Author: hoziowpadmin

So I’m in my mustang convertible, driving to the beach and scanning radio stations for a good cruising tune. Then all of a sudden, the sun rays beam down, the sky opens up and I hear it. The song that brings back memories of my teenage years, it’s awful, silly and makes absolutely no sense, but I crank it up, start banging to the beat on my steering wheel and sing as loud as I can with a huge grin. Sure, everyone is staring at me but who cares?! I’m back in High School again! I shamefully admit, my cruising song was “We Got The Beat” by the Go Go’s, my all-time favorite 80’s girl band, I’m biased and I didn’t put it on this list even though it’s kind of awful.

Without further ado, let me bring you back to the 80’s with this compilation of some of the most awful 80’s songs that we all know and LOVE. These are not by any means in any awful to worst order. They are all equally as bad. My disclaimer: I am not responsible for any of these song’s that will continue looping in your head all day after reading this!

• “We Built This City” – Jefferson Starship – 1985
  Unfortunately, I know every word to this song! Blender Magazine had it in their top 50 worst songs ever list. I have to agree obviously because it’s on my list, but Jefferson Airplane used to be so cool back in the 60’s with their chart-topping songs “White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love.” They most definitely fell short in the lyrics of “We built this City” in trying to make a political statement, when all people worried about was how high can they get their hair. anted and where the next party was.  Nobody talked about what the lyrics meant because they didn’t care. The musical arrangement was also kind of sub-par.  It’s just a less than average music compilation that sounded like it was just thrown together. But, somehow, we all can’t turn it off when it comes on!

• “Mickey” – Tony Basil – -1981
  Oh, how I just love this one so much! Mickey brings back some really great memories of trying to imitate the cheerleading routines from the video. This is the ultimate 80’s anthem; at least I think so anyway. Even though the lyrics are just horrible and Tony Basil sounds like she’s yelling more than singing, we couldn’t get enough of it back then, and still can’t get enough now when we hear it. I bet every 80’s kid has this one in their song library for sure! Fun fact about this song: Did you know it was about Mickey Dolenz from the Monkees? Tony Basil was a dancer and choreographer and starred in the Monkees’ 1968 Movie, Head.

• “Sunglasses at Night” – Corey Hart – 1984
  Why would you wear your sunglasses at night? Don’t you think that’s a little suspicious? I think women loved the song because Corey Hart was a hottie back then, and the guys just wanted to be Corey Hart and rock their sunglasses at night. Here’s a lyric sample and you can decide if this makes any sense to you, “And I wear my sunglasses at night, so I can, so I can, Keep track of the visions in my eyes.” Not sure how wearing sunglasses can do that, but ok Corey Hart! I will forever enjoy this awful song and continue to crank it up even when I’m 90 years old!

• “Physical” – Olivia Newton-John – 1981
  This one takes the cake! The song that inspired us to wear headbands, leotards, tights, belts and leg warmers all at the same time while working out. We were sweating with all that stuff on before we even got to moving! I still love jamming to this one and watching the video. Even though Olivia Newton-John is one of the most talented singers in the world, this song shouldn’t have been one of her best hits. Not only was this a chart topper in the 80’s, but nostalgically speaking, it will forever go down in sport’s fashion history. You know you’re singing it in your head right now, aren’t you?

• “Dancing on the Ceiling” – Lionel Richie – 1986
  “Oh what a feeling, when you’re dancing on the ceiling.” Yes, another awful catchy and ridiculous party song. You can’t keep your ears from listening. When it’s on, it stays on until you’ve got all the 80’s dance moves out of your system. You know you tried to imitate the video when they feature Fred and Ginger doing their routine on the ceiling. Lionel Richie had some really great hits, but “Dancing on the Ceiling” is certainly not his best. Maybe he should have summoned his guys from The Commodores to help with this one, but we still have it as our guilty pleasure nonetheless!

Creativity is an act of discovery. Sometimes looking back to the past and being aware of what was done before you can make a huge difference. Sampling in music is the act of taking  a portion of one recording and reusing it as an instrument or a sound in a completely different song. Where did sampling originate? Where else is sampling done beside songs? What about the controversy and ethical matters surrounding sampling music? Today we’ll briefly break down these questions so you better understand how you may be able to use sampling in your own work.

Sampling was originally created and developed by musicians working with musique concrete and electroacoustic music. They had to physically manipulate tape loops or vinyl records on a phonograph. Entering the 70s, tape loop sampling inspired the development of minimal music as well as Jazz Fusion and psychedelic Rock music. Hip-hop music was the very first popular genre based primarily around the art of sampling.  It was brought about by the first DJs who experimented with vinyl manipulation using two turntables and an audio mixer.  Sampling popular music spread quickly with the rise of electronic dance music in the 1980s.  At one point samplers were only available to established artists because of the ridiculously high price of samplers at the time. With the introduction of the digital stage these have dropped in price tremendously.  Sampling used to be done strictly with a sampler, but today it’s done almost primarily through computer programs. 

Sampling can be used in many different situations where sound is important. Not only is it used within different genres of music, but it’s also used in TV and radio advertisements.  Samples can consist of spoken words or phrases within these non-musical media like TV and movies. There have also been a great deal of artists, composers and musicians who have constructed songs by sampling field recordings they created themselves.  Some even sampled their own original recordings.

The use of samples has continued to grow in the music industry and that’s lead to some legal battles with the original artists of the samples being used. Usually this tends to happen when money is being made off of their work. They believe they deserve a piece of the pie. Original holders of the music rights began to take legal action, claiming copyright infringement. A few sampling artist fought back but ultimately these were settled in the courtroom. With all the new copyright laws being introduced it’s become increasingly difficult and expensive to sample music.

What are your thoughts on sampling? Do you like the practice? Reach out to me and let me know your thoughts!

I came across this wonderful infographic while researching how classical music can help you study. I knew that was a fact and I was trying to show my friend, but I didn’t realize how much various types of genres can help you depending upon the work you do. Take a look below and let me know if anything surprises you. Luckily according to this chart I’m a “creative cat” (even thought I’m a dog person) so I’m free to listen to whatever I want. Sorry guy at the desk next to me, looks like you’ll have to put up with my blasting Enya for the next 8 hours.

The 1990s… Just thinking of the number 90 gives us nostalgic feelings of when we were young and beautiful. Everything from Tamagotchis to Pokémon brings us back, and the music playing on the radio was a big part of our lives, subconsciously molding us into what we are today. Remember Radio Disney and how excited you were when it debuted?  Today let’s go back to a time iPhones and Mp3 players were just a dream. Today we’re going to explore the top one hit wonder songs that we may have completely forgot about.

#5  – Torn by Natalie Imbruglia

The song Torn was Natalie’s first international single and one that continues to touch us with the reality of relationships and the hardships that may go along with them. Torn was actually a cover of an Ednaswap song. It had reached number two on the UK Singles Chart in November 1997 and was number one on the Billboard Airplay chart for 14 weeks! 

She received an MTV Award for best new Artist in 1998, and three constitutive Grammy nominations in 1999. Her music video was sexy, trendy, and brought about a large influence on teenage lives whether they realized it or not. The song itself was about an encounter with a man, who she had felt was probably the one.  After being lied to or hurt her pain runs through he lyrics with her feelings described as “torn”.  Some may argue that the song was actually very dark, exploring the subjects of sex, abuse, and shame, but because of the pop like tone she created for Torn, it was missed completely by the masses. The song is bitter sweet and will always be one of the top one hitters we had forgotten about until now. 

#4  – Mambo No. 5 by Lou Bega

Mambo No. 5 was another one of those covers that was remade to fit the upbeat style of the 90s.  It’s a Jive dance song originally composed by Cuban Dámaso Pérez Prado and brought to light through its remake by Lou Bega. It was huge hit in the UK and Australia just like the song Torn.

In the United States it reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November of 1999 giving Lou Bega his only top 40 hit in the U.S.  Unfortunately the song was targeted because of its huge success and was the subject of a 7-year copyright trial between Peermusic and Lou Bega’s producers. There was a Disney version to the video as well, replacing names of the women with popular Disney characters. 

#3  – What is Love by Haddaway

“Throw dirt on me and get a wild flower…” Oops, wrong song! We are not talking about this generation’s remake by Slim Shady, but the original created by Haddaway, a Trinidadian-German Eurodance artist. The song is best recognized for the refrain “What is love? Baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me no more”, and the techno like instrumental behind that.  It was popular parties across the globe and was also put into movies, shows, and video games.  “What is Love” peaked at number 2 in the United Kingdom and Germany, then hit number 1 in 13 other countries. In the United States it debut at number 87 on August 1993. It then reached number 11 on the Hot 100. 

#2  – Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve

Sung by English alternative rock band the Verve, this song was a major one hit wonder from the late 90s. It’s the lead track to their 3^rd studio album, Urban Hymns. Bittersweet Symphony was based on an Andrew Loog Oldham orchestral version of the Rolling Stones song “The Last Time”. There was some controversy and a legal battle over that but that’s a subject for another time. 

What’s important is that it stayed at number 2 on the UK Singles Charts for 3 months! The momentum in the United States was gained a little later in 1998 when it reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song continues to be a part of pop culture and have been remixed and sampled many times over.

#1  – Tubthumping by Chumbawamba

“I GET KNOCKED DOWN….” But we get up again with this one hit wonder song that blasted through bars and clubs all throughout the end of the 90s.  Tubthumping was created by a British band known as Chumbawumba. It was their most successful single, which ultimately placed it at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. It also topped the charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, and New Zealand. In the Unites States it peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100!

The video was super fun, with many people “pissing the night away” in a bar. The song was actually political music designed for a mainstream audience. The term “tubthumper” is used to describe someone who jumps on a bandwagon (mainly politicians). There’s a lot to absorb and learn from the band’s political beliefs, but what’s really important is that this song was, and still is, awesome!

As always, life can often be unpredictable. I recently found myself (and my red hat) in a bit of a conundrum. I was traveling to a concert in Canada, which is something music lovers can relate to as Montreal usually hosts some great shows. However, on this trip I also found myself in the ER, which is something most music lovers CAN’T relate to. I must have been partying a little too hard and in a blur I ended up with a broken ankle (maybe my dance moves were a little too much for my body to handle). Luckily, and this is the reason I’m writing this blog, I had travel insurance.

Travel insurance covers you when you’re out of the country, as most insurance plans don’t extend beyond the U.S. borders. I thought this blog would be important for ANYONE who might need the same level of care without having to front any money. I personally used insurance to acquire my travel insurance as they were recommended to me by a friend. They were very knowledgable and were able to guide me through the process to find the right level of travel insurance for my needs before I set out on my trip. I urge anyone in the New York metro area reading this to consider using them not only for travel insurance, but for their other offerings as well (Dental Insurance, Health Insurance, Long Term Care Insurance, Disability Insurance, and Supplemental Health Insurance).

So while this is a bit off the beaten path from what I intend to typically post on this blog, I can’t stress enough the importance of thinking ahead before you travel. If you have any insurance needs at all, I’d contact insurance companies to get what you need. You can’t go wrong with their knowledgable team and friendly demeanor!

Hello everyone! This is my first post on the site, so I thought it would be interesting to post what I consider to be some great potential concert openers. These are songs that can open a show and immediately get the crowd on their feet!

Welcome to the Jungle – Guns n’ Roses

Knights of Cydonia – Muse

Hello – Adele (What? You didn’t think it would be all rock music did you?)

Start Me Up – The Rolling Stones

Spirit of Radio – Rush

That’s all for now! If you have some other good ones please share them with me. I think this will serve as a pretty good indication of what my musical tastes are as well (lean towards rock, but open to anything).