THE #1 SONG 24 YEARS AGO TODAY WAS.......

.....Release Me by Wilson Phillips. You guys, Wilson Phillips was an actual thing and I love them. The three girls who all came from rock royalty (Carnie and Wendy Wilson were the daughters of Beach Boy Brian Wilson and Chynna Phillips shot from the loins of John and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas) wrote an album full of tight vocal harmonies and hook after hook after hook with a little help from pre-Alanis mega-producer Glen Ballard. First single, Hold On, had already topped the charts in June of 1990, and then just three months later the second single, the more pensive Release Me, notched up another #1 for the group. These bitches were on a roll, y'all! Release Me took the top spot on September 15, 1990 and stayed for two weeks before giving it up to another band of rock progeny, Nelson (the twin sons of Rick Nelson) who scored with (Can't Love With Your) Love and Affection.  (I can't with those boys' 90s hair) Release Me ended up at #19 on the Billboard year end chart (Hold On was #1) and one of the group's most popular songs. I think it's 90s-tastic. They scored a third and final #1 song from their debut album in April '91 with You're In Love. That songs makes my ears vomit, but I digress. The video for Release Me is pretty standard, the girls look forlorn yet sensual? while singing in a multi-million-dollar glass mansion. Carnie is, of course, wearing a piano since the record company apparently couldn't find nice clothes in her size. Ugh. Anyhoo, here is Wilson Phillips with the #1 song from 24 years ago today, Release Me.

MINIMALISM IN MUSIC VIDEOS

Sinead O'Connor recently ripped Miley Cyrus a new a-hole with a series of open letters for Miley comparing her Wrecking Ball video to Sinead's Nothing Compares 2 U vid. I see where Miley is coming from with the longing close ups and whatnot, so Sinead should probably just calm the F down. Right? It did, however, get me thinking about other videos that feature just someone's mug looking into the camera. Seems like a pretty cheap way to make a video, but I guess it can be pretty effective too. The Lorde video for Tennis Court and Bjork's Hunter are especially good, IMO. Here are some that popped into my mind right away, along with Sinead and Miley. If you can think of anymore, by all mean list them below for others to look up.

LEAVE MILEY ALONE: IN DEFENSE OF THE WRECKING BALL VIDEO

Seriously, folks. Yes, Miley Cyrus is naked in her new video for the excellent new single Wrecking Ball. Everyone point at the whore and faint. That's sarcasm. I get it. Miley was Hannah Montana (which I coudln't with) a few years ago and now she's not. SHE'S A WOMAN! Does everyone have Alzheimer's by the way? Have we completely forgotten that Janet Jackson was naked in her Everytime video in 1998? Alanis Morissette in her Thank U video in 1998? (big year for nudity) Britney Spears in her Womanizer video in 2008? And of course countless videos by men have featured naked women. Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines being a recent example of rape-iness.. Don't get me started on why Miley took the heat for the VMA performance while Robin got off (pun intended) scot-free. IMO this video does the nudity in a very artistic way and Miley looks great! She is expressing herself and growing up, just like every artist before her. Let's let Miley leave her Disney past (Disney has) and move on with her freakin' life, folks. In the meantime, everybody kiss a cross and watch the video below if your pure heart and eyes can handle it. I am totes obsessed with this song, BTW.

BEST UNRELEASED SONGS OF 2012

In my humble, and usually correct, opinion, these are the best unreleased songs of 2012. A lot of artists and labels chose to release singles from albums this year that made no sense to me whatsoever, or at least in comparison with these unreleased gems it was weird. Here are some real good tunes that I wish would have gotten their due. Now these are just songs from albums released this year. Don't get me started on Adele, fDeluxe, Nicola Roberts or Lady Gaga from last year, girl!! Cuz' I will go ON! Okay. Settle in, listen and thank me later.

Mechanics of The Heart - Cheryl Cole

Inevitable - Scissor Sisters

Woman Down - Alanis Morissette

This Is What Makes Us Girls - Lana Del Rey

Only You - Ellie Goulding

I'm Addicted - Madonna

True Love - Pink (ft. Lily Cooper Rose)

God Only Knows - Wilson Phillips

ALANIS MORISSETTE PERFORMS NEW SINGLE, GUARDIAN, ON DANCING WITH THE STARS

Alanis gave her debut performance of her new single Guardian on Dancing with the Stars last night. She looks great!! I really like the song and it's great to hear Alanis' familiar voice again. It's just soft and just rock enough to fulfill all your Alanis needs. Watch and love. ps. the dancing is great too. Alanis Morissette's new album, Havoc and Bright Lights, is due in August.

NEW ALANIS MORISSETTE SONG!! WOOHOO!!!

Alanis Morisette has already announced the release of her next album, Bright Lights and Havoc, this August, and now we have a new track. Magical Child is a gorgeous electro-ballad that sounds very different for Alanis. I love it! It's actually not that new. The song appeared on the Starbucks compilation Every Mother Counts. It's new to me! And maybe you! It probably won't be on the new album either. So I guess I'm a liar. Ha. Anyway, I think you'll enjoy it. I personally cannot wait for new Alanis. It's been too long.

NEW MUSIC & VIDEO: LANA DEL REY: BORN TO DIE

Another good sign that a killer album is coming. Lana Del Rey has already given us the sublime Video Games and Blue Jeans, now she returns with thrones and tigers on Born To Die. Much like its predecessors, Born To Die is dreamy, slightly retro and sexy as all hell. The much discussed, criticized and hyped singer will be dropping her album in January and she is musical guest on Saturday Night Live that month as well. We'll be seeing a lot of her in the upcoming months. What do you think? Do accusations of her being manufactured or fake drive you away from her music? Does it matter as long as the product is good. It's the same thing that happened to Alanis Morissette when she first came out and people knew her as the Canadian Debbie Gibson before. People change their style, folks. Get on board before you are the lone nerd hating on Lana. Just my opinion, of course, which is only  right 99.99% of the time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALANIS MORISSETTE!!

Our fave angsty Canadian, Alanis Morissette, is 37 today!! Alanis is one of my all time favorite singers and she actually got a lot of play on my recent car ride to Boston, if you must know. (You musn't) To celebrate go out and give a BJ in a movie theatre or lengthen all your syllables today. It's what she would want. DO IT! Happy bday, Alanis!!!!

Alanis Morissette - Thank You by Warner-Music

Alanis Morissette - Ironic by Warner-Music

BEYONCE PERFORMS AT THE GRAMMYS

Even though her dress on the red carpet looked like it was made out of a quilt and her hair looked like she fell asleep on one side in the limo, Beyonce did what she does best: Got up on the stage and sang like there was no tomorrow. Here is a clip of Beyonce's performance at the Grammys last night. She is singing her face off with a swat team behind her for If I Were a Boy, then breaks into Alanis Morissette's You Oughta Know. Nicely done, Beyonce. Nicely done. [image]

ALANIS MORISSETTE IS A POT SMOKER AND PROUD OF IT!

You won't catch Alanis Morisette with a "Say No to Marijuana" shirt on. (do they even have those? and who is "they"?.....anyway) In a recent interview with High Times magazine (love that name), Alanis spoke about the benefits of Mary Jane and how it helps her creative process. "I'm all about moderation - as best I can be. As an artist, there's a sweet jump-starting quality to it for me. I've often felt telepathic and receptive to inexplicable messages my whole life. I can stave those off when I'm not high. When I'm high - well, they come in and there's less of a veil, so to speak. So if ever I need some clarity... or a quantum leap in terms of writing something, it's a quick way for me to get to it." She even said she is so comfortable with weed now that she feels "like a professional" at toking up. Makes sense to me. I have always thought it's crazy that we can drink alcohol and make the dumbest decisions after doing so, but THAT is perfectly legal!! I have never done half the stupid shizz I have done drinking when I was smoking a little pot. AND if pot is what makes Alanis create that music I love, then smoke away, Al!!! BTW, when is the next album? [source]

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Here are some great "thanks" songs for the day. Thanks for reading and thanks for the encouragement. Hope you all have a great day of thanking whoever for whatever.