Duelling Banjos

Even if you've never seen the movie Deliverance, there is a huge chance you've heard the famous (infamous?) bit of music entitled "Duelling Banjos" in which one of the characters plays his guitar "against" a hill-billy kid...

The music has become synonymous with backwater/inbred sorts over the years (I think it might be the Official Music of certain counties in the South West UK, or parts of East Anglia...) and if you hear it, you know the tune.

But I digress. We're not bashing Cornwall or Norfolk (oops) here. Nor the southern US states. My original point is the bit of music.

I WAS going to post this on Monday under the Musical Monday subject, but decided that as I love it so much, I'm going to share it with you now.

For those of you that have never heard of Bill Bailey, he is a British comedian that is also an actor and also a musician. If you've never seen one of his shows, he has lots of musical stuff going on. He often touches on similar themes, such as The Wurzels, Star Wars and not trusting Joggers (after all, they're the ones that always find the bodies of murder victims...)

Last night, while slogging through a pile of Christmas Presents to wrap, we put on a couple of his DVDs to watch while we created a pile of stuff under the tree. One of these shows, Tinselworm, had a version of the Duelling Banjos on it that blew me away.

From the different things I've seen him do, he likes to do his own take on various things, and often plays strange instruments like the Theramin, Mandolins and similar. This video is no different - you honestly have to watch but especially LISTEN. It's well worth playing loud.



I don't know what it is about it, but this version makes me smile, a big stupid cheesy smile. It's proper feel-good music if you ask me, and the level of talent on display is astounding.

How To Feel Old

If you're a young spring chicken like me *cough* then you might have been one of these hip cool things that remembers the band Blink 182, and their brilliant album, "Enema of the State"

Comedy gold word play, right there...

But anyway, this morning on Twitter, Sam retweeted the following image, and I was so taken aback, I had to share it. Prepare to feel old. Remember the cover of that album had the young woman in a nurses uniform?

Of course you do.

Well, here's her then, and beside, her now.

Yes, we're getting old.

Physically, anyway.

For Kellie...

It's not often a song will have just the right words. This one does.

Just for my Kellie... Listen to/Read the words.

Bloody Song!

As I have mentioned once or twice on 0ddness, it is a very common occurrence for me to have a song stuck in my head. Sometimes it's a bit of a song, sometimes it's an entire song. It can be a song I like or a song I hate. My brain is not fussed.

Earworm, is the correct term, as discovered last year after pottering around on Ze Google for a while. I'd be lying if I said my head is usually devoid of something playing, and the kids have caught on to this and most days ask what song is stuck in the old grey noodle.

This morning at approximately 0602 while I was leaving the bedroom, my head starting playing one such song, and now, at 0033 it is STILL playing. I had a quiet morning - song played over and over. I had a busy afternoon - song carried on. We went to the Future 0dd Mother in Law - carried on there too. Late evening, while chilling, it carried on over and around and over...

So, with just under thirty minutes left in MY day, I decided to share it with you, dear reader. Those of you on normal timezone probably won't hear this till the morning, and HOPEFULLY most of you will suffer as much as I have for eighteen hours.

Those of you outside the UK, there's a good chance the only time you have ever heard of Right Said Fred is with their song I'm Too Sexy... This one, I can honestly say, I have not heard for years. Years and years. Yet here it is, running around in the noggin.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Deeply Dippy...

Grown Up Night Out

With the veritable shenanigans from last weeks evening out, the four of us had the back up parachute that was THIS weekend, when we would be going out for a nice evening out that, all things considered, was likely to finish later than midnight.

Woot.

The plan was to go and see Kerrys cousin play with his band at a club in Southend on Friday night. So, babysitters were advised to be ready, plans were made, details were hammered out... Luckily for some of us, yours truly is a smart-arse that likes to check things, and through a little bit of luck, I noticed that the flyer for the band showed they were playing SATURDAY night. Not Friday. So, another flurry of activity, and the babysitters and arrangements were juggled around so we could go out Saturday - not Friday.

FYI: it was the GIRLS that had planned the night out this time around... They are both claiming they were given bad information by the band, but I digress. I'm not one to blame others unless they are in the wrong.

*ahem*

So, Saturday night, the plan was pretty much, kids gone by four, we leave by five, meet Kerry & James on the train to Southend by about half five, get into Southend about six, have dinner in an Indian restaurant, have some drinks at the bar, watch the band, have some more drinks, head home.

The fact James called at four, running late in traffic, didn't bode well. We were ready to go just before five, but Kerry & James were having a nervous breakdown trying to get their shite together.  It should be added, that where women sulk that they "don't have a thing to wear" or "that's it, I look crap, I'm not going out" I need to point out that James is right up there with them. So with our group being comprised of three-quarters girly women that have to look just so, it's no wonder we were running late.

Blame where blame is due, after all.

So, with James crying down the phone that they were now at the station and cold, we were getting our arse into gear waiting for our cab and just missed one train. Back on the phone to James, we missed this train, but the next is due in fifteen minutes. Our train arrives, we get on, and let them know we're on the second carriage, at the second set of doors, and will be with them in a little bit.

A few minutes later, my phone rings, and once again, it's the six foot four woman.

James: You're not on this train?
Me: Er, yes we are...
James: No, you're not on THIS train...
Me: Did you get on the wrong train?

Now, technically, it's not the wrong train - it goes to Southend, but it wasn't the train WE were on. So, a few minutes ahead of us, they arrived in Southend, then we arrived too. Hi hi hello, you're late, you're fault, her fault, his fault, call a cab to the restaurant.

Miserable-arse taxi driver (number two of the night) drops us at the Indian place, and from that point on, the booze started flowing. Now, before we went out - and because we were ready and they were not, we had time to kill at home, so like any youngish couple that is child free with some spare time, we did what anyone would do.

We started drinking at home. Two or three Jagerbombs were already in our system.

So, at the restaurant, James decided it was Champagne o' Clock. I decided it would be a waste of time ME drinking champagne, as to me it's just fizzy wine. So I had a beer while they started on the champers. I know what you're thinking, champagne vs. beer is a no-brainer, but it doesn't do anything for me. At all. But, we were drinking, then out came the Sambuca, then we went to our table.

The food was gorgeous, absolutely wonderful, and while the girls were watching the clock worrying we'd miss the band, we enjoyed ourselves. Good food, good drinks, having a good evening, chatting and laughing. Another bottle of champagne, though this time with a measure of Amaretto in the glass (of which I partook!) while we were eating, and then out came the Long Island Iced Teas which, as it turned out, were gross, so they went back and were replaced by Woo-Woos for the girls, and Kentucky Jack for us boys. Cocktails are always a laugh...

With the meal all done with, we headed out along the seafront.  Now, a few years back, Southend-on-Sea was a busy spot for people going out, and was always heaving on a Saturday night. There are bars and clubs and pubs and amusement and a theme-park type thing too, not to mention the theatre up top and a couple of casinos, and loads of restaurants... THIS Saturday night, however, seemed, well... Quiet. There were people around, but it wasn't what I would consider busy by any stretch of the imagination.

By the time we got to the bar, we decided we needed more drinks. We met up with Chris and his band, said hellos and got some more drinks in. Dirty Vimtos (Port & WKD Blue) all around, followed by Jagerbombs. Once they were gone, it was Vodka & Coke for Kerry, JD & Coke for Kellie, and Rum & Coke for James and Myself. The bar was WARM so we had to keep our fluid intake up ;)

We left the bar and went to the venue next door and listened to a couple of bands play - all amateur, but pretty good. None of this Britains Got X Talent crap, proper bands with proper music. While we were waiting, we opted for more drink - JD & Coke, Vodka & Coke, I had a beer, James had something - oh, and more Jagerbombs.

Finally, despite flapping about being here or there late, people taking ages to get ready, people getting on the wrong train, eating dinner at a slow, leisurely pace, we were in the right place AND at the right time to see Chris and his band - FTL - come on and do their set. Before you go much further, go visit them on Facebook! Clicky clicky clicky!

They were brilliant - three guitars and a drum kit, you can't go wrong - and we all rocked out while drinking more drinks.  The did several songs, and afterwards, after giving our congrats and saying our goodbyes, the band left.

Yes folks, you read that right - the youngsters that are living a rock and roll life went home as they were tired. Us lot, however, well, even though we could have made the last train home (at a push), we decided to plunder Southend a little more. It was a little after 11pm, and upon leaving the venue, we were pretty much in awe at the lack of people on the seafront on a Saturday night. It wasn't particularly chilly despite being early November. There were no "sporting events" on that I could think of - besides, all the pubs had big-screen TVs for such occasions. Unless the world has gone MeNtAl and everyone stays in now to watch Reality TV (which, as I write this, is actually a fairly good assumption), Southend was deserted.

So, what do four people with babysitters, no kids, and time to kill do?

That's right, we sat down and ordered more drinks! We sat outside the bar for just over an hour, drinking, chatting, laughing - we had a REALLY good night, putting the world to rights, talking about complete an utter shit, talking about serious stuff... It was brilliant.

With it now gone midnight, and all still a little tipsy, we decided food was in order, so we plundered the local chippy, got a load of chips and had a munch out. James, being "manly" and all had a cup of tea.

*ahem*

With food in our bellies, and being on the Seafront, there is only really one other thing to do. We hit the arcades! Getting a pocketful of change, we started playing games. Kellie & myself had a rip-roaring games of Air Hockey. Granted, I kicked her pretty little backside 7-3, and I scored two of her points. I cheated, apparently, but unless my telekinetic powers have finally blossomed, I'm fairly sure that's another way of her saying "Shit, I'm pissed, I need an excuse..."

With her luck being what it was, she then tried her luck on a fruit machine, and swore at it after it stole her £1.70. Time Crisis next, and while I had NO idea what was going on with the plot, I racked up 70% of the kills with 86% accuracy. I think Kellie was the eye-candy in that movie.. Lastly, to give the government additional research into Drink Driving, we hopped on Mario Kart. We didn't play together - she pressed the wrong pedal - but while both WELL over the limit, we both won our games. However, it is fair to say the rules of the road do NOT apply to Mario Kart - I've not seen many Real World drivers firing mushrooms at people, and ramming a gorilla off the road - while amusing - is not an every-day occurrence.

Just before half one, Mr Taxi Driver arrived outside, so we all bundled in and dropped the first two weirdos off on Canvey - even if it was ME that had to point out where their road was to the driver. I think they were dozing.. Kellie and myself rolled in the front door just before 2am, and set to picking up the chaos of sweets that the cats had dragged everywhere - Galadriel has a thing for taking sweets off the side and unwrapping them - and possibly eating them - to play with the wrappers themselves.  Freaks.

Despite the drink, despite taking a handful of painkillers once I fell into bed, despite being shattered, I could NOT get to sleep properly. It was gone five last time I looked at the clock, and then, at half eight, the 0dd Mother-in-Law dropped off the kids.

Of the two of us, 50% of us did not have a hang over. Nor did 50% of us remain in bed dribbling till lunchtime. Nor did we keep drinking water, ask for the TV to be turned down, for voices to be lowered or pull the curtains to keep daylight out.

Or, to put it another way, I was fine. Kellie, however, was not. I even had to pop out to get her a Pot Noodle to get her some carbs.

A brilliant night was had by all. It was nice to not have to watch a clock, worry about the babysitters getting pissy, to talk about pretty much ANYTHING without causing offence, to have a good laugh and joke, and to let our proverbial hair down to good food, good drinks and good music.

Oh, and as a lasting memory - sitting in the cold has made Kellie poorly, who is now sucking furiously on throat medicines, and sounds like she's turning into Yoda.

Musical Monday - The List!

Today, I am mostly pretending to be alive, functional and intact. The truth, however, is that last week I was a very busy banana. Despite feeling "a bit rough" I did my usual, and tried to push on through it, doing stuff that didn't really need doing there and then, on top of all the usual daily stuff...

The end result? This weekend, I've hardly slept thanks to the pain. Proper fighting-back-the-tears pain, keeping me awake pretty much all night. Aside from dozing off for a bit here and there, I didn't sleep last night. To sum up, I feel like hell.

Despite this, I did a bit this morning, but am just taking it easy for the next couple of days. On the bright side, I DO have a doctor appointment for next week to get my painkillers sorted. Painkillers that, actually, don't, so I am getting the GP to help me out. I've tried everything on this "level" of pain killer, and it's doing nothing. Even Amatrypityline, which I dreaded starting because of how it affected me, has done nothing. For about a week, I was hopeful - I was sleeping to the point Kellie had to wake me up in the morning, and I was functioning during the day.

A week later, I was back to staring at the ceiling in the dead of night and pacing around the house trying to ignore the pain in my back and legs.

So, while I am flopped out knackered with the concentration levels of a sickly grasshopper, I decided to - of all things - catalogue the history of my Musical Monday posts. According to the title, I am currently on track 112. But that is wrong.

Shockingly.

A couple of times while posting, I mis-counted which has messed up the tally. On top of this, aside from one intentional repeat of a song, a few times I posted multiple songs on a Monday. Once or twice I've clearly lost the plot and posted twice on the same day by accident, but once or twice I've posted three or seven songs in the same post.

The actual count for Musical Monday songs is 129, or 128 if you take away the repeated song. I'm quite proud of that. The first song, Three Doors Down - Landing in London - was posted in February 2007 after missing Bethy, and it kinda went from there. Since then, I've covered pretty much every genre... Classical, Rap, Metal, Dance, Trance, Country, Pop, Instrumental... I've posed songs I love, songs I hate, songs with meaning, songs stuck in my head and songs I know everyone else will hate.

I'm going to create a seperate section on here to keep a complete list of the Musical Monday posts, mainly for my own benefit so I can double check I'm not doing doubles, but for your viewing "pleasure" here's the list here.

FYI: Items marked (!!) mean they are counted wrong - either a repeated count or mis-counted. Items marked with a + mean there were multiple songs posted on that entry.

1 - Three Doors Down - Here Without You
2 - David Gray - This Years Love
3 - Death Cab For Cutie - Marching Bands of Manhattan
4 - Bare Naked Ladies - Lovers In A Dangerous Time
5 - Junkie XL - Beauty Never Fades
6 - Chumbawumba - Tubthumping
7 - Mr Blobby - Mr Blobby
8 - Looper - Mondo '77
9 - Rammestein - Fueur Frei
10 - The Vapours - Turning Japanese
10+ - Incubus - Turning Japanese
11 - Armin Van Buuren - Zocalo
12 - Unknown Artist - Magic Carpet Ride
Un-Numbered - Brittany Murphey/Paul Oakenfold - Faster Kill Pussycat
13 - Dido - Thank You
14 - Poison - Every Rose Has Its Thorn
15 - The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up
16 - MISSED 16
17 - The Fray - How To Save A Life
18 - They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse In Your Soul
19 - The Chemical Brothers - The Salmon Dance
20 - Robbie Williams - Angels
21 - Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love
22 - The Firm - Star Trekking
23 - Semisonic - Secret Smile
24 - Aerosmith - Eat The Rich
25 - Men Without Hats - The Safety Dance
26 - Kirsty MacColl Ft The Pouges - Fairytale of New York
27 - Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark
28 - The Wallflowers - Everybody Out Of The Water
29 - Carly Commando - Everyday
30 - Jimmy Eat World - The Middle
31 - Metallica - Enter Sandman
31(!!) - Nickleback - Rockstar
32 - Joan Jett And The Blackhearts - Bad Reputation
33 - Liquido - Narcotic
34 - The Who - Who Are You
35 - Moby - Everloving
36 - Guns n Roses - Paradise City
37 - Three Doors Down - Landing in London
38 - Jon Bon Jovi - Learning How To Fall
38.5 - Nine Inch Nails - Hurt
38.5+ - Sugababes - About You Now
38.5+ - Kate Nash - Foundations
38.5+ - Scouting For Girls - Heartbeat
38.5+ - Basshunter - Now You're Gone
38.5+ - Kaiser Chiefs - I Predict A Riot
Intentional Repeat - Armin Van Buuren - Zocalo
Un-Numbered - Otis Redding - These Arms Of Mine
39 - OneRepublic Ft. Timbaland - Apologise
40 - Jon Bon Jovi - Destination Anywhere
41 - Bird York - In The Deep
42 - The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name
42(!!) - The Who - Baba O'Riley
43 - Damien Rice - Grey Room
44 - Boo Radleys - Wake Up Boo
45 - Born Ruffians - Hummingbird
46 - Matthew Ryan - Follow The Leader
47 - Stevie Nicks - Edge of Seventeen
48 - U2 - Numb
49 - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Somewhere Over The Rainbow
50 - Elena Kats-Chernin - Eliza's Aria
51 - September - Cry For You
52 - Kleerup Ft. Robyn - With Every Heartbeat
53 - Florence And The Machine - Kiss With A Fist
55(!!) - Dogzilla - Without You
55(!!) - Scooter - Jumping All Over The World
56 - N-Trance - Set You Free
57 - Hoodwinked - Be Prepared
58 - The Script - I'm Yours
59 - Red Hot Chilli Peppers - By The Way
60 - Miley Cyrus - See You Again
61 - Iron Maiden - Hallowed By Thy Name
61+ - Aerosmith - Mama Kin
61+ - Guns n Roses - Welcome to the Jungle
61+ - Partners In Kryme - Turtle Power
62 - Scooter vs. Status Quo - Jump That Rock
63 - The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die
64 - Westworld - Sonic Boom Boy
65 - August Burns Red - The Carol of the Bells
66 - Tom Lehrer - The Element Song
66+ - Amateur Transplants - The Drug Song
66+ - The Animaniacs - Be Careful What You Eat
67 - Nick Cave - People Ain't No Good
68 - Armin Van Buuren - Going Wrong
69 - The Prodigy - Omen
70 - Patrick Wolf - Accident & Emergency
71 - Pussycat Dolls - Jai Ho
72 - Mazzy Star - Into Dust
73 - Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere
74 - Murray Gold - Doomsday
75 - The Muppets - Mahna Mahna
76 - Doctor Who - The Judoon Song
76+ - Doctor Who - The Dalek Song
77 - Bon Jovi - It's My Life (Slow Version)
78 - Hellogoodbye - Here In Your Arms
79 - Stiltskin - Inside
80 - Scooter - The Sound Above My Head
81 - Susan Boyle - Wild Horses
82 - Shaggy - Mr Boombastic
83 - Daniel Merriweather - Red
84 - Black Eyed Peas - Imma Be
85 - Weebl - Baby Baboon
86 - Wyclef Jean - Wish You Were Here
87 - The Verve - Love is Noise
88 - Limp Bizkit - Rollin'
89 - The Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire
90 - Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers
91 - Sonique - Feels So Good
92 - Whigfield - Saturday Night
93 - Technohead - I Want To Be A Hippy
94 - Flo Rida - Club Can't Handle Me
95 - Enrique Inglesias - I Like It
96 - BoB - Airplanes
97 - Eminem Ft. Rihanna - Love The Way You Lie
98 - Yolanda Be Cool - We No Speak Americano
99 - The Beatles - Come Together
100 - Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are
101 - KRS - Sound of Da Police
102 - DJ Phil Ty - A Kay A
103 - Bear McCreary - All Along The Watchtower
104 - Lady Antebellum - Hello World
105 - Faithless - Don't Leave
106 - Christina Perri - Jar of Hearts
107 - Queen - I Want To Break Free
108 - Alberto Y Los Trios Paranoias - Heads Down, No Nonsense, Mindless Boogie
109 - Placebo - Running Up That Hill
110 - Mika - We Are Young
111 - John Murphey - Kanadas Death Part 2 (Adagio in D Minor)
112 - Nine Inch Nails - We're In This Together

Quite possibly the strangest album of ALL time!  Anyways, at some point today, a tab will appear at the top of the blog, so this list is only a single click away!

Movie Night!

After having a pretty busy, rushing-around-like-a-mad-thing and somewhat stressful week, Kellie and myself decided last night to have a proper chill-out night.  We got the kids (only two this weekend!) settled in their rooms, and opted for the holy trilogy of a good night in.

The first item was a bottle of Jägermeister. We got into this Fathers-Day-Before-Last, and couple with some Red Bull, we had some rather lovely Jäger-Bombs. The second item on the list was a Chinese Takeaway. We really could not be arsed to cook so opted for the delivered food. The last item on the list was a good movie.

We have lots of movies on our "To Watch" list, but last night, we needed something entertaining and of the "comedy" genre. Over the last couple of years, I've been slowly getting Kellie to watch movies that are out of her "Safe Zone" and while they might not be future classics, they are movies I'm sure she'll enjoy.  It took months of badgering to get her to watch Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, but she watched - and, more importantly, enjoyed, both films.

Kick-Ass, then, was our film of choice. I've had it a while, but as soon as you use the words "Super" and "Hero" with Kellie, her eyes kinda glaze over and a little ooze of drool makes an appearance in the side of her mouth. Aside from the Batman movies, I also managed to get her to watch - and again, enjoy - Watchmen a while back, so figured another "Grown Ups" Super-Hero movie would be good.

Now, I know there are some of you out there that only know of Kick Ass thanks to it's "controversy" when it was released. I however, don't care if an 11-year-old actress uses the most unholy of all swear words. No, it's not a nice word, but it IS amusing.

So, snuggled down, full tummies, we watched the film.

To say we laughed would be an understatement. To say it's NOT for kids is most certainly a given. But I can honestly say we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. The little girl swearing was highly amusing to us - and we can differentiate between "Movie" and "Real Life" so I think we're safe.

Another added bonus to the film was the soundtrack. I'll often watch something and think "Oooh I like that song, and I like that one too" but every now and then the soundtrack is bloody excellent and with the occasional exception I love every song they play. So today, we're queuing up the songs while we sit and chill out!

If you've not seen it and don't mind violent, sweary, action Super Hero movies, then we highly recommend it. It is a fast-paced, action-packed type... Lots of fight scenes, bloody, swearing, flashing lights, guns, swords... And an 11 year old girl that kills and swears too! The soundtrack is well worth a listen too - and currently, we have the Original Score playing as well!

Tonight - being Sunday, a work/school night, we are watching something else, but it's Kellies choice tonight. I'm trying to nudge her to see the 1946 version of Dickens' Great Expectations which she has somehow never seen nor read... I only emphasis this, because she's well read with the classics of Dickens, Shakespeare and that sort of thing. It only came up during the week while - of all things - watching South Park. An episode featuring the English kid Pip came on, and it was "his story" which was just Great Expectations - so we turned it off so Kellie didn't see any actual story spoilers!

Anyways... I am still on my break from Facebook, I'm pottering on Twitter here and there, I didn't get hit by a satellite (another blog entry entirely!) and am currently waiting for some painkillers to do what they say on the tin after two days of gardening. Front AND Back...

Toodle-Byes!

Kids TV

I have never made any bones about it, but I love Kids TV.  Not all of it I should add, but a lot of it does make me chuckle or generally brainwashes me into enjoying it.  Even before we dated, Kellie and myself sat on my sofa watching Cartoon Network (I was dying of ManFlu!) so it's not just me!

At the moment I am particularly enjoying Horrible Histories.  If you've not seen it, you should - it's on iPlayer and most kids love it.  This lot here all enjoy watching it.  Educational BUT funny - enough to make adults chuckle too!

Most episodes comprise of different sections devoted to different points in time - Terrible Tudors, Frightful First World War, Measly Middle-Ages, and so on - and they usually tell you what went on.  Quite often, there is a song or two in each episode, but the two that always make me chuckle the most are the Kings & Queens of England (because it's educational AND amusing) and the Dick Turpin Highwayman song (because, it's reeeeally taking the piss out of Adam Ant!)

The group of writers that make it also do a lot of proper TV stuff, but with them and the actors that perform really make it enjoyable. I would love to see some behind-the-scenes stuff to see how they get it all together...

So, for your amusement on this dreary Friday afternoon, I give you two videos.  Enjoy!

Theme Music Of The Day...

Waaay back in October, I mentioned in a blog post about having music stuck in my head on a daily basis.  Not "every now and then" not "here and there" but every day.  And if it's not music, it'll be a random phrase or even a line from a book.

To try and map out my mentalness any patterns, I started to blog it all, but due to life going "WHEEEEEEEEEEE!" i the latter part of last year, it kinda fell to the wayside.  The songs have still been there, I've just not jotted them down anywhere.

Yesterday, fellow blogger Adullamite (who you should really check out!) posted that he too often wakes up with very random stuff banging on the inside of his skull.  I feel for him, as his song du jour was Bucks Fizz yesterday which is probably some kind of torture for anyone.

America, consider yourself lucky you didn't have to suffer THAT...

I've been poking around on Google trying to see if there's any reason, cause or anything that would make this happen.  Some people have gone with "You must have heard that song earlier" and others "you need to listen to more music"

I DID come across something called "Earworm" which sounds grim, but isn't anything relating to worms.  However, the various descriptions I've found relating to it all state it's a part of a song repeating over and over.  Other things include hearing "music" that isn't any song they know, just tunes and notes in the brain.  Neither of those descriptions are not what I nor Adullamite have - it's entire songs in the head.

I can safely say it isn't because I've heard a song playing and it's stuck.  Granted, sometimes it's a song that is popular, but quite often it's songs that I have entirely forgotten have even existed.  Today, I am mentally listening to The Connells - '74-'75, yesterday it was Tears for Fears - Shout, and before that... Well, before that was I song I can barely remember today.  Former Supermodel/Actress/Amazonian Grace Jones released a couple of songs in the '80s, and this one, Slave to the Rhythm, was wedged in the cortex on Tuesday.

Of those three songs, I love the first.  The second doesn't do anything for me, I was never a big fan, but the Grace Jones one... It was released in 1985, making me nine, and I can hardly remember it. But on Tuesday, I could hear the song perfectly, as though it were coming through a radio.

So why is my brain spitting out music like a pub jukebox stuck on shuffle?

Anyways, hopefully with things being a little quieter now, I will get back to posting on the other blog for this very reason, Stuck In My Head. 

Details Details...

Considering that we've not even sorted the Engagement Party yet, we keep thinking about little details about our Wedding...  Don't get me wrong, we're not rushing about saying "Must do this! Must do that!" but every now and then, Kellie or myself will think of some completely random thing relating to our day...

We've looked at Venues (three times I wrote that as Venus!) and are trying to work out budgets and things.  Tomorrow we're opening a savings account to start throwing money into in a hope we can actually afford it when the time comes.

But the little details... What should Jaysen & Dominic wear?  What sort of rings should we have?  What colour flowers?  What about the cake?

The most recent quandary has been pretty difficult to be honest.  Kellie and I love music, and while we have the same taste in a broad sense, some of the music she likes doesn't do anything for me, and some of mine just makes her roll her eyes... But what about our first dance as a married couple?

"Our Song" as it were has never really been sat in stone.  There are songs we both listen to that make us think of when we started dating, but the one that always crops up isn't really a First Dance kind of song - Rihannas Take A Bow was dedicated to me by Kellie once, though by accident... She was trying to send it to her best friend.  I got the dedication, listened to the words - about a guy being caught cheating and lying and being a complete arsehat - and thought "Hang on a second...?"

So far, the only song that we can both see us dancing to (Well, Kellie dancing, me shuffling along with her trying not to panic attack over everyone watching me "dance") is a song called Heaven...  The version Kellie played for me is not in my head at all, and the version that I find that ISN'T the dance version sounds about right - but I'm not sure...




See, a very nice, pretty song that is quite soppy to boot.  But no doubt we're going to sit and spend hours going through songs, listening to lots of them, Kellie listening to the words to make sure they're nice, me listening to the music because I'm a bloke ;)

Now, like I said, we're not running around panicking over anything - in fact, just the other day we agreed we'd not get stressed over as much as possible, and that she is NOT to turn into a Bridezilla...  No sir, no thanks!

"Find Me A Song?"

You know me, your friendly 0ddness author... Happy to do anything for anyone, and am quite happy for people to pick my brains if need be.  Granted, that is often a very short picking session, but none the less, the offer is always there for people.

Every now and then, someone will message me with a question about a movie or a song, the latter coming in the form of "I just heard a song with the lyrics 'I don't mind, I think so' and they mentioned Michael Caine" at which point I will either have a Google, or perhaps even know the song in question.

Oh, and that's Liquido - Narcotic, and the Michael Caine reference is actually "My Cocaine"

But anyway.  Sometimes, the request is rather, shall we say, random...  For instance, Jennifer text me yesterday:

"Random question and not sure about your musical knowledge, but there's a song that has 'do do do' in it, starts with a talking intro, something like I woke up this morning and...  NEED to know what it's called!"

So, possibly being a glutton for punishment, I made some assumptions, and headed to various chart sites where you can listen to samples of songs. Forty songs, I went through. Well, maybe less than that, as I knew some of them. 

Having little zero luck, I asked if it's a newish song.  "Oh no, it's quite old, and even used as the backing in some clubby-garage-type music"

Arse.  So I'm Googling every aspect of "do do do" "spoken intro" "woke up this morning" "club or dance or garage remix"

Strangely, nothing...

So, thinking she could shed a little more than NO light whatsoever on it, I thought maybe she'd heard it on the radio, and asked which station she heard it on...  "Nope, not the radio, but I listen to Heart"

And you know what... I've STILL not found that song.  But now... NOW it's driving me mental.  So, can anyone of you out in Blogland solve the mystery?  Here's what we know:

• It has "do do do" in it;
• It has a talking/spoken intro;
• It mentions something like "I woke up this morning and...";
• It's an oldish song;
• It has been used in club music as the backing track.

Good luck!

Help A Man Out!

Being that I am the Most Helpful Person Alive* I am turning to the power of you lot to see if you can help a friend of mine out with some random information.

Michael over in Israel has seen a face in a music video.  Unfortinately, it's an OLD music video, and while the Beatles might well be rather famous, random snippets of triva about them is not my forté.

I'm not sure WHAT my forté is, exactly, but I digress.

In the music video for We Can Work It Out of 1965, there is a face that appears to be drawn on John Lennons music book.  At the 1minute 45second mark, you can see if for a very brief moment, and then it's gone.  However, I managed to catch it with my trusty Print Screen button:

 

Now, Michael emailed me the following message (which I hope he doesn't mind me quoting!)

We're pondering who is the picture that you can see for a short moment on the keyboard. Is it an actor, a politician or just some joe?

However, being as this is a little before my time, I googled for a long time, trying to find something, but to no avail. So now, I'm turning to you lot. Any ideas who this person might be? For some reason, my mind just told me "Noel Coward" but I have no idea... hehe

Good luck!


*may not be accurate

Peculiar Song Lyrics...

Sometimes you hear the words to a song, and think, "Did they really say that" and sometimes, they DID...

The Saturdays - Issues:

Me and my heart we got issues,
Don't know if I should hate you or miss you.
Damn I wish I could resist you...
Can't decide if I should stab you or kiss you.

Sounds like a delightful group of girls :S

Thank You All

Yesterday was rougher than I thought it might be.  Granted, I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but I found myself struggling to stay focused, positive and on track.

However, one of the things that kept me going was all the support and help being sent my way.  Message after message on here, Facebook, email, text message.  People saying prayers, sending love, and making comments on how gorgeous my little Bethy is.

Kellie was there for me as she always is, listening to me prattle on about everything, holding my hand and being my shoulder to cry on and my rock.  OK, she's only tiny, so she was my pebble ;)  On the downside, she had to run off early as her son decided to go crashing down in the playground and bump pretty much his entire body.  Bless ;)

The afternoon before I got Jaysen, I hung out with Ruth, just chatting and putting the world to rights.  She had had Tam for me all morning - I didn't want to take her up to Bethys garden with me, and Ruth offered to have her.  For a couple of hours, I drank all of Ruths coffee, watched her make a stew and generall chilled out.

After the school run, Jaysen, Tamsyn and me piled back into our house and did some clearing up and tidying up before I set to doing dinner.  At which point my brain decided I wasn't quite done, so while frying some beef, I had another cry.  I blame Leona Lewis this time...  Her new song - which is a cover of a song I loved already - just seems to choke me up, and low-and-behold, it decided to come on.

Tamsyn caught me weeping - as she does, and I suspect was probably sent downstairs by her sister - and gave me a massive cuddle and kept telling me "it's OK" and "I love you daddy"  Of course, that choked me up too, so I just gave her cuddles.

After that, things seemed... I don't know - I've always been a firm believer in crying.  I'm not one of these manly blokey-blokes that holds back and grunts.  If I'm sad, I cry.

And I felt better for it.

After dinner, I felt positively more focused and with it.  Bathed the kids, got them to bed, rocked out to Dutch Trance!

So, again, to everyone - yesterday, and over the last eight years, thank you.  Thank you for being there for me, thank you for your words of encouragement, thank you for the support I've had.

But damn that Lewis woman for choking me up!

I'll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done

And I can barely look at you
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Away from here

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

Heroes Theme Song

Before Heroes even hit the screens I was raving about it.  When it came out I mentioned a few times how much I loved it.  When it was held back by the stupid writers strike, and season two was halved I bitched about it...

Every now and again, people find the blog thanks to some sort of "Heroes" themed search, and every now and then, someone messages me asking about the theme music.

If you've never watched Heroes (heathens!) then you've never heard the music which is peaceful and haunting all at once.  I love it, and it gives me goosebumples.

As with most of the shite on You Tube, you can ignore the video...

Simple Things...

It doesn't take a whole lot to entertain me.  And if you read this blog, then chances are you're guilty by association ;)

These guys are called Stringfever and they are classic artists with a difference. The first video I saw them perform on a kids program today - four guys playing one cello-type instrument. The second,The History of Music just made me chuckle.  Of course, being entertained via kids TV made me have to Google it.  I figured they were more than random blokes employed by Cbeebies!

Enjoy.

A Bethy Moment

With everything going on of late, I've not really spoken about Bethy. A few new people in my life have asked about her, and I've pointed them in this direction. Obviously I still miss the little madam something crazy, but I don't sit and cry all the time.

Another sure sign coming OFF the meds is working out for me.

However, yesterday... You knew there was a but coming, didn't you!

While Jo and Steve were here collecting some more of her stuff, Jo came down with Bethy's doctor coat that was in the cupboard in the bedroom:


We both looked at it and smiled, I said she could take it back to hers with her, and that was that. Spent a little while thinking about her, but then soon carried on with my day.

About an hour later, Jo sent me a message saying that she was fine with the coat, but obviously Bethy had eaten while in it, and she found some food marks on it - and THAT is what set her off. So Jo was texting me in tears, which set me off. Not sob-sob, just a quiet little cry.

Within 30 seconds, my music shifted to the next track on my playlist, and off ALL the tracks on my computer - nearly 3000 - it happened to be Evanescence - My Immortal. Bethy's funeral song.

THEN I was sobbing like a baby. It doesn't help that I am tired, run down, and the weather yesterday was shite but not long after I had a cry, the sun came out, and I felt better again. Ruth called, asked what was up, and I ended up going over there for a late lunch before the school run.

It was almost like my little lady was up there looking down getting my attention. And now, blogging about it, I feel fine - a little sad, maybe - but otherwise OK.

Hope you're having fun up there my gorgeous.
x

Oopsie Daisy

You may have noticed that there are two Musical Monday posts today. Two! And more's the point, they are both numbered the same to boot. Oopsie Daisy indeed.

Luckily I can explain. Firstly, I'm a plank, but we knew this. Secondly, the Who song I posted on Thursday morning while I was doing house work. I set it to post on Monday. However, I had forgotten I'd done it. The Ting Tings song I posted last night at about half nine while I was half asleep chucking photos over to Mand to put on the Interwebs.

Aside from that, I woke up this morning with a three year old toddler snuggled up against me stealing my bed space. I feel worse this morning than I did yesterday. Thankfully, it's germ-related and nothing to do with booze. Where I've been so busy over the weekend I've not let the germs take a hold, but getting in last night and just flopping down, the germ invasion took over.

I'm still all croaky and bunged up, but now I've upgraded to "coughing green stuff" which is always nice. It's Manly though, so it's all good.

Not got a clue what's happening today - school run, back to Ruths for coffee, pop a few doors down and get Sally back from Cel. The house is clean and tidy being that I worked so hard on it, so that's good. I can get in later with Tam, put on Playhouse Disney and then just veg out.

Blergh I feel rough!

Smart Ass

Yep, done just using the sounds from Windows... It's not a new thing to do, mind you, and I remember another, older version:



Wish I could do something like that! Sadly, this poor blogger is about as talented as a leopard at a stripes convention.

The RockStar Video

Since posting my Musical Monday post yesterday of Nickleback's "RockStar" I've had a sudden increase in the number of people searching for things like "Cast of RockStar Video" and similar search strings. While sitting watching it, I could see a few famous people - yes, the three Playboy girlies did stick out...

Anyway, Jo did a bit of poking around, and thanks to (shockingly) Wikipedia, here's the complete list of people, including the lyrics they sing at that point of the track:

1. Boy at a baseball field: "I'm through with standing in line to clubs I'll never get in"
2. Lindsay Shaw in front of the Cloud Gate: "It's like the bottom of the ninth"
3. Man in front of the Flatiron Building: "and I'm never gonna win"
4. Cindy Taylor on a pool float: "This life hasn't turned out"
5. Old woman on the Millennium Bridge (London) in front of St. Paul's Cathedral: "quite the way I want it to be"
6. Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top: "Tell me what you want" (voiceover)
7. Wayne Gretzky: "I want a brand new house"
8. Three women in Times Square: "on an episode of Cribs"
9. Kendra Wilkinson in front of the Playboy Mansion: "And a bathroom I can play baseball in"
10. New York City policeman: "And a king size tub"
11. Gene Simmons in front of his wall of gold and platinum records: "big enough for ten"
12. Paul Wall in front of a highway: "plus me"
13. Billy Gibbons again: "Yeah, so whatcha need" (voiceover)
14. Park ranger at Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park: "I'll need a, a credit card"
15. Dominique Swain in a bubblebath: "that's got no limit"
16. Three men (one US MP, one East German border guard, and one civilian) at Checkpoint Charlie facing the American Sector: "And a big black jet"
17. Twista, Mayz from the Speedknot Mobstaz, and unknown man riding in a limo: "with a bedroom in it"
18. Man in Grand Central Terminal: "Gonna join the mile high club"
19. Holly Madison in the Playboy Mansion grotto: "at thirty-seven thousand feet"
20. Woman in Los Angeles: "Been there, done that" (Billy Gibbons voiceover)
21. Street musician in Union Square: "I want a new tour bus"
22. Same street musician with performers in Union Square: "full of old guitars"
23. Three girls on the bank of the Chicago River in front of Marina City: "My own star on Hollywood Boulevard"
24. Gene Simmons again: "Somewhere between Cher"
25. Paul Teutul, Sr. of Orange County Choppers: "and James Dean is fine for me"
26. Billy Gibbons: "So how you gonna do it?" (voiceover)
27. John Rich on a pool table with a banjo: "I'm gonna trade this life"
28. Woman in Union Square: "for fortune and fame"
29. Chuck Liddell: "I'll even cut my hair"
30. Man in a Chinese restaurant: "and change my name"
31. Two Blazin' Saddles employees in front of a General Lee-inspired RV: "'Cause we all just wanna be"
32. Eight kids in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge: "big rockstars"
33. Wayne Gretzky again: "and live in hilltop houses"
34. Parking valet at Jones Hollywood in West Hollywood: "driving fifteen cars"
35. Man on Lambeth Palace Road in front of the Houses of Parliament: "The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap"
36. Jenna Westerbeck sunbathing: "We'll all stay skinny"
37. Kid Rock: "cause we just won't eat/And we'll"
38. Twista, Mayz, and unknown man again: "hang out in the coolest bars"
39. Jessie Coleman in Grand Central Terminal: "In the VIP"
40. Eliza Dushku: "with the movie stars"
41. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in front of a Union 76 gas station: "Every good gold digger's"
42. Taryn Manning: "Gonna wind up there"
43. Paul Wall again: "Every Playboy bunny"
44. Two women in the middle of Davie Street: "With her bleach blond hair"
45. Jerry Cantrell under Chicago's El tracks and in front of Double Door: "And we'll/Hey hey"
46. Liam Lynch in Union Square: "I wanna be a"
47. Nelly Furtado on tour bus: "rockstar"
48. Man in front of the same highway as as Paul Wall above
49. Man in Union Square
50. Two women in Grand Central Terminal: "Hey"
51. Chuck Liddell with Elliot Segal from DC101 in a headlock:"hey"
52. Boy in grocery store: "I wanna be a rockstar"
53. Paul Teutul, Jr., Paul Teutul, Sr., and Mikey from Orange County Choppers flexing muscles
54. Man in front of Marina City: "I wanna be great like Elvis"
55. Elvis impersonator: "without the tassels"
56. Federico Castelluccio from The Sopranos: "Hire eight body guards"
57. Chuck Liddell again: "that love to beat up assholes"
58. Grant Hill signing basketball: "Sign a couple autographs/So I can"
59. Man in Union Square again: "eat my meals for free"
60. Billy Gibbons again: "I'll have the quesadilla" (voiceover)
61. Paul Wall again: "Ha ha" (Billy Gibbons voiceover)
62. Man and woman in the middle of Davie Street: "I'm gonna dress my ass"
63. Ted Nugent: "with the latest fashion"
64. Man and woman in front of the Cloud Gate: "Get a front door key"
65. Kendra Wilkinson, Holly Madison, and Bridget Marquardt from The Girls Next Door: "to the Playboy mansion"
66. Man in front of the Flatiron Building: "Gonna date a centerfold"
67. Two men in Washington Square Park: "that loves to blow my money for me"
68. Billy Gibbons again: "So how you gonna do it?" (voiceover)
69. Paul Teutul, Jr., Paul Teutul, Sr., and Mikey from Orange County Choppers again: "I'm gonna trade this life"
70. Man and woman in front of the Reichstag building: "For fortune and fame"
71. Jordan Carlos overlooking Los Angeles: "I'd even cut my hair"
72. Man in front of the New York Stock Exchange: "And change my name"
73. Man at a pink bus-stop bench on Davie Street: "'Cause we all just wanna be"
74. Lupe Fiasco on a table: "big rockstars"
75. Woman in front of the Brandenburg Gate: "And live in hilltop houses"
76. Woman in front of the Chicago Theater: "driving fifteen cars"
77. Two women at the beach: "The girls come easy"
78. Taryn Manning again: "and the drugs come cheap"
79. Eliza Dushku again: "We'll all stay skinny"
80. Woman in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge: "'cause we just won't eat"
81. Three women dancing : "And we'll hang out in the coolest bars"
82. Gene Simmons again: "In the VIP"
83. Dominique Swain again: "with the movie stars"
84. Lupe Fiasco again: "Every good gold digger's"
85. Chuck Liddell again: "gonna wind up there"
86. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. again: "Every Playboy bunny"
87. Two girls in Times Square: "with her bleach blond hair"
88. Man in front of Beverly Hills High School: "And we'll hide out in the private rooms"'
89. Eliza Dushku again: "With the latest dictionary"
90. Federico Castelluccio again: "and today's who's who"
91. Riki Lindhome at the beach: "They'll get you anything with that evil smile"
92. Kid Rock again: "Everybody's got a drug dealer on speed dial/Well"
93. Steel worker: "Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar"
94. John Rich again, smashing a guitar
95. Three women in the middle of Davie Street: "I'm gonna sing those songs that offend the censors"
96. Te'DeVan Rocketman Wacha Kurzweil in Union Square: "Gonna pop my pills from a Pez dispenser"
97. Lupe Fiasco again: "Get washed-up singers"
98. Boy in front of a mixing console: "writing all my songs"
99. Woman overlooking Los Angeles: "Lip sync 'em every night"
100. Daniel Self at City Market in Raleigh: "so I don't get 'em wrong"
101. Man on street corner in New York City's Chinatown: "Well we all just wanna be"
102. Man in front of Big Acorn in Raleigh: "big rockstars"
103. Eight Blazin' Saddles employees at City Market in Raleigh: "And live in hilltop houses"
104. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. again:"driving fifteen cars"
105. The Naked Cowboy in Times Square: "The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap"
106. Woman at the beach: "We'll all stay skinny"
107. Boy in Times Square: "'cause we just won't eat"
108. Cindy Taylor again: "And we'll hang out in the coolest bars"
109. Woman in front of Buckingham Fountain: "In the VIP"
110. Grant Hill again: "with the movie stars"
111. Jayson Woolley in Union Square: "Every good gold digger's"
112. Ted Nugent again: "gonna wind up there"
113. Holly Madison again: "Every Playboy"
114. Bridget Marquardt in a pink bed: "bunny with her bleach"
115. Kendra Wilkinson again: "blond hair/And we'll"
116. Boy standing next to City Hall in front of Tower Bridge: "hide out in the private rooms"
117. Nelly Furtado again: "With the latest dictionary and today's"
118. Two women in front of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge: "Who's Who/They'll get you anything"
119. Kid Rock again: "with that evil smile/Everybody's"
120. Ted Nugent again: "got a drug dealer on speed dial/Well"
121. John Rich again: "hey"
122. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. again: "hey"
123. Worker in front of Marina City: "I wanna be a rockstar"
124. Wayne Gretzky again, splashing a pool with a hockey stick
125. Kendra Wilkinson again dancing
126. Nelly Furtado again: "Hey"
127. Gene Simmons again: "hey"
128. Nickelback fans at Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts concert singing: "I wanna be a rockstar"
129. Pan to Chad Kroeger, pan to Mike Kroeger and Ryan Peake

Holy crap on a crap stick, that is a LOT of linkage I just had to do. I could have copied direct from Wikipedia, but there were a lot of links not on there. So there you have it, a line-by-line guide of who is singing and where! All the links will open in the same window because I am just too damn lazy to add the code for seperate windows! There are one or two links missing as well - if you want to let me know what I missed, then lemmie know!