Movie Soundtrack Feature: "All Star"

Smash Mouth "All Star"

My childhood was not complete without the classic animated film Shrek. Who can forget everyone's surprisingly loveable ogre and his donkey friend as they go on a quest to save a princess for the king, only to find out she turns into an ogre at night. It went on to win Academy Awards and be etched as the beginning of one of the best animated film series in my opinion. The soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, and featured a few fairly well known songs, including Smash Mouth's hit "All Star." Smash Mouth also recorded "I'm A Believer," a song originally performed by Neil Diamond. It peaked at #28 on the Billboard 200, and reached #2 on Billboard's soundtrack chart. While "All Star" was released 2 years before the film and had most of its chart success during that time, it is just as often remembered as a pairing to Shrek. Some would even describe it as a kind of theme song for the main character himself. I would like to think most of you enjoyed the film as much as I did, and will take some time to be an "All Star" today. 

If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here

Lyrics to "All Star"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "My Heart Will Go On"

MOVIE SOUNDTRACK FEATURE: "MY HEART WILL GO ON"

Celine Dion "My Heart Will Go On"

Before this song started to become popular to use for memes and dubs over sports moments, "My Heart Will Go On" was the most recognized song from the blockbuster Titanic. The soundtrack to the movie is widely successful, as it is one of the highest selling soundtracks of all time and the highest selling primarily orchestral soundtrack ever. It spent 16 straight weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200, and is the last album to spend at least ten consecutive weeks at #1. On top of that, it was #1 on the charts of 14 other countries as well. It finished #5 on the top albums of the decade (1990-1999), and currently ranks at #163 on the Billboard 200 of all time albums. The song itself is just as popular, and is considered Celine Dion's signature hit of her entire career. It was #1 across the world, and was listed on Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America. It is currently the second best selling single of all time by a female artist, and the 8th best overall. I could go on and on about the major success of both the soundtrack and the single, but I think you all get the point. Enjoy a classic song from a classic movie.


If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here


Lyrics to "My Heart Will Go On"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "When Doves Cry"

MOVIE SOUNDTRACK FEATURE: "WHEN DOVES CRY"

Prince "When Doves Cry"

Purple Rain, the film, was a semi autobiographical film with Prince as the main character. The album of the same name was the soundtrack for the movie, and is considered not only the greatest work created by Prince, but also one of the greatest albums of all time. It had two songs reach #1 on the charts, including today's song selection. The soundtrack has been certified platinum 13 times, and as of 2008, was the third best selling soundtrack album of all time. Following Prince's death, the album ascended back up to #2 on the Billboard 200. Previously, it had stayed atop the charts for 24 weeks straight back when it was released, and stayed in the top 10 for a total of 32 straight weeks. "When Doves Cry" is noted for its lack of bass. According to Genius, this was a choice of Prince, as to make it sound "like something's missing." The song itself was inspired by his relationship with Vanity 6 member Susan Moonsie. Enjoy one of the more popular Prince songs of all time, off of the most popular Prince album of all time.

If you want to learn more about the soundtrack as well as view the track listing, click here

Lyrics to "When Doves Cry"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "(I've Had) The Time of My Life"

MOVIE SOUNDTRACK FEATURE: "(I'VE HAD) THE TIME OF MY LIFE"

Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes "(I've Had) The Time of my Life"

Dirty Dancing is one of the most iconic movies from the 1980s. It is still beloved today, and,  every now and then, people like to slip in a "Nobody puts Baby in a corner" quote. The soundtrack for the movie subsequently was also successful. It spent 18 weeks at #1 on the Billboard charts. Today's track selection from the soundtrack was the most successful song from it. It was specifically recorded for the movie, and won awards across multiple platforms: Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Group or Duo, Academy Award for Best Original Song & Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. It also reached #1 on the Billboard charts. Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes were handpicked by the music production crew to record the song. The soundtrack as a whole created an oldies music revival, which created an unexpected boost for RCA records. That sounds similar to yesterday's soundtrack from Guardians of the Galaxy, which was also composed entirely of older songs. Hopefully nobody puts you in a corner today to check out today's selection.

If you want more information about the movie and the soundtrack, as well as the full track listing, check it out here

Lyrics to "(I've Had) The Time of my Life"

Movie Soundtrack Feature: "Escape (The Pina Colada Song"

MOVIE SOUNDTRACK FEATURE: "ESCAPE (THE PIÑA COLADA SONG)"

Rupert Holmes "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)

You probably didn't need to see Guardians of the Galaxy to recognize this song. It is one of those songs that almost everybody seems to love and can sing along to. If you have seen the movie, than you know that all the songs on its soundtrack come from the 1970s. The Awesome Mix is a mixtape created by Peter Quill's mother and given to him shortly before her death in the beginning of the movie. It is a collection of her favorite songs, which come from that decade. "Escape" plays in the film when Quill is recovering his cassette player from the guard who confiscated it when he and the other guardians were taken into prison. Director James Gunn gave Composer Tyler Bates a mission to have most of the score already in place before filming so as "to use them for emotional scenes and big action scenes." He also stated that he wanted to play the songs on set so that the actors could get a feel for why the particular song fit into the scene they were filming and understand it. The song itself, isolated from the soundtrack, is really basic in that it is a man wishing to escape his current relationship. This is Rupert Holmes' claim to fame, even though he did a lot of other things musically besides just this song. And, according to Genius, he doesn't even like Piña Coladas! 

As you can tell, the month of April will be all about songs off of movie soundtracks. It's a cool semi-crossover of pop culture, which allows a spotlight on both the song and the movie. I hope you'll enjoy following along this month's journey!

If you want more information about how the soundtrack for Guardians of the Galaxy came together, as well as the full track list, you can find it here

Lyrics to "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)

International Artist Spotlight: Lorde

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: LORDE

Lorde "Perfect Places"

A pop artist that can fall into a few different genres, Lorde was first introduced to the world with her single "Royals." It sat atop the Billboard charts for 9 consecutive weeks, and eventually won Song of the Year at the Grammys in 2013. Lorde hails from New Zealand, and largely gained success doing covers at first. It was her first EP that she posted on her Soundcloud account that brought her popularity, which included "Royals." She also created music for Mockingjacy, Part 1 from The Hunger Games series. Her most recent album, Melodrama, was released last year, and was nominated for Album of the Year at the most recent Grammys. She is only 21, and yet she already has a large fan base. She chose her name from her fascination with royalty, but added the "E" at the end to add more femininity to it. She has been on Time's list of most influential teenagers twice, and has also been featured on Forbes' list of 30 under 30 who are changing the world. She's just another example of a young wave of pop stars who have already gained quite a bit of acclaim at an early age. Her future appears bright, and I encourage you to give her music a listen.

Biographical information here

Lyrics to "Perfect Places"

International Artist Spotlight: Rihanna

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: RIHANNA

Rihanna ft. Jay-Z "Umbrella"

We're venturing to Barbados today to profile one of the most iconic women of pop music. Robyn Rihanna Fenty has only been producing music for roughly ten years, yet she has already racked up a ton of awards. She is the youngest solo artist to record 14 Billboard #1 hits. She has over 100 million gold and platinum singles on the digital scene, and has 8 Grammys to her name. Discovered by two vacationing Def Jam producers, Rihanna's career was launched with the release of her first album that brought us the dance floor hit "Pon de Replay." "Good Girl Gone Bad" was the album that really launched her into stardom, with "Umbrella" being the song of the summer that year. It also sat atop the pop, urban and crossover charts for a whole year! "Umbrella" was the song that brought Rihanna her first Grammy. Many just as successful albums and #1 hits have followed, and she's only 30! With many years remaining in Rihanna's career, we can only look forward to the next great albums and singles to come. Along with all the music success, Rihanna has also been an active businesswoman and philanthropist. She's designed various clothing and accessories, and some of the sales of these items go towards causes she's passionate about. With today' selection, take a moment to recognize the greatness of Rihanna and her music.


If you want to learn more, click here


Lyrics to "Umbrella"

International Artist Spotlight: Dua Lipa

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: DUA LIPA

Dua Lipa "Blow Your Mind (Mwah)"

Exactly a month ago, this blog introduced Dua Lipa. She probably didn't need an introduction though, as she's been blowing up top 50 charts in multiple countries for close to a year now. Dua Lipa, while born in London, is ethnically Albanian, and her parents moved to London from Kosovo. She moved back to Kosovo with her family in 2008, before returning back to London to launch her rising music career. At first, she started a career as a model before moving on to music. The song featured today was her first song to enter the Billboard U.S. charts, coming in at 72. She has been featured on tracks with Martin Garrix and Sean Paul. Last month's song "New Rules," was the first number one hit for her in the U.K., and the first female artist to reach that spot since Adele in 2015. She was also the most streamed woman of 2017 on Spotify in the U.K. It appears she's got a bright future ahead of her, as she is starting to work on her second studio album. I am definitely a big fan of hers, and love her voice. I certainly hope you'll enjoy and explore more of her music as well. 

Lyrics to "Blow Your Mind (Mwah)"

International Artist Spotlight: Zara Larsson

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: ZARA LARSSON

Zara Larsson "Lush Life"

Swedish pop sensation Zara Larsson has been making music since she was ten. At that time, she won Sweden's version of America's Got Talent, and, with a cover of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On," her music career was underway. The song featured today was released in 2015, and was her first big international hit, including here in the United States. Since then, she's had a few other songs gain international acclaim and released her first studio album. Her accolades thus far include Time magazine's 30 most influential teenagers of 2016 and being named on Forbes' "30 under 30 Europe" segment. This particular song is very upbeat, and is all about having fun. In Larsson's own words, "live with no regrets and enjoy the moment." She also describes this song as a perfect summer song, as that tends to be when most people take the opportunity to live that way. Needless to say, Larsson's future is bright, and I believe she's on the verge of being one of pop's next biggest mega artists.

Lyrics to "Lush Life"

International Artist Spotlight: Shakira

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: SHAKIRA

Shakira ft. Wyclef Jean "Hips Don't Lie"

Shakira is the best selling Colombian artist of all time. Her music is widely popular throughout the world, including the United States. Which, if you know about her, would have been far fetched when she first started making music. It took her quite a few years before she broke through on the American charts. The album Laundry Service, which contained the song "Whenever, Wherever," was what broke through that barrier. It reached number 3 on the U.S. album charts, according to biography.com. She has been a judge on The Voice, and has won 3 Grammys throughout her career. She's also a very active philanthropist, having her own charity foundation as well as being a UNICEF ambassador. The song featured today topped the charts in 55 countries, according to Genius. I'm sure most of you will recognize this, as well as many other songs by her. Enjoy today's pick, the second most successful Latin American artist behind Gloria Estefan.

Here is the full biography used today

Here is her website, which provides plenty of information, including her extensive philanthropy

Lyrics to "Hips Don't Lie"

International Artist Spotlight: Lukas Graham

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: LUKAS GRAHAM

Lukas Graham "Mama Said"

A song that samples "Hard Knock Life" can't be terrible, can it? You probably know who Lukas Graham is from the song "7 Years," since that's the song that launched him into the spotlight. I also believe that today's selection, "Mama Said," was also played on the radio quite a bit. It's a simple, upbeat song about appreciating the things that you have in life. The lyrics stress not needing to have all these extravagant things to be happy. It also talks about following your dreams, with Lukas' personal story as an example. Lukas Graham is actually a pop band from Copenhagen, Denmark. Lukas, the lead singer, has used his life and background as inspiration for a lot of his music, and you can tell within the lyrics. He grew up in a fairly poor neighborhood in Copenhagen, yet made it out to the success he has now as a musician. However, he always likes to share that success back to where it all started. 

For the rest of the month, each day will feature an artist from a different country around the world. Hope you enjoy this month's theme!

Check out their website for more info!

Lyrics to "Mama Said"

February Love Song #28

FEBRUARY LOVE SONG #28

Dua Lipa "New Rules"

In a twist on this month's theme, I chose a break up song for the last song of the month. We are breaking up with the love song theme as March approaches. Dua Lipa has broken into the pop scene within the last few months, with "New Rules" being the smash hit that has really put her in the spotlight. It's a powerful song about not going back to your ex, no matter what. Dua lays down "New Rules" that are supposed to help remind her of why going back won't work. It has a really catchy beat, and Dua Lipa's voice is great in its own right. Combine that with a little sass with this particular song, and it makes a fantastic song. I highly recommend other songs off of this album as well. Whether you're going through a break up or not, enjoy this song. Don't forget to check back tomorrow as I unveil March's theme!

Lyrics to "New Rules"

February Love Song #26

FEBRUARY LOVE SONG #26

Eves Karydas "There For You"

I won't lie, I basically just discovered Eves Karydas yesterday. However, I immediately fell in love with her music. While listening to "There For You," I thought about how perfect of a song it was for this month's theme. This song very much has the sound of your classic indie pop rhythm. The lyrics tell of a girl who's fallen in love with a guy, presumably who may be in a relationship already. She's trying to prove to him that she can provide more love to him than this other girl. All throughout, there's also the mentions of how hard it is for her to be around the guy, since she has such strong feelings for him. Overall, it certainly seems like any other typical love story put into song. However, I think it's a pretty great song, and I hope you'll like it too.

If you're interested in learning more about Eves Karydas and her music, check out this interview

Lyrics to "There For You"

February Love Song #20

FEBRUARY LOVE SONG #20

Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah"

This seems like the classic romantic moment. A musician likes you so much that he or she decides to write a song about you. There are only a few romantic acts that would top that in my opinion. Unfortunately, there is no happy ending for "Hey There Delilah." While it is certainly a cute love song about loving someone, even if it's a long distance relationship, the singer and the girl do not actually get together. According to Genius, Delilah DiCrescenzo is for whom this song is written. She met the lead singer of Plain White T's (Tom Higgenson) while home on break from school in New York City. Higgenson told her he would write a song about her, and showed up a few months later with a CD that included the track "Hey There Delilah." The song was so popular that it was nominated for a Grammy, although it lost. And, while the world now knows that this love song did not work in terms of getting the girl, that doesn't necessarily mean it can't work for you. Enjoy today's selection!

Lyrics to "Hey There Delilah"

February Love Song #18

FEBRUARY LOVE SONG #18

Carly Rae Jepsen "Call Me Maybe"

I know some of you may be hating me for choosing this song. It was played quite a bit when it came out, and some would argue that it was the song of the summer in 2012. Like it or not, "Call Me Maybe" is a fun song about a girl falling in love with a guy, and hoping that he'll give her a call after she's given him her number. The verses and chorus talk about the nervousness of approaching the person she's fallen for, and the anticipation of hoping he'll actually pick up the phone and call her. This song inspired a bunch of viral videos of groups doing their own dances to this song, one of the most famous being of members of the Harvard University baseball team. Hopefully you didn't get sick of this pop mega hit that's already 6 years old, and will give it a listen today!

Lyrics to "Call Me Maybe"

February Love Song #5

FEBRUARY LOVE SONG #5

DNCE "Toothbrush"

Joe Jonas' band after The Jonas Brothers has given us a collection of fun hits, most notably "Cake By The Ocean." However, after that breakout, the next song we got was "Toothbrush." This song is about that turning point of a relationship where, even though there's some fuzziness about what exactly the couple is, each of them should be comfortable leaving a few items at the other's place. Most commonly, one of those items is a toothbrush, as it allows someone to stay the night and still be able to put themselves together in the morning and leave for work or wherever they have to go. You can tell that the main character is really starting to fall in love with more than just the passionate exchanges they have, as the pre-chorus section is all about him paying attention to the details of his lover. Hope you and your "Toothbrush" enjoy today's love song.

Lyrics to "Toothbrush"

Day 31: My Favorite Song of 2018 So Far

DAY 31: MY FAVORITE SONG OF 2018 SO FAR

The Chainsmokers "Sick Boy"

Here is a bonus day not included in the actual challenge list. And, I think it's fitting as a bridge for the direction of this blog, as I plan to turn it into a music blog at this point. You'll just have to check in tomorrow to see what February's theme will be! I heard "Sick Boy," and have liked it ever since. The group has definitely changed up their sound a bit since their first few hits that made them famous. I don't think it makes this song any less likable. From what I researched (I use genius.com for most of my lyric searches and meanings, BTW), this song is about the differences between the east coast and west coast of America. However, based on the lyrics, no matter which side you pick, it seems that you'll never be enough for either coast. Each side has its own pros and cons, especially when it comes to lifestyle. With fame only comes a bigger audience, as The Chainsmokers have experienced in their climb to the top of the charts. So, with one month already gone in 2018, here is a good song to end the month on. 

Day 25: A Song by an Artist No Longer Living

DAY 25: A SONG BY AN ARTIST NO LONGER LIVING

Michael Jackson "Thriller"

I don't think there's a lot of explanation needed with today's selection. "Thriller" is an all time classic, especially around Halloween. You've heard it time and time again, and you've probably even attempted to do the iconic dances that came out of the music video. Michael Jackson is one of those pop music icons that will certainly live on well past his time. He provided so many great hits even when he was just a child. I believe he is still one of the top grossing artists year in and year out. That tells you everything you need to know about his legacy and the popularity of his music. I think he's the perfect choice for today, and "Thriller" is a great song to listen to on his behalf. 

Day 21: One Of Your Favorite Songs That Has a Person's Name

DAY 21: ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS THAT HAS A PERSON'S NAME

OutKast "Ms. Jackson"

"Ms. Jackson" is arguably one of the best songs of the 2000s. It never gets old to listen to, and you can't help but sing along when you hear it. This is another song that I grew up listening to through my sister. It was one she played on repeat quite a bit. I encourage you to watch the music video, as I think it is also really well done. I love the periods where the animals get in on the singing action. I could honestly sit here and rave all day about how much I love this song. But, to keep it simple, this is a classic song, from a group that gave us a few great early 2000s songs. Enjoy!

Day 14: A Song You Would Love to be Played at Your Wedding

DAY 14: A SONG YOU WOULD LOVE TO BE PLAYED AT YOUR WEDDING

Ed Sheeran "Thinking Out Loud"

To be perfectly honest, I haven't really actually thought about songs I would actually like to be played at my wedding. However, this is certainly one that comes to mind when you simply sit back and analyze the lyrics. I would not be surprised if it has been a wedding song for many couples in my age range. Ed Sheeran has certainly found a lot of success over the past few years, and that includes plenty of love songs. I remember seeing a statistic one time that claimed 90% of songs are about love in some way, shape or form. It is one of the strongest emotions, so that comes to no surprise to me. Whether it's a song about a breakup, or one about your unrequited love for someone, music seems to be a great way to express how you're feeling in that moment. Whether "Thinking Out Loud" has a special meaning to you or not, hope you enjoy today's selection.