the Soundtrack of Your Life Pt. 2

in the interest of pure, unadulterated laziness, i'm updating my Soundtrack, using my Sing Out Louise! playlist (on random, of course)...
Put your IPod or whatever mp3 player you have to random play. Imagine your life is a movie soundtrack, press play, and write down the song that comes up for all the points in the list below.
1. Opening credits: Stormy Weather~ Judy Garland
2. Waking up: the Man of La Mancha~ Linda Eder
3. Falling in love: One Way or Another~ Blondie
4. Fight scene: Anyone Who Had a Heart~ Dusty Springfield
5. Breaking up: How Many Licks (OrangeFuzzz mix)~ Lil' Kim
6. Life's okay: Vienna~ Linda Eder
7. Mental breakdown : I'll Cover You~ Rent (Original Broadway cast)
8. Driving: Lazy River~ Michael Buble`
9. Flashbacks: Black Coffee~ Sarah Vaughn
10. Happy dance: Manhattan~ Ella Fitzgerald
11. Regretting: You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To~ Julie London
12. Final battle: Someone to Watch Over Me~ Linda Ronstadt
13. Death scene: Don't Ask Me Why~ Linda Eder
14. End credits: I Am What I Am~ Linda Eder

ummm...YEAH...i have no idea what to make of this. clearly my movie is like an 80 year old woman's acid trip. anyway...
have a great weekend, kids!

the Soundtrack of Your Life...

You all know how much i love music. Y'all also know how much i love the Next Blog button . i came across this wonderful idea while surfing the blogsphere and yes, i'm blatantly stealing it (i also may be cheating a bit by using a pre-made playlist on shuffle-play, but since there are no "rules" i'll do it my way thank-you-very-much):

Put your IPod or whatever mp3 player you have to random play. Imagine your life is a movie soundtrack, press play, and write down the song that comes up for all the points in the list below.
1. Opening credits: Fly Again (Scumfrog full club mix)~ Kristine W
2. Waking up: Vienna (Lenny Bertolo full mix)~ Linda Eder
3. Falling in love: the Wonder of It All (Al B Rich edit)~ Kristine W
4. Fight scene: Rising (Tony Moran mix)~ Elle Patrice
5. Breaking up: the Wonder of It All (Escape 2 Gomi mix)~ Kristine W
6. Life's okay: Proud 2005 (Peter Presta Queer As Folk Finale mix)~ Heather Small
7. Mental breakdown : Stronger (Johnny Vicious full mix)~ Kristine W
8. Driving: Me Against the Music (Peter Rauhofer full mix)~ Madonna & Britney Spears
9. Flashbacks: Secret (John Michael's Razor & Guido radio edit)~ Madonna
10. Happy dance: Someone to Hold (Johnny Vicious Club mix)~ Veronica
11. Regretting: Fallen (Gabriel & Dresden full mix)~ Sarah McLachlan
12. Final battle: X-99 (Club 69 Tribal mix)~ Junior Vasquez
13. Death scene: Breathe (LMC extended mix)~ Erasure

interesting, right? i was perplexed how Kristine W's the Wonder of It All would be both a falling in love song and a breaking up song, but it kinda works. Heather Small's Proud is totally appropos! ditto Junior's X-99. what's your soundtrack?

the Soundtrack of Your Life Pt 3 (or I'm Really Not Feeling the Whole "write a real post" Thing, Today)

this version was stolen from BL's blog. y'know how much i love filling these out (even though the last one was a total bust).


anyway...you know how they work...



opening credits: Future Lovers~ Madonna
waking up: Break Away~ Kelly Clarkson
first day at school: Girl Anachronism~ the Dresden Dolls
falling in love: Hand in Glove~ the Smiths
breaking up: Divorce Song~ Liz Phair
prom: the Way That You Love Me~ Paula Abdul
life’s okay:Kate (extra strings version)~ Ben Folds Five
mental breakdown: Fly Again (Scumfrog edit)~ Kristine W
flashback: True Colors (acoustic version)~ Cyndi Lauper (from the Body Acoustic)
driving: There's More to Life Than This~ Bjork
getting back together: Paradise is Here (Junior Vasquez radio edit)~ Cher
wedding: Two of Hearts~ Stacey Q
birth of a child: Love Child~ Sweet Sensation
final battle: Jazzin'~Kristine W.
death scene: U Got the Look~ Prince featuring Sheena Easton

Sing Out, Louise! (Updated Throughout the Day)

that's the title of my most recent 597 song playlist on Baby Blue. it's all (or most of) the songs i have on him that are Sing-Along worthy. yup i'm that guy you see flying down the New Jersey Turnpike belting at the top of my voice, mouth wide open, looking like an American Idol reject. Every song has a story and a special meaning to me, so instead of a "real" post (i'm still a little out of it from yesterday), i'm just going to give you a random sampling of the playlist, with my thoughts...

Paper Moon (Natalie Cole): this song always reminds me of that scene in Funny Lady where Barbra meets James Caan at the 1st rehearsal of his revue. my mom had Natalie's Unforgetable album on cassette when i was in grammar school; it's where i really learned to appreciate standards and vocal jazz.

Let Me Entertain You (Carol Burnett): did you know Carol Burnett sings? me neither! i found a cd at the library called Carol Burnett Sings! it's phenomonal, packed with old showtunes and Carol's big brassy belting! this song is worth listening to, 'cause at the end she starts to ad lib and uses the expression wingding. can you stand it?!

Another Hundred People (Company: Original Broadway Cast): god, i love Sondheim. this song always reminds me of my friend Kevin whom i've not seen in forever...

Wannabe (the Spice Girls): c'mon you know that you know the words. which Spice Girl are you?

Jealousy (Liz Phair): she really is the Parker Posey of pop music. what a brilliant lyricist and musician ("Imagine me behind your eyes/what did i see/ i saw hips i saw thighs/ i saw secret positions that we never tried/ i saw jealousy/ i can't believe you had a life before me/ i can't believe they let you run around free/ just pointing your body wherever it seemed/ like a good idea").

Faith (George Michael): i actually won this album on vinyl from a radio station (along with a Swatch), when i was in grammar school! do you remember the SNL skit they did with Dana Carvey as George Michael on Weekend Update? i still chuckle about that...

One Song Glory (Rent: Original Broadway Cast): 1st time i heard the OCR for Rent i was at MS's house on New Years Day, 100 years ago (i think we were both in college). she totally got me into this show and took me to see it shortly thereafter.

I Know Thing Now (Into the Woods: Original Broadway Cast): yup...love that Sondheim! another show i've been listening to forever; ever since i saw it on PBS with Bernadette Peters as the witch.

24 Hours From Tulsa (Dusty Springfield): this song is so John! it's all about the background singers in the last 3 seconds. of course it's also all about the lyrics and Dusty's plaintive singing...but it's mostly about the bacground singers "oooh"-ing.

Defying Gravity (Wicked: Original Broadway Cast): 1st saw this at Musical Mondays at Splash; totally gave me chills. i couldn't believe that Elphie was Maureen from Rent. i've read the book a few times; the whole show blows me away.

Tonight I Say a Prayer (Eydie Gorme): i really have an affinity for big belters. this chick has pipes like a church organ!

Love For Sale (Ella Fitzgerald): her voice is like warm caramel, and i've always been a big fan of Cole Porter. this is 7 minutes of fabulousness that doesn't involve a house beat.

If You Don't See What You Want Up Here (the Four Divas): i have no idea who they are, but they're fabulous. this track is from the 40's and is a live recording from a club. it's big and brassy and i love it!

It's No Secret Anymore (Linda Eder): nobody sings a song like Linda. these lyrics are so homosexually ambiguous that i can't wait for some big queen to cover it !

Venus (Bananarama): yeah, i own the soundtrack to Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, what of it?

Heal the Pain (George Michael): this song always reminds me of my 1st boyfriend (back in college). the most vivid memory was sitting in front of his picture window looking at the snow fall with the Verazano(sp?) bridge in the distance. it's really a great song.

Come Te Gusta Mi Pinga (Steven Hayes): Trick was the 1st gay movie i ever say (that wasn't porno) and this song is so much fun to sing!

I Who Have Nothing (Tom Jones): is it any wonder that he's called The Voice. he's so passionate and emotional that you can almost hear his heart breaking.

Don't Rain on My Parade (Funny Girl: Motion Picture Soundtrack): another Musical Monday's favorite! they'd play the clip and all the fags in the bar would start screaming as she ran to catch the steamboat!

Someone Watching Over Me (Kristine W): you knew'd she was on the list! this song is so UP! it's kinda gosple-y and kinda love song-y.

And I'm Telling You i'm Not Going (Jennifer Hudson): it's a shame i'm at work, 'cause i'd really like to get up right now and get my Effie on.

What Is This Thing Called Love? (Keely Smith): the former Mrs Louis Prima really turns it out on this, the 1st song i ever heard her sign solo. it prompted me to find all the solo stuff i could on CD.

Fever (Michael Buble): this is the best cover of this song i've ever heard. Mikey has such a passionate voice, he gives me chills.

Test Day: an Old Stand-By

the Soundtrack of Your Life
blah blah bla iPod blah blah blah suffle...

opening credits: Walk Away (DJ John Michael's All-Inclusive mix)~ Kristine W.
waking up: Theme from the "Valley of the Dolls" (Junior Vasquez Arena Anthem)~ kd lang
falling in love: Feel What You Want (Junior's NY Extended mix)~ Kristine W.
fight scene: Pride 2005 (Peter Presta's Queer as Folk Finale mix)~ Heather Small
breaking up: Consequences of Falling (Love to Infinity mix)~ kd lang
life's okay: Save My Soul (Junior's Complete Sound Factory mix)~ Kristine W.
mental breakdown: Can't Get You Outta My Head (Junior Vasquez mix)~ Kylie Minogue
driving: U & Ur Hand (Junior Vasquez mix)~ Pink
flashback: Wachulookinat (Thunderpuss Dub-to-Club Anthem)~ Whitney Houston
happy dance: I'm Coming Out (Illicit Club Anthem)~ Diana Ross
regretting: Professional Widow (Armand Van Helden Star Trunk Funkin Mix)~ Tori Amos
final battle: You Better Get Ready (Almighty Anthem club mix)~ Lulu
death scene: Like a Prayer (Junior Vasquez club mix)~ Madonna
end credits: Everytime (Scumfrog club mix)~ Britney Spears

Lay Down the Boogie & Play That Funky Music till You Die...till You Die...

have you ever seen that commercial for one of the cellphone companies that lets you use your phone as an MP3 player? you see all these young, thin, gorgeous people of various ethnicities walking around town; their shadows appear behind them dancing while walking, then they get a call and both the waif and the waif's shadow are standing still. the call ends and the waif starts walking while their shadow busts a move. this morning, on the way into the building, i was that waif.

to be perfectly fair, i'm deffinitely neither young, thin, nor gorgeous, but standing in the elevator i was dancing like one of the Solid Gold Dancers or perhaps a Fly Girl...on the inside. Kristine, Junior and i were having a wonderful old time telling our respective audiences that we were glad to be "alive and in the land of the living"; there was glamour, there was drama, there was fabulousness. if the people with whom i shared the elevator could see what was going on inside of me, they would've hooted and hollered and (perhaps) started to stuff dollar bills in my hands, in my pockets, down the front of my shirt.

that's why i love my MP3 player: i am completely and totally addicted to music. before i had my MP3 player, i had a mini disc player, before that a DiscMan, before that a WalkMan, before that...i was in the womb. i was raised on music like other kids were raised on football or cartoons. i distinctly remember dancing around the house to South Pacific and West Side Story, with my mom (she had a stack of vinyl taller than i was at 5 years old). the radio was always on in our house, morning to night, tuned to the oldies station. i used to sit in our playroom for hours listening to Sesame Street's Singing in the Bathtub, over and over and over again. by the time i was ten i had songs commited to memory (but still didn't know my multiplication tables). i was hooked on Sheena Easton and Irene Cara. i remember playing the Sheena's Private Heaven cassette, lip-synching to Strut and Sugar Walls but obviously not knowing what the lyrics meant. i knew New Editions entire repetoire by heart, as well as the sound track to Flashdance. As i got older, music remained a staple of my development; i was well acquainted with Samantha Fox, Stacey Q, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna and any other cassettes my parents would buy me. Evenutally i was old enough to buy my own music and the 1st CD i bought was the B-52's Cosmic Thing. it was all downhill from there. my tastes began to broaden and i began to listen to everything: standards, alternative rock, pop and disco. music shaped my day and matched my mood. i felt attached to the Smiths and the Pet Shop Boys (they knew how i felt).Gloria Gaynor told me that no matter what, i would survive. Ella completley understood that i had "It Bad...and That Ain't Good". Cole Porter's lyrics were so debonaire and ripe with irony and class.

Here i am, 30 years later, and i am still completely hooked on music. it's like a drug i can't shake. in addition to my old favorites, i've recently (within the last 6 years) gained an affinity for club music. DJ's have completely revolutionized the face of music as we know it, bringing artists and songs to audiences that otherwise never would've encountered them. living proof: 10 years ago, there's no way i would've thought it possible that i would listen to anything even remotely resembling gospel music, now i can't go a day without Vernessa Mitchell or Kim English belting out how happy that there's a higher power in their life. if it wasn't for Junior Vasquez, Razor and Guido, i would never had heard them. Over the last couple of years i've found that club music actually keeps me going throughout the day; setting my pace and keeping me moving.

In light of the wedding and my brain tumor, i realize how terribly important music really is to me. i'm never without it, from the time i wake up till just before i go to bed. i'm aware that should i ever lose my hearing completely, i will be absolutely devastated because i will be unable to function without a soundtrack to my day. i recognize that, to me, the most important part of our wedding won't be the food or the flowers, it will be the mood set by the DJ or musician that we hire.

sitting here at my desk, Celine and i are telling our respective lovers (with the help of Thunderpuss) that we want to be needed like the air they breathe. my inner waif is dancing on his stage wearing skin tight (size 30) jeans and no shirt. all is right with the world.

"...It is the universe's way of saying stop, slow down, you move too fast. Listen to the music. Whoa whoa, listen to the music. Because music makes the people come together, it makes the bourgeois and the rebel. So come on people now, smile on your brother, everybody try to love one another. Because what the world needs now is love, sweet love. And I know that love is a battlefield, but boogie on reggae woman because you're gonna make it after all. So celebrate good times, come on. I've gotta stop I've gotta come to my senses i've been out riding fences for so long... oops i did it again... "~Ellen DeGenneres

Test Day: A Musing

Your Inner Muse is Euterpe

You are most like this muse of music.While you may or may not be musical... You love music and set life to your own personal soundtrack.And you are good at making anyone's heart sing!

Which Muse Are You?