Monumental Soundbyte - 62

Michael Jackson - Beat It

One of my favorite songs by MJ and the second song from this flawed genius to make this list.

Where do i begin:

• This song won 2 grammys in 1983 or 1984. One for record of the year and the second for male vocal performance of the year
• The song features a guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen. He is rumoured to have nailed this in one take. Actually not a rumour.
• Van Halen recorded his part while Jackson was in another nearby studio recording overdubs on "Billie Jean". According to one story, a technician who was unaware Van Halen was beginning a take knocked on the studio door, entered and quickly closed it when he realized his error. Afterwards, it was jointly decided to leave this mistake in; the knock on the door is clearly audible just prior to the launch of Van Halen's guitar solo.
• The video - with the rival dancing gangs. There are a few famous faces in there (well they werent famous then) - Stoney Jackson and Michael DeLorenzo (of NY Undercover with Malik Yoba)
• The multi-zippered red jacket worn by Jackson throughout the video would become iconic in its own right, and children and teenagers across the country of all races sported copies of the design

Let me stop there since this song like most Michael Jackson songs has effects on so many artists and other genres.

This song is all about avoiding violence at all costs....But i am sure you all know that...

Enjoyh!

All because of THAT song...

• I have a special kind of love. Its not romantic love. Its not "mandatory" love from family. I am blessed to have a friend that i know loves me warts and all. My friend has seen me at my highs, shared my good news, shared a lot of my happy times and silly times. My friend has also seen me when i have hit rock bottom. You know the Ugly cry times....when the tears come from the depth of your soul. This friend has seen those. This friend has challenged me. Been mad at me. Yelled at me. Not talked to me for ages. Listened to me rant about nothing. Been my fan, my supporter but has also been my critic. Through all this: it hit me last week. This friend loves me. As in, i know that if i need this friend, time and distance will not be an issue. Its a wonderful feeling to have. To know that there is someone in this world who doesnt have to be there for you, who doesnt have to put up with you, doesnt have to love you - but has CHOSEN to love you. See i believe that love is a choice. Its not automatic or easy. So everyday, that choice to love a person must be re-affirmed or else stuff will get in the way. So i have a precious love that i am so grateful for.

• I am not much of a people person which means that my circle is quite small. I am not the easiest person to deal with. I can go weeks without talking to people or making calls to friends. When i dont feel like talking, i dont. And i get irritated when i am not left alone. When i go into my manic socializing ways, its almost like a different person has emerged. Partly because of who i am and the way i am, there are some relationships in my life that have not been nurtured. As a result, stalemate relationships. In some cases deteriorating relationships. There is one in particular that irks. See we react to people - the vibes they give off. So over the years, vibes i have given and vibes i have gotten from this person have meant a very fragile relationship. As time has hardened me, the things which i should have made the effort to fix rolled off my back. Now here we are: the deterioration has stopped. But there hasnt been an improvement. So here we are - stuck in that awkward place. Knowing that everything isnt right. But what to do? Maybe i know what to do, but the steps that need to be taken are just too hard right now

Alright - I am turning off this Everybody Hurts song. Sheesh!

Monumental Soundbyte - 61

REM - Everybody Hurts

This song is from the "Automatic for the people" album which was released in 1992.

This is one of those songs that i dont look for. Its such a powerful song that everytime i hear it i am taken to places i am not sure i want to be. Makes me think of me and the relationships and situations that have brought me pain, or relationships that i am working on that arent as smooth as they should be. It usually forces me to face up to the fact that i am not 100% satisfied a lot of the time. Not all relationships are of a romantic nature and whenever i hear this song, romantic love is the last thing on my mind.

Hearing this song - i heard this song one time when i was in a car and i vowed to never do that again. Suddenly every face i saw in cars, walking by the roadside, begging, cursing and yelling....it was almost like i could see through them. See all the bravado put up to deal with everyday life. But looking deeper, people were thinking. And a lot of the thoughts were not happy thoughts. People are preoccupied with things going on in their lives. These "things" affect their responses to everyday situations. Which might explain why a little incident can spark off a reaction of volcanic proportion.

The video for this song is even more haunting. The group is stuck in traffic and nothing is moving. And then they come out and begin to climb over cars as they sing.

Awesome song by a very talented group. A deep song. And definitely monumental.

Enjoy!

Aghhhhhhhh!

So Michael Bolton will be performing in Lagos this friday at The Civic Center as part of an MTN business thingy themed Tinapa Business Opportunities.

Not sure i care about Tinapa business opportunities but i am about to call and find out how much it is. If it is worth my while, i will watch the man perform and head out....

SOme insight.....

2 days ago, i was running late and it wasnt until i got into the car, that i realised that i forgot to wear a watch. A little panicked but didnt bother too much about it.

Interesting thing is that i got so much accomplished. But more importantly, i felt freer. I did things urgently as usual but there was something different.

So yesterday, i deliberately didnt wear a watch. Just because. And again. A sense of ease.

Could the constant staring at my watch, watching time contribute to the harried feelings that are too frequently a part of my life?

Well i am not wearing a watch today again....

Monumental Soundbyte - 60

Lionel Richie - All Night Long

Back to regular programming. I dare anyone to deny that they know this song or that they dont know almost the words to this. I also know a lot of people can remember the video. All those dancing people in the street. I love love this song.....

Enjoy!

Sports Hotness

I come to the end of this very fulfilling series. And i am ending with my pick of the hottest men in Sports. You cannot imagine how hard it was for me to not choose yummy body pictures. *Sigh*. Enjoy!


David Beckham: There are really no words...I mean its Becks

Fredrik Ljungberg: Swedish hottie that plays for West Ham

Ian Thorpe: The Torpedo - recently retired Australian Olympic medal swimmer

Jeremy Wariner: young sunglasses wearing track star...

Michael Phelps: Olympic medal winner in Swimming for the USA

Jesse Palmer: was on The Bachelor and used to play for the New York Giants

Kelly Slater: very hot surfer

Michael Vick: yes he is in some trouble now...BUT this Atlanta Falcons quarterback is some hot stuff

Rafael Nadal: The hot spaniard is ranked number 2 in the world (that would be men's tennis ladies)

Reggie Bush: How can this piece of chocolate goodness be born in 1985? He plays for the New Orleans Saints

Tom Brady: Hotness...Plays for the New England Patriots

Zinedine Zidane: ZiZu....All tall hotness. I was so so mad that his final appearance was marred by the head butting incident (which i think was justified..LOL). Must be his Algerian background that gives him that darkness that i like

Aging but Evergreen Hotness

Al Pacino: Mr Tony Montana, Michael Corleone is 67. I adore this man. He is gritty, ruggedly attractive and looks like he doesnt give a hoot about anything....

Andy Garcia: He is one very good looking 51 year old...

Bruce Willis: This uber cool and still sexy 52 year old is my honey. His attitude towards his ex-wife's husband and the fact that their family unit seems to be working....him in Die Hard 4..his new bald look...his half smile thing...

Jack Nicholson: This 70 year old is not handsome in the conventional way. But he is a fabulous actor and a very very confident man. He is enjoying getting older, dating the ladies and being him. Love it.

Lionel Richie: Nicole's daddy is 58 this year. (Did you know that Nicole is his adopted daughter?). Anyway, i think Lionel is getting more attractive as he gets older. His voice and they way his fingers move over piano keys.....

Mikhail Baryshnikov: this 58 year old Russian ballet dancer can bend and contort his body in ways that amaze me. Sex and the City fans will remember him as Carrie's Russian

Pierce Brosnan: The so so suave 54 year old has a sexy Irish brogue too

Richard Gere: My darling Edward from Pretty Woman is 58

Robert DeNiro: i cannot believe this man is 64. Honestly where on earth is the time going? I fell in love with him the first time i saw him in The Godfather

Timothy Dalton: I fell in love with him when he played Mr Rochester in Jane Eyre. He is my favorite James Bond - because i think he played Bond as a real person. How did he turn 61? Classically trained actor. Me loves him a lot

Sean Connery: a very hot hot man. One of my favorite James Bond's. Can you believe he is 77?

Stedman Graham: Self made motivational speaker, ex basket ball player and of course Oprah's man. He is 56