I've been watching way too much of The Family Guy, if that's possible. I've watched it so much this past year you could say I have been studying it. All the little musical references get stuck in my head too. This morning I cannot get "Shipoopi" from The Music Man out! (For the record I WANT IT OUT!) So here it is… Shipoopi! The 1962 movie version is above, the 1957 Broadway version is here, and The Family Guy version is below! It is so absurd a show tune, it is perfect for The Family Guy.
Attention youth of the '80s!!! You know the song. You know the video. You know you love it. If you say you don't like it, I know you're lying. Need I say anything more? Push play already!
Oh and then watch The Family Guy's homage to the "Take On Me" too!
I was watching the "No Meals On Wheels" episode of The Family Guy, and this song was in it. I yearned to hear the song again this morning.
I forget sometimes that I really like some of Elton John's songs. I resisted liking any "soft rock" as a teenager (except I made an exception for Billy Joel). I have since given up that fight because of songs like this. I love the line "Time on my hands, Could be time spent with you". I need to try it out on G, oh but she knows the song. Well I'll try it out anyway. *wink wink* Seriously though, it is a great love song, particularly for those separated or away for a time.
Time for some "girl music"… er… Madonna remixing Abba. I suppose most people would consider it "girl music", but really it is just super pop-y dance music (aka Europop) with a trance like twist. Ok so most of you are probably saying, "yeah, that's still 'girl music'". It is odd that I feel like I have to legitimize a musician as successful as Madonna but here me out…
Madonna is like candy to me musically. Not very deep or anything. But she frequently has a catchy melody, and a catchy beat (excellent for running to, by the way.) She still has just a touch of the 1980s in her music too, even though she has evolved musically, and I am a huge 1980s music lover. These things keep me listening to her even though it is 'not cool' among either my Indie or 'manly music' listening friends.
You cannot deny that Madonna as a musician is hugely influential and clearly deserved her place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Like it or not, she paved the way for Brittney Spears, Gwen Stefani, Pink, Christina Aguilera, Fergie, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez, most of the American Idol singers and so many other popular musicians. She has also managed to evolve her music past the 1980s and is still going platinum with just about every album at the age of 50, unlike some of her contemporaries, e.g. Michael Jackson, who lost their way musically (and yes, yes… he lost his way in other ways too).
I think this song "Hung Up" is an excellent example of just how good she is. She has sampled "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" by Abba, a 1979 song that came out only 3 years before her first release in 1982, and made this song her own. I think she even improved upon it. The whole dance floor bit in the video with the boom box it is like she is reminiscing at the same time, perhaps even poking a little fun at the late 70s and early 80s with her pink leotard and purple sequin belt, which I also indicates some brilliance on her part.
To the guys… er… manly men still reading out there…
Perhaps Europop isn't your thing? That's fine. I appear to be a freak (musically) and see value in just about every genre out there. Not all music is for everyone, and it is very unlikely you'd like every song of the day I post.
I'm sorry if your masculinity is threatened in some way by this post. May I suggest some of my other posts like Led Zeppelin or God Lives Underwater to restore you to your proper testosterone levels?
PS: I love "The Family Guy", the FCC episode at the beginning of Season 4, SO funny! And the song! Ha!
PPS: Although Madonna also has songs listed under Rock and Roll, Trip Hop, Trance and Country, I'm leaving this post off of those genre tags so not to cause confusion.
