Much More Music: Journey - "Don't Stop Believing" (1981)

My sister and I were out with her friends the other night, at this great place in Burbank called Sardo's (which I should really write about some time). It was a fun night for drinking and karaoke. Just before closing time, what really brought the house down was this one particular song- "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey.

Truly a great song. Everybody had a great time.

Here's a video we can all appreciate, courtesy of the Veoh Video Network. Sing along, play along, hell, have a good time. Ladies and gentlemen, here's probably the best karaoke song of all time- "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey.

Journey
"Don't Stop Believing" (1981)

[Capo 2]
/ D A Bm G / D A F#m G / :

Just a small town girl living in a lonely world
She took the midnight train going anywhere
Just a city boy born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train going anywhere

/ D A Bm G / D A F#m G / :

A singer in a smoky room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on

{Refrain}
Strangers, waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people, living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the night

/ G - D - / / / G - AD ADG

Online Videos by Veoh.com

Working hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Paying anything to roll the dice
Just one more time

Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on

{Refrain}

Don't stop believing
Hold on to that feeling
Streetlight people
{Repeat}

/ D A / Bm G / D A F#m G /


Check out Journey on their entry on the AllMusicGuide, or read more about the band on their official website, or on their entry on Wikipedia.

Check out more of the Much More Music Project- this blog's attempt to put together my personal views on favorite songs, along with lyrics to sing by, embedded music videos, and even guitar chords, if you feel like playing along with it.

Cheers, everyone!

RIAA Ordered To Pay Up

Another victory for the underdogs.

Remember the RIAA's lawsuit against Tanya Andersen? Here's a quick review: The Recording Industry Association of America slapped a file-sharing lawsuit against Andersen, a 41 year old disabled single mother living in Oregon, supposedly for downloading songs on her PC using Kazaa.

After a while, Tonya then hit back, countersuing the RIAA for Oregon RICO violations, fraud, invasion of privacy, abuse of process, electronic trespass, violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, negligent misrepresentation, the tort of "outrage", and deceptive business practices.

Here's where we are right now.

U.S. District Judge James A. Redden of Oregon has just awarded Anderson $108,000 in legal fees to compensate for defending herself against the the RIAA. Judge Redden ruled that the RIAA's arguments against legal fees were "misplaced."

Earlier in August, a federal judge already ordered the RIAA to pay $68,685 in litigation costs to two Oklahoma women whose cases were dismissed.

That'll show the RIAA for suing everyone they declare a file-sharer, even without any hard evidence.

According to the Attack of The Show Blog:

The RIAA dropped the case against Andersen last year after concluding “her hard drive didn't contain purloined music tracks. The RIAA initially claimed a Kazaa shared directory that linked to her internet-protocol address was unlawfully distributing thousands of songs.”

In response to the lawsuit against her, Andersen has countersued the RIAA in a case seeking class-action status to represent the thousands of persons she believes have been wrongly sued by the RIAA. That case has been dismissed three times, and its fourth try is pending.

Can't wait to see what happens next.

Sources:
G4TV's Attack of The Show Blog: RIAA Must Pay P2P Legal Fees
Wired.com: Judge Orders Legal Fees in RIAA v Andersen

Last Song Syndrome: Danity Kane - Damaged (2008)

If there was just one song that I could associate with my recent visit to LA, I'd say it would have to be "Damaged" by Danity Kane.

I already had the song loaded onto my iPod just before leaving Manila, so it was already playing at a fairly hot rotation. I couldn't help but notice it: the damn song was everywhere- radio stations, sports clubs, karaoke bars, restaurants- it was borderline irritating.

My sister even said that it was an anthem of sorts. She had this friend that had an officemate who was singing it all week. I have another friend who was singing it after a bad fight with his boyfriend. Anthem.

Nevertheless, it's makes for great pop tuneage. In the interest of getting said song out of my head, and help getting same song out of other people's heads, we're featuring it here on Last Song Syndrome.

So here we have it, ladies and gentlemen- Danity Kane, with "Damaged". Video courtesy of Diddy's DanityKaneVideos channel on YouTube (Diddy does a fairly extended intro though- you don't see the video until the 2:38 mark). Enjoy!


Danity Kane
"Damaged" (2008)

Do, do you got a first aid kit handy?
Do, do you know how to patch up a wound?
Tell me, are-are-are-are you?
Are you patient, understanding?
'Coz I might need some time to clear the hole in my heart and I...
(I've tried every remedy
And nothing seems to work for me)

Baby (baby),
This situation’s driving me crazy
And I really wanna be your lady
But the one before you left me so

Damaged, damaged
Damaged, damaged
I thought that I should let you know
That my heart is damaged, damaged
So damaged (so damaged)
And you can blame the one before
So how you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it?
(Baby, I gotta know)
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it?
(What you are gonna do, baby?)
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it?
(Baby, I gotta know)
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it?
(What you are gonna do?)

Do, Do you got a first aid kit handy?
Do, Do you know how to patch up a wound?
Tell me, are-are-are-are you?
Are you patient, understanding?
'Coz I might need some time to clear the hole in my heart and I...

You try to gain my trust
Talking is not enough
Actions speak louder than words
You gotta show me something
My heart is missing some pieces
I need this puzzle put together again

Damaged, damaged
Damaged, damaged
I thought that I should let you know
That my heart is damaged, damaged
So damaged (so damaged)
And you can blame the one before
So how you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it?
(Baby, I gotta know)
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it?
(What you are gonna do, baby?)
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it?
(Baby, I gotta know)
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it?
(What you are gonna do?)

Can you fix my h-e-a-r-t?
Cause it d-a-m-a-g-e-d?
Can you fix my h-e-a-r-t?
Tell me are you up for the challenge
Cause my heart is
Damaged, damaged
Damaged, damaged
I thought that I should let you know
That my heart is
Damaged, damaged
So damaged (so damaged)
And you can blame the one before

Damaged, damaged
damaged, damaged
I thought that I should let you know
That my heart is
Damaged, damaged
So Damaged (so damaged)
And you can blame the one before
So how you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it?
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it?
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it?
How you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it?

My heart is damaged, damaged, damaged
My heart is damaged, damaged, damaged
My heart is damaged, damaged, damaged
My heart is damaged, damaged, damaged

My heart is damaged.


Check out Danity Kane on their official website, or here on Wikipedia, or their entry on the AllMusicGuide.

Can't get that song out of your head? Then check out more of Renzie's Last Song Syndrome Project, the only blog service dedicated to getting that persistent tune out of your system- by giving you lots more of it!

Cheers, everyone!

Gettin' To Know: Tenacious D

One of my favorite bands of all time- Tenacious D. I discovered them in 2001 or so, when I stumbled upon a couple of tracks and videos on Rhapsody. I immediately set off to find myself a copy of their album- and was inspired to pick up a guitar and get into it all over again.

Here's the Tenacious D write up on the All Music Guide- bio penned by Heather Phares.

Rightfully hailed as "the greatest band on Earth," the super-sized acoustic metal/comedy duo Tenacious D was an unlikely success story. Actually, Tenacious D was probably so successful precisely because they were so unlikely: few people would imagine that two chunky guys bashing on acoustic guitars, singing songs like a tribute to the greatest song in the world (because they forgot how the greatest song in the world went after conquering the Devil with it) became one of the biggest cult bands of the late '90s and 2000s. But the sheer charisma, humor, and energy -- not to mention inspired songwriting -- of singers/guitarists/actors Jack Black and Kyle Gass (aka JB, Jables, KG, and Kage, among other aliases) took them from L.A.'s underground comedy scene to their own series on HBO and a major-label album deal.

The crazed, wide-ranging sense of humor and intensity that Black brought to Tenacious D also made him a sought-after character actor, appearing in films like Bob Roberts, The Cable Guy, and Saving Silverman; Gass' film career includes supporting roles in Jacob's Ladder, Idle Hands, and Evolution. Similarly, the D's act showcased Black's theatrical, versatile vocals and Gass' deft support on the guitar in seemingly stream-of-consciousness songs about smoking pot, the duo's musical and sexual prowess, and subjects straight out of Dungeons & Dragons, as well as in equally absurd and inventive sketches.

The duo met at an acting class and began playing together in 1994, making their live debut later that year at Al's Bar, playing just one number, the aforementioned homage to the world's greatest song, "Tribute." In the audience that night was comedian/actor David Cross, who invited Black and Gass to appear with him and other like-minded performers such as Ben Stiller and Janeane Garofalo in a series of alternative comedy shows. The D soon headlined shows at venues like Pedro's and Largo, planting the seeds of a die-hard cult following; not even their inauspicious film debut in 1996's Bio-Dome slowed their momentum. The following year, their appearances on Bob Odenkirk and Cross' brilliant HBO sketch comedy program Mr. Show With Bob and David and a 1998 performance of "Sex Supreme" -- which sang the praises of a ménage à trois with KG and JB -- on Saturday Night Live hinted at the duo's just-beneath-the surface popularity, which began to rise into the mainstream with the group's 1999 HBO series. Though it lasted just three episodes, Tenacious D included, among other adventures, the group's search for "Inspirato," the cosmic creative force; the love triangle between Black, Gass, and a heavily pierced, Satanic clog dancer who threatened to destroy the group; and the discovery of Lee, Tenacious D's biggest fan. More of the D's brilliantly dumb songs debuted on the show, and fans began trading and auctioning video and audiotapes of Tenacious D. The duo also played opening gigs for friends like Beck, Pearl Jam, and the Foo Fighters and embarked on their first full-fledged tour; Epic won a bidding war to sign the group. In 2000, Black's popularity and prominence as an actor grew with roles in films like Jesus' Son and, especially, High Fidelity, where his turn as the larger-than-life record store clerk Barry made him a bona-fide star. Meanwhile, the group worked on a self-titled debut album with the Dust Brothers, Dave Grohl, Phish's Page McConnell, Redd Kross' Steve McDonald, and other friends.

In 2001, the D's momentum hit critical mass: The group set out on their second nationwide tour, playing significantly larger venues than before and selling out many of their dates. And, despite an attempt to recall Tenacious D at the last moment because of its back cover, which depicted two babies chained to an altar, their debut entered the charts at a surprisingly strong number 33. Meanwhile, Spumco, the production company of Ren & Stimpy mastermind John K., crafted an appropriately witty and raunchy video for the single "Fuck Her Gently," and, last but not least, the duo continued work on a Tenacious D movie.

Need to know your favorite artists a little bit more? My Thoughts In Stereo brings you Gettin' To Know- featuring some of the most remembered and most iconic music acts of all time. Write-ups from the All-Music Guide.

Cheers, everyone!

So Did Coldplay Really Steal From The Creaky Boards and Joe Satriani?

You've probably heard the news by now- that Coldplay's massive iTunes hit, "Viva La Vida" might have been ripped off from the work of some more obscure band.

They're called The Creaky Boards, and this Brooklyn-based rock band have put up a video on YouTube- a side-by-side comparison of their song- which was written more than a year before "Viva La Vida" came out- with Coldplay's hit single. The irony of it? The title of the Creaky Boards song is... "The Songs I Didn't Write."

Anyway, you be the judge, check out the video comparison for yourself:



Okay, so maybe it's hard to tell for sure, but here comes another claim that the same song- "Viva La Vida" might have come from another piece of work- this time from Joe Satriani's "If I Could Fly". Listen closely and take a look at this video:

Now even the tempo seems to match. But can we really be so sure?

According to the news story from AoL music,

The YouTube "my tiny band's song and your big song side-by-side" defense has been a recurring event lately. Avril Lavigne was the first major act to get the treatment on YouTube, as her hit 'Girlfriend' was supposedly stolen from The Rubinoos' 'I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.' Since Lavigne, Miley Cyrus and Jessica Simpson both faced the same critiques.

So what do you think?

Cheers, everyone!

Chicks In Music: Carrie Underwood

In a recent news bit on AoL Music, American Idol Carrie Underwood tells Cosmopolitan: "I don't consider myself sexy ... I'm kind of a nervous person in general. I'm socially awkward. I'm not tall and sensuous. I usually wear sweats everywhere I go. Oh, and I burp a lot,"

Now ain't that cute? All the more reason for us to give props to Miss Underwood, and even more reason to include her here, on this blog's tribute to the finest ladies in the industry- Chicks In Music!

Stuff you probably listened to from Carrie Underwood: "Jesus Take the Wheel", from her debut album Some Hearts, and straight out of her American Idol victory. From that same album you also had "Wasted", and probably her biggest hit yet, "Before He Cheats".

She also had that charity single, "I'll Stand By You" and her version of the Christmas classic "Do You Hear What I Hear?".

Her second album, Carnival Ride, was released late last year, and has thus far, spawned three hits- "So Small", "All-American Girl" and "Last Name"- that song she performed on the American Idol Season 7 finale.

So it's only been three years since Carrie bagged the American Idol, and you can see that she's a bon afide superstar- with three Grammys to her credit, millions of albums sold, and a solid career as a singer/songwriter.

Most of her fans love her because she's so innocent and wholesome- but as you can see on her performance on the results show of the American Idol Season 7 finale, she's definitely all woman- slinky, sassy, and a truly a joy to watch. Video courtesy of louisejenny84 on YouTube. Enjoy!

What I'm Listening To From Carrie Underwood Now

Definitely "Last Name"- it's been in my player since I saw her perform the song on American Idol. "Before He Cheats" seems to be a staple at many karaoke joints- and is apparently a great song with women on alcohol :)

Check out Carrie Underwood on her Wikipedia entry, or visit her official website here.

Cheers, everyone.

Chicks In Music is a regular feature on My Thoughts In Stereo. We pay tribute to the hottest ladies in the music industry- with updates, trivia, video clips and links to their websites and social media. Checking out your favorite females in rock, pop and R&B online has never been so gratifying- Chicks in Music!

Chicks In Music: Katy Perry

Dammit, I couldn't get "I Kissed A Girl" out of my head.

In fact, the song's playing right now as I bang out this blog entry from my PC at home.

"I Kissed A Girl" might be a song that has riled up conservatives- but hey, it's great power pop. Great narrative element, catchy tune, and quite well-produced- real tight. Take it easy on Katy Perry, people. And try to take that stick from out of your asses while your at it.

All that buzz has only fueled Katy Perry's rise to the top. See, before all this, Katy was once a gospel singer (she had gone by the name of Katy Hudson), and already had a foothold in the music industry singing backup, appearing in the occasional music video, etc. Madonna also mentioned in a couple of radio shows earlier this year that her other song "Ur So Gay" was on her player, and one of her favorites at the time.

Blam! Overnight success right there, man.

I discovered her over at iTunes, when her song was one of the most downloaded tunes that week. Went over to YouTube, checked out the video, and fell in love with the song- fell in love enough to download it, and put it on high rotation on my player all the way to the airport. That was three weeks ago. And I'm still digging "I Kissed A Girl" now.

As I write this entry, she's pretty much the talk of the town: she's got her songs playing on the radio and on MTV, downloaded on iTunes, and her video slapped on just about every video service there is out there.

Now that she has the public's attention, she has even been praised for her style and fashion, with the media checking out what she's wearing and what accessories she's sporting, etc. Let's leave all that to them. As far as I'm concerned, she's cute, and a joy to listen to. Totally deserving of my support.

Good luck to you , Katy. You got my ear. Here's the video to "I Kissed A Girl", courtesy of AoL Music. Enjoy!

What I'm Listening To From Katy Perry Now

Aside from "I Kissed A Girl" and "Ur So Gay"? Watch out for "Hot N Cold"- should be a hit in a few months. Love it. The album just dropped today, but you can check it out on her MySpace playlist. Did I mention I love "Hot N Cold"?

Check out Katy Perry on her official MySpace page, or you can read her Wikipedia entry, or visit her official website here.

Cheers, everyone.

Chicks In Music is a regular feature on My Thoughts In Stereo. We pay tribute to the hottest ladies in the music industry- with updates, trivia, video clips and links to their websites and social media. Checking out your favorite females in rock, pop and R&B online has never been so gratifying- Chicks in Music!