BACK FROM THE EMERALD: As I right this, I am almost four days removed from a week in Ireland. It's the first time I've been overseas. And what an experience it was. From Dublin, to Galway; Joyce's Country to Bunratty, and then there were the Cliffs of Moher, Kylemore Abbey, Adare and other places. While Dublin probably could pass as other European towns, just go out into the country, or by the sea, and you'll see some fascinating scenes. I'm reminded of the Cake song that goes "Sheep go to heaven, goats go to hell". Well, with all the sheep over there, I definitely felt like I was in heaven. The Cliffs were especially bone chilling. It was my favorite place (even though I lost a pair of eyeglasses there). Just looking down at the water (and the big drop-off), just gave you a thrill. Apparently, there are some people who look on it quite differently and decide to end their life. For them, there was a number you can call for help ("Jumper" by Third Eye Blind, anyone?).
As some of you know, I am also a geocacher, and the trip gave me an opportunity to make some overseas finds. I did just that, scoring nine for the week. The last one was a bit gratifying, as it came on the grounds of Killiney Hill in the village of Dalkey, which is on the outskirts of Dublin. The name of the cache? "Bono's Cache". As in the front man for U2. (you knew I was going to tie in something musical, right?). Apparently, he grew up "a stone's throw away" from this hill, which overlooks Dublin.
As for the music over there? Well, the group I went with preferred traditional Irish music (although my friend Rick did play some U2 during our many auto treks (thanks to our driver, Rick's wife Ruth). There were several pubs that we went to that featured some local bands and artists that played the traditional tunes. One of them, "The Joyces Country Ceili Band", originally performed by The Saw Doctors, some ten years ago, was dedicated to my wife, whose maiden name is Joyce and who is Irish-American...perhaps she has family there that she's not aware of. I did buy a 3-CD set of "60 Greatest Ever Irish Pub Songs", which feature some favorites like "Whisky in the Jar", "Wild Rover", as well as some less well known gems; we too, listened to some of them. Plus we put in some Mac Talla Mor (a favorite of ours that we got into about five years ago, but a band who hasn't put anything out since then--they should be a topic of a future SNS blog, but it would be nice if they put out some new stuff in the meantime).
Whether you are musically inclined, or just want to get away to the green lushness of the Celtic country, you should definitely head over to Ireland.
IT'S A SAME ABOUT...: Just an hour ago when I started this blog, I learned that Ray Manzarek passed away. He, of course, was the keyboardist for the L.A.-based Classic rock band, the Doors. Often obscured by front man Jim Morrison, Manzarek was an integral part of that band. "Light My Fire", their most well-known song, is one of my all time favorites, in part because of the long instrumental break that features Ray's playing. Growing up, I had heard the edited single version which eliminated this solo, but upon first listen to the whole, unedited opus, I loved it. While some songs I like better edited ("Give it To Me" by J. Geils Band, and "Beginnings" by Chicago), I prefer the long version. "Riders On the Storm", from 1971's LA Woman, the last with Morrison, is another that featured the styling's of Manzarek.
We tend to overlook the members of the band aside from Morrison, and while he was the charismatic one, all of the band members played an important part of this band's success. Ray will be missed.
IDOL-EYES: I really haven't mentioned anything about this season of American Idol. Mostly this was due to what I thought was a questionable choice of new judges, with more emphasis on the alleged "feud" between Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey, plus what I thought was questionable talent in the final 10, at least from the men. And although much of the criticism about the recent winners was that it was all men the last five seasons, (in which the first three, Kris Allen, David Cook, and Lee DeWyze were pretty interchangeable, genre-wise), the most recent two, country singer Scotty McCreery, and folk/Americana-style crooner Phillip Phillips, were very distinctive. Still, it was time for a woman to win; this wasn't more evident than when all the men got eliminated first. Any of the top five, all women, could have won, but the eventually winner, Candace Glover, deserved the crown. It's been awhile since an R&B/soul singer won, but it was worth the wait. Her coronation song, "I Am Beautiful" is indeed a gem. During the finals, she also tackled the classic "I (Who Have Nothing" as well as Adele's "Chasing Pavements". I don't really add much R&B, but this one I definitely will. It will be interesting what her first full-length album would feature. She has a nice future ahead of her.
CHARTWISE: As this has been a hectic week (and I am about to head up to Roscoe to my annual camping weekend), I just want to briefly mention the SNS 100. Pink, which took the top spot three weeks ago, stays at the top this go-round. With the two frozen weeks, it has now logged four weeks at the top, to go with the seven that "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" obtained late last summer. The top debut is by Omnia Hegazy, with "Aziza", the lead single from the exotic singer's new EP, Judgement Day, the follow-up to her debut Jailbird. For those who read this blog regularly, she is the twin sister of Leila, who currently sits in the top 5 with "Monday". Omnia's already had a couple of hits here on SNS, including "Grace"(#25), "Change This Place" (#4) and her #1 "What's Become of Us". You will notice one thing immediately: she has decided to use her last name as her stage name; she has done for many reasons, primarily since there is another band with that name, but also, she is proud of her Egyptian heritage. For more on this, please click on her link:
Omnia
"Aziza" debuts at #61 this week.
FINALLY: During my time away, I broke the 10,000-view mark. This was my goal when I moved the blog from a Facebook note to BlogSpot just a little over two years ago. The question is, where do I go from here? As I've said before, this is a bit time consuming, and much as been going on. I have been very stressed out at work, and with other issues as well. I value the friends who read this every week. It's gratifying to get a few likes each issue, but I will need to evaluate whether I do want to go on with this. Facebook itself is getting a bit rough as well, with some good friends who have read this no longer around. Hopefully, I will get to navigate both that, as well as other issues. In the meantime, rock on!
NO PREJUDICE: No jokes about the Top 20 impact song of the week, please. They're grown up now, and they make great music. Get over it!
Scenes 'n 'Soundwaves 100
May 18, 2013
|
This Week
|
Last Week
|
ARTIST-Title
|
Weeks on List
|
|
1
|
1
|
NUMBER ONE:
P!NK featuring NATE RUESS
"Just Give Me A Reason"
Album: The Truth About Love
4 weeks at #1
|
11
|
|
2
|
2
|
Lana Del Ray - Ride
|
15
|
|
3
|
6
|
The Veils - Through the Deep Dark Wood
|
7
|
|
4
|
3
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - Out of My League
|
14
|
|
5
|
5
|
Leila - Monday
|
11
|
|
6
|
4
|
Vicci Martinez f. Cee Lo Green- Come Along
|
15
|
|
7
|
7
|
Calvin Harris f. Florence Welch - Sweet Nothing
|
7
|
|
8
|
15
|
Paul Czekaj - Even Better Than Before
|
6
|
|
9
|
11
|
Golden Void - Shady Grove
|
10
|
|
10
|
10
|
Grizzly Bear - Sleeping Ute
|
13
|
|
11
|
14
|
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sacrilege
|
13
|
|
12
|
9
|
Leagues - Spotlight
|
16
|
|
13
|
8
|
Maroon 5 - Daylight
|
21
|
|
14
|
12
|
Depeche Mode - Heaven
|
12
|
|
15
|
13
|
Django Django - Hail Bop
|
13
|
|
16
|
20
|
Dawes - From A Window Seat
|
11
|
|
17
|
17
|
Phoenix - Entertainment
|
12
|
|
18
|
25
|
TOP 20 IMACT OF THE WEEK:
HANSON
"Get the Girl Back"
Album: Anthem
|
7
|
|
19
|
24
|
New Politics - Harlem
|
12
|
|
20
|
33
|
Serena Ryder - Stompa
|
10
|
|
21
|
16
|
Rachel Allyn - Do It Yourself
|
15
|
|
22
|
22
|
Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside - They Told Me
|
14
|
|
23
|
23
|
Phillip Phillips - Gone Gone Gone
|
14
|
|
24
|
26
|
Pure X - Things In My Head
|
13
|
|
25
|
21
|
Avett Brothers - February Seven
|
17
|
|
26
|
37
|
The Satelliters - Gonna Get Away
|
7
|
|
27
|
19
|
Fun - Carry On
|
29
|
|
28
|
29
|
Wild Belle - Keep You
|
11
|
|
29
|
18
|
Pageants - Musing of the Tide
|
17
|
|
30
|
34
|
Alabama Shakes - Hang Loose
|
8
|
|
31
|
50
|
MOVER OF THE WEEK:
RACHEL ALLYN
"October"
Album: Do It Yourself
|
4
|
|
32
|
28
|
Golden Void - The Curve
|
31
|
|
33
|
27
|
Paramore - Now
|
15
|
|
34
|
43
|
Pageants - August Moon
|
5
|
|
35
|
40
|
Palma Violets - Last of the Summer Wine
|
8
|
|
36
|
48
|
Foxygen - San Francisco
|
5
|
|
37
|
36
|
Bon Jovi - Because We Can
|
15
|
|
38
|
47
|
Matthew Koma - Parachute
|
5
|
|
39
|
35
|
Lifehouse f. Natasha Bedingfield - Between the Raindrops
|
18
|
|
40
|
31
|
The Strokes - All the Time
|
14
|
|
41
|
39
|
Wild Nothing - Shadow
|
17
|
|
42
|
41
|
Alicia Keys - Girl on Fire
|
8
|
|
43
|
30
|
Train - Mermaid
|
18
|
|
44
|
38
|
Two Door Cinema Club - Sun
|
17
|
|
45
|
46
|
Kurt Vile - Never Run Away
|
7
|
|
46
|
32
|
Veronica Falls - Teenage
|
18
|
|
47
|
45
|
Of Monsters and Men - King & Lionheart
|
8
|
|
48
|
44
|
Thao and the Get Down Stay Down - We The Common
|
11
|
|
49
|
51
|
Guards - Ready To Go
|
6
|
|
50
|
57
|
Chelsea Light Moving - Groovy and Linda
|
10
|
|
51
|
56
|
Local Natives - Heavy Feet
|
10
|
|
52
|
63
|
Depeche Mode - Soothering Soul
|
5
|
|
53
|
79
|
Rihanna - Stay
|
4
|
|
54
|
42
|
Watch the Duck - Poppin Off
|
16
|
|
55
|
62
|
Dan Croll - From Nowhere
|
6
|
|
56
|
64
|
Linkin Park - Castle of Grass
|
6
|
|
57
|
83
|
Daft Punk - Get Lucky
|
4
|
|
58
|
49
|
Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backward
|
22
|
|
59
|
71
|
The Law Langhorne Slim - The Way We Move
|
6
|
|
60
|
54
|
Churchill - Change
|
35
|
|
61
|
---
|
TOP DEBUT:
OMNIA HEGAZY
"Aziza"
Album: Judgment Day (EP)
|
1
|
|
62
|
74
|
Goo Goo Dolls - Rebel Beat
|
5
|
|
63
|
78
|
Taylor Swift - 22
|
5
|
|
64
|
58
|
The Lumineers - Stubborn Love
|
22
|
|
65
|
60
|
The Features - This Disorder
|
11
|
|
66
|
75
|
Imagine Dragons - Demons
|
5
|
|
67
|
55
|
The Satelliters - Shake Shake Shake
|
26
|
|
68
|
59
|
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Runaway
|
29
|
|
69
|
77
|
Deathfix - Better Than Bad
|
10
|
|
70
|
82
|
The XX - Sunset
|
6
|
|
71
|
88
|
Kelly Clarkson - People Like Us
|
4
|
|
72
|
65
|
Mumford and Sons - Lover of the Light
|
16
|
|
73
|
69
|
Bruno Mars - When I Was Your Man
|
8
|
|
74
|
76
|
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Jubilee Street
|
10
|
|
75
|
----
|
Portugal. the Man - Evil Friends
|
1
|
|
76
|
61
|
Deap Vally - Ain't Far
|
21
|
|
77
|
72
|
Johnny Marr - Sun & Moon
|
12
|
|
78
|
87
|
Vampire Weekend - Diane Young
|
4
|
|
79
|
52
|
The Mowglis - San Francisco
|
22
|
|
80
|
70
|
Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
|
24
|
|
81
|
81
|
Youth Lagoon - Afternoon
|
7
|
|
82
|
53
|
Frank Ocean - Thinking About You
|
21
|
|
83
|
73
|
Mister Lie - Pupine
|
17
|
|
84
|
85
|
The Dunwells - I Could Be A King
|
5
|
|
85
|
----
|
Churchill - The War Within
|
1
|
|
86
|
66
|
After the Reign - Jersey Strong
|
17
|
|
87
|
93
|
Jay Arner - Don't Remind Me
|
4
|
|
88
|
94
|
Walk of the Earth - Red Hands
|
8
|
|
89
|
----
|
Michael Franti and Spearhead - I'm Alive
|
1
|
|
90
|
----
|
The Black Angels - Don't Play With Guns
|
1
|
|
91
|
----
|
Wild Feathers - The Ceiling
|
1
|
|
92
|
95
|
Muse - Panic Station
|
4
|
|
93
|
103
|
Jamie N Commons - Rumble & Sway
|
1
|
|
94
|
90
|
The Satelliters - Lost in Time
|
36
|
|
95
|
----
|
Crystal Fighters - You and I
|
1
|
|
96
|
89
|
Generationals - When They Fight They Fight
|
29
|
|
97
|
----
|
Lady Antebellum - Down town
|
1
|
|
98
|
----
|
Swedish House Mafia f. John Martin - Don't You Worry Child
|
1
|
|
99
|
68
|
Foxygen - Shuggie
|
18
|
|
100
|
----
|
Matchbox Twenty - Our Song
|
1
|
TREMORS:
101. Matt Hires, Restless Heart
102. Matt & Kim, It's Alright
103. Ginny Blackmore, Bones
