Tag Archives: Music

My Top Ten Favorite Concerts

The Gin Blossoms at House of Blues in Orlando

Although I have no musical talent of my own I am a music fan and I love going to live concerts, especially if I can get a good seat. Here are my ten favorite concerts (aside from my son’s)  that I’ve seen over the last 30 years. In the comments I would love to hear about your favorite bands to see live.

10. The Police; This was before the internet. I walked about two miles in the snow and waited outside in the freezing cold for four hours to buy tickets. I got a little frostbite in my toes but it was worth it. They were my favorite band at the time.

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9. Yes: Unbelievably musically talented band. They were a bit past their prime when I saw them, but they played all their classics and it was still a great show.

8. Nine Inch Nails: I was an usher at this show an got to stand wherever I wanted to watch. After an intermission the lead singer came back out on stage and just destroyed everything on stage at the end of a song.

NIN

7. The Grateful Dead: It wasn’t the band that was fun to watch, it was the people in the crowd, or more specifically in the parking lot. The goings on in the parking lot before and after the show is a show in itself.

6. Sting: When I saw him he had a sign language interpreter on the side of the stage who was signing the lyrics and moving in time to the music. It was beautiful to watch.

5. 3OH3! If you don’t know them, I’m not sure how to describe their music. It’s kind of rap/hip-hop-pop alternative. Doesn’t matter. They put on a really fun show that has the whole crowd jumping from start to finish.

3OH3-feat-Katy-Perry-Starstrukk-Music-Video

4. Paramore: I’ve seen them twice. Hayley Williams has a brilliant stage presence. She’s neither big nor loud. She’s a small woman overflowing with energy and she knows how to play to an audience. Thoroughly entertaining.

Seeing Motion City Soundtrack in Philadelphia

3. All Time Low: They’re an alternative/pop-punk band from Baltimore who doesn’t get much radio play, yet they sell out shows all over the world. I have no idea how people know about them. I’ve seen them five times thanks to my son’s love of their music. They’re just guys having fun playing music and making jokes.

2. Blink-182: I’ve seen these guys four times. The first was when they were a young band just making it big. My first impression was they were just trying to emulate Green Day. Now they put on a professional, slick show with lots of lights and lasers. I like shiny things.

1. Green Day: If you’ve read my blog for any length of time you know of my love of Green Day whom I’ve seen six times. When I first heard their song Basketcase in 1994 I was hooked. Their music struck a chord with me. I’ve seen them six times and am looking forward to number 7. Their concerts are an experience. They involve the audience as much as they can. You walk out feeling like it wasn’t their concert, but our concert.

Green Day in Hamilton, Ontario Canada. That is not my hair.

So what were your favorite concerts and why?

Have a great weekend!~ Phil

“50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” in the 21st Century

I realize most people under 45 won’t remember this brilliant, catchy 1975 song from Paul Simon. First is the official video of the original. Beneath that is my idea of what the lyrics would he if he recorded it again in the new millennium. I’m hoping for enough social media shares that it gets back to Paul Simon and he actually does re-record it.

 

The problem is all inside your head, she said to me
The answer is easy if you take it logically
I’d like to help you in your struggle to be free
There must be fifty ways
To leave your lover
She said it’s really not my habit to intrude
Furthermore, I hope my meaning won’t be lost or misconstrued
But I’ll repeat myself
At the risk of being crude
There must be fifty ways
To leave your lover
Fifty ways to leave your lover
Swipe to the left, Jeff
Block him on Instagram, Ma’am
You don’t need to be a girl or boy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the Uber, Goober
It’ll be so much smoother
Just drop off the Snapchat, Pat
And get yourself free
You just give her the ghost, Jost
Block him on Instagram, Ma’am
Make a new profile, it won’t take awhile
You don’t need to be a girl or boy, Roy
Just get yourself free

She said it grieves me so
To see you in such pain
I wish there was a filter I could use
To make you smile again
I texted I appreciate that and would you please explain
About the fifty ways

She said why don’t we both
Just sleep on it tonight
And I believe in the morning
You’ll begin to see the light
Then she sent a kiss emoji
And I realized she probably was right
There must be fifty ways
To leave your lover
Fifty ways to leave your lover
Just swipe to the left, Jeff
Block him on Instagram, Ma’am
Make a new profile, it won’t take awhile
Just get yourself free

Hop in the Uber , Goober
It’ll be so much smoother
Just drop off the Snapchat, Pat
And get yourself free

You just give her the ghost, Jost
Block him on Instagram, Ma’am

Make a new profile, it won’t take awhile
You don’t need to be a girl or boy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the Uber, Goober
It’ll be so much smoother
Just change the password key, Lee
And get yourself free
Now that you’ve read it, can you imagine how popular that would be if he did that now? If any of you happen to know Paul Simon, please send him this or use the social media buttons below to share it.  I think the world needs this. Have a great Tuesday!
~Phil

Top Ten Tuesday! The Ten Worst Song Lyrics Ever

Even good artists write bad lyrics sometimes. Here are ten of the worst:

10. Nickelback, Figure You Out: I love your pants around your feet… You’re like my favourite damn disease.” Not a shock that Nickelback made the list, right? Seriously, who has a favourite disease ?
9. Puff Daddy feat. Mase, Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down: ““Young, black and famous – with money hanging out the anus.” Does he even know how money works? This is exactly why they say money isn’t clean and you shouldn’t put it in your mouth.

8. The Beatles, Ob La Di, Ob La Da: “Ob la di, ob-la-da, life goes on, bra” Thanks genius philosophers. That was helpful.

7. Stone Temple Pilots, Plush: “When the dogs begin to smell her, will she smell alone?” If she’s that smelly, maybe some sort of intervention…

6. R. Kelly, You Remind Me of Something: Girl you look just like my cars, I want to wax it” R. Kelly has a way with words. I’m sure the ladies like being compared to a car.

5. Kaiser Chiefs, Oh My God: You work in a shirt with your name tag on it, drifting apart like a plate tectonic.” At least it rhymes. Apparently he has a problem with name tags. How does he order at McDonald’s?

4. Prince, Supercalifragisexy: Keep the blood flowing down to your feet, Brother Lois will be around in a minute, with a bucket filled with squirreled meat.” Not only does the not sound good, that lyric is anything but supercalifragisexy. Raise your hands, who here wants to be presented with a bucket of squirreled meat? I didn’t think so. 

3. Deep Purple, Highway Star: “She’s got everything – like a moving mouth, body control and everything.” They nailed it. Those are exactly the qualities I find attractive in a woman. My standards are not very high.

2. Queen, Bicycle Race: “You say ‘black’ I say ‘white’. You say ‘bark’ I say ‘bite’. You say ‘shark’ I say ‘hey man ‘Jaws’ was never my scene!’” This is apparently a transcript from Freddie Mercury’s therapy session.

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Around The World: “Bonafide ride, step aside my johnson. Yes I could in the woods of Wisconsin.”  That’s maybe one of the best haikus ever, but nobody sings about Wisconsin.

Those weren’t in any particular ranking order, but they are all epically bad. What are the worst song lyrics you can think of? Please add them in the comments and if there’s enough I’ll put out another list and link to the contributors. Have a great Tuesday! ~Phil

Top Ten Tuesday! My 10 Favorite One Hit Wonder Songs

Usually one hit wonder songs seem like the greatest musical discovery in our lives for a few months and then they fade away, only to later embarrass us when someone discovers them in our music collection and mocks us. Here are 10 of my favorite one hit wonder songs. What are some of yours? I’d love to hear them in the comments.

10. Your Love by The Outfield. This was an 80’s classic and we all know the lyrics by heart. Oddly, one of my sons recently discovered The Outfield and loves the entire album.

9. Good Vibrations, Marky Mark and The Fun Bunch, 1991 No video here because I’m sure you all know this one. I wonder if The Fun Bunch is having as much fun now that Marky Mark has moved on to bigger and better things.

8. Somebody That I Used to Know, Gotye, 2011

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7. Who Let The Dogs Out? Baha Men, 2000  This song is a particular favorite of mine because of something that happened in a courtroom, one of the greatest moments in legal history, when I was on a jury in 2015. Here is what happened:

This is an actual exchange I witnessed in the courtroom between a cross examining defense attorney and a sworn under oath witness:

Attorney: So, you let the dogs out?

Witness: Yes.

When I heard that, I couldn’t help but smirk and I looked around at my fellow jurors and no one else seemed to have gotten the joke. I’ve never been more disappointed in a group of human beings in my life.

6. Stacy’s Mom, Fountains of Wayne, 2003 I find it impossible not to sing along. If you want to hear the song, don’t be afraid. The video is appropriate.

5. 1985, Bowling For Soup, 2004 Truth be told, I think I may have all this bands songs in my collection and they’re all hilarious. This one is the catchy and funny story of a suburban soccer mom who despises her minivan and wishes she were back in 1985 so that she might have a chance to “shake her ass on the hood of Whitesnake’s car.” Look it up and add it to your collection. You’ll thank me.

4. Jump Around, House of Pain, 1992  I first heard this song in a Pringles commercial in the 90’s. Here it is:

3. Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Deep Blue Something, 1996. I owned the cassette tape of this one long after I should have been buying cassettes.

2. Common People, William Shatner and Pulp, 2004. Pulp originally released this song on their own in 1995. When they re-released with Captain Kirk chipping in, it took them to new heights. If you don’t know it, give it a listen:

Gangam Style, Psy 2012. One of the weirdest most popular songs ever. The crazy video still cracks me up.

There is the Top Ten of one hit wonder songs that are actually in my music collection. So tell me in the comments, what are your embarrassing, dirty little secret one hit wonders that you sing aloud when you’re alone in your car?

Have a great Tuesday! ~Phil

Top Ten Tuesday! The Top Ten Funniest Songs I Know

Chances are that you don’t know many of the artists or songs on this list, but if you want to add something new to your iPhone that will bring a smile to your face when it comes on unexpectedly, I strongly recommend these songs. I’ve excluded parody songs. I’ve provided links to the Youtube videos so you can play them while you read blogs. (Warning: some songs may contain PG-13 language or themes)

10. 88 Lines about 44 Women by The Nails: This song is peppy, upbeat, and from the 80’s but stands the test of time. It’s still in my collection. Video

9. Stacy’s Mom by Fountains of Wayne: This is “Mrs. Robinson” for a new generation.

8. King of Spain by Moxy Fruvous: A hilarious and underrated Canadian band from the 1990’s. Video

7. Chicks Dig It by Chris Cagle: Just so you don’t think I only listen to obscure alternative music I threw in a country song: Video

6. Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-a-Lot: An ode to well…you know. Video

5. The Bad Touch by Bloodhound Gang: A ditty honoring sexual euphemisms. If you are easily offended, don’t listen. Video

4. Pretty Fly for a White Guy by The Offspring: The hilarious and true story of my life. Video

3. Girlfriend in a Coma by The Smiths: An amazingly peppy and upbeat song considering the topic. Video

2. Connecticut is for F—— by Jesus H. Christ and The Four Hornsmen of the Apocalypse: This always makes any list of my favorite songs of any kind. There was no official video. The one I’ve linked to looks home made. Video

happier

1. Pantera Fans in Love by Nerf Herder: Truth be told, this band could have placed several songs on the list. This isn’t the funniest oone, but the other was so inappropriate that I chose not to sully #ThePhilFactor with it. Video

As always, it’s tough limiting these lists to ten. What are some of your favorite funny songs?

Have a great Tuesday! ~Phil

#TopTenTuesday

Music Monday! A Game of Tag

I was tagged by Elle of The Road To Elle to change up my Music Monday. Instead of posting a video of new music that I like, I’m going to answer lots of questions about my musical taste and then tag some folks to join in.

The rules are simple. Answer the questions, tag the person that tagged you (www.thephilfactor.com) and tag some friends to answer! Simple, huh?

A song that reminds me of home: Talk To You Later by The Tubes

Five songs that are must-haves for a road trip:

Banditos by The Refreshments (One of my favorite songs ever)

You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC

My Own Worst Enemy by Lit

Pretty Fly For a White Guy by The Offspring

Basketcase by Green Day

A song that inspires me: I got nothin’

A song that puts me in a good mood: It’s Nice To Be Alive by Ballpark Music. (the video above this paragraph) If you want a song to cheer you up, give this a listen. Any day, anywhere, this will put you in a good mood.

A song I know all the words to: Your Love by The Outfield   Who doesn’t know the words to this? Josie’s on a vacation far away. Come around and talk it over…

A song that annoys me: Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da by The Beatles. Yes, The Beatles made a bad song. It’s nonsense lyrics. And guess what? The Beatles may be the best band ever, but they made a lot of crappy songs too.

A song I used to like but don’t anymore: I’m loyal. If I liked a song once I always like it.

A song I thrashed and A song I like to play loud: Song 2 by Blur I combined these two questions into one because the answer was the same. This song I turn all the way up to 11 when it comes on in the car.

A song that makes me want to dance: Handclap by Fitz and The Tantrums

There were a few more questions, but I’m out of time this morning. So, without further adieu, I’m going to tag five people:

Christine of I’m Sick and So Are You

John of JohnHowell.com

Hayley of Just Another Blog From a Woman

James of The Next Iteration

Dorinda of Night Owl Poetry

If you’ve read this far, you are obviously an incredible human being and I would love your help in winning the AllAuthor.com book Cover of The Month Contest. If you have a second could you just click THIS LINK and click vote for my cover. You can vote once a week. Have a great Monday! ~Phil

Music Monday! Ellie Goulding & Kygo covering Harry Styles

Have a great Monday! ~Phil

The Golden Boys Playlist

My life has a soundtrack. Although I have nearly zero musical ability, I am an avid music listener and concert goer. In my head, many of my happiest memories in life are attached  to the songs that were playing when the memory occurred. It’s never been a conscious effort on my part to pair memories with music,  it just happens. It’s a wonderful time machine. I hear a song on the radio and suddenly my imagination takes me  somewhere years ago with my friends. On my own, I’m all about modern alternative rock, but when I’m with The Golden Boys we hop in the Way Back Machine and fire up the songs from our youth. My life-long friends and I are together this weekend and when we’re together music is always on in the background. Here is The Golden Boys playlist:

Crazy Train: Ozzy Osbourne

Back in Black: AC/DC

Fantasy: Aldo Nova

Your Love: The Outfield

Just Between You and Me: April Wine

Fight For Your Right To Party: The Beastie Boys

The Safety Dance: Men Without Hats

Don’t Fear The Reaper: Blue Oyster Cult

The Stroke: Billy Squier

Sunglasses At Night: Corey Hart

One Thing Leads To Another: The Fixx

I Want You To Want Me: Cheap Trick

Come On Eileen: Dexy’s Midnight Runners

Jukebox Hero: Foreigner

Simple Man: Lynyrd Skynrd

If you have a cell phone and go out to bars occasionally you should get the TouchTunes app. For a very small fee the app lets you choose the music for the jukebox in whatever bar that has it. Whenever The Golden Boys go out, we are happy to pay to have our music played all night long. If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy my novel White Picket Prisons, available on Amazon in paperback or e-book. So what songs are on the playlist of your life?

Have a great Sunday! ~Phil

Wordless Wednesday: Green Day Gallery

You can also head over to my Instagram to see more pictures . @thephilfactor. Have a great Wednesday! ~Phil

 

 

Me and Billie Joe Armstrong

Picture courtesy of HD Report

This isn’t quite Janis Joplin‘s Me and Bobby McGeeDepending on when you were born, you may not even know that song reference. Just to be clear, I’m also not old enough to remember that song on the radio. When I was very young my dad would just sit down with his guitar and sing songs. Most of it was country music. My dad wasn’t a cowboy, he was a straight ahead, square, suburban dad with a 9 to 5 job. There was nothing country about him, except his love of country music. Oddly though, when I plumb the dark recesses of my memory for pictures of my dad, the one that always comes up is him walking around the house with his guitar playing and singing Me and Bobby McGee.

“Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose
Nothin’, don’t mean nothin’ hon’ if it ain’t free, no no
And, feelin’ good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
You know, feelin’ good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGhee”

Back in the 1960’s when my dad wore a younger man’s clothes, Janis Joplin was one of the counter-culture icons of the decade right alongside Bob Dylan and Jack Kerouac. Looking back now, it seems odd that my dad had a little rebel in him. Maybe inside of his straight-laced facade he had a heart that yearned to break free of the constraints of his ordinary world.

Fast forward to 1990. Once a year my friend Bob and I, now separated by geography, shared our love of music by mailing each other a cassette tape with a cross section of all the new music we had been listening to. Yes, we we’re dudes that sent each other mix tapes. Go ahead and get your jokes out of the way now. On the tape in 1990 was a song by a then unknown band named Green Day. I liked the song, but not enough to put it on my list of music to buy. But, in early 1994, I remember the day. The sun was shining and I was driving in my car and a song came on the radio. “Do you have the time to listen to me whine about nothing and everything all at once?”  Boom. I was hooked. That band Bob had sent me a song from four years earlier had almost single handedly just ushered in the era of “pop punk” music with their song Basketcase

On the success of their Grammy winning music and the Broadway play American Idiot based on one of their albums, Green Day has been one of the biggest touring bands over the last two decades. But when I saw them in 1997 in a small,dingy venue, they weren’t yet the iconic band they would become. In May of 1997 my friend Gooby and I met a couple of my co-workers and went to see Green Day. Gooby and I forced our way toward the front of a crowd that was packed tighter than proverbial sardines. It was a writhing, jumping, sweaty mass. So sweaty in fact that Gooby’s wedding band slipped off of his finger and fell to the floor. We stayed until after the crowd and band had left the venue and we searched the floor in vain for that small, gold band. Also, did I mention that on that May night in 1997 my wife was pregnant? She was pregnant with this boy:

He was twelve in this pre-show picture when I took him to his first Green Day concert and surprised him with a spot in the pit up near the stage. It’s no surprise that eventually he turned into this kid:

In 2013, the last time my son and I saw #GreenDay together, I wrote this very popular post, The Perfect Day is A Green Day.  Since 2013 we have also seen the versions of the Broadway musical American Idiot twice. Once, done by a local theater group that included two of my son’s friends. Just before the play started, the guitarist in the orchestra fell and hurt his hand, leaving him unable to play. After the play, my son’s friend, who had played the main character said he thought of suggesting my son step in for the injured guitarist.

This post is titled Me and Billie Joe, is it not? Guess what, Billie Joe Armstrong has two sons, both of whom are accomplished musicians just making their own way into pop culture over the last couple years. So, while Billie Joe Armstrong was on tour the last 20 years embodying my rebel spirit and counter-culture feelings with his music, he was also being the same suburban dad I was, raising his boys to love music. As the kids these days would say, Billie Joe Armstrong is my spirit animal.

One of my hopes is that someday I’ll get the opportunity, even if by e-mail, to interview Billie Joe, Tre Cool, and Mike Dirnt of Green Day for #ThePhilFactor. In person, over a beer would be pretty cool too. So, if any of you have any contacts…

Why all this sudden blathering on about Green Day? On Monday, two days from now, and almost exactly twenty years from when I left my pregnant wife to go see Green Day for the first time, my son, who she was pregnant with then, and I are going to see Green Day in concert again. It will be my sixth time. Green Day has spanned the last 25 years or so of my life and the entire 19 1/2 years of my sons life. My son and I have grown up with Green Day and although they don’t know it, Green Day has grown up with us, and we’ve had the time of our life.

Have a great weekend! ~Phil