TSB: (2) Up vs. (15) Kick-Ass

Voting up just a tick yesterday with 10 total votes. Please remember there are two sets you are voting on each day - this one and the one right below it (today that would be Back to the Future vs. Chariots of Fire).

Let's keep spreading the word. I would like to get the votes well past double digits for each post. Thanks for the help.

No. 2 seeds are now up.

(2) Up

(15) Kick-Ass

poll by twiigs.com

 

TSB: (2) Back to the Future vs. (15) Chariots of Fire

(2) Back to the Future

(15) Chariots of Fire

poll by twiigs.com

 

TSB: (1) Jaws vs. (16) Bridge on the River Kwai

Well, not very thrilled with the turnout on the first day of this bracket game. Just nine total votes. But, we will try again.

Star Wars and Indiana Jones both move on to the next round, if in fact there will be a next round. Today we have the final two No. 1 seeds in Jaws and Harry Potter. Please vote for both and please spread the word. I definitely want double digits for each set at the very least.

Let's have some fun.

(1) Jaws

(16) Bridge on the River Kwai

poll by twiigs.com

TSB: (1) Harry Potter vs. (16) Goodbye Lenin

(1) Harry Potter

(16) Goodbye Lenin

poll by twiigs.com

 

TSB: (1) Indiana Jones vs. (16) Saw

Hello. And welcome to the first day of the first round of the (Instrumental) Theme Song Bracket.

I searched long and hard about trying to add music to these blog posts without having to put in a youtube clip. And, the only way I could figure out how to do it so that it worked was to add a playlist at the top of the page. So, all four theme songs from today are listed above (click on the right side with the four lines to open the playlist) if you so wish to listen to them before voting.

I will update that each day with the theme songs being voted on. So, please enjoy this process and make sure to spread the word - looking for many, many votes this time around.

Don't forget there are two entries each day - vote here and vote in the next one below.

Thank you.

(1) Indiana Jones

(16) Saw

poll by twiigs.com

 

TSB: (1) Star Wars vs. (16) Requiem for a Dream

(1) Star Wars

(16) Requiem for a Dream

poll by twiigs.com

 

Top 10: Songs That Remind Me of Movies

This Top 10 list could technically be a Top 100 list. But, I did a quick run through of songs and the first 10 that popped into my head I put down. Sure, there are probably others that are out there, but these were fresh in my mind.

My only criteria, and hopefully I didn't miss any, was that the song not be written specifically for a movie. So, 'Footloose', 'Eye of the Tiger', 'My Heart Will Go On', 'Lose Yourself', and about a million others could not be used for this list.

A movie that can use a song the right way can actually make that song its own. Some films have done that with a multitude of songs. But, I have selected 10 songs that when I hear them - anywhere - I immediately think of a certain movie. As I said above, there are probably more, but this is the list for now. If you have any - drop them in the comments. Would love to hear them.

10) The Shins - New Slang (Garden State)

As a huge Scrubs fan, I was obviously interested in checking out Zach Braff's films Garden State. Braff has been a large fan of The Shins, and they were also featured in several Scrubs episodes. This one song, from what music of theirs I have heard, is my favorite and every time I hear it I immediately think of this movie.

9) Jamiroquai - Canned Heat (Napoleon Dynamite)

Just a crazy scene to top off a crazy film. When I first saw Napoleon Dynamite I didn't know what to think. Where was this film coming from? It was so over the top crazy. I didn't even know if I enjoyed it the first time I saw it. But, on repeat viewings it gets better and better. And, the dance scene with this song is downright hysterical.

8) Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody (Ghost)

I have not seen Ghost in a really long time. I remember it being an okay movie when I did see it though. The scene that sticks with most people, though, is the pottery scene where the Righteous Brothers belt out this song. It is so iconic now that it is even being parodied or mentioned - like in the pottery class of Community.

7) Elton John - Tiny Dancer (Almost Famous)

This is a film I had not scene in its entirety until a few years ago. But, the one thing I knew going in was the song Tiny Dancer being sung by the band. After seeing it, though, within the film it stands out even more.

6) Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes (Say Anything) 

Okay, how's this for a song that reminds me of a movie. In Your Eyes reminds me of Say Anything and I haven't even seen the movie yet. Crazy, right? Anyway, with some research, I guess this song wasn't even originally chosen for the boombox scene - John Cusack, who is a big Fishbone fan, used a Fishbone song when filming. Not until post production did Peter Gabriel's song get inserted into the film. I think they made the right choice.

5) Chuck Berry - Johnny B Goode (Back to the Future)

It's funny, but this film actually has a few songs that remind me of it. Of course, a few of those are Huey Lewis' power ballads mostly written for the film - and of course who can forget about Mr. Sandman? But, the song that rocks the hardest, so much so that these '50s swinging cats aren't even ready for it, is Johnny B Goode being rocked out by Marty McFly.

4) Stealers Wheel - Stuck in the Middle with You (Reservoir Dogs)

A pretty creepy scene when you think about it. But, Mr. Blonde dances to this song when he holds the guard hostage and decides to do a little torturing all by himself - just for the fun of it, really.

3) Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion (Dazed & Confused)

Pick a song from this film and it pretty much reminds me of it - Bob Dylan's Hurricane comes to mind - but the one that truly sticks out to me is the very first song of the film, Aerosmith's Sweet Emotion. It sets the tone for what is about to happen. And, it begins what would late be the topper of the film - driving into the city to score Aerosmith tickets.

2) Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody (Wayne's World) 

Despite probably being one of the lone standout films to come out of an SNL sketch, Wayne's World will probably always be remembered for the amazing sing-along, head banging that they pulled off to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody in their car.

1) Simple Minds - Don't You Forget About Me (Breakfast Club) 

I thought long and hard, but there was just no getting past it. This song brings me right back to that library and I see the five high schoolers stuck in detention on a Saturday, which is immediately followed by the final still of Judd Nelson's John Bender walking across the football field and raising his arm into the air.

T.G.I.F.

I stumbled across this video the other night while scrolling YouTube, and I thought it was pretty funny.

A lot of 80s references in the video and some great cameos. (No, I did not mean to have two Hanson videos up in a row).

Anyway, check it out.

The Best Boy Band?

OK, so I have been touring YouTube and iTunes for music and I came across something that really surprised me.

You all remember the huge "Boy Band" craze of the '90s correct? With bands you know like N*SYNC, Backstreet Boys and Boyz II Men. And still others like 4PM, Boyzone and 98 Degrees. Well, where are all of these bands?

The first three I mentioned may have been the most popular. N*SYNC, of course, had the most talented member in it - which was both great for them and a curse. Once, Justin Timberlake decided to go solo and make himself a movie star - the band was no more.

Backstreet Boys have since come back into the fold, but have joined forces with '80s boy band, New Kids on the Block.

Boyz II Men are apparently still out there (minus one member), but have you really heard anything from them in a decade or more?

I am sure there are other bands out there that are still together and making music, but from what I have noticed the "Boy Band" craze has come to a complete end....

Except one band.

The one band that made it through everything and are still making decent music......Hanson.

Yes, that's right, the trio of brothers with the long hair that blessed us with MmmBop - which I am sure most of you thought was their lone hit.

I guess we shouldn't be too shocked (like their music or not), Hanson not only plays instruments (a multitude of instruments), but they write their own music (for the most part).

I am sorry, but that is talent. Something that most other boy bands really didn't have. Most boy bands were thrown together due to looks and some musical talent (mostly singing and dancing) and sang songs others wrote.

But, here we are in 2011 - exactly 15 years after the release of MmmBop - and Hanson is still making music. And depending on what kind of music you like - it is actually pretty decent. I am adding a video from YouTube at the end of this. The song is pretty catchy, but the video is definitely eye catching.

So, I doubt the band Hanson really jumps out of your mouth or into your head when best "Boy Band" is mentioned. But, from what I can tell, they just might be.

Best Animated Disney Soundtrack

So, I got to thinking.

I just sat down with my family and watched a couple of Disney films - Aladdin and Pocahontas (by the way I realized I had NEVER seen Pocahontas so a review of that will be up some time in the near future) - and I got to thinking, "What animated Disney film has the best soundtrack?"

Now, I know you are immediately thinking of so many great Disney songs in your head, right? But, it's pretty safe to say that each and every Disney film has at least one gem of a song.

Off the top of my head there's "Be My Guest", "Circle of Life", "Under the Sea", "When You Wish Upon a Star", etc.

But, which film has a soundtrack that if not all of the songs, most of the songs are great.

After sitting through Aladdin again, I have to think this one has to be near the top of the list with "Prince Ali", "Friend Like Me", "A Whole New World", "Arabian Nights", "One Jump Ahead". Each song sticks out.

Are there others? Yes there are. So I want to hear from you - what is the best (or your favorite) soundtrack from an animated Disney film? (must be animated, no Mary Poppins).

Desert Island - Movie Soundtrack

OK. So I saw this on a few of my fellow bloggers' sites and I thought it was such a fun idea that I had to give it a try. And man was it hard. In fact, if I did this again next week I could very well have a whole new list. But, after my initial pass these are the ones that I have chosen.

Castor at Anomalous Material has given a set of parameters. A plane goes down and you are on a deserted island. In this case, what 12 songs (and those songs must be included in a soundtrack) would you bring with you to listen to on a continuous loop.

So, I began thinking. And a lot of different things popped into my head. First was, find your favorite groups or singers and figure out which soundtracks they belong to. Second, what songs resonate with you thanks to their inclusion in a film.

Well, these are the 12 that I came up with.

1) The Tragically Hip - Ahead By A Century

-Found on the Jumper soundtrack, The Tragically Hip have been my favorite band since I was in high school. Living in a small town just south of Canada, these Canadian musicians really had an influence on my teenage years and have continued to be a part of my life ever since.

2) Guster - What You Wish For

-Found on the Life as a House soundtrack, Guster is another of my favorite bands. I was introduced to them by my then friend and no current wife. They have sort of become a staple in our household and we continue to see them whenever possible.

3) Our Lady Peace - Life

-Found on the Men With Brooms soundtrack, I came across Our Lady Peace (another Canadian band) a little later than my other two favorite bands, but have come to love them all about the same. I realized that I had actually been listening to them for awhile, but didn't know who they were - now one of my top three bands.

4) The Clarks - Let It Go

-Found on the Summer Catch soundtrack, I was born in Pittsburgh, but moved away when I was eight years old. I returned to my birth city for college and discovered a local band doing pretty well for itself - and I have been following them ever since.

5) Gene Wilder - Pure Imagination

-Found on the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory soundtrack, my all-time favorite movie and besides The Candy Man, probably the most iconic song in the film. I had to include at least one song from this amazing film.

6) Soggy Bottom Boys - Man of Constant Sorrow

-Found on O Brother, Where Art Though soundtrack, the song that became a sensation throughout the film actually became a pretty big sensation outside of the film as well. The funniest parts are Clooney and his gang singing the words of the Soggy Bottom Boys.

7) Kermit the Frog - Rainbow Connection

-Found on The Muppet Movie soundtrack, definitely brings me back to my childhood and love of the Muppets. My son has slowly gotten into these movies and has these songs in his iPod. Just a great song - probably the best by a frog.

8) Wailing Souls - Wild Wild Life

-Found on the Cool Runnings soundtrack, this song definitely reminds me of this great film. It truly fits the movie of the first Jamaican bobsled team to compete in the Olympics.

9) Frou Frou - Let Go

-Found on the Garden State soundtrack, a film that is truly known for its soundtrack this Frou Frou song has always stuck out to me and compliments the film very well.

10) Linkin Park - What I've Done

-Found on the Transformers soundtrack, when I first heard the song it really jumped out and me and although it is probably overplayed by now it still is a great song that really fit into the movie well.

11) Citizen Cope - Let the Drummer Kick

-Found on the Accepted soundtrack, one of the best films ever that my wife and I have to watch at least once a month. This song - besides the amazing You Think We Suck - is probably the song that resonates the most for me from the film.

12) The Wallflowers - Heroes

-Found on the Godzilla soundtrack, but I would technically be including it from The Replacements. The original song was used in the film, but for some reason they used another artist on the actual soundtrack.

Well, there is my 12-track deserted island CD. Like I said, if I made this list a month later it might be a little different - and I am sure I missed a ton of great songs that I will find late on, but for now, at this moment, this is my list.

Let It Be

OK, I saw this the other day and I just had to post it. It is some Swedish talk show hosts or something of that nature and they got all of these celebrities (most of them from the 80's) to lipsink to Let It Be. It's extremely interesting and pretty well done.

How many of these celebrities did you know?

Top 10: Male Solo Artists

In continuing with yesterday's Top 10, I have decided to try and list my favorite solo male artists.

This has proven to be quite difficult, as most of my favorite singers are attached to a band, so finding 10 singers that I truly like their music and admire for some reason was pretty hard. But, I managed to do it - and although some of these choices might be a bit odd, there is probably a reason for my choosing them that goes even further than their music.

Singers 8-through-10 are pretty old school, but were part of my life growing up that has never really left me.

So here we are, my Top 10 male solo artists:

10) Bryan Adams
Comments: I have to admit that I actually started to like Bryan Adams thanks to my obsession with the Kevin Costner Robin Hood movie. Adams' "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)" song was the theme for the movie, and I immediately was hooked. I checked out Adams' "Waking Up The Neighbors" CD (I think it was a tape at the time) and loved it, and then found some of his older works - especially 'Summer of '69'.

9) Neil Diamond
Comments: Diamond was one of the few artists that my mother consistently listened to while I was growing up, so he sort of grew on me. He is also a pretty funny guy as proven in the Jason Biggs' movie "Saving Silverman". His song 'Forever in Blue Jeans' is a summer jam that Erika and I must listen to.

8) John Denver
Comments: This was my mother's all-time favorite musician. His music would blare through our house constantly and it has pretty much been engraved into my brain forever. My favorite song of Denver's has to be 'Thank God I'm a Country Boy', which Erika, myself and my Uncle Jim belt out at family karaoke.

7) "Weird Al" Yankovic
Comments: I believe I got hooked on "Weird Al" when my parents got me his Greatest Hits CD for either a birthday or Christmas present. I was drawn to his comedic intelligence and pretty much spot on musical ability. He has parodied many of the greatest artists in history, and for the most part each song is unique and quite entertaining.

6) Graham Colton
Comments: The only artist that makes both this list and my Fav. Band list. I first heard Colton open for The Clarks at a concert in Pittsburgh and was immediately hooked. Lucky for me I saw him the next day as part of the 'Big Shindig' with Guster - and once more opening just for Guster. Although he is part of a band, he has released solo albums which are equally as good as his work with the band.

5) Brad Paisley
Comments: Growing up I was never really a fan of country music. I guess you could thank the terrible radio stations nowadays that have drawn me to it. I can't listen to an alternative or rock station anymore - at least with country I know what I am going to get. Paisley, along with Rascal Flatts, has become my favorite country artist.

4) Jason Mraz
Comments: I am not quite sure how I got into Mraz's music. I remember picking up his CD at the music store and purchasing it, maybe it was just on a whim. But, I am glad that I did because he is truly a words magician. It's amazing how fast he can spew out words - his song 'Wordplay' is one of my favorites.

3) Marc Broussard
Comments: This is another artist that I was lucky enough to catch at the 'Big Shindig' in Pittsburgh. I am not sure if I would have ever caught on to this talented musician. He definitely shows off his New Orleans upbringing - with his soul-type music, but his voice is out of this world. Check out 'Save Me' if you don't believe me.

2) Billy Joel
Comments: Joel, like Diamond and Denver, was passed down to me thanks to my mother. Unlike the other two, however, Joel has always been one of my favorite musicians. I mean he is the piano man, he's amazing.

1) John Mayer
Comments: I was one of the first people to recognize Mayer (probably outside of his hometown) when the music store I was working in received an advanced copy of "Room for Squares". His silky smooth voice really drew me in, and finding out he was a singer/songwriter really topped it off for me. He is extremely talented, and is only getting better with age.

There you have it, my Top 10 male solo artists. I may try and look into the female side of things in blogs to come, but I have to admit I don't think I could come up with 10. But, I may try.

Top 10: Bands

I guess you could say I was a little behind when it came to truly getting into music. Growing up I was brought up with my dad's '50's music and my mother's Elton John and John Denver records. I even was given her old 45 records (the one's with one song on either side) and played them a lot.

When I reached high school, I was still listening to bands I had grown up with - and was actually often made fun of for it. What high school boy out there was listening to Boyz II Men before a high school basketball game? Um, that would be me.

Anyway, my musical preferences have since blossomed and I have put together a list of my Top 10 Favorite Bands. These are my favorite bands (not solo artists), so of course yours will differ. So without further adieu her they are in reverse order:

10) Green Day
Band Members: Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tre Cool.

Studio Albums: 39/Smooth, Kerplunk, Dookie, Insomniac, Nimrod, Warning, American Idiot.

Fav. Songs: When I Come Around, Brain Stew, Warning, Nice Guys Finish Last, Redundant, Minority, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Wake Me Up When September Ends, Jesus of Suburbia.

9) Vertical Horizon
Band Members: Matt Scannell, Keith Kane and Sean Hurley

Studio Albums: There and Back Again, Running on Ice, Live Stages, Everything You Want. Go, Go 2.0.

Fav. Songs: We Are, Everything You Want, You're A God, I'm Still Here, Forever, Echo, BEst I Ever Had, Shackled.

8) Aerosmith
Band Members: Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer

Studio Albums: Aerosmith, Get Your Wings, Toys in the Attic, Rocks, Draw the Line, Night in the Ruts, Rock in a Hard Place, Done with Mirrors, Permanent Vacation, Pump, Get a Grip, Nine Lives, Just Push Play, Honkin' on Bobo.

Fav. Songs: Dream On, Rag Doll, Pink, Just Push Play, Crazy, Crying, Don't Wanna Miss A Thing, Sweet Emotion, Walk This Way, Same Old Song and Dance, Dude (Looks Like a Lady), Angel, Janie's Got a Gun, Livin' On the Edge, Jaded.

7) Maroon 5
Band Members: Adam Levine, James Valentine, Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden and Matt Flynn

Studio Albums: Songs About Jane, It Won't Be Soon Before Long.

Fav. Songs: Harder to Breathe, This Love, Sunday Morning, She Will Be Loved, Makes Me Wonder, Won't Go Home Without You, Wake Up Call.

6) Graham Colton Band
Band Members: Graham Colton, Jordan Elder, John Lancaster, Ryan Tallent

Studio Albums: Drive.

Fav. Songs: Cigarette, First Week, Killing Me, Don't Give Up On Me.

5) Rascal Flatts
Band Members: Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, Joe Don Rooney

Studio Albums: Rascal Flatts, Melt, Feels Like Today, Me and My Gang, Still Feels Good.

Fav. Songs: Prayin' for Daylight, I Melt, Mayberry, Love You Out Loud, Me and My Gang, Bless the Broken Road, Feels Like Today, My Wish, Stand, What Hurts the Most, Take Me There, Winning at a Losing Game.

4) The Clarks
Band Members: Scott Blasey, Robert James, Greg Joseph and Dave Minarik

Studio Albums: I'll Tell You What Man, The Clarks, Love Gone Sour Suspicious and Bad Debt, Someday Maybe, Let It Go, Another Happy Ending, Fast Moving Cars.

Fav. Songs: Cigarette, Mercury, Hey You, Boys Like, On Saturday, Maybe, Hell On Wheels, Shimmy Low, Happy, Blue, Let it Go, Snowman, Born Too Late, Butterflies & Airplanes, Penny on the Floor.

3) Guster
Band Members: Adam Gardner, Ryan Miller, Brian Rosenworcel and Joe Pisapia

Studio Albums: Parachute, Goldfly, Lost and Gone Forever, Keep It Together, Ganging Up on the Sun.

Fav. Songs: Demons, What You Wish For, Happier, Either Way, Barrel of a Gun, Airport Song, Careful, Amsterdam, Keep It Together, Come Downstairs and Say Hello, Long Way Down, Satellite, C'mon, Manigest Destiny, One Man Wrecking Maching, G Major.

2) Our Lady Peace
Band Members: Raine Maida, Steve Mazur, Jeremy Taggart and Duncan Coutts

Studio Albums: Naveed, Clumsy, Happiness is not a Fish You Can Catch, Spiritual Machines, Gravity, Healthy in Paranoid Times.

Fav. Songs: Starseed, Clumsy, Carnival, Superman's Dead, One Man Army, 4 a.m., Thief, Is Anybody Home?, Happiness & the Fish, Potato Girl, Right Behind You, In Repair, Life, Are You Sad?, Somewhere Out There, Innocent, Angels/Losing/Sleep, World on a String, Where Are You?.

1) The Tragically Hip
Band Members: Gordon Downie, Rob Baker, Johnny Fay, Gord Sinclair and Paul Langlois

Studio Albums: The Tragically Hip, Up to Here, Road Apples, Fully Completely, Day for Night, Trouble at the Henhouse, Phatom Power, Music at Work, In Violet Light, In Between Evolution, World Container.

Fav. Songs: Emperor Penguin, Pigeon Camera, Poets, Fireworks, Ahead by a Century, Gift Shop, Nautical Disaster, Blow At High Dough, New Orleans is Sinking, Twist My Arm, Long Time Running, Fiddler's Green, Courage, Fully Completely, Wheat Kings, Fifty Mission Cup, At the Hundredth Meridian, Grace, Too, Greasy Jungle, Scared, Bobcaygeon, Music at Work, Lake Fever, The Darkest One, Leave, A Beautiful Thing, In View, Yer Not the Ocean, The Lonely End of the Rink.