It’s always intrigued me how songs from the past can blaze forth into popularity again. One of the biggest comeback songs that I can remember in my youth was Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Originally written by Freddie Mercury in 1975 for the album “A Night at the Opera,” this 5 minute and 55 second elaborate piece […]
In my opinion, Eric Clapton is one of the top five greatest guitarists in Rock ‘n Roll history. He’s been rocking since before I was born, but my first real exposure to his music was an acoustic ballad released in 1992 – “Tears in Heaven.” “Tears in Heaven” was written about the pain and loss […]
At the end of (almost) every year, I do a recap of my favorite things in pop culture for the ending year. Because I’m a “culture chick”, my picks revolve around movies, music, and television, it’s a fun time to look over the stuff that most influenced my pop culture addiction for the last 365 […]
Do you have any idea what Kwanzaa is? I have always been interested in other cultures and traditions, which is one of the reasons I studied humanities in college. I love to see what brings people joy, reverence, reflections, sorrow, nostalgia, and elation. December is a month that typically focuses on Christmas, and on Hanukkah to […]
Today is December 21, 2012 – Mayan Doomsday Leave it to the interwebz to create a fiasco over something that probably won’t be a fiasco. This week, I think I’ve heard “It’s the End of the World As We Know It” by REM more times than in the last year. Nothing can make fun of […]
I’m a Mormon. Did you know that? Although I’ve been a member of the Church for my entire life, many people have said that this surprises them. While I dress modestly, avoid coffee and alcohol, go to church almost every Sunday, live in Utah, and refrain from swearing (usually), I’m used to getting a startled […]
In the early 1990’s, alternative music was just that – alternative. When the 4-chord riffs of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” hit the airwaves in 1992, it was a turning point in alternative music – alternative was now mainstream. Kurt Cobain led the 3-man band Nirvana. In the late 80’s, they developed a style for their songs […]
‘Tis the season to be jolly, and give gifts to the ones we love. Or at least give presents to people we feel obligated to buy for. One of the most beloved Christmas tunes of all time is “The 12 Days of Christmas,” which dates back to the late 1700’s. The tune gives an elaborate […]
One of my favorite things about December is listing to all of the lovely music. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat. Just hear those sleigh bells ringaling, jing-ting-tingling. O Holy Night. There are so many songs that define the holiday season for me. There are […]
“Oh. My. God. Becky, look at her butt! It is so big!” If a song in my formative years took away some of my innocence, it was Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-a-Lot. “Baby Got Back” was certainly a phrase I’d never heard growing up in Portland. But as soon as this song came on […]
