Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix by Roxanne McDonald
 |
You can not care as much as others about guitarists or rock and STILL respect the sheer perfection that is Jimi playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Woodstock, proliferating experience with “Purple Haze,” or making his Les Paul sing to a “Foxy Lady”. |
Some biographical points to highlight Hendrix:
Played his first instrument, a broomstick, as a kid, until he received his first guitar at 12.
When his mother died when Jimi was 16, he went to live with grandmother.
Was expelled from high school, which Jimi had attributed to holding hands with his then white girlfriend (though the principal would later say it was because of poor grades and too many absences).
Instead of graduating high school, Hendrix was already on tour with local bands to local and faraway sites.
Ride-alongs [twice] in stolen vehicles left Jimi with the option of jail or the military. He chose the military. Reportedly, he was considered a “sub-par” [Wikipedia] soldier, sleeping on duty, showing poor marksmanship, and showing less than respect for the rules and regs. The latter saw him getting early dismissal.
Co-formed the band, The King Casuals, and moved to Nashville.
Top Ten Blues Artists
Top Ten Blues Artists by Roxanne McDonald
 |
Some we have had the luxury of having seen in concert; some we revere as our personal favorites; others we might disagree on. But all stunning, stellar talents who have changed our way of thinking, our lives, or even our world. |
Muddy Waters – Maybe I was and still am too green to fully appreciate the seasoned superiority of style, but when I first heard and saw Muddy Waters jamming on that harp in 1976, I knew that as much as I loved rock and roll, my indoctrination in blues music made blues a close runner up.
Etta James – I can’t get enough of this dignified Diva, and neither can her thousands of fans: sixty-nine years young and STILL rocking the tours.
Young Johnny Lang – Has he paid his dues to the Blues? Is he old enough to merit a place on the list? Just listen to “Wander This World” or other selections, and you will agree that Lang has one of the oldest souls in the genre…despite how he was a teenager when he made his debut.
J.J. Cale – I forgive you if you say, “Who?” But you likely know him even if you think you don’t: he is the mastermind author behind “After Midnight”, popularized by Eric Clapton; “Cocaine”, also an Eric Clapton chart-topper; and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Call Me the Breeze.” But I will always know him by the first J.J. Cale song I was introduced to, “Crazy Mama.”
Stevie Ray Vaughan – We were gifted with his brilliant guitar playing and ripped off when he died way too young, going down in a helicopter at the age of thirty-six [thirty-five (thanks, W.A. for the correction)]. Still, we can play a few licks of “Pride and Joy” or “Lovestruck” and have not only instant identification but bittersweet gratification…from the one Rolling Stone mag names as #7 on their list of Top 100 Guitarists of All Time.
Great Dedication Songs of Grieving
Great Dedication Songs of Grieving by Roxanne McDonald
 |
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel; you were famous, your heart was a legend. You told me then you preferred handsome men, but for me you would make an exception. Aw, but you got away, didn’t you, babe? You just turned your back on the crowd. You got away, I never once heard you say, “I need you,” “I don’t need you,” and all of that jivin’ around. Leonard Cohen; “Chelsea Hotel #2”; for Janis Joplin |
I was thinking how when I lose a loved one, the one tribute “song” I fall back on to read at the services is the most powerful grieving piece I know: “Funeral Blues”, by W.H. Auden.
But there are so many more dedicated love and loss pieces one might read, listen to, use to pay tribute, or use to get through the healing process.
Leonard Cohen “Chelsea Hotel” on The Essential Leonard Cohen–a cheeky renaissance song for Janis Joplin
Eric Clapton “Son & Sylvia,” on Reptile—a song for his departed uncle; and “Tears in Heaven,” on –as a response to the death of his four-year-old son, Conor, who died after falling from an open window. Or…, another argument holds that Clapton wrote it about his mother, while yet another…. Whatever. The song is evocative.
L.A. Guns “Ballad of Jayne,” on A Night on the Strip—written about and in tribute to 50s pin-up girl and silver screen star Jayne Mansfield
Elton John “Candle in the Wind,” on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road—written for Marilyn Monroe and later re-dedicated as “Goodbye English Rose” to Princess Diana
Notorious B.I.G. “Miss You,” on Life After Death—a song dedicated to a “lost friend”
Diana Ross “Missing You”–a striking and evocative song for Marvin Gaye
Puff Daddy, Faith Evans, and featuring 112 “I’ll be Missing You,” on No Way Out—written and performed for legendary rapper Notorious B.I.G., who was gunned down in 1997 [and whose murderer has still not been identified]
Guns ‘n Roses “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”—while not written by Guns ‘n Roses [written by Bob Dylan], became a moving tribute song for Freddie Mercury, Oueen frontman who died of AIDS. [Guns n’ Roses performed the song when they played the Wembley Stadium in London. You can see and hear the complete song performance at Kewego
http://www.kewego.com/video/iLyROoaftMQH.html
Mike and the Mechanics “The Living Years”—not written for anyone in particular, but performed at the funeral of the legendary Jerry Garcia [The Grateful Dead]
Cream “Crossroad Blues” done by several bands since, the song is interpreted in various ways—as an allusion to original author Robert Johnson’s “selling his soul to the devil”, as Wikipedia cites it; and as reference to an African-American speaker who is expressing fears of being caught at the crossroads and lynched.
Vince Gill “Go Rest High on that Mountain;” on Vince Gill: When Love Finds You—not sure who the song was written for in particular, but from what I read around the net, it is played at funerals all around the country [if not the world].
Beverly Mitchell “Angels” wrote the song for a friend who had died when Mitchell was young. [This is all hearsay, though, so any updates would be appreciated.]
Sarah McLachlan “In the Arms of an Angel” –written, reportedly, for Jimmy Chamberlain, Smashing Pumpkins drummer who died of a heroin overdose in 1996.
Tiffany Two-Fisted Making No More Music for Bret
Tiffany Two-Fisted Making No More Music for Bret by Roxanne McDonald
 |
Thank god she had run out of chances, had used up her three strikes within the first two episodes. |
I’m not sure how much more of the sloppy slutty thing I could have stood. Yeah, yeah, the whole keep-her-cause- it’s-good-TV wasn’t even excuse enough.
As Big John said, shaking his serious head, “There’s one in every bunch” or, “There’s always one.”
In the case of Bret Michaels’ “Rock of Love,” there are, however more than one we can keep our horrified eyes on.
Tiffany, Faith, and Tawny are out. Okay, so while Faith was so pretty and perfect for a Harley sidecar, she was pretty unremarkable, didn’t have a connection for Bret, and thinks, as I believe I heard (though I am still shaking my head as if I had been slammed on it with one of the Les Pauls), that she is “too good” for Bret.
Almost topping that were the exit remarks of Tawny the Teeny-brained…who had little more to say than if she were smart she guesses she would have stayed longer and, oh, btw, Bret, it’s pronounced Tam (as in ham) ara, not Tahmahra.
As the huffers huff and puff, poof bye-bye, the remaining 12 promise to kick each others asses or make more of themselves as asses, too. These are the women still in contention:
No-Threat Bret
No-Threat Bret Rocks the Narration by Roxanne McDonald
 |
We already knew he was hot; we already knew he was talented; we already knew he was articulate. Now we know Bret Michaels is hil-ar-ee-ous. |
Since I did a sort-of recap—or ragging and ripping on most of the “Rock of Love” competitors for Bret’s heart and soul on TV Robot—I thought I would review his commentaries… which I found delightfully funny and fun most of the time and when not funny sensitive and lovely and respectful.
In his introductory comments, Bret explains his motivation on the show, his intentions to merge finding those he can be friends with and those he typically just has sex with…to, hence, make the “Rock of Love.”
Also in his explanation of what kind of woman he needs, he says she will need to be hot, cool, sexy, and be able to deal with the insanity that is, after all, he acknowledges, Rock and Roll—his one insatiable hot bitch godess.”
I love that combination of words/adjectives. Heh.
Top Dawg Trivia for Randy Jackson
Top Dawg Trivia for Randy Jackson by Roxanne McDonald
 |
This is the best season ever! ~Randy Jackson |
On the surface one might surmise that Randy Jackson’s musical performance vocabulary is limited to the adjective, “pitchy” and the noun, “dawg”. But subliminal secrets show how Jackson is actually a musical performer of renowned talent.
Accolades/Awards
…just a’ight for me. ~Randy Jackson
Nominated for four Emmys—with eleven others on Idol production, for Outstanding Reality Competition Program
Grammy Award winner [more exacting info welcome, here]
Straight Up Paula Abdul Trivia
Straight Up Paula Abdul Trivia by Roxanne McDonald
 |
For all of those willing to help me start a family, I am flattered. I will let you know when I need your help. ~Paula Abdul |
Accolades/Awards
I will never forget my humble beginnings as a Laker Girl. It was probably one of the most fun jobs I ever had. ~Paula Abdul
Nominated for four Emmys—with eleven others (producers and personalities) on Idol production, for Outstanding Reality Competition Program
1989 – Won Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography, for her work on “The Tracey Ullman Show”
1990 – Won Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography, for her work on The 17th Annual American Music Awards
1988 – While taking 62 weeks to do so, Forever Your Girl hit #1 on the Billboard 200, staying there for ten weeks
1989 – Forever Your Girl went multi-platinum and spawned the #1 hits “Cold Hearted”, “Forever Your Girl”, “(It’s Just) The Way That You Love Me”, and “Straight Up”
Her remix album, Shut Up and Dance, reached #7 on the Billboard album chart, and became one of the most successful remix albums of all time
1991 – Spellbound sold 8.5 million copies and spawned # 1 hits such as “Opposites Attract”, “The Promise of a New Day”, and “Rush Rush”
“Straight Up” was ranked #81 on VH1’s “100 Greatest Dance Songs”
Her “Opposites Attract” video won a Grammy
1995 – Her third album, Head Over Heels, spawned such hits as “My Love is for Real,” which reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart
2005 – Received the Profiles in Living Award
Has a star on Hollywood Boulevard; has won seven MTV Awards; two People’s Choice Awards; two Kids Choice Awards; and has been inducted into the Kids Choice Hall of Fame (read more…)
Most Likely to Piss You Off: Simon Cowell
Most Likely to Piss You Off: Simon Cowell by Roxanne McDonald
 |
If you’ve got a big mouth and you’re controversial, you’re going to get attention. ~Simon Cowell |
I wonder what Simon Cowell’s yearbook superlative really said. Nothing, cause he dropped out of school early to pursue a career in music production/marketing.
More:
Accolades/Awards
I’d accept an honour but I don’t think I’m likely to get one. The Queen once described me as a “dreadful man”. ~Simon Cowell
Nominated for four Emmys—with eleven others on Idol production, for Outstanding Reality Competition Program
2003 – Named #33 on the Channel 4 list of All-time Worst 100 Britons
2003 – Won Teen Choice Award for Favorite TV Personality
2004 - Nominated for Teen Choice Award for Choice [Male] TV Personality
2004 – Won Teen Choice Award for TV Reality/Variety Jackass
2005 – Nominated for National Television Award for Most Popular TV Expert
2005 – Nominated for Teen Choice Award for Choice [Male] TV Personality
2006 - Nominated for Teen Choice Award for Choice [Male] TV Personality
The Host with the Most Ryan Seacrest Trivia
The Host with the Most Ryan Seacrest Trivia by Roxanne McDonald
 |
I love it. I love the immediacy of it. I love the spontaneity of it, … I love the fact that every day you see something on TV that you have an opinion about and you want to talk about and the next day you can get on the air and do it. ~ Ryan Seacrest |
The host with most publicity since Vanna White, maybe, Ryan Seacrest has come a long way from the days of being John Renold Aufenstein on talk radio to being the country’s next Dick Clark…though if he hadn’t become a television/radio host, I could easily see him selling cars on Ventura boulevard. But, hey, his thing works for radio and TV, too.
Accolades/Awards
When it’s time to say, “OK, here’s the show and the guy that is going to be around on New Year’s Eve for years to come,” I would definitely like to be the one that the baton gets passed to…. ~Ryan Seacrest
1990s – Was one of the youngest radio DJs to have high ratings
2003 named by People Magazine one of the year’s “50 Most Beautiful People”
2003/06 – Nominated for four different Emmy Awards and four different Teen Choice Awards
2005 [April] - Honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame [for his work as a radio personality]
2006 [April] – Won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Special, for his co-hosting of the 2005 Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade [shared with nine producers and personalities, among them, Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa]
Idol Finalist Kimberly Locke Biographical Facts and Trivia
Idol Finalist Kimberly Locke Biographical Facts and Trivia by Roxanne McDonald
 |
If American Idol was the Olympics, I’d still get a medal. It was a great race. ~Kimberly Locke |
She was the exceptional songstress with the unparalleled smoky edge to her voice that many of us couldn’t get enough of on American Idol 2. Then, for those many more of us who still couldn’t get enough of the most dignified diva, there was her participation in “Celebrity Fit Club” 5. Now, for those of us who continue to crave the creative ventures of Kimberly Locke, following are some bits of trivia culled from IMDB, WikiMedia, and elsewhere:
Accolades/Awards
The biggest mistake that an American Idol contestant who doesn’t win can make is thinking that once the show is over, it’s going to be handed to them. It wasn’t handed to me. ~ Kimberly Locke
In high school, was twice selected for the All-Middle State Chorus
Since Idol, has had five consecutive top ten Adult Contemporary hits, with two of the five #1 songs: “8th-World Wonder”(making her the first Idol finalist to debut and top the charts with a non-Idol single); and “Wrong” (making her the second Idol finalist—after Kelly Clarkson to have two consecutive top 40 hits)
2003- Nominated for Teen Choice Awards, for Choice [Female] TV Reality/Variety Star
2005 – Her rendition of “Up On The Housetop” reached the top of the Adult Contemporary charts in such a short time (from #32 to #5 in one week) that Locke made AC chart history; she did so again when the song became the fifth song to reach #1 in only three weeks
2005 – “Up on the Housetop” was the second-longest-running holiday-themed chart-topper in the history of the AC chart
2006 – Her rendition of “Jingle Bells” reached the #17 spot of the AC charts, giving the song the highest charting debut week title for the whole year
Messages behind the Musical Artist: Fantasia Barrino Trivia
Messages behind the Musical Artist: Fantasia Barrino Trivia by Roxanne McDonald
 |
I always want people to - to get the message that I’m trying to send out. You know, I’ve been through some things, so when I get up there and sing my songs, I’m like, Hey, I’ve been through it, and I want to encourage somebody else that if you’re going through it, you can come out. ~ Fantasia Barrino |
Even if she hadn’t won season 3 of American Idol, Fantasia Barrino would have taken her spectacular singing self to the greatest of heights. A positive attitude, an inspirational approach, and a voice that rivals rhythm and blues veterans, Fantasia continues to storm the stages of music, drama, and even literary offerings.
Accolades/Awards
I’ve been wanting to sing for a long time. I’ve been singing all my life, and I’ve tried different record companies, but it seemed like - it was such a struggle and so hard to get out there. So, I said, “I’m gonna go on American Idol and see how far it takes me. ~ Fantasia Barrino
2004 – Her version of the Porgy and Bess classic, “Summertime”, was named as One of Television’s Greatest Moments by the 2004 Emmy Awards
2005 [March] – Won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Female Artist
2005 [May] – Became first female artist ever to have three songs in the R & B Top Five: “Truth Is”, “Free Yourself”, and “I Believe”
2005 [May] Became first artist to have two songs in the Top Three: “Truth Is” and “Free Yourself” in the #2 and #3 spots, respectively
Became the first female artist to place #1 on the Billboard Top 100 with a first album/record—with her version of “Summertime”
2005 - Within two months of releasing Free Yourself, her debut album went platinum–selling over a million copies
2005 [December] – Named #1 Artist of Adult Urban Contemporary Format by Billboard Magazine
2005 – Life is Not a Fairytale reached no. 7 on the New York Times Bestsellers list
2007 – Named one of the Hottest Women in Music by Blender.com
2007 [June] Her second album, Fantasia, went Gold
(read more…)
Chris Daughtry Fate, Fortuna, Trivia
Chris Daughtry Fate, Fortuna, Trivia by Roxanne McDonald
 |
Had I won [American Idol, Season 5], I would have not been able to come out as a band, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to be….~ Chris Daughtry |
We are as lucky as Daughtry is talented: for his fate [plus talent] turned out to make him one of the most successful American Idol contestants of all time.
Accolades/Awards
There’s going to be a flood of opportunities right now but I don’t think I could really talk about them. ~Chris Daughtry
Was the fourth place season five American Idol finalist
2006 [week of June 10] – His “Wanted Dead or Alive” reached #43 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was dubbed Hot Shot Debut of the Week
2006- Within five weeks of release, his band’s debut album had sold more than a million copies [becoming the “fastest-selling debut rock album in Soundscan history]; by the ninth week, the album was #1—at that time making him the best-seller Idol contestant outside of first or second place in the competition
After his season finale performance of “Mystery” [with Live], the song gained popularity: it reached #80 on the Top 100 ITunes chart
2007 [March] – The new departure song on Idol became his song, “Home”—which he also performed for Idol in the season 6 finale
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part X
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part X by Roxanne McDonald
 |
When I was younger, so much younger than today/I never needed anybody’s help in anyway/But now these days are gone, I’m not so self- assured/Now I find I’ve changed my mind and opened up the doors./Help me if you can, I’m feeling down/And I do appreciate you being ’round/ Help me get my feet back on the ground/Won’t you please, please help me? “Help!”; The Beatles; 1962-1966 |
91. blue on black/tears on a river/push on a shove/it don’t mean much/joker on jack/match on a fire/cold on ice/a dead mans touch/whisper on a scream/doesn’t change a thing/ don’t bring you back/blue on black….
“Blue on Black;” Kenny Wayne Shepherd; Trouble Is…
92. Hey, Rapunzel, hey Raputa the Beauta….
Duke and the Drivers
93. You pull into a drive-in and you find a place to park/You hop into the backseat where you know it’s nice and dark/You’re just about to move in and you’re thinking it’s a breeze/There’s a light in your eye, and then a guy says, “Out of the car, Longhair!/Louise, you’re coming with me, Local Police!”/And it’s all because Your mama don’t dance and your daddy don’t rock and roll…./When evening rolls around, and it’s time to go to town/Where do you go to rock and roll?
“Your Mama Don’t Dance;” Loggins & Messina; Loggins & Messina
94. Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun/Lord knows, when the cold wind blows, it’ll turn your head around/Well, there’s hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things to come/ Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground….
“Fire and Rain;” James Taylor; Sweet Baby James
95. Life is too short to have sorrow/You may be here today and gone tomorrow/You might as well get what you want/So go on and live, baby, go on and live/Tell it like it is….
“Tell it Like it Is”; Neville Brothers; The Very Best of The Neville Brothers
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part IX
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part IX by Roxanne McDonald
 |
He’s a real nowhere man/Sitting in his nowhere land/Making all his nowhere plans/for nobody. Doesn’t have a point of view/Knows not where he’s going to/Isn’t he a bit like you and me? “Nowhere Man;” The Beatles; Rubber Soul |
81. I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?/I want to know, have you ever seen the rain/Coming down on a sunny day?
“Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” Creedence Clearwater Revival; Chronicle, Vol.1
82. I’m gonna take a freight train, down at the station/I don’t care where it goes/Gonna climb me a mountain, the highest mountain, Lord/Gonna jump off, nobody gonna know./Can’t you see, can’t you see, what that woman, she been doin’ to me?
“Can’t You See?” The Marshall Tucker Band; The Marshall Tucker Band
83. You can’t stop us on the road to freedom/You can’t keep us ’cause our eyes can see/Men with insight, men in granite/Knights in armor bent on chivalry./She’s as sweet as tupelo honey/She’s an angel of the first degree/
She’s as sweet as tupelo honey/Just like honey from the bee.
“Tupelo Honey”; Van Morrison; Tupelo Honey
84. How can u just leave me standing/Alone in a world that’s so cold?/Maybe I’m just 2 demanding/Maybe I’m just like my father–2 bold/Maybe you’re just like my mother/She’s never satisfied/Why do we scream at each other?/ This is what it sounds like/When doves cry.
“When Doves Cry;” Prince; Purple Rain
85. I caught you knockin’ at my cellar door/I love you, baby, can I have some more/Ohh, ohh, the damage done./I hit the city and I lost my band/I watched the needle take another man/Gone, gone, the damage done./I sing the song because I love the man/I know that some of you don’t understand/ Milk-blood to keep from running out./I’ve seen the needle and the damage done/A little part of it in everyone/But every junkie’s like a settin’ sun.
“The Needle and the Damage Done;” Neil Young; Harvest
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part VIII
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part VIII by Roxanne McDonald
 |
Try to see it my way/Do I have to keep on talking till I can’t go on?/While you see it your way/Run the risk of knowing that our love may soon be gone/We can work it out/We can work it out/Think of what you’re saying/ You can get it wrong and still you think that it’s alright/Think of what I’m saying/We can work it out and get it straight, or say good night/We can work it out/We can work it out/Life is very short, and there’s no time/For fussing and fighting, my friend/I have always thought that it’s a crime/So I will ask you once again/Try to see it my way…. “We Can Work it Out;” The Beatles; The Beatles 1 |
72. Queen bee, baby/Pray that you may be left on your own/Nothin’ she’ll give you, gonna outlive you/But the queen bee’s never gonna be alone….
“Queen Bee”; Barbra Streisand; A Star is Born
72. Sing a song of sad young men/Glasses full of rye/All the news is bad again so/Kiss your dreams goodbye./All the sad young men/Sitting in the bars/Knowing neon nights/Missing all the stars….
“Ballad of the Sad Young Men;” Roberta Flack; Take Five
73. We can’t afford to be innocent/Stand up and face the enemy/Its a do or die situation/We will be invincible/And with the power of conviction/There is no sacrifice/Its a do or die situation/We will be invincible….
“Invincible”; Pat Benatar; Seven the Hard Way
74. Oh don’t lean on me man, cause you can’t afford the ticket/I’m back from suffragette city/Oh don’t lean on me man, cause you aint got time to check it/You know my suffragette city/Is outta sight…she’s all right.
“Suffragette City”; David Bowie; Ziggy Stardust
75. She said, “I’d like to address this meeting of the Harper Valley P.T.A.: …Well, there’s Bobby Taylor sittin’ there and seven times he’s asked me for a date/Mrs. Taylor sure seems to use a lot of ice whenever he’s away/And Mr. Baker, can you tell us why your secretary had to leave this town?/And shouldn’t widow Jones be told to keep her window shades all pulled completely down?/Well, Mr. Harper couldn’t be here ’cause he stayed too long at Kelly’s Bar again/And if you smell Shirley Thompson’s breath, you’ll find she’s had a little nip of gin/Then you have the nerve to tell me you think that as a mother I’m not fit/Well, this is just a little Peyton Place and you’re all Harper Valley hypocrites.”
“Harper Valley P.T.A.”; Jeannie C. Riley; Greatest Hits
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part VII
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part VII by Roxanne McDonald
 |
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel/you were famous, your heart was a legend./You told me again you preferred handsome men/but for me you would make an exception./And clenching your fist for the ones like us who are oppressed by the figures of beauty/you fixed yourself, you said, “Well never mind, we are ugly but we have the music.” “Chelsea Hotel No. 2”; Leonard Cohen; The Essential Leonard Cohen |
61. Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been/Lives in a dream/Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door/Who is it for?/All the lonely people/Where do they all come from?/All the lonely people/Where do they all belong?
“Eleanor Rigby;” The Beatles; The Beatles 1
62. oh babe/he wants you/but he just can’t get it on as you planned/and i guess a girl just can’t understand/how much a guy goes through/all she has to do is let herself/she doesn’t have to get herself up/on cue/like a performing seal/in a zoo/how was last night’s/performance babe?/was it better than/the night before?/are the old credentials/any good any good any good any more/or is the act beginning to bore you?/he can sing!/he can dance!/he can juggle!/he’s a regular one-man band/his costume’s a little tattered/his label says made in japan/but he beats his battered drum/and he rattles his empty can/and he somehow gets/his flag to fly/looka him/looka him/he’s a man!
“Don’t Put Him Down;” Dory Previn; Live at Carnegie Hall
63. You keep lyin’ when you oughta be truthin’/You keep losing when you oughta not bet/You keep samin’ when you oughta be a’changin’/What’s right is right but you ain’t been right yet/These boots are made for walking, and that’s just what they’ll do/One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you.
“These Boots are Made for Walkin’;” Nancy Sinatra; Boots
64. Now if there’s a smile on my face/It’s only there trying to fool the public/But when it comes down to fooling you/Now honey that’s quite a different subject/But don’t let my glad expression/Give you the wrong impression/Really I’m sad, oh I’m sadder than sad/You’re gone and I’m hurtin’ so bad/Like a clown I pretend to be glad/Now there’s some sad things known to man/But aint too much sadder than/The tears of a clown, when there’s no one around….
“Tears of a Clown;” Smokey Robinson
65. When tears come down like falling rain/You’ll toss around, and call my name/You’ll walk the floor the way I do/Your cheatin’ heart, will tell on you.
“Your Cheatin’ Heart”; Hank Williams
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part VI
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part VI by Roxanne McDonald
 |
I needed you, I knew I was in danger/of losing what I used to think was mine/You let me love you till I was a failure…/Your beauty on my bruise like iodine./I asked you if a man could be forgiven/And though I failed at love, was this a crime?/You said, Don’t worry, don’t worry, darling…/There are many ways a man can serve his time. “Iodine”; Leonard Cohen; Mojo Presents |
51. Nights in white satin/Never reaching the end/Letters I’ve written/Never meaning to send./Beauty I’d always missed/With these eyes before/Just what the truth is/I cant say anymore./‘Cause I love you/Yes, I love you/Oh, how, I love you.
“Nights in White Satin;” The Moody Blues; This is the Moody Blues
52. Now it seems those yester dreams/Were just a cruel/And foolish game we used to play.
“Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday”; Stevie Wonder; 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Stevie Wonder
53. The hours that were yours/echo like empty rooms/The thoughts we used to share, I now keep alone./I woke last night and spoke to you/not thinking you were gone./It felt so strange to lie awake, alone./No regrets, no tears goodbye/Don’t want you back, we’d only cry, again/Say goodbye, again.
“No Regrets;” Tom Rush; The Circle Game
54. Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?/It took me years to write, will you take a look?/It’s based on a novel by a man named Lear/And I need a job/So I want to be a paperback writer/Paperback writer…. It’s a dirty story of a dirty man/And his clinging wife doesn’t understand.
“Paperback Writer;” The Beatles; The Beatles 1
55. Let’s roll for freedom/Let’s roll for love/We’re going after Satan/On the wings of a dove/Let’s roll for justice/Let’s roll for truth/Let’s not let our children/Grow up fearful in their youth/Time is runnin’ out/Let’s roll.
“Let’s Roll”; Neil Young
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part V
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part V by Roxanne McDonald
 |
I cannot follow you, my love/You cannot follow me/I am the distance you put between/all of the moments that we will be/You know who I am, you’ve stared at the sun/Well I am the one who loves/changing from nothing to one. “You Know Who I Am;” Leonard Cohen; Songs from a Room |
41. Superman or Green Lantern aint got nothin on me/I’ll make like a turtle and dive for your pearls in the sea. “Sunshine Superman;” Donovan; Sunshine Superman
42. Strolling down the highway with my shoes in my hand/I don’t talk much I’m a quiet man/Beauty and silence both run deep/And running like crazy while you are asleep/You got news for me, I got nothing for you/Don’t pin your blues on me/Just go ahead and do whatever you wish to.
“Quiet Man;” John Prine; John Prine
43. Baby, everything is alright, uptight, clean out of sight.
“Uptight (Everything’s Alright)”; Stevie Wonder; At the Close of the Century
44. She’s got a ticket to ride, but she don’t care. “Ticket to Ride;” The Beatles; The Beatles 1
45. Woman so willing the sweet cause in vain/You make love, you break love/It’s a all the same when it’s…when it’s over.
“Manic Depression;” Jimi Hendrix; BBC Sessions
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part IV
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part IV by Roxanne McDonald
 |
Everybody knows that the dice are loaded/Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed/Everybody knows that the war is over/Everybody knows that the good guys lost/Everybody knows the fight is fixed/the poor stay poor and the rich get rich/That’s how it goes/Everybody knows that the boat is sinking/Everybody knows that the captain lied/Everybody’s got this broken feeling/Like their Momma or there dog just died/Everybody’s hands are in their pockets/Everybody wants a box of chocolates/and a long stem rose/ Everybody knows. “Everybody Knows” Leonard Cohen; The Essential Leonard Cohen |
31. Nice girls not one with a defect, cellophane shrink- wrapped, so correct./Red dogs under illegal legs./She looks so good that he gets down and begs. “Watching the Detectives”; Elvis Costello; The Very Best of Elvis Costello
32. And the seasons they go round and round/And the painted ponies go up and down/Were captive on the carousel of time/We cant return we can only look behind from where we came/And go round and round and round in the circle game.
“The Circle Game;” Tom Rush; The Circle Game
33. I’m in love with a woman who don’t even appeal to me.
“Things Have Changed;” Bob Dylan; Time Out of Mind
34. Here comes ol’ flat top/He come groovin’ up slowly/He’s got Joo Joo eyeball/He one holy roller/He got hair down to his knees/Got to be a joker he just do what he please…./He wear no shoeshine/He’s got toe jam football/He’s got monkey finger/He shoot Coca-Cola/He say “I know you, you know me”/One thing I can tell you is you got to be free…./Come together, right now, over me.
“Come Together”; The Beatles; Abbey Road
35. Tell me what it takes to let you go/Tell me how the pain’s supposed to go/Tell me how it is that you can sleep in the night/Without thinking you lost everything that was good in your life to the toss of the dice?
“What it Takes;” Aerosmith; Get a Grip
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part III
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part III by Roxanne McDonald
 |
Many men have loved the bells/You fastened to the rein/And everyone who wanted you/They found what they will always want again.Your beauty lost to you yourself/Just as it was lost to them./Oh take this longing from my tongue/Whatever useless things these hands have done./Let me see your beauty broken down/Like you would do for one you love. “Take This Longing;” Leonard Cohen; New Skins for the Old Ceremony |
21. You say you want a revolution/Well you know/we all want to change the world/You tell me that it’s evolution. Well you know/We all want to change the world/But when you talk about destruction/Don’t you know you can count me out…. You say you got a real solution/Well you know/we’d all love to see the plan/You ask me for a contribution/Well you know/We’re doing what we can/But when you want money for people with minds that hate/All I can tell you is brother you have to wait…. You say you’ll change the constitution/Well you know/we all want to change your head/You tell me it’s the institution/Well you know/You better free your mind instead/But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao/You ain’t going to make it with anyone anyhow/Don’t you know it’s gonna be alright.
“Revolution”; The Beatles; [The White Album]
22. They called you the wild one/said stay ‘way from her/said she could love no one if she tried/…I’ll never get over how good it felt/When you finally kissed [held] me/I’ll never regret/Baby those few hours/Will grow in my head forever. “Wild One, Forever;” Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers; Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
23. You forget the sun in its jealous sky as we walk in fields of gold.
“Fields of Gold;” Sting; Fields of Gold
24. I don’t want to be in love but you’re makin’ me/Let me up I’ve had enough. Girl you’re breakin’ me
“Breakin’ Me;” Johnny Lang; Wander This World
25. Don’t you know heartaches are heroes when their pockets are full?
“Seven Year Ache;” Rosanne Cash; Seven Year Ache
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part II
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics Part II by Roxanne McDonald
 |
And who by fire, who by water/who in the sunshine, who in the night time/who by high ordeal, who by common trial/who in your merry merry month of May/who by very slow decay/and who shall I say is calling? “Who by Fire;” Leonard Cohen; New Skin for the Old Ceremony |
11. No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue/I could not foresee this thing happening to you/If I look hard enough into the settin’ sun/My love will laugh with me before the mornin’ comes…. I see my red door and I want it painted black/No colors anymore I want them to turn black.
“Paint it Black;” Rolling Stones; Hot Rocks
12. I’ve been loving you too long to stop now….
“I’ve Been Lovin’ You Too Long;” Otis Redding; The Ultimate Otis Redding
13. There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold/And she’s buying a stairway to heaven/When she gets there she knows if the stores are closed/With a word she can get what she came for/There’s a sign on the wall, but she wants to be sure/‘Cause you know sometimes words have
Two meanings….
“Stairway to Heaven;” Led Zeppelin; Led Zeppelin IV
14. I can’t believe the news today/Oh, I can’t close my eyes/And make it go away/How long…/How long must we sing this song?
“Sunday Bloody Sunday”; U2; War
15. His sister’s black but she is sho’nuff pretty/Her skirt is short but Lord her legs are sturdy/To walk to school she’s got to get up early/Her clothes are old but never are they dirty/Living just enough, just enough for the city.
“Living for the City;” Stevie Wonder; Innervisions
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics
Ten of Top 100 Song Lines and Lyrics by Roxanne McDonald
 |
Oh I want you, I want you, I want you/On a chair with a dead magazine/In the cave at the tip of the lily/In some hallways where love’s never been/On a bed where the moon has been sweating/In a cry filled with footsteps and sand/Take this waltz, take this waltz/Take its broken waist in your hand. “Take This Waltz;” Leonard Cohen; Mojo Presents |
Some obvious, some obscure…many yet to come. So this, I guess, is Part I.
As a writer, I have always had a thing for the play of words, the metaphors and symbols, the poetry of two, the music of many, the sublime.
I have for as long as I have been able to hold a pencil kept little books of collected favorites—from great quotes from Bartlett’s or Oxford companions to lyrics from album liners and ears.
Now I recreate the long ago-recorded flora ledgia, one at a time and as I think of them.
1. It’s Amazing/With the blink of an eye you finally see the light/It’s Amazing/When the moment arrives that you know you’ll be alright.
“Amazing”; Aerosmith; Get a Grip
2. If everyone cared and nobody cried/If everyone loved and nobody lied/f everyone shared and swallowed their pride/ We’d see the day when nobody died.
“If Everybody Cared;” Nickelback; All the Right Reasons
3. Mother, mother/There’s too many of you crying./Oh, brother, brother, brother/There’s far too many of you dying./That’s Right/You know we’ve got to find a way/To bring some lovin’ here today.
“What’s Goin’ On”; Marvin Gaye; Anthology
4. Jesus died of somebody’s sins, but not mine.
“Gloria”; Patti Smith; Horses
5. I’m sick of love…, but I’m in the thick of it.
“Love Sick”; Bob Dylan; Time Out of Mind
(read more…)
Look What the Vh1 Cats Dragged In: The Women of Rock of Love
Look What the Vh1 Cats Dragged In: The Women of Rock of Love by Roxanne McDonald
|
Interviews, audition videos, and bios and bio pics reveal the hearts, minds, and spirits of the women hoping to rock Bret Michaels with love. |
Some of us are still looking into how (according to Vh1 “Rock of Love” pages) Bret came to “hand pick” the twenty babes in contention for the title of Rock God Girlfriend, as we never got the memo to audition, so as I survey the 20 “Rock of Love” candidates, I will likely tend toward a tincture of sarcasm…on behalf of all the darling women who truly wish they could have been invited to try for wooing the foxy Poison frontman:
Bonnie – hails from both New Jersey and Florida (neither of which is a hometown, neither of which is a town, btw). Last relationship ended on New Year’s Eve (but which year?) and it likely ended less than violently, as Bonnie hates conflict. Looking like a wise Chyna Doll, she appears to not have a problem laying out anyone who would dare cross her. Her fear of spiders is overshadowed by her favorite piece of clothing—her Lynyrd Skynyrd panties. Ummm, wouldn’t that be considered a conflict of interest at best, an anticlimactic disappointment for Bret at worst?
Brandi C. [Uh, oh. That means we have more than one Brandi with an ‘i’] Oh, dear, this massage [which is spelled wrong on the site] therapy student who calls Orlando, Florida her hometown appears way too blonde and way too spoiled: okay, the toxic blonde shade was for her Marilyn Monroe work for Universal Studios and likely in hopes, as she tells Vh1, of being featured in Playboy. But her boobs were a gift from Mommy and Daddy. That’s just wrong.
Brandi M. [Yep] from Buffalo, New York might be just as challenging a potential mate, not so much for being a brat but for having her eye on more than one pie. This contender (and bear with me as I make a very hasty generalization) has six tattoos, can put her whole fist in her mouth, and stays single because there is too much “temptation”. Bret is going to have his work cut out for him with this one, who despite being one of the most natural-looking and prettiest of the group, seems likely to be one to Play Dirty, baby.
Cindy, the personal trainer from Newman, Georgia, looks pretty real, too. And she even wears cowboy hats (and sometimes in bed). Plus, she has a seven-year-old, so the parental instinct will be something she and Bret can align on. Though I am not sure how her collecting swords will have much to do with anything—maybe props for Bret’s music videos?
Dallas hails from, appropriately, Texas. She has kind of Barbie Doll features, and this probably bodes well when she is out on calls to sell her fashion designs. On the dark side of Barbie, however, is her love for her idol, Marylin Manson. We might never have guessed.
Erin from Bloomington, Illinois is also somewhat attractive—in a half-wholesome half-Hollywood way. She comes with an eclectic past: she was Miss Hooters (oh, boy) of Illinois, 2002; she was once engaged (don’t know if there’s a cause and effect thing there); and her dad is police chief in a small town in the state. By the way, though, Miss Hooters also graduated with honors in 3 ½ years instead of four. She could be the one Bret takes to the backseat of the old man’s Ford, but she could also sustain a conversation on something beyond dirty talk.
Faith from Beckley, West Virginia might also give Bret a run for his money…or mind. She has a chemistry degree from Ohio State, can play piano, and is really pretty. Not only does this self-described friendly and down-to-earth person have a similar look to Bret (in the eyes), but she has similar talents and sentiments I bet Bret will find simpatico with his.
Heather, hailing from Columbus, Ohio, looks familiar. Can you say Jackie Collins? This former Scores, Las Vegas dancer who describes herself as a tomboy has been more like Joan Collins, though: she notes how she has “been in several catfights” in the past, because [she thinks] women are always jealous of her. Maybe old Heather was tossed in here for good TV?
Jes, the licensed cosmetologist from Naperville, Illinois, also looks familiar—but more like a Cyndi Lauper meets Melanie Griffith. I’m not sure pink of the Punk days makes for a Poisonesque appearance, but Jes has gifts that might just jive: she has never been unfaithful to a boyfriend, is self-defined as very independent, and touts 9 piercings and 4 tats. A firebrand who might keep it interesting for Bret.
Jessica from Elk Grove, Illinois is another Hooters veteran. Sigh. I’m already bored. A waitress at Hooters, a college senior, and an adventurous (seemingly) gal who once stripped for one whole month, Jessica should not be underestimated, however. She has a vengeful side and a sample to prove it: she once caught a boyfriend cheating, so she cheated on him…with his friend. Oh, man, the codes of the street shattered, Bret just might be singing a Blame it on You tune with this one.
Top Ten TV Music Themes
Top Ten TV Music Themes by Roxanne McDonald
 |
Finding favorites lists to differ when it comes to best TV theme songs or musical themes, this pop culture fanatic goes on a cyber-search. |
And included in the search for the rankings of others, she discovers a few favorites of her own—those she sings boisterously along with, those she—like many of us–can’t get out of her head.
Stylus Magazine asserts that criteria should include a) not annoying; b) representative; c) able to stand on its own. Here are the top ten of ALL TIME, according to Stylus:
Nerf Herder’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Raposo and Nicholl’s Three’s Company
Jim Gilstrap’s Good Times
Mark Snow’s The X-Files
Lalo Schifrin’s Mission: Impossible
Stu Phillips’ Knight Rider
Portnoy and Angelo’s Cheers
Dolores Clayman’s Hockey Night in Canada
Barri and Sloan’s Secret Agent Man
Mort Stevens’ Hawaii Five-O