The Toale Family

Thursday, March 27, 2014

30 Days of Music: Day 4

Rock Anthems

Growing up, I was NOT a fan of heavy metal groups. Guns N Roses, Def Leppard, Aerosmith, Poison...these groups just weren't on my radar. I give credit to my little sister for changing my mind about these groups.

Think about songs that have survived through the decades. Songs that are continually played on radio stations, and passed on from one generation to the next. Songs that you find yourself randomly singing without even realizing it. Chances are a few of them are from "Heavy Metal" bands from the 1980s and 1990s.

It wasn't easy to choose, but below are a few of my favorite "rock anthems" from the 1980s and 1990s.

When this next video was released, MTV, and the world went crazy. It was very graphic for the time, and dealt with a very serious, unpleasant issue. However, this song did go on to win a Grammy and has stood the test of time.

No list would be complete without a little Guns N' Roses.

The hair, the good looks, the AWESOME songs; Bon Jovi is next.

Released in 1975, and introduced to a new generation thanks to the movie Wayne's World, the last song is the greatest anthem of all. "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen.

Which anthem would you include?

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

30 Days of Music: Day 3

A Song That Makes You Happy

I'm a HUGE fan of music from the 1960s. You'll see many of the songs from that decade during the next 27 days of this challenge.

First off today, the song "Joy to the World", by Three Dog Night. With the word joy in the title, and lyrics talking about a bullfrog, how could this song not make you smile?

Next off, a song from the early 1990s. "Shiny Happy People", by R.E.M. If the song doesn't make you happy, the video will. They are having so much fun, it's hard not to smile.

And finally, back to the 1960s, with a twist. The Turtles did a song called "Happy Together", and The Piano Guys did a cover of it. The song has always made me smile, but this video, watching Steve and his Cello, is simply hilarious!

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

30 Days of Music: Day 2

A Song That Helps You Clear Your Head

Rascal Flatts is one of my favorite groups. Whenever life gets to be a little too much for me, "Stand" is the song I listen to. It helps me vent, get all the garbage out of my system, and then refocus again on life. It was especially significant for me when I was fired a few years back.

You feel like a candle in a hurricane
Just like a picture with a broken frame
Alone and helpless
Like you've lost your fight
But you'll be alright, you'll be alright

[Chorus:]
'Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you're made of
You might bend, 'til you break
'Cause it's all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you've had enough
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe your hands, shake it off
Then you stand,
Then you stand

Life's like a novel
With the end ripped out
The edge of a canyon
With only one way down
Take what you're given before it's gone
And start holding on, keep holding on

[Chorus:]
'Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you're made of
You might bend 'til you break
'Cause it's all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you've had enough
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe your hands, shake it off
Then you stand,
Yeah, then you stand

Every time you get up
And get back in the race
One more small piece of you
Starts to fall into place
Oh

[Chorus]

Yeah, then you stand,
Yeah, yeah, baby
Woo hoo, woo hoo, woo hoo

Then you stand, yeah, yeah

Monday, March 24, 2014

30 Days of Music: Day 1

A Song That Annoys You

I don't keep up with most movies that are currently popular. So when I started to hear about this movie Frozen, I wasn't really interested in it. And then I began to hear all about a song from the movie titled "Let it Go". It was suddenly ALL OVER THE INTERNET. People were making their own versions of it, and EVERY CHILD ON THE PLANET was having their version posted to Facebook. It has become the equivalent of "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion, only 17 years later.....WAY OVER DONE! And that says a lot, because I happen to really love that song!

Until today, I had never heard this song. I knew that John Travolta apparently butchered the name of the singer when he introduced her at the Academy Awards, but that's really all I knew about it. So I decided to finally figure out what the heck has the whole world so obsessed with this song.

First, I listened to the version from the movie.

Really? This is the song that currently has the world going crazy? 155 MILLION hits on YouTube? I'm sorry, but this so is SOOOO ANNOYING! I don't know what the movie is about, maybe that would help put the song into context, but her voice is obnoxious and completely kills it for me. The melody is great, but I was about ready to turn it off half way through. So I tried to find another version. I listened to the Demi Lovato version....no better.

Then I found a version by Alex Boye, a musician who has worked with The Piano Guys. I was hopeful that I would like this version.

I liked this version MUCH better, but there wasn't enough of Alex in it for me. Lexi Walker's voice was much easier to listen to, and didn't annoy me nearly as much as the original version. So it was once again back to YouTube to discover if there was ANY version of this song that I liked.

The Piano Guys have also done this song.

FINALLY, a version I can get behind! Maybe it was just getting rid of the singing; I don't know what it is, but this version didn't make me want to puke, and I enjoyed listening to it.

What I do know is this: It's time for the world to LET IT GO when it comes to this song......it's annoying!!!

Sunday, March 16, 2014

30 Days of TV Recap

I just finished my latest blog challenge: 30 Days of TV. I had so much fun doing this, and sharing my favorite shows with you. In case you missed any of it, here it is one more time!

I'm trying to decide which challenge to do next. If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them.

Day 1: Saddest Death of an Actor