favorite song friday: fireball

The kid has to go back to school on Monday. Yikes! But both of us are still in vacation mode, and this song by Pitbull seems to capture the fun and rhythm of summertime.

more proof that gary oldman makes everything better

The actor recites the lyrics to "Timber," taking Pitbull's part:

award shows ... a new era

I watched The American Music Awards with the kid last night. It was interesting. This is far from the first awards show she has watched with me, but I have to say, that the culture balance seems to have shifted when I wasn't looking. I seemed to be watching the show with her. Just a subtle difference, yes, but the kid is so savvy about current music she puts her pop culture maven momma to shame.

One Direction: These guys are the a nine year old's dream

Katy Perry: Who thought this was a good idea?

To start, she was excited that the host was Pitbull. And of course thrilled to bits that her fave band One Direction were on hand and performed (and won best Pop/Rock album & Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group). The show cleverly scheduled One Direction's and bubble-gum princess Katy Perry's performances early — maybe then the kids could go to bed? Not in this house. The kid was on hand for Pitbull and Ke$ha performing "Timber" and one of mommy's current faves, Justin Timberlake, performing the bluesy "Drink You Away".

The show had a weird opening number by Katy Perry, dressed up in geisha garb. Sure to be excoriated on the internet tomorrow as yet another inappropriate and thoughtless cultural appropriation, but honestly it was just ... stupid. Should people feel insulted? Is it worth it to give it that much attention? The song, "Unconditionally," is truly unlistenable. I mean, cringe-worthy, whether performed live or on the radio. I continue to be baffled by Perry, her yodeling vocals which pass for singing, but most especially her appeal to my kid's demographic.

So O.K., this is my kid's show, not mine. I surrender. It's now up to me to keep up, I guess. The AMAs are at least not as stodgy as the Grammys. And the kid drifted off somewhere after JLo and before Lady gaga, leaving me to decide if I'd watch the rest, and see if Miley tried to shock/schlock. She performed a pretty straight version of "Cannonball." With a cute giant singing kitty projected behind her. And that's all, folks.

favorite song friday: "timber"

This is a big old mish-mash of country and pop and dance (with harmonica!) and it's silly as hhheeeeellllllll ... but its also undeniably catchy. Am I really following what Pitbull is saying in his choruses? Not so much. But I can't help wanting to sing along with Ke$ha. And I'd be clapping along, too, if I didn't have to keep two hands on the steering wheel (I do most of my radio/music listening while driving).

Pitbull and Ke$ha

Now if someone could just explain to me how my nine year-old knows and recognizes local (Miami) boy Pitbull all the time on the radio. I'm just trying to catch up.

this is my curse ...

... and maybe my gift. To look for meaning in things, even the most inane of pop culture offerings.

Case in point. I found myself listening more closely to a song that I don't particularly like on the car radio the other day because its contradictory messages were driving me crazy.


It was Usher's "DJ Got Us Falling in Love Again." It's just a silly dance song, the usual seduction scene on the dance floor. But it suffers from a number of problems. First and foremost, the way Usher sings the title line, "DJ" sounds a lot more like "Danger," which might make a bit more sense, if he is trying to impress a girl that he indicates later in the song that he hardly remembers. Bad boy.

Ain't I seen you before?
I think I remember those eyes, eyes, eyes

I'm not sure what Usher has been indulging in while at the club, but he seems to be suffering from some memory impairment. He keeps going back and forth, from reminiscing about doing this before, to not being sure if he remembers the object of his seduction or not.

Swear I've seen you before
I think I remember those eyes, eyes, eyes

I'm not sure how successful his repetitive "Don't I know you?" approach turns out to be, because the song never really gives us a clue as to how things turn out. It's just all persuasion.

So dance dance
like its the last last night
of your life life
won't get you right

I'm really not sure what he means by "Won't get you right," but it sounds like he might be losing ground.

To add insult to injury, Usher doesn't seem to be able to close the deal on his own, but enlists his buddy Pitbull to come to his aid. Unfortunately, Pitbull's idea of a seductive line ranges from the gross to idiotic to purely clinical.

If Erykah Badu can get naked then baby I'm sure that you can 

Let him know how I'ma jump through your fruit loops 

I wanna be your gyno not your doctor

I will give Usher this — he ends the song by at least thanking the DJ. So maybe things turned out OK after all.  A little threat of post-apocalyptic devastation may have ended up being the way to a girl's heart after all.

So dance dance
like its the last last night
of your life life
don't get you right