More Thoughts on Music - Random Edition

If you are feeling too happy these days and need a downer, here is some sad news for you.

Britney's taking half a year off from doing new work. I wonder what she's gonna be doing? oh, I miss her already...

I remember when Nelly was just the guy with the "shimmy-shimmy cocoa pop" song (Country Grammar). Now he's all over the place. Even Justin Timberlake and N Sync want to work with him, it just doesn't get much cooler than Justin.... chance of a lifetime baby (giggle). But he's singlehandedly put St. Louis and their way of life on a national level. He's made it cool to say "herre" instead of "here," and kept most of us (or maybe it's just me) wondering what EI means. I just like him cause he raps about baseball or basketball (like the song "Batter Up" or "I play my position like a shortstop," or "I'm just Kidd-in' like Jason").

Why doesn't Chicago have any good R&B or hip-hop artists? NY's had so many stars, past and present, like Jay-Z, DMX, or Alicia Keys just to name a few in recent times. LA had Dre, 2Pac, etc. Atlanta's got TLC, Ludacris, Jermaine Dupri, Monica, Usher.... probably more I'm missing. All we got is R. Kelly, an accused pedophile whose only songs I really like are I Believe I Can Fly (played out by now) and Feelin On Your Booty Remix (played out in Apartment 312 at least). It's not like we're in Green Bay or something, Chicago used to have a really rich jazz/blues tradition, didn't it? Thank goodness that we at least had the Pumpkins in the world of alternative rock.

Maybe with the lack of talent in this area, I should start my own musical career. Probably not though, because I don't have much creative spirit in me. Then again, there is some utter crap I've heard on the radio over the years that shows you don't need to have much creativity in this business.

I think one of the reasons I love and appreciate music so much these days is that I personally suck so much at it. I remember when I was little, my mom made me take piano lessons and my sister take violin (that is another Chinese parent thing). I got ok after a few years, but not awesome. Especially considered to other Chinese friends and relatives I know. It's hard to be good at playing an instrument you don't enjoy, and it's hard to enjoy something that is forced upon you like a sledgehammer, in the form of hours of practice when the other kids are out on their slip'n'slides or playing ball outside. No, no bitterness here.

I don't have a good voice either. So, I guess that means I have lower standards for singers (a la Britney). Not everyone can have the incredible range of Chras like when he does O-Town's "All or Nothing." Showoff.

There is a song lyric for pretty much any situation, I've found. "It's gettin hot in herre" is only the latest example. Every time I tell someone to call me, it's hard not to think of Le Click's "Call me when you're down... call me when you need someone..." or if somebody asks me how I am, and I say "I'm doin' just fine", Boyz II Men pops in my head. I remember recently, someone said something like "I wish I was a little bit older," in which case it was mandatory that the whole verse would follow:

I wish I was a little bit taller
I wish I was a baller
I wish I had a girl who looked good
I would call her
I wish I had a rabbit in a hat with a bat
and a six-four Impala - Skee Lo

Once, me and Piya (Mr. Smashing Pumpkins) were watching Scream 2 for some reason (don't ask), and Courtney Cox was trapped in the kitchen or something. Then she was like "Let me out!" and we almost simultaneously did the "Cherub Rock" version, *guitar* "let me ouuuut...." If you're not a Pumpkins fan, then I guess that story was pretty dumb.

Old school Snoop Dogg is pretty solid with the lyrics too. "So turn out the lights and close the door" ... "but for what? we don't love them hoes" or "Don't cry" ... "dry your eyes ... and here comes your mother with those 2 little guys" is what me and Olivia would always do.

I'm just waiting for the day when a half Japanese girl will diss me, so I can use one of my favorite Weezer lines, "G--damn you half-Japanese girls... do it to me every time" Pardon the edit, I try to keep the language in this blog as clean as possible so as not to offend any readers. Too late for that, perhaps, but I try.

I'm glad Dennis has started a blog. I'm telling you, it's not like I try to write long entries. In fact, I try my best to cut down. It's just that I am overflowing with thoughts and I don't want to deprive everyone of more of my fine self. tahaaa.... Anyways, everyone's blog that I read is pretty good. I enjoy checking them during the day when I'm not busy working or writing my own. Keep writing...