A Rhyme: "Eveyone's At It" - Lily Allen

A departure from her previous work on her 2006 debut album, Alright, Still, Lily Allen's latest effort features electro-pop songs that are similar to the trend in pop music this year. The song "Eveyone's At It" details people's use of prescription drugs ranging from "grown politicians to young adolescents". A striking line in the song to me is this one: "So your daughter's depressed well get her straight on the Prozac/But little do you know she already takes crack"

Many people around the globe abuse drugs. And prescription drugs are more easily obtained than many realize. King of Rock 'n' Roll Elvis Presley faked symptoms of various illnesses in order to obtain prescription drugs to help him during his concerts in the 1970s. He even bought a book that listed prescription drugs and their symptoms. Collage students take pills like Adderall, a drug used to treat ADD/ADHD to help them pull all-nighters. It is truly disheartening to think that young adults and teens would resort to such things. Would you take prescription medication if it helped your studies? Listen to the song on below and tell me what you think.



Source: lilyallenmusic.com, CBS.com

Music Video: Dan Black featuring Kid Cudi - "Symphonies"

This video actually contains the remix of British singer Dan Black's song "Symphonies" from his debut album ((UN)). The clip features various "movies" of the singer and rapper Kid Cudi which range from French films to Sci-Fi flicks to Westerns. It's different to most music videos out there right now, which makes it very appealing to me. I love the song too, which echos Rihanna's 2007 hit "Umbrella" (a song that Dan Black made a mashup of with legendary rapper Biggie's "Hypnotize")

The video is below. Comment and tell me what you think!

Dan Black - Subterranean - MTV Shows

Source: Wikipedia, MTV.com

Music Video: "Icky Thump" - The White Stripes

The first single released from the album of the same name, "Icky Thump" is a socially conscious song about immigration. It criticises the current American immigration policy, which also makes it the first politically charged song the band has put out since "The Big Three Killed My Baby" from their self-titled debut album. Probably the most important lyrics in the song can be found towards the end of the song. I think these lyrics portray the true meaning of the song and quite possibly exactly how lead singer (and co-writer of the song) Jack White feels about immigration policy in America.

"White Americans
What? Nothin' better to do?
Why don't you kick yourself out
You're an immigrant too.

Who's using who?
What should we do?
Well you can't be a pimp
And a prostitute too."

Watch the video for "Icky Thump" below.

The White Stripes - Rock The Deuce - MTV Shows

A Rhyme: "Make You Feel My Love" - Adele

On her debut album, 19, Adele covers the 1997 Bob Dylan song, "Make You Feel My Love". It was released as the fifth single from the album on November 3, 2008. After Adele performed the song on Comic-Relief it re-entered the UK iTunes top 100 songs at number 42 . This is a popular cover song, as Billy Joel covered the track for his greatest hits album in 1997 and country singers Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood recorded a version for the Hope Floats soundtrack in 1998.

I like this song because, like most of the songs on Adele's album, it focuses on her voice. The songs on her album are stripped down with little instrumentation. Adele brilliantly sings on the record (probably because most of the songs on her album are about a breakup or falling for the wrong guy) but then again, anyone can out sing Bob Dylan.



Source: Wikipedia
Picture Credit: Wikipedia

Music Video: "Someday" - Nickelback

The Canadian post-grunge band Nickelback followed up their 2001 album, Silver Side Up with 2003's The Long Road. The album's lead single was "Someday" which reached number 7 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. It details the break up of a couple and a man's wanting to repair the relationship instead of just throwing in the towel.

I first saw the music video on Vh1's Top 20 Video Countdown in 2003. It's pretty literal in terms of the concept and how it explains the video. But the true plot slowly unravels starting at the end of the first chorus. It's a good video and while it may come off a little cliché (like the song's lyrics) everything works well together. The most important thing is the ending and it's anything but a music video cliché. It leaves you wondering about what happened. Check it out below or listen to the song at the right. (It's track 2!)

Nickelback - New Music - More Music Videos

Picture Credit: Wikipedia
Source: Wikipedia, MTV.com

A Rhyme: "Do You Realize??" - The Flaming Lips

"Do You Realize??" is the first single from The Flaming Lips' 2002 album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. Coyne revealed during an interview that while recording the album Steven Drozd was trying to rid himself of a heroin addiction. During breaks from recording the album, he would have a hard time with his withdrawals. Coyne, listening to Drozd cry and thinking about his own late father, he wrote "Do You Realize??", a song often considered one of the bands' most popular songs.

The song has been used in many commercials including a 2002 Hewlett-Packard commercial and a 2007 Land Rover commercial. It has also been used in commercials for Vh1--which is where I first heard the song. What I like about "Do You Realize??" is the bass and the bells. The use of those elements evokes a majestic feeling, a light feeling. This is the kind of song that just makes you happy and gives you hope. Check out the song below!

Picture credit: Wikipedia

A Rhyme: "Hanging On Too Long" – Duffy

Duffy's debut album, Rockferry was released on March 3, 2008. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 51 Grammy Awards in February. Rockferry was ranked number 30 on Rolling Stone magazine's Best Albums of 2008. "Hanging On Too Long" is the 6th track on the record and was written by Duffy, Jimmy Hogarth, and Eg White.

I have to admit, when I first heard Duffy and her debut single "Mercy", I didn't see what all the hype was about. But when my favorite singer Britney Spears mentioned that she likes her in an interview, I decided I'd giver her album a listen. To my delight, I thoroughly enjoyed the album. On of the tracks that immediately became my favorite was "Hanging On Too Long". I've always wanted to hear a song that went the way that song goes--the melody, the rhythm, everything. That song is one of my favorites ever. Listen to the song below!

Picture source: Wikipedia