Could This Be Magic? I THINK SO!!

Hi boys-

After a DELIGHTFUL mini-Man's Couch reunion, I am now in the thriving rainbow metropolis of San Francisco. Reading all the Rick Astley commentary led me to post the above performance....and yes, this is a new track from Barry's latest. I now have confirmation that Barry and I share a connection since his 80's covers CD includes "Careless Whisper." Dean-o--have you found any Mash-ups that include Barry? Just a thought for your next compilation!

I do have a bit of a rant...or at least a bit of weirdness from home. So my baby sister, Lindsey, and I are chatting about her upcoming graduation from good old high school. The topic of class songs comes up and I ask her if they have picked one. She says, "Yes, and I think you might know it." I am hoping that I do since I don't follow everything as closely as I used to. But no worries, because they have chosen "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey as their song!! Now, I have no issues with the song..in fact I pretty much love everything Journey did and sing this regularly at Karaoke. However, this was put out like a billion years ago....is there no one out now writing great class songs? I mean, hasn't Fall Out Boy or All-American Rejects put out something? Or one of the many American Idol Pop Stars? Or maybe I should take comfort that this generation recognizes the greatness that was the 80's? I actually wish this had been my class song...we had a run off between U2's "Pride" and Motely Crue's "Changes" and Motely Crue won......

I would also like to second Mr. Fargo's love for the British group, McFly...who I love but I'm sure you are not surprised by Lovey loving all things British. I have actually been on a kick of British ladies vocal power lately but I am transitioning into my "Last Christmas" marathon. More later...

I hate "Christmas Shoes"

It's the worst song ever. It really is. I don't know anyone who will cop to liking that song, and yet, it's apparently the number one requested song this time of year. I just don't get it. Christmas songs are supposed to be happy and uplifting and fun, am I wrong? Songs about Santa, sleigh bells, and walking in winter wonderlands. That sort of thing.

But this "Christmas Shoes" song... Oh man.

Will someone explain to me how the real meaning of Christmas is best conveyed by a little kid who wants to buy some shoes for his dying mom? What, exactly, is the message being presented here? Seems to me that it's one of two things. Either it's A) that consumerism has become so paramount in our society that this kid feels the need to get that last minute gift, rather than y'know... being at home with his dying mom, or B) you can't get into Heaven unless you're wearing Jesus-approved shoes. I'm not sure which message is more unsettling to me, frankly.

I firmly believe that "Christmas Shoes" is like that M. Night Shamalayn movie where the plants tell people to kill themselves, because every single time I hear that song, I have the urge to jab myself in the brain with a fork.

Folks, if we can overcome our differences and extend to one another the hand of genuine friendship; if we can come together in a common purpose to get Rosie O'Donnell off the air, surely we can all do something to stop the further propagation of this song.

I suggest that the first step is to collectively agree what the greatest Christmas song of all time is.
I nominate "Christmas in Hollis" by Run-DMC.

It's the most wonderful time of the year

Christmas Music Blogs (did you know about this?)

All denizens of the Couch know of my personal perchant for all things Christmas. It is not so much the commercial aspect of it all as much as it is the nostalgia and trying to recapture it. As a kid, we had a stack of Christmas albums that my parents had collected that was nearly 3 feet high, and we played them until the vinyl turned to pulp. As of late I have become rather disenchanted with the Christmas compilations put out by third-party, Rent-a-Center record companies in an attempt to cash in on this delicious memory festt, because it is always the same recordings by the same artists over and over again. So last year I set out on a quest to recapture the some of the classic vinyl records (the more obscure the better, as you know,)of many a Christmas past. After buying a couple and digitizing them myself, I found out that there are legions of vinyl freaks out there that share the same passion, 10-fold, and have made the digitizing of classic vinyl a near cottage industry.

There are a few that I have frequented and found some AMAZING stuff, all of which have combined to make my season just that much brighter.

Check the Cool Wax
Go here RIGHT NOW and download the Brainwerks Check the Cool Wax Compilation 2: Christmas Waxx. From the very cool to the downright disgusting, it is represented. I have also downloaded several complete albums here that are great for long Holiday Drives.

A Christmas Yule Blog
Loving this one, as it is mostly in the vein of really awesome vinyl in the grand Christmas tradition of our parents. You know that smell of old records that permeates The Record Collector in Sugarhouse (is that still open?) Well you can almost smell it when you navigate to this blog.)

http://falalalala.com
Another really good one, but a little lighter on the FREE DOWNLOADS side, as this is more appreciation of older Christmas music. Some great free stuff though.

As today is DAY 2 of Christmas 2008, we have to take advantage of all this Yule Tide glee while we can. Navigate, download, share, and enjoy! Yes, I love Technology!

Let Me Remind You...

We Live In a Strange, Frightening World, Friends.

A World where you could be sitting around on a lovely Thanksgiving Morning, minding your own business, watching the Macy's Parade, and suddenly, out of nowhere, RICK FRIGGIN' ASTLEY appears out of nowhere and ushers in the funniest and most bizarrely orchestrated tie-in between half-assed children's programming and 80's nostalgia I have yet to see.

My ladies and I were watching this live and I could not stop laughing. I mean, IT DOESN'T EVEN WORK ON PAPER!!!! Who was the parade planner who's brainchild this was!?! Were a couple of schlomos just sitting around going "Well...all we got left is this crappy Nickelodeon float, we got any place to put the Has-Been?"

Watch in awe, my friends, and have a great Black Friday!

Couch Reunion

"I'm sort of an expert in Photoshop." - Michael Scott