Friday, August 22, 2008

#1 With A Bullet Birthday Cake

Okay, here's one more meme thing I can do for every year I've been alive. This site can tell you what Billboard's #1 song was on the day you were born. So, counting backward, here are the #1 songs on my birthday, August 8, every year since my birth, with a few notes on how much I enjoy (or don't) each song.

2008 ... "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry
Kind of a dopey song, packed with insultingly tawdry and shallow sexuality and the cop-out "hope my boyfriend don't mind it" line which plays like a reassurance to any homophobic men who might be listening: "Don't worry, I'm still actually into guys like you -- but isn't two girls kissing hot?" That said... the video is pretty hot. Hey, I never said I wasn't insultingly tawdry and shallow!

2007 ... "Beautiful Girls" by Sean Kingston
Don't think I've ever heard it. I just looked at the video on You Tube... still doesn't ring a bell. Didn't really like the song.

2006 ... "Promiscuous" by Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland
I'm pretty sure the video for this is the one that partly takes place on a helipad which made me change the channel whenever I saw it -- not because of the helipad, just because I didn't like the song. (Checking You Tube, I appear to have been thinking of the video for "Say It Right." Well, I don't like either song. So there!)

2005 ... "We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey
I've probably accidentally heard this song at some point, just via pop culture osmosis, but I assure you, I have never listened to it intentionally.

2004 ... "Slow Motion" by Juvenile featuring Soulja Slim
Never heard of it.

2003 ... "Crazy in Love" by Beyonce featuring Jay-Z
Don't care for it.

2002 ... "Hot in Herre" by Nelly
Dumb fun if I happen to catch it playing, but nothing I would actively seek out.

2001 ... "Bootylicious" by Destiny's Child
Hey, I don't think that's a real word! Don't care for the tune.

2000 ... "Incomplete" by Sisqo
Sisqo had a second hit? Who allowed this to happen?

1999 ... "Genie in a Bottle" by Christina Aguilera
Hey, remember the '90s? Christina was always to me the least objectionable of the blonde pop starlets who began proliferating at about this time (such as Britney and Jessica Simpson), but still, I wouldn't choose to listen to this or any of her songs.

1998 ... "The Boy Is Mine" by Brandy & Monica
No thank you.

1997 ... "I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy & Faith Evans featuring 112
God no! Puff Daddy is pathetic. Funny that he's ripping off a song that was also #1 on my birthday, back in 1983.

1996 ... "Macarena [Bayside Boys Mix]" by Los Del Rio
It is only acceptable to listen to -- and dance to -- this song at a wedding. A wedding with an open bar. I decree it!

1995 ... "Waterfalls" by TLC
"Don't go chasing waterfalls...." Are waterfalls really that elusive? They seem fairly stationary to me. Also, I don't like this song.

1994 ... "Stay (I Missed You)" by Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories
The first song on this list I actually enjoy wholeheartedly! Wow, we have to go all the way back to my 24th birthday for it. Got overplayed -- a lot -- to the point where I got sick of it, but it's been long enough now that I can listen to it again.

1993 ... "Can't Help Falling in Love" by UB40
Never liked UB40.

1992 ... "This Used to Be My Playground" by Madonna
I've liked a few songs from Madonna, here and there. This is not one of them.

1991 ... "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" by Bryan Adams
I'm embarrassed to admit that I loved this song and owned the album. Hell, I'd probably still enjoy it if I listened to it again.

1990 ... "Vision of Love" by Mariah Carey
No.

1989 ... "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx
Just looked him up on Wikipedia -- dang, I didn't realize this guy was quite so popular back in the day! Probably because I switched channels whenever I heard his voice.

1988 ... "Roll with It" by Steve Winwood
I honestly could not remember this song until I watched the video on You Tube. It's okay.

1987 ... "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2
Brilliant song! Probably my favorite of theirs.

1986 ... "Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera
In addition to Bryan Adams, I once also liked Peter Cetera. Oh, the shame! Wasn't this from the Karate Kid 2 soundtrack? I really liked this song back then. Wow, sad.

1985 ... "Shout" by Tears for Fears
Great song.

1984 ... "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker, Jr.
Oh, man, you could not escape this song in the summer of '84. Good thing I really like it. Or I did, at the time. I've heard it so often it's almost painful to listen to now -- especially when a commercial appropriates the music for some random product. Stop it!!!

1983 ... "Every Breath You Take" by The Police
Love this song.

1982 ... "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor
When I was 12, I was ridiculously into this song, and everything Rocky-related. I still get a kick out of it.

1981 ... "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield
Awesome '80s cheese! Come on, who doesn't love this song?

1980 ... "Magic" by Olivia Newton-John
I barely recall this song, but I think I liked it as a kid.

1979 ... "Bad Girls" by Donna Summer
The Queen of Disco! I remember hating disco at the time, because I learned from older kids that it was cool to hate disco. But this is actually a pretty good tune!

1978 ... "Three Times a Lady" by The Commodores
We used to taunt one of the kids on the school bus by putting his name in this song: "'Cause you're once, twice, three times Delaney!" Children are vicious. Good song, though.

1977 ... "I Just Want to Be Your Everything" by Andy Gibb
I don't think I know this song, but I'm sure I must've heard it on the radio back when I was 7. I am not now, nor was I ever, a fan of Andy Gibb.

1976 ... "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" by Elton John & Kiki Dee
Fun song! I still like it.

1975 ... "Jive Talkin'" by The Bee Gees
Now we're at the age where I don't recall what music I might or might not have heard on the radio or on TV. It's the Bee Gees, so I'm sure I've heard it, but right now I can't imagine what it sounds like at all. (Okay, just checked it out on You Tube -- still don't recognize it. Don't much care for it.)

1974 ... "Feel Like Makin' Love" by Roberta Flack
Don't think I know this song, either. (Again, You Tube didn't help. Kind of pretty, though.)

1973 ... "The Morning After" by Maureen McGovern
This song won an Oscar for The Poseidon Adventure, and I've seen The Poseidon Adventure, but I still don't have the slightest idea how it goes. (Okay, I listened to it on You Tube... ugh.) All I knew of Maureen McGovern (before looking her up on Wikipedia just now) was that she recorded the single for "Can You Read My Mind" from Superman: The Movie, which I liked.

1972 ... "Alone Again (Naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan
The title sounds familiar, but again, I can't call this song to mind. You Tubed it and... hey, I know this song! It's all right, mildly enjoyable fluff.

1971 ... "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" by The Bee Gees
Nope, don't know this song either, and listening to it on You Tube made me dislike it. Pretty much any song by the Bee Gees that's not "Stayin' Alive," I'm not going to like.

1970 ... "(They Long to Be) Close to You" by The Carpenters
Super cheesy, but you know what? I love it! I always liked the Carpenters.



And there you have it, another easy-to-produce but still substantial-appearing post. Blogging is a snap!

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