"I Kissed a Girl and I Liked It"

For a long time I thought things like Focus on the Family's Plugged In were for up tight folks. Consider this line from the "Iron Man" movie review: "He shows very little regard for traffic laws or public airspace." GUYS, COME ON.

But maybe the efforts of Plugged In and other groups like them aren't so bad. I used to roll my eyes at the fundy's who insulated themselves from everything except Michael W. But the more I listen to the radio the closer I get to old-fashioned-ness. It's a terrible feeling, but we'll get into that later. But let us look at a couple parts of the song "I Kissed A Girl" by Katy Perry. The song is currently #35 on the Billboard Top 100 and number 18 on iTunes top singles. If you'd like to hear/see the song, here is the video link.

Verse 1:
This was never the way I planned | Not my intention
I got so brave, drink in hand | Lost my discretion
It's not what, I'm used to | Just wanna try you on
I'm curious for you | Caught my attention

Chorus:
I kissed a girl and I liked it | The taste of her cherry chapstick
I kissed a girl just to try it | I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong | It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight | I kissed a girl and I liked it I liked it

Verse 2:
No, I don't even know your name | It doesn't matter
Your my experimental game | Just human nature
It's not what, good girls do |Not how they should behave
My head gets so confused | Hard to obey

This is playing on the radio. A lot. I will have middle schoolers who will know all the words to this, I guarantee it. I can't decide if the worst part is getting drunk and excusing your actions, the actual kissing of another girl, or treating said girl as an object, an "experimental game".

This song, this album, this artist are all absolute garbage. I would link to her site, but I'm embarrassed because of some of the other content.

As I've said before navigating the waters of entertainment for me is tricky. Why do I find alcohol driven lesbian encounters offensive but not all the killing in Iron Man, which I thought was great? Arrrggg!!!!

Well, I just wanted to point out how terrible this song is to everyone. It communicates that people are objects and that you can just do whatever you feel like, especially if you're drinking, and that there are no consequences for whatever you happen to have done because of however you happened to be feeling.

This is not reality.

What do we do with this trash?

Ladies and Gentlemen, I Present A Very Mustoe Christmas: Platinum Edition

Starting in high school, back in the Napster days, I scoured the Internet, the airwaves, and the archives of western music in search of the best Christmas songs for a little compilation I like to call- A Very Mustoe Christmas.

You see, I am a Christmas music phene. I could listen to it all year round, as a child I actually did. You know when you're in stores like Old Navy and they're blaring some awful techno mix of "feliz navidad" and you're thinking "Man, I'm pretty sure they use this as torture at Gitmo" well, I secretly am enjoying it...

So I realize I'm tooting my own horn here, but I consider myself somewhat of an authority on the subject of Christmas music. Every couple years I try to update my ultimate Christmas playlist, and this years is now complete. Over the years there has been some great new additions (this year in particular) and we've seen some songs like "Mary Did You Know" be dropped altogether.

The list contains some songs that are actually quite bad, after all, part of the greatness of Christmas music is that it is so cheesy. Some songs might actually make you gag, but don't leave any comments talking about how terrible such and such song is. I don't want to hear it. If you don't like it, go sit in your tower and make your own list! I tried to limit instrumentals as well. So some of these are meant to be funny (like the first one), some are for nastalgia, some are classics, some are remakes of classics, and there are some really really really great songs here, like, make-you-get-a-little-weepy-great. The one rule I have is that there are no repeats, which makes for some tough calls, but I hope you can enjoy these songs as much as my family and friends have:

(artist/song, in alphabetical order)
Aaron Neville / Silent Night
Aretha Franklin / O Christmas Tree
The Beach Boys / Little Saint Nick
Bing Crosby / White Christmas
Bing Crosby / Mele Kalikimaka
Blues Traveler / Christmas
Bobby Helms / Jingle Bell Rock
Brenda Lee / Rockin Around the Christmas Tree
Bruce Springsteen / Santa Claus Is Comin to Town
Choir from Home Alone / O Holy Night
Counting Crows / A Long December
Dianna Krall / Jingle Bells
Frank Sinatra / Let It Snow!
Georgy Moravsky / Angels, We Have Heard on High
(from a CD my Grandma got me like, 6 years ago called "Acoustic Christmas Reflections" it's awesome)
Harry Connick Jr. / Ol' Saint Nick
James Taylor / Go Tell it on the Mountain
James Taylor / In the Bleak Midwinter
Jamie Cullum / Next Year, Baby
Joe / This Christmas
John Denver and the Muppets / The 12 Days of Christmas
John Legend / Jesus, What a Wonderful Child
Jose Feliciano / Feliz Navidad
Keith Sweat / Be Your Santa Claus
Luthor Vandross / O Come All Ye Faithful
Mariah Carey / All I Want For Christmas Is You
Martin Sexton / I'll Be Home For Christmas
Martin Sexton / Little Drummer Boy
Martin Sexton / Silver Bells
N*Sync / Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays
Nat King Cole / The Christmas Song
Nat King Cole / Deck the Hall
Nat King Cole / Caroling, Caroling
Perry Como / It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
Ray Charles / This Time of the Year
Relient K / I'm Gettin Nuttin For Christmas
Tony Bennett / Winter Wonderland
Trans-Siberian Orchestra / Carol of the Bells
U2 / This Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Various Artists (Jack Johnson) / Rudolph
Various Artists (Barenaked Ladies & Sarah Mclocklin) / God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Vince Guaraldi Trio / What Child Is This?

So there it is. In terms of Christmas albums, here's some favorites:
John Denver and the Muppets, A Christmas Together.
(from my childhood, and STILL on my iPod!)
Martin Sexton, Camp Holiday
Relient K, Let It Snow Baby...Let It Reindeer
Nat King Cole, The Christmas Song
James Taylor, James Taylor at Christmas
Vince Guaraldi Trio, A Charlie Brown Christmas

"Surely We Can Change"

Here's a sample from Crowder's newest CD "Remedy". The song is called "Surely We Can Change"

when all the love in the world is right here, among us,
and hatred too, so we must choose what our hands will do

Where there is pain...let there be grace
Where there is suffering...bring serenity
For those afraid...help them be brave
Where there is misery...bring an expectancy
and surely we can change, surely we can change
something.

"Vision of You"

Shane & Shane's new album "Pages" came out yesterday. It's crazy. If you're a guitar player, you know what this feeling is like. You listen to Eddie Van Halen play and you think to yourself "Whats the point? Why do I even try?" Shane and Shane are like the Eddie Van Halen of Christian music. They sing notes barely within the range of human hearing. Anyways, some of their old stuff is a little odd for me but this new album really is great. I remember hearing their first song on the album at a concert in which I experienced an extended period of tingly-ness. Check out these lyrics from the chorus of "Vision of You":

Awaken whats inside of me
Tune my heart to all you are in me
Even though you're here God come
May the vision of you be the death of me
Even though you've given everything
Jesus come

Worst Band. Ever.

Sometimes it's nice to take a break from all things theological. Here is one of those posts.

I think Nickelback is the worst band of all time. Here is a list of bands/music I would rather listen to than Nickelback just so you can see how bad I think they are:

Jefferson Starship, Steve Perry's solo stuff, Hanson, that band who sang the song "This is the story of a girl", Coolio, *insert 1343 80's bands here*, Ace of Base, Five for Fighting, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, The Monkees, Ringo Starr's solo stuff/all the songs he wrote that made it on the Beatles albums, the weird guy from The Eagles- Joe something, Enya, Amy Grant, old Backstreet Boys, Rammstein, Hinder, Akon, Lil' John, AND WORST OF ALL...........MICHAEL W. SMITH. Man, that is a terrible list. But I would gladly buy any of their albums before Nickelback's.

Here's a list of things I would rather do/have happen to me than go to a Nickelback concert:
-go to the Dentist
-go to a safe sanctuary training
-have my car break down
-bounce a check
-mow a lawn
-wait in line at the DMV
-go to a family reunion (extended family of course, not cousins/aunt/uncle/grandma)
-take extensive notes on a United Methodist board of pension meeting
-watch the most recent Star Wars movies
-participate in a live action drama inspired by a lifetime movie
or worst of all...A MICHAEL W. SMITH CONCERT.

So to Nickelback, please stop making music. Your newest song about wanting to be a rock star isn't really cute or funny or creative. Rock stars singing about wanting to be rock stars isn't cool in some ironic way, it's just lame. Also, the song "figured you out" was gross. At least be consistent and make tough guy music or cheesy poprock music so we can know what to expect from you.

Case in point, a lyrical sample from Nicklback's latest single:
Sign a couple autographs
So I can eat my meals for free (and in the background "I'LL HAVE A QUESODILLA")

I defy any readers out there to come up with a WORSE band than Nickelback. You know what, here at Internationally Known on the Microphone, we haven't had a challenge like this before. So I'm throwin down the gauntlet, tell your friends to check this out.

WHOEVER CAN CONVICE ME THAT THERE IS A BAND IN EXISTENCE IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE THAT IS WORSE THAN NICKELBACK WILL WIN A $15 iTunes GIFTCARD! Let the debate begin! (please respond so I don't look desperate!)

-

Unrelated Thought.

Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know" is still a great song.

4th of July

The 4th was always one of my favorite holidays. I remember going to the gas station as a child, and getting a bottle of JOLT cola to shoot bottle rockets out of. Here in St. Louis county you can't shoot off fireworks, but at the county line on I-44 into Jefferson county it's like the Las Vegas Strip of Fireworks stands, hillarious.

So, for all who care to read, here's some 4th of July favorites:

Music-
Jimi Hendrix, Star Spangled Banner
Ray Charles, America the Beautiful
Bruce Springsteen, Born in the USA

Movies-
The Sandlot
Independance Day

Fireworks-
Smoke Bombs
The Lil' Green Tanks (my personal favorite, see above)

Food-
Brats
Homemade Ice Cream

Not-So-Favorite Things About 4th of July:

Barking Dogs
Burning your hand
The cheap wicks fireplace stands give you

So here's to a happy 4th of July to everyone, especially folks overseas who can't be with their families.

John Mayer Concert

I didn't really do this justice on the blog yet. Almost two weeks ago some friends and I saw John Mayer at Verizon Amphitheater/UMB Bank Pavilion/Riverport. It was nuts. Brett Dennen and Ben Folds opened up, who were also very good.

It's time to revisit my John Mayer theory.

I don't know how much longer he can hold up. I think Continuum is one of the best albums ever. The dude can sing, play, and write all EXTREMELY well. He could be a great solo artist just on his guitar playing alone. He's dated Jennifer Love Hewitt and the magazine covers have tagged him with Jessica Simpson.

I believe there's no way a relationship between John Mayer and any celebrity will ever last. Why? It's too much. No single man can be THAT awesome. What do you think fuels a lot of his songs? Problems with love. You can't come out with a blues album if you're dating Jessica Simpson. No one will believe you could ever be blue. The only thing that allows him to keep his street cred is the fact that he's unhappy in the love dept. So he's doomed to either keep being awesome musically or give up his material in exchange for love.

That being said, a highlight of the show was impersonating John Mayer's guitar face. You can see Jimmy Fallon's impersonation here about halfway through.

So here are me and my friends best impersonations:

3 posts in one day...amazing!

This was sent from my boy Justin, pretty nuts. Makes you want to quit playing guitar.

Yuletide Carols

This post could either be late, or timely depending on your answer to the question:

When do you start listening to Christmas music? (for a more overtly theological question, head over to Adam's blog)

This question is really representative of a much larger issue...Thanksgiving being devoured by the Christmas monster. I suspect there is a strong correlation between your views on Christmas music and the sanctity of Thanksgiving. Personally, I think Thanksgiving is awesome. But lets face it, it's pretty much Christmas pre-game. Thus, I stand in support of pre-Thanksgiving Christmas music. Further thusly lumping Thanksgiving into "the holidays". So to bring us full circle, I think you should be able to listen to Christmas music any time after Halloween. There it is.

Recently i've heard a new term out there called "Christmas Creep". This is what we're talking about at Youth on Sunday, so i'm sure i'll recycle some of my material and post it to the blog! So some interesting segways here. But, back to the issue at hand.

The Ultimate Christmas Song Playlist. Or what I like to title it...A Very Mustoe Christmas. Here's the criteria:

1. A mix of classics, newer songs, and newer remakes of classics. This can be tough, and you definately want to avoid a lot of 80's renditions of carols of old.

2. Some unconvetional songs. A nice mix of songs will include some selections with wintery themes that will surprise the listener as they're familiar with the song, but never in a festive context.

3. No repeats. You can only take so much _______________________ (fill in song here). One is enough.

4. No Manheim steamroller. Sorry. Might be cool to see them live, but not on my list baby.

5. Put some tounge in cheek selections in there. "Feliz Navidad" is actually a pretty annoying song...so why not embrace it the way you still love that abrasive relative?

Without further adu (adieu?) here's my best of the best playlist- A Very Mustoe Christmas. The order can be debated, depending on what mood you're going for.

O Christmas Tree- Aretha Franklin
Christmas- Blues Traveler
*Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays- N*Sync.
(Say what you want. I don't care, it's a great song.)
Santa Clause Is Comin to Town- Bruce Springsteen
Let It Snow- Frank Sinatra
This Christmas- Chicago
Long December- Counting Crows
The 12 Days of Christmas- John Denver and the Muppets
O Come All Ye Faithful- Luther Vandross
All I Want for Christmas is You- Mariah Carey
Holly Jolly Christmas- Martin Sexton
Next Year- Jamie Cullum
*The Christmas Song- Nat King Cole
*This Time of the Year- Ray Charles
Winter Wonderland- Tony Bennet
*Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas- Chris Martin or James Taylor. It's a tossup.
*God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings- Sarah McLachlin and Barenaked Ladies
Rudolph- Jack Johnson
St. Patricks Day- John Mayer
Carol of the Bells- The choir from the Home Alone soundtrack
*=top choices

So, let the debate begin: How early do you listen to Christmas music, and what's on your playlist?

Thanksgiving

Here's some lyrics from a cool song "Thank You"

Thank you Lord, thank you Lord
I know i've fallen short, I know i've fallen short
Thank you Lord, thank you Lord
I know i've fallen short so thank you, thank you, thank you

I don't say it enough, I don't say it enough
Though I have known your love, thought I have known your love
So thank you, thank you, thank you.

On some related side notes: I'm back in the KC with my family and Sarah, it's a blast, and all the food's free! Goin to the Chiefs game tonight, which will be awesome. Also, played a little Nintendo Wii with my cuz, also sweet.

Probably the highlight so far has been the downloading of Aaron Neville's Christmas Album. Seriously, go get it. Thus begins Christmas Music season. Many posts to come on this subject.

Peace and thanks!

MuteMath

What up,

MuteMath's album is available for download on iTunes. 20 songs for $11.99. Not bad! These guys are seriously unbelievable. My friend Brad (BB) has a post about facebook, which we talked about at Youth on Sunday night. So me and give had a good conversation, as did the youth group. So, hopefully some good stuff comin up.

Peace

Mr. Caldwell, I salute you

"And i'm trying to make you sing
From the place that you believe
Like it's something that you need
Like it means everything

And i'm trying to make you feel
That this is for real
And life is happening
And it means everything
And i'm trying to make you sing"

-David Crowder, from the last track of his new album.

These words seem simple, maybe even odd if you look at them on your computer screen. Being a big Crowder fan I pre-ordered the album and listened to it as soon as I could. I got to this track and didn't really stop and think about the lyrics. Then my buddy Adam told me to take a closer look, er, listen. After hearing him hypothosize (sp? maybe I shouldn't use big words if I can't spell them) about the meaning, I have been listening to this song over and over. Crowder is stating why he exists, why he does what he does. He's trying to get people to sing and encounter God. I guess I find this incredibly inspirational because the more I thought about it thats what I want my life to be, helping people encounter God as I try and do a better job myself. To live and praise God like it means everything, not just empty words, or a paycheck, or a lifestyle for the sake of a lifestyle, but to really truely believe that what I am doing with my life matters and is pleasing to God. To trust him more, believe more, do more, and love more. Like it means everything.

http://www.davidcrowderband.com

Their new album "A Collision" is hands down the best Christian album i've ever heard. This is not a run-of-the-mill praise album. There's not 4 covers of songs you've already heard covered by 4 other artists. This is truely an album that demands repeated listening. Even if you're not jamming to every track with your windows down, they are all thought provoking. I cannot speak highly enough of this CD. I promise i'm not being paid by the band or anything, I just really like it that much!

A Collision Is Coming

David Crowder* Band's new album drops this Tuesday, the 27th. You need to go out and buy it immediately. To my knowledge Target is going to carry it so you don' t have to pay $25 for it at a Christian Bookstore (for more stories about Christian bookstores, see "The Spittin' Image")

I downloaded it off of iTunes for $9.99. Now that is great. I feel like i'm in the future. CD's are out. Seriously, David Crowder is hands down the best Christian music out there right now. If you disagree, you should prayerfully reconsider.....just kidding.

http://www.davidcrowderband.com

On an exciting side note, it's my girlfriend and I's 7 month anniversary today!

Sowing Seeds.

Every Tuesday at my school we have a campus-wide chapel service. This is a chance for anyone who chooses to come and have a time of worship @ 10am, every Tuesday. I've been helping to lead the music for a while. It's one of my favorite things about school, and jamming with the guys at school every week has gotten me through a lot.

The reason I say all this is that i've seen lots of chapels in my (almost) four years of school. The first Tuesday of every year is always....the first chapel! The funny thing about the first chapel of the year is that usually people are required to go. First year freshman and most of the athletic teams are required to at least show up. This is when you see the most pairs of headphones in chapel, the most people asleep, and generally the most confused or disgruntled faces for being there.

So the band started the service off. As we were playing I realized I don't think I had ever seen that many people at chapel before. It's a little scary to play worship music for people who don't listen to worship music, nay, can't stand worship music. Part of me was thinking: "wow, i'll bet some of these guys think i'm a total tool standing up here singing about God".

I started to be bitter about people being forced to attend chapel: "if they don't want to be here, they shouldn't be" started ringing in my head. At first I was enthused by so many people filling the pews of the sanctuary on campus, then I turned elitist because some people there might not "understand" anything about worship.

But then I prayed that God would use the time there to speak to people's hearts. I realized that chapel wasn't about me, or my guitar, or the powerpoint slides, or sport teams. The attention should not be on me, or the band but on God. For it is not my business to change people's hearts, but God's. Who was I to think that I had a monopoly on worshiping. How could I think that I was in a position to judge the hearts of the people who filled those pews? I asked God to help give me humility, to use me for his will.

Then this scripture came to mind....Even if people weren't Christian maybe chapel could be a time where they could encounter God. And ya know what, even if no one made any big life commitments or "saw the light" that doesn't mean we don't keep trying. Read this:
Matthew 13: 1-23
Or if you prefer to read it right there on your computer screen:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2013:%201-23&version=31

This is from biblegateway.com a crucial website for all things biblical.