I have completely fallen in love with Snöblind, I decided to find out what their lyrics were and then see what sort of translation comes up when put into Google Translater. The results are below set out with Swedish left and English right. I broke the song into paragraphs hoping it would make the lyrics easier to read.

I realise that the translation wont be perfect, but now that I have more of an understanding of what they are saying I love these songs even more!

SEN KOM VINTERN

THEN CAME WINTER

Stjärnorna har slocknat
Kylan brutit ut
Tårarna har torkat
Och hösten tagit slut
Händerna har domnat
Bladet ständigt slinter
Jag ville bara somna
Sen kom vintern

The stars have gone out
Cold outbreak
The tears have dried
And autumn exhausted
Hands are torpid
The blade constantly awry
I just wanted to sleep
Then came winter

ALLT ÄR ÖVER NU

EVERYTHING IS OVER NOW

Det var en sång om kärlek du sjöng för mig förut
Men allting har förändrats och sången nÂtt sitt slut
[Och sången nått sitt slut]

It was a song about love, you sang for me before
But everything has changed and the song reached its end
[And the song reached its end]

Allting som du sa betydde ingenting
En lögn jag trodde var ett vackert ögonblick
Jag orkar inte mer och tiden rinner ut
Dags att ge sig av, allt är över nu

Everything you said meant nothing
A lie I thought was a beautiful moment
I can not go and time is running out
Time to go, it’s all over now

Vi hade våra drömmar då allting kändes rätt
Nu vill jag bara glömma, tillbaks till ruta ett
[Tillbaks till ruta ett]

We had our dreams when everything felt right
I just wanted to forget, back to square one
[Back to square one]

Allting som du sa betydde ingenting
En lögn jag trodde var ett vackert ögonblick
Jag orkar inte mer och tiden rinner ut
Dags att ge sig av, allt är över nu

Everything you said meant nothing
A lie I thought was a beautiful moment
I can not go and time is running out
Time to go, it’s all over now

[Allt är över nu]

[All over now]

Snöblind (Härnösand, Sweden)

EXTRACT FROM PUREVOLUME: “Snöblind (snowblind) was formed in Harnosand, Sweden, in the year 2005. Since then, a lot of songs have been written and now they are ready to make some noise.
…For those of you who don’t understand swedish, hope you still enjoy and feel the asskicking energy through the music!” 

Snöblind is an alternative rock band from Sweden. I found their page last night on Facebook and listened to one of their songs (Allt är över nu) and fell in love immediately. 

Three songs can be downloaded for FREE via a link on their myspace page. (Directly below the header “LADDA HEM “NU” TILL DIN DATOR” which translates to “DOWNLOAD “NU” TO YOUR COMPUTER”)

Songs are: 1. Tusen bröder, 2. Allt är över nu, 3. Sen kom vintern.

PUREVOLUME
FACEBOOK
MYSPACE

Note: Google Translator can be used to translate the page or parts of the page from Swedish into English.

last.fm – Top 8

last.fm collects all my music listening history from itunes and lets me know all sorts of random information. One awesome thing it gives me is a long list of Recommended Music and it tells you what artists you have in your library that are similar to those that have been recommended.

My favourite feature is the library itself. It shows all the artists you have listened to or have added yourself and how many times you have listened to them. They are put in order from most listened to least listened to.

My library top 8 (overall) are: 
My Chemical Romance (2,142 plays), Thrice (1,364 plays), Arctic Monkeys (1,206 plays),
The Postal Service  (1,126 plays), Basshunter  (1,116 plays), Yellowcard (1,006 plays),
Flyleaf (975 plays), Paramore (878 plays).

My top 8 artist in the past 7 days
Three Days Grace (500), The Lonely Island (203), Blindside (177),
Jimmy Eat World (157), Zed (104), Basshunter (72),
The Fray (45), Papa Roach (41)

Sennheiser PX 100 – New Headphones

I’ve actually had them for about a week but i forgot to blog about them.

I love these headphones. The are comfortable and sound and bass quality is amazing. They are perfect portable headphones as they fold up nicely into a case. They are great for when I am listening to music off my laptop in uni. When I’m at home I use my Sennheiser HD 595’s with my laptop. They are perfect for home use.

Desolation Row – My Chemical Romance

My Chemical Romance covered Bob Dylan’s Desolation Row for the Watchmen movie. If you want to know more about the movie you should click on the link and watch the character videos.

The link from the image goes to the US store. If you are like me and don’t live in the US all you need to do is search My Chemical Romance in the iTunes Store and it should be the first music video in the list. The song is also available as a single album download and the soundtrack can be pre-ordered. Check it out for yourself and let the world know what you think.

The Offspring – Kristy, Are You Doing Okay?

This is my new favourite song. I’ve been a fan of The Offspring for the past 11 years, but this song has taken them to another level on my “awesome” scale. Even for people who are not huge fans of the band may find they enjoy this song. The video is fantastic too. Directed by Lex Halaby. He also directed Snakes on a Plane (2006), which I haven’t seen yet. The video is the best I have seen lately. I love the close up on words and phrases of the ripped off pieces of paper stuck on the wall. I can relate to the girl who pretends like everything is ok while her friends/people are around but really she’s a mess inside.

This song is on the “Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace” album, which was released in the U.S. June 2008 via Columbia Records.

the things that interest and relax me

Movies, music, T.V, computers, comic books, painting, sketching, architecture, car magazines,  car racing games and cricket. Some people don’t get it, but these are the things that interest me. I use to think that it was bad to like all these things. It made me feel like I was materialistic and didn’t spend enough time interested in God and the Bible. I know I should spend more time praying and reading the Bible, but now I also know that God made me the way I am for a reason. He gave me the passions that I hold deep inside me. He gave me this brain that finds all these things interesting.

Do you know what I do to relax?
1 Have coffee with a friend
2 Go to Timezone and race cars (alone)
3 Watch DVD’s (videoezy – movies and box set tv shows)
4 Go to the movies
5 Listen to music
6 Go to the comic book store (Pulp Fiction)
7 Paint/Sketch (do some sort of artwork)
8 Watch cricket
9 Read a magazine (cars, cricket or architecture)

If I didn’t have these things that interest me, I wouldn’t have a long list of things that relax me. In a way, these are my hobbies. I use to think computers were one of my hobbies but they are part of work now. God made me this way. I never use to like myself but I’m learning to embrace who I am.

Last thought – it would be awesome if someone made a New Zealand Cricket Magazine, or an international one that is sold at all stores in Dunedin. The only magazine I’ve seen is an Australian one and I only saw it once. Haven’t seen it anywhere since.

High School Musical 3 – Senior Year

I was sceptical during the build up to this movie. Not sure if I would be able to handle the cheesiness of it all. I think it helped knowing that there were going to be cringe moments because I enjoyed the movie overall.

The dancing is better. The acting is better. The story is better. The movie looked amazing. The colours, the lights, the back drops, the effects. Kenny Ortega has taken everything a level higher to end the trilogy well. It was a heart melting movie with many subtle messages that we could all learn from.

I have written a previous post called “I’m Old Fashioned too =)” and talked about Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth’s performing “I’m Old Fashioned”, which is from “You Were Never Lovelier” (1942). When Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens dance together it reminded me of Fred Astaire and Rita Haworth. Of old romantic movies where the dancing moves the audience in a way that a well written script could never.

The Thin Line

As a lover of music and film I often find I will fall in love with a bands music or a directors style and want to listen and watch everything they have contributed to. Reading peoples blogs and comments it has made me think about the thin line that separates fans from stalkers.

How far is too far? When have you reached a point when you are an obsessed fan?

I don’t know but I find it an interesting topic to think about.

In my opinion there is a thin line between being a good fan and being a creepy fan. Do you know what side of the line you’re on or are you on then fence?

Marc Web

Marc Webb with Gerard Way (MCR) during filming of MCR 'Teenagers' Music Video

Marc Webb is a music video, short film and major motion picture director. He’s directed over 70 music videos and won awards.

Marc Webb is currently directing the upcoming movie 500 Days of Summer, which I look forward to watching. For more information on this film Wikipedia.org – 500 Days of Summer

He made a short film Seascape. It premiered at the Aspen Comedy festival.

My favourite music videos are My Chemical Romance (I’m Not Ok, Helena, Ghost of You, I’m Not Ok and Teenagers), All-American Rejects (Move Along and Gives You Hell), P.O.D (Will You), Jimmy Eat World (Work), Weezer (Perfect Sitation), Yellowcard (Rough Landing Holly), Puddle Of Mudd (She Hates Me) and the list goes on.
For a full list of his music videos click Wikipedia.org – Marc Webb – Videography.

On wikipedia.org – Marc Web – Webb’s Lamb it says that Webb’s signature is a white lamb. This lamb is in the opening page of his site www.marcwebb.com, which also contains the funniest Biography I have ever read.

Shirts For A Cure

I was looking at My Chemical Romance’s website and in their Charity page it has a link to Shirts For A Cure. I thought it was such a cool site that I should share it with others.

If you’re into giving to the needy, punk bands and t-shirts I suggest you check it out =)

Here is the blurb from the homepage of the site which explains why this site exists… (http://www.merchnow.com/shirtsforacure/)

The Syrentha J. Savio Endowment (SSE) was established by punk-rock photographer Mark Beemer in 2002. SSE provides financial assistance to underprivileged women who cannot afford expensive breast cancer medicine and therapy. The Shirts For A Cure Project (SFAC) was launched by SSE to give voice to the social concerns of punk bands and their many fans as well as to raise awareness about breast cancer prevention.

When a band donates a shirt design to SFAC, the design becomes exclusive to SSE. We sell the shirt and use the proceeds to help women fighting breast cancer. If you would like to support our cause please take a moment to peruse the more then 150 shirts we offer. All shirts are printed on 100% pre-shrunk cotton unless otherwise stated. For a donation of $12 (plus shipping and handling) you will be helping someone who is in need as well as receiving an exclusive shirt from your favorite band.

There are over 150 bands in the bands list and so over 150 shirts.

MCR have 6 t-shirts. These are two I like.

The Black Parade Black T-Shirt

3 Pictures Black T-Shirt

Is EMO bad?

I was told recently that I’m “emo” and the music I listen to is “emo”. It made me think and realise that I am pretty emotional and the music I listen to is emo and for some reason I thought this was a bad thing. It wasn’t till last night that I realised that it’s not. I was watching videos on youtube (mainly “making of” MCR music videos that I like) and I watched an interview of Frank Iero talking about their music being Emo. He said something about Emo is just a label that means emotional and that all music should be emotional or it would just be a jingle or something. And it hit me how I’m really into lyrics and the way a song is sung. MCR is a favourite band of mine because of these things. The music is fantastic, their videos are works of genius, the lyrics are brilliant and Gerard Way sings like he really has put his heart and soul into the songs.

It makes me think about worship songs and how sometimes they are just sung with no heart or soul behind them and the song is empty. But when a song is sung to God with raw emotion that is when the worship comes to life.

Maybe this is why I don’t like most dance music where the lyrics are repeated over and over and they have no meaning. One example that I can think of now is Rihanna’s song Don’t Stop The Music. It has annoyed me since the first time I heard it because there is no guts to the song. Please note: this is my personal taste in music and I have nothing against Rihanna or people who love her music. I just don’t.

So is being emo bad?? I don’t know. But I see nothing wrong with emotional music. If there’s no emotion in a song then what’s the point. Music shouldn’t be empty.

Note: I have discovered over the past few days that some 8-11 year old Christian kids have no idea. Being emo, having long hair and having a mohawk does not mean people are evil.

Dashboard Confessional – Hands Down and Stolen

This song and video has been a favourite of mine since it came out all those years ago (2003). The video isn’t stunning but it’s pretty cool. The song has always got me. The lyrics are pretty awesome. This is a song that has stayed at the top for a long time. Maybe it was because of what I was going through at the time or maybe it was just because I was a teenager who was into that sort of music. I don’t know but I still love this song =) The lyrics are fantastic.

My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me.
So won’t you kill me, so I die happy.
My heart is yours to fill or burst,
to break or bury, or wear as jewelery,
which ever you prefer.

This is another song and video from Dashboard Confessional. Love this song too. It’s a newer song (2006). I like the video clip and think it is cleverly made with a well written story. The song is beautiful and the lyrics are great.

And from the ballroom floor we are in celebration
One good stretch before our hibernation
Our dreams assured and we all, will sleep well

You have stolen
You have stolen my heart

I watch you spin around in your highest heels
You are the best one, of the best ones
We all look like we feel

My Chemical Romance – The Ghost Of You

Another work of genius. The video is set during WWII period with amazing reenactments of the men travelling by boat and the battle field on the beach as men fall as surrounded by gun fire and explosions. The way this footage is intergrated with footage of the men dancing with women and having a drink together is incredibly well done. It shows the contrast between them having a good time and enjoying life and fighting for their lives and the heart ache of losing someone and seeing them die. The video gives a glimpse into how close the men were that fought together. Granted this is just a video but when you think about it is seems very accurate. The men not only fought together. They were there for each other, they drank together, ate together, travelled together and had each others backs. I could never fully understand what it feels like to lose a fellow soldier in war. To see him gunned down and die right infront of me. To be completely helpless as his life slipped away before my very eyes. (Especially if it were you’re brother, which is what happens in this video. Gerard way is the lead singer and Mikey way, the basest, is his younger brother, who gets gunned down and dies.) I have never been a fan of war but in the last few months I have begun to realise how important it is to fight for what you believe in. Only God knows where we would be if we didn’t have men and women who risk their lives everyday for our country. I think that is why this video speaks volumes to me.

30 Seconds to Mars – Beautiful Lie [Official Video]

Check out abeautifullie.org for information about this video.

The latest 30 Seconds To Mars Video is a work of genius. They filmed it two hundred miles north of the Arctic circle. Work of genius is the only way I can think of to explain how amazing and beautiful this video is. It’s not just the location but the filming and layout of it all. It’s a perfectly made video with a message that I have never seen in a music video before. It’s a video aimed at confronting the environmental issues that are happening in the world at the moment. Global warming, the Arctic ice shelf melting and people living on “low lands” being in trouble if this continues.

I believe that because God created this earth he cares about what happens to it. I know I don’t do enough to help protect our land but I want to do more and think highly of those who do. I have heard far too many times that the environment is not important. How are we meant to help feed the poor and look after them if we are destroying the thing that they rely on for food and shelter. It’s not only us that we effect when we damage our environment. I read somewhere that we don’t even get the full blast of it all. It’s actually the 3rd world countries that have to live with our consequences. We can eat anything we want and stay sheltered in our insulated and secure homes, they can’t. It’s not just what we do when we are over there on our missions trips, it is also what we can do when we are here, at home, that can help them.

[Extract from abeautifullie.org] It’s still hard to believe that we were actually there, two hundred miles north of the Arctic circle, carrying our guitars, drums, cameras and giddy selves across that endless and alien frozen tundra, watching as the ice cracked its thunderous warnings under our feet and shot what is our love letter to this magnificent and, sadly, soon to be lost treasure. …
Everything we shot was 100% real and filmed in the Arctic. Real and cold. …
This is definitely a departure from the two previous videos and we are excited about that. It’s not a piece based on a fantasy oriented narrative or surrealistic adventure like The Kill or From Yesterday. As proud as we are of both of those projects we felt it was time to walk down a different path. A Beautiful Lie is a simple story that is, for the most part, a traditional, performance-based video that happens to be shot in an exotic and ridiculously beautiful but endangered wilderness. For us, this was definitely a case of the journey being the destination and the process of plotting, planning, dreaming and executing will always be as important – if not more – than the end result. …
We all know by now that our planet is in deep trouble. We have abused it horribly and we are paying the price. It’s time to try to do what we can, both as individuals and collectively, to find better and kinder ways to live. It’s not our right; it’s our responsibility. We are all guilty. We can all change.
With this video, abeautifullie.org and the making-of, we hope that we can share with you all in some small way the experience that inspired us so much and that you can join us in this great adventure. We know you were there in spirit and, as always, supporting our collective dreams together.
So, now that you are here on abeautifullie.org we encourage you to dig around, explore, get involved and share your journey with us. Together, we can do something great and make a difference.

Dayplayer and thesixtyone.com

Dayplayer – if you haven’t heard their tunes, you’re missing out!
www.myspace.com/dayplayer
www.thesixtyone.com/#/Dayplayer/
My favourite song of theirs at the moment is Peak.
How did I hear about this band? I was watching an interview of John Francis Daley (Dr Lance Sweets, Bones) on YouTube (can’t remember what one but I’m sure if you search his name you’ll find it) and he mentioned the band he is in. Yip, it’s Dayplayer.

I found them on myspace but I don’t like listening to music on myspace and so I googled Dayplayer. That’s when I found thesixtyone.com site. I’m in love, again. thesixtyone.com is a fantastic music site. It’s so incredibly well made and it’s easy to listen to and favourite songs. You can gain points and use them to bump songs. If you want to know what this means and how it all works you will have to join. It’s hard to explain all the reasons why I enjoy thesixtyone.com – it’s a music adventure!

By The Tree

I discovered a new band, it’s called “By The Tree”. One of the people I subscribe to on YouTube (kidforgod) uploaded a video of one of their songs (Your Arms) and in the video description it has the lyrics. I’ll add the lyrics to the end of this post because I think they are so amazing. The song is all about going to God when things are falling apart in your life. It’s about how confidence, hope, strength and acceptance is found in Him. God is their to comfort us in hard times. He isn’t there to take it away. The Bible tells us that we will go through trials and hard times. Jesus’ disciples were killed because the lifed for Jesus (except John who lived to old age). Jesus said, “blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.” God is more concerned with our character than us living a cozy life. It’s so easy to fall away when God allows us to go through hard times but if we were to go to God and find strength, hope, comfort, love and so much, then maybe the hard times would be easier to endure. Maybe then teenagers would stop causing themselves harm. Maybe then we wouldn’t have as many suicides.

When surrounded by my doubts
Here am I turning inside out
I remember my confidence
It comes from you
This I can depend on

My hope
It comes from you
My strength
Is found in you
When I’m lost
I come running to your arms
And I’m found
I’m found in you

Far beyond these thoughts I feel
Something greater I hold on to
It lifts me up to a higher place
To your arms I will fly away

And you hold me just a little longer
Till my fears subside
And take away the lonely pain
Till my tears run dry
You let me know forever more
Your arms are open wide for me

My hope
It comes from you
My strength
Is found in you

YouTube – Bo Burnham

Even though the two previous posts were complaining about comments in YouTube and other sites I must inform you that I love YouTube and other sites. I enjoy YouTube at the moment more than the others sites including Facebook.

One person I have been watching lately on Youtube is Bo Burnham. He’s an amazing comedian musician and singer. He’s white and he can rap, sing, play keyboard and guitar. Some of his lyrics are very dirty and could be offensive to some groups of people, but in my opinion they are very clever and funny. Because I think they are good does not mean that you will and that you should watch his videos if you find such things hard to swollow. Below is some information about some of the songs to help you know if it’s for you or not, but first some info about Bo from his sites. (These are links to his different sites …. Website, YouTube, Myspace, Break)

BIO: Ever since his first temper tantrum, Bo knew he wanted to perform. After an awkward “athletic” phase, he started dedicating his time to school theatre. He continued to nurture his love for performance, receiving rave reviews from countless relatives. Bo chose to attend an all-boys catholic high school, thus giving his nickname “theatre queer” some additional validity. During the fall of his junior year in high school, Bo started teaching himself how to play piano and guitar. Soon after, he wrote and composed autobiographical songs, such as “My Whole Family Thinks I’m Gay,” as non-fictional jokes between him and his friends. On December 28th 2006, Bo recorded two of his songs as videos, and posted them on YouTube. Eight months and seven songs later, Bo’s videos have been seen over ten million times worldwide, generating literally hundreds of thousands of laughs. The songs, recorded in Bo’s bedroom with a camera resting on a stack of books (couldn’t afford a stand), have been remixed, rated, and reviewed thousands of times. Now amongst such an elites as “The Chocolate Rain” guy and Chris Crocker, Bo hopes to capitalize on his “success” and share his stories with the world. Oh, and he also likes to rap…awkward

One song he does is called “Rehab Center for Fictional Caracters“. Before you click on the link to the video I should warn some people that there is swearing in some of his videos. I say this because I know there are possibly people who may read this and not like swearing at all. So anyway, the video/song is performed fantastically. Bo does immitation voices for the 5 characters in his story which make the song that much more entertaining.

His song “My Whole Family…” is one of my favourites at the moment. It’s about his family and how they think that he is gay. It’s not a homophobic song. It’s entertaining and the lyrics are funny. Love the keyboard skills in this song. The part that always makes me laugh is
“Why doesn’t he get women, theres no other way,
Its cause I’m lanky, not cause i’m gay.”

“New Math” is a ‘play on words’ song. It pays to read the lyrics to help to know what he is saying but also so you know what he is meaning. This song has a lot of sex jokes in it (some of his other songs have sex jokes within them). One line that is well done goes “theres a metal train a mile long and at the very back end a lightning bolt struck her, how long til it reaches and kills the driver, provided that he’s a good conductor”. These lines are just clever, i think – “support the farmers with a pro-tractor, link kennedy and lincoln with a common factor (fact, or)”

I think the main thing to remember is that the songs are jokes. If you find them hard to swollow, it’s all good. I do cringe during some lines. The difference is, I see past all that and see how much talent Bo Burnham has. To be able to write songs that flow and have so much content in them is incredible. Plus in some of his videos he has a emo-type fringe.

I’m a big fan!