#FlashbackFriday – Higher Ground

This is a new idea I recently had to write a little about covers of popular and favorite songs of yesteryear. I’ll try to steer clear of obvious choices (I Will Always Love You, Nothing Compares 2 U, etc.), and focus on songs people didn’t know were covers or that a certain artist actually covered a song by X. Below is the first installment of #flashbackfriday.

Red Hot Chili Peppers (Stevie Wonder)

Before they were giving it away under the bridge, the Red Hot Chili Peppers reached for “Higher Ground,” a Stevie Wonder cover. Released in 1989 on their fourth studio album, Mother’s Milk, the George Clinton-inspired Chili Peppers saw their first cross over hit as they were paying homage to Stevie Wonder and the important role he played in popular music.

The original, was released in 1973 on Stevie Wonder’s Innervisons album (which also included Living for the City, All in Love is Fair, Don’t You Worry ‘bout a Thing). It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. In an interview with the New York Times, Stevie said the song lyrics addressed the issue of reincarnation.

Rolling Stone ranked the original song #265 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Movie Review: White House Down

Enjoyed White House Down.  It was a good action-packed movie.  Didn’t have high expectations with the series of sub par movies lately. And it’s good to see a movie where the ending is not set up to lead to a sequel.

There are some scenes that are a bit cheesy, but the story more than makes up for it.  Channing Tatum (still hot!) is a very believable hero who has made mistakes in the past and is trying to better himself.

I give it 7 out of 10 stars

Christmas Music

I used to love Christmas music!  I looked forward to it every year.  I knew all of the songs, religious and secular.  They were fun, heartfelt and joyous.   But that was then.

Today, shopping malls start pumping in the “Christmas cheer” as early as October.  And the artists of today produce seasonal songs that, to be kind, is extremely lacking.

Much like the holiday itself, Christmas music — err, holiday songs have become so commercial.  These singers are churning out songs simply to make a buck.  Hey, that is the American way.  And as long as there’s a market for it, they will continue to do so.

To be fair, there have been a few songs here and there in recent years that will stand the test of time for the holidays.  Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” and Bryan Adams’ “Something About Christmas Time” comes to mind.  But in my opinion, there hasn’t been a great release of a Christmas song, or songs since 1987’s A Very Special Christmas.

As a fundraising avenue for the Special Olypmics, A Very Special Christmas compiled songs from 15 of the biggest acts of the time.  Listening to this CD still holds up through the years.  Take a look at the amazing tracks below.

Bourne Tops, but It Ain’t Pretty

All of my friends know that I’m a Bourne fan.  A fanatic, really.  I own all three original Bourne movies on DVD and have watched each one a dozen times or more.  I have eight of the ten Bourne books on my Kindle Fire — three by the originally author, the amazing Robert Ludlum, and five from Eric Van Lustbader.

The Bourne Legacy, the fourth installment of the masterful Bourne series brought in a cool $40.3 million during its opening weekend.  Me and my good buddy Jake were among the masses of those who couldn’t wait to see how Hollywood would branch out the series that Matt Damon brought to the big screen.

Hoping to see this Jeremy Renner-led pic at the Uptown Theater, our first wave of disappointment came when we found out the Uptown would still be showing The Dark Knight Rises for a third week.  So we opted for Regal Cinema’s Gallery Place/Chinatown location.

We started the early evening off with cigars at Shelly’s Backroom with some other friends.  After enjoying a pair of Dominican Partagas Fabulosos, we then walked the six blocks to the Verizon Center complex.

Arriving just before show time to a packed house, we had to take seats near the front of the auditorium.

Because it had to retell a familiar story from a different angle, the beginning dragged a little.  It then delved into a subplot of Renner’s Aaron Cross character being a super charged junkie in need of a fix; travelling half of the globe to get it.

Tony Gilroy, the new director, tried to do too much in this film.  While Paul Greengrass (director of Supremacy and Ultimatum) was focus, albeit with no steady-cam, Gilroy jumps all over the place.  Literally.  From the Alaska wilderness scenes, to the murder-suicide in the government lab, to Manila shanties of the Philippines, it’s not focused.

Towards the end, there is the obligatory yet masterful chase scene.  This is one of the highlights of the film.  It is also something that the series is known for.  But then the movie abruptly ends, setting it up for an obvious sequal.  There’s no closure, no cliffhanger, nothing.

And what a travesty to hold Joan Allen’s Pamela Landy to very last minutes of the film before bringing her out?  Of course, I now expect her to have a vital and pivotal role in the next installment, with her trial for treason.

Two and half hours later, we left somewhat disappointed.

To be fair, I did enjoy some of it.  But I found it lacking.  Yet I will likely see it again to try to pick up things I missed the first time around.

When Divas Attack!

Wow!  the bitch is back, and he’s being vile, bitter, and slightly on point.

Queerty, reports some pretty vicious quotes from an aging Sir Elton John about an also aging Madonna.  It’s been obvious for some time that Elton and Madge don’t like each other.  But the vitriol in this latest dust up is quite stirring.  The following are not for delicate eyes.

Quote #1

“If Madonna had any common sense she would have made a record like Ray Of Lightand stayed away from the dance stuff and just been a great pop singer and make great pop records, which she does brilliantly. But no, she had to go and prove… she looks like a fucking fairground stripper.”

Quote #2

“Why is she such a nightmare? Sorry, her career is over. Her tour has been a disaster and it couldn’t happen to a bigger cunt.”

The Legwarmers Put on One Helluva Show

Last night, me and about twenty friends ventured out to Falls Church, VA to see a performance of The Legwarmers, DC’s premiere 80s cover band.  I had only seen them once before, about five years ago.  And as they approach their ten year anniversary, they are just as amazing as when I first saw them.

There was only one negative thing I can say about the show last night at The State Theatre.  It started 45 minutes late!  I know concerts rarely start on time, but 45 minutes?!

But the over all night was extremely fun!  Their set list included 43 songs that span more than three hours.  But don’t just take my word for it.  Visit my YouTube channel where I posted nine videos from last night’s performance.  Below, I’ve included the set list for the show.  Needless to say, I will be going to see another show!

You Give Love a Bad Name I Wanna Be Sedated Summer of ‘69 Hit Me with Your Best Shot Eye of the Tiger Africa Mickey Melt With You 500 Miles (I’m Gonna Be) Maneater We Got the Beat Footloose Every Rose Has its Thorns Take On Me Final Countdown

Total Eclipse of the Heart Don’t You (Forget About Me) Rebel Yell We’re Not Gonna Take It Don’t Stop Believing [intermission] Pour Some Sugar on Me What I Like About You 99 Red Balloons Tainted Love Your Love Should I Stay or Should I Go Who Can It Be Now Back On the Chain Gang Billie Jean

Jump Karma Chameleon Jesse Girl Whip It Material Girl Love Shack Come on Eileen Jack and Diane Take Me Home Tonight Welcome to the Jungle I Love Rock ‘n Roll Fight for Your Right [encore] Shook Me All Night Long Here I Go Again

MDNA Will Have Biggest Second Week Drop in Chart History

According to an exclusive Forbes Magazine article, Madonna’s “MDNA” album will have fallen from its inflated perch at number 1 by 88% – from 359,000 copies in its first week to roughly 46,000 the second week.  The article goes on to reveal that most of Madonna’s first week sales were CDs that were included in the sale of concert tickets, which inflated her numbers.

Scandal, New TV Show

This looks goooooooood!!!!

Don’t Trust the B….. in Apt. 23

Rarely are mid-season replacements so funny and compelling. But in the case of Don’t Trust the B.. in Apt 23, I think ABC may have a hit on their hands.

The show centers around Chloe (Krysten Ritter), a New York party girl and savvy street smart con artist with the “morals of a pirate,” who causes trouble for her new roommates. Her goal is to sweet talk them into moving in, paying a deposit plus first and last month’s rent, then driving them so batshit crazy that they decide to move out without notice, forfeiting their deposit, allowing Chloe to pocket the cash.

Enter, June (Dreama Walker), a naive small town girl from Indiana who moves to New York City for a new job, that quickly disappears due to an embezzling CEO. Add to the mix a strange play on reality with James Van Der Beek playing, James Van Der Beek. In a stroke of hilarity, Van Der Beek plays a fictional version of himself, often mocking his character from Dawson’s Creek.

Rarely have I laughed out loud so often within a 22-minute period!

The show premieres April 11th on ABC, but you can catch the pilot online now. Check it out. It’s well worth it.