Lately I haven’t been able to get this song out of my head. I had hoped it would have an awesome YouTube video, but it didn’t. In an ideal world it would be sort of like this Three 6 Mafia video if it were just a video about a dude in a glow in the dark shirt covered in skulls. But there would be lots of dudes, and they would be in a empty black soundstage full of awesome lights and smoke machines. And maybe they could be moody teens on a murderous rampage? Either way: long live Haunted House.

Bonus link: this looks like a pretty great live performance.

Doc Pomus

“In the song, the narrator tells his lover she is free to mingle and socialize throughout the evening, but to make sure to save him one dance at the end of the night. The song is likely based on the personal experience of songwriter Pomus, who had polio and used crutches to get around and could not dance. His wife, however, was a Broadway actress and dancer. The song gives his perspective of plaintively telling his wife to have fun dancing, but reminds her who will be taking her home and “in whose arms you’re gonna be.”

From the Wikipedia entry for the song “Save the Last Dance for Me.”

I have been jamming on these quite a bit lately. They have an eye-opening citrus-y sweetness to them. I certainly feel like I am under their spell. So, as all good wordplay does, they have made me think about what the “tangelo voodoo” hashtag would be.

Here are my entries:

a) #fruitrandb

b) #lostbenandjerrysflavors

c) #whatmyfreshmanyearroommatelistenedto

These all seem pretty good (to me). I would love to see #fruitrandb succeed but it might be too obscure. I see a future for #lostbenandjerrysflavors, though.

“I go to bakeries all day long/
There’s a lack of sweetness in my life”

oh, jonathan: sometimes these words haunt me.

New Year’s Resolution: I will start acting like this blog is real. In the meantime, this was cool.

at first I was kind of pissed because it seemed like she was going to get edged out by the boys (she sang, what, three words of the beginning of Paper Planes?), but she just kept on keeping on. She’s just so awesome that wore a fucking mesh t-shirt while being NINE MONTHS PREGNANT on stage at the Grammys. And then took Lil Wayne’s hat. And brushed dirt of Jay-Z’s shoulder. And grinded up on T.I., in as much as you can when your stomach is that huge in proportion to the rest of you. You could tell Kanye was feeling cautious, and when she walked off stage and the camera panned to the front row you could see Chris Martin whispering “She’s just THAT pregnant.” I want to bottle up a piece of her chutzpah and take it with me everywhere I go.

Other things: ADELE, can you PLEASE act at least slightly excited to be at the Grammys? Maybe even spit out your gum? I thought the British were all polite and crap, but you are not representing at all.

So, after seeing Swagga Like Us performed, I don’t think I have anywhere left to go. Good night and good luck. Blog, out!

p.s. I take that back. RADIOHEAD. Better than I ever could have imagined. Reminds me that I never bought In Rainbows…

p.p.s. and of course they play the Shaft theme when Samuel L. Jackson comes on stage….

Is everyone in Hollywood friends with him and he is, like, the dude that everyone is happy to see when they walk through the door at a party? Are they like “Kenster! Bald-o! You made it!”???

And why was Morgan Freeman wearing gloves indoors? So confused.

a) I hope M.I.A. gives birth ON STAGE

b) I like Coldplay’s jackets. They really put a positive spin on the whole gay thing.

c) At first during the Jonas bros performance I was like “Hey, this might be cool!” Then I saw them attempting to “rock it out” while standing next to Stevie Wonder…. and, well, no dice. Even Stevie was not amused, and he will smile at anything!!! He wrote My Cherie Amour and felt no regrets!!!

d) I would have enjoyed the Miley/Taylor duet more if it didn’t include Miley. Or them talking afterward.

e) ZOMG BLINK 182 REUNION!!!!!!

f) Katy Perry makes my brain hurt in the bad way. She is like one of those girls whom you vaguely know and everyone keeps saying you should be friends with her because you’re both wacky and she does burlesque on the weekends and dates a guy with plugs in his ears and don’t you think she’s coooool? No. No, I don’t. Stop using things I like, like sequined party dresses and campy set pieces! Nothing can redeem your offensiveness.

g) Estelle. I don’t care that you wore a dress made out of a bedazzled microwave food wrapper from one of the original Apollo launches. You are the adorable-est. And Kanye, the fade mullet? I am consistently fascinated by your fashion choices. Because I know you have a stylist there somewhere in your posse. Maybe they are too busy updating your blog for you?

MORE LATER….

1- Crystal Stilts, Alight of Night

I got really into this album, so even though this isn’t #1 on anyone else’s list, it’s #1 for me…. in my heart AND on my blog.

2- TV On The Radio, Dear Science,….

I have no words for how I feel about this band. One day I will make them a collage, or maybe make out with one of the band members, and then they’ll know how I feel. Now, I kind of feel bad that I gave CS the #1 slot, but I just don’t want TVOTR to get cocky and stop making albums that accurately define my existence.

3-M83, Saturdays=Youth

When I was in college I thought about giving my radio show this description: “Like the best mixtape you ever heard, shedding a single tear of glitter.” That is what this album is like, also: FRENCH. 

4- Marnie Stern, a really long title I can’t remember

I want to be her when I grow up. I saw her play Santos’ with Gang Gang Dance and it was HEAVY (that’s the only word I can use to describe it).

5- Vivian Girls, S/T

Sometimes a band appears and it sounds like the music you have been listening to all along. But then you realize, no, it’s just the band you’ve been waiting to listen to all along. I look forward to my future life of listening to them. 

6-Black Mountain, In The Future

This album was criminally underrated and awesome. If someone told me they didn’t like it, I would be like “What, do you not like TO ROCK?”

Ummm, so that’s actually kind of it. I listened to (and enjoyed) some other albums, but those were the ones that blew my mind enough to make a list out of my celebratory feelings. I liked the new Silver Jews album a lot, but that sort of thing feels like it doesn’t really count on top 10 lists because it’s just a continuation of the canon. It exists in a lace in your heart where music blogs have no territory or claim. I really liked the Times New Viking and School of Seven Bells albums, and was totally feeling White Williams at the beginning of the Summer (he pwn3d the month of June for me). I bought Hercules and Love Affair, but pretty much just listened to “Blind” on repeat and forgot about the rest of the album. And I like Fleet Foxes, I really do! They are adorable and make beautiful harmonies. But everybody else is riding their jock so hard, it makes it hard for me to enjoy them. Their music is pretty, but as a decided “urbanite,” I have a hard time getting into folk harmonies and having them feel relevant to my life.

I bought the Sigur Ros album and listened to it a couple of times. It was pretty good, but then I started listening to something else and it commenced collecting dust on my shelf. I saw their documentary earlier this summer, it is called Heima. It was so moving that I felt they were owed a place on my list for the double achievement.

So, now, to finish out the post, I addend with this list of albums I didn’t listen to in 2008, but am sure I will like when I buy them in 2009:

1- High Places, S/T

I listened to samples of this online. Nice job! I think I will like this when I order it with the Amazon gift certificate my dad got me.

2- Department of Eagles, In Ear Park

I liked the Grizzly Bear album A LOT (so dark! so moving!), so I’m thinking I’ll like this.

3- Quiet Village, Silent Movie

I would have liked this a lot, had ANY record shop I went to in the past 6 months stocked it. I read the glowing review p4k gave it back in May and have been on the hunt ever since. Even Amazon doesn’t have it. Now that’s what I call a FAIL.

3- Ponytail, Ice Cream Spiritual

I saw them play Halloween and they seemed fun. The lead singer had the same jacket as me (I think? I was drunk), so she is in my good book.

4- Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago

He is my #1 Bear Crush of 2008, and that says something because 2008 was the Year of the Bear. Nice job, Wisconsin. You really churn them out.

5- Beach House, Devotion

The guy in this duo went to college with me and is very attractive. Even though I don’t think we ever met, he deserves a shout out based on those two things and nothing else. Oh, and also this is supposed to be a really good album.

And then there’s Kanye. What will I do with you, Yeezy? Maybe by the time this blog is through I will have one of your albums on vinyl and will be able to review it, but really?? That would take a whole entire other blog to work out my feelings about you (and whatever you subsequently wrote about me on your blog in response).

Heres to some good listening in 2009. Kid Sister, I’m looking at you….